used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A sharp, pistol-like noise rent the air, a noise which told its own tale to the listening ears.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading A sharp, pistol-like noise rent the air, a noise which told its own tale to the listening ears.
prior to a specified or implied time
From this reading They were already behind time, and this new delay would make them later than ever.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A tyre had punctured, and a dreary half-hour's delay must be faced while the youthful chauffeur repaired the damage.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading A tyre had punctured, and a dreary half-hour's delay must be faced while the youthful chauffeur repaired the damage.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading They were already behind time, and this new delay would make them later than ever.
chauffeurnounUS /ʃoʊˈfɜːr/
a man paid to drive a privately owned car
From this reading A tyre had punctured, and a dreary half-hour's delay must be faced while the youthful chauffeur repaired the damage.
damagenounUS /ˈdæmədʒ/
the occurrence of a change for the worse
From this reading A tyre had punctured, and a dreary half-hour's delay must be faced while the youthful chauffeur repaired the damage.
cause to be slowed down or delayed
From this reading A tyre had punctured, and a dreary half-hour's delay must be faced while the youthful chauffeur repaired the damage.
drearyadjectiveUS /ˈdrɪri/
lacking in liveliness or charm or surprise
From this reading A tyre had punctured, and a dreary half-hour's delay must be faced while the youthful chauffeur repaired the damage.
plural of “ear” — the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium
From this reading A sharp, pistol-like noise rent the air, a noise which told its own tale to the listening ears.
at any time
From this reading They were already behind time, and this new delay would make them later than ever.
drained of energy or effectiveness; extremely tired; completely exhausted
From this reading The passengers leaped to the ground, and exhausted themselves in lamentations.
having a face or facing especially of a specified kind or number; often used in combination
From this reading A tyre had punctured, and a dreary half-hour's delay must be faced while the youthful chauffeur repaired the damage.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading The passengers leaped to the ground, and exhausted themselves in lamentations.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading A tyre had punctured, and a dreary half-hour's delay must be faced while the youthful chauffeur repaired the damage.
half-hour's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A tyre had punctured, and a dreary half-hour's delay must be faced while the youthful chauffeur repaired the damage.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The passengers leaped to the ground, and exhausted themselves in lamentations.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading A sharp, pistol-like noise rent the air, a noise which told its own tale to the listening ears.
lamentationsnoun
an Old Testament book lamenting the desolation of Judah after the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC; traditionally attributed to the prophet Jeremiah
From this reading The passengers leaped to the ground, and exhausted themselves in lamentations.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading They were already behind time, and this new delay would make them later than ever.
past form of “leap” — move forward by leaps and bounds
From this reading The passengers leaped to the ground, and exhausted themselves in lamentations.
the act of hearing attentively
From this reading A sharp, pistol-like noise rent the air, a noise which told its own tale to the listening ears.
engage in
From this reading They were already behind time, and this new delay would make them later than ever.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading A tyre had punctured, and a dreary half-hour's delay must be faced while the youthful chauffeur repaired the damage.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading They were already behind time, and this new delay would make them later than ever.
sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound)
From this reading A sharp, pistol-like noise rent the air, a noise which told its own tale to the listening ears.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading A sharp, pistol-like noise rent the air, a noise which told its own tale to the listening ears.
passengersnounUS /ˈpæsəndʒərz/
plural of “passenger” — a traveler riding in a vehicle (a boat or bus or car or plane or train etc) who is not operating it
From this reading The passengers leaped to the ground, and exhausted themselves in lamentations.
pistol-like
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A sharp, pistol-like noise rent the air, a noise which told its own tale to the listening ears.
puncturedadjectiveUS /ˈpʌŋktʃərd/
having a hole cut through
From this reading A tyre had punctured, and a dreary half-hour's delay must be faced while the youthful chauffeur repaired the damage.
rentverbUS /rent/
let for money
From this reading A sharp, pistol-like noise rent the air, a noise which told its own tale to the listening ears.
repairedverbUS /rɪˈperd/
past form of “repair” — restore by replacing a part or putting together what is torn or broken
From this reading A tyre had punctured, and a dreary half-hour's delay must be faced while the youthful chauffeur repaired the damage.
(of something seen or heard) clearly defined
From this reading A sharp, pistol-like noise rent the air, a noise which told its own tale to the listening ears.
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 sharp, pistol-like noise rent the air, a noise which told its own tale to the listening ears.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading They were already behind time, and this new delay would make them later than ever.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A sharp, pistol-like noise rent the air, a noise which told its own tale to the listening ears.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading They were already behind time, and this new delay would make them later than ever.
used when the people doing the action are also its object
From this reading The passengers leaped to the ground, and exhausted themselves in lamentations.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They were already behind time, and this new delay would make them later than ever.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading They were already behind time, and this new delay would make them later than ever.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading They were already behind time, and this new delay would make them later than ever.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A sharp, pistol-like noise rent the air, a noise which told its own tale to the listening ears.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading A sharp, pistol-like noise rent the air, a noise which told its own tale to the listening ears.
tyrenounUS /taɪr/
a port in southern Lebanon on the Mediterranean Sea; formerly a major Phoenician seaport famous for silks
From this reading A tyre had punctured, and a dreary half-hour's delay must be faced while the youthful chauffeur repaired the damage.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They were already behind time, and this new delay would make them later than ever.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading A sharp, pistol-like noise rent the air, a noise which told its own tale to the listening ears.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading A tyre had punctured, and a dreary half-hour's delay must be faced while the youthful chauffeur repaired the damage.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading They were already behind time, and this new delay would make them later than ever.
youthfuladjectiveUS /ˈjuːθfəl/
suggestive of youth; vigorous and fresh
From this reading A tyre had punctured, and a dreary half-hour's delay must be faced while the youthful chauffeur repaired the damage.
