used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading At a distance I had been sorry for the Bantam, but at close quarters his hopeless passion for Ruthita bored me.
(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 It sounded all very easy.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading There was nothing pleased him better than to get me alone, so that he could outline to me his impossible plans for an early marriage.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading There was nothing pleased him better than to get me alone, so that he could outline to me his impossible plans for an early marriage.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He talked of running away to sea and making his fortune in a distant land.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At a distance I had been sorry for the Bantam, but at close quarters his hopeless passion for Ruthita bored me.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading He talked of running away to sea and making his fortune in a distant land.
BantamnounUS /ˈbæntəm/
any of various small breeds of fowl
From this reading At a distance I had been sorry for the Bantam, but at close quarters his hopeless passion for Ruthita bored me.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading At a distance I had been sorry for the Bantam, but at close quarters his hopeless passion for Ruthita bored me.
(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another
From this reading There was nothing pleased him better than to get me alone, so that he could outline to me his impossible plans for an early marriage.
boredadjectiveUS /bɔːrd/
tired of the world
From this reading At a distance I had been sorry for the Bantam, but at close quarters his hopeless passion for Ruthita bored me.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading At a distance I had been sorry for the Bantam, but at close quarters his hopeless passion for Ruthita bored me.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading At a distance I had been sorry for the Bantam, but at close quarters his hopeless passion for Ruthita bored me.
confessionsnounUS /kənˈfeʃənz/
plural of “confession” — an admission of misdeeds or faults
From this reading On my return to the Red House he overwhelmed me with a flood of maudlin confessions.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading There was nothing pleased him better than to get me alone, so that he could outline to me his impossible plans for an early marriage.
the property created by the space between two objects or points
From this reading At a distance I had been sorry for the Bantam, but at close quarters his hopeless passion for Ruthita bored me.
separated in space or coming from or going to a distance
From this reading He talked of running away to sea and making his fortune in a distant land.
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 There was nothing pleased him better than to get me alone, so that he could outline to me his impossible plans for an early marriage.
posing no difficulty; requiring little effort
From this reading It sounded all very easy.
the rising of a body of water and its overflowing onto normally dry land
From this reading On my return to the Red House he overwhelmed me with a flood of maudlin confessions.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading At a distance I had been sorry for the Bantam, but at close quarters his hopeless passion for Ruthita bored me.
an unknown and unpredictable phenomenon that causes an event to result one way rather than another
From this reading He talked of running away to sea and making his fortune in a distant land.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading There was nothing pleased him better than to get me alone, so that he could outline to me his impossible plans for an early marriage.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading At a distance I had been sorry for the Bantam, but at close quarters his hopeless passion for Ruthita bored me.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading On my return to the Red House he overwhelmed me with a flood of maudlin confessions.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading There was nothing pleased him better than to get me alone, so that he could outline to me his impossible plans for an early marriage.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading At a distance I had been sorry for the Bantam, but at close quarters his hopeless passion for Ruthita bored me.
hopelessadjectiveUS /ˈhoʊpləs/
without hope because there seems to be no possibility of comfort or success
From this reading At a distance I had been sorry for the Bantam, but at close quarters his hopeless passion for Ruthita bored me.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading On my return to the Red House he overwhelmed me with a flood of maudlin confessions.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading At a distance I had been sorry for the Bantam, but at close quarters his hopeless passion for Ruthita bored me.
not capable of occurring or being accomplished or dealt with
From this reading There was nothing pleased him better than to get me alone, so that he could outline to me his impossible plans for an early marriage.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He talked of running away to sea and making his fortune in a distant land.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It sounded all very easy.
the land on which real estate is located
From this reading He talked of running away to sea and making his fortune in a distant land.
the act that results in something coming to be
From this reading He talked of running away to sea and making his fortune in a distant land.
the state of being a married couple voluntarily joined for life (or until divorce)
From this reading There was nothing pleased him better than to get me alone, so that he could outline to me his impossible plans for an early marriage.
maudlinadjectiveUS /ˈmɔːdlɪn/
effusively or insincerely emotional
From this reading On my return to the Red House he overwhelmed me with a flood of maudlin confessions.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading At a distance I had been sorry for the Bantam, but at close quarters his hopeless passion for Ruthita bored me.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading On my return to the Red House he overwhelmed me with a flood of maudlin confessions.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading There was nothing pleased him better than to get me alone, so that he could outline to me his impossible plans for an early marriage.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading On my return to the Red House he overwhelmed me with a flood of maudlin confessions.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading On my return to the Red House he overwhelmed me with a flood of maudlin confessions.
outlinenounUS /ˈaʊtlaɪn/
the line that appears to bound an object
From this reading There was nothing pleased him better than to get me alone, so that he could outline to me his impossible plans for an early marriage.
overwhelmedverbUS /ˌoʊvərˈwelmd/
past form of “overwhelm” — overcome, as with emotions or perceptual stimuli
From this reading On my return to the Red House he overwhelmed me with a flood of maudlin confessions.
a strong feeling or emotion
From this reading At a distance I had been sorry for the Bantam, but at close quarters his hopeless passion for Ruthita bored me.
plural of “plan” — a series of steps to be carried out or goals to be accomplished
From this reading There was nothing pleased him better than to get me alone, so that he could outline to me his impossible plans for an early marriage.
experiencing or manifesting pleasure
From this reading There was nothing pleased him better than to get me alone, so that he could outline to me his impossible plans for an early marriage.
housing available for people to live in
From this reading At a distance I had been sorry for the Bantam, but at close quarters his hopeless passion for Ruthita bored me.
red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood
From this reading On my return to the Red House he overwhelmed me with a flood of maudlin confessions.
go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading On my return to the Red House he overwhelmed me with a flood of maudlin confessions.
(of fluids) moving or issuing in a stream
From this reading He talked of running away to sea and making his fortune in a distant land.
Ruthita
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At a distance I had been sorry for the Bantam, but at close quarters his hopeless passion for Ruthita bored me.
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading He talked of running away to sea and making his fortune in a distant land.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading There was nothing pleased him better than to get me alone, so that he could outline to me his impossible plans for an early marriage.
sorryadjectiveUS /ˈsɑːri/
feeling or expressing regret or sorrow or a sense of loss over something done or undone
From this reading At a distance I had been sorry for the Bantam, but at close quarters his hopeless passion for Ruthita bored me.
past form of “sound” — appear in a certain way
From this reading It sounded all very easy.
past form of “talk” — exchange thoughts; talk with
From this reading He talked of running away to sea and making his fortune in a distant land.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading There was nothing pleased him better than to get me alone, so that he could outline to me his impossible plans for an early marriage.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading There was nothing pleased him better than to get me alone, so that he could outline to me his impossible plans for an early marriage.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading At a distance I had been sorry for the Bantam, but at close quarters his hopeless passion for Ruthita bored me.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was nothing pleased him better than to get me alone, so that he could outline to me his impossible plans for an early marriage.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading On my return to the Red House he overwhelmed me with a flood of maudlin confessions.
precisely as stated
From this reading It sounded all very easy.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was nothing pleased him better than to get me alone, so that he could outline to me his impossible plans for an early marriage.
in the company of; together with
From this reading On my return to the Red House he overwhelmed me with a flood of maudlin confessions.
