used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE RETURN OF A FRIEND.
AboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading About a week later, Tom Loring sat at work in his rooms.
accomplishmentnounUS /əˈkɑːmplɪʃmənt/
the action of accomplishing something
From this reading For a while he wrote busily; then a dash of his pen proclaimed a finished task, and he lay back in the luxury of accomplishment.
alarmingadjectiveUS /əˈlɑːrmɪŋ/
frightening because of an awareness of danger
From this reading The table was strewn with books of blue and of less alarming colours.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The table was strewn with books of blue and of less alarming colours.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading About a week later, Tom Loring sat at work in his rooms.
aye
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Tom was smoking a short pipe, and when he paused for a fresh idea, the smoke welled out of his mouth, aye, and out of his nose, thick and fast.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading For a while he wrote busily; then a dash of his pen proclaimed a finished task, and he lay back in the luxury of accomplishment.
of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky
From this reading The table was strewn with books of blue and of less alarming colours.
Bound written or printed works.
From this reading The table was strewn with books of blue and of less alarming colours.
busilyadverbUS /ˈbɪzəli/
in a busy manner
From this reading For a while he wrote busily; then a dash of his pen proclaimed a finished task, and he lay back in the luxury of accomplishment.
coloursnounUS /ˈkʌlərz/
a distinguishing emblem
From this reading The table was strewn with books of blue and of less alarming colours.
dashverbUS /dæʃ/
run or move very quickly or hastily
From this reading For a while he wrote busily; then a dash of his pen proclaimed a finished task, and he lay back in the luxury of accomplishment.
quickly or rapidly (often used as a combining form)
From this reading Tom was smoking a short pipe, and when he paused for a fresh idea, the smoke welled out of his mouth, aye, and out of his nose, thick and fast.
(of materials or goods) brought to the desired final state
From this reading For a while he wrote busily; then a dash of his pen proclaimed a finished task, and he lay back in the luxury of accomplishment.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Tom was smoking a short pipe, and when he paused for a fresh idea, the smoke welled out of his mouth, aye, and out of his nose, thick and fast.
recently made, produced, or harvested
From this reading Tom was smoking a short pipe, and when he paused for a fresh idea, the smoke welled out of his mouth, aye, and out of his nose, thick and fast.
a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading THE RETURN OF A FRIEND.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Tom was smoking a short pipe, and when he paused for a fresh idea, the smoke welled out of his mouth, aye, and out of his nose, thick and fast.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading About a week later, Tom Loring sat at work in his rooms.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading Tom was smoking a short pipe, and when he paused for a fresh idea, the smoke welled out of his mouth, aye, and out of his nose, thick and fast.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading About a week later, Tom Loring sat at work in his rooms.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading About a week later, Tom Loring sat at work in his rooms.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading For a while he wrote busily; then a dash of his pen proclaimed a finished task, and he lay back in the luxury of accomplishment.
used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs
From this reading The table was strewn with books of blue and of less alarming colours.
Loring
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading About a week later, Tom Loring sat at work in his rooms.
luxurynounUS /ˈlʌɡʒəri/
something that is an indulgence rather than a necessity
From this reading For a while he wrote busily; then a dash of his pen proclaimed a finished task, and he lay back in the luxury of accomplishment.
the opening through which food is taken in and vocalizations emerge
From this reading Tom was smoking a short pipe, and when he paused for a fresh idea, the smoke welled out of his mouth, aye, and out of his nose, thick and fast.
the organ of smell and entrance to the respiratory tract; the prominent part of the face of man or other mammals
From this reading Tom was smoking a short pipe, and when he paused for a fresh idea, the smoke welled out of his mouth, aye, and out of his nose, thick and fast.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE RETURN OF A FRIEND.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Tom was smoking a short pipe, and when he paused for a fresh idea, the smoke welled out of his mouth, aye, and out of his nose, thick and fast.
past form of “pause” — interrupt temporarily an activity before continuing
From this reading Tom was smoking a short pipe, and when he paused for a fresh idea, the smoke welled out of his mouth, aye, and out of his nose, thick and fast.
a writing implement with a point from which ink flows
From this reading For a while he wrote busily; then a dash of his pen proclaimed a finished task, and he lay back in the luxury of accomplishment.
a tube with a small bowl at one end; used for smoking tobacco
From this reading Tom was smoking a short pipe, and when he paused for a fresh idea, the smoke welled out of his mouth, aye, and out of his nose, thick and fast.
proclaimedadjectiveUS /proʊˈkleɪmd/
declared publicly; made widely known
From this reading For a while he wrote busily; then a dash of his pen proclaimed a finished task, and he lay back in the luxury of accomplishment.
go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading THE RETURN OF A FRIEND.
apartment consisting of a series of connected rooms used as a living unit (as in a hotel)
From this reading About a week later, Tom Loring sat at work in his rooms.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading About a week later, Tom Loring sat at work in his rooms.
primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration
From this reading Tom was smoking a short pipe, and when he paused for a fresh idea, the smoke welled out of his mouth, aye, and out of his nose, thick and fast.
a cloud of fine particles suspended in a gas
From this reading Tom was smoking a short pipe, and when he paused for a fresh idea, the smoke welled out of his mouth, aye, and out of his nose, thick and fast.
the act of smoking tobacco or other substances
From this reading Tom was smoking a short pipe, and when he paused for a fresh idea, the smoke welled out of his mouth, aye, and out of his nose, thick and fast.
strewnverbUS /struːn/
inflected form of “strew” — spread by scattering ("straw" is archaic)
From this reading The table was strewn with books of blue and of less alarming colours.
a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading The table was strewn with books of blue and of less alarming colours.
any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted
From this reading For a while he wrote busily; then a dash of his pen proclaimed a finished task, and he lay back in the luxury of accomplishment.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE RETURN OF A FRIEND.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading For a while he wrote busily; then a dash of his pen proclaimed a finished task, and he lay back in the luxury of accomplishment.
not thin; of a specific thickness or of relatively great extent from one surface to the opposite usually in the smallest of the three solid dimensions
From this reading Tom was smoking a short pipe, and when he paused for a fresh idea, the smoke welled out of his mouth, aye, and out of his nose, thick and fast.
male cat
From this reading About a week later, Tom Loring sat at work in his rooms.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The table was strewn with books of blue and of less alarming colours.
any period of seven consecutive days
From this reading About a week later, Tom Loring sat at work in his rooms.
welled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Tom was smoking a short pipe, and when he paused for a fresh idea, the smoke welled out of his mouth, aye, and out of his nose, thick and fast.
at the time that
From this reading Tom was smoking a short pipe, and when he paused for a fresh idea, the smoke welled out of his mouth, aye, and out of his nose, thick and fast.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading For a while he wrote busily; then a dash of his pen proclaimed a finished task, and he lay back in the luxury of accomplishment.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The table was strewn with books of blue and of less alarming colours.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading About a week later, Tom Loring sat at work in his rooms.
inflected form of “write” — produce a literary work
From this reading For a while he wrote busily; then a dash of his pen proclaimed a finished task, and he lay back in the luxury of accomplishment.
