used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading His grave blue eyes could be merry enough at times; but as he lifted them now to his father’s face, there was a solemn purity in their gaze, at sight of which Metzerott drew the boy closer to his breast, in a sudden, irrational terror of losing him.
perfect or complete or pure
From this reading They were an oddly contrasted pair; Metzerott, with his powerful, yet apparently clumsy frame, brown, rugged face, and hair just beginning—though he was not yet forty years old—to be touched with gray, while Louis had his mother’s face, refined and spiritualized into absolute loveliness.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading The child, just five years old, was perched, as usual, upon his father’s knee, his golden head nestled against his father’s breast.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading They were an oddly contrasted pair; Metzerott, with his powerful, yet apparently clumsy frame, brown, rugged face, and hair just beginning—though he was not yet forty years old—to be touched with gray, while Louis had his mother’s face, refined and spiritualized into absolute loveliness.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading They were an oddly contrasted pair; Metzerott, with his powerful, yet apparently clumsy frame, brown, rugged face, and hair just beginning—though he was not yet forty years old—to be touched with gray, while Louis had his mother’s face, refined and spiritualized into absolute loveliness.
from appearances alone
From this reading They were an oddly contrasted pair; Metzerott, with his powerful, yet apparently clumsy frame, brown, rugged face, and hair just beginning—though he was not yet forty years old—to be touched with gray, while Louis had his mother’s face, refined and spiritualized into absolute loveliness.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The child, just five years old, was perched, as usual, upon his father’s knee, his golden head nestled against his father’s breast.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading His grave blue eyes could be merry enough at times; but as he lifted them now to his father’s face, there was a solemn purity in their gaze, at sight of which Metzerott drew the boy closer to his breast, in a sudden, irrational terror of losing him.
the season when the leaves fall from the trees
From this reading “Papa!” said Louis, one autumn evening.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading They were an oddly contrasted pair; Metzerott, with his powerful, yet apparently clumsy frame, brown, rugged face, and hair just beginning—though he was not yet forty years old—to be touched with gray, while Louis had his mother’s face, refined and spiritualized into absolute loveliness.
the event consisting of the start of something
From this reading They were an oddly contrasted pair; Metzerott, with his powerful, yet apparently clumsy frame, brown, rugged face, and hair just beginning—though he was not yet forty years old—to be touched with gray, while Louis had his mother’s face, refined and spiritualized into absolute loveliness.
of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky
From this reading His grave blue eyes could be merry enough at times; but as he lifted them now to his father’s face, there was a solemn purity in their gaze, at sight of which Metzerott drew the boy closer to his breast, in a sudden, irrational terror of losing him.
a youthful male person
From this reading His grave blue eyes could be merry enough at times; but as he lifted them now to his father’s face, there was a solemn purity in their gaze, at sight of which Metzerott drew the boy closer to his breast, in a sudden, irrational terror of losing him.
the front of the trunk from the neck to the abdomen
From this reading The child, just five years old, was perched, as usual, upon his father’s knee, his golden head nestled against his father’s breast.
an orange of low brightness and saturation
From this reading They were an oddly contrasted pair; Metzerott, with his powerful, yet apparently clumsy frame, brown, rugged face, and hair just beginning—though he was not yet forty years old—to be touched with gray, while Louis had his mother’s face, refined and spiritualized into absolute loveliness.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading His grave blue eyes could be merry enough at times; but as he lifted them now to his father’s face, there was a solemn purity in their gaze, at sight of which Metzerott drew the boy closer to his breast, in a sudden, irrational terror of losing him.
a young person of either sex
From this reading The child, just five years old, was perched, as usual, upon his father’s knee, his golden head nestled against his father’s breast.
