used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading My father had had an accident a few days before.
an unfortunate mishap; especially one causing damage or injury
From this reading My father had had an accident a few days before.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading In one of his unconscious fits he had fallen forward--I had left the room but for a moment--and struck his head sharply against one of the fire-irons.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading I remember the day was cold and bleak, an early spring day.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading I remember the day was cold and bleak, an early spring day.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He came to himself quite wild, and seeing the blood, thought he had killed some one, and cried to us to take him to prison as a murderer.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading My father had had an accident a few days before.
bleakadjectiveUS /bliːk/
offering little or no hope
From this reading I remember the day was cold and bleak, an early spring day.
The red fluid that circulates in the heart and blood vessels.
From this reading He came to himself quite wild, and seeing the blood, thought he had killed some one, and cried to us to take him to prison as a murderer.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading In one of his unconscious fits he had fallen forward--I had left the room but for a moment--and struck his head sharply against one of the fire-irons.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading I WAS twenty years old when the change came in my life.
cause to change; make different; cause a transformation
From this reading I WAS twenty years old when the change came in my life.
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 I remember the day was cold and bleak, an early spring day.
inflected form of “cry” — utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading He came to himself quite wild, and seeing the blood, thought he had killed some one, and cried to us to take him to prison as a murderer.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading I remember the day was cold and bleak, an early spring day.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading My father had had an accident a few days before.
earlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/
at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time
From this reading I remember the day was cold and bleak, an early spring day.
having dropped by the force of gravity
From this reading In one of his unconscious fits he had fallen forward--I had left the room but for a moment--and struck his head sharply against one of the fire-irons.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading My father had had an accident a few days before.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading My father had had an accident a few days before.
fire-irons
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In one of his unconscious fits he had fallen forward--I had left the room but for a moment--and struck his head sharply against one of the fire-irons.
fitsnounUS /fɪts/
plural of “fit” — a display of bad temper
From this reading In one of his unconscious fits he had fallen forward--I had left the room but for a moment--and struck his head sharply against one of the fire-irons.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading In one of his unconscious fits he had fallen forward--I had left the room but for a moment--and struck his head sharply against one of the fire-irons.
at or to or toward the front
From this reading In one of his unconscious fits he had fallen forward--I had left the room but for a moment--and struck his head sharply against one of the fire-irons.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading My father had had an accident a few days before.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading In one of his unconscious fits he had fallen forward--I had left the room but for a moment--and struck his head sharply against one of the fire-irons.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading In one of his unconscious fits he had fallen forward--I had left the room but for a moment--and struck his head sharply against one of the fire-irons.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He came to himself quite wild, and seeing the blood, thought he had killed some one, and cried to us to take him to prison as a murderer.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading He came to himself quite wild, and seeing the blood, thought he had killed some one, and cried to us to take him to prison as a murderer.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading In one of his unconscious fits he had fallen forward--I had left the room but for a moment--and struck his head sharply against one of the fire-irons.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I WAS twenty years old when the change came in my life.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading I WAS twenty years old when the change came in my life.
past form of “kill” — cause to die; put to death, usually intentionally or knowingly
From this reading He came to himself quite wild, and seeing the blood, thought he had killed some one, and cried to us to take him to prison as a murderer.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading In one of his unconscious fits he had fallen forward--I had left the room but for a moment--and struck his head sharply against one of the fire-irons.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading I WAS twenty years old when the change came in my life.
a particular point in time
From this reading In one of his unconscious fits he had fallen forward--I had left the room but for a moment--and struck his head sharply against one of the fire-irons.
murderernounUS /ˈmɜːrdərər/
a criminal who commits homicide (who performs the unlawful premeditated killing of another human being)
From this reading He came to himself quite wild, and seeing the blood, thought he had killed some one, and cried to us to take him to prison as a murderer.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading I WAS twenty years old when the change came in my life.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading In one of his unconscious fits he had fallen forward--I had left the room but for a moment--and struck his head sharply against one of the fire-irons.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading I WAS twenty years old when the change came in my life.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading In one of his unconscious fits he had fallen forward--I had left the room but for a moment--and struck his head sharply against one of the fire-irons.
a correctional institution where persons are confined while on trial or for punishment
From this reading He came to himself quite wild, and seeing the blood, thought he had killed some one, and cried to us to take him to prison as a murderer.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading He came to himself quite wild, and seeing the blood, thought he had killed some one, and cried to us to take him to prison as a murderer.
To recall to mind.
From this reading I remember the day was cold and bleak, an early spring day.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading In one of his unconscious fits he had fallen forward--I had left the room but for a moment--and struck his head sharply against one of the fire-irons.
perception by means of the eyes
From this reading He came to himself quite wild, and seeing the blood, thought he had killed some one, and cried to us to take him to prison as a murderer.
in an aggressive manner
From this reading In one of his unconscious fits he had fallen forward--I had left the room but for a moment--and struck his head sharply against one of the fire-irons.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading He came to himself quite wild, and seeing the blood, thought he had killed some one, and cried to us to take him to prison as a murderer.
the season of growth
From this reading I remember the day was cold and bleak, an early spring day.
(used in combination) affected by something overwhelming
From this reading In one of his unconscious fits he had fallen forward--I had left the room but for a moment--and struck his head sharply against one of the fire-irons.
carry out
From this reading He came to himself quite wild, and seeing the blood, thought he had killed some one, and cried to us to take him to prison as a murderer.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading I WAS twenty years old when the change came in my life.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading He came to himself quite wild, and seeing the blood, thought he had killed some one, and cried to us to take him to prison as a murderer.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He came to himself quite wild, and seeing the blood, thought he had killed some one, and cried to us to take him to prison as a murderer.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nineteen and one
From this reading I WAS twenty years old when the change came in my life.
not conscious; lacking awareness and the capacity for sensory perception as if asleep or dead
From this reading In one of his unconscious fits he had fallen forward--I had left the room but for a moment--and struck his head sharply against one of the fire-irons.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He came to himself quite wild, and seeing the blood, thought he had killed some one, and cried to us to take him to prison as a murderer.
WASauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading I WAS twenty years old when the change came in my life.
at the time that
From this reading I WAS twenty years old when the change came in my life.
marked by extreme lack of restraint or control
From this reading He came to himself quite wild, and seeing the blood, thought he had killed some one, and cried to us to take him to prison as a murderer.
a late time of life
From this reading I WAS twenty years old when the change came in my life.
