used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading “I’ve made a great demand on your patience, haven’t I?” she asked him.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading “All this mystery....”
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading They were back on the other side of the closed folding-doors: almost as they had been before, standing together as on an island in artificial twilight.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading They were back on the other side of the closed folding-doors: almost as they had been before, standing together as on an island in artificial twilight.
artificialadjectiveUS /ˌɑːrtəˈfɪʃəl/
contrived by art rather than nature
From this reading They were back on the other side of the closed folding-doors: almost as they had been before, standing together as on an island in artificial twilight.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading They were back on the other side of the closed folding-doors: almost as they had been before, standing together as on an island in artificial twilight.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading “I’ve made a great demand on your patience, haven’t I?” she asked him.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading They were back on the other side of the closed folding-doors: almost as they had been before, standing together as on an island in artificial twilight.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading They were back on the other side of the closed folding-doors: almost as they had been before, standing together as on an island in artificial twilight.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading They were back on the other side of the closed folding-doors: almost as they had been before, standing together as on an island in artificial twilight.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading “But you’ve made it very easy for me to meet that demand,” he told her sincerely.
not open or affording passage or access
From this reading They were back on the other side of the closed folding-doors: almost as they had been before, standing together as on an island in artificial twilight.
an urgent or peremptory request
From this reading “I’ve made a great demand on your patience, haven’t I?” she asked him.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading The occasion was not, somehow, one for sitting down.
posing no difficulty; requiring little effort
From this reading “But you’ve made it very easy for me to meet that demand,” he told her sincerely.
folding-doors
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were back on the other side of the closed folding-doors: almost as they had been before, standing together as on an island in artificial twilight.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The occasion was not, somehow, one for sitting down.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading “I’ve made a great demand on your patience, haven’t I?” she asked him.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading They were back on the other side of the closed folding-doors: almost as they had been before, standing together as on an island in artificial twilight.
haven't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I’ve made a great demand on your patience, haven’t I?” she asked him.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “But you’ve made it very easy for me to meet that demand,” he told her sincerely.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading “But you’ve made it very easy for me to meet that demand,” he told her sincerely.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “I’ve made a great demand on your patience, haven’t I?” she asked him.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “I’ve made a great demand on your patience, haven’t I?” she asked him.
I've
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I’ve made a great demand on your patience, haven’t I?” she asked him.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading They were back on the other side of the closed folding-doors: almost as they had been before, standing together as on an island in artificial twilight.
a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water
From this reading They were back on the other side of the closed folding-doors: almost as they had been before, standing together as on an island in artificial twilight.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “But you’ve made it very easy for me to meet that demand,” he told her sincerely.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading “I’ve made a great demand on your patience, haven’t I?” she asked him.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “But you’ve made it very easy for me to meet that demand,” he told her sincerely.
come together
From this reading “But you’ve made it very easy for me to meet that demand,” he told her sincerely.
something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained
From this reading “All this mystery....”
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The occasion was not, somehow, one for sitting down.
an event that occurs at a critical time
From this reading The occasion was not, somehow, one for sitting down.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading They were back on the other side of the closed folding-doors: almost as they had been before, standing together as on an island in artificial twilight.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading They were back on the other side of the closed folding-doors: almost as they had been before, standing together as on an island in artificial twilight.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The occasion was not, somehow, one for sitting down.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading They were back on the other side of the closed folding-doors: almost as they had been before, standing together as on an island in artificial twilight.
good-natured tolerance of delay or incompetence
From this reading “I’ve made a great demand on your patience, haven’t I?” she asked him.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “I’ve made a great demand on your patience, haven’t I?” she asked him.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading They were back on the other side of the closed folding-doors: almost as they had been before, standing together as on an island in artificial twilight.
sincerelyadverbUS /sɪnˈsɪrli/
with sincerity; without pretense
From this reading “But you’ve made it very easy for me to meet that demand,” he told her sincerely.
(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)
From this reading The occasion was not, somehow, one for sitting down.
in some unspecified way or manner; or by some unspecified means
From this reading The occasion was not, somehow, one for sitting down.
having a supporting base
From this reading They were back on the other side of the closed folding-doors: almost as they had been before, standing together as on an island in artificial twilight.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading “But you’ve made it very easy for me to meet that demand,” he told her sincerely.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading They were back on the other side of the closed folding-doors: almost as they had been before, standing together as on an island in artificial twilight.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They were back on the other side of the closed folding-doors: almost as they had been before, standing together as on an island in artificial twilight.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading “All this mystery....”
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “But you’ve made it very easy for me to meet that demand,” he told her sincerely.
in contact with each other or in proximity
From this reading They were back on the other side of the closed folding-doors: almost as they had been before, standing together as on an island in artificial twilight.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading “But you’ve made it very easy for me to meet that demand,” he told her sincerely.
twilightnounUS /ˈtwaɪlaɪt/
the time of day immediately following sunset
From this reading They were back on the other side of the closed folding-doors: almost as they had been before, standing together as on an island in artificial twilight.
precisely as stated
From this reading “But you’ve made it very easy for me to meet that demand,” he told her sincerely.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The occasion was not, somehow, one for sitting down.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They were back on the other side of the closed folding-doors: almost as they had been before, standing together as on an island in artificial twilight.
you've
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “But you’ve made it very easy for me to meet that demand,” he told her sincerely.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “I’ve made a great demand on your patience, haven’t I?” she asked him.
