used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "On and off I have thought about that sort of thing for a good while," said Arthur, reddening; "but I do not quite see what you want me to do now."
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading "Have you thought at all about it, Arthur?" he asked.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading "That I am going to explain to you all after breakfast; but there is one thing that comes first by rights, and that is to remember the opening words of our text."
(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 "Have you thought at all about it, Arthur?" he asked.
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading "That I am going to explain to you all after breakfast; but there is one thing that comes first by rights, and that is to remember the opening words of our text."
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading WHEN Walter and Arthur were returning together next morning from their early bath, Walter referred to the conversation of the previous evening.
elected vice president and became 21st President of the United States when Garfield was assassinated (1830-1886)
From this reading WHEN Walter and Arthur were returning together next morning from their early bath, Walter referred to the conversation of the previous evening.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading "Have you thought at all about it, Arthur?" he asked.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading "Have you thought at all about it, Arthur?" he asked.
bathnounUS /bæθ/
a vessel containing liquid in which something is immersed (as to process it or to maintain it at a constant temperature or to lubricate it)
From this reading WHEN Walter and Arthur were returning together next morning from their early bath, Walter referred to the conversation of the previous evening.
eat an early morning meal
From this reading "That I am going to explain to you all after breakfast; but there is one thing that comes first by rights, and that is to remember the opening words of our text."
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading "On and off I have thought about that sort of thing for a good while," said Arthur, reddening; "but I do not quite see what you want me to do now."
showing who or what does the action
From this reading "That I am going to explain to you all after breakfast; but there is one thing that comes first by rights, and that is to remember the opening words of our text."
plural of “come” — the thick white fluid containing spermatozoa that is ejaculated by the male genital tract
From this reading "That I am going to explain to you all after breakfast; but there is one thing that comes first by rights, and that is to remember the opening words of our text."
the use of speech for informal exchange of views or ideas or information etc.
From this reading WHEN Walter and Arthur were returning together next morning from their early bath, Walter referred to the conversation of the previous evening.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading "On and off I have thought about that sort of thing for a good while," said Arthur, reddening; "but I do not quite see what you want me to do now."
earlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/
at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time
From this reading WHEN Walter and Arthur were returning together next morning from their early bath, Walter referred to the conversation of the previous evening.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading WHEN Walter and Arthur were returning together next morning from their early bath, Walter referred to the conversation of the previous evening.
make plain and comprehensible
From this reading "That I am going to explain to you all after breakfast; but there is one thing that comes first by rights, and that is to remember the opening words of our text."
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading "That I am going to explain to you all after breakfast; but there is one thing that comes first by rights, and that is to remember the opening words of our text."
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading "On and off I have thought about that sort of thing for a good while," said Arthur, reddening; "but I do not quite see what you want me to do now."
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading WHEN Walter and Arthur were returning together next morning from their early bath, Walter referred to the conversation of the previous evening.
the act of departing
From this reading "That I am going to explain to you all after breakfast; but there is one thing that comes first by rights, and that is to remember the opening words of our text."
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading "On and off I have thought about that sort of thing for a good while," said Arthur, reddening; "but I do not quite see what you want me to do now."
Haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading "Have you thought at all about it, Arthur?" he asked.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Have you thought at all about it, Arthur?" he asked.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "On and off I have thought about that sort of thing for a good while," said Arthur, reddening; "but I do not quite see what you want me to do now."
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "That I am going to explain to you all after breakfast; but there is one thing that comes first by rights, and that is to remember the opening words of our text."
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "Have you thought at all about it, Arthur?" he asked.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "On and off I have thought about that sort of thing for a good while," said Arthur, reddening; "but I do not quite see what you want me to do now."
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading WHEN Walter and Arthur were returning together next morning from their early bath, Walter referred to the conversation of the previous evening.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading WHEN Walter and Arthur were returning together next morning from their early bath, Walter referred to the conversation of the previous evening.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "On and off I have thought about that sort of thing for a good while," said Arthur, reddening; "but I do not quite see what you want me to do now."
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading "On and off I have thought about that sort of thing for a good while," said Arthur, reddening; "but I do not quite see what you want me to do now."
