used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The young man sat there with his letter in his hand and eyes lost in retrospection for a while.
absentlyadverb
in an absentminded or preoccupied manner
From this reading TOGETHER He sat there, holding the letter and looking absently over it at the little dog who had gone to sleep again.
anew
From this reading TOGETHER He sat there, holding the letter and looking absently over it at the little dog who had gone to sleep again.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading TOGETHER He sat there, holding the letter and looking absently over it at the little dog who had gone to sleep again.
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading The sunny garden outside was very still, too; the blackbird appeared to doze on his peach twig; the kitten had settled down with eyes half closed and tail tucked under flank.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading TOGETHER He sat there, holding the letter and looking absently over it at the little dog who had gone to sleep again.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading In his hand lay evidence that the gang which had followed him, and through which he no longer doubted that he had been robbed, was now in Paris.
blackbirdnounUS /ˈblækbərd/
any bird of the family Icteridae whose male is black or predominantly black
From this reading The sunny garden outside was very still, too; the blackbird appeared to doze on his peach twig; the kitten had settled down with eyes half closed and tail tucked under flank.
not open or affording passage or access
From this reading The sunny garden outside was very still, too; the blackbird appeared to doze on his peach twig; the kitten had settled down with eyes half closed and tail tucked under flank.
a member of the genus Canis (probably descended from the common wolf) that has been domesticated by man since prehistoric times; occurs in many breeds
From this reading TOGETHER He sat there, holding the letter and looking absently over it at the little dog who had gone to sleep again.
doubtedverbUS /ˈdaʊtɪd/
past form of “doubt” — consider unlikely or have doubts about
From this reading In his hand lay evidence that the gang which had followed him, and through which he no longer doubted that he had been robbed, was now in Paris.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading The sunny garden outside was very still, too; the blackbird appeared to doze on his peach twig; the kitten had settled down with eyes half closed and tail tucked under flank.
dozeverbUS /doʊz/
sleep lightly or for a short period of time
From this reading The sunny garden outside was very still, too; the blackbird appeared to doze on his peach twig; the kitten had settled down with eyes half closed and tail tucked under flank.
your basis for belief or disbelief; knowledge on which to base belief
From this reading In his hand lay evidence that the gang which had followed him, and through which he no longer doubted that he had been robbed, was now in Paris.
opinion or judgment
From this reading The sunny garden outside was very still, too; the blackbird appeared to doze on his peach twig; the kitten had settled down with eyes half closed and tail tucked under flank.
deficient in magnitude; barely perceptible; lacking clarity or brightness or loudness etc
From this reading There was no sound in the room save the faint whisper of the tea-kettle.
flanknounUS /flæŋk/
the side of military or naval formation
From this reading The sunny garden outside was very still, too; the blackbird appeared to doze on his peach twig; the kitten had settled down with eyes half closed and tail tucked under flank.
past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading In his hand lay evidence that the gang which had followed him, and through which he no longer doubted that he had been robbed, was now in Paris.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The young man sat there with his letter in his hand and eyes lost in retrospection for a while.
gangnounUS /ɡæŋ/
an association of criminals
From this reading In his hand lay evidence that the gang which had followed him, and through which he no longer doubted that he had been robbed, was now in Paris.
a plot of ground where plants are cultivated
From this reading The sunny garden outside was very still, too; the blackbird appeared to doze on his peach twig; the kitten had settled down with eyes half closed and tail tucked under flank.
destroyed or killed
From this reading TOGETHER He sat there, holding the letter and looking absently over it at the little dog who had gone to sleep again.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading TOGETHER He sat there, holding the letter and looking absently over it at the little dog who had gone to sleep again.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading The sunny garden outside was very still, too; the blackbird appeared to doze on his peach twig; the kitten had settled down with eyes half closed and tail tucked under flank.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading The young man sat there with his letter in his hand and eyes lost in retrospection for a while.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading TOGETHER He sat there, holding the letter and looking absently over it at the little dog who had gone to sleep again.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading In his hand lay evidence that the gang which had followed him, and through which he no longer doubted that he had been robbed, was now in Paris.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The sunny garden outside was very still, too; the blackbird appeared to doze on his peach twig; the kitten had settled down with eyes half closed and tail tucked under flank.
the act of retaining something
From this reading TOGETHER He sat there, holding the letter and looking absently over it at the little dog who had gone to sleep again.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading There was no sound in the room save the faint whisper of the tea-kettle.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading TOGETHER He sat there, holding the letter and looking absently over it at the little dog who had gone to sleep again.
kittennounUS /ˈkɪtən/
young domestic cat
From this reading The sunny garden outside was very still, too; the blackbird appeared to doze on his peach twig; the kitten had settled down with eyes half closed and tail tucked under flank.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading In his hand lay evidence that the gang which had followed him, and through which he no longer doubted that he had been robbed, was now in Paris.
a written message addressed to a person or organization
From this reading TOGETHER He sat there, holding the letter and looking absently over it at the little dog who had gone to sleep again.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading TOGETHER He sat there, holding the letter and looking absently over it at the little dog who had gone to sleep again.
for more time
From this reading In his hand lay evidence that the gang which had followed him, and through which he no longer doubted that he had been robbed, was now in Paris.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading TOGETHER He sat there, holding the letter and looking absently over it at the little dog who had gone to sleep again.
