used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading When I returned to the A.B.C shop for my tea at five minutes past five, there he sat in his accustomed corner, with a cup of tea before him, another placed opposite to him, presumably for me, and a long piece of string between his bony fingers.
commonly used or practiced; usual
From this reading When I returned to the A.B.C shop for my tea at five minutes past five, there he sat in his accustomed corner, with a cup of tea before him, another placed opposite to him, presumably for me, and a long piece of string between his bony fingers.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading When I returned to the A.B.C shop for my tea at five minutes past five, there he sat in his accustomed corner, with a cup of tea before him, another placed opposite to him, presumably for me, and a long piece of string between his bony fingers.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading When I returned to the A.B.C shop for my tea at five minutes past five, there he sat in his accustomed corner, with a cup of tea before him, another placed opposite to him, presumably for me, and a long piece of string between his bony fingers.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As for me, why, I never met a more simple ‘mystery.’
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading “What will you have with your tea?” he asked politely, the moment I was seated.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading When I returned to the A.B.C shop for my tea at five minutes past five, there he sat in his accustomed corner, with a cup of tea before him, another placed opposite to him, presumably for me, and a long piece of string between his bony fingers.
aerobic rod-shaped spore-producing bacterium; often occurring in chainlike formations; found primarily in soil
From this reading When I returned to the A.B.C shop for my tea at five minutes past five, there he sat in his accustomed corner, with a cup of tea before him, another placed opposite to him, presumably for me, and a long piece of string between his bony fingers.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading When I returned to the A.B.C shop for my tea at five minutes past five, there he sat in his accustomed corner, with a cup of tea before him, another placed opposite to him, presumably for me, and a long piece of string between his bony fingers.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading When I returned to the A.B.C shop for my tea at five minutes past five, there he sat in his accustomed corner, with a cup of tea before him, another placed opposite to him, presumably for me, and a long piece of string between his bony fingers.
bonyadjectiveUS /ˈboʊni/
being very thin
From this reading When I returned to the A.B.C shop for my tea at five minutes past five, there he sat in his accustomed corner, with a cup of tea before him, another placed opposite to him, presumably for me, and a long piece of string between his bony fingers.
butternounUS /ˈbʌtər/
an edible emulsion of fat globules made by churning milk or cream; for cooking and table use
From this reading “A roll and butter and the end of the story,” I replied.
a degree on the centigrade scale of temperature
From this reading When I returned to the A.B.C shop for my tea at five minutes past five, there he sat in his accustomed corner, with a cup of tea before him, another placed opposite to him, presumably for me, and a long piece of string between his bony fingers.
chucklenounUS /ˈtʃʌkəl/
a soft partly suppressed laugh
From this reading “Oh, the story has no end,” he said with a chuckle; “at least, not for the public.
a place off to the side of an area
From this reading When I returned to the A.B.C shop for my tea at five minutes past five, there he sat in his accustomed corner, with a cup of tea before him, another placed opposite to him, presumably for me, and a long piece of string between his bony fingers.
a small open container usually used for drinking; usually has a handle
From this reading When I returned to the A.B.C shop for my tea at five minutes past five, there he sat in his accustomed corner, with a cup of tea before him, another placed opposite to him, presumably for me, and a long piece of string between his bony fingers.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading “A roll and butter and the end of the story,” I replied.
plural of “finger” — any of the terminal members of the hand (sometimes excepting the thumb)
From this reading When I returned to the A.B.C shop for my tea at five minutes past five, there he sat in his accustomed corner, with a cup of tea before him, another placed opposite to him, presumably for me, and a long piece of string between his bony fingers.
