used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading AUSTIN AND HIS FATHER Though Austin was but a child, he knew that his father was acting very selfishly in going away at this time, and that his real desire for going was to avoid responsibility rather than to cure loneliness.
the state of being absent
From this reading Many thoughts pressed in upon the boy as he contemplated his father’s long absence, but the thought that gave him an answer was that if he refused, the home might be broken up.
the performance of a part or role in a drama
From this reading AUSTIN AND HIS FATHER Though Austin was but a child, he knew that his father was acting very selfishly in going away at this time, and that his real desire for going was to avoid responsibility rather than to cure loneliness.
(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 It was only a moment that he hesitated in answering, “Yes, Papa, I think I could manage all right; I might have to miss school part of the time.”
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Many thoughts pressed in upon the boy as he contemplated his father’s long absence, but the thought that gave him an answer was that if he refused, the home might be broken up.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading AUSTIN AND HIS FATHER Though Austin was but a child, he knew that his father was acting very selfishly in going away at this time, and that his real desire for going was to avoid responsibility rather than to cure loneliness.
react verbally
From this reading Many thoughts pressed in upon the boy as he contemplated his father’s long absence, but the thought that gave him an answer was that if he refused, the home might be broken up.
answeringadjectiveUS /ˈænsərɪŋ/
replying
From this reading It was only a moment that he hesitated in answering, “Yes, Papa, I think I could manage all right; I might have to miss school part of the time.”
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Many thoughts pressed in upon the boy as he contemplated his father’s long absence, but the thought that gave him an answer was that if he refused, the home might be broken up.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading AUSTIN AND HIS FATHER Though Austin was but a child, he knew that his father was acting very selfishly in going away at this time, and that his real desire for going was to avoid responsibility rather than to cure loneliness.
AUSTINnounUS /ˈɔːstən/
state capital of Texas on the Colorado River; site of the University of Texas
From this reading AUSTIN AND HIS FATHER Though Austin was but a child, he knew that his father was acting very selfishly in going away at this time, and that his real desire for going was to avoid responsibility rather than to cure loneliness.
stay clear from; keep away from; keep out of the way of someone or something
From this reading AUSTIN AND HIS FATHER Though Austin was but a child, he knew that his father was acting very selfishly in going away at this time, and that his real desire for going was to avoid responsibility rather than to cure loneliness.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading AUSTIN AND HIS FATHER Though Austin was but a child, he knew that his father was acting very selfishly in going away at this time, and that his real desire for going was to avoid responsibility rather than to cure loneliness.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Many thoughts pressed in upon the boy as he contemplated his father’s long absence, but the thought that gave him an answer was that if he refused, the home might be broken up.
a youthful male person
From this reading Many thoughts pressed in upon the boy as he contemplated his father’s long absence, but the thought that gave him an answer was that if he refused, the home might be broken up.
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading “Well, I shall go with some of the boys down into the hills for a while to see if I can not get straightened out so that I shall be more fit for work.
possessing or displaying courage; able to face and deal with danger or fear without flinching
From this reading He seemed to see his mother’s face, and it encouraged him to be brave.
physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split
From this reading Many thoughts pressed in upon the boy as he contemplated his father’s long absence, but the thought that gave him an answer was that if he refused, the home might be broken up.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading AUSTIN AND HIS FATHER Though Austin was but a child, he knew that his father was acting very selfishly in going away at this time, and that his real desire for going was to avoid responsibility rather than to cure loneliness.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading “Well, I shall go with some of the boys down into the hills for a while to see if I can not get straightened out so that I shall be more fit for work.
a young person of either sex
From this reading AUSTIN AND HIS FATHER Though Austin was but a child, he knew that his father was acting very selfishly in going away at this time, and that his real desire for going was to avoid responsibility rather than to cure loneliness.
contemplatedverbUS /ˈkɑːntəmpleɪtɪd/
past form of “contemplate” — look at thoughtfully; observe deep in thought
From this reading Many thoughts pressed in upon the boy as he contemplated his father’s long absence, but the thought that gave him an answer was that if he refused, the home might be broken up.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading It was only a moment that he hesitated in answering, “Yes, Papa, I think I could manage all right; I might have to miss school part of the time.”
