used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading What a weight was off my heart!
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading JOHN RECALLS AND REMEMBERS.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading It seemed as if nothing more could go wrong.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The last thing he could definitely recall before finding himself with us, was his mother looking at him through a night that seemed made of blackness so solid that he marvelled she could move in it.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading The last thing he could definitely recall before finding himself with us, was his mother looking at him through a night that seemed made of blackness so solid that he marvelled she could move in it.
blacknessnounUS /ˈblæknəs/
the quality or state of the achromatic color of least lightness (bearing the least resemblance to white)
From this reading The last thing he could definitely recall before finding himself with us, was his mother looking at him through a night that seemed made of blackness so solid that he marvelled she could move in it.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But, though John was plainly happy, he was not quite comfortable: he worried himself with trying to remember how he had come to us.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading But, though John was plainly happy, he was not quite comfortable: he worried himself with trying to remember how he had come to us.
providing or experiencing physical well-being or relief (“comfy” is informal)
From this reading But, though John was plainly happy, he was not quite comfortable: he worried himself with trying to remember how he had come to us.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading It seemed as if nothing more could go wrong.
definitelyadverbUS /ˈdefənətli/
without question and beyond doubt
From this reading The last thing he could definitely recall before finding himself with us, was his mother looking at him through a night that seemed made of blackness so solid that he marvelled she could move in it.
the act of determining the properties of something, usually by research or calculation
From this reading The last thing he could definitely recall before finding himself with us, was his mother looking at him through a night that seemed made of blackness so solid that he marvelled she could move in it.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading It seemed as if nothing more could go wrong.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading But, though John was plainly happy, he was not quite comfortable: he worried himself with trying to remember how he had come to us.
enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure
From this reading But, though John was plainly happy, he was not quite comfortable: he worried himself with trying to remember how he had come to us.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading But, though John was plainly happy, he was not quite comfortable: he worried himself with trying to remember how he had come to us.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading What a weight was off my heart!
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The last thing he could definitely recall before finding himself with us, was his mother looking at him through a night that seemed made of blackness so solid that he marvelled she could move in it.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading But, though John was plainly happy, he was not quite comfortable: he worried himself with trying to remember how he had come to us.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The last thing he could definitely recall before finding himself with us, was his mother looking at him through a night that seemed made of blackness so solid that he marvelled she could move in it.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But, though John was plainly happy, he was not quite comfortable: he worried himself with trying to remember how he had come to us.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading It seemed as if nothing more could go wrong.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The last thing he could definitely recall before finding himself with us, was his mother looking at him through a night that seemed made of blackness so solid that he marvelled she could move in it.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It seemed as if nothing more could go wrong.
a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading JOHN RECALLS AND REMEMBERS.
immediately past
From this reading The last thing he could definitely recall before finding himself with us, was his mother looking at him through a night that seemed made of blackness so solid that he marvelled she could move in it.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading The last thing he could definitely recall before finding himself with us, was his mother looking at him through a night that seemed made of blackness so solid that he marvelled she could move in it.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading The last thing he could definitely recall before finding himself with us, was his mother looking at him through a night that seemed made of blackness so solid that he marvelled she could move in it.
marvelledverbUS /mɑːrˈveld/
inflected form of “marvel” — be amazed at
From this reading The last thing he could definitely recall before finding himself with us, was his mother looking at him through a night that seemed made of blackness so solid that he marvelled she could move in it.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading It seemed as if nothing more could go wrong.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading The last thing he could definitely recall before finding himself with us, was his mother looking at him through a night that seemed made of blackness so solid that he marvelled she could move in it.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading The last thing he could definitely recall before finding himself with us, was his mother looking at him through a night that seemed made of blackness so solid that he marvelled she could move in it.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading What a weight was off my heart!
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading The last thing he could definitely recall before finding himself with us, was his mother looking at him through a night that seemed made of blackness so solid that he marvelled she could move in it.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading But, though John was plainly happy, he was not quite comfortable: he worried himself with trying to remember how he had come to us.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading It seemed as if nothing more could go wrong.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The last thing he could definitely recall before finding himself with us, was his mother looking at him through a night that seemed made of blackness so solid that he marvelled she could move in it.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading What a weight was off my heart!
unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)
From this reading But, though John was plainly happy, he was not quite comfortable: he worried himself with trying to remember how he had come to us.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading But, though John was plainly happy, he was not quite comfortable: he worried himself with trying to remember how he had come to us.
recall knowledge from memory; have a recollection
From this reading The last thing he could definitely recall before finding himself with us, was his mother looking at him through a night that seemed made of blackness so solid that he marvelled she could move in it.
RECALLSnounUS /ˈriːkɔːlz/
plural of “recall” — a request by the manufacturer of a defective product to return the product (as for replacement or repair)
From this reading JOHN RECALLS AND REMEMBERS.
To recall to mind.
From this reading But, though John was plainly happy, he was not quite comfortable: he worried himself with trying to remember how he had come to us.
REMEMBERSverbUS /rɪˈmembərz/
third-person singular of “remember” — recall knowledge from memory; have a recollection
From this reading JOHN RECALLS AND REMEMBERS.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading It seemed as if nothing more could go wrong.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The last thing he could definitely recall before finding himself with us, was his mother looking at him through a night that seemed made of blackness so solid that he marvelled she could move in it.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The last thing he could definitely recall before finding himself with us, was his mother looking at him through a night that seemed made of blackness so solid that he marvelled she could move in it.
solidadjectiveUS /ˈsɑːləd/
characterized by good substantial quality
From this reading The last thing he could definitely recall before finding himself with us, was his mother looking at him through a night that seemed made of blackness so solid that he marvelled she could move in it.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The last thing he could definitely recall before finding himself with us, was his mother looking at him through a night that seemed made of blackness so solid that he marvelled she could move in it.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The last thing he could definitely recall before finding himself with us, was his mother looking at him through a night that seemed made of blackness so solid that he marvelled she could move in it.
a special situation
From this reading The last thing he could definitely recall before finding himself with us, was his mother looking at him through a night that seemed made of blackness so solid that he marvelled she could move in it.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading But, though John was plainly happy, he was not quite comfortable: he worried himself with trying to remember how he had come to us.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading The last thing he could definitely recall before finding himself with us, was his mother looking at him through a night that seemed made of blackness so solid that he marvelled she could move in it.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading But, though John was plainly happy, he was not quite comfortable: he worried himself with trying to remember how he had come to us.
hard to endure
From this reading But, though John was plainly happy, he was not quite comfortable: he worried himself with trying to remember how he had come to us.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading But, though John was plainly happy, he was not quite comfortable: he worried himself with trying to remember how he had come to us.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading What a weight was off my heart!
the vertical force exerted by a mass as a result of gravity
From this reading What a weight was off my heart!
used to ask for information about something
From this reading What a weight was off my heart!
in the company of; together with
From this reading But, though John was plainly happy, he was not quite comfortable: he worried himself with trying to remember how he had come to us.
worriedadjectiveUS /ˈwɜːrid/
afflicted with or marked by anxious uneasiness or trouble or grief
From this reading But, though John was plainly happy, he was not quite comfortable: he worried himself with trying to remember how he had come to us.
not correct; not in conformity with fact or truth
From this reading It seemed as if nothing more could go wrong.
