used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Rust was with me a good deal of the time; but the visitor whose coming I was expecting every minute did not arrive till early in the afternoon.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading In about a quarter of an hour I received him in the library.
a record or narrative description of past events
From this reading NAGASKI'S INSTINCT I was busy all the morning sending and receiving telegrams, and making certain plans on my own account.
the part of the day between noon and evening
From this reading Rust was with me a good deal of the time; but the visitor whose coming I was expecting every minute did not arrive till early in the afternoon.
(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 NAGASKI'S INSTINCT I was busy all the morning sending and receiving telegrams, and making certain plans on my own account.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading In about a quarter of an hour I received him in the library.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading NAGASKI'S INSTINCT I was busy all the morning sending and receiving telegrams, and making certain plans on my own account.
reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress
From this reading Rust was with me a good deal of the time; but the visitor whose coming I was expecting every minute did not arrive till early in the afternoon.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading I sent out word to Mr. Stanley that I was exceedingly busy, and should be glad to be excused; but, as I had confidently expected, he was insistent.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading I sent out word to Mr. Stanley that I was exceedingly busy, and should be glad to be excused; but, as I had confidently expected, he was insistent.
actively or fully engaged or occupied
From this reading NAGASKI'S INSTINCT I was busy all the morning sending and receiving telegrams, and making certain plans on my own account.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Rust was with me a good deal of the time; but the visitor whose coming I was expecting every minute did not arrive till early in the afternoon.
definite but not specified or identified
From this reading NAGASKI'S INSTINCT I was busy all the morning sending and receiving telegrams, and making certain plans on my own account.
a seat for one person, with a support for the back
From this reading He sank softly into the chair towards which I had pointed.
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading Rust was with me a good deal of the time; but the visitor whose coming I was expecting every minute did not arrive till early in the afternoon.
confidentlyadverbUS /ˈkɑːnfədəntli/
with confidence; in a confident manner
From this reading I sent out word to Mr. Stanley that I was exceedingly busy, and should be glad to be excused; but, as I had confidently expected, he was insistent.
act on verbally or in some form of artistic expression
From this reading Rust was with me a good deal of the time; but the visitor whose coming I was expecting every minute did not arrive till early in the afternoon.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Rust was with me a good deal of the time; but the visitor whose coming I was expecting every minute did not arrive till early in the afternoon.
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 Rust was with me a good deal of the time; but the visitor whose coming I was expecting every minute did not arrive till early in the afternoon.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading Rust was with me a good deal of the time; but the visitor whose coming I was expecting every minute did not arrive till early in the afternoon.
to an extreme degree
From this reading I sent out word to Mr. Stanley that I was exceedingly busy, and should be glad to be excused; but, as I had confidently expected, he was insistent.
excusedadjectiveUS /ɪksˈkjuːzd/
granted exemption
From this reading I sent out word to Mr. Stanley that I was exceedingly busy, and should be glad to be excused; but, as I had confidently expected, he was insistent.
considered likely or probable to happen or arrive
From this reading I sent out word to Mr. Stanley that I was exceedingly busy, and should be glad to be excused; but, as I had confidently expected, he was insistent.
-ing form of “expect” — regard something as probable or likely
From this reading Rust was with me a good deal of the time; but the visitor whose coming I was expecting every minute did not arrive till early in the afternoon.
showing or causing joy and pleasure; especially made happy
From this reading I sent out word to Mr. Stanley that I was exceedingly busy, and should be glad to be excused; but, as I had confidently expected, he was insistent.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading Rust was with me a good deal of the time; but the visitor whose coming I was expecting every minute did not arrive till early in the afternoon.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading I sent out word to Mr. Stanley that I was exceedingly busy, and should be glad to be excused; but, as I had confidently expected, he was insistent.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading I sent out word to Mr. Stanley that I was exceedingly busy, and should be glad to be excused; but, as I had confidently expected, he was insistent.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading In about a quarter of an hour I received him in the library.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading In about a quarter of an hour I received him in the library.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading NAGASKI'S INSTINCT I was busy all the morning sending and receiving telegrams, and making certain plans on my own account.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Rust was with me a good deal of the time; but the visitor whose coming I was expecting every minute did not arrive till early in the afternoon.
insistentadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈsɪstənt/
repetitive and persistent
From this reading I sent out word to Mr. Stanley that I was exceedingly busy, and should be glad to be excused; but, as I had confidently expected, he was insistent.
inborn pattern of behavior often responsive to specific stimuli
From this reading NAGASKI'S INSTINCT I was busy all the morning sending and receiving telegrams, and making certain plans on my own account.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading He sank softly into the chair towards which I had pointed.
a room where books are kept
From this reading In about a quarter of an hour I received him in the library.
the act that results in something coming to be
From this reading NAGASKI'S INSTINCT I was busy all the morning sending and receiving telegrams, and making certain plans on my own account.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Rust was with me a good deal of the time; but the visitor whose coming I was expecting every minute did not arrive till early in the afternoon.
a unit of time equal to 60 seconds or 1/60th of an hour
From this reading Rust was with me a good deal of the time; but the visitor whose coming I was expecting every minute did not arrive till early in the afternoon.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading NAGASKI'S INSTINCT I was busy all the morning sending and receiving telegrams, and making certain plans on my own account.
a form of address for a man
From this reading I sent out word to Mr. Stanley that I was exceedingly busy, and should be glad to be excused; but, as I had confidently expected, he was insistent.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading NAGASKI'S INSTINCT I was busy all the morning sending and receiving telegrams, and making certain plans on my own account.