(comparative of “near” or “close”) within a shorter distance
From this reading His grave blue eyes could be merry enough at times; but as he lifted them now to his father’s face, there was a solemn purity in their gaze, at sight of which Metzerott drew the boy closer to his breast, in a sudden, irrational terror of losing him.
clumsyadjectiveUS /ˈklʌmzi/
lacking grace in movement or posture
From this reading They were an oddly contrasted pair; Metzerott, with his powerful, yet apparently clumsy frame, brown, rugged face, and hair just beginning—though he was not yet forty years old—to be touched with gray, while Louis had his mother’s face, refined and spiritualized into absolute loveliness.
contrastedverbUS /kənˈtræstəd/
past form of “contrast” — put in opposition to show or emphasize differences
From this reading They were an oddly contrasted pair; Metzerott, with his powerful, yet apparently clumsy frame, brown, rugged face, and hair just beginning—though he was not yet forty years old—to be touched with gray, while Louis had his mother’s face, refined and spiritualized into absolute loveliness.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading His grave blue eyes could be merry enough at times; but as he lifted them now to his father’s face, there was a solemn purity in their gaze, at sight of which Metzerott drew the boy closer to his breast, in a sudden, irrational terror of losing him.
United States actor (born in Ireland); father of Georgiana Emma Barrymore (1827-1862)
From this reading His grave blue eyes could be merry enough at times; but as he lifted them now to his father’s face, there was a solemn purity in their gaze, at sight of which Metzerott drew the boy closer to his breast, in a sudden, irrational terror of losing him.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading His grave blue eyes could be merry enough at times; but as he lifted them now to his father’s face, there was a solemn purity in their gaze, at sight of which Metzerott drew the boy closer to his breast, in a sudden, irrational terror of losing him.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading “Papa!” said Louis, one autumn evening.
opinion or judgment
From this reading His grave blue eyes could be merry enough at times; but as he lifted them now to his father’s face, there was a solemn purity in their gaze, at sight of which Metzerott drew the boy closer to his breast, in a sudden, irrational terror of losing him.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading They were an oddly contrasted pair; Metzerott, with his powerful, yet apparently clumsy frame, brown, rugged face, and hair just beginning—though he was not yet forty years old—to be touched with gray, while Louis had his mother’s face, refined and spiritualized into absolute loveliness.
father'snounUS /ˈfɑːðərz/
possessive form of “father” — a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading The child, just five years old, was perched, as usual, upon his father’s knee, his golden head nestled against his father’s breast.
the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one
From this reading The child, just five years old, was perched, as usual, upon his father’s knee, his golden head nestled against his father’s breast.
fortyadjectiveUS /ˈfɔːrti/
being ten more than thirty
From this reading They were an oddly contrasted pair; Metzerott, with his powerful, yet apparently clumsy frame, brown, rugged face, and hair just beginning—though he was not yet forty years old—to be touched with gray, while Louis had his mother’s face, refined and spiritualized into absolute loveliness.
enclose in or as if in a frame
From this reading They were an oddly contrasted pair; Metzerott, with his powerful, yet apparently clumsy frame, brown, rugged face, and hair just beginning—though he was not yet forty years old—to be touched with gray, while Louis had his mother’s face, refined and spiritualized into absolute loveliness.
a long fixed look
From this reading His grave blue eyes could be merry enough at times; but as he lifted them now to his father’s face, there was a solemn purity in their gaze, at sight of which Metzerott drew the boy closer to his breast, in a sudden, irrational terror of losing him.
having the deep slightly brownish color of gold
From this reading The child, just five years old, was perched, as usual, upon his father’s knee, his golden head nestled against his father’s breast.
death of a person
From this reading His grave blue eyes could be merry enough at times; but as he lifted them now to his father’s face, there was a solemn purity in their gaze, at sight of which Metzerott drew the boy closer to his breast, in a sudden, irrational terror of losing him.
a neutral achromatic color midway between white and black
From this reading They were an oddly contrasted pair; Metzerott, with his powerful, yet apparently clumsy frame, brown, rugged face, and hair just beginning—though he was not yet forty years old—to be touched with gray, while Louis had his mother’s face, refined and spiritualized into absolute loveliness.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading They were an oddly contrasted pair; Metzerott, with his powerful, yet apparently clumsy frame, brown, rugged face, and hair just beginning—though he was not yet forty years old—to be touched with gray, while Louis had his mother’s face, refined and spiritualized into absolute loveliness.