provide a cure for, make healthy again
From this reading AUSTIN AND HIS FATHER Though Austin was but a child, he knew that his father was acting very selfishly in going away at this time, and that his real desire for going was to avoid responsibility rather than to cure loneliness.
the feeling that accompanies an unsatisfied state
From this reading AUSTIN AND HIS FATHER Though Austin was but a child, he knew that his father was acting very selfishly in going away at this time, and that his real desire for going was to avoid responsibility rather than to cure loneliness.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading “Well, I shall go with some of the boys down into the hills for a while to see if I can not get straightened out so that I shall be more fit for work.
encouragedadjectiveUS /enˈkɜːrɪdʒd/
inspired with confidence
From this reading He seemed to see his mother’s face, and it encouraged him to be brave.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading He seemed to see his mother’s face, and it encouraged him to be brave.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading AUSTIN AND HIS FATHER Though Austin was but a child, he knew that his father was acting very selfishly in going away at this time, and that his real desire for going was to avoid responsibility rather than to cure loneliness.
father'snounUS /ˈfɑːðərz/
possessive form of “father” — a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading Many thoughts pressed in upon the boy as he contemplated his father’s long absence, but the thought that gave him an answer was that if he refused, the home might be broken up.
be agreeable or acceptable to
From this reading “Well, I shall go with some of the boys down into the hills for a while to see if I can not get straightened out so that I shall be more fit for work.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading AUSTIN AND HIS FATHER Though Austin was but a child, he knew that his father was acting very selfishly in going away at this time, and that his real desire for going was to avoid responsibility rather than to cure loneliness.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading Many thoughts pressed in upon the boy as he contemplated his father’s long absence, but the thought that gave him an answer was that if he refused, the home might be broken up.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading “Well, I shall go with some of the boys down into the hills for a while to see if I can not get straightened out so that I shall be more fit for work.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading “Well, I shall go with some of the boys down into the hills for a while to see if I can not get straightened out so that I shall be more fit for work.
the act of departing
From this reading AUSTIN AND HIS FATHER Though Austin was but a child, he knew that his father was acting very selfishly in going away at this time, and that his real desire for going was to avoid responsibility rather than to cure loneliness.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading It was only a moment that he hesitated in answering, “Yes, Papa, I think I could manage all right; I might have to miss school part of the time.”
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading AUSTIN AND HIS FATHER Though Austin was but a child, he knew that his father was acting very selfishly in going away at this time, and that his real desire for going was to avoid responsibility rather than to cure loneliness.
past form of “hesitate” — pause or hold back in uncertainty or unwillingness
From this reading It was only a moment that he hesitated in answering, “Yes, Papa, I think I could manage all right; I might have to miss school part of the time.”
plural of “hill” — a local and well-defined elevation of the land
From this reading “Well, I shall go with some of the boys down into the hills for a while to see if I can not get straightened out so that I shall be more fit for work.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Many thoughts pressed in upon the boy as he contemplated his father’s long absence, but the thought that gave him an answer was that if he refused, the home might be broken up.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading AUSTIN AND HIS FATHER Though Austin was but a child, he knew that his father was acting very selfishly in going away at this time, and that his real desire for going was to avoid responsibility rather than to cure loneliness.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading Many thoughts pressed in upon the boy as he contemplated his father’s long absence, but the thought that gave him an answer was that if he refused, the home might be broken up.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading It was only a moment that he hesitated in answering, “Yes, Papa, I think I could manage all right; I might have to miss school part of the time.”
