used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A REMARKABLE DISCOVERY The improvement in the school's attitude to Paul did not last long.
alacritynounUS /əˈlækrəti/
liveliness and eagerness
From this reading The Garsiders who had come over to him with a swing, for some reason swung back with the same alacrity.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading First and foremost in his thoughts was Hibbert.
a complex mental state involving beliefs and feelings and values and dispositions to act in certain ways
From this reading A REMARKABLE DISCOVERY The improvement in the school's attitude to Paul did not last long.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading The Garsiders who had come over to him with a swing, for some reason swung back with the same alacrity.
cause to change; make different; cause a transformation
From this reading Fortunately, Paul's mind was too much occupied just then with other matters to take much notice of this change.
cheeredverbUS /tʃɪrd/
past form of “cheer” — give encouragement to
From this reading The juniors who had cheered him to the echo in the dormitory now passed him without a word.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading The Garsiders who had come over to him with a swing, for some reason swung back with the same alacrity.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading A REMARKABLE DISCOVERY The improvement in the school's attitude to Paul did not last long.
the act of discovering something
From this reading A REMARKABLE DISCOVERY The improvement in the school's attitude to Paul did not last long.
dormitorynounUS /ˈdɔːrmətɔːri/
a college or university building containing living quarters for students
From this reading The juniors who had cheered him to the echo in the dormitory now passed him without a word.
echoverbUS /ˈekoʊ/
to say again or imitate
From this reading The juniors who had cheered him to the echo in the dormitory now passed him without a word.
FirstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading First and foremost in his thoughts was Hibbert.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The Garsiders who had come over to him with a swing, for some reason swung back with the same alacrity.
foremostadjectiveUS /ˈfɔːrmoʊst/
ranking above all others
From this reading First and foremost in his thoughts was Hibbert.
FortunatelyadverbUS /ˈfɔːrtʃənətli/
by good fortune
From this reading Fortunately, Paul's mind was too much occupied just then with other matters to take much notice of this change.
Garsiders
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Garsiders who had come over to him with a swing, for some reason swung back with the same alacrity.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The Garsiders who had come over to him with a swing, for some reason swung back with the same alacrity.
Hibbert
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading First and foremost in his thoughts was Hibbert.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The Garsiders who had come over to him with a swing, for some reason swung back with the same alacrity.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading First and foremost in his thoughts was Hibbert.
improvementnounUS /ˌɪmˈpruːvmənt/
a change for the better; progress in development
From this reading A REMARKABLE DISCOVERY The improvement in the school's attitude to Paul did not last long.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A REMARKABLE DISCOVERY The improvement in the school's attitude to Paul did not last long.
juniorsnounUS /ˈdʒuːnjərz/
plural of “junior” — term of address for a disrespectful and annoying male
From this reading The juniors who had cheered him to the echo in the dormitory now passed him without a word.
and nothing more
From this reading Fortunately, Paul's mind was too much occupied just then with other matters to take much notice of this change.
immediately past
From this reading A REMARKABLE DISCOVERY The improvement in the school's attitude to Paul did not last long.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading A REMARKABLE DISCOVERY The improvement in the school's attitude to Paul did not last long.
plural of “matter” — a vaguely specified concern
From this reading Fortunately, Paul's mind was too much occupied just then with other matters to take much notice of this change.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading Fortunately, Paul's mind was too much occupied just then with other matters to take much notice of this change.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading Fortunately, Paul's mind was too much occupied just then with other matters to take much notice of this change.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading A REMARKABLE DISCOVERY The improvement in the school's attitude to Paul did not last long.
an announcement containing information about an event
From this reading Fortunately, Paul's mind was too much occupied just then with other matters to take much notice of this change.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading The juniors who had cheered him to the echo in the dormitory now passed him without a word.
held or filled or in use
From this reading Fortunately, Paul's mind was too much occupied just then with other matters to take much notice of this change.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Fortunately, Paul's mind was too much occupied just then with other matters to take much notice of this change.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading Fortunately, Paul's mind was too much occupied just then with other matters to take much notice of this change.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading The Garsiders who had come over to him with a swing, for some reason swung back with the same alacrity.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading The juniors who had cheered him to the echo in the dormitory now passed him without a word.
United States feminist (1885-1977)
From this reading A REMARKABLE DISCOVERY The improvement in the school's attitude to Paul did not last long.
Paul'snounUS /pɔːlz/
possessive form of “paul” — United States feminist (1885-1977)
From this reading Fortunately, Paul's mind was too much occupied just then with other matters to take much notice of this change.
a rational motive for a belief or action
From this reading The Garsiders who had come over to him with a swing, for some reason swung back with the same alacrity.
unusual or striking
From this reading A REMARKABLE DISCOVERY The improvement in the school's attitude to Paul did not last long.
Identical; not different.
From this reading The Garsiders who had come over to him with a swing, for some reason swung back with the same alacrity.
school'snounUS /skuːlz/
possessive form of “school” — an educational institution
From this reading A REMARKABLE DISCOVERY The improvement in the school's attitude to Paul did not last long.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading The Garsiders who had come over to him with a swing, for some reason swung back with the same alacrity.
swingverbUS /swɪŋ/
move in a curve or arc, usually with the intent of hitting
From this reading The Garsiders who had come over to him with a swing, for some reason swung back with the same alacrity.
inflected form of “swing” — move in a curve or arc, usually with the intent of hitting
From this reading The Garsiders who had come over to him with a swing, for some reason swung back with the same alacrity.
carry out
From this reading Fortunately, Paul's mind was too much occupied just then with other matters to take much notice of this change.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A REMARKABLE DISCOVERY The improvement in the school's attitude to Paul did not last long.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Fortunately, Paul's mind was too much occupied just then with other matters to take much notice of this change.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Fortunately, Paul's mind was too much occupied just then with other matters to take much notice of this change.
plural of “thought” — the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading First and foremost in his thoughts was Hibbert.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A REMARKABLE DISCOVERY The improvement in the school's attitude to Paul did not last long.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading Fortunately, Paul's mind was too much occupied just then with other matters to take much notice of this change.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Fortunately, Paul's mind was too much occupied just then with other matters to take much notice of this change.
which person or people
From this reading The Garsiders who had come over to him with a swing, for some reason swung back with the same alacrity.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The Garsiders who had come over to him with a swing, for some reason swung back with the same alacrity.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading The juniors who had cheered him to the echo in the dormitory now passed him without a word.
a unit of language that native speakers can identify
From this reading The juniors who had cheered him to the echo in the dormitory now passed him without a word.
