used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading An hour and a half remained before he need start out.
(usually followed by “to”) having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something
From this reading It was inexpressibly restful to have his subject, clear cut and complete, safely stowed away in the back of his mind, and to be able to sit quietly in this warmth and comfort, and let his thoughts dwell lightly upon other things, while Christmas snow fell softly, in large flakes, without; and gathering twilight slowly hushed the day to rest.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading An hour and a half remained before he need start out.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He crossed his knees, and lay back comfortably in the Rector's big chair.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading It was inexpressibly restful to have his subject, clear cut and complete, safely stowed away in the back of his mind, and to be able to sit quietly in this warmth and comfort, and let his thoughts dwell lightly upon other things, while Christmas snow fell softly, in large flakes, without; and gathering twilight slowly hushed the day to rest.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading He crossed his knees, and lay back comfortably in the Rector's big chair.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading THE LADY OF MYSTERY David thrust his hands deep into the pockets of his short coat, well cut, but inclined to be somewhat threadbare.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading An hour and a half remained before he need start out.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading He crossed his knees, and lay back comfortably in the Rector's big chair.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading THE LADY OF MYSTERY David thrust his hands deep into the pockets of his short coat, well cut, but inclined to be somewhat threadbare.
a seat for one person, with a support for the back
From this reading He crossed his knees, and lay back comfortably in the Rector's big chair.
period extending from Dec. 24 to Jan. 6
From this reading It was inexpressibly restful to have his subject, clear cut and complete, safely stowed away in the back of his mind, and to be able to sit quietly in this warmth and comfort, and let his thoughts dwell lightly upon other things, while Christmas snow fell softly, in large flakes, without; and gathering twilight slowly hushed the day to rest.
rid of obstructions
From this reading It was inexpressibly restful to have his subject, clear cut and complete, safely stowed away in the back of his mind, and to be able to sit quietly in this warmth and comfort, and let his thoughts dwell lightly upon other things, while Christmas snow fell softly, in large flakes, without; and gathering twilight slowly hushed the day to rest.
an outer garment that has sleeves and covers the body from shoulder down; worn outdoors
From this reading THE LADY OF MYSTERY David thrust his hands deep into the pockets of his short coat, well cut, but inclined to be somewhat threadbare.
a state of being relaxed and feeling no pain
From this reading It was inexpressibly restful to have his subject, clear cut and complete, safely stowed away in the back of his mind, and to be able to sit quietly in this warmth and comfort, and let his thoughts dwell lightly upon other things, while Christmas snow fell softly, in large flakes, without; and gathering twilight slowly hushed the day to rest.
comfortablyadverbUS /ˈkʌmfərtəbli/
in mental comfort; without stress
From this reading He crossed his knees, and lay back comfortably in the Rector's big chair.
come or bring to a finish or an end
From this reading It was inexpressibly restful to have his subject, clear cut and complete, safely stowed away in the back of his mind, and to be able to sit quietly in this warmth and comfort, and let his thoughts dwell lightly upon other things, while Christmas snow fell softly, in large flakes, without; and gathering twilight slowly hushed the day to rest.
placed crosswise
From this reading He crossed his knees, and lay back comfortably in the Rector's big chair.
separate with or as if with an instrument
From this reading THE LADY OF MYSTERY David thrust his hands deep into the pockets of his short coat, well cut, but inclined to be somewhat threadbare.
patron saint of Wales (circa 520-600)
From this reading THE LADY OF MYSTERY David thrust his hands deep into the pockets of his short coat, well cut, but inclined to be somewhat threadbare.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading It was inexpressibly restful to have his subject, clear cut and complete, safely stowed away in the back of his mind, and to be able to sit quietly in this warmth and comfort, and let his thoughts dwell lightly upon other things, while Christmas snow fell softly, in large flakes, without; and gathering twilight slowly hushed the day to rest.
relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply
From this reading THE LADY OF MYSTERY David thrust his hands deep into the pockets of his short coat, well cut, but inclined to be somewhat threadbare.
dwellverbUS /dwel/
think moodily or anxiously about something
From this reading It was inexpressibly restful to have his subject, clear cut and complete, safely stowed away in the back of his mind, and to be able to sit quietly in this warmth and comfort, and let his thoughts dwell lightly upon other things, while Christmas snow fell softly, in large flakes, without; and gathering twilight slowly hushed the day to rest.
descend in free fall under the influence of gravity
From this reading "Yes, undoubtedly my Lady of Mystery will be there," thought David Rivers, "unless this fall of snow keeps her away."
