used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was still an hour yet before what men called dawn---little brackets put around life to give it meaning and a mean understanding.
anew
From this reading This was not what he wanted: four hours of sleep was not enough for him now, and his mind was dark again.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading It was still an hour yet before what men called dawn---little brackets put around life to give it meaning and a mean understanding.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He got up and checked the passage of time.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading Battle could come any day now---he was spoiling, and being eaten by the spoiling, for a fight.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading It was still an hour yet before what men called dawn---little brackets put around life to give it meaning and a mean understanding.
a hostile meeting of opposing military forces in the course of a war
From this reading Battle could come any day now---he was spoiling, and being eaten by the spoiling, for a fight.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading It was still an hour yet before what men called dawn---little brackets put around life to give it meaning and a mean understanding.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading Battle could come any day now---he was spoiling, and being eaten by the spoiling, for a fight.
bracketsnounUS /ˈbrækəts/
plural of “bracket” — a category falling within certain defined limits
From this reading It was still an hour yet before what men called dawn---little brackets put around life to give it meaning and a mean understanding.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Battle could come any day now---he was spoiling, and being eaten by the spoiling, for a fight.
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading It was still an hour yet before what men called dawn---little brackets put around life to give it meaning and a mean understanding.
checkedadjectiveUS /tʃekt/
patterned with alternating squares of color
From this reading He got up and checked the passage of time.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Battle could come any day now---he was spoiling, and being eaten by the spoiling, for a fight.
without stop or interruption
From this reading And yet his energies continued to desert him.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Battle could come any day now---he was spoiling, and being eaten by the spoiling, for a fight.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading This was not what he wanted: four hours of sleep was not enough for him now, and his mind was dark again.
the first light of day
From this reading It was still an hour yet before what men called dawn---little brackets put around life to give it meaning and a mean understanding.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading Battle could come any day now---he was spoiling, and being eaten by the spoiling, for a fight.
leave someone who needs or counts on you; leave in the lurch
From this reading And yet his energies continued to desert him.
inflected form of “eat” — take in solid food
From this reading Battle could come any day now---he was spoiling, and being eaten by the spoiling, for a fight.
energiesnounUS /ˈenərdʒiz/
plural of “energy” — (physics) a thermodynamic quantity equivalent to the capacity of a physical system to do work; the units of energy are joules or ergs
From this reading And yet his energies continued to desert him.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading This was not what he wanted: four hours of sleep was not enough for him now, and his mind was dark again.
be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight
From this reading Battle could come any day now---he was spoiling, and being eaten by the spoiling, for a fight.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading This was not what he wanted: four hours of sleep was not enough for him now, and his mind was dark again.
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading This was not what he wanted: four hours of sleep was not enough for him now, and his mind was dark again.
cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading It was still an hour yet before what men called dawn---little brackets put around life to give it meaning and a mean understanding.
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading He got up and checked the passage of time.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He got up and checked the passage of time.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading This was not what he wanted: four hours of sleep was not enough for him now, and his mind was dark again.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading This was not what he wanted: four hours of sleep was not enough for him now, and his mind was dark again.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading It was still an hour yet before what men called dawn---little brackets put around life to give it meaning and a mean understanding.
a period of time assigned for work
From this reading This was not what he wanted: four hours of sleep was not enough for him now, and his mind was dark again.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was still an hour yet before what men called dawn---little brackets put around life to give it meaning and a mean understanding.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading It was still an hour yet before what men called dawn---little brackets put around life to give it meaning and a mean understanding.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading It was still an hour yet before what men called dawn---little brackets put around life to give it meaning and a mean understanding.
mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading It was still an hour yet before what men called dawn---little brackets put around life to give it meaning and a mean understanding.
the message that is intended or expressed or signified
From this reading It was still an hour yet before what men called dawn---little brackets put around life to give it meaning and a mean understanding.
the force of workers available
From this reading It was still an hour yet before what men called dawn---little brackets put around life to give it meaning and a mean understanding.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading This was not what he wanted: four hours of sleep was not enough for him now, and his mind was dark again.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading This was not what he wanted: four hours of sleep was not enough for him now, and his mind was dark again.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading This was not what he wanted: four hours of sleep was not enough for him now, and his mind was dark again.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He got up and checked the passage of time.
the act of passing from one state or place to the next
From this reading He got up and checked the passage of time.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading It was still an hour yet before what men called dawn---little brackets put around life to give it meaning and a mean understanding.
a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended
From this reading This was not what he wanted: four hours of sleep was not enough for him now, and his mind was dark again.
spoilingnounUS /ˈspɔɪlɪŋ/
the process of becoming spoiled
From this reading Battle could come any day now---he was spoiling, and being eaten by the spoiling, for a fight.
not in physical motion
From this reading It was still an hour yet before what men called dawn---little brackets put around life to give it meaning and a mean understanding.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He got up and checked the passage of time.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This was not what he wanted: four hours of sleep was not enough for him now, and his mind was dark again.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading He got up and checked the passage of time.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It was still an hour yet before what men called dawn---little brackets put around life to give it meaning and a mean understanding.
the cognitive condition of someone who understands
From this reading It was still an hour yet before what men called dawn---little brackets put around life to give it meaning and a mean understanding.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading He got up and checked the passage of time.
desired or wished for or sought
From this reading This was not what he wanted: four hours of sleep was not enough for him now, and his mind was dark again.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was still an hour yet before what men called dawn---little brackets put around life to give it meaning and a mean understanding.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading It was still an hour yet before what men called dawn---little brackets put around life to give it meaning and a mean understanding.
but in spite of that
From this reading It was still an hour yet before what men called dawn---little brackets put around life to give it meaning and a mean understanding.
