used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Life moves forward, but here I am a useless burden."
using the voice; not silently
From this reading Nellie laid down the book she had been reading aloud and looked anxiously at her father.
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading Life moves forward, but here I am a useless burden."
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading It was Parson John who spoke, as he leaned back in an easy-chair and gazed dreamily out of the window.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Waiting and Serving "I feel completely side-tracked now.
with anxiety or apprehension
From this reading Nellie laid down the book she had been reading aloud and looked anxiously at her father.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading This was the third day they had been at Morristown, and it was the first time her father had uttered any word of complaint.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading It was Parson John who spoke, as he leaned back in an easy-chair and gazed dreamily out of the window.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Nellie laid down the book she had been reading aloud and looked anxiously at her father.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading It was Parson John who spoke, as he leaned back in an easy-chair and gazed dreamily out of the window.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Nellie laid down the book she had been reading aloud and looked anxiously at her father.
a written work or composition that has been published (printed on pages bound together)
From this reading Nellie laid down the book she had been reading aloud and looked anxiously at her father.
an onerous or difficult concern
From this reading Life moves forward, but here I am a useless burden."
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Life moves forward, but here I am a useless burden."
complaintnounUS /kəmˈpleɪnt/
an often persistent bodily disorder or disease; a cause for complaining
From this reading This was the third day they had been at Morristown, and it was the first time her father had uttered any word of complaint.
to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)
From this reading Waiting and Serving "I feel completely side-tracked now.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading This was the third day they had been at Morristown, and it was the first time her father had uttered any word of complaint.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Nellie laid down the book she had been reading aloud and looked anxiously at her father.
dreamilyadverb
in a dreamy manner
From this reading It was Parson John who spoke, as he leaned back in an easy-chair and gazed dreamily out of the window.
easy-chair
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was Parson John who spoke, as he leaned back in an easy-chair and gazed dreamily out of the window.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading Nellie laid down the book she had been reading aloud and looked anxiously at her father.
undergo an emotional sensation or be in a particular state of mind
From this reading Waiting and Serving "I feel completely side-tracked now.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading This was the third day they had been at Morristown, and it was the first time her father had uttered any word of complaint.
at or to or toward the front
From this reading Life moves forward, but here I am a useless burden."
past form of “gaze” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading It was Parson John who spoke, as he leaned back in an easy-chair and gazed dreamily out of the window.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Nellie laid down the book she had been reading aloud and looked anxiously at her father.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It was Parson John who spoke, as he leaned back in an easy-chair and gazed dreamily out of the window.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Nellie laid down the book she had been reading aloud and looked anxiously at her father.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading Life moves forward, but here I am a useless burden."
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Waiting and Serving "I feel completely side-tracked now.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was Parson John who spoke, as he leaned back in an easy-chair and gazed dreamily out of the window.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was Parson John who spoke, as he leaned back in an easy-chair and gazed dreamily out of the window.
a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading It was Parson John who spoke, as he leaned back in an easy-chair and gazed dreamily out of the window.
set down according to a plan
From this reading Nellie laid down the book she had been reading aloud and looked anxiously at her father.
past form of “lean” — to incline or bend from a vertical position
From this reading It was Parson John who spoke, as he leaned back in an easy-chair and gazed dreamily out of the window.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading Life moves forward, but here I am a useless burden."
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading Nellie laid down the book she had been reading aloud and looked anxiously at her father.
MorristownnounUS /ˈmɔːrəstaʊn/
a town in northern New Jersey where the Continental Army spent two winters
From this reading This was the third day they had been at Morristown, and it was the first time her father had uttered any word of complaint.
movesnounUS /muːvz/
plural of “move” — the act of deciding to do something
From this reading Life moves forward, but here I am a useless burden."
Nellie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nellie laid down the book she had been reading aloud and looked anxiously at her father.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Waiting and Serving "I feel completely side-tracked now.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It was Parson John who spoke, as he leaned back in an easy-chair and gazed dreamily out of the window.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading It was Parson John who spoke, as he leaned back in an easy-chair and gazed dreamily out of the window.
ParsonnounUS /ˈpɑːrsən/
a person authorized to conduct religious worship
From this reading It was Parson John who spoke, as he leaned back in an easy-chair and gazed dreamily out of the window.
the cognitive process of understanding a written linguistic message
From this reading Nellie laid down the book she had been reading aloud and looked anxiously at her father.
ServingnounUS /ˈsɜːrvɪŋ/
an individual quantity of food or drink taken as part of a meal
From this reading Waiting and Serving "I feel completely side-tracked now.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Nellie laid down the book she had been reading aloud and looked anxiously at her father.
side-tracked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Waiting and Serving "I feel completely side-tracked now.
support consisting of a radial member of a wheel joining the hub to the rim
From this reading It was Parson John who spoke, as he leaned back in an easy-chair and gazed dreamily out of the window.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It was Parson John who spoke, as he leaned back in an easy-chair and gazed dreamily out of the window.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading This was the third day they had been at Morristown, and it was the first time her father had uttered any word of complaint.
one of three equal parts of a divisible whole
From this reading This was the third day they had been at Morristown, and it was the first time her father had uttered any word of complaint.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This was the third day they had been at Morristown, and it was the first time her father had uttered any word of complaint.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading This was the third day they had been at Morristown, and it was the first time her father had uttered any word of complaint.
having no beneficial use or incapable of functioning usefully
From this reading Life moves forward, but here I am a useless burden."
communicated in words
From this reading This was the third day they had been at Morristown, and it was the first time her father had uttered any word of complaint.
the act of waiting (remaining inactive in one place while expecting something)
From this reading Waiting and Serving "I feel completely side-tracked now.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was Parson John who spoke, as he leaned back in an easy-chair and gazed dreamily out of the window.
which person or people
From this reading It was Parson John who spoke, as he leaned back in an easy-chair and gazed dreamily out of the window.
a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air
From this reading It was Parson John who spoke, as he leaned back in an easy-chair and gazed dreamily out of the window.
a unit of language that native speakers can identify
From this reading This was the third day they had been at Morristown, and it was the first time her father had uttered any word of complaint.
