used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The Earl of Chesterfield entered his drawing-room in a very morose frame of mind, which was scarcely improved by his discovery of a young lady already seated there before him.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading She was yawning over an illuminated missal; but, at sight of the intruder, she clapped the volume down with a bang, stretched, put her arms behind her head, and smiled with an air of relieved welcome.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading “Come along,” she said.
prior to a specified or implied time
From this reading The Earl of Chesterfield entered his drawing-room in a very morose frame of mind, which was scarcely improved by his discovery of a young lady already seated there before him.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading She was yawning over an illuminated missal; but, at sight of the intruder, she clapped the volume down with a bang, stretched, put her arms behind her head, and smiled with an air of relieved welcome.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She was yawning over an illuminated missal; but, at sight of the intruder, she clapped the volume down with a bang, stretched, put her arms behind her head, and smiled with an air of relieved welcome.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading Any male to Moll was better than none.
weapons considered collectively
From this reading She was yawning over an illuminated missal; but, at sight of the intruder, she clapped the volume down with a bang, stretched, put her arms behind her head, and smiled with an air of relieved welcome.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading She was yawning over an illuminated missal; but, at sight of the intruder, she clapped the volume down with a bang, stretched, put her arms behind her head, and smiled with an air of relieved welcome.
bangverbUS /bæŋ/
strike violently
From this reading She was yawning over an illuminated missal; but, at sight of the intruder, she clapped the volume down with a bang, stretched, put her arms behind her head, and smiled with an air of relieved welcome.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading “Don’t be shy of me.”
earlier than; in front of
From this reading The Earl of Chesterfield entered his drawing-room in a very morose frame of mind, which was scarcely improved by his discovery of a young lady already seated there before him.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading She was yawning over an illuminated missal; but, at sight of the intruder, she clapped the volume down with a bang, stretched, put her arms behind her head, and smiled with an air of relieved welcome.
(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another
From this reading Any male to Moll was better than none.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading She was yawning over an illuminated missal; but, at sight of the intruder, she clapped the volume down with a bang, stretched, put her arms behind her head, and smiled with an air of relieved welcome.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The Earl of Chesterfield entered his drawing-room in a very morose frame of mind, which was scarcely improved by his discovery of a young lady already seated there before him.
ChesterfieldnounUS /ˈtʃestərfiːld/
suave and witty English statesman remembered mostly for letters to his son (1694-1773)
From this reading The Earl of Chesterfield entered his drawing-room in a very morose frame of mind, which was scarcely improved by his discovery of a young lady already seated there before him.
clappedverbUS /klæpt/
inflected form of “clap” — put quickly or forcibly
From this reading She was yawning over an illuminated missal; but, at sight of the intruder, she clapped the volume down with a bang, stretched, put her arms behind her head, and smiled with an air of relieved welcome.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading “Come along,” she said.
the act of discovering something
From this reading The Earl of Chesterfield entered his drawing-room in a very morose frame of mind, which was scarcely improved by his discovery of a young lady already seated there before him.
Don't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Don’t be shy of me.”
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading She was yawning over an illuminated missal; but, at sight of the intruder, she clapped the volume down with a bang, stretched, put her arms behind her head, and smiled with an air of relieved welcome.
drawing-room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Earl of Chesterfield entered his drawing-room in a very morose frame of mind, which was scarcely improved by his discovery of a young lady already seated there before him.
a British peer ranking below a marquess and above a viscount
From this reading The Earl of Chesterfield entered his drawing-room in a very morose frame of mind, which was scarcely improved by his discovery of a young lady already seated there before him.
past form of “enter” — to come or go into
From this reading The Earl of Chesterfield entered his drawing-room in a very morose frame of mind, which was scarcely improved by his discovery of a young lady already seated there before him.
enclose in or as if in a frame
From this reading The Earl of Chesterfield entered his drawing-room in a very morose frame of mind, which was scarcely improved by his discovery of a young lady already seated there before him.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading She was yawning over an illuminated missal; but, at sight of the intruder, she clapped the volume down with a bang, stretched, put her arms behind her head, and smiled with an air of relieved welcome.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She was yawning over an illuminated missal; but, at sight of the intruder, she clapped the volume down with a bang, stretched, put her arms behind her head, and smiled with an air of relieved welcome.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The Earl of Chesterfield entered his drawing-room in a very morose frame of mind, which was scarcely improved by his discovery of a young lady already seated there before him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The Earl of Chesterfield entered his drawing-room in a very morose frame of mind, which was scarcely improved by his discovery of a young lady already seated there before him.
illuminatedadjectiveUS /ˌɪˈluːməneɪtəd/
provided with artificial light
From this reading She was yawning over an illuminated missal; but, at sight of the intruder, she clapped the volume down with a bang, stretched, put her arms behind her head, and smiled with an air of relieved welcome.
improvedadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpruːvd/
made more desirable or valuable or profitable; especially made ready for use or marketing
From this reading The Earl of Chesterfield entered his drawing-room in a very morose frame of mind, which was scarcely improved by his discovery of a young lady already seated there before him.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The Earl of Chesterfield entered his drawing-room in a very morose frame of mind, which was scarcely improved by his discovery of a young lady already seated there before him.
intrudernounUS /ˌɪnˈtruːdər/
someone who intrudes on the privacy or property of another without permission
From this reading She was yawning over an illuminated missal; but, at sight of the intruder, she clapped the volume down with a bang, stretched, put her arms behind her head, and smiled with an air of relieved welcome.
a polite name for any woman
From this reading The Earl of Chesterfield entered his drawing-room in a very morose frame of mind, which was scarcely improved by his discovery of a young lady already seated there before him.
malenounUS /meɪl/
an animal that produces gametes (spermatozoa) that can fertilize female gametes
From this reading Any male to Moll was better than none.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “Don’t be shy of me.”
