used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Vane, conscious that he was a little early for lunch, idled his way through the woods.
advisableadjectiveUS /ədˈvaɪzəbəl/
worthy of being recommended or suggested; prudent or wise
From this reading And if occasionally the thought intruded itself that it might be advisable to take a few mental compass bearings and to ascertain his exact position before going any further, he dismissed them as ridiculous.
analyseverb
consider in detail and subject to an analysis in order to discover essential features or meaning
From this reading He was looking forward, with a pleasure he did not attempt to analyse, to seeing Joan in the setting where she belonged.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading And if occasionally the thought intruded itself that it might be advisable to take a few mental compass bearings and to ascertain his exact position before going any further, he dismissed them as ridiculous.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading And if occasionally the thought intruded itself that it might be advisable to take a few mental compass bearings and to ascertain his exact position before going any further, he dismissed them as ridiculous.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading And if occasionally the thought intruded itself that it might be advisable to take a few mental compass bearings and to ascertain his exact position before going any further, he dismissed them as ridiculous.
ascertainverbUS /ˌæsərˈteɪn/
establish after a calculation, investigation, experiment, survey, or study
From this reading And if occasionally the thought intruded itself that it might be advisable to take a few mental compass bearings and to ascertain his exact position before going any further, he dismissed them as ridiculous.
earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something
From this reading He was looking forward, with a pleasure he did not attempt to analyse, to seeing Joan in the setting where she belonged.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading And if occasionally the thought intruded itself that it might be advisable to take a few mental compass bearings and to ascertain his exact position before going any further, he dismissed them as ridiculous.
bearingsnounUS /ˈberɪŋz/
plural of “bearing” — relevant relation or interconnection
From this reading And if occasionally the thought intruded itself that it might be advisable to take a few mental compass bearings and to ascertain his exact position before going any further, he dismissed them as ridiculous.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Such thoughts have been similarly dismissed before.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading And if occasionally the thought intruded itself that it might be advisable to take a few mental compass bearings and to ascertain his exact position before going any further, he dismissed them as ridiculous.
past form of “belong” — be owned by; be in the possession of
From this reading He was looking forward, with a pleasure he did not attempt to analyse, to seeing Joan in the setting where she belonged.
compassnounUS /ˈkʌmpəs/
navigational instrument for finding directions
From this reading And if occasionally the thought intruded itself that it might be advisable to take a few mental compass bearings and to ascertain his exact position before going any further, he dismissed them as ridiculous.
intentionally conceived
From this reading Vane, conscious that he was a little early for lunch, idled his way through the woods.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading He was looking forward, with a pleasure he did not attempt to analyse, to seeing Joan in the setting where she belonged.
dismissedadjectiveUS /dɪˈsmɪst/
having lost your job
From this reading And if occasionally the thought intruded itself that it might be advisable to take a few mental compass bearings and to ascertain his exact position before going any further, he dismissed them as ridiculous.
earlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/
at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time
From this reading Vane, conscious that he was a little early for lunch, idled his way through the woods.
exactadjectiveUS /ɪɡˈzækt/
Strictly particular and correct.
From this reading And if occasionally the thought intruded itself that it might be advisable to take a few mental compass bearings and to ascertain his exact position before going any further, he dismissed them as ridiculous.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading And if occasionally the thought intruded itself that it might be advisable to take a few mental compass bearings and to ascertain his exact position before going any further, he dismissed them as ridiculous.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Vane, conscious that he was a little early for lunch, idled his way through the woods.
at or to or toward the front
From this reading He was looking forward, with a pleasure he did not attempt to analyse, to seeing Joan in the setting where she belonged.
to or at a greater extent or degree or a more advanced stage (“further” is used more often than “farther” in this abstract sense)
From this reading And if occasionally the thought intruded itself that it might be advisable to take a few mental compass bearings and to ascertain his exact position before going any further, he dismissed them as ridiculous.
the act of departing
From this reading And if occasionally the thought intruded itself that it might be advisable to take a few mental compass bearings and to ascertain his exact position before going any further, he dismissed them as ridiculous.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Such thoughts have been similarly dismissed before.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Vane, conscious that he was a little early for lunch, idled his way through the woods.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Vane, conscious that he was a little early for lunch, idled his way through the woods.
idledverbUS /ˈaɪdəld/
past form of “idle” — run disconnected or idle
From this reading Vane, conscious that he was a little early for lunch, idled his way through the woods.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading And if occasionally the thought intruded itself that it might be advisable to take a few mental compass bearings and to ascertain his exact position before going any further, he dismissed them as ridiculous.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He was looking forward, with a pleasure he did not attempt to analyse, to seeing Joan in the setting where she belonged.
intrudedverbUS /ˌɪnˈtruːdəd/
past form of “intrude” — enter uninvited
From this reading And if occasionally the thought intruded itself that it might be advisable to take a few mental compass bearings and to ascertain his exact position before going any further, he dismissed them as ridiculous.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading And if occasionally the thought intruded itself that it might be advisable to take a few mental compass bearings and to ascertain his exact position before going any further, he dismissed them as ridiculous.