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading WHEN Walter and Arthur were returning together next morning from their early bath, Walter referred to the conversation of the previous evening.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading "On and off I have thought about that sort of thing for a good while," said Arthur, reddening; "but I do not quite see what you want me to do now."
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading "On and off I have thought about that sort of thing for a good while," said Arthur, reddening; "but I do not quite see what you want me to do now."
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading "That I am going to explain to you all after breakfast; but there is one thing that comes first by rights, and that is to remember the opening words of our text."
an open or empty space in or between things
From this reading "That I am going to explain to you all after breakfast; but there is one thing that comes first by rights, and that is to remember the opening words of our text."
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading "That I am going to explain to you all after breakfast; but there is one thing that comes first by rights, and that is to remember the opening words of our text."
just preceding something else in time or order
From this reading WHEN Walter and Arthur were returning together next morning from their early bath, Walter referred to the conversation of the previous evening.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading "On and off I have thought about that sort of thing for a good while," said Arthur, reddening; "but I do not quite see what you want me to do now."
reddening
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "On and off I have thought about that sort of thing for a good while," said Arthur, reddening; "but I do not quite see what you want me to do now."
referredverbUS /rəˈfɜːrd/
inflected form of “refer” — make reference to
From this reading WHEN Walter and Arthur were returning together next morning from their early bath, Walter referred to the conversation of the previous evening.
To recall to mind.
From this reading "That I am going to explain to you all after breakfast; but there is one thing that comes first by rights, and that is to remember the opening words of our text."
tending to return to an earlier state
From this reading WHEN Walter and Arthur were returning together next morning from their early bath, Walter referred to the conversation of the previous evening.
plural of “right” — an abstract idea of that which is due to a person or governmental body by law or tradition or nature
From this reading "That I am going to explain to you all after breakfast; but there is one thing that comes first by rights, and that is to remember the opening words of our text."
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "On and off I have thought about that sort of thing for a good while," said Arthur, reddening; "but I do not quite see what you want me to do now."
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading "On and off I have thought about that sort of thing for a good while," said Arthur, reddening; "but I do not quite see what you want me to do now."
the context and environment in which something is set
From this reading SETTING TO WORK.
a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
From this reading "On and off I have thought about that sort of thing for a good while," said Arthur, reddening; "but I do not quite see what you want me to do now."
textnounUS /tekst/
the words of something written
From this reading "That I am going to explain to you all after breakfast; but there is one thing that comes first by rights, and that is to remember the opening words of our text."
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "On and off I have thought about that sort of thing for a good while," said Arthur, reddening; "but I do not quite see what you want me to do now."
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading WHEN Walter and Arthur were returning together next morning from their early bath, Walter referred to the conversation of the previous evening.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading WHEN Walter and Arthur were returning together next morning from their early bath, Walter referred to the conversation of the previous evening.
in or at that place or location
From this reading "That I am going to explain to you all after breakfast; but there is one thing that comes first by rights, and that is to remember the opening words of our text."
a special situation
From this reading "On and off I have thought about that sort of thing for a good while," said Arthur, reddening; "but I do not quite see what you want me to do now."
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading "Have you thought at all about it, Arthur?" he asked.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading SETTING TO WORK.
in contact with each other or in proximity
From this reading WHEN Walter and Arthur were returning together next morning from their early bath, Walter referred to the conversation of the previous evening.
German conductor (1876-1962)
From this reading WHEN Walter and Arthur were returning together next morning from their early bath, Walter referred to the conversation of the previous evening.
feel or have a desire for; want strongly
From this reading "On and off I have thought about that sort of thing for a good while," said Arthur, reddening; "but I do not quite see what you want me to do now."
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading WHEN Walter and Arthur were returning together next morning from their early bath, Walter referred to the conversation of the previous evening.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "On and off I have thought about that sort of thing for a good while," said Arthur, reddening; "but I do not quite see what you want me to do now."
at the time that
From this reading WHEN Walter and Arthur were returning together next morning from their early bath, Walter referred to the conversation of the previous evening.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading "On and off I have thought about that sort of thing for a good while," said Arthur, reddening; "but I do not quite see what you want me to do now."
the words that are spoken
From this reading "That I am going to explain to you all after breakfast; but there is one thing that comes first by rights, and that is to remember the opening words of our text."
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading SETTING TO WORK.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Have you thought at all about it, Arthur?" he asked.
