used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A 'new mother' had never been in his calculations at all.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading A mother of any sort meant very little to him; he had never come across one, and vaguely put them in the same category as his grandmother and aunt.
after-life
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He clung hold of his father's hand tightly, and then the door was opened, and Bobby's brain received the first impression of cosy warmth and comfort, which never faded from him in after-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 A 'new mother' had never been in his calculations at all.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A mother of any sort meant very little to him; he had never come across one, and vaguely put them in the same category as his grandmother and aunt.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading A mother of any sort meant very little to him; he had never come across one, and vaguely put them in the same category as his grandmother and aunt.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading A mother of any sort meant very little to him; he had never come across one, and vaguely put them in the same category as his grandmother and aunt.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Bobby's eyes blinked nervously at his father's words.
the sister of your father or mother; the wife of your uncle
From this reading A mother of any sort meant very little to him; he had never come across one, and vaguely put them in the same category as his grandmother and aunt.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading A 'new mother' had never been in his calculations at all.
blinkedverbUS /blɪŋkt/
past form of “blink” — briefly shut the eyes
From this reading Bobby's eyes blinked nervously at his father's words.
Bobby'snounUS /ˈbɑːbiz/
possessive form of “bobby” — an informal term for a British policeman
From this reading Bobby's eyes blinked nervously at his father's words.
that part of the central nervous system that includes all the higher nervous centers; enclosed within the skull; continuous with the spinal cord
From this reading He clung hold of his father's hand tightly, and then the door was opened, and Bobby's brain received the first impression of cosy warmth and comfort, which never faded from him in after-life.
calculationsnounUS /ˌkælkjəˈleɪʃənz/
plural of “calculation” — the procedure of calculating; determining something by mathematical or logical methods
From this reading A 'new mother' had never been in his calculations at all.
categorynounUS /ˈkætəɡɔːri/
a collection of things sharing a common attribute
From this reading A mother of any sort meant very little to him; he had never come across one, and vaguely put them in the same category as his grandmother and aunt.
clungverbUS /klʌŋ/
inflected form of “cling” — come or be in close contact with; stick or hold together and resist separation
From this reading He clung hold of his father's hand tightly, and then the door was opened, and Bobby's brain received the first impression of cosy warmth and comfort, which never faded from him in after-life.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading A mother of any sort meant very little to him; he had never come across one, and vaguely put them in the same category as his grandmother and aunt.
a state of being relaxed and feeling no pain
From this reading He clung hold of his father's hand tightly, and then the door was opened, and Bobby's brain received the first impression of cosy warmth and comfort, which never faded from him in after-life.
cosynounUS /ˈkoʊzi/
a padded cloth covering to keep a teapot warm
From this reading He clung hold of his father's hand tightly, and then the door was opened, and Bobby's brain received the first impression of cosy warmth and comfort, which never faded from him in after-life.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading He clung hold of his father's hand tightly, and then the door was opened, and Bobby's brain received the first impression of cosy warmth and comfort, which never faded from him in after-life.
opinion or judgment
From this reading Bobby's eyes blinked nervously at his father's words.
fadedadjectiveUS /ˈfeɪdəd/
having lost freshness or brilliance of color
From this reading He clung hold of his father's hand tightly, and then the door was opened, and Bobby's brain received the first impression of cosy warmth and comfort, which never faded from him in after-life.
father'snounUS /ˈfɑːðərz/
possessive form of “father” — a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading Bobby's eyes blinked nervously at his father's words.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading He clung hold of his father's hand tightly, and then the door was opened, and Bobby's brain received the first impression of cosy warmth and comfort, which never faded from him in after-life.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading He clung hold of his father's hand tightly, and then the door was opened, and Bobby's brain received the first impression of cosy warmth and comfort, which never faded from him in after-life.