the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one
From this reading When I returned to the A.B.C shop for my tea at five minutes past five, there he sat in his accustomed corner, with a cup of tea before him, another placed opposite to him, presumably for me, and a long piece of string between his bony fingers.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading When I returned to the A.B.C shop for my tea at five minutes past five, there he sat in his accustomed corner, with a cup of tea before him, another placed opposite to him, presumably for me, and a long piece of string between his bony fingers.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “Oh, the story has no end,” he said with a chuckle; “at least, not for the public.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “What will you have with your tea?” he asked politely, the moment I was seated.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When I returned to the A.B.C shop for my tea at five minutes past five, there he sat in his accustomed corner, with a cup of tea before him, another placed opposite to him, presumably for me, and a long piece of string between his bony fingers.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading When I returned to the A.B.C shop for my tea at five minutes past five, there he sat in his accustomed corner, with a cup of tea before him, another placed opposite to him, presumably for me, and a long piece of string between his bony fingers.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading When I returned to the A.B.C shop for my tea at five minutes past five, there he sat in his accustomed corner, with a cup of tea before him, another placed opposite to him, presumably for me, and a long piece of string between his bony fingers.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading When I returned to the A.B.C shop for my tea at five minutes past five, there he sat in his accustomed corner, with a cup of tea before him, another placed opposite to him, presumably for me, and a long piece of string between his bony fingers.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading When I returned to the A.B.C shop for my tea at five minutes past five, there he sat in his accustomed corner, with a cup of tea before him, another placed opposite to him, presumably for me, and a long piece of string between his bony fingers.
the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree
From this reading “Oh, the story has no end,” he said with a chuckle; “at least, not for the public.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading When I returned to the A.B.C shop for my tea at five minutes past five, there he sat in his accustomed corner, with a cup of tea before him, another placed opposite to him, presumably for me, and a long piece of string between his bony fingers.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading When I returned to the A.B.C shop for my tea at five minutes past five, there he sat in his accustomed corner, with a cup of tea before him, another placed opposite to him, presumably for me, and a long piece of string between his bony fingers.
inflected form of “meet” — come together
From this reading As for me, why, I never met a more simple ‘mystery.’
a written account of what transpired at a meeting
From this reading When I returned to the A.B.C shop for my tea at five minutes past five, there he sat in his accustomed corner, with a cup of tea before him, another placed opposite to him, presumably for me, and a long piece of string between his bony fingers.
a particular point in time
From this reading “What will you have with your tea?” he asked politely, the moment I was seated.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading As for me, why, I never met a more simple ‘mystery.’
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading When I returned to the A.B.C shop for my tea at five minutes past five, there he sat in his accustomed corner, with a cup of tea before him, another placed opposite to him, presumably for me, and a long piece of string between his bony fingers.
something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained
From this reading As for me, why, I never met a more simple ‘mystery.’
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading As for me, why, I never met a more simple ‘mystery.’
not any; not one
From this reading “Oh, the story has no end,” he said with a chuckle; “at least, not for the public.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading “Oh, the story has no end,” he said with a chuckle; “at least, not for the public.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading When I returned to the A.B.C shop for my tea at five minutes past five, there he sat in his accustomed corner, with a cup of tea before him, another placed opposite to him, presumably for me, and a long piece of string between his bony fingers.
a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region
From this reading “Oh, the story has no end,” he said with a chuckle; “at least, not for the public.
being directly across from each other; facing
From this reading When I returned to the A.B.C shop for my tea at five minutes past five, there he sat in his accustomed corner, with a cup of tea before him, another placed opposite to him, presumably for me, and a long piece of string between his bony fingers.
the time that has elapsed
From this reading When I returned to the A.B.C shop for my tea at five minutes past five, there he sat in his accustomed corner, with a cup of tea before him, another placed opposite to him, presumably for me, and a long piece of string between his bony fingers.
a separate part of a whole
From this reading When I returned to the A.B.C shop for my tea at five minutes past five, there he sat in his accustomed corner, with a cup of tea before him, another placed opposite to him, presumably for me, and a long piece of string between his bony fingers.