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading It was inexpressibly restful to have his subject, clear cut and complete, safely stowed away in the back of his mind, and to be able to sit quietly in this warmth and comfort, and let his thoughts dwell lightly upon other things, while Christmas snow fell softly, in large flakes, without; and gathering twilight slowly hushed the day to rest.
flakesnounUS /fleɪks/
plural of “flake” — a crystal of snow
From this reading It was inexpressibly restful to have his subject, clear cut and complete, safely stowed away in the back of his mind, and to be able to sit quietly in this warmth and comfort, and let his thoughts dwell lightly upon other things, while Christmas snow fell softly, in large flakes, without; and gathering twilight slowly hushed the day to rest.
a group of persons together in one place
From this reading It was inexpressibly restful to have his subject, clear cut and complete, safely stowed away in the back of his mind, and to be able to sit quietly in this warmth and comfort, and let his thoughts dwell lightly upon other things, while Christmas snow fell softly, in large flakes, without; and gathering twilight slowly hushed the day to rest.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading An hour and a half remained before he need start out.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading THE LADY OF MYSTERY David thrust his hands deep into the pockets of his short coat, well cut, but inclined to be somewhat threadbare.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading It was inexpressibly restful to have his subject, clear cut and complete, safely stowed away in the back of his mind, and to be able to sit quietly in this warmth and comfort, and let his thoughts dwell lightly upon other things, while Christmas snow fell softly, in large flakes, without; and gathering twilight slowly hushed the day to rest.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He crossed his knees, and lay back comfortably in the Rector's big chair.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading "Yes, undoubtedly my Lady of Mystery will be there," thought David Rivers, "unless this fall of snow keeps her away."
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading THE LADY OF MYSTERY David thrust his hands deep into the pockets of his short coat, well cut, but inclined to be somewhat threadbare.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading An hour and a half remained before he need start out.
hushedadjectiveUS /hʌʃt/
in a softened tone
From this reading It was inexpressibly restful to have his subject, clear cut and complete, safely stowed away in the back of his mind, and to be able to sit quietly in this warmth and comfort, and let his thoughts dwell lightly upon other things, while Christmas snow fell softly, in large flakes, without; and gathering twilight slowly hushed the day to rest.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He crossed his knees, and lay back comfortably in the Rector's big chair.
(often followed by “to”) having a preference, disposition, or tendency
From this reading THE LADY OF MYSTERY David thrust his hands deep into the pockets of his short coat, well cut, but inclined to be somewhat threadbare.
inexpressiblyadverb
to an inexpressible degree
From this reading It was inexpressibly restful to have his subject, clear cut and complete, safely stowed away in the back of his mind, and to be able to sit quietly in this warmth and comfort, and let his thoughts dwell lightly upon other things, while Christmas snow fell softly, in large flakes, without; and gathering twilight slowly hushed the day to rest.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading THE LADY OF MYSTERY David thrust his hands deep into the pockets of his short coat, well cut, but inclined to be somewhat threadbare.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was inexpressibly restful to have his subject, clear cut and complete, safely stowed away in the back of his mind, and to be able to sit quietly in this warmth and comfort, and let his thoughts dwell lightly upon other things, while Christmas snow fell softly, in large flakes, without; and gathering twilight slowly hushed the day to rest.
plural of “keep” — the financial means whereby one lives
From this reading "Yes, undoubtedly my Lady of Mystery will be there," thought David Rivers, "unless this fall of snow keeps her away."
plural of “knee” — hinge joint in the human leg connecting the tibia and fibula with the femur and protected in front by the patella
From this reading He crossed his knees, and lay back comfortably in the Rector's big chair.
a polite name for any woman
From this reading THE LADY OF MYSTERY David thrust his hands deep into the pockets of his short coat, well cut, but inclined to be somewhat threadbare.
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading It was inexpressibly restful to have his subject, clear cut and complete, safely stowed away in the back of his mind, and to be able to sit quietly in this warmth and comfort, and let his thoughts dwell lightly upon other things, while Christmas snow fell softly, in large flakes, without; and gathering twilight slowly hushed the day to rest.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading He crossed his knees, and lay back comfortably in the Rector's big chair.
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading It was inexpressibly restful to have his subject, clear cut and complete, safely stowed away in the back of his mind, and to be able to sit quietly in this warmth and comfort, and let his thoughts dwell lightly upon other things, while Christmas snow fell softly, in large flakes, without; and gathering twilight slowly hushed the day to rest.
without good reason
From this reading It was inexpressibly restful to have his subject, clear cut and complete, safely stowed away in the back of his mind, and to be able to sit quietly in this warmth and comfort, and let his thoughts dwell lightly upon other things, while Christmas snow fell softly, in large flakes, without; and gathering twilight slowly hushed the day to rest.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading It was inexpressibly restful to have his subject, clear cut and complete, safely stowed away in the back of his mind, and to be able to sit quietly in this warmth and comfort, and let his thoughts dwell lightly upon other things, while Christmas snow fell softly, in large flakes, without; and gathering twilight slowly hushed the day to rest.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "Yes, undoubtedly my Lady of Mystery will be there," thought David Rivers, "unless this fall of snow keeps her away."
