used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading CONTAINS A FEW DETAILS.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading Zerviah Holme did not like to be interrupted when he was reading Gibbon; and as he was always reading Gibbon, an interruption was always regarded by him as an insult.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading IN an old second-hand bookshop in London, an old man sat reading Gibbon's History of Rome.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He just glanced indifferently at the letter, and impatiently at the postman.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Zerviah Holme did not like to be interrupted when he was reading Gibbon; and as he was always reading Gibbon, an interruption was always regarded by him as an insult.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He just glanced indifferently at the letter, and impatiently at the postman.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Zerviah Holme did not like to be interrupted when he was reading Gibbon; and as he was always reading Gibbon, an interruption was always regarded by him as an insult.
a written work or composition that has been published (printed on pages bound together)
From this reading He did not put down his book when the postman brought him a letter.
bookshopnounUS /ˈbʊkʃɑːp/
a shop where books are sold
From this reading IN an old second-hand bookshop in London, an old man sat reading Gibbon's History of Rome.
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading He did not put down his book when the postman brought him a letter.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Zerviah Holme did not like to be interrupted when he was reading Gibbon; and as he was always reading Gibbon, an interruption was always regarded by him as an insult.
CONTAINSverbUS /kənˈteɪnz/
third-person singular of “contain” — include or contain; have as a component
From this reading CONTAINS A FEW DETAILS.
true confidential information
From this reading CONTAINS A FEW DETAILS.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading He did not put down his book when the postman brought him a letter.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading He did not put down his book when the postman brought him a letter.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading CONTAINS A FEW DETAILS.
GibbonnounUS /ˈɡɪbən/
English historian best known for his history of the Roman Empire (1737-1794)
From this reading Zerviah Holme did not like to be interrupted when he was reading Gibbon; and as he was always reading Gibbon, an interruption was always regarded by him as an insult.
Gibbon's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading IN an old second-hand bookshop in London, an old man sat reading Gibbon's History of Rome.
past form of “glance” — throw a glance at; take a brief look at
From this reading He just glanced indifferently at the letter, and impatiently at the postman.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He did not put down his book when the postman brought him a letter.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He did not put down his book when the postman brought him a letter.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He did not put down his book when the postman brought him a letter.
the aggregate of past events
From this reading IN an old second-hand bookshop in London, an old man sat reading Gibbon's History of Rome.
Holme
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Zerviah Holme did not like to be interrupted when he was reading Gibbon; and as he was always reading Gibbon, an interruption was always regarded by him as an insult.
impatientlyadverbUS /ˌɪmˈpeɪʃəntli/
with impatience; in an impatient manner
From this reading He just glanced indifferently at the letter, and impatiently at the postman.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading IN an old second-hand bookshop in London, an old man sat reading Gibbon's History of Rome.
indifferentlyadverbUS /ˌɪnˈdɪfrəntli/
with indifference; in an indifferent manner
From this reading He just glanced indifferently at the letter, and impatiently at the postman.
insultnounUS /ˌɪnˈsʌlt/
a rude expression intended to offend or hurt
From this reading Zerviah Holme did not like to be interrupted when he was reading Gibbon; and as he was always reading Gibbon, an interruption was always regarded by him as an insult.
discontinued temporarily
From this reading Zerviah Holme did not like to be interrupted when he was reading Gibbon; and as he was always reading Gibbon, an interruption was always regarded by him as an insult.
interruptionnounUS /ˌɪntərˈʌpʃən/
an act of delaying or interrupting the continuity
From this reading Zerviah Holme did not like to be interrupted when he was reading Gibbon; and as he was always reading Gibbon, an interruption was always regarded by him as an insult.
and nothing more
From this reading He just glanced indifferently at the letter, and impatiently at the postman.
a written message addressed to a person or organization
From this reading He did not put down his book when the postman brought him a letter.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Zerviah Holme did not like to be interrupted when he was reading Gibbon; and as he was always reading Gibbon, an interruption was always regarded by him as an insult.
the capital and largest city of England; located on the Thames in southeastern England; financial and industrial and cultural center
From this reading IN an old second-hand bookshop in London, an old man sat reading Gibbon's History of Rome.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading IN an old second-hand bookshop in London, an old man sat reading Gibbon's History of Rome.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He did not put down his book when the postman brought him a letter.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading IN an old second-hand bookshop in London, an old man sat reading Gibbon's History of Rome.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading IN an old second-hand bookshop in London, an old man sat reading Gibbon's History of Rome.
postmannounUS /ˈpoʊstmən/
a man who delivers the mail
From this reading He did not put down his book when the postman brought him a letter.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading He did not put down his book when the postman brought him a letter.
the cognitive process of understanding a written linguistic message
From this reading IN an old second-hand bookshop in London, an old man sat reading Gibbon's History of Rome.
past form of “regard” — deem to be
From this reading Zerviah Holme did not like to be interrupted when he was reading Gibbon; and as he was always reading Gibbon, an interruption was always regarded by him as an insult.
capital and largest city of Italy; on the Tiber; seat of the Roman Catholic Church; formerly the capital of the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire
From this reading IN an old second-hand bookshop in London, an old man sat reading Gibbon's History of Rome.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading IN an old second-hand bookshop in London, an old man sat reading Gibbon's History of Rome.
second-hand
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading IN an old second-hand bookshop in London, an old man sat reading Gibbon's History of Rome.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He did not put down his book when the postman brought him a letter.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Zerviah Holme did not like to be interrupted when he was reading Gibbon; and as he was always reading Gibbon, an interruption was always regarded by him as an insult.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Zerviah Holme did not like to be interrupted when he was reading Gibbon; and as he was always reading Gibbon, an interruption was always regarded by him as an insult.
at the time that
From this reading He did not put down his book when the postman brought him a letter.
Zerviah
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Zerviah Holme did not like to be interrupted when he was reading Gibbon; and as he was always reading Gibbon, an interruption was always regarded by him as an insult.
