used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading “What did she say?” asked Michael, and he threw the ball of crushed paper into the fire, with a sort of fierceness.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading “What did she say?” asked Michael, and he threw the ball of crushed paper into the fire, with a sort of fierceness.
with anger
From this reading It was so vague—just enough to be horribly annoying and upsetting, and—” “People have no right—no right whatever—to be vague in mischief-making,” said Michael, angrily.
annoyingadjectiveUS /əˈnɔɪɪŋ/
causing irritation or annoyance
From this reading It was so vague—just enough to be horribly annoying and upsetting, and—” “People have no right—no right whatever—to be vague in mischief-making,” said Michael, angrily.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading “What did she say?” asked Michael, and he threw the ball of crushed paper into the fire, with a sort of fierceness.
awfullyadverbUS /ˈɑːfli/
used as intensifiers
From this reading “Upon my soul,” he went on, “it’s awfully difficult to tell.
round object that is hit or thrown or kicked in games
From this reading “What did she say?” asked Michael, and he threw the ball of crushed paper into the fire, with a sort of fierceness.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading It was so vague—just enough to be horribly annoying and upsetting, and—” “People have no right—no right whatever—to be vague in mischief-making,” said Michael, angrily.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading “She said—” began Bernard.
BernardnounUS /bərˈnɑːrd/
French physiologist noted for research on secretions of the alimentary canal and the glycogenic function of the liver (1813-1878)
From this reading “She said—” began Bernard.
crushedadjectiveUS /krʌʃt/
treated so as to have a permanently wrinkled appearance
From this reading “What did she say?” asked Michael, and he threw the ball of crushed paper into the fire, with a sort of fierceness.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading “What did she say?” asked Michael, and he threw the ball of crushed paper into the fire, with a sort of fierceness.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading “Upon my soul,” he went on, “it’s awfully difficult to tell.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Then he got up and walked up and down the room.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading It was so vague—just enough to be horribly annoying and upsetting, and—” “People have no right—no right whatever—to be vague in mischief-making,” said Michael, angrily.
fiercenessnoun
the property of being wild or turbulent
From this reading “What did she say?” asked Michael, and he threw the ball of crushed paper into the fire, with a sort of fierceness.
start firing a weapon
From this reading “What did she say?” asked Michael, and he threw the ball of crushed paper into the fire, with a sort of fierceness.
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading Then he got up and walked up and down the room.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading It was so vague—just enough to be horribly annoying and upsetting, and—” “People have no right—no right whatever—to be vague in mischief-making,” said Michael, angrily.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “What did she say?” asked Michael, and he threw the ball of crushed paper into the fire, with a sort of fierceness.
horriblyadverbUS /ˈhɔːrəbli/
of a dreadful kind
From this reading It was so vague—just enough to be horribly annoying and upsetting, and—” “People have no right—no right whatever—to be vague in mischief-making,” said Michael, angrily.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was so vague—just enough to be horribly annoying and upsetting, and—” “People have no right—no right whatever—to be vague in mischief-making,” said Michael, angrily.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading “What did she say?” asked Michael, and he threw the ball of crushed paper into the fire, with a sort of fierceness.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was so vague—just enough to be horribly annoying and upsetting, and—” “People have no right—no right whatever—to be vague in mischief-making,” said Michael, angrily.
it's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Upon my soul,” he went on, “it’s awfully difficult to tell.
and nothing more
From this reading It was so vague—just enough to be horribly annoying and upsetting, and—” “People have no right—no right whatever—to be vague in mischief-making,” said Michael, angrily.
(Old Testament) the guardian archangel of the Jews
From this reading “What did she say?” asked Michael, and he threw the ball of crushed paper into the fire, with a sort of fierceness.
mischief-makingnoun
reckless or malicious behavior that causes discomfort or annoyance in others
From this reading It was so vague—just enough to be horribly annoying and upsetting, and—” “People have no right—no right whatever—to be vague in mischief-making,” said Michael, angrily.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading “Upon my soul,” he went on, “it’s awfully difficult to tell.
not any; not one
From this reading It was so vague—just enough to be horribly annoying and upsetting, and—” “People have no right—no right whatever—to be vague in mischief-making,” said Michael, angrily.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “What did she say?” asked Michael, and he threw the ball of crushed paper into the fire, with a sort of fierceness.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading “Upon my soul,” he went on, “it’s awfully difficult to tell.
a material made of cellulose pulp derived mainly from wood or rags or certain grasses
From this reading “What did she say?” asked Michael, and he threw the ball of crushed paper into the fire, with a sort of fierceness.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading It was so vague—just enough to be horribly annoying and upsetting, and—” “People have no right—no right whatever—to be vague in mischief-making,” said Michael, angrily.
precisely, exactly
From this reading It was so vague—just enough to be horribly annoying and upsetting, and—” “People have no right—no right whatever—to be vague in mischief-making,” said Michael, angrily.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading Then he got up and walked up and down the room.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “She said—” began Bernard.
express in words
From this reading “What did she say?” asked Michael, and he threw the ball of crushed paper into the fire, with a sort of fierceness.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “What did she say?” asked Michael, and he threw the ball of crushed paper into the fire, with a sort of fierceness.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading It was so vague—just enough to be horribly annoying and upsetting, and—” “People have no right—no right whatever—to be vague in mischief-making,” said Michael, angrily.
a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
From this reading “What did she say?” asked Michael, and he threw the ball of crushed paper into the fire, with a sort of fierceness.
the immaterial part of a person; the actuating cause of an individual life
From this reading “Upon my soul,” he went on, “it’s awfully difficult to tell.
express in words
From this reading “Upon my soul,” he went on, “it’s awfully difficult to tell.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “What did she say?” asked Michael, and he threw the ball of crushed paper into the fire, with a sort of fierceness.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then he got up and walked up and down the room.
inflected form of “throw” — propel through the air
From this reading “What did she say?” asked Michael, and he threw the ball of crushed paper into the fire, with a sort of fierceness.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “Upon my soul,” he went on, “it’s awfully difficult to tell.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Then he got up and walked up and down the room.
UponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading “Upon my soul,” he went on, “it’s awfully difficult to tell.
upsettingadjectiveUS /əpˈsetɪŋ/
causing an emotional disturbance
From this reading It was so vague—just enough to be horribly annoying and upsetting, and—” “People have no right—no right whatever—to be vague in mischief-making,” said Michael, angrily.
not clearly expressed or understood
From this reading It was so vague—just enough to be horribly annoying and upsetting, and—” “People have no right—no right whatever—to be vague in mischief-making,” said Michael, angrily.
past form of “walk” — use one's feet to advance; advance by steps
From this reading Then he got up and walked up and down the room.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was so vague—just enough to be horribly annoying and upsetting, and—” “People have no right—no right whatever—to be vague in mischief-making,” said Michael, angrily.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading “Upon my soul,” he went on, “it’s awfully difficult to tell.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading “What did she say?” asked Michael, and he threw the ball of crushed paper into the fire, with a sort of fierceness.
any or all of a kind, it does not matter which
From this reading It was so vague—just enough to be horribly annoying and upsetting, and—” “People have no right—no right whatever—to be vague in mischief-making,” said Michael, angrily.
in the company of; together with
From this reading “What did she say?” asked Michael, and he threw the ball of crushed paper into the fire, with a sort of fierceness.
