something done (usually as opposed to something said)
From this reading He had never before found time to be lazy, and what dreaming he had done had been in the stress of action.
ALIBInounUS /ˈæləbaɪ/
(law) a defense by an accused person purporting to show that he or she could not have committed the crime in question
From this reading BREAKING DOWN AN ALIBI Keller found convalescence under the superintendence of Miss Sanderson one of the great pleasures of his life.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading Her school was out for the summer and she was now at home all day.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading BREAKING DOWN AN ALIBI Keller found convalescence under the superintendence of Miss Sanderson one of the great pleasures of his life.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Her school was out for the summer and she was now at home all day.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Now he might lie the livelong day and not too obviously watch her brave, frank youth as she moved before him or sat reading.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Her school was out for the summer and she was now at home all day.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading He had never before found time to be lazy, and what dreaming he had done had been in the stress of action.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading He had never before found time to be lazy, and what dreaming he had done had been in the stress of action.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading He had never before found time to be lazy, and what dreaming he had done had been in the stress of action.
possessing or displaying courage; able to face and deal with danger or fear without flinching
From this reading Now he might lie the livelong day and not too obviously watch her brave, frank youth as she moved before him or sat reading.
the act of breaking something
From this reading BREAKING DOWN AN ALIBI Keller found convalescence under the superintendence of Miss Sanderson one of the great pleasures of his life.
convalescencenounUS /ˌkɑːnvəˈlesəns/
gradual healing (through rest) after sickness or injury
From this reading BREAKING DOWN AN ALIBI Keller found convalescence under the superintendence of Miss Sanderson one of the great pleasures of his life.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading Her school was out for the summer and she was now at home all day.
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading He had never before found time to be lazy, and what dreaming he had done had been in the stress of action.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading BREAKING DOWN AN ALIBI Keller found convalescence under the superintendence of Miss Sanderson one of the great pleasures of his life.
dreamingnounUS /ˈdriːmɪŋ/
imaginative thoughts indulged in while awake
From this reading He had never before found time to be lazy, and what dreaming he had done had been in the stress of action.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading For the first time in his life he was in love!
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Her school was out for the summer and she was now at home all day.
set up or found
From this reading BREAKING DOWN AN ALIBI Keller found convalescence under the superintendence of Miss Sanderson one of the great pleasures of his life.
characterized by directness in manner or speech; without subtlety or evasion
From this reading Now he might lie the livelong day and not too obviously watch her brave, frank youth as she moved before him or sat reading.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading BREAKING DOWN AN ALIBI Keller found convalescence under the superintendence of Miss Sanderson one of the great pleasures of his life.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had never before found time to be lazy, and what dreaming he had done had been in the stress of action.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had never before found time to be lazy, and what dreaming he had done had been in the stress of action.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Her school was out for the summer and she was now at home all day.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Now he might lie the livelong day and not too obviously watch her brave, frank youth as she moved before him or sat reading.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading BREAKING DOWN AN ALIBI Keller found convalescence under the superintendence of Miss Sanderson one of the great pleasures of his life.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading Her school was out for the summer and she was now at home all day.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He had never before found time to be lazy, and what dreaming he had done had been in the stress of action.
KellernounUS /ˈkelər/
United States lecturer and writer who was blind and deaf from the age of 19 months
From this reading BREAKING DOWN AN ALIBI Keller found convalescence under the superintendence of Miss Sanderson one of the great pleasures of his life.
lazyadjectiveUS /ˈleɪzi/
moving slowly and gently
From this reading He had never before found time to be lazy, and what dreaming he had done had been in the stress of action.
be located or situated somewhere; occupy a certain position
From this reading Now he might lie the livelong day and not too obviously watch her brave, frank youth as she moved before him or sat reading.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading BREAKING DOWN AN ALIBI Keller found convalescence under the superintendence of Miss Sanderson one of the great pleasures of his life.
livelongnoun
perennial northern temperate plant with toothed leaves and heads of small purplish-white flowers
From this reading Now he might lie the livelong day and not too obviously watch her brave, frank youth as she moved before him or sat reading.
a strong positive emotion of regard and affection
From this reading For the first time in his life he was in love!
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading Now he might lie the livelong day and not too obviously watch her brave, frank youth as she moved before him or sat reading.
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading BREAKING DOWN AN ALIBI Keller found convalescence under the superintendence of Miss Sanderson one of the great pleasures of his life.
being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion
From this reading Now he might lie the livelong day and not too obviously watch her brave, frank youth as she moved before him or sat reading.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading He had never before found time to be lazy, and what dreaming he had done had been in the stress of action.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Now he might lie the livelong day and not too obviously watch her brave, frank youth as she moved before him or sat reading.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Her school was out for the summer and she was now at home all day.
obviouslyadverbUS /ˈɑːbviəsli/
unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)
From this reading Now he might lie the livelong day and not too obviously watch her brave, frank youth as she moved before him or sat reading.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading BREAKING DOWN AN ALIBI Keller found convalescence under the superintendence of Miss Sanderson one of the great pleasures of his life.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading BREAKING DOWN AN ALIBI Keller found convalescence under the superintendence of Miss Sanderson one of the great pleasures of his life.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Now he might lie the livelong day and not too obviously watch her brave, frank youth as she moved before him or sat reading.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Her school was out for the summer and she was now at home all day.
pleasuresnounUS /ˈpleʒərz/
plural of “pleasure” — a fundamental feeling that is hard to define but that people desire to experience
From this reading BREAKING DOWN AN ALIBI Keller found convalescence under the superintendence of Miss Sanderson one of the great pleasures of his life.
the cognitive process of understanding a written linguistic message
From this reading Now he might lie the livelong day and not too obviously watch her brave, frank youth as she moved before him or sat reading.
Sanderson
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading BREAKING DOWN AN ALIBI Keller found convalescence under the superintendence of Miss Sanderson one of the great pleasures of his life.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading Now he might lie the livelong day and not too obviously watch her brave, frank youth as she moved before him or sat reading.
an educational institution
From this reading Her school was out for the summer and she was now at home all day.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Her school was out for the summer and she was now at home all day.
stressnounUS /stres/
the relative prominence of a syllable or musical note (especially with regard to stress or pitch)
From this reading He had never before found time to be lazy, and what dreaming he had done had been in the stress of action.
the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox
From this reading Her school was out for the summer and she was now at home all day.
superintendencenoun
management by overseeing the performance or operation of a person or group
From this reading BREAKING DOWN AN ALIBI Keller found convalescence under the superintendence of Miss Sanderson one of the great pleasures of his life.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading BREAKING DOWN AN ALIBI Keller found convalescence under the superintendence of Miss Sanderson one of the great pleasures of his life.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading He had never before found time to be lazy, and what dreaming he had done had been in the stress of action.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He had never before found time to be lazy, and what dreaming he had done had been in the stress of action.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading Now he might lie the livelong day and not too obviously watch her brave, frank youth as she moved before him or sat reading.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading BREAKING DOWN AN ALIBI Keller found convalescence under the superintendence of Miss Sanderson one of the great pleasures of his life.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Her school was out for the summer and she was now at home all day.
look attentively
From this reading Now he might lie the livelong day and not too obviously watch her brave, frank youth as she moved before him or sat reading.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading He had never before found time to be lazy, and what dreaming he had done had been in the stress of action.
a young person (especially a young man or boy)
From this reading Now he might lie the livelong day and not too obviously watch her brave, frank youth as she moved before him or sat reading.