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading And if occasionally the thought intruded itself that it might be advisable to take a few mental compass bearings and to ascertain his exact position before going any further, he dismissed them as ridiculous.
Joan
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was looking forward, with a pleasure he did not attempt to analyse, to seeing Joan in the setting where she belonged.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Vane, conscious that he was a little early for lunch, idled his way through the woods.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading He was looking forward, with a pleasure he did not attempt to analyse, to seeing Joan in the setting where she belonged.
take the midday meal
From this reading Vane, conscious that he was a little early for lunch, idled his way through the woods.
involving the mind or an intellectual process
From this reading And if occasionally the thought intruded itself that it might be advisable to take a few mental compass bearings and to ascertain his exact position before going any further, he dismissed them as ridiculous.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading And if occasionally the thought intruded itself that it might be advisable to take a few mental compass bearings and to ascertain his exact position before going any further, he dismissed them as ridiculous.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He was looking forward, with a pleasure he did not attempt to analyse, to seeing Joan in the setting where she belonged.
sporadically and infrequently
From this reading And if occasionally the thought intruded itself that it might be advisable to take a few mental compass bearings and to ascertain his exact position before going any further, he dismissed them as ridiculous.
a fundamental feeling that is hard to define but that people desire to experience
From this reading He was looking forward, with a pleasure he did not attempt to analyse, to seeing Joan in the setting where she belonged.
the particular portion of space occupied by something
From this reading And if occasionally the thought intruded itself that it might be advisable to take a few mental compass bearings and to ascertain his exact position before going any further, he dismissed them as ridiculous.
inspiring scornful pity
From this reading And if occasionally the thought intruded itself that it might be advisable to take a few mental compass bearings and to ascertain his exact position before going any further, he dismissed them as ridiculous.
perception by means of the eyes
From this reading He was looking forward, with a pleasure he did not attempt to analyse, to seeing Joan in the setting where she belonged.
the context and environment in which something is set
From this reading He was looking forward, with a pleasure he did not attempt to analyse, to seeing Joan in the setting where she belonged.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was looking forward, with a pleasure he did not attempt to analyse, to seeing Joan in the setting where she belonged.
similarlyadverbUS /ˈsɪmələrli/
in like or similar manner
From this reading Such thoughts have been similarly dismissed before.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading Such thoughts have been similarly dismissed before.
carry out
From this reading And if occasionally the thought intruded itself that it might be advisable to take a few mental compass bearings and to ascertain his exact position before going any further, he dismissed them as ridiculous.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Vane, conscious that he was a little early for lunch, idled his way through the woods.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Vane, conscious that he was a little early for lunch, idled his way through the woods.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading And if occasionally the thought intruded itself that it might be advisable to take a few mental compass bearings and to ascertain his exact position before going any further, he dismissed them as ridiculous.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading And if occasionally the thought intruded itself that it might be advisable to take a few mental compass bearings and to ascertain his exact position before going any further, he dismissed them as ridiculous.
plural of “thought” — the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading Such thoughts have been similarly dismissed before.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading Vane, conscious that he was a little early for lunch, idled his way through the woods.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He was looking forward, with a pleasure he did not attempt to analyse, to seeing Joan in the setting where she belonged.
VanenounUS /veɪn/
mechanical device attached to an elevated structure; rotates freely to show the direction of the wind
From this reading Vane, conscious that he was a little early for lunch, idled his way through the woods.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Vane, conscious that he was a little early for lunch, idled his way through the woods.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading Vane, conscious that he was a little early for lunch, idled his way through the woods.
in or at the place that
From this reading He was looking forward, with a pleasure he did not attempt to analyse, to seeing Joan in the setting where she belonged.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He was looking forward, with a pleasure he did not attempt to analyse, to seeing Joan in the setting where she belonged.
the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
From this reading Vane, conscious that he was a little early for lunch, idled his way through the woods.
