used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading They were friends in a friendship closer than brotherhood.
how long something has existed
From this reading They were both of the same age by length of years, yet one was still young, and the other was already old.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading Nello and Patrasche were left all alone in the world.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading They had dwelt together almost all their days; both were orphaned and destitute, and owed their lives to the same hand.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading Nello and Patrasche were left all alone in the world.
prior to a specified or implied time
From this reading They were both of the same age by length of years, yet one was still young, and the other was already old.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Nello and Patrasche were left all alone in the world.
Ardennois
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nello was a little Ardennois,--Patrasche was a big Fleming.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Nello was a little Ardennois,--Patrasche was a big Fleming.
the two together, not just one
From this reading They were both of the same age by length of years, yet one was still young, and the other was already old.
brotherhoodnounUS /ˈbrʌðərhʊd/
the kinship relation between a male offspring and the siblings
From this reading They were friends in a friendship closer than brotherhood.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading They were both of the same age by length of years, yet one was still young, and the other was already old.
(comparative of “near” or “close”) within a shorter distance
From this reading They were friends in a friendship closer than brotherhood.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading They had dwelt together almost all their days; both were orphaned and destitute, and owed their lives to the same hand.
destituteadjectiveUS /ˈdestətuːt/
poor enough to need help from others
From this reading They had dwelt together almost all their days; both were orphaned and destitute, and owed their lives to the same hand.
dweltverbUS /dwelt/
inflected form of “dwell” — think moodily or anxiously about something
From this reading They had dwelt together almost all their days; both were orphaned and destitute, and owed their lives to the same hand.
FlemingnounUS /ˈflemɪŋ/
British writer famous for writing spy novels about secret agent James Bond (1908-1964)
From this reading Nello was a little Ardennois,--Patrasche was a big Fleming.
plural of “friend” — a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading They were friends in a friendship closer than brotherhood.
the state of being friends (or friendly)
From this reading They were friends in a friendship closer than brotherhood.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading They had dwelt together almost all their days; both were orphaned and destitute, and owed their lives to the same hand.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading They had dwelt together almost all their days; both were orphaned and destitute, and owed their lives to the same hand.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Nello and Patrasche were left all alone in the world.
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 Nello and Patrasche were left all alone in the world.
the linear extent in space from one end to the other; the longest dimension of something that is fixed in place
From this reading They were both of the same age by length of years, yet one was still young, and the other was already old.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Nello was a little Ardennois,--Patrasche was a big Fleming.
plural of “life” — a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading They had dwelt together almost all their days; both were orphaned and destitute, and owed their lives to the same hand.
Nello
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nello and Patrasche were left all alone in the world.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading They were both of the same age by length of years, yet one was still young, and the other was already old.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading They were both of the same age by length of years, yet one was still young, and the other was already old.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading They were both of the same age by length of years, yet one was still young, and the other was already old.
orphanedadjectiveUS /ˈɔːrfənd/
deprived of parents by death or desertion
From this reading They had dwelt together almost all their days; both were orphaned and destitute, and owed their lives to the same hand.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading They were both of the same age by length of years, yet one was still young, and the other was already old.
owedverbUS /oʊd/
past form of “owe” — be obliged to pay or repay
From this reading They had dwelt together almost all their days; both were orphaned and destitute, and owed their lives to the same hand.
Patrasche
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nello and Patrasche were left all alone in the world.
Identical; not different.
From this reading They were both of the same age by length of years, yet one was still young, and the other was already old.
not in physical motion
From this reading They were both of the same age by length of years, yet one was still young, and the other was already old.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading They were friends in a friendship closer than brotherhood.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Nello and Patrasche were left all alone in the world.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading They had dwelt together almost all their days; both were orphaned and destitute, and owed their lives to the same hand.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They were friends in a friendship closer than brotherhood.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading They had dwelt together almost all their days; both were orphaned and destitute, and owed their lives to the same hand.
in contact with each other or in proximity
From this reading They had dwelt together almost all their days; both were orphaned and destitute, and owed their lives to the same hand.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Nello was a little Ardennois,--Patrasche was a big Fleming.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Nello and Patrasche were left all alone in the world.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading Nello and Patrasche were left all alone in the world.
a late time of life
From this reading They were both of the same age by length of years, yet one was still young, and the other was already old.
but in spite of that
From this reading They were both of the same age by length of years, yet one was still young, and the other was already old.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading They were both of the same age by length of years, yet one was still young, and the other was already old.