something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained
From this reading THE LADY OF MYSTERY David thrust his hands deep into the pockets of his short coat, well cut, but inclined to be somewhat threadbare.
a condition requiring relief
From this reading An hour and a half remained before he need start out.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE LADY OF MYSTERY David thrust his hands deep into the pockets of his short coat, well cut, but inclined to be somewhat threadbare.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading It was inexpressibly restful to have his subject, clear cut and complete, safely stowed away in the back of his mind, and to be able to sit quietly in this warmth and comfort, and let his thoughts dwell lightly upon other things, while Christmas snow fell softly, in large flakes, without; and gathering twilight slowly hushed the day to rest.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading An hour and a half remained before he need start out.
plural of “pocket” — a small pouch inside a garment for carrying small articles
From this reading THE LADY OF MYSTERY David thrust his hands deep into the pockets of his short coat, well cut, but inclined to be somewhat threadbare.
with low volume
From this reading It was inexpressibly restful to have his subject, clear cut and complete, safely stowed away in the back of his mind, and to be able to sit quietly in this warmth and comfort, and let his thoughts dwell lightly upon other things, while Christmas snow fell softly, in large flakes, without; and gathering twilight slowly hushed the day to rest.
Rector's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He crossed his knees, and lay back comfortably in the Rector's big chair.
past form of “remain” — stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading An hour and a half remained before he need start out.
not move; be in a resting position
From this reading It was inexpressibly restful to have his subject, clear cut and complete, safely stowed away in the back of his mind, and to be able to sit quietly in this warmth and comfort, and let his thoughts dwell lightly upon other things, while Christmas snow fell softly, in large flakes, without; and gathering twilight slowly hushed the day to rest.
restfuladjectiveUS /ˈrestfəl/
affording physical or mental rest
From this reading It was inexpressibly restful to have his subject, clear cut and complete, safely stowed away in the back of his mind, and to be able to sit quietly in this warmth and comfort, and let his thoughts dwell lightly upon other things, while Christmas snow fell softly, in large flakes, without; and gathering twilight slowly hushed the day to rest.
RiversnounUS /ˈrɪvərz/
plural of “river” — a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)
From this reading "Yes, undoubtedly my Lady of Mystery will be there," thought David Rivers, "unless this fall of snow keeps her away."
with safety; in a safe manner
From this reading It was inexpressibly restful to have his subject, clear cut and complete, safely stowed away in the back of his mind, and to be able to sit quietly in this warmth and comfort, and let his thoughts dwell lightly upon other things, while Christmas snow fell softly, in large flakes, without; and gathering twilight slowly hushed the day to rest.
primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration
From this reading THE LADY OF MYSTERY David thrust his hands deep into the pockets of his short coat, well cut, but inclined to be somewhat threadbare.
be seated
From this reading It was inexpressibly restful to have his subject, clear cut and complete, safely stowed away in the back of his mind, and to be able to sit quietly in this warmth and comfort, and let his thoughts dwell lightly upon other things, while Christmas snow fell softly, in large flakes, without; and gathering twilight slowly hushed the day to rest.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading It was inexpressibly restful to have his subject, clear cut and complete, safely stowed away in the back of his mind, and to be able to sit quietly in this warmth and comfort, and let his thoughts dwell lightly upon other things, while Christmas snow fell softly, in large flakes, without; and gathering twilight slowly hushed the day to rest.
precipitation falling from clouds in the form of ice crystals
From this reading It was inexpressibly restful to have his subject, clear cut and complete, safely stowed away in the back of his mind, and to be able to sit quietly in this warmth and comfort, and let his thoughts dwell lightly upon other things, while Christmas snow fell softly, in large flakes, without; and gathering twilight slowly hushed the day to rest.
with low volume
From this reading It was inexpressibly restful to have his subject, clear cut and complete, safely stowed away in the back of his mind, and to be able to sit quietly in this warmth and comfort, and let his thoughts dwell lightly upon other things, while Christmas snow fell softly, in large flakes, without; and gathering twilight slowly hushed the day to rest.
to a small degree or extent
From this reading THE LADY OF MYSTERY David thrust his hands deep into the pockets of his short coat, well cut, but inclined to be somewhat threadbare.
take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading An hour and a half remained before he need start out.
stowedverbUS /stoʊd/
past form of “stow” — fill by packing tightly
From this reading It was inexpressibly restful to have his subject, clear cut and complete, safely stowed away in the back of his mind, and to be able to sit quietly in this warmth and comfort, and let his thoughts dwell lightly upon other things, while Christmas snow fell softly, in large flakes, without; and gathering twilight slowly hushed the day to rest.
the subject matter of a conversation or discussion
From this reading It was inexpressibly restful to have his subject, clear cut and complete, safely stowed away in the back of his mind, and to be able to sit quietly in this warmth and comfort, and let his thoughts dwell lightly upon other things, while Christmas snow fell softly, in large flakes, without; and gathering twilight slowly hushed the day to rest.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE LADY OF MYSTERY David thrust his hands deep into the pockets of his short coat, well cut, but inclined to be somewhat threadbare.
in or at that place or location
From this reading "Yes, undoubtedly my Lady of Mystery will be there," thought David Rivers, "unless this fall of snow keeps her away."
