used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading My work as a consulting physician occupied most of my time.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading THE BUTTERFLIES Two years passed by after my return to London without special incident, save that my black cat died.
(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 But sometimes as I examined my patients and listened to their tales of suffering and pain, a curious contraction of the heart would come upon me at the thought that perhaps some day, not so very far remote, all the endless cycle of disease and misery would cease, and a new dawn of hope burst with blinding radiance upon weary humanity.
a cherished desire
From this reading In the greater world beyond my consulting-room door life went on undisturbed by any thought of the approaching upheaval, full of the old tragedies of ambition and love and sickness.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading And then a mood of unbelief would darken my mind and I would view the creation of the bacillus as an idle and vain dream, an illusion never to be realized....
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading In the greater world beyond my consulting-room door life went on undisturbed by any thought of the approaching upheaval, full of the old tragedies of ambition and love and sickness.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading In the greater world beyond my consulting-room door life went on undisturbed by any thought of the approaching upheaval, full of the old tragedies of ambition and love and sickness.
the event of one object coming closer to another
From this reading In the greater world beyond my consulting-room door life went on undisturbed by any thought of the approaching upheaval, full of the old tragedies of ambition and love and sickness.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading My work as a consulting physician occupied most of my time.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading But sometimes as I examined my patients and listened to their tales of suffering and pain, a curious contraction of the heart would come upon me at the thought that perhaps some day, not so very far remote, all the endless cycle of disease and misery would cease, and a new dawn of hope burst with blinding radiance upon weary humanity.
bacillusnounUS /bəˈsɪləs/
aerobic rod-shaped spore-producing bacterium; often occurring in chainlike formations; found primarily in soil
From this reading And then a mood of unbelief would darken my mind and I would view the creation of the bacillus as an idle and vain dream, an illusion never to be realized....
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading And then a mood of unbelief would darken my mind and I would view the creation of the bacillus as an idle and vain dream, an illusion never to be realized....
on the far side of; further than
From this reading In the greater world beyond my consulting-room door life went on undisturbed by any thought of the approaching upheaval, full of the old tragedies of ambition and love and sickness.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading THE BUTTERFLIES Two years passed by after my return to London without special incident, save that my black cat died.
blindingadjectiveUS /ˈblaɪndɪŋ/
shining intensely
From this reading But sometimes as I examined my patients and listened to their tales of suffering and pain, a curious contraction of the heart would come upon me at the thought that perhaps some day, not so very far remote, all the endless cycle of disease and misery would cease, and a new dawn of hope burst with blinding radiance upon weary humanity.
come open suddenly and violently, as if from internal pressure
From this reading But sometimes as I examined my patients and listened to their tales of suffering and pain, a curious contraction of the heart would come upon me at the thought that perhaps some day, not so very far remote, all the endless cycle of disease and misery would cease, and a new dawn of hope burst with blinding radiance upon weary humanity.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But sometimes as I examined my patients and listened to their tales of suffering and pain, a curious contraction of the heart would come upon me at the thought that perhaps some day, not so very far remote, all the endless cycle of disease and misery would cease, and a new dawn of hope burst with blinding radiance upon weary humanity.
BUTTERFLIESnounUS /ˈbʌtərflaɪz/
plural of “butterfly” — diurnal insect typically having a slender body with knobbed antennae and broad colorful wings
From this reading THE BUTTERFLIES Two years passed by after my return to London without special incident, save that my black cat died.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading THE BUTTERFLIES Two years passed by after my return to London without special incident, save that my black cat died.
feline mammal usually having thick soft fur and no ability to roar: domestic cats; wildcats
From this reading THE BUTTERFLIES Two years passed by after my return to London without special incident, save that my black cat died.
ceaseverbUS /siːs/
put an end to a state or an activity
From this reading But sometimes as I examined my patients and listened to their tales of suffering and pain, a curious contraction of the heart would come upon me at the thought that perhaps some day, not so very far remote, all the endless cycle of disease and misery would cease, and a new dawn of hope burst with blinding radiance upon weary humanity.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading But sometimes as I examined my patients and listened to their tales of suffering and pain, a curious contraction of the heart would come upon me at the thought that perhaps some day, not so very far remote, all the endless cycle of disease and misery would cease, and a new dawn of hope burst with blinding radiance upon weary humanity.
consultingverbUS /kənˈsʌltɪŋ/
-ing form of “consult” — get or ask advice from
From this reading My work as a consulting physician occupied most of my time.