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading The Earl of Chesterfield entered his drawing-room in a very morose frame of mind, which was scarcely improved by his discovery of a young lady already seated there before him.
missalnounUS /ˈmɪsəl/
(Roman Catholic Church) a book containing all the prayers and responses needed to celebrate Mass throughout the year
From this reading She was yawning over an illuminated missal; but, at sight of the intruder, she clapped the volume down with a bang, stretched, put her arms behind her head, and smiled with an air of relieved welcome.
MollnounUS /mɑːl/
the girlfriend of a gangster
From this reading Any male to Moll was better than none.
moroseadjectiveUS /mərˈoʊs/
showing a brooding ill humor
From this reading The Earl of Chesterfield entered his drawing-room in a very morose frame of mind, which was scarcely improved by his discovery of a young lady already seated there before him.
not one, and not any
From this reading Any male to Moll was better than none.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The Earl of Chesterfield entered his drawing-room in a very morose frame of mind, which was scarcely improved by his discovery of a young lady already seated there before him.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading She was yawning over an illuminated missal; but, at sight of the intruder, she clapped the volume down with a bang, stretched, put her arms behind her head, and smiled with an air of relieved welcome.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading She was yawning over an illuminated missal; but, at sight of the intruder, she clapped the volume down with a bang, stretched, put her arms behind her head, and smiled with an air of relieved welcome.
(of pain or sorrow) made easier to bear
From this reading She was yawning over an illuminated missal; but, at sight of the intruder, she clapped the volume down with a bang, stretched, put her arms behind her head, and smiled with an air of relieved welcome.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “Come along,” she said.
only a very short time before
From this reading The Earl of Chesterfield entered his drawing-room in a very morose frame of mind, which was scarcely improved by his discovery of a young lady already seated there before him.
(of persons) having the torso erect and legs bent with the body supported on the buttocks
From this reading The Earl of Chesterfield entered his drawing-room in a very morose frame of mind, which was scarcely improved by his discovery of a young lady already seated there before him.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She was yawning over an illuminated missal; but, at sight of the intruder, she clapped the volume down with a bang, stretched, put her arms behind her head, and smiled with an air of relieved welcome.
shyverbUS /ʃaɪ/
start suddenly, as from fright
From this reading “Don’t be shy of me.”
an instance of visual perception
From this reading She was yawning over an illuminated missal; but, at sight of the intruder, she clapped the volume down with a bang, stretched, put her arms behind her head, and smiled with an air of relieved welcome.
past form of “smile” — change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure
From this reading She was yawning over an illuminated missal; but, at sight of the intruder, she clapped the volume down with a bang, stretched, put her arms behind her head, and smiled with an air of relieved welcome.
(of muscles) relieved of stiffness by stretching
From this reading She was yawning over an illuminated missal; but, at sight of the intruder, she clapped the volume down with a bang, stretched, put her arms behind her head, and smiled with an air of relieved welcome.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Any male to Moll was better than none.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The Earl of Chesterfield entered his drawing-room in a very morose frame of mind, which was scarcely improved by his discovery of a young lady already seated there before him.
in or at that place or location
From this reading The Earl of Chesterfield entered his drawing-room in a very morose frame of mind, which was scarcely improved by his discovery of a young lady already seated there before him.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Any male to Moll was better than none.
precisely as stated
From this reading The Earl of Chesterfield entered his drawing-room in a very morose frame of mind, which was scarcely improved by his discovery of a young lady already seated there before him.
the amount of 3-dimensional space occupied by an object
From this reading She was yawning over an illuminated missal; but, at sight of the intruder, she clapped the volume down with a bang, stretched, put her arms behind her head, and smiled with an air of relieved welcome.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The Earl of Chesterfield entered his drawing-room in a very morose frame of mind, which was scarcely improved by his discovery of a young lady already seated there before him.
accept gladly
From this reading She was yawning over an illuminated missal; but, at sight of the intruder, she clapped the volume down with a bang, stretched, put her arms behind her head, and smiled with an air of relieved welcome.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The Earl of Chesterfield entered his drawing-room in a very morose frame of mind, which was scarcely improved by his discovery of a young lady already seated there before him.
in the company of; together with
From this reading She was yawning over an illuminated missal; but, at sight of the intruder, she clapped the volume down with a bang, stretched, put her arms behind her head, and smiled with an air of relieved welcome.
yawningadjectiveUS /ˈjɔːnɪŋ/
gaping open as if threatening to engulf someone or something
From this reading She was yawning over an illuminated missal; but, at sight of the intruder, she clapped the volume down with a bang, stretched, put her arms behind her head, and smiled with an air of relieved welcome.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading The Earl of Chesterfield entered his drawing-room in a very morose frame of mind, which was scarcely improved by his discovery of a young lady already seated there before him.
