used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It purported to be written by a man who had given up all faith in religion and all forms of spiritual life.
AfterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading VISIONS OF ANOTHER WORLD After Dick had decided to attend the séance he read the article more carefully.
aliveadjectiveUS /əˈlaɪv/
possessing life
From this reading By and by he became impressed by the thought that his sons were alive and wanted to speak to him.
(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 purported to be written by a man who had given up all faith in religion and all forms of spiritual life.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It purported to be written by a man who had given up all faith in religion and all forms of spiritual life.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading VISIONS OF ANOTHER WORLD After Dick had decided to attend the séance he read the article more carefully.
nonfictional prose forming an independent part of a publication
From this reading VISIONS OF ANOTHER WORLD After Dick had decided to attend the séance he read the article more carefully.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He had tried to find satisfaction in the pleasures and occupations of his daily existence, and had treated everything else as a played-out fallacy.
be present at (meetings, church services, university), etc.
From this reading VISIONS OF ANOTHER WORLD After Dick had decided to attend the séance he read the article more carefully.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading It purported to be written by a man who had given up all faith in religion and all forms of spiritual life.
inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading By and by he became impressed by the thought that his sons were alive and wanted to speak to him.
enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading Then two of his sons had been killed in the war, and life had become a painful, hollow mockery.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Then two of his sons had been killed in the war, and life had become a painful, hollow mockery.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading It purported to be written by a man who had given up all faith in religion and all forms of spiritual life.
taking care or paying attention
From this reading VISIONS OF ANOTHER WORLD After Dick had decided to attend the séance he read the article more carefully.
every day; without missing a day
From this reading He had tried to find satisfaction in the pleasures and occupations of his daily existence, and had treated everything else as a played-out fallacy.
recognizable; marked
From this reading VISIONS OF ANOTHER WORLD After Dick had decided to attend the séance he read the article more carefully.
someone who is a detective
From this reading VISIONS OF ANOTHER WORLD After Dick had decided to attend the séance he read the article more carefully.
else
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had tried to find satisfaction in the pleasures and occupations of his daily existence, and had treated everything else as a played-out fallacy.
all things; all of a situation
From this reading He had tried to find satisfaction in the pleasures and occupations of his daily existence, and had treated everything else as a played-out fallacy.
the state or fact of existing
From this reading He had tried to find satisfaction in the pleasures and occupations of his daily existence, and had treated everything else as a played-out fallacy.
a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny
From this reading It purported to be written by a man who had given up all faith in religion and all forms of spiritual life.
fallacynounUS /ˈfæləsi/
a misconception resulting from incorrect reasoning
From this reading He had tried to find satisfaction in the pleasures and occupations of his daily existence, and had treated everything else as a played-out fallacy.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading He had tried to find satisfaction in the pleasures and occupations of his daily existence, and had treated everything else as a played-out fallacy.
plural of “form” — the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something
From this reading It purported to be written by a man who had given up all faith in religion and all forms of spiritual life.
givenadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪvən/
acknowledged as a supposition
From this reading It purported to be written by a man who had given up all faith in religion and all forms of spiritual life.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading VISIONS OF ANOTHER WORLD After Dick had decided to attend the séance he read the article more carefully.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading VISIONS OF ANOTHER WORLD After Dick had decided to attend the séance he read the article more carefully.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading By and by he became impressed by the thought that his sons were alive and wanted to speak to him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He had tried to find satisfaction in the pleasures and occupations of his daily existence, and had treated everything else as a played-out fallacy.
not solid; having a space or gap or cavity
From this reading Then two of his sons had been killed in the war, and life had become a painful, hollow mockery.
deeply or markedly affected or influenced
From this reading By and by he became impressed by the thought that his sons were alive and wanted to speak to him.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It purported to be written by a man who had given up all faith in religion and all forms of spiritual life.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It purported to be written by a man who had given up all faith in religion and all forms of spiritual life.
past form of “kill” — cause to die; put to death, usually intentionally or knowingly
From this reading Then two of his sons had been killed in the war, and life had become a painful, hollow mockery.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading It purported to be written by a man who had given up all faith in religion and all forms of spiritual life.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading It purported to be written by a man who had given up all faith in religion and all forms of spiritual life.