consulting-room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the greater world beyond my consulting-room door life went on undisturbed by any thought of the approaching upheaval, full of the old tragedies of ambition and love and sickness.
contractionnounUS /kənˈtrækʃən/
(physiology) a shortening or tensing of a part or organ (especially of a muscle or muscle fiber)
From this reading But sometimes as I examined my patients and listened to their tales of suffering and pain, a curious contraction of the heart would come upon me at the thought that perhaps some day, not so very far remote, all the endless cycle of disease and misery would cease, and a new dawn of hope burst with blinding radiance upon weary humanity.
creationnounUS /kriˈeɪʃən/
the human act of creating
From this reading And then a mood of unbelief would darken my mind and I would view the creation of the bacillus as an idle and vain dream, an illusion never to be realized....
beyond or deviating from the usual or expected
From this reading But sometimes as I examined my patients and listened to their tales of suffering and pain, a curious contraction of the heart would come upon me at the thought that perhaps some day, not so very far remote, all the endless cycle of disease and misery would cease, and a new dawn of hope burst with blinding radiance upon weary humanity.
cyclenounUS /ˈsaɪkəl/
an interval during which a recurring sequence of events occurs
From this reading But sometimes as I examined my patients and listened to their tales of suffering and pain, a curious contraction of the heart would come upon me at the thought that perhaps some day, not so very far remote, all the endless cycle of disease and misery would cease, and a new dawn of hope burst with blinding radiance upon weary humanity.
darkenverbUS /ˈdɑːrkən/
become dark or darker
From this reading And then a mood of unbelief would darken my mind and I would view the creation of the bacillus as an idle and vain dream, an illusion never to be realized....
the first light of day
From this reading But sometimes as I examined my patients and listened to their tales of suffering and pain, a curious contraction of the heart would come upon me at the thought that perhaps some day, not so very far remote, all the endless cycle of disease and misery would cease, and a new dawn of hope burst with blinding radiance upon weary humanity.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading But sometimes as I examined my patients and listened to their tales of suffering and pain, a curious contraction of the heart would come upon me at the thought that perhaps some day, not so very far remote, all the endless cycle of disease and misery would cease, and a new dawn of hope burst with blinding radiance upon weary humanity.
past form of “die” — pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life
From this reading THE BUTTERFLIES Two years passed by after my return to London without special incident, save that my black cat died.
diseasenounUS /dɪˈziːz/
an impairment of health or a condition of abnormal functioning
From this reading But sometimes as I examined my patients and listened to their tales of suffering and pain, a curious contraction of the heart would come upon me at the thought that perhaps some day, not so very far remote, all the endless cycle of disease and misery would cease, and a new dawn of hope burst with blinding radiance upon weary humanity.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading In the greater world beyond my consulting-room door life went on undisturbed by any thought of the approaching upheaval, full of the old tragedies of ambition and love and sickness.
A series of thoughts, images, or emotions during sleep.
From this reading And then a mood of unbelief would darken my mind and I would view the creation of the bacillus as an idle and vain dream, an illusion never to be realized....
endlessadjectiveUS /ˈendləs/
tiresomely long; seemingly without end
From this reading But sometimes as I examined my patients and listened to their tales of suffering and pain, a curious contraction of the heart would come upon me at the thought that perhaps some day, not so very far remote, all the endless cycle of disease and misery would cease, and a new dawn of hope burst with blinding radiance upon weary humanity.
past form of “examine” — consider in detail and subject to an analysis in order to discover essential features or meaning
From this reading But sometimes as I examined my patients and listened to their tales of suffering and pain, a curious contraction of the heart would come upon me at the thought that perhaps some day, not so very far remote, all the endless cycle of disease and misery would cease, and a new dawn of hope burst with blinding radiance upon weary humanity.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading But sometimes as I examined my patients and listened to their tales of suffering and pain, a curious contraction of the heart would come upon me at the thought that perhaps some day, not so very far remote, all the endless cycle of disease and misery would cease, and a new dawn of hope burst with blinding radiance upon weary humanity.
