used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading “How admirable and beautiful are eating and drinking, and what a great invention the human digestive system is!
abstinencenounUS /ˈæbstənəns/
the trait of abstaining (especially from alcohol)
From this reading The alligator can fast for a year and a half, whereas five hours’ abstinence will set an edge on the most pampered human appetite.
admirableadjectiveUS /ˈædmərəbəl/
deserving of the highest esteem or admiration
From this reading “How admirable and beautiful are eating and drinking, and what a great invention the human digestive system is!
farther along in physical or mental development
From this reading Nature has advanced a little since Mesozoic times.
alligatornounUS /ˈæləɡeɪtər/
leather made from alligator's hide
From this reading How much better to be a man than an alligator!
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading How much better to be a man than an alligator!
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading “How admirable and beautiful are eating and drinking, and what a great invention the human digestive system is!
appetitenounUS /ˈæpətaɪt/
a feeling of craving something
From this reading The alligator can fast for a year and a half, whereas five hours’ abstinence will set an edge on the most pampered human appetite.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading “How admirable and beautiful are eating and drinking, and what a great invention the human digestive system is!
artauxiliary verbUS /ɑːrt/
an old form of “are”, used with “thou”
From this reading I feel certain that there are whole South Seas of discovery yet to be made in the art and science of eating and drinking.”
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading How much better to be a man than an alligator!
delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration
From this reading “How admirable and beautiful are eating and drinking, and what a great invention the human digestive system is!
(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 How much better to be a man than an alligator!
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading The alligator can fast for a year and a half, whereas five hours’ abstinence will set an edge on the most pampered human appetite.
definite but not specified or identified
From this reading I feel certain that there are whole South Seas of discovery yet to be made in the art and science of eating and drinking.”
digestiveadjectiveUS /daɪˈdʒestɪv/
relating to or having the power to cause or promote digestion
From this reading “How admirable and beautiful are eating and drinking, and what a great invention the human digestive system is!
the act of discovering something
From this reading I feel certain that there are whole South Seas of discovery yet to be made in the art and science of eating and drinking.”
the act of consuming liquids
From this reading “How admirable and beautiful are eating and drinking, and what a great invention the human digestive system is!
the act of consuming food
From this reading “How admirable and beautiful are eating and drinking, and what a great invention the human digestive system is!
the boundary of a surface
From this reading The alligator can fast for a year and a half, whereas five hours’ abstinence will set an edge on the most pampered human appetite.
quickly or rapidly (often used as a combining form)
From this reading The alligator can fast for a year and a half, whereas five hours’ abstinence will set an edge on the most pampered human appetite.
undergo an emotional sensation or be in a particular state of mind
From this reading I feel certain that there are whole South Seas of discovery yet to be made in the art and science of eating and drinking.”
the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one
From this reading The alligator can fast for a year and a half, whereas five hours’ abstinence will set an edge on the most pampered human appetite.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The alligator can fast for a year and a half, whereas five hours’ abstinence will set an edge on the most pampered human appetite.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading “How admirable and beautiful are eating and drinking, and what a great invention the human digestive system is!
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading The alligator can fast for a year and a half, whereas five hours’ abstinence will set an edge on the most pampered human appetite.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Nature has advanced a little since Mesozoic times.
a period of time assigned for work
From this reading The alligator can fast for a year and a half, whereas five hours’ abstinence will set an edge on the most pampered human appetite.
How
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “How admirable and beautiful are eating and drinking, and what a great invention the human digestive system is!
humanadjectiveUS /ˈhjuːmən/
characteristic of humanity
From this reading “How admirable and beautiful are eating and drinking, and what a great invention the human digestive system is!
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I feel certain that there are whole South Seas of discovery yet to be made in the art and science of eating and drinking.”
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading I feel certain that there are whole South Seas of discovery yet to be made in the art and science of eating and drinking.”
inventionnounUS /ˌɪnˈvenʃən/
the creation of something in the mind
From this reading “How admirable and beautiful are eating and drinking, and what a great invention the human digestive system is!
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “How admirable and beautiful are eating and drinking, and what a great invention the human digestive system is!
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Nature has advanced a little since Mesozoic times.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading I feel certain that there are whole South Seas of discovery yet to be made in the art and science of eating and drinking.”
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading How much better to be a man than an alligator!
MesozoicnounUS /ˌmesəˈzoʊɪk/
from 230 million to 63 million years ago
From this reading Nature has advanced a little since Mesozoic times.
used to form the superlative
From this reading The alligator can fast for a year and a half, whereas five hours’ abstinence will set an edge on the most pampered human appetite.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading How much better to be a man than an alligator!
the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized
From this reading Nature has advanced a little since Mesozoic times.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading I feel certain that there are whole South Seas of discovery yet to be made in the art and science of eating and drinking.”
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The alligator can fast for a year and a half, whereas five hours’ abstinence will set an edge on the most pampered human appetite.
pamperedverbUS /ˈpæmpərd/
past form of “pamper” — treat with excessive indulgence
From this reading The alligator can fast for a year and a half, whereas five hours’ abstinence will set an edge on the most pampered human appetite.
a particular branch of scientific knowledge
From this reading I feel certain that there are whole South Seas of discovery yet to be made in the art and science of eating and drinking.”
plural of “sea” — a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading I feel certain that there are whole South Seas of discovery yet to be made in the art and science of eating and drinking.”
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading The alligator can fast for a year and a half, whereas five hours’ abstinence will set an edge on the most pampered human appetite.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading Nature has advanced a little since Mesozoic times.
the region of the United States lying to the south of the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading I feel certain that there are whole South Seas of discovery yet to be made in the art and science of eating and drinking.”
instrumentality that combines interrelated interacting artifacts designed to work as a coherent entity
From this reading “How admirable and beautiful are eating and drinking, and what a great invention the human digestive system is!
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading How much better to be a man than an alligator!
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading I feel certain that there are whole South Seas of discovery yet to be made in the art and science of eating and drinking.”
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “How admirable and beautiful are eating and drinking, and what a great invention the human digestive system is!
in or at that place or location
From this reading I feel certain that there are whole South Seas of discovery yet to be made in the art and science of eating and drinking.”
a more or less definite period of time now or previously present
From this reading Nature has advanced a little since Mesozoic times.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading How much better to be a man than an alligator!
used to ask for information about something
From this reading “How admirable and beautiful are eating and drinking, and what a great invention the human digestive system is!
whereasconjunctionUS /weˈræz/
in contrast with the fact that
From this reading The alligator can fast for a year and a half, whereas five hours’ abstinence will set an edge on the most pampered human appetite.
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading I feel certain that there are whole South Seas of discovery yet to be made in the art and science of eating and drinking.”
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading The alligator can fast for a year and a half, whereas five hours’ abstinence will set an edge on the most pampered human appetite.
a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days
From this reading The alligator can fast for a year and a half, whereas five hours’ abstinence will set an edge on the most pampered human appetite.
but in spite of that
From this reading I feel certain that there are whole South Seas of discovery yet to be made in the art and science of eating and drinking.”
