used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Its gray gables seemed to look with a frown on the gingerbread style of architecture that had grown up around it.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The Thorn homestead, like the family whose name it bore, was magnificent and substantial in an unassuming way.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The Thorn homestead, like the family whose name it bore, was magnificent and substantial in an unassuming way.
architecturenounUS /ˈɑːrkətektʃər/
an architectural product or work
From this reading Its gray gables seemed to look with a frown on the gingerbread style of architecture that had grown up around it.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading Its gray gables seemed to look with a frown on the gingerbread style of architecture that had grown up around it.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading THE THORNS AT HOME.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading It had been the hope of the present occupant that when he left the estate he might leave it in the hands of a son, but this was not to be.
enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading Under the trees on its lawn, three generations of Thorns had grown to man's estate, and every one of them had become a lawyer.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading It had been the hope of the present occupant that when he left the estate he might leave it in the hands of a son, but this was not to be.
cause to be bored
From this reading The Thorn homestead, like the family whose name it bore, was magnificent and substantial in an unassuming way.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading It had been the hope of the present occupant that when he left the estate he might leave it in the hands of a son, but this was not to be.
everything you own; all of your assets (whether real property or personal property) and liabilities
From this reading Under the trees on its lawn, three generations of Thorns had grown to man's estate, and every one of them had become a lawyer.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading Under the trees on its lawn, three generations of Thorns had grown to man's estate, and every one of them had become a lawyer.
a social unit living together
From this reading The Thorn homestead, like the family whose name it bore, was magnificent and substantial in an unassuming way.
frownverbUS /fraʊn/
look angry or sullen, wrinkle one's forehead, as if to signal disapproval
From this reading Its gray gables seemed to look with a frown on the gingerbread style of architecture that had grown up around it.
gablesnounUS /ˈɡeɪbəlz/
plural of “gable” — the vertical triangular wall between the sloping ends of gable roof
From this reading Its gray gables seemed to look with a frown on the gingerbread style of architecture that had grown up around it.
generationsnounUS /ˌdʒenərˈeɪʃənz/
plural of “generation” — all the people living at the same time or of approximately the same age
From this reading Under the trees on its lawn, three generations of Thorns had grown to man's estate, and every one of them had become a lawyer.
gingerbreadnounUS /ˈdʒɪndʒərbred/
cake flavored with ginger
From this reading Its gray gables seemed to look with a frown on the gingerbread style of architecture that had grown up around it.
a neutral achromatic color midway between white and black
From this reading Its gray gables seemed to look with a frown on the gingerbread style of architecture that had grown up around it.
(of animals) fully developed
From this reading Its gray gables seemed to look with a frown on the gingerbread style of architecture that had grown up around it.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Its gray gables seemed to look with a frown on the gingerbread style of architecture that had grown up around it.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading It had been the hope of the present occupant that when he left the estate he might leave it in the hands of a son, but this was not to be.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It had been the hope of the present occupant that when he left the estate he might leave it in the hands of a son, but this was not to be.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading THE THORNS AT HOME.
homesteadnounUS /ˈhoʊmsted/
the home and adjacent grounds occupied by a family
From this reading The Thorn homestead, like the family whose name it bore, was magnificent and substantial in an unassuming way.
a specific instance of feeling hopeful
From this reading It had been the hope of the present occupant that when he left the estate he might leave it in the hands of a son, but this was not to be.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The Thorn homestead, like the family whose name it bore, was magnificent and substantial in an unassuming way.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The Thorn homestead, like the family whose name it bore, was magnificent and substantial in an unassuming way.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Its gray gables seemed to look with a frown on the gingerbread style of architecture that had grown up around it.
lawnnounUS /lɔːn/
a field of cultivated and mowed grass
From this reading Under the trees on its lawn, three generations of Thorns had grown to man's estate, and every one of them had become a lawyer.
a professional person authorized to practice law; conducts lawsuits or gives legal advice
From this reading Under the trees on its lawn, three generations of Thorns had grown to man's estate, and every one of them had become a lawyer.
go away from a place
From this reading It had been the hope of the present occupant that when he left the estate he might leave it in the hands of a son, but this was not to be.