a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss
From this reading They were an oddly contrasted pair; Metzerott, with his powerful, yet apparently clumsy frame, brown, rugged face, and hair just beginning—though he was not yet forty years old—to be touched with gray, while Louis had his mother’s face, refined and spiritualized into absolute loveliness.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They were an oddly contrasted pair; Metzerott, with his powerful, yet apparently clumsy frame, brown, rugged face, and hair just beginning—though he was not yet forty years old—to be touched with gray, while Louis had his mother’s face, refined and spiritualized into absolute loveliness.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading The child, just five years old, was perched, as usual, upon his father’s knee, his golden head nestled against his father’s breast.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading His grave blue eyes could be merry enough at times; but as he lifted them now to his father’s face, there was a solemn purity in their gaze, at sight of which Metzerott drew the boy closer to his breast, in a sudden, irrational terror of losing him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The child, just five years old, was perched, as usual, upon his father’s knee, his golden head nestled against his father’s breast.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading His grave blue eyes could be merry enough at times; but as he lifted them now to his father’s face, there was a solemn purity in their gaze, at sight of which Metzerott drew the boy closer to his breast, in a sudden, irrational terror of losing him.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading They were an oddly contrasted pair; Metzerott, with his powerful, yet apparently clumsy frame, brown, rugged face, and hair just beginning—though he was not yet forty years old—to be touched with gray, while Louis had his mother’s face, refined and spiritualized into absolute loveliness.
irrationaladjectiveUS /ˌɪˈræʃənəl/
not consistent with or using reason
From this reading His grave blue eyes could be merry enough at times; but as he lifted them now to his father’s face, there was a solemn purity in their gaze, at sight of which Metzerott drew the boy closer to his breast, in a sudden, irrational terror of losing him.
and nothing more
From this reading The child, just five years old, was perched, as usual, upon his father’s knee, his golden head nestled against his father’s breast.
hinge joint in the human leg connecting the tibia and fibula with the femur and protected in front by the patella
From this reading The child, just five years old, was perched, as usual, upon his father’s knee, his golden head nestled against his father’s breast.
held up in the air
From this reading His grave blue eyes could be merry enough at times; but as he lifted them now to his father’s face, there was a solemn purity in their gaze, at sight of which Metzerott drew the boy closer to his breast, in a sudden, irrational terror of losing him.
-ing form of “lose” — fail to keep or to maintain; cease to have, either physically or in an abstract sense
From this reading His grave blue eyes could be merry enough at times; but as he lifted them now to his father’s face, there was a solemn purity in their gaze, at sight of which Metzerott drew the boy closer to his breast, in a sudden, irrational terror of losing him.
United States prizefighter who was world heavyweight champion for 12 years (1914-1981)
From this reading “Papa!” said Louis, one autumn evening.
lovelinessnoun
the quality of being good looking and attractive
From this reading They were an oddly contrasted pair; Metzerott, with his powerful, yet apparently clumsy frame, brown, rugged face, and hair just beginning—though he was not yet forty years old—to be touched with gray, while Louis had his mother’s face, refined and spiritualized into absolute loveliness.
full of or showing high-spirited merriment
From this reading His grave blue eyes could be merry enough at times; but as he lifted them now to his father’s face, there was a solemn purity in their gaze, at sight of which Metzerott drew the boy closer to his breast, in a sudden, irrational terror of losing him.
Metzerott
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were an oddly contrasted pair; Metzerott, with his powerful, yet apparently clumsy frame, brown, rugged face, and hair just beginning—though he was not yet forty years old—to be touched with gray, while Louis had his mother’s face, refined and spiritualized into absolute loveliness.
mother'snounUS /ˈmʌðərz/
possessive form of “mother” — a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading They were an oddly contrasted pair; Metzerott, with his powerful, yet apparently clumsy frame, brown, rugged face, and hair just beginning—though he was not yet forty years old—to be touched with gray, while Louis had his mother’s face, refined and spiritualized into absolute loveliness.
nestledadjectiveUS /ˈnesəld/
drawn or pressed close to someone or something for or as if for affection or protection
From this reading The child, just five years old, was perched, as usual, upon his father’s knee, his golden head nestled against his father’s breast.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading They were an oddly contrasted pair; Metzerott, with his powerful, yet apparently clumsy frame, brown, rugged face, and hair just beginning—though he was not yet forty years old—to be touched with gray, while Louis had his mother’s face, refined and spiritualized into absolute loveliness.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading His grave blue eyes could be merry enough at times; but as he lifted them now to his father’s face, there was a solemn purity in their gaze, at sight of which Metzerott drew the boy closer to his breast, in a sudden, irrational terror of losing him.
