used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A STARTLING AVOWAL.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Cuff Court, Fleet Street; and a frosty day in December.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The year has gone on some six or seven weeks since the last chapter, and people are beginning to talk of the rapidly-advancing Christmas.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The room is bright enough with sunlight now; the sunlight of the cold, clear day; a great deal brighter than Mr. Butterby himself, who is dull as ditch-water, and in a sulky temper.
AVOWALnoun
a statement asserting the existence or the truth of something
From this reading A STARTLING AVOWAL.
the event consisting of the start of something
From this reading The year has gone on some six or seven weeks since the last chapter, and people are beginning to talk of the rapidly-advancing Christmas.
emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts
From this reading The room is bright enough with sunlight now; the sunlight of the cold, clear day; a great deal brighter than Mr. Butterby himself, who is dull as ditch-water, and in a sulky temper.
brighteradjectiveUS /ˈbraɪtər/
comparative of “bright” — emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts
From this reading The room is bright enough with sunlight now; the sunlight of the cold, clear day; a great deal brighter than Mr. Butterby himself, who is dull as ditch-water, and in a sulky temper.
Butterby
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Over the fire, in the little room in Cuff Court, where you once saw him by gas-light, sits Mr. Butterby.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Over the fire, in the little room in Cuff Court, where you once saw him by gas-light, sits Mr. Butterby.
a subdivision of a written work; usually numbered and titled
From this reading The year has gone on some six or seven weeks since the last chapter, and people are beginning to talk of the rapidly-advancing Christmas.
period extending from Dec. 24 to Jan. 6
From this reading The year has gone on some six or seven weeks since the last chapter, and people are beginning to talk of the rapidly-advancing Christmas.
rid of obstructions
From this reading The room is bright enough with sunlight now; the sunlight of the cold, clear day; a great deal brighter than Mr. Butterby himself, who is dull as ditch-water, and in a sulky temper.
having a low or inadequate temperature or feeling a sensation of coldness or having been made cold by e.g. ice or refrigeration
From this reading The room is bright enough with sunlight now; the sunlight of the cold, clear day; a great deal brighter than Mr. Butterby himself, who is dull as ditch-water, and in a sulky temper.
an assembly (including one or more judges) to conduct judicial business
From this reading Cuff Court, Fleet Street; and a frosty day in December.
CuffnounUS /kʌf/
the lap consisting of a turned-back hem encircling the end of the sleeve or leg
From this reading Cuff Court, Fleet Street; and a frosty day in December.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading Cuff Court, Fleet Street; and a frosty day in December.
act on verbally or in some form of artistic expression
From this reading The room is bright enough with sunlight now; the sunlight of the cold, clear day; a great deal brighter than Mr. Butterby himself, who is dull as ditch-water, and in a sulky temper.
DecembernounUS /dɪˈsembər/
the last (12th) month of the year
From this reading Cuff Court, Fleet Street; and a frosty day in December.
ditch-water
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The room is bright enough with sunlight now; the sunlight of the cold, clear day; a great deal brighter than Mr. Butterby himself, who is dull as ditch-water, and in a sulky temper.
lacking in liveliness or animation
From this reading The room is bright enough with sunlight now; the sunlight of the cold, clear day; a great deal brighter than Mr. Butterby himself, who is dull as ditch-water, and in a sulky temper.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading The room is bright enough with sunlight now; the sunlight of the cold, clear day; a great deal brighter than Mr. Butterby himself, who is dull as ditch-water, and in a sulky temper.
start firing a weapon
From this reading Over the fire, in the little room in Cuff Court, where you once saw him by gas-light, sits Mr. Butterby.
group of aircraft operating together under the same ownership
From this reading Cuff Court, Fleet Street; and a frosty day in December.
frostyadjectiveUS /ˈfrɔːsti/
devoid of warmth and cordiality; expressive of unfriendliness or disdain
From this reading Cuff Court, Fleet Street; and a frosty day in December.
gas-light
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Over the fire, in the little room in Cuff Court, where you once saw him by gas-light, sits Mr. Butterby.
destroyed or killed
From this reading The year has gone on some six or seven weeks since the last chapter, and people are beginning to talk of the rapidly-advancing Christmas.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading The room is bright enough with sunlight now; the sunlight of the cold, clear day; a great deal brighter than Mr. Butterby himself, who is dull as ditch-water, and in a sulky temper.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The year has gone on some six or seven weeks since the last chapter, and people are beginning to talk of the rapidly-advancing Christmas.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Over the fire, in the little room in Cuff Court, where you once saw him by gas-light, sits Mr. Butterby.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading The room is bright enough with sunlight now; the sunlight of the cold, clear day; a great deal brighter than Mr. Butterby himself, who is dull as ditch-water, and in a sulky temper.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Cuff Court, Fleet Street; and a frosty day in December.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The room is bright enough with sunlight now; the sunlight of the cold, clear day; a great deal brighter than Mr. Butterby himself, who is dull as ditch-water, and in a sulky temper.