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Many thoughts pressed in upon the boy as he contemplated his father’s long absence, but the thought that gave him an answer was that if he refused, the home might be broken up.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading AUSTIN AND HIS FATHER Though Austin was but a child, he knew that his father was acting very selfishly in going away at this time, and that his real desire for going was to avoid responsibility rather than to cure loneliness.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading “Well, I shall go with some of the boys down into the hills for a while to see if I can not get straightened out so that I shall be more fit for work.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He seemed to see his mother’s face, and it encouraged him to be brave.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading AUSTIN AND HIS FATHER Though Austin was but a child, he knew that his father was acting very selfishly in going away at this time, and that his real desire for going was to avoid responsibility rather than to cure loneliness.
lonelinessnounUS /ˈloʊnlinəs/
the state of being alone in solitary isolation
From this reading AUSTIN AND HIS FATHER Though Austin was but a child, he knew that his father was acting very selfishly in going away at this time, and that his real desire for going was to avoid responsibility rather than to cure loneliness.
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 Many thoughts pressed in upon the boy as he contemplated his father’s long absence, but the thought that gave him an answer was that if he refused, the home might be broken up.
be successful; achieve a goal
From this reading It was only a moment that he hesitated in answering, “Yes, Papa, I think I could manage all right; I might have to miss school part of the time.”
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading Many thoughts pressed in upon the boy as he contemplated his father’s long absence, but the thought that gave him an answer was that if he refused, the home might be broken up.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading Many thoughts pressed in upon the boy as he contemplated his father’s long absence, but the thought that gave him an answer was that if he refused, the home might be broken up.
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading It was only a moment that he hesitated in answering, “Yes, Papa, I think I could manage all right; I might have to miss school part of the time.”
a particular point in time
From this reading It was only a moment that he hesitated in answering, “Yes, Papa, I think I could manage all right; I might have to miss school part of the time.”
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading “Well, I shall go with some of the boys down into the hills for a while to see if I can not get straightened out so that I shall be more fit for work.
mother'snounUS /ˈmʌðərz/
possessive form of “mother” — a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading He seemed to see his mother’s face, and it encouraged him to be brave.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading “Well, I shall go with some of the boys down into the hills for a while to see if I can not get straightened out so that I shall be more fit for work.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It was only a moment that he hesitated in answering, “Yes, Papa, I think I could manage all right; I might have to miss school part of the time.”
and nothing more
From this reading It was only a moment that he hesitated in answering, “Yes, Papa, I think I could manage all right; I might have to miss school part of the time.”
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading “Well, I shall go with some of the boys down into the hills for a while to see if I can not get straightened out so that I shall be more fit for work.
an informal term for a father; probably derived from baby talk
From this reading It was only a moment that he hesitated in answering, “Yes, Papa, I think I could manage all right; I might have to miss school part of the time.”
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading It was only a moment that he hesitated in answering, “Yes, Papa, I think I could manage all right; I might have to miss school part of the time.”
compacted by ironing
From this reading Many thoughts pressed in upon the boy as he contemplated his father’s long absence, but the thought that gave him an answer was that if he refused, the home might be broken up.
on the contrary
From this reading AUSTIN AND HIS FATHER Though Austin was but a child, he knew that his father was acting very selfishly in going away at this time, and that his real desire for going was to avoid responsibility rather than to cure loneliness.
being or occurring in fact or actuality; having verified existence; not illusory
From this reading AUSTIN AND HIS FATHER Though Austin was but a child, he knew that his father was acting very selfishly in going away at this time, and that his real desire for going was to avoid responsibility rather than to cure loneliness.
past form of “refuse” — show unwillingness towards
From this reading Many thoughts pressed in upon the boy as he contemplated his father’s long absence, but the thought that gave him an answer was that if he refused, the home might be broken up.
responsibilitynounUS /riˌspɑːnsəˈbɪləti/
the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force
From this reading AUSTIN AND HIS FATHER Though Austin was but a child, he knew that his father was acting very selfishly in going away at this time, and that his real desire for going was to avoid responsibility rather than to cure loneliness.
precisely, exactly
From this reading It was only a moment that he hesitated in answering, “Yes, Papa, I think I could manage all right; I might have to miss school part of the time.”
an educational institution
From this reading It was only a moment that he hesitated in answering, “Yes, Papa, I think I could manage all right; I might have to miss school part of the time.”