oddlyadverbUS /ˈɑːdli/
in a manner differing from the usual or expected
From this reading They were an oddly contrasted pair; Metzerott, with his powerful, yet apparently clumsy frame, brown, rugged face, and hair just beginning—though he was not yet forty years old—to be touched with gray, while Louis had his mother’s face, refined and spiritualized into absolute loveliness.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading His grave blue eyes could be merry enough at times; but as he lifted them now to his father’s face, there was a solemn purity in their gaze, at sight of which Metzerott drew the boy closer to his breast, in a sudden, irrational terror of losing him.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading The child, just five years old, was perched, as usual, upon his father’s knee, his golden head nestled against his father’s breast.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading “Papa!” said Louis, one autumn evening.
a set of two similar things considered as a unit
From this reading They were an oddly contrasted pair; Metzerott, with his powerful, yet apparently clumsy frame, brown, rugged face, and hair just beginning—though he was not yet forty years old—to be touched with gray, while Louis had his mother’s face, refined and spiritualized into absolute loveliness.
an informal term for a father; probably derived from baby talk
From this reading “Papa!” said Louis, one autumn evening.
perchedverbUS /pɜːrtʃt/
past form of “perch” — sit, as on a branch
From this reading The child, just five years old, was perched, as usual, upon his father’s knee, his golden head nestled against his father’s breast.
having great power or force or potency or effect
From this reading They were an oddly contrasted pair; Metzerott, with his powerful, yet apparently clumsy frame, brown, rugged face, and hair just beginning—though he was not yet forty years old—to be touched with gray, while Louis had his mother’s face, refined and spiritualized into absolute loveliness.
puritynounUS /ˈpjʊrəti/
being undiluted or unmixed with extraneous material
From this reading His grave blue eyes could be merry enough at times; but as he lifted them now to his father’s face, there was a solemn purity in their gaze, at sight of which Metzerott drew the boy closer to his breast, in a sudden, irrational terror of losing him.
refinedadjectiveUS /rəˈfaɪnd/
(used of persons and their behavior) cultivated and genteel
From this reading They were an oddly contrasted pair; Metzerott, with his powerful, yet apparently clumsy frame, brown, rugged face, and hair just beginning—though he was not yet forty years old—to be touched with gray, while Louis had his mother’s face, refined and spiritualized into absolute loveliness.
ruggedadjectiveUS /ˈrʌɡəd/
sturdy and strong in constitution or construction; enduring
From this reading They were an oddly contrasted pair; Metzerott, with his powerful, yet apparently clumsy frame, brown, rugged face, and hair just beginning—though he was not yet forty years old—to be touched with gray, while Louis had his mother’s face, refined and spiritualized into absolute loveliness.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “Papa!” said Louis, one autumn evening.
an instance of visual perception
From this reading His grave blue eyes could be merry enough at times; but as he lifted them now to his father’s face, there was a solemn purity in their gaze, at sight of which Metzerott drew the boy closer to his breast, in a sudden, irrational terror of losing him.
dignified and somber in manner or character and committed to keeping promises
From this reading His grave blue eyes could be merry enough at times; but as he lifted them now to his father’s face, there was a solemn purity in their gaze, at sight of which Metzerott drew the boy closer to his breast, in a sudden, irrational terror of losing him.
spiritualized
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were an oddly contrasted pair; Metzerott, with his powerful, yet apparently clumsy frame, brown, rugged face, and hair just beginning—though he was not yet forty years old—to be touched with gray, while Louis had his mother’s face, refined and spiritualized into absolute loveliness.
happening without warning or in a short space of time
From this reading His grave blue eyes could be merry enough at times; but as he lifted them now to his father’s face, there was a solemn purity in their gaze, at sight of which Metzerott drew the boy closer to his breast, in a sudden, irrational terror of losing him.
