used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A NOTE A half hour later, Skippy had decided on one phase of his job.
past form of “allow” — make it possible through a specific action or lack of action for something to happen
From this reading He climbed the dusty stairway and proceeded to the door of a room which no boy had been allowed to enter.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading "Can you lend me some paper an' pencil?" the boy asked briskly.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He climbed the dusty stairway and proceeded to the door of a room which no boy had been allowed to enter.
past form of “answer” — react verbally
From this reading Frost answered his knock but did not ask him in.
make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading Frost answered his knock but did not ask him in.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading "Can you lend me some paper an' pencil?" the boy asked briskly.
batteredadjectiveUS /ˈbætərd/
damaged by blows or hard usage
From this reading He had jumped up from a small, battered table upon which he had been writing, and now he stood in the open doorway, his colorless eyes searching Skippy's face in surprise.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading He climbed the dusty stairway and proceeded to the door of a room which no boy had been allowed to enter.
a youthful male person
From this reading He climbed the dusty stairway and proceeded to the door of a room which no boy had been allowed to enter.
brisklyadverbUS /ˈbrɪskli/
in a brisk manner
From this reading "Can you lend me some paper an' pencil?" the boy asked briskly.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Frost answered his knock but did not ask him in.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading "Can you lend me some paper an' pencil?" the boy asked briskly.
past form of “climb” — go upward with gradual or continuous progress
From this reading He climbed the dusty stairway and proceeded to the door of a room which no boy had been allowed to enter.
colorlessadjectiveUS /ˈkʌlərləs/
lacking in variety and interest
From this reading He had jumped up from a small, battered table upon which he had been writing, and now he stood in the open doorway, his colorless eyes searching Skippy's face in surprise.
recognizable; marked
From this reading A NOTE A half hour later, Skippy had decided on one phase of his job.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Frost answered his knock but did not ask him in.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading He climbed the dusty stairway and proceeded to the door of a room which no boy had been allowed to enter.
the entrance (the space in a wall) through which you enter or leave a room or building; the space that a door can close
From this reading He had jumped up from a small, battered table upon which he had been writing, and now he stood in the open doorway, his colorless eyes searching Skippy's face in surprise.
dustyadjectiveUS /ˈdʌsti/
covered with a layer of dust
From this reading He climbed the dusty stairway and proceeded to the door of a room which no boy had been allowed to enter.
to come or go into
From this reading He climbed the dusty stairway and proceeded to the door of a room which no boy had been allowed to enter.
opinion or judgment
From this reading He had jumped up from a small, battered table upon which he had been writing, and now he stood in the open doorway, his colorless eyes searching Skippy's face in surprise.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading He had jumped up from a small, battered table upon which he had been writing, and now he stood in the open doorway, his colorless eyes searching Skippy's face in surprise.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading He had jumped up from a small, battered table upon which he had been writing, and now he stood in the open doorway, his colorless eyes searching Skippy's face in surprise.
FrostnounUS /frɔːst/
ice crystals forming a white deposit (especially on objects outside)
From this reading Frost answered his knock but did not ask him in.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading A NOTE A half hour later, Skippy had decided on one phase of his job.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading A NOTE A half hour later, Skippy had decided on one phase of his job.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He climbed the dusty stairway and proceeded to the door of a room which no boy had been allowed to enter.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Frost answered his knock but did not ask him in.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading A NOTE A half hour later, Skippy had decided on one phase of his job.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading A NOTE A half hour later, Skippy had decided on one phase of his job.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Frost answered his knock but did not ask him in.
the principal activity in your life that you do to earn money
From this reading A NOTE A half hour later, Skippy had decided on one phase of his job.
past form of “jump” — move forward by leaps and bounds
From this reading He had jumped up from a small, battered table upon which he had been writing, and now he stood in the open doorway, his colorless eyes searching Skippy's face in surprise.