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading It was inexpressibly restful to have his subject, clear cut and complete, safely stowed away in the back of his mind, and to be able to sit quietly in this warmth and comfort, and let his thoughts dwell lightly upon other things, while Christmas snow fell softly, in large flakes, without; and gathering twilight slowly hushed the day to rest.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading It was inexpressibly restful to have his subject, clear cut and complete, safely stowed away in the back of his mind, and to be able to sit quietly in this warmth and comfort, and let his thoughts dwell lightly upon other things, while Christmas snow fell softly, in large flakes, without; and gathering twilight slowly hushed the day to rest.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading "Yes, undoubtedly my Lady of Mystery will be there," thought David Rivers, "unless this fall of snow keeps her away."
plural of “thought” — the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading It was inexpressibly restful to have his subject, clear cut and complete, safely stowed away in the back of his mind, and to be able to sit quietly in this warmth and comfort, and let his thoughts dwell lightly upon other things, while Christmas snow fell softly, in large flakes, without; and gathering twilight slowly hushed the day to rest.
threadbareadjectiveUS /ˈθredber/
repeated too often; overfamiliar through overuse
From this reading THE LADY OF MYSTERY David thrust his hands deep into the pockets of his short coat, well cut, but inclined to be somewhat threadbare.
push forcefully
From this reading THE LADY OF MYSTERY David thrust his hands deep into the pockets of his short coat, well cut, but inclined to be somewhat threadbare.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE LADY OF MYSTERY David thrust his hands deep into the pockets of his short coat, well cut, but inclined to be somewhat threadbare.
twilightnounUS /ˈtwaɪlaɪt/
the time of day immediately following sunset
From this reading It was inexpressibly restful to have his subject, clear cut and complete, safely stowed away in the back of his mind, and to be able to sit quietly in this warmth and comfort, and let his thoughts dwell lightly upon other things, while Christmas snow fell softly, in large flakes, without; and gathering twilight slowly hushed the day to rest.
undoubtedlyadverbUS /ənˈdaʊtɪdli/
without doubt; certainly
From this reading "Yes, undoubtedly my Lady of Mystery will be there," thought David Rivers, "unless this fall of snow keeps her away."
except if; if not
From this reading "Yes, undoubtedly my Lady of Mystery will be there," thought David Rivers, "unless this fall of snow keeps her away."
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading It was inexpressibly restful to have his subject, clear cut and complete, safely stowed away in the back of his mind, and to be able to sit quietly in this warmth and comfort, and let his thoughts dwell lightly upon other things, while Christmas snow fell softly, in large flakes, without; and gathering twilight slowly hushed the day to rest.
warmthnounUS /wɔːrmθ/
the sensation caused by heat energy
From this reading It was inexpressibly restful to have his subject, clear cut and complete, safely stowed away in the back of his mind, and to be able to sit quietly in this warmth and comfort, and let his thoughts dwell lightly upon other things, while Christmas snow fell softly, in large flakes, without; and gathering twilight slowly hushed the day to rest.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was inexpressibly restful to have his subject, clear cut and complete, safely stowed away in the back of his mind, and to be able to sit quietly in this warmth and comfort, and let his thoughts dwell lightly upon other things, while Christmas snow fell softly, in large flakes, without; and gathering twilight slowly hushed the day to rest.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading THE LADY OF MYSTERY David thrust his hands deep into the pockets of his short coat, well cut, but inclined to be somewhat threadbare.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading It was inexpressibly restful to have his subject, clear cut and complete, safely stowed away in the back of his mind, and to be able to sit quietly in this warmth and comfort, and let his thoughts dwell lightly upon other things, while Christmas snow fell softly, in large flakes, without; and gathering twilight slowly hushed the day to rest.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading "Yes, undoubtedly my Lady of Mystery will be there," thought David Rivers, "unless this fall of snow keeps her away."
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading It was inexpressibly restful to have his subject, clear cut and complete, safely stowed away in the back of his mind, and to be able to sit quietly in this warmth and comfort, and let his thoughts dwell lightly upon other things, while Christmas snow fell softly, in large flakes, without; and gathering twilight slowly hushed the day to rest.
an affirmative
From this reading "Yes, undoubtedly my Lady of Mystery will be there," thought David Rivers, "unless this fall of snow keeps her away."