NAGASKI'S
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading NAGASKI'S INSTINCT I was busy all the morning sending and receiving telegrams, and making certain plans on my own account.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Rust was with me a good deal of the time; but the visitor whose coming I was expecting every minute did not arrive till early in the afternoon.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Rust was with me a good deal of the time; but the visitor whose coming I was expecting every minute did not arrive till early in the afternoon.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading NAGASKI'S INSTINCT I was busy all the morning sending and receiving telegrams, and making certain plans on my own account.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading I sent out word to Mr. Stanley that I was exceedingly busy, and should be glad to be excused; but, as I had confidently expected, he was insistent.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading NAGASKI'S INSTINCT I was busy all the morning sending and receiving telegrams, and making certain plans on my own account.
plural of “plan” — a series of steps to be carried out or goals to be accomplished
From this reading NAGASKI'S INSTINCT I was busy all the morning sending and receiving telegrams, and making certain plans on my own account.
having a point
From this reading He sank softly into the chair towards which I had pointed.
one of four equal parts
From this reading In about a quarter of an hour I received him in the library.
conforming to the established language usage of educated native speakers
From this reading In about a quarter of an hour I received him in the library.
receivingverbUS /rəˈsiːvɪŋ/
-ing form of “receive” — get something; come into possession of
From this reading NAGASKI'S INSTINCT I was busy all the morning sending and receiving telegrams, and making certain plans on my own account.
RustverbUS /rʌst/
become destroyed by water, air, or a corrosive such as an acid
From this reading Rust was with me a good deal of the time; but the visitor whose coming I was expecting every minute did not arrive till early in the afternoon.
inflected form of “sink” — fall or descend to a lower place or level
From this reading He sank softly into the chair towards which I had pointed.
the act of causing something to go (especially messages)
From this reading NAGASKI'S INSTINCT I was busy all the morning sending and receiving telegrams, and making certain plans on my own account.
100 senti equal 1 kroon in Estonia
From this reading I sent out word to Mr. Stanley that I was exceedingly busy, and should be glad to be excused; but, as I had confidently expected, he was insistent.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading I sent out word to Mr. Stanley that I was exceedingly busy, and should be glad to be excused; but, as I had confidently expected, he was insistent.
with low volume
From this reading He sank softly into the chair towards which I had pointed.
StanleynounUS /ˈstænli/
United States inventor who built a steam-powered automobile (1849-1918)
From this reading I sent out word to Mr. Stanley that I was exceedingly busy, and should be glad to be excused; but, as I had confidently expected, he was insistent.
telegramsnounUS /ˈteləɡræmz/
plural of “telegram” — a message transmitted by telegraph
From this reading NAGASKI'S INSTINCT I was busy all the morning sending and receiving telegrams, and making certain plans on my own account.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading I sent out word to Mr. Stanley that I was exceedingly busy, and should be glad to be excused; but, as I had confidently expected, he was insistent.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading NAGASKI'S INSTINCT I was busy all the morning sending and receiving telegrams, and making certain plans on my own account.
up to a particular time
From this reading Rust was with me a good deal of the time; but the visitor whose coming I was expecting every minute did not arrive till early in the afternoon.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Rust was with me a good deal of the time; but the visitor whose coming I was expecting every minute did not arrive till early in the afternoon.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I sent out word to Mr. Stanley that I was exceedingly busy, and should be glad to be excused; but, as I had confidently expected, he was insistent.
in the direction of
From this reading He sank softly into the chair towards which I had pointed.
someone who visits
From this reading Rust was with me a good deal of the time; but the visitor whose coming I was expecting every minute did not arrive till early in the afternoon.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading NAGASKI'S INSTINCT I was busy all the morning sending and receiving telegrams, and making certain plans on my own account.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading He sank softly into the chair towards which I had pointed.
belonging to which person
From this reading Rust was with me a good deal of the time; but the visitor whose coming I was expecting every minute did not arrive till early in the afternoon.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Rust was with me a good deal of the time; but the visitor whose coming I was expecting every minute did not arrive till early in the afternoon.
a unit of language that native speakers can identify
From this reading I sent out word to Mr. Stanley that I was exceedingly busy, and should be glad to be excused; but, as I had confidently expected, he was insistent.
