used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading So dense a fog overhung the lake that not once was the party able to detect the opposite shore, where Doctor Spellman and his family passed the dreary hours as best they could.
(usually followed by “to”) having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something
From this reading So dense a fog overhung the lake that not once was the party able to detect the opposite shore, where Doctor Spellman and his family passed the dreary hours as best they could.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading The Sabbath was always observed by the Boy Scouts.
a feeling of delight at being entertained
From this reading Had the weather been good, they would have refrained from making excursions through the forest, fishing or anything in the nature of amusement.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The rain which set in on the previous evening continued, with only an occasional let-up, until late at night.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading So dense a fog overhung the lake that not once was the party able to detect the opposite shore, where Doctor Spellman and his family passed the dreary hours as best they could.
any thing at all
From this reading Had the weather been good, they would have refrained from making excursions through the forest, fishing or anything in the nature of amusement.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading So dense a fog overhung the lake that not once was the party able to detect the opposite shore, where Doctor Spellman and his family passed the dreary hours as best they could.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The rain which set in on the previous evening continued, with only an occasional let-up, until late at night.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Had the weather been good, they would have refrained from making excursions through the forest, fishing or anything in the nature of amusement.
the supreme effort one can make
From this reading So dense a fog overhung the lake that not once was the party able to detect the opposite shore, where Doctor Spellman and his family passed the dreary hours as best they could.
a youthful male person
From this reading Sunday proved the most dismal day during the outing of the Boy Scouts in the woods of Southern Maine.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The Sabbath was always observed by the Boy Scouts.
without stop or interruption
From this reading The rain which set in on the previous evening continued, with only an occasional let-up, until late at night.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading So dense a fog overhung the lake that not once was the party able to detect the opposite shore, where Doctor Spellman and his family passed the dreary hours as best they could.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading Sunday proved the most dismal day during the outing of the Boy Scouts in the woods of Southern Maine.
denseadjectiveUS /dens/
permitting little if any light to pass through because of denseness of matter
From this reading So dense a fog overhung the lake that not once was the party able to detect the opposite shore, where Doctor Spellman and his family passed the dreary hours as best they could.
detectverbUS /dɪˈtekt/
discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of
From this reading So dense a fog overhung the lake that not once was the party able to detect the opposite shore, where Doctor Spellman and his family passed the dreary hours as best they could.
dismaladjectiveUS /ˈdɪzməl/
causing dejection
From this reading Sunday proved the most dismal day during the outing of the Boy Scouts in the woods of Southern Maine.
a licensed medical practitioner
From this reading So dense a fog overhung the lake that not once was the party able to detect the opposite shore, where Doctor Spellman and his family passed the dreary hours as best they could.
drearyadjectiveUS /ˈdrɪri/
lacking in liveliness or charm or surprise
From this reading So dense a fog overhung the lake that not once was the party able to detect the opposite shore, where Doctor Spellman and his family passed the dreary hours as best they could.
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading Sunday proved the most dismal day during the outing of the Boy Scouts in the woods of Southern Maine.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading The rain which set in on the previous evening continued, with only an occasional let-up, until late at night.
excursionsnounUS /ɪkˈskɜːrʒənz/
plural of “excursion” — a journey taken for pleasure
From this reading Had the weather been good, they would have refrained from making excursions through the forest, fishing or anything in the nature of amusement.
a social unit living together
From this reading So dense a fog overhung the lake that not once was the party able to detect the opposite shore, where Doctor Spellman and his family passed the dreary hours as best they could.
fishingnounUS /ˈfɪʃɪŋ/
the act of someone who fishes as a diversion
From this reading Had the weather been good, they would have refrained from making excursions through the forest, fishing or anything in the nature of amusement.
fognounUS /fɑːɡ/
droplets of water vapor suspended in the air near the ground
From this reading So dense a fog overhung the lake that not once was the party able to detect the opposite shore, where Doctor Spellman and his family passed the dreary hours as best they could.
the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
From this reading Had the weather been good, they would have refrained from making excursions through the forest, fishing or anything in the nature of amusement.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Had the weather been good, they would have refrained from making excursions through the forest, fishing or anything in the nature of amusement.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading Had the weather been good, they would have refrained from making excursions through the forest, fishing or anything in the nature of amusement.
Hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Had the weather been good, they would have refrained from making excursions through the forest, fishing or anything in the nature of amusement.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Had the weather been good, they would have refrained from making excursions through the forest, fishing or anything in the nature of amusement.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading So dense a fog overhung the lake that not once was the party able to detect the opposite shore, where Doctor Spellman and his family passed the dreary hours as best they could.
a period of time assigned for work
From this reading So dense a fog overhung the lake that not once was the party able to detect the opposite shore, where Doctor Spellman and his family passed the dreary hours as best they could.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Sunday proved the most dismal day during the outing of the Boy Scouts in the woods of Southern Maine.
a body of (usually fresh) water surrounded by land
From this reading So dense a fog overhung the lake that not once was the party able to detect the opposite shore, where Doctor Spellman and his family passed the dreary hours as best they could.
being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time
From this reading The rain which set in on the previous evening continued, with only an occasional let-up, until late at night.
let-up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The rain which set in on the previous evening continued, with only an occasional let-up, until late at night.