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 It had been the hope of the present occupant that when he left the estate he might leave it in the hands of a son, but this was not to be.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading The Thorn homestead, like the family whose name it bore, was magnificent and substantial in an unassuming way.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading Its gray gables seemed to look with a frown on the gingerbread style of architecture that had grown up around it.
characterized by grandeur
From this reading The Thorn homestead, like the family whose name it bore, was magnificent and substantial in an unassuming way.
man'snounUS /mænz/
possessive form of “man” — an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading Under the trees on its lawn, three generations of Thorns had grown to man's estate, and every one of them had become a lawyer.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading It had been the hope of the present occupant that when he left the estate he might leave it in the hands of a son, but this was not to be.
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading The Thorn homestead, like the family whose name it bore, was magnificent and substantial in an unassuming way.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading It had been the hope of the present occupant that when he left the estate he might leave it in the hands of a son, but this was not to be.
occupantnounUS /ˈɑːkjəpənt/
someone who lives at a particular place for a prolonged period or who was born there
From this reading It had been the hope of the present occupant that when he left the estate he might leave it in the hands of a son, but this was not to be.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Its gray gables seemed to look with a frown on the gingerbread style of architecture that had grown up around it.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Its gray gables seemed to look with a frown on the gingerbread style of architecture that had grown up around it.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Under the trees on its lawn, three generations of Thorns had grown to man's estate, and every one of them had become a lawyer.
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading It had been the hope of the present occupant that when he left the estate he might leave it in the hands of a son, but this was not to be.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Its gray gables seemed to look with a frown on the gingerbread style of architecture that had grown up around it.
a male human offspring
From this reading It had been the hope of the present occupant that when he left the estate he might leave it in the hands of a son, but this was not to be.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading Its gray gables seemed to look with a frown on the gingerbread style of architecture that had grown up around it.
substantialadjectiveUS /səbˈstænʃəl/
of considerable importance, size, or worth
From this reading The Thorn homestead, like the family whose name it bore, was magnificent and substantial in an unassuming way.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Its gray gables seemed to look with a frown on the gingerbread style of architecture that had grown up around it.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE THORNS AT HOME.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Under the trees on its lawn, three generations of Thorns had grown to man's estate, and every one of them had become a lawyer.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading It had been the hope of the present occupant that when he left the estate he might leave it in the hands of a son, but this was not to be.
ThornnounUS /θɔːrn/
something that causes irritation and annoyance
From this reading The Thorn homestead, like the family whose name it bore, was magnificent and substantial in an unassuming way.
THORNSnounUS /θɔːrnz/
plural of “thorn” — something that causes irritation and annoyance
From this reading THE THORNS AT HOME.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading Under the trees on its lawn, three generations of Thorns had grown to man's estate, and every one of them had become a lawyer.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Its gray gables seemed to look with a frown on the gingerbread style of architecture that had grown up around it.
plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading Under the trees on its lawn, three generations of Thorns had grown to man's estate, and every one of them had become a lawyer.
unassumingadjectiveUS /ˌʌnəˈsuːmɪŋ/
not arrogant or presuming
From this reading The Thorn homestead, like the family whose name it bore, was magnificent and substantial in an unassuming way.
UnderprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading Under the trees on its lawn, three generations of Thorns had grown to man's estate, and every one of them had become a lawyer.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Its gray gables seemed to look with a frown on the gingerbread style of architecture that had grown up around it.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The Thorn homestead, like the family whose name it bore, was magnificent and substantial in an unassuming way.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading The Thorn homestead, like the family whose name it bore, was magnificent and substantial in an unassuming way.
at the time that
From this reading It had been the hope of the present occupant that when he left the estate he might leave it in the hands of a son, but this was not to be.
belonging to which person
From this reading The Thorn homestead, like the family whose name it bore, was magnificent and substantial in an unassuming way.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Its gray gables seemed to look with a frown on the gingerbread style of architecture that had grown up around it.
