used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He was a brave daredevil little chap, prematurely hardened by the absence of home influences to make the best of life’s vicissitudes.
the state of being absent
From this reading He was a brave daredevil little chap, prematurely hardened by the absence of home influences to make the best of life’s vicissitudes.
anew
From this reading Within an hour of having been beaten, he would be gay again as ever.
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading He was greedy for joy, as I am to this day, and we contrived to find it together.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Within an hour of having been beaten, he would be gay again as ever.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The Bantam and I became great friends.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Within an hour of having been beaten, he would be gay again as ever.
BantamnounUS /ˈbæntəm/
any of various small breeds of fowl
From this reading The Bantam and I became great friends.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Within an hour of having been beaten, he would be gay again as ever.
formed or made thin by hammering
From this reading Within an hour of having been beaten, he would be gay again as ever.
inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading The Bantam and I became great friends.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Within an hour of having been beaten, he would be gay again as ever.
the supreme effort one can make
From this reading He was a brave daredevil little chap, prematurely hardened by the absence of home influences to make the best of life’s vicissitudes.
possessing or displaying courage; able to face and deal with danger or fear without flinching
From this reading He was a brave daredevil little chap, prematurely hardened by the absence of home influences to make the best of life’s vicissitudes.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading He was a brave daredevil little chap, prematurely hardened by the absence of home influences to make the best of life’s vicissitudes.
a boy or man
From this reading He was a brave daredevil little chap, prematurely hardened by the absence of home influences to make the best of life’s vicissitudes.
contrivedadjectiveUS /kənˈtraɪvd/
showing effects of planning or manipulation
From this reading He was greedy for joy, as I am to this day, and we contrived to find it together.
daredevilnounUS /ˈderdevəl/
a reckless impetuous irresponsible person
From this reading He was a brave daredevil little chap, prematurely hardened by the absence of home influences to make the best of life’s vicissitudes.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading He was greedy for joy, as I am to this day, and we contrived to find it together.
at any time
From this reading Within an hour of having been beaten, he would be gay again as ever.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading He was greedy for joy, as I am to this day, and we contrived to find it together.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He was greedy for joy, as I am to this day, and we contrived to find it together.
plural of “friend” — a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading The Bantam and I became great friends.
bright and pleasant; promoting a feeling of cheer
From this reading Within an hour of having been beaten, he would be gay again as ever.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading The Bantam and I became great friends.
greedyadjectiveUS /ˈɡriːdi/
immoderately desirous of acquiring e.g. wealth
From this reading He was greedy for joy, as I am to this day, and we contrived to find it together.
hardenedadjectiveUS /ˈhɑːrdənd/
used of persons; emotionally hardened
From this reading He was a brave daredevil little chap, prematurely hardened by the absence of home influences to make the best of life’s vicissitudes.
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading Within an hour of having been beaten, he would be gay again as ever.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was a brave daredevil little chap, prematurely hardened by the absence of home influences to make the best of life’s vicissitudes.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading He was a soldier’s son, and never wasted time in pitying himself.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading He was a brave daredevil little chap, prematurely hardened by the absence of home influences to make the best of life’s vicissitudes.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading Within an hour of having been beaten, he would be gay again as ever.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading The Bantam and I became great friends.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He was a soldier’s son, and never wasted time in pitying himself.
influencesnounUS /ˈɪnfluːənsɪz/
plural of “influence” — a power to affect persons or events especially power based on prestige etc
From this reading He was a brave daredevil little chap, prematurely hardened by the absence of home influences to make the best of life’s vicissitudes.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He was greedy for joy, as I am to this day, and we contrived to find it together.
the emotion of great happiness
From this reading He was greedy for joy, as I am to this day, and we contrived to find it together.
life'snounUS /laɪfs/
possessive form of “life” — a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading He was a brave daredevil little chap, prematurely hardened by the absence of home influences to make the best of life’s vicissitudes.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading He was a brave daredevil little chap, prematurely hardened by the absence of home influences to make the best of life’s vicissitudes.
engage in
From this reading He was a brave daredevil little chap, prematurely hardened by the absence of home influences to make the best of life’s vicissitudes.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading He was a soldier’s son, and never wasted time in pitying himself.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He was a brave daredevil little chap, prematurely hardened by the absence of home influences to make the best of life’s vicissitudes.
pityingverbUS /ˈpɪtiɪŋ/
-ing form of “pity” — share the suffering of
From this reading He was a soldier’s son, and never wasted time in pitying himself.
prematurelyadverbUS /ˌpriːməˈtʃʊrli/
(of childbirth) before the end of the normal period of gestation
From this reading He was a brave daredevil little chap, prematurely hardened by the absence of home influences to make the best of life’s vicissitudes.
soldier'snounUS /ˈsoʊldʒərz/
possessive form of “soldier” — an enlisted man or woman who serves in an army
From this reading He was a soldier’s son, and never wasted time in pitying himself.
a male human offspring
From this reading He was a soldier’s son, and never wasted time in pitying himself.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The Bantam and I became great friends.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading He was greedy for joy, as I am to this day, and we contrived to find it together.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading He was a soldier’s son, and never wasted time in pitying himself.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He was a brave daredevil little chap, prematurely hardened by the absence of home influences to make the best of life’s vicissitudes.
in contact with each other or in proximity
From this reading He was greedy for joy, as I am to this day, and we contrived to find it together.
vicissitudesnounUS /vɪˈsɪsɪtuːdz/
plural of “vicissitude” — a variation in circumstances or fortune at different times in your life or in the development of something
From this reading He was a brave daredevil little chap, prematurely hardened by the absence of home influences to make the best of life’s vicissitudes.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He was a brave daredevil little chap, prematurely hardened by the absence of home influences to make the best of life’s vicissitudes.
wastedadjectiveUS /ˈweɪstɪd/
serving no useful purpose; having no excuse for being
From this reading He was a soldier’s son, and never wasted time in pitying himself.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading He was greedy for joy, as I am to this day, and we contrived to find it together.
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading Within an hour of having been beaten, he would be gay again as ever.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Within an hour of having been beaten, he would be gay again as ever.
