used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A HORSEHEAD PERCH.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading The rest of my guests went their various ways and left the house to Ethel and Minerva, and about an hour before train time Ethel realized that I had done nothing about getting the expected arrivals.
absentadjectiveUS /ˈæbsənt/
not being in a specified place
From this reading I claim that to be absent-minded once in a while proves that one has a mind to be absent.
absent-minded
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I ENJOY the luxury of being absent-minded sometimes.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The rest of my guests went their various ways and left the house to Ethel and Minerva, and about an hour before train time Ethel realized that I had done nothing about getting the expected arrivals.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading I was absent-minded the day that Jack and Billy were expected and I went over to the lake to fish for bass with Sibthorp, with never a thought of them.
arrivalsnounUS /ərˈaɪvəlz/
plural of “arrival” — accomplishment of an objective
From this reading The rest of my guests went their various ways and left the house to Ethel and Minerva, and about an hour before train time Ethel realized that I had done nothing about getting the expected arrivals.
bassnounUS /bæs/
the lowest part of the musical range
From this reading I was absent-minded the day that Jack and Billy were expected and I went over to the lake to fish for bass with Sibthorp, with never a thought of them.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading I claim that to be absent-minded once in a while proves that one has a mind to be absent.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading The rest of my guests went their various ways and left the house to Ethel and Minerva, and about an hour before train time Ethel realized that I had done nothing about getting the expected arrivals.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading I ENJOY the luxury of being absent-minded sometimes.
a short stout club used primarily by policemen
From this reading I was absent-minded the day that Jack and Billy were expected and I went over to the lake to fish for bass with Sibthorp, with never a thought of them.
an assertion of a right (as to money or property)
From this reading I claim that to be absent-minded once in a while proves that one has a mind to be absent.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading I was absent-minded the day that Jack and Billy were expected and I went over to the lake to fish for bass with Sibthorp, with never a thought of them.
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading The rest of my guests went their various ways and left the house to Ethel and Minerva, and about an hour before train time Ethel realized that I had done nothing about getting the expected arrivals.
derive or receive pleasure from; get enjoyment from; take pleasure in
From this reading I ENJOY the luxury of being absent-minded sometimes.
Ethel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The rest of my guests went their various ways and left the house to Ethel and Minerva, and about an hour before train time Ethel realized that I had done nothing about getting the expected arrivals.
considered likely or probable to happen or arrive
From this reading I was absent-minded the day that Jack and Billy were expected and I went over to the lake to fish for bass with Sibthorp, with never a thought of them.
any of various mostly cold-blooded aquatic vertebrates usually having scales and breathing through gills
From this reading I was absent-minded the day that Jack and Billy were expected and I went over to the lake to fish for bass with Sibthorp, with never a thought of them.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading I was absent-minded the day that Jack and Billy were expected and I went over to the lake to fish for bass with Sibthorp, with never a thought of them.
the act of acquiring something
From this reading The rest of my guests went their various ways and left the house to Ethel and Minerva, and about an hour before train time Ethel realized that I had done nothing about getting the expected arrivals.
plural of “guest” — a visitor to whom hospitality is extended
From this reading The rest of my guests went their various ways and left the house to Ethel and Minerva, and about an hour before train time Ethel realized that I had done nothing about getting the expected arrivals.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The rest of my guests went their various ways and left the house to Ethel and Minerva, and about an hour before train time Ethel realized that I had done nothing about getting the expected arrivals.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading I claim that to be absent-minded once in a while proves that one has a mind to be absent.
HORSEHEADnounUS /ˈhɔːrshed/
any of several silvery marine fishes with very flat bodies
From this reading A HORSEHEAD PERCH.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading The rest of my guests went their various ways and left the house to Ethel and Minerva, and about an hour before train time Ethel realized that I had done nothing about getting the expected arrivals.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading The rest of my guests went their various ways and left the house to Ethel and Minerva, and about an hour before train time Ethel realized that I had done nothing about getting the expected arrivals.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I ENJOY the luxury of being absent-minded sometimes.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading I claim that to be absent-minded once in a while proves that one has a mind to be absent.
a small worthless amount
From this reading I was absent-minded the day that Jack and Billy were expected and I went over to the lake to fish for bass with Sibthorp, with never a thought of them.
a body of (usually fresh) water surrounded by land
From this reading I was absent-minded the day that Jack and Billy were expected and I went over to the lake to fish for bass with Sibthorp, with never a thought of them.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading The rest of my guests went their various ways and left the house to Ethel and Minerva, and about an hour before train time Ethel realized that I had done nothing about getting the expected arrivals.
luxurynounUS /ˈlʌɡʒəri/
something that is an indulgence rather than a necessity
From this reading I ENJOY the luxury of being absent-minded sometimes.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading I claim that to be absent-minded once in a while proves that one has a mind to be absent.