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading He seemed to see his mother’s face, and it encouraged him to be brave.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading He seemed to see his mother’s face, and it encouraged him to be brave.
selfishlyadverb
in an egotistical manner
From this reading AUSTIN AND HIS FATHER Though Austin was but a child, he knew that his father was acting very selfishly in going away at this time, and that his real desire for going was to avoid responsibility rather than to cure loneliness.
used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest
From this reading “Well, I shall go with some of the boys down into the hills for a while to see if I can not get straightened out so that I shall be more fit for work.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading “Well, I shall go with some of the boys down into the hills for a while to see if I can not get straightened out so that I shall be more fit for work.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading “Well, I shall go with some of the boys down into the hills for a while to see if I can not get straightened out so that I shall be more fit for work.
straightenedverbUS /ˈstreɪtənd/
past form of “straighten” — straighten up or out; make straight
From this reading “Well, I shall go with some of the boys down into the hills for a while to see if I can not get straightened out so that I shall be more fit for work.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading AUSTIN AND HIS FATHER Though Austin was but a child, he knew that his father was acting very selfishly in going away at this time, and that his real desire for going was to avoid responsibility rather than to cure loneliness.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading AUSTIN AND HIS FATHER Though Austin was but a child, he knew that his father was acting very selfishly in going away at this time, and that his real desire for going was to avoid responsibility rather than to cure loneliness.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Many thoughts pressed in upon the boy as he contemplated his father’s long absence, but the thought that gave him an answer was that if he refused, the home might be broken up.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading It was only a moment that he hesitated in answering, “Yes, Papa, I think I could manage all right; I might have to miss school part of the time.”
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading AUSTIN AND HIS FATHER Though Austin was but a child, he knew that his father was acting very selfishly in going away at this time, and that his real desire for going was to avoid responsibility rather than to cure loneliness.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading AUSTIN AND HIS FATHER Though Austin was but a child, he knew that his father was acting very selfishly in going away at this time, and that his real desire for going was to avoid responsibility rather than to cure loneliness.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading Many thoughts pressed in upon the boy as he contemplated his father’s long absence, but the thought that gave him an answer was that if he refused, the home might be broken up.
plural of “thought” — the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading Many thoughts pressed in upon the boy as he contemplated his father’s long absence, but the thought that gave him an answer was that if he refused, the home might be broken up.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading AUSTIN AND HIS FATHER Though Austin was but a child, he knew that his father was acting very selfishly in going away at this time, and that his real desire for going was to avoid responsibility rather than to cure loneliness.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading AUSTIN AND HIS FATHER Though Austin was but a child, he knew that his father was acting very selfishly in going away at this time, and that his real desire for going was to avoid responsibility rather than to cure loneliness.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Many thoughts pressed in upon the boy as he contemplated his father’s long absence, but the thought that gave him an answer was that if he refused, the home might be broken up.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Many thoughts pressed in upon the boy as he contemplated his father’s long absence, but the thought that gave him an answer was that if he refused, the home might be broken up.
precisely as stated
From this reading AUSTIN AND HIS FATHER Though Austin was but a child, he knew that his father was acting very selfishly in going away at this time, and that his real desire for going was to avoid responsibility rather than to cure loneliness.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading AUSTIN AND HIS FATHER Though Austin was but a child, he knew that his father was acting very selfishly in going away at this time, and that his real desire for going was to avoid responsibility rather than to cure loneliness.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading “Well, I shall go with some of the boys down into the hills for a while to see if I can not get straightened out so that I shall be more fit for work.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading “Well, I shall go with some of the boys down into the hills for a while to see if I can not get straightened out so that I shall be more fit for work.
in the company of; together with
From this reading “Well, I shall go with some of the boys down into the hills for a while to see if I can not get straightened out so that I shall be more fit for work.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading “Well, I shall go with some of the boys down into the hills for a while to see if I can not get straightened out so that I shall be more fit for work.
an affirmative
From this reading It was only a moment that he hesitated in answering, “Yes, Papa, I think I could manage all right; I might have to miss school part of the time.”
