used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Mechanically I turned homewards and took a few steps on the way to the city.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading My next thought was, “How many new things I already have to think about!”
prior to a specified or implied time
From this reading My next thought was, “How many new things I already have to think about!”
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Mechanically I turned homewards and took a few steps on the way to the city.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading CLEMENS ON THE FOURTH GOSPEL “How many things I should have asked him if he could only have stayed!” was my first thought, as Clemens disappeared behind the bushes.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading CLEMENS ON THE FOURTH GOSPEL “How many things I should have asked him if he could only have stayed!” was my first thought, as Clemens disappeared behind the bushes.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Not many minutes had elapsed before I heard footsteps behind me.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading CLEMENS ON THE FOURTH GOSPEL “How many things I should have asked him if he could only have stayed!” was my first thought, as Clemens disappeared behind the bushes.
plural of “bush” — a low woody perennial plant usually having several major stems
From this reading CLEMENS ON THE FOURTH GOSPEL “How many things I should have asked him if he could only have stayed!” was my first thought, as Clemens disappeared behind the bushes.
a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts
From this reading Mechanically I turned homewards and took a few steps on the way to the city.
CLEMENSnounUS /ˈklemənz/
United States writer and humorist best known for his novels about Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn (1835-1910)
From this reading CLEMENS ON THE FOURTH GOSPEL “How many things I should have asked him if he could only have stayed!” was my first thought, as Clemens disappeared behind the bushes.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading CLEMENS ON THE FOURTH GOSPEL “How many things I should have asked him if he could only have stayed!” was my first thought, as Clemens disappeared behind the bushes.
past form of “disappear” — get lost, as without warning or explanation
From this reading CLEMENS ON THE FOURTH GOSPEL “How many things I should have asked him if he could only have stayed!” was my first thought, as Clemens disappeared behind the bushes.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Then I sat down to reflect.
elapsedadjectiveUS /ɪˈlæpst/
(of time) having passed or slipped by
From this reading Not many minutes had elapsed before I heard footsteps behind me.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading Mechanically I turned homewards and took a few steps on the way to the city.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading CLEMENS ON THE FOURTH GOSPEL “How many things I should have asked him if he could only have stayed!” was my first thought, as Clemens disappeared behind the bushes.
plural of “footstep” — the sound of a step of someone walking
From this reading Not many minutes had elapsed before I heard footsteps behind me.
following the third position; number four in a countable series
From this reading CLEMENS ON THE FOURTH GOSPEL “How many things I should have asked him if he could only have stayed!” was my first thought, as Clemens disappeared behind the bushes.
GOSPELnounUS /ˈɡɑːspəl/
the four books in the New Testament (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) that tell the story of Christ's life and teachings
From this reading CLEMENS ON THE FOURTH GOSPEL “How many things I should have asked him if he could only have stayed!” was my first thought, as Clemens disappeared behind the bushes.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Not many minutes had elapsed before I heard footsteps behind me.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading CLEMENS ON THE FOURTH GOSPEL “How many things I should have asked him if he could only have stayed!” was my first thought, as Clemens disappeared behind the bushes.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading CLEMENS ON THE FOURTH GOSPEL “How many things I should have asked him if he could only have stayed!” was my first thought, as Clemens disappeared behind the bushes.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading Not many minutes had elapsed before I heard footsteps behind me.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading CLEMENS ON THE FOURTH GOSPEL “How many things I should have asked him if he could only have stayed!” was my first thought, as Clemens disappeared behind the bushes.
homewardsadverb
toward home
From this reading Mechanically I turned homewards and took a few steps on the way to the city.
How
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading CLEMENS ON THE FOURTH GOSPEL “How many things I should have asked him if he could only have stayed!” was my first thought, as Clemens disappeared behind the bushes.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading CLEMENS ON THE FOURTH GOSPEL “How many things I should have asked him if he could only have stayed!” was my first thought, as Clemens disappeared behind the bushes.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading CLEMENS ON THE FOURTH GOSPEL “How many things I should have asked him if he could only have stayed!” was my first thought, as Clemens disappeared behind the bushes.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading CLEMENS ON THE FOURTH GOSPEL “How many things I should have asked him if he could only have stayed!” was my first thought, as Clemens disappeared behind the bushes.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Not many minutes had elapsed before I heard footsteps behind me.
MechanicallyadverbUS /məˈkænɪkli/
in a mechanical manner; by a mechanism
From this reading Mechanically I turned homewards and took a few steps on the way to the city.
a written account of what transpired at a meeting
From this reading Not many minutes had elapsed before I heard footsteps behind me.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading CLEMENS ON THE FOURTH GOSPEL “How many things I should have asked him if he could only have stayed!” was my first thought, as Clemens disappeared behind the bushes.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading My next thought was, “How many new things I already have to think about!”
immediately following in time or order
From this reading My next thought was, “How many new things I already have to think about!”
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Not many minutes had elapsed before I heard footsteps behind me.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading CLEMENS ON THE FOURTH GOSPEL “How many things I should have asked him if he could only have stayed!” was my first thought, as Clemens disappeared behind the bushes.
and nothing more
From this reading CLEMENS ON THE FOURTH GOSPEL “How many things I should have asked him if he could only have stayed!” was my first thought, as Clemens disappeared behind the bushes.
reflectverbUS /rɪˈflekt/
manifest or bring back
From this reading Then I sat down to reflect.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading Then I sat down to reflect.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading CLEMENS ON THE FOURTH GOSPEL “How many things I should have asked him if he could only have stayed!” was my first thought, as Clemens disappeared behind the bushes.
past form of “stay” — stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading CLEMENS ON THE FOURTH GOSPEL “How many things I should have asked him if he could only have stayed!” was my first thought, as Clemens disappeared behind the bushes.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading Mechanically I turned homewards and took a few steps on the way to the city.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading CLEMENS ON THE FOURTH GOSPEL “How many things I should have asked him if he could only have stayed!” was my first thought, as Clemens disappeared behind the bushes.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then I sat down to reflect.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading CLEMENS ON THE FOURTH GOSPEL “How many things I should have asked him if he could only have stayed!” was my first thought, as Clemens disappeared behind the bushes.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading My next thought was, “How many new things I already have to think about!”
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading CLEMENS ON THE FOURTH GOSPEL “How many things I should have asked him if he could only have stayed!” was my first thought, as Clemens disappeared behind the bushes.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading My next thought was, “How many new things I already have to think about!”
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading Mechanically I turned homewards and took a few steps on the way to the city.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading Mechanically I turned homewards and took a few steps on the way to the city.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading CLEMENS ON THE FOURTH GOSPEL “How many things I should have asked him if he could only have stayed!” was my first thought, as Clemens disappeared behind the bushes.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading Mechanically I turned homewards and took a few steps on the way to the city.