deliver a sharp blow or push
From this reading Frost answered his knock but did not ask him in.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading A NOTE A half hour later, Skippy had decided on one phase of his job.
lendverbUS /lend/
bestow a quality on
From this reading "Can you lend me some paper an' pencil?" the boy asked briskly.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "Can you lend me some paper an' pencil?" the boy asked briskly.
not any; not one
From this reading He climbed the dusty stairway and proceeded to the door of a room which no boy had been allowed to enter.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Frost answered his knock but did not ask him in.
a brief written record
From this reading A NOTE A half hour later, Skippy had decided on one phase of his job.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading He had jumped up from a small, battered table upon which he had been writing, and now he stood in the open doorway, his colorless eyes searching Skippy's face in surprise.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A NOTE A half hour later, Skippy had decided on one phase of his job.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading A NOTE A half hour later, Skippy had decided on one phase of his job.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading A NOTE A half hour later, Skippy had decided on one phase of his job.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading He had jumped up from a small, battered table upon which he had been writing, and now he stood in the open doorway, his colorless eyes searching Skippy's face in surprise.
a material made of cellulose pulp derived mainly from wood or rags or certain grasses
From this reading "Can you lend me some paper an' pencil?" the boy asked briskly.
pencilnounUS /ˈpensəl/
a thin cylindrical pointed writing implement; a rod of marking substance encased in wood
From this reading "Can you lend me some paper an' pencil?" the boy asked briskly.
phasenounUS /feɪz/
any distinct time period in a sequence of events
From this reading A NOTE A half hour later, Skippy had decided on one phase of his job.
past form of “proceed” — continue talking
From this reading He climbed the dusty stairway and proceeded to the door of a room which no boy had been allowed to enter.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading He climbed the dusty stairway and proceeded to the door of a room which no boy had been allowed to enter.
diligent and thorough in inquiry or investigation
From this reading He had jumped up from a small, battered table upon which he had been writing, and now he stood in the open doorway, his colorless eyes searching Skippy's face in surprise.
Skippy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A NOTE A half hour later, Skippy had decided on one phase of his job.
Skippy's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had jumped up from a small, battered table upon which he had been writing, and now he stood in the open doorway, his colorless eyes searching Skippy's face in surprise.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading He had jumped up from a small, battered table upon which he had been writing, and now he stood in the open doorway, his colorless eyes searching Skippy's face in surprise.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading "Can you lend me some paper an' pencil?" the boy asked briskly.
stairwaynounUS /ˈsterweɪ/
a way of access (upward and downward) consisting of a set of steps
From this reading He climbed the dusty stairway and proceeded to the door of a room which no boy had been allowed to enter.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading He had jumped up from a small, battered table upon which he had been writing, and now he stood in the open doorway, his colorless eyes searching Skippy's face in surprise.
the astonishment you feel when something totally unexpected happens to you
From this reading He had jumped up from a small, battered table upon which he had been writing, and now he stood in the open doorway, his colorless eyes searching Skippy's face in surprise.
a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading He had jumped up from a small, battered table upon which he had been writing, and now he stood in the open doorway, his colorless eyes searching Skippy's face in surprise.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He climbed the dusty stairway and proceeded to the door of a room which no boy had been allowed to enter.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He climbed the dusty stairway and proceeded to the door of a room which no boy had been allowed to enter.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading He had jumped up from a small, battered table upon which he had been writing, and now he stood in the open doorway, his colorless eyes searching Skippy's face in surprise.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading He had jumped up from a small, battered table upon which he had been writing, and now he stood in the open doorway, his colorless eyes searching Skippy's face in surprise.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading He climbed the dusty stairway and proceeded to the door of a room which no boy had been allowed to enter.
the act of creating written works
From this reading He had jumped up from a small, battered table upon which he had been writing, and now he stood in the open doorway, his colorless eyes searching Skippy's face in surprise.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Can you lend me some paper an' pencil?" the boy asked briskly.