mockerynounUS /ˈmɑːkəri/
showing your contempt by derision
From this reading Then two of his sons had been killed in the war, and life had become a painful, hollow mockery.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading VISIONS OF ANOTHER WORLD After Dick had decided to attend the séance he read the article more carefully.
occupationsnounUS /ˌɑːkjəˈpeɪʃənz/
plural of “occupation” — the principal activity in your life that you do to earn money
From this reading He had tried to find satisfaction in the pleasures and occupations of his daily existence, and had treated everything else as a played-out fallacy.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading VISIONS OF ANOTHER WORLD After Dick had decided to attend the séance he read the article more carefully.
causing physical or psychological pain
From this reading Then two of his sons had been killed in the war, and life had become a painful, hollow mockery.
played-out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had tried to find satisfaction in the pleasures and occupations of his daily existence, and had treated everything else as a played-out fallacy.
pleasuresnounUS /ˈpleʒərz/
plural of “pleasure” — a fundamental feeling that is hard to define but that people desire to experience
From this reading He had tried to find satisfaction in the pleasures and occupations of his daily existence, and had treated everything else as a played-out fallacy.
purportedverbUS /pərˈpɔːrtɪd/
past form of “purport” — have the often specious appearance of being, intending, or claiming
From this reading It purported to be written by a man who had given up all faith in religion and all forms of spiritual life.
interpret something that is written or printed
From this reading VISIONS OF ANOTHER WORLD After Dick had decided to attend the séance he read the article more carefully.
a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny
From this reading It purported to be written by a man who had given up all faith in religion and all forms of spiritual life.
the contentment one feels when one has fulfilled a desire, need, or expectation
From this reading He had tried to find satisfaction in the pleasures and occupations of his daily existence, and had treated everything else as a played-out fallacy.
plural of “son” — a male human offspring
From this reading Then two of his sons had been killed in the war, and life had become a painful, hollow mockery.
express in speech
From this reading By and by he became impressed by the thought that his sons were alive and wanted to speak to him.
spiritualadjectiveUS /ˈspɪrɪtʃuːəl/
concerned with sacred matters or religion or the church
From this reading It purported to be written by a man who had given up all faith in religion and all forms of spiritual life.
séance
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading VISIONS OF ANOTHER WORLD After Dick had decided to attend the séance he read the article more carefully.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading By and by he became impressed by the thought that his sons were alive and wanted to speak to him.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading VISIONS OF ANOTHER WORLD After Dick had decided to attend the séance he read the article more carefully.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then two of his sons had been killed in the war, and life had become a painful, hollow mockery.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading By and by he became impressed by the thought that his sons were alive and wanted to speak to him.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading VISIONS OF ANOTHER WORLD After Dick had decided to attend the séance he read the article more carefully.
subjected to a physical (or chemical) treatment or action or agent
From this reading He had tried to find satisfaction in the pleasures and occupations of his daily existence, and had treated everything else as a played-out fallacy.
tested and proved useful or correct
From this reading He had tried to find satisfaction in the pleasures and occupations of his daily existence, and had treated everything else as a played-out fallacy.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading Then two of his sons had been killed in the war, and life had become a painful, hollow mockery.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading It purported to be written by a man who had given up all faith in religion and all forms of spiritual life.
VISIONSnounUS /ˈvɪʒənz/
plural of “vision” — a vivid mental image
From this reading VISIONS OF ANOTHER WORLD After Dick had decided to attend the séance he read the article more carefully.
desired or wished for or sought
From this reading By and by he became impressed by the thought that his sons were alive and wanted to speak to him.
the waging of armed conflict against an enemy
From this reading Then two of his sons had been killed in the war, and life had become a painful, hollow mockery.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading By and by he became impressed by the thought that his sons were alive and wanted to speak to him.
which person or people
From this reading It purported to be written by a man who had given up all faith in religion and all forms of spiritual life.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading VISIONS OF ANOTHER WORLD After Dick had decided to attend the séance he read the article more carefully.
set down in writing in any of various ways
From this reading It purported to be written by a man who had given up all faith in religion and all forms of spiritual life.