an overwhelming feeling of fear and anxiety
From this reading His grave blue eyes could be merry enough at times; but as he lifted them now to his father’s face, there was a solemn purity in their gaze, at sight of which Metzerott drew the boy closer to his breast, in a sudden, irrational terror of losing him.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The child, just five years old, was perched, as usual, upon his father’s knee, his golden head nestled against his father’s breast.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading His grave blue eyes could be merry enough at times; but as he lifted them now to his father’s face, there was a solemn purity in their gaze, at sight of which Metzerott drew the boy closer to his breast, in a sudden, irrational terror of losing him.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading His grave blue eyes could be merry enough at times; but as he lifted them now to his father’s face, there was a solemn purity in their gaze, at sight of which Metzerott drew the boy closer to his breast, in a sudden, irrational terror of losing him.
in or at that place or location
From this reading His grave blue eyes could be merry enough at times; but as he lifted them now to his father’s face, there was a solemn purity in their gaze, at sight of which Metzerott drew the boy closer to his breast, in a sudden, irrational terror of losing him.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They were an oddly contrasted pair; Metzerott, with his powerful, yet apparently clumsy frame, brown, rugged face, and hair just beginning—though he was not yet forty years old—to be touched with gray, while Louis had his mother’s face, refined and spiritualized into absolute loveliness.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading They were an oddly contrasted pair; Metzerott, with his powerful, yet apparently clumsy frame, brown, rugged face, and hair just beginning—though he was not yet forty years old—to be touched with gray, while Louis had his mother’s face, refined and spiritualized into absolute loveliness.
a more or less definite period of time now or previously present
From this reading His grave blue eyes could be merry enough at times; but as he lifted them now to his father’s face, there was a solemn purity in their gaze, at sight of which Metzerott drew the boy closer to his breast, in a sudden, irrational terror of losing him.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading They were an oddly contrasted pair; Metzerott, with his powerful, yet apparently clumsy frame, brown, rugged face, and hair just beginning—though he was not yet forty years old—to be touched with gray, while Louis had his mother’s face, refined and spiritualized into absolute loveliness.
having come into contact
From this reading They were an oddly contrasted pair; Metzerott, with his powerful, yet apparently clumsy frame, brown, rugged face, and hair just beginning—though he was not yet forty years old—to be touched with gray, while Louis had his mother’s face, refined and spiritualized into absolute loveliness.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading The child, just five years old, was perched, as usual, upon his father’s knee, his golden head nestled against his father’s breast.
usualadjectiveUS /ˈjuːʒəwəl/
occurring or encountered or experienced or observed frequently or in accordance with regular practice or procedure
From this reading The child, just five years old, was perched, as usual, upon his father’s knee, his golden head nestled against his father’s breast.
VIDING
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “’VIDING.”
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The child, just five years old, was perched, as usual, upon his father’s knee, his golden head nestled against his father’s breast.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They were an oddly contrasted pair; Metzerott, with his powerful, yet apparently clumsy frame, brown, rugged face, and hair just beginning—though he was not yet forty years old—to be touched with gray, while Louis had his mother’s face, refined and spiritualized into absolute loveliness.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading His grave blue eyes could be merry enough at times; but as he lifted them now to his father’s face, there was a solemn purity in their gaze, at sight of which Metzerott drew the boy closer to his breast, in a sudden, irrational terror of losing him.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading They were an oddly contrasted pair; Metzerott, with his powerful, yet apparently clumsy frame, brown, rugged face, and hair just beginning—though he was not yet forty years old—to be touched with gray, while Louis had his mother’s face, refined and spiritualized into absolute loveliness.
in the company of; together with
From this reading They were an oddly contrasted pair; Metzerott, with his powerful, yet apparently clumsy frame, brown, rugged face, and hair just beginning—though he was not yet forty years old—to be touched with gray, while Louis had his mother’s face, refined and spiritualized into absolute loveliness.
a late time of life
From this reading The child, just five years old, was perched, as usual, upon his father’s knee, his golden head nestled against his father’s breast.
but in spite of that
From this reading They were an oddly contrasted pair; Metzerott, with his powerful, yet apparently clumsy frame, brown, rugged face, and hair just beginning—though he was not yet forty years old—to be touched with gray, while Louis had his mother’s face, refined and spiritualized into absolute loveliness.
