used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Watched surreptitiously by Beatrix, he sat silent and peculiarly distrait, like a man who was either working out an engrossing problem or bored to extinction.
AfterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading After several dogged attempts to get him to talk, Malcolm gave him up and for some miles devoted himself entirely to Beatrix.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Watched surreptitiously by Beatrix, he sat silent and peculiarly distrait, like a man who was either working out an engrossing problem or bored to extinction.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Watched surreptitiously by Beatrix, he sat silent and peculiarly distrait, like a man who was either working out an engrossing problem or bored to extinction.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading She too was as far away and as unresponsive as Franklin.
attemptsnounUS /əˈtempts/
plural of “attempt” — earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something
From this reading After several dogged attempts to get him to talk, Malcolm gave him up and for some miles devoted himself entirely to Beatrix.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading She too was as far away and as unresponsive as Franklin.
Beatrix
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Watched surreptitiously by Beatrix, he sat silent and peculiarly distrait, like a man who was either working out an engrossing problem or bored to extinction.
the event consisting of the start of something
From this reading From the beginning of the journey to the end of it Franklin hardly opened his mouth.
boredadjectiveUS /bɔːrd/
tired of the world
From this reading Watched surreptitiously by Beatrix, he sat silent and peculiarly distrait, like a man who was either working out an engrossing problem or bored to extinction.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Watched surreptitiously by Beatrix, he sat silent and peculiarly distrait, like a man who was either working out an engrossing problem or bored to extinction.
zealous in devotion or affection
From this reading After several dogged attempts to get him to talk, Malcolm gave him up and for some miles devoted himself entirely to Beatrix.
distraitadjective
having the attention diverted especially because of anxiety
From this reading Watched surreptitiously by Beatrix, he sat silent and peculiarly distrait, like a man who was either working out an engrossing problem or bored to extinction.
doggedadjectiveUS /dɔːɡd/
stubbornly unyielding
From this reading After several dogged attempts to get him to talk, Malcolm gave him up and for some miles devoted himself entirely to Beatrix.
one or the other of two
From this reading Watched surreptitiously by Beatrix, he sat silent and peculiarly distrait, like a man who was either working out an engrossing problem or bored to extinction.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading From the beginning of the journey to the end of it Franklin hardly opened his mouth.
engrossingadjectiveUS /ɪnˈɡroʊsɪŋ/
capable of arousing and holding the attention
From this reading Watched surreptitiously by Beatrix, he sat silent and peculiarly distrait, like a man who was either working out an engrossing problem or bored to extinction.
to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)
From this reading After several dogged attempts to get him to talk, Malcolm gave him up and for some miles devoted himself entirely to Beatrix.
at any time
From this reading To her he told everything funny that he had ever heard or invented without winning a smile.
all things; all of a situation
From this reading To her he told everything funny that he had ever heard or invented without winning a smile.
extinctionnounUS /ɪkˈstɪŋkʃən/
no longer active; extinguished
From this reading Watched surreptitiously by Beatrix, he sat silent and peculiarly distrait, like a man who was either working out an engrossing problem or bored to extinction.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading She too was as far away and as unresponsive as Franklin.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading After several dogged attempts to get him to talk, Malcolm gave him up and for some miles devoted himself entirely to Beatrix.
FranklinnounUS /ˈfræŋklɪn/
United States historian noted for studies of Black American history (born in 1915)
From this reading From the beginning of the journey to the end of it Franklin hardly opened his mouth.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading From the beginning of the journey to the end of it Franklin hardly opened his mouth.
arousing or provoking laughter
From this reading To her he told everything funny that he had ever heard or invented without winning a smile.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading After several dogged attempts to get him to talk, Malcolm gave him up and for some miles devoted himself entirely to Beatrix.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading After several dogged attempts to get him to talk, Malcolm gave him up and for some miles devoted himself entirely to Beatrix.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading To her he told everything funny that he had ever heard or invented without winning a smile.
only a very short time before
From this reading From the beginning of the journey to the end of it Franklin hardly opened his mouth.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Watched surreptitiously by Beatrix, he sat silent and peculiarly distrait, like a man who was either working out an engrossing problem or bored to extinction.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading To her he told everything funny that he had ever heard or invented without winning a smile.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading To her he told everything funny that he had ever heard or invented without winning a smile.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading After several dogged attempts to get him to talk, Malcolm gave him up and for some miles devoted himself entirely to Beatrix.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading After several dogged attempts to get him to talk, Malcolm gave him up and for some miles devoted himself entirely to Beatrix.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading From the beginning of the journey to the end of it Franklin hardly opened his mouth.
inventedverbUS /ˌɪnˈventəd/
past form of “invent” — come up with (an idea, plan, explanation, theory, or principle) after a mental effort
From this reading To her he told everything funny that he had ever heard or invented without winning a smile.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading From the beginning of the journey to the end of it Franklin hardly opened his mouth.
undertake a journey or trip
From this reading From the beginning of the journey to the end of it Franklin hardly opened his mouth.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Watched surreptitiously by Beatrix, he sat silent and peculiarly distrait, like a man who was either working out an engrossing problem or bored to extinction.