MainenounUS /meɪn/
a state in New England
From this reading Sunday proved the most dismal day during the outing of the Boy Scouts in the woods of Southern Maine.
the act that results in something coming to be
From this reading Had the weather been good, they would have refrained from making excursions through the forest, fishing or anything in the nature of amusement.
used to form the superlative
From this reading Sunday proved the most dismal day during the outing of the Boy Scouts in the woods of Southern Maine.
the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized
From this reading Had the weather been good, they would have refrained from making excursions through the forest, fishing or anything in the nature of amusement.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading The rain which set in on the previous evening continued, with only an occasional let-up, until late at night.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading So dense a fog overhung the lake that not once was the party able to detect the opposite shore, where Doctor Spellman and his family passed the dreary hours as best they could.
discovered or determined by scientific observation
From this reading The Sabbath was always observed by the Boy Scouts.
occasionaladjectiveUS /əˈkeɪʒənəl/
occurring from time to time
From this reading The rain which set in on the previous evening continued, with only an occasional let-up, until late at night.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Sunday proved the most dismal day during the outing of the Boy Scouts in the woods of Southern Maine.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The rain which set in on the previous evening continued, with only an occasional let-up, until late at night.
on one occasion
From this reading So dense a fog overhung the lake that not once was the party able to detect the opposite shore, where Doctor Spellman and his family passed the dreary hours as best they could.
and nothing more
From this reading The rain which set in on the previous evening continued, with only an occasional let-up, until late at night.
being directly across from each other; facing
From this reading So dense a fog overhung the lake that not once was the party able to detect the opposite shore, where Doctor Spellman and his family passed the dreary hours as best they could.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Had the weather been good, they would have refrained from making excursions through the forest, fishing or anything in the nature of amusement.
outingnounUS /ˈaʊtɪŋ/
a journey taken for pleasure
From this reading Sunday proved the most dismal day during the outing of the Boy Scouts in the woods of Southern Maine.
overhungverbUS /oʊvərˈhʌŋ/
inflected form of “overhang” — project over
From this reading So dense a fog overhung the lake that not once was the party able to detect the opposite shore, where Doctor Spellman and his family passed the dreary hours as best they could.
an organization to gain political power
From this reading So dense a fog overhung the lake that not once was the party able to detect the opposite shore, where Doctor Spellman and his family passed the dreary hours as best they could.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading So dense a fog overhung the lake that not once was the party able to detect the opposite shore, where Doctor Spellman and his family passed the dreary hours as best they could.
just preceding something else in time or order
From this reading The rain which set in on the previous evening continued, with only an occasional let-up, until late at night.
established beyond doubt
From this reading Sunday proved the most dismal day during the outing of the Boy Scouts in the woods of Southern Maine.
water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere
From this reading The rain which set in on the previous evening continued, with only an occasional let-up, until late at night.
refrainedverbUS /rɪˈfreɪnd/
past form of “refrain” — resist doing something
From this reading Had the weather been good, they would have refrained from making excursions through the forest, fishing or anything in the nature of amusement.
SabbathnounUS /ˈsæbəθ/
a day of rest and worship: Sunday for most Christians; Saturday for the Jews and a few Christians; Friday for Muslims
From this reading The Sabbath was always observed by the Boy Scouts.
ScoutsnounUS /skaʊts/
plural of “scout” — a person employed to keep watch for some anticipated event
From this reading Sunday proved the most dismal day during the outing of the Boy Scouts in the woods of Southern Maine.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading The rain which set in on the previous evening continued, with only an occasional let-up, until late at night.
the land along the edge of a body of water
From this reading So dense a fog overhung the lake that not once was the party able to detect the opposite shore, where Doctor Spellman and his family passed the dreary hours as best they could.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading So dense a fog overhung the lake that not once was the party able to detect the opposite shore, where Doctor Spellman and his family passed the dreary hours as best they could.
in or characteristic of a region of the United States south of (approximately) the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading Sunday proved the most dismal day during the outing of the Boy Scouts in the woods of Southern Maine.
Spellman
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading So dense a fog overhung the lake that not once was the party able to detect the opposite shore, where Doctor Spellman and his family passed the dreary hours as best they could.
first day of the week; observed as a day of rest and worship by most Christians
From this reading Sunday proved the most dismal day during the outing of the Boy Scouts in the woods of Southern Maine.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading So dense a fog overhung the lake that not once was the party able to detect the opposite shore, where Doctor Spellman and his family passed the dreary hours as best they could.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Sunday proved the most dismal day during the outing of the Boy Scouts in the woods of Southern Maine.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading So dense a fog overhung the lake that not once was the party able to detect the opposite shore, where Doctor Spellman and his family passed the dreary hours as best they could.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading Had the weather been good, they would have refrained from making excursions through the forest, fishing or anything in the nature of amusement.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading So dense a fog overhung the lake that not once was the party able to detect the opposite shore, where Doctor Spellman and his family passed the dreary hours as best they could.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading The rain which set in on the previous evening continued, with only an occasional let-up, until late at night.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading So dense a fog overhung the lake that not once was the party able to detect the opposite shore, where Doctor Spellman and his family passed the dreary hours as best they could.
the atmospheric conditions that comprise the state of the atmosphere in terms of temperature and wind and clouds and precipitation
From this reading Had the weather been good, they would have refrained from making excursions through the forest, fishing or anything in the nature of amusement.
in or at the place that
From this reading So dense a fog overhung the lake that not once was the party able to detect the opposite shore, where Doctor Spellman and his family passed the dreary hours as best they could.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The rain which set in on the previous evening continued, with only an occasional let-up, until late at night.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The rain which set in on the previous evening continued, with only an occasional let-up, until late at night.
the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
From this reading Sunday proved the most dismal day during the outing of the Boy Scouts in the woods of Southern Maine.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Had the weather been good, they would have refrained from making excursions through the forest, fishing or anything in the nature of amusement.