immediately past
From this reading The year has gone on some six or seven weeks since the last chapter, and people are beginning to talk of the rapidly-advancing Christmas.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Over the fire, in the little room in Cuff Court, where you once saw him by gas-light, sits Mr. Butterby.
a form of address for a man
From this reading Over the fire, in the little room in Cuff Court, where you once saw him by gas-light, sits Mr. Butterby.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading The room is bright enough with sunlight now; the sunlight of the cold, clear day; a great deal brighter than Mr. Butterby himself, who is dull as ditch-water, and in a sulky temper.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The year has gone on some six or seven weeks since the last chapter, and people are beginning to talk of the rapidly-advancing Christmas.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The year has gone on some six or seven weeks since the last chapter, and people are beginning to talk of the rapidly-advancing Christmas.
on one occasion
From this reading Over the fire, in the little room in Cuff Court, where you once saw him by gas-light, sits Mr. Butterby.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading The year has gone on some six or seven weeks since the last chapter, and people are beginning to talk of the rapidly-advancing Christmas.
OverprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Over the fire, in the little room in Cuff Court, where you once saw him by gas-light, sits Mr. Butterby.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading The year has gone on some six or seven weeks since the last chapter, and people are beginning to talk of the rapidly-advancing Christmas.
rapidly-advancing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The year has gone on some six or seven weeks since the last chapter, and people are beginning to talk of the rapidly-advancing Christmas.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading Over the fire, in the little room in Cuff Court, where you once saw him by gas-light, sits Mr. Butterby.
cut with a saw
From this reading Over the fire, in the little room in Cuff Court, where you once saw him by gas-light, sits Mr. Butterby.
the cardinal number that is the sum of six and one
From this reading The year has gone on some six or seven weeks since the last chapter, and people are beginning to talk of the rapidly-advancing Christmas.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading The year has gone on some six or seven weeks since the last chapter, and people are beginning to talk of the rapidly-advancing Christmas.
sitsverbUS /sɪts/
third-person singular of “sit” — be seated
From this reading Over the fire, in the little room in Cuff Court, where you once saw him by gas-light, sits Mr. Butterby.
the cardinal number that is the sum of five and one
From this reading The year has gone on some six or seven weeks since the last chapter, and people are beginning to talk of the rapidly-advancing Christmas.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading The year has gone on some six or seven weeks since the last chapter, and people are beginning to talk of the rapidly-advancing Christmas.
STARTLINGadjectiveUS /ˈstɑːrtlɪŋ/
so remarkably different or sudden as to cause momentary shock or alarm
From this reading A STARTLING AVOWAL.
a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading Cuff Court, Fleet Street; and a frosty day in December.
sulkyadjective
sullen or moody
From this reading The room is bright enough with sunlight now; the sunlight of the cold, clear day; a great deal brighter than Mr. Butterby himself, who is dull as ditch-water, and in a sulky temper.
the rays of the sun
From this reading The room is bright enough with sunlight now; the sunlight of the cold, clear day; a great deal brighter than Mr. Butterby himself, who is dull as ditch-water, and in a sulky temper.
exchange thoughts; talk with
From this reading The year has gone on some six or seven weeks since the last chapter, and people are beginning to talk of the rapidly-advancing Christmas.
a sudden outburst of anger
From this reading The room is bright enough with sunlight now; the sunlight of the cold, clear day; a great deal brighter than Mr. Butterby himself, who is dull as ditch-water, and in a sulky temper.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading The room is bright enough with sunlight now; the sunlight of the cold, clear day; a great deal brighter than Mr. Butterby himself, who is dull as ditch-water, and in a sulky temper.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The year has gone on some six or seven weeks since the last chapter, and people are beginning to talk of the rapidly-advancing Christmas.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The year has gone on some six or seven weeks since the last chapter, and people are beginning to talk of the rapidly-advancing Christmas.
plural of “week” — any period of seven consecutive days
From this reading The year has gone on some six or seven weeks since the last chapter, and people are beginning to talk of the rapidly-advancing Christmas.
in or at the place that
From this reading Over the fire, in the little room in Cuff Court, where you once saw him by gas-light, sits Mr. Butterby.
which person or people
From this reading The room is bright enough with sunlight now; the sunlight of the cold, clear day; a great deal brighter than Mr. Butterby himself, who is dull as ditch-water, and in a sulky temper.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The room is bright enough with sunlight now; the sunlight of the cold, clear day; a great deal brighter than Mr. Butterby himself, who is dull as ditch-water, and in a sulky temper.
a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days
From this reading The year has gone on some six or seven weeks since the last chapter, and people are beginning to talk of the rapidly-advancing Christmas.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading Over the fire, in the little room in Cuff Court, where you once saw him by gas-light, sits Mr. Butterby.