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading In the greater world beyond my consulting-room door life went on undisturbed by any thought of the approaching upheaval, full of the old tragedies of ambition and love and sickness.
greater in size or importance or degree
From this reading In the greater world beyond my consulting-room door life went on undisturbed by any thought of the approaching upheaval, full of the old tragedies of ambition and love and sickness.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading But sometimes as I examined my patients and listened to their tales of suffering and pain, a curious contraction of the heart would come upon me at the thought that perhaps some day, not so very far remote, all the endless cycle of disease and misery would cease, and a new dawn of hope burst with blinding radiance upon weary humanity.
a specific instance of feeling hopeful
From this reading But sometimes as I examined my patients and listened to their tales of suffering and pain, a curious contraction of the heart would come upon me at the thought that perhaps some day, not so very far remote, all the endless cycle of disease and misery would cease, and a new dawn of hope burst with blinding radiance upon weary humanity.
the quality of being humane
From this reading But sometimes as I examined my patients and listened to their tales of suffering and pain, a curious contraction of the heart would come upon me at the thought that perhaps some day, not so very far remote, all the endless cycle of disease and misery would cease, and a new dawn of hope burst with blinding radiance upon weary humanity.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading But sometimes as I examined my patients and listened to their tales of suffering and pain, a curious contraction of the heart would come upon me at the thought that perhaps some day, not so very far remote, all the endless cycle of disease and misery would cease, and a new dawn of hope burst with blinding radiance upon weary humanity.
not in action or at work
From this reading And then a mood of unbelief would darken my mind and I would view the creation of the bacillus as an idle and vain dream, an illusion never to be realized....
illusionnounUS /ˌɪˈluːʒən/
an erroneous mental representation
From this reading And then a mood of unbelief would darken my mind and I would view the creation of the bacillus as an idle and vain dream, an illusion never to be realized....
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In the greater world beyond my consulting-room door life went on undisturbed by any thought of the approaching upheaval, full of the old tragedies of ambition and love and sickness.
a single distinct event
From this reading THE BUTTERFLIES Two years passed by after my return to London without special incident, save that my black cat died.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading In the greater world beyond my consulting-room door life went on undisturbed by any thought of the approaching upheaval, full of the old tragedies of ambition and love and sickness.
past form of “listen” — hear with intention
From this reading But sometimes as I examined my patients and listened to their tales of suffering and pain, a curious contraction of the heart would come upon me at the thought that perhaps some day, not so very far remote, all the endless cycle of disease and misery would cease, and a new dawn of hope burst with blinding radiance upon weary humanity.
the capital and largest city of England; located on the Thames in southeastern England; financial and industrial and cultural center
From this reading THE BUTTERFLIES Two years passed by after my return to London without special incident, save that my black cat died.
a strong positive emotion of regard and affection
From this reading In the greater world beyond my consulting-room door life went on undisturbed by any thought of the approaching upheaval, full of the old tragedies of ambition and love and sickness.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading But sometimes as I examined my patients and listened to their tales of suffering and pain, a curious contraction of the heart would come upon me at the thought that perhaps some day, not so very far remote, all the endless cycle of disease and misery would cease, and a new dawn of hope burst with blinding radiance upon weary humanity.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading And then a mood of unbelief would darken my mind and I would view the creation of the bacillus as an idle and vain dream, an illusion never to be realized....
a state of ill-being due to affliction or misfortune
From this reading But sometimes as I examined my patients and listened to their tales of suffering and pain, a curious contraction of the heart would come upon me at the thought that perhaps some day, not so very far remote, all the endless cycle of disease and misery would cease, and a new dawn of hope burst with blinding radiance upon weary humanity.
a characteristic (habitual or relatively temporary) state of feeling
From this reading And then a mood of unbelief would darken my mind and I would view the creation of the bacillus as an idle and vain dream, an illusion never to be realized....
used to form the superlative
From this reading My work as a consulting physician occupied most of my time.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading THE BUTTERFLIES Two years passed by after my return to London without special incident, save that my black cat died.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading And then a mood of unbelief would darken my mind and I would view the creation of the bacillus as an idle and vain dream, an illusion never to be realized....