grandmothernounUS /ˈɡrændmʌðər/
the mother of your father or mother
From this reading A mother of any sort meant very little to him; he had never come across one, and vaguely put them in the same category as his grandmother and aunt.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading A 'new mother' had never been in his calculations at all.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading He clung hold of his father's hand tightly, and then the door was opened, and Bobby's brain received the first impression of cosy warmth and comfort, which never faded from him in after-life.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading A mother of any sort meant very little to him; he had never come across one, and vaguely put them in the same category as his grandmother and aunt.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading A mother of any sort meant very little to him; he had never come across one, and vaguely put them in the same category as his grandmother and aunt.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading HIS NEW HOME.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading He clung hold of his father's hand tightly, and then the door was opened, and Bobby's brain received the first impression of cosy warmth and comfort, which never faded from him in after-life.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading HIS NEW HOME.
a vague idea in which some confidence is placed
From this reading He clung hold of his father's hand tightly, and then the door was opened, and Bobby's brain received the first impression of cosy warmth and comfort, which never faded from him in after-life.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A 'new mother' had never been in his calculations at all.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading A mother of any sort meant very little to him; he had never come across one, and vaguely put them in the same category as his grandmother and aunt.
inflected form of “mean” — mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading A mother of any sort meant very little to him; he had never come across one, and vaguely put them in the same category as his grandmother and aunt.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading A 'new mother' had never been in his calculations at all.
nervouslyadverbUS /ˈnɜːrvəsli/
in an anxiously nervous manner
From this reading Bobby's eyes blinked nervously at his father's words.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading A 'new mother' had never been in his calculations at all.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading HIS NEW HOME.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A mother of any sort meant very little to him; he had never come across one, and vaguely put them in the same category as his grandmother and aunt.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading A mother of any sort meant very little to him; he had never come across one, and vaguely put them in the same category as his grandmother and aunt.
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading He clung hold of his father's hand tightly, and then the door was opened, and Bobby's brain received the first impression of cosy warmth and comfort, which never faded from him in after-life.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading A mother of any sort meant very little to him; he had never come across one, and vaguely put them in the same category as his grandmother and aunt.
conforming to the established language usage of educated native speakers
From this reading He clung hold of his father's hand tightly, and then the door was opened, and Bobby's brain received the first impression of cosy warmth and comfort, which never faded from him in after-life.
Identical; not different.
From this reading A mother of any sort meant very little to him; he had never come across one, and vaguely put them in the same category as his grandmother and aunt.
a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
From this reading A mother of any sort meant very little to him; he had never come across one, and vaguely put them in the same category as his grandmother and aunt.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A mother of any sort meant very little to him; he had never come across one, and vaguely put them in the same category as his grandmother and aunt.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading A mother of any sort meant very little to him; he had never come across one, and vaguely put them in the same category as his grandmother and aunt.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading He clung hold of his father's hand tightly, and then the door was opened, and Bobby's brain received the first impression of cosy warmth and comfort, which never faded from him in after-life.
tightlyadverbUS /ˈtaɪtli/
in a tight or constricted manner
From this reading He clung hold of his father's hand tightly, and then the door was opened, and Bobby's brain received the first impression of cosy warmth and comfort, which never faded from him in after-life.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A mother of any sort meant very little to him; he had never come across one, and vaguely put them in the same category as his grandmother and aunt.
vaguelyadverbUS /ˈveɪɡli/
in a vague way
From this reading A mother of any sort meant very little to him; he had never come across one, and vaguely put them in the same category as his grandmother and aunt.
precisely as stated
From this reading A mother of any sort meant very little to him; he had never come across one, and vaguely put them in the same category as his grandmother and aunt.
the sensation caused by heat energy
From this reading He clung hold of his father's hand tightly, and then the door was opened, and Bobby's brain received the first impression of cosy warmth and comfort, which never faded from him in after-life.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He clung hold of his father's hand tightly, and then the door was opened, and Bobby's brain received the first impression of cosy warmth and comfort, which never faded from him in after-life.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading He clung hold of his father's hand tightly, and then the door was opened, and Bobby's brain received the first impression of cosy warmth and comfort, which never faded from him in after-life.
the words that are spoken
From this reading Bobby's eyes blinked nervously at his father's words.
