used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The lad went about his duties in a thoughtful mood that afternoon.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading The lad went about his duties in a thoughtful mood that afternoon.
the part of the day between noon and evening
From this reading The lad went about his duties in a thoughtful mood that afternoon.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading “I tried to signal Sam, but he would not even look at me, so interested was he in what was going on.
the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others
From this reading Dan, by his close attention to duty, his manly bearing, his enthusiasm, had attracted the attention of his superiors.
past form of “attract” — direct toward itself or oneself by means of some psychological power or physical attributes
From this reading Dan, by his close attention to duty, his manly bearing, his enthusiasm, had attracted the attention of his superiors.
relevant relation or interconnection
From this reading Dan, by his close attention to duty, his manly bearing, his enthusiasm, had attracted the attention of his superiors.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading “I tried to signal Sam, but he would not even look at me, so interested was he in what was going on.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Dan, by his close attention to duty, his manly bearing, his enthusiasm, had attracted the attention of his superiors.
an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant
From this reading “Oh, why didn’t he tell the captain that Kester had knocked him down,” muttered Dan.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading Dan, by his close attention to duty, his manly bearing, his enthusiasm, had attracted the attention of his superiors.
Dan
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Oh, why didn’t he tell the captain that Kester had knocked him down,” muttered Dan.
didn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Oh, why didn’t he tell the captain that Kester had knocked him down,” muttered Dan.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading “Oh, why didn’t he tell the captain that Kester had knocked him down,” muttered Dan.
plural of “duty” — the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force
From this reading The lad went about his duties in a thoughtful mood that afternoon.
the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force
From this reading Dan, by his close attention to duty, his manly bearing, his enthusiasm, had attracted the attention of his superiors.
a feeling of excitement
From this reading Dan, by his close attention to duty, his manly bearing, his enthusiasm, had attracted the attention of his superiors.
divisible by two
From this reading “I tried to signal Sam, but he would not even look at me, so interested was he in what was going on.
the act of departing
From this reading “I tried to signal Sam, but he would not even look at me, so interested was he in what was going on.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading “Oh, why didn’t he tell the captain that Kester had knocked him down,” muttered Dan.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading They never would have held him had they known the truth.”
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “Oh, why didn’t he tell the captain that Kester had knocked him down,” muttered Dan.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading They never would have held him had they known the truth.”
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “Oh, why didn’t he tell the captain that Kester had knocked him down,” muttered Dan.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The lad went about his duties in a thoughtful mood that afternoon.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “I tried to signal Sam, but he would not even look at me, so interested was he in what was going on.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading “I tried to signal Sam, but he would not even look at me, so interested was he in what was going on.
having or showing interest; especially curiosity or fascination or concern
From this reading “I tried to signal Sam, but he would not even look at me, so interested was he in what was going on.
Kester
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Oh, why didn’t he tell the captain that Kester had knocked him down,” muttered Dan.
past form of “knock” — deliver a sharp blow or push
From this reading “Oh, why didn’t he tell the captain that Kester had knocked him down,” muttered Dan.
apprehended with certainty
From this reading They never would have held him had they known the truth.”
a boy or man
From this reading The lad went about his duties in a thoughtful mood that afternoon.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading “I tried to signal Sam, but he would not even look at me, so interested was he in what was going on.
manlyadjectiveUS /ˈmænli/
possessing qualities befitting a man
From this reading Dan, by his close attention to duty, his manly bearing, his enthusiasm, had attracted the attention of his superiors.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “I tried to signal Sam, but he would not even look at me, so interested was he in what was going on.
a characteristic (habitual or relatively temporary) state of feeling
From this reading The lad went about his duties in a thoughtful mood that afternoon.
past form of “mutter” — talk indistinctly; usually in a low voice
From this reading “Oh, why didn’t he tell the captain that Kester had knocked him down,” muttered Dan.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading They never would have held him had they known the truth.”
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading “I tried to signal Sam, but he would not even look at me, so interested was he in what was going on.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Dan, by his close attention to duty, his manly bearing, his enthusiasm, had attracted the attention of his superiors.
a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region
From this reading “Oh, why didn’t he tell the captain that Kester had knocked him down,” muttered Dan.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading “I tried to signal Sam, but he would not even look at me, so interested was he in what was going on.
a guided missile fired from land or shipboard against an airborne target
From this reading “I tried to signal Sam, but he would not even look at me, so interested was he in what was going on.
any nonverbal action or gesture that encodes a message
From this reading “I tried to signal Sam, but he would not even look at me, so interested was he in what was going on.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading “I tried to signal Sam, but he would not even look at me, so interested was he in what was going on.
superiorsnounUS /suːˈpɪriərz/
plural of “superior” — one of greater rank or station or quality
From this reading Dan, by his close attention to duty, his manly bearing, his enthusiasm, had attracted the attention of his superiors.
express in words
From this reading “Oh, why didn’t he tell the captain that Kester had knocked him down,” muttered Dan.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading “Oh, why didn’t he tell the captain that Kester had knocked him down,” muttered Dan.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “Oh, why didn’t he tell the captain that Kester had knocked him down,” muttered Dan.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They never would have held him had they known the truth.”
thoughtfuladjectiveUS /ˈθɔːtfəl/
having intellectual depth
From this reading The lad went about his duties in a thoughtful mood that afternoon.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “I tried to signal Sam, but he would not even look at me, so interested was he in what was going on.
tested and proved useful or correct
From this reading “I tried to signal Sam, but he would not even look at me, so interested was he in what was going on.
a fact that has been verified
From this reading They never would have held him had they known the truth.”
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “I tried to signal Sam, but he would not even look at me, so interested was he in what was going on.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading The lad went about his duties in a thoughtful mood that afternoon.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading “I tried to signal Sam, but he would not even look at me, so interested was he in what was going on.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading “Oh, why didn’t he tell the captain that Kester had knocked him down,” muttered Dan.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading “I tried to signal Sam, but he would not even look at me, so interested was he in what was going on.