Malcolm
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading After several dogged attempts to get him to talk, Malcolm gave him up and for some miles devoted himself entirely to Beatrix.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading Watched surreptitiously by Beatrix, he sat silent and peculiarly distrait, like a man who was either working out an engrossing problem or bored to extinction.
plural of “mile” — a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading After several dogged attempts to get him to talk, Malcolm gave him up and for some miles devoted himself entirely to Beatrix.
the opening through which food is taken in and vocalizations emerge
From this reading From the beginning of the journey to the end of it Franklin hardly opened his mouth.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading From the beginning of the journey to the end of it Franklin hardly opened his mouth.
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading From the beginning of the journey to the end of it Franklin hardly opened his mouth.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Watched surreptitiously by Beatrix, he sat silent and peculiarly distrait, like a man who was either working out an engrossing problem or bored to extinction.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Watched surreptitiously by Beatrix, he sat silent and peculiarly distrait, like a man who was either working out an engrossing problem or bored to extinction.
peculiarlyadverbUS /pɪˈkjuːljərli/
uniquely or characteristically
From this reading Watched surreptitiously by Beatrix, he sat silent and peculiarly distrait, like a man who was either working out an engrossing problem or bored to extinction.
a state of difficulty that needs to be resolved
From this reading Watched surreptitiously by Beatrix, he sat silent and peculiarly distrait, like a man who was either working out an engrossing problem or bored to extinction.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading Watched surreptitiously by Beatrix, he sat silent and peculiarly distrait, like a man who was either working out an engrossing problem or bored to extinction.
(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many
From this reading After several dogged attempts to get him to talk, Malcolm gave him up and for some miles devoted himself entirely to Beatrix.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She too was as far away and as unresponsive as Franklin.
marked by absence of sound
From this reading Watched surreptitiously by Beatrix, he sat silent and peculiarly distrait, like a man who was either working out an engrossing problem or bored to extinction.
change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure
From this reading To her he told everything funny that he had ever heard or invented without winning a smile.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading After several dogged attempts to get him to talk, Malcolm gave him up and for some miles devoted himself entirely to Beatrix.
surreptitiouslyadverbUS /ˌsɜːrəpˈtɪʃəsli/
in a surreptitious manner
From this reading Watched surreptitiously by Beatrix, he sat silent and peculiarly distrait, like a man who was either working out an engrossing problem or bored to extinction.
exchange thoughts; talk with
From this reading After several dogged attempts to get him to talk, Malcolm gave him up and for some miles devoted himself entirely to Beatrix.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading To her he told everything funny that he had ever heard or invented without winning a smile.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading From the beginning of the journey to the end of it Franklin hardly opened his mouth.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading From the beginning of the journey to the end of it Franklin hardly opened his mouth.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading To her he told everything funny that he had ever heard or invented without winning a smile.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading She too was as far away and as unresponsive as Franklin.
unresponsiveadjectiveUS /ˌʌnriˈspɑːnsɪv/
not responding to some influence or stimulus
From this reading She too was as far away and as unresponsive as Franklin.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading After several dogged attempts to get him to talk, Malcolm gave him up and for some miles devoted himself entirely to Beatrix.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Watched surreptitiously by Beatrix, he sat silent and peculiarly distrait, like a man who was either working out an engrossing problem or bored to extinction.
past form of “watch” — look attentively
From this reading Watched surreptitiously by Beatrix, he sat silent and peculiarly distrait, like a man who was either working out an engrossing problem or bored to extinction.
which person or people
From this reading Watched surreptitiously by Beatrix, he sat silent and peculiarly distrait, like a man who was either working out an engrossing problem or bored to extinction.
winningadjectiveUS /ˈwɪnɪŋ/
having won
From this reading To her he told everything funny that he had ever heard or invented without winning a smile.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading To her he told everything funny that he had ever heard or invented without winning a smile.
actively engaged in paid work
From this reading Watched surreptitiously by Beatrix, he sat silent and peculiarly distrait, like a man who was either working out an engrossing problem or bored to extinction.
