used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Karl was so completely just her Karl, so human and dear, and a great scientist seemed a remote abstraction.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading In one sense it was hard to comprehend that it was her Karl who was such an important man about this great university.
abstractionnounUS /æbˈstrækʃən/
a concept or idea not associated with any specific instance
From this reading Karl was so completely just her Karl, so human and dear, and a great scientist seemed a remote abstraction.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading SCIENCE, ART, AND LOVE From his window in the laboratory he saw her as she was coming across the campus, and waved.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading In one sense it was hard to comprehend that it was her Karl who was such an important man about this great university.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading SCIENCE, ART, AND LOVE From his window in the laboratory he saw her as she was coming across the campus, and waved.
ARTauxiliary verbUS /ɑːrt/
an old form of “are”, used with “thou”
From this reading SCIENCE, ART, AND LOVE From his window in the laboratory he saw her as she was coming across the campus, and waved.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading SCIENCE, ART, AND LOVE From his window in the laboratory he saw her as she was coming across the campus, and waved.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading She waved back, and then wondered if it were proper to wave at learned professors who were looking from their windows.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading She waved back, and then wondered if it were proper to wave at learned professors who were looking from their windows.
campusnounUS /ˈkæmpəs/
a field on which the buildings of a university are situated
From this reading SCIENCE, ART, AND LOVE From his window in the laboratory he saw her as she was coming across the campus, and waved.
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading SCIENCE, ART, AND LOVE From his window in the laboratory he saw her as she was coming across the campus, and waved.
to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)
From this reading Karl was so completely just her Karl, so human and dear, and a great scientist seemed a remote abstraction.
comprehendverbUS /ˌkɑːmpriˈhend/
get the meaning of something
From this reading In one sense it was hard to comprehend that it was her Karl who was such an important man about this great university.
dearly loved
From this reading Karl was so completely just her Karl, so human and dear, and a great scientist seemed a remote abstraction.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading SCIENCE, ART, AND LOVE From his window in the laboratory he saw her as she was coming across the campus, and waved.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading In one sense it was hard to comprehend that it was her Karl who was such an important man about this great university.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading In one sense it was hard to comprehend that it was her Karl who was such an important man about this great university.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading SCIENCE, ART, AND LOVE From his window in the laboratory he saw her as she was coming across the campus, and waved.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading SCIENCE, ART, AND LOVE From his window in the laboratory he saw her as she was coming across the campus, and waved.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading SCIENCE, ART, AND LOVE From his window in the laboratory he saw her as she was coming across the campus, and waved.
humanadjectiveUS /ˈhjuːmən/
characteristic of humanity
From this reading Karl was so completely just her Karl, so human and dear, and a great scientist seemed a remote abstraction.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading She waved back, and then wondered if it were proper to wave at learned professors who were looking from their windows.
of great significance or value
From this reading In one sense it was hard to comprehend that it was her Karl who was such an important man about this great university.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading SCIENCE, ART, AND LOVE From his window in the laboratory he saw her as she was coming across the campus, and waved.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading She waved back, and then wondered if it were proper to wave at learned professors who were looking from their windows.
and nothing more
From this reading Karl was so completely just her Karl, so human and dear, and a great scientist seemed a remote abstraction.
Karl
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In one sense it was hard to comprehend that it was her Karl who was such an important man about this great university.
laboratorynounUS /ˈlæbrətɔːri/
a workplace for the conduct of scientific research
From this reading SCIENCE, ART, AND LOVE From his window in the laboratory he saw her as she was coming across the campus, and waved.
having or showing profound knowledge
From this reading She waved back, and then wondered if it were proper to wave at learned professors who were looking from their windows.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading She waved back, and then wondered if it were proper to wave at learned professors who were looking from their windows.
a strong positive emotion of regard and affection
From this reading SCIENCE, ART, AND LOVE From his window in the laboratory he saw her as she was coming across the campus, and waved.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading In one sense it was hard to comprehend that it was her Karl who was such an important man about this great university.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading She must tell that to Karl.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading In one sense it was hard to comprehend that it was her Karl who was such an important man about this great university.
professorsnounUS /prəˈfesərz/
plural of “professor” — someone who is a member of the faculty at a college or university
From this reading She waved back, and then wondered if it were proper to wave at learned professors who were looking from their windows.
marked by suitability or rightness or appropriateness
From this reading She waved back, and then wondered if it were proper to wave at learned professors who were looking from their windows.
remoteadjectiveUS /rɪˈmoʊt/
located far away spatially
From this reading Karl was so completely just her Karl, so human and dear, and a great scientist seemed a remote abstraction.
cut with a saw
From this reading SCIENCE, ART, AND LOVE From his window in the laboratory he saw her as she was coming across the campus, and waved.
a particular branch of scientific knowledge
From this reading SCIENCE, ART, AND LOVE From his window in the laboratory he saw her as she was coming across the campus, and waved.
scientistnounUS /ˈsaɪəntɪst/
a person with advanced knowledge of one or more sciences
From this reading Karl was so completely just her Karl, so human and dear, and a great scientist seemed a remote abstraction.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Karl was so completely just her Karl, so human and dear, and a great scientist seemed a remote abstraction.
a general conscious awareness
From this reading In one sense it was hard to comprehend that it was her Karl who was such an important man about this great university.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading SCIENCE, ART, AND LOVE From his window in the laboratory he saw her as she was coming across the campus, and waved.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Karl was so completely just her Karl, so human and dear, and a great scientist seemed a remote abstraction.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading In one sense it was hard to comprehend that it was her Karl who was such an important man about this great university.
express in words
From this reading She must tell that to Karl.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading In one sense it was hard to comprehend that it was her Karl who was such an important man about this great university.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading SCIENCE, ART, AND LOVE From his window in the laboratory he saw her as she was coming across the campus, and waved.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading She waved back, and then wondered if it were proper to wave at learned professors who were looking from their windows.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading She waved back, and then wondered if it were proper to wave at learned professors who were looking from their windows.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading In one sense it was hard to comprehend that it was her Karl who was such an important man about this great university.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading She waved back, and then wondered if it were proper to wave at learned professors who were looking from their windows.
universitynounUS /ˌjuːnəˈvɜːrsəti/
the body of faculty and students at a university
From this reading In one sense it was hard to comprehend that it was her Karl who was such an important man about this great university.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading SCIENCE, ART, AND LOVE From his window in the laboratory he saw her as she was coming across the campus, and waved.
one of a series of ridges that moves across the surface of a liquid (especially across a large body of water)
From this reading She waved back, and then wondered if it were proper to wave at learned professors who were looking from their windows.
past form of “wave” — signal with the hands or nod
From this reading SCIENCE, ART, AND LOVE From his window in the laboratory he saw her as she was coming across the campus, and waved.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading She waved back, and then wondered if it were proper to wave at learned professors who were looking from their windows.
which person or people
From this reading She waved back, and then wondered if it were proper to wave at learned professors who were looking from their windows.
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 SCIENCE, ART, AND LOVE From his window in the laboratory he saw her as she was coming across the campus, and waved.
(trademark) an operating system with a graphical user interface
From this reading She waved back, and then wondered if it were proper to wave at learned professors who were looking from their windows.
past form of “wonder” — have a wish or desire to know something
From this reading She waved back, and then wondered if it were proper to wave at learned professors who were looking from their windows.
