used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading If he had tried to describe what had been before him last night, he would have said there was a lot of cotton wool about.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading If he had tried to describe what had been before him last night, he would have said there was a lot of cotton wool about.
(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 It had been all like wool, cotton wool, nothing that the mind could bite on, nothing that it could grasp.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading He had been incapable of thinking until now, the first moment (since it had happened) that he had been left alone.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Last night Winny had been there, and that had stopped his thinking.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading He had been incapable of thinking until now, the first moment (since it had happened) that he had been left alone.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading If he had tried to describe what had been before him last night, he would have said there was a lot of cotton wool about.
biteverbUS /baɪt/
to grip, cut off, or tear with or as if with the teeth or jaws
From this reading It had been all like wool, cotton wool, nothing that the mind could bite on, nothing that it could grasp.
cottonnounUS /ˈkɑːtən/
soft silky fibers from cotton plants in their raw state
From this reading If he had tried to describe what had been before him last night, he would have said there was a lot of cotton wool about.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Last night the thing had stupefied him so that he could not think.
give a description of
From this reading If he had tried to describe what had been before him last night, he would have said there was a lot of cotton wool about.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading He had been incapable of thinking until now, the first moment (since it had happened) that he had been left alone.
hold firmly
From this reading It had been all like wool, cotton wool, nothing that the mind could bite on, nothing that it could grasp.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had been incapable of thinking until now, the first moment (since it had happened) that he had been left alone.
past form of “happen” — come to pass
From this reading He had been incapable of thinking until now, the first moment (since it had happened) that he had been left alone.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading If he had tried to describe what had been before him last night, he would have said there was a lot of cotton wool about.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had been incapable of thinking until now, the first moment (since it had happened) that he had been left alone.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Last night the thing had stupefied him so that he could not think.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Last night Winny had been there, and that had stopped his thinking.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If he had tried to describe what had been before him last night, he would have said there was a lot of cotton wool about.
incapableadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈkeɪpəbəl/
(followed by “of”) lacking capacity or ability
From this reading He had been incapable of thinking until now, the first moment (since it had happened) that he had been left alone.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He had been incapable of thinking until now, the first moment (since it had happened) that he had been left alone.
immediately past
From this reading Last night the thing had stupefied him so that he could not think.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading He had been incapable of thinking until now, the first moment (since it had happened) that he had been left alone.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading It had been all like wool, cotton wool, nothing that the mind could bite on, nothing that it could grasp.
(often followed by “of”) a large number or amount or extent
From this reading If he had tried to describe what had been before him last night, he would have said there was a lot of cotton wool about.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading It had been all like wool, cotton wool, nothing that the mind could bite on, nothing that it could grasp.
a particular point in time
From this reading He had been incapable of thinking until now, the first moment (since it had happened) that he had been left alone.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading Last night the thing had stupefied him so that he could not think.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Last night the thing had stupefied him so that he could not think.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading It had been all like wool, cotton wool, nothing that the mind could bite on, nothing that it could grasp.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading He had been incapable of thinking until now, the first moment (since it had happened) that he had been left alone.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He had been incapable of thinking until now, the first moment (since it had happened) that he had been left alone.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading It had been all like wool, cotton wool, nothing that the mind could bite on, nothing that it could grasp.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading If he had tried to describe what had been before him last night, he would have said there was a lot of cotton wool about.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading He had been incapable of thinking until now, the first moment (since it had happened) that he had been left alone.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Last night the thing had stupefied him so that he could not think.
(of a nose) blocked
From this reading Last night Winny had been there, and that had stopped his thinking.
stupefiedadjective
as if struck dumb with astonishment and surprise
From this reading Last night the thing had stupefied him so that he could not think.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He had been incapable of thinking until now, the first moment (since it had happened) that he had been left alone.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He had been incapable of thinking until now, the first moment (since it had happened) that he had been left alone.
in or at that place or location
From this reading If he had tried to describe what had been before him last night, he would have said there was a lot of cotton wool about.
a special situation
From this reading Last night the thing had stupefied him so that he could not think.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading Last night the thing had stupefied him so that he could not think.
the process of using your mind to consider something carefully
From this reading He had been incapable of thinking until now, the first moment (since it had happened) that he had been left alone.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading If he had tried to describe what had been before him last night, he would have said there was a lot of cotton wool about.
tested and proved useful or correct
From this reading If he had tried to describe what had been before him last night, he would have said there was a lot of cotton wool about.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading He had been incapable of thinking until now, the first moment (since it had happened) that he had been left alone.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading If he had tried to describe what had been before him last night, he would have said there was a lot of cotton wool about.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading If he had tried to describe what had been before him last night, he would have said there was a lot of cotton wool about.
Winny
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Last night Winny had been there, and that had stopped his thinking.
woolnounUS /wʊl/
a fabric made from the hair of sheep
From this reading If he had tried to describe what had been before him last night, he would have said there was a lot of cotton wool about.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading If he had tried to describe what had been before him last night, he would have said there was a lot of cotton wool about.