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading But sometimes as I examined my patients and listened to their tales of suffering and pain, a curious contraction of the heart would come upon me at the thought that perhaps some day, not so very far remote, all the endless cycle of disease and misery would cease, and a new dawn of hope burst with blinding radiance upon weary humanity.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading But sometimes as I examined my patients and listened to their tales of suffering and pain, a curious contraction of the heart would come upon me at the thought that perhaps some day, not so very far remote, all the endless cycle of disease and misery would cease, and a new dawn of hope burst with blinding radiance upon weary humanity.
held or filled or in use
From this reading My work as a consulting physician occupied most of my time.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading My work as a consulting physician occupied most of my time.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading In the greater world beyond my consulting-room door life went on undisturbed by any thought of the approaching upheaval, full of the old tragedies of ambition and love and sickness.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading In the greater world beyond my consulting-room door life went on undisturbed by any thought of the approaching upheaval, full of the old tragedies of ambition and love and sickness.
a symptom of some physical hurt or disorder
From this reading But sometimes as I examined my patients and listened to their tales of suffering and pain, a curious contraction of the heart would come upon me at the thought that perhaps some day, not so very far remote, all the endless cycle of disease and misery would cease, and a new dawn of hope burst with blinding radiance upon weary humanity.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading THE BUTTERFLIES Two years passed by after my return to London without special incident, save that my black cat died.
patientsnounUS /ˈpeɪʃənts/
plural of “patient” — a person who requires medical care
From this reading But sometimes as I examined my patients and listened to their tales of suffering and pain, a curious contraction of the heart would come upon me at the thought that perhaps some day, not so very far remote, all the endless cycle of disease and misery would cease, and a new dawn of hope burst with blinding radiance upon weary humanity.
by chance
From this reading But sometimes as I examined my patients and listened to their tales of suffering and pain, a curious contraction of the heart would come upon me at the thought that perhaps some day, not so very far remote, all the endless cycle of disease and misery would cease, and a new dawn of hope burst with blinding radiance upon weary humanity.
physiciannounUS /fəˈzɪʃən/
a licensed medical practitioner
From this reading My work as a consulting physician occupied most of my time.
radiancenounUS /ˈreɪdiːəns/
the amount of electromagnetic radiation leaving or arriving at a point on a surface
From this reading But sometimes as I examined my patients and listened to their tales of suffering and pain, a curious contraction of the heart would come upon me at the thought that perhaps some day, not so very far remote, all the endless cycle of disease and misery would cease, and a new dawn of hope burst with blinding radiance upon weary humanity.
successfully completed or brought to an end
From this reading And then a mood of unbelief would darken my mind and I would view the creation of the bacillus as an idle and vain dream, an illusion never to be realized....
remoteadjectiveUS /rɪˈmoʊt/
located far away spatially
From this reading But sometimes as I examined my patients and listened to their tales of suffering and pain, a curious contraction of the heart would come upon me at the thought that perhaps some day, not so very far remote, all the endless cycle of disease and misery would cease, and a new dawn of hope burst with blinding radiance upon weary humanity.
go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading THE BUTTERFLIES Two years passed by after my return to London without special incident, save that my black cat died.
except for; apart from
From this reading THE BUTTERFLIES Two years passed by after my return to London without special incident, save that my black cat died.
sicknessnounUS /ˈsɪknəs/
impairment of normal physiological function affecting part or all of an organism
From this reading In the greater world beyond my consulting-room door life went on undisturbed by any thought of the approaching upheaval, full of the old tragedies of ambition and love and sickness.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading But sometimes as I examined my patients and listened to their tales of suffering and pain, a curious contraction of the heart would come upon me at the thought that perhaps some day, not so very far remote, all the endless cycle of disease and misery would cease, and a new dawn of hope burst with blinding radiance upon weary humanity.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading But sometimes as I examined my patients and listened to their tales of suffering and pain, a curious contraction of the heart would come upon me at the thought that perhaps some day, not so very far remote, all the endless cycle of disease and misery would cease, and a new dawn of hope burst with blinding radiance upon weary humanity.
on certain occasions or in certain cases but not always
From this reading But sometimes as I examined my patients and listened to their tales of suffering and pain, a curious contraction of the heart would come upon me at the thought that perhaps some day, not so very far remote, all the endless cycle of disease and misery would cease, and a new dawn of hope burst with blinding radiance upon weary humanity.
unique or specific to a person or thing or category
From this reading THE BUTTERFLIES Two years passed by after my return to London without special incident, save that my black cat died.
a state of acute pain
From this reading But sometimes as I examined my patients and listened to their tales of suffering and pain, a curious contraction of the heart would come upon me at the thought that perhaps some day, not so very far remote, all the endless cycle of disease and misery would cease, and a new dawn of hope burst with blinding radiance upon weary humanity.