no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered
From this reading The young man sat there with his letter in his hand and eyes lost in retrospection for a while.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading The young man sat there with his letter in his hand and eyes lost in retrospection for a while.
not any; not one
From this reading There was no sound in the room save the faint whisper of the tea-kettle.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading In his hand lay evidence that the gang which had followed him, and through which he no longer doubted that he had been robbed, was now in Paris.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading There was no sound in the room save the faint whisper of the tea-kettle.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The sunny garden outside was very still, too; the blackbird appeared to doze on his peach twig; the kitten had settled down with eyes half closed and tail tucked under flank.
relating to or being on or near the outer side or limit
From this reading The sunny garden outside was very still, too; the blackbird appeared to doze on his peach twig; the kitten had settled down with eyes half closed and tail tucked under flank.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading TOGETHER He sat there, holding the letter and looking absently over it at the little dog who had gone to sleep again.
the capital and largest city of France; and international center of culture and commerce
From this reading In his hand lay evidence that the gang which had followed him, and through which he no longer doubted that he had been robbed, was now in Paris.
peachnounUS /piːtʃ/
cultivated in temperate regions
From this reading The sunny garden outside was very still, too; the blackbird appeared to doze on his peach twig; the kitten had settled down with eyes half closed and tail tucked under flank.
retrospectionnoun
reference to things past
From this reading The young man sat there with his letter in his hand and eyes lost in retrospection for a while.
robbedverbUS /rɑːbd/
inflected form of “rob” — take something away by force or without the consent of the owner
From this reading In his hand lay evidence that the gang which had followed him, and through which he no longer doubted that he had been robbed, was now in Paris.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading There was no sound in the room save the faint whisper of the tea-kettle.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading TOGETHER He sat there, holding the letter and looking absently over it at the little dog who had gone to sleep again.
except for; apart from
From this reading There was no sound in the room save the faint whisper of the tea-kettle.
established or decided beyond dispute or doubt
From this reading The sunny garden outside was very still, too; the blackbird appeared to doze on his peach twig; the kitten had settled down with eyes half closed and tail tucked under flank.
a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended
From this reading TOGETHER He sat there, holding the letter and looking absently over it at the little dog who had gone to sleep again.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading There was no sound in the room save the faint whisper of the tea-kettle.
not in physical motion
From this reading The sunny garden outside was very still, too; the blackbird appeared to doze on his peach twig; the kitten had settled down with eyes half closed and tail tucked under flank.
sunnyadjectiveUS /ˈsʌni/
bright and pleasant; promoting a feeling of cheer
From this reading The sunny garden outside was very still, too; the blackbird appeared to doze on his peach twig; the kitten had settled down with eyes half closed and tail tucked under flank.
the posterior part of the body of a vertebrate especially when elongated and extending beyond the trunk or main part of the body
From this reading The sunny garden outside was very still, too; the blackbird appeared to doze on his peach twig; the kitten had settled down with eyes half closed and tail tucked under flank.
tea-kettle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no sound in the room save the faint whisper of the tea-kettle.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading In his hand lay evidence that the gang which had followed him, and through which he no longer doubted that he had been robbed, was now in Paris.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading TOGETHER He sat there, holding the letter and looking absently over it at the little dog who had gone to sleep again.
in or at that place or location
From this reading TOGETHER He sat there, holding the letter and looking absently over it at the little dog who had gone to sleep again.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading In his hand lay evidence that the gang which had followed him, and through which he no longer doubted that he had been robbed, was now in Paris.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading TOGETHER He sat there, holding the letter and looking absently over it at the little dog who had gone to sleep again.
in contact with each other or in proximity
From this reading TOGETHER He sat there, holding the letter and looking absently over it at the little dog who had gone to sleep again.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading The sunny garden outside was very still, too; the blackbird appeared to doze on his peach twig; the kitten had settled down with eyes half closed and tail tucked under flank.
tuckedadjectiveUS /tʌkt/
having tucked or being tucked
From this reading The sunny garden outside was very still, too; the blackbird appeared to doze on his peach twig; the kitten had settled down with eyes half closed and tail tucked under flank.
twigverbUS /twɪɡ/
branch out in a twiglike manner
From this reading The sunny garden outside was very still, too; the blackbird appeared to doze on his peach twig; the kitten had settled down with eyes half closed and tail tucked under flank.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading The sunny garden outside was very still, too; the blackbird appeared to doze on his peach twig; the kitten had settled down with eyes half closed and tail tucked under flank.
precisely as stated
From this reading The sunny garden outside was very still, too; the blackbird appeared to doze on his peach twig; the kitten had settled down with eyes half closed and tail tucked under flank.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was no sound in the room save the faint whisper of the tea-kettle.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading In his hand lay evidence that the gang which had followed him, and through which he no longer doubted that he had been robbed, was now in Paris.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading The young man sat there with his letter in his hand and eyes lost in retrospection for a while.
speaking softly without vibration of the vocal cords
From this reading There was no sound in the room save the faint whisper of the tea-kettle.
which person or people
From this reading TOGETHER He sat there, holding the letter and looking absently over it at the little dog who had gone to sleep again.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The sunny garden outside was very still, too; the blackbird appeared to doze on his peach twig; the kitten had settled down with eyes half closed and tail tucked under flank.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading The young man sat there with his letter in his hand and eyes lost in retrospection for a while.
