used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading ONE of the reasons why Tom's mind had drifted away from its secret troubles was, that it had found a new and weighty matter to interest itself about.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading ONE of the reasons why Tom's mind had drifted away from its secret troubles was, that it had found a new and weighty matter to interest itself about.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading ONE of the reasons why Tom's mind had drifted away from its secret troubles was, that it had found a new and weighty matter to interest itself about.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading He began to find himself hanging around her father's house, nights, and feeling very miserable.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading ONE of the reasons why Tom's mind had drifted away from its secret troubles was, that it had found a new and weighty matter to interest itself about.
Becky
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Becky Thatcher had stopped coming to school.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading He began to find himself hanging around her father's house, nights, and feeling very miserable.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Tom had struggled with his pride a few days, and tried to "whistle her down the wind," but failed.
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading Becky Thatcher had stopped coming to school.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading Tom had struggled with his pride a few days, and tried to "whistle her down the wind," but failed.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Tom had struggled with his pride a few days, and tried to "whistle her down the wind," but failed.
driftedverbUS /ˈdrɪftəd/
past form of “drift” — be in motion due to some air or water current
From this reading ONE of the reasons why Tom's mind had drifted away from its secret troubles was, that it had found a new and weighty matter to interest itself about.
past form of “fail” — fail to do something; leave something undone
From this reading Tom had struggled with his pride a few days, and tried to "whistle her down the wind," but failed.
father'snounUS /ˈfɑːðərz/
possessive form of “father” — a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading He began to find himself hanging around her father's house, nights, and feeling very miserable.
the experiencing of affective and emotional states
From this reading He began to find himself hanging around her father's house, nights, and feeling very miserable.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading Tom had struggled with his pride a few days, and tried to "whistle her down the wind," but failed.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading He began to find himself hanging around her father's house, nights, and feeling very miserable.
set up or found
From this reading ONE of the reasons why Tom's mind had drifted away from its secret troubles was, that it had found a new and weighty matter to interest itself about.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading ONE of the reasons why Tom's mind had drifted away from its secret troubles was, that it had found a new and weighty matter to interest itself about.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading ONE of the reasons why Tom's mind had drifted away from its secret troubles was, that it had found a new and weighty matter to interest itself about.
decoration that is hung (as a tapestry) on a wall or over a window
From this reading He began to find himself hanging around her father's house, nights, and feeling very miserable.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He began to find himself hanging around her father's house, nights, and feeling very miserable.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Tom had struggled with his pride a few days, and tried to "whistle her down the wind," but failed.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading He began to find himself hanging around her father's house, nights, and feeling very miserable.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Tom had struggled with his pride a few days, and tried to "whistle her down the wind," but failed.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading He began to find himself hanging around her father's house, nights, and feeling very miserable.
affected by an impairment of normal physical or mental function
From this reading She was ill.
a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something
From this reading ONE of the reasons why Tom's mind had drifted away from its secret troubles was, that it had found a new and weighty matter to interest itself about.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading ONE of the reasons why Tom's mind had drifted away from its secret troubles was, that it had found a new and weighty matter to interest itself about.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading ONE of the reasons why Tom's mind had drifted away from its secret troubles was, that it had found a new and weighty matter to interest itself about.
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading ONE of the reasons why Tom's mind had drifted away from its secret troubles was, that it had found a new and weighty matter to interest itself about.
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading ONE of the reasons why Tom's mind had drifted away from its secret troubles was, that it had found a new and weighty matter to interest itself about.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading ONE of the reasons why Tom's mind had drifted away from its secret troubles was, that it had found a new and weighty matter to interest itself about.
very unhappy; full of misery
From this reading He began to find himself hanging around her father's house, nights, and feeling very miserable.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading ONE of the reasons why Tom's mind had drifted away from its secret troubles was, that it had found a new and weighty matter to interest itself about.
Periods of darkness between sunset and sunrise.
From this reading He began to find himself hanging around her father's house, nights, and feeling very miserable.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading ONE of the reasons why Tom's mind had drifted away from its secret troubles was, that it had found a new and weighty matter to interest itself about.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading ONE of the reasons why Tom's mind had drifted away from its secret troubles was, that it had found a new and weighty matter to interest itself about.
a feeling of self-respect and personal worth
From this reading Tom had struggled with his pride a few days, and tried to "whistle her down the wind," but failed.
plural of “reason” — a rational motive for a belief or action
From this reading ONE of the reasons why Tom's mind had drifted away from its secret troubles was, that it had found a new and weighty matter to interest itself about.
an educational institution
From this reading Becky Thatcher had stopped coming to school.
Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.
From this reading ONE of the reasons why Tom's mind had drifted away from its secret troubles was, that it had found a new and weighty matter to interest itself about.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She was ill.
(of a nose) blocked
From this reading Becky Thatcher had stopped coming to school.
struggledverbUS /ˈstrʌɡəld/
past form of “struggle” — make a strenuous or labored effort
From this reading Tom had struggled with his pride a few days, and tried to "whistle her down the wind," but failed.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading ONE of the reasons why Tom's mind had drifted away from its secret troubles was, that it had found a new and weighty matter to interest itself about.
ThatchernounUS /ˈθætʃər/
British stateswoman; first woman to serve as Prime Minister (born in 1925)
From this reading Becky Thatcher had stopped coming to school.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading ONE of the reasons why Tom's mind had drifted away from its secret troubles was, that it had found a new and weighty matter to interest itself about.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading ONE of the reasons why Tom's mind had drifted away from its secret troubles was, that it had found a new and weighty matter to interest itself about.
male cat
From this reading Tom had struggled with his pride a few days, and tried to "whistle her down the wind," but failed.
Tom'snounUS /tɑːmz/
possessive form of “tom” — male cat
From this reading ONE of the reasons why Tom's mind had drifted away from its secret troubles was, that it had found a new and weighty matter to interest itself about.
tested and proved useful or correct
From this reading Tom had struggled with his pride a few days, and tried to "whistle her down the wind," but failed.
plural of “trouble” — a source of difficulty
From this reading ONE of the reasons why Tom's mind had drifted away from its secret troubles was, that it had found a new and weighty matter to interest itself about.
precisely as stated
From this reading He began to find himself hanging around her father's house, nights, and feeling very miserable.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading ONE of the reasons why Tom's mind had drifted away from its secret troubles was, that it had found a new and weighty matter to interest itself about.
weightyadjectiveUS /ˈweɪti/
having relatively great weight; heavy
From this reading ONE of the reasons why Tom's mind had drifted away from its secret troubles was, that it had found a new and weighty matter to interest itself about.
whistleverbUS /ˈwɪsəl/
make whistling sounds
From this reading Tom had struggled with his pride a few days, and tried to "whistle her down the wind," but failed.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading ONE of the reasons why Tom's mind had drifted away from its secret troubles was, that it had found a new and weighty matter to interest itself about.
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading Tom had struggled with his pride a few days, and tried to "whistle her down the wind," but failed.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Tom had struggled with his pride a few days, and tried to "whistle her down the wind," but failed.