MinervanounUS /məˈnɜːrvə/
(Roman mythology) goddess of wisdom; counterpart of Greek Athena
From this reading The rest of my guests went their various ways and left the house to Ethel and Minerva, and about an hour before train time Ethel realized that I had done nothing about getting the expected arrivals.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading The rest of my guests went their various ways and left the house to Ethel and Minerva, and about an hour before train time Ethel realized that I had done nothing about getting the expected arrivals.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading I was absent-minded the day that Jack and Billy were expected and I went over to the lake to fish for bass with Sibthorp, with never a thought of them.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading The rest of my guests went their various ways and left the house to Ethel and Minerva, and about an hour before train time Ethel realized that I had done nothing about getting the expected arrivals.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading I ENJOY the luxury of being absent-minded sometimes.
on one occasion
From this reading I claim that to be absent-minded once in a while proves that one has a mind to be absent.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading I claim that to be absent-minded once in a while proves that one has a mind to be absent.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading I was absent-minded the day that Jack and Billy were expected and I went over to the lake to fish for bass with Sibthorp, with never a thought of them.
PERCHnounUS /pɜːrtʃ/
support consisting of a branch or rod that serves as a resting place (especially for a bird)
From this reading A HORSEHEAD PERCH.
provesverbUS /pruːvz/
third-person singular of “prove” — be shown or be found to be
From this reading I claim that to be absent-minded once in a while proves that one has a mind to be absent.
successfully completed or brought to an end
From this reading The rest of my guests went their various ways and left the house to Ethel and Minerva, and about an hour before train time Ethel realized that I had done nothing about getting the expected arrivals.
not move; be in a resting position
From this reading The rest of my guests went their various ways and left the house to Ethel and Minerva, and about an hour before train time Ethel realized that I had done nothing about getting the expected arrivals.
Sibthorp
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was absent-minded the day that Jack and Billy were expected and I went over to the lake to fish for bass with Sibthorp, with never a thought of them.
on certain occasions or in certain cases but not always
From this reading I ENJOY the luxury of being absent-minded sometimes.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading I claim that to be absent-minded once in a while proves that one has a mind to be absent.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading I ENJOY the luxury of being absent-minded sometimes.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The rest of my guests went their various ways and left the house to Ethel and Minerva, and about an hour before train time Ethel realized that I had done nothing about getting the expected arrivals.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading I was absent-minded the day that Jack and Billy were expected and I went over to the lake to fish for bass with Sibthorp, with never a thought of them.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading I was absent-minded the day that Jack and Billy were expected and I went over to the lake to fish for bass with Sibthorp, with never a thought of them.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading The rest of my guests went their various ways and left the house to Ethel and Minerva, and about an hour before train time Ethel realized that I had done nothing about getting the expected arrivals.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I claim that to be absent-minded once in a while proves that one has a mind to be absent.
create by training and teaching
From this reading The rest of my guests went their various ways and left the house to Ethel and Minerva, and about an hour before train time Ethel realized that I had done nothing about getting the expected arrivals.
of many different kinds purposefully arranged but lacking any uniformity
From this reading The rest of my guests went their various ways and left the house to Ethel and Minerva, and about an hour before train time Ethel realized that I had done nothing about getting the expected arrivals.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading I was absent-minded the day that Jack and Billy were expected and I went over to the lake to fish for bass with Sibthorp, with never a thought of them.
structure consisting of a sloping way down to the water from the place where ships are built or repaired
From this reading The rest of my guests went their various ways and left the house to Ethel and Minerva, and about an hour before train time Ethel realized that I had done nothing about getting the expected arrivals.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading I was absent-minded the day that Jack and Billy were expected and I went over to the lake to fish for bass with Sibthorp, with never a thought of them.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading I was absent-minded the day that Jack and Billy were expected and I went over to the lake to fish for bass with Sibthorp, with never a thought of them.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading I claim that to be absent-minded once in a while proves that one has a mind to be absent.
in the company of; together with
From this reading I was absent-minded the day that Jack and Billy were expected and I went over to the lake to fish for bass with Sibthorp, with never a thought of them.