situated in a particular spot or position
From this reading When I returned to the A.B.C shop for my tea at five minutes past five, there he sat in his accustomed corner, with a cup of tea before him, another placed opposite to him, presumably for me, and a long piece of string between his bony fingers.
politelyadverbUS /pəˈlaɪtli/
in a polite manner
From this reading “What will you have with your tea?” he asked politely, the moment I was seated.
presumablyadverbUS /prəˈzuːməbli/
by reasonable assumption
From this reading When I returned to the A.B.C shop for my tea at five minutes past five, there he sat in his accustomed corner, with a cup of tea before him, another placed opposite to him, presumably for me, and a long piece of string between his bony fingers.
people in general considered as a whole
From this reading “Oh, the story has no end,” he said with a chuckle; “at least, not for the public.
inflected form of “reply” — react verbally
From this reading “A roll and butter and the end of the story,” I replied.
past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading When I returned to the A.B.C shop for my tea at five minutes past five, there he sat in his accustomed corner, with a cup of tea before him, another placed opposite to him, presumably for me, and a long piece of string between his bony fingers.
move by turning over or rotating
From this reading “A roll and butter and the end of the story,” I replied.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “Oh, the story has no end,” he said with a chuckle; “at least, not for the public.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading When I returned to the A.B.C shop for my tea at five minutes past five, there he sat in his accustomed corner, with a cup of tea before him, another placed opposite to him, presumably for me, and a long piece of string between his bony fingers.
(of persons) having the torso erect and legs bent with the body supported on the buttocks
From this reading “What will you have with your tea?” he asked politely, the moment I was seated.
do one's shopping
From this reading When I returned to the A.B.C shop for my tea at five minutes past five, there he sat in his accustomed corner, with a cup of tea before him, another placed opposite to him, presumably for me, and a long piece of string between his bony fingers.
having few parts; not complex or complicated or involved
From this reading As for me, why, I never met a more simple ‘mystery.’
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 “A roll and butter and the end of the story,” I replied.
a lightweight cord
From this reading When I returned to the A.B.C shop for my tea at five minutes past five, there he sat in his accustomed corner, with a cup of tea before him, another placed opposite to him, presumably for me, and a long piece of string between his bony fingers.
a beverage made by steeping tea leaves in water
From this reading When I returned to the A.B.C shop for my tea at five minutes past five, there he sat in his accustomed corner, with a cup of tea before him, another placed opposite to him, presumably for me, and a long piece of string between his bony fingers.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading When I returned to the A.B.C shop for my tea at five minutes past five, there he sat in his accustomed corner, with a cup of tea before him, another placed opposite to him, presumably for me, and a long piece of string between his bony fingers.
in or at that place or location
From this reading When I returned to the A.B.C shop for my tea at five minutes past five, there he sat in his accustomed corner, with a cup of tea before him, another placed opposite to him, presumably for me, and a long piece of string between his bony fingers.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading When I returned to the A.B.C shop for my tea at five minutes past five, there he sat in his accustomed corner, with a cup of tea before him, another placed opposite to him, presumably for me, and a long piece of string between his bony fingers.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “What will you have with your tea?” he asked politely, the moment I was seated.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading “What will you have with your tea?” he asked politely, the moment I was seated.
at the time that
From this reading When I returned to the A.B.C shop for my tea at five minutes past five, there he sat in his accustomed corner, with a cup of tea before him, another placed opposite to him, presumably for me, and a long piece of string between his bony fingers.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading As for me, why, I never met a more simple ‘mystery.’
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading “What will you have with your tea?” he asked politely, the moment I was seated.
in the company of; together with
From this reading When I returned to the A.B.C shop for my tea at five minutes past five, there he sat in his accustomed corner, with a cup of tea before him, another placed opposite to him, presumably for me, and a long piece of string between his bony fingers.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “What will you have with your tea?” he asked politely, the moment I was seated.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “What will you have with your tea?” he asked politely, the moment I was seated.