plural of “tale” — a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading But sometimes as I examined my patients and listened to their tales of suffering and pain, a curious contraction of the heart would come upon me at the thought that perhaps some day, not so very far remote, all the endless cycle of disease and misery would cease, and a new dawn of hope burst with blinding radiance upon weary humanity.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading THE BUTTERFLIES Two years passed by after my return to London without special incident, save that my black cat died.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE BUTTERFLIES Two years passed by after my return to London without special incident, save that my black cat died.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading But sometimes as I examined my patients and listened to their tales of suffering and pain, a curious contraction of the heart would come upon me at the thought that perhaps some day, not so very far remote, all the endless cycle of disease and misery would cease, and a new dawn of hope burst with blinding radiance upon weary humanity.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading And then a mood of unbelief would darken my mind and I would view the creation of the bacillus as an idle and vain dream, an illusion never to be realized....
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading In the greater world beyond my consulting-room door life went on undisturbed by any thought of the approaching upheaval, full of the old tragedies of ambition and love and sickness.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading My work as a consulting physician occupied most of my time.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE BUTTERFLIES Two years passed by after my return to London without special incident, save that my black cat died.
tragediesnounUS /ˈtrædʒədiz/
plural of “tragedy” — an event resulting in great loss and misfortune
From this reading In the greater world beyond my consulting-room door life went on undisturbed by any thought of the approaching upheaval, full of the old tragedies of ambition and love and sickness.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading THE BUTTERFLIES Two years passed by after my return to London without special incident, save that my black cat died.
unbeliefnoun
a rejection of belief
From this reading And then a mood of unbelief would darken my mind and I would view the creation of the bacillus as an idle and vain dream, an illusion never to be realized....
undisturbedadjectiveUS /ˌʌndɪˈstɜːrbd/
untroubled by interference or disturbance
From this reading In the greater world beyond my consulting-room door life went on undisturbed by any thought of the approaching upheaval, full of the old tragedies of ambition and love and sickness.
upheavalnounUS /əpˈhiːvəl/
a state of violent disturbance and disorder (as in politics or social conditions generally)
From this reading In the greater world beyond my consulting-room door life went on undisturbed by any thought of the approaching upheaval, full of the old tragedies of ambition and love and sickness.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading But sometimes as I examined my patients and listened to their tales of suffering and pain, a curious contraction of the heart would come upon me at the thought that perhaps some day, not so very far remote, all the endless cycle of disease and misery would cease, and a new dawn of hope burst with blinding radiance upon weary humanity.
characteristic of false pride; having an exaggerated sense of self-importance
From this reading And then a mood of unbelief would darken my mind and I would view the creation of the bacillus as an idle and vain dream, an illusion never to be realized....
precisely as stated
From this reading But sometimes as I examined my patients and listened to their tales of suffering and pain, a curious contraction of the heart would come upon me at the thought that perhaps some day, not so very far remote, all the endless cycle of disease and misery would cease, and a new dawn of hope burst with blinding radiance upon weary humanity.
a way of regarding situations or topics etc.
From this reading And then a mood of unbelief would darken my mind and I would view the creation of the bacillus as an idle and vain dream, an illusion never to be realized....
exhaust or get tired through overuse or great strain or stress
From this reading But sometimes as I examined my patients and listened to their tales of suffering and pain, a curious contraction of the heart would come upon me at the thought that perhaps some day, not so very far remote, all the endless cycle of disease and misery would cease, and a new dawn of hope burst with blinding radiance upon weary humanity.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading In the greater world beyond my consulting-room door life went on undisturbed by any thought of the approaching upheaval, full of the old tragedies of ambition and love and sickness.
in the company of; together with
From this reading But sometimes as I examined my patients and listened to their tales of suffering and pain, a curious contraction of the heart would come upon me at the thought that perhaps some day, not so very far remote, all the endless cycle of disease and misery would cease, and a new dawn of hope burst with blinding radiance upon weary humanity.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading THE BUTTERFLIES Two years passed by after my return to London without special incident, save that my black cat died.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading My work as a consulting physician occupied most of my time.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading In the greater world beyond my consulting-room door life went on undisturbed by any thought of the approaching upheaval, full of the old tragedies of ambition and love and sickness.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading But sometimes as I examined my patients and listened to their tales of suffering and pain, a curious contraction of the heart would come upon me at the thought that perhaps some day, not so very far remote, all the endless cycle of disease and misery would cease, and a new dawn of hope burst with blinding radiance upon weary humanity.
a late time of life
From this reading THE BUTTERFLIES Two years passed by after my return to London without special incident, save that my black cat died.
