used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The new principal, who had just stepped into the room, and who now stood waiting behind his flat-top desk on the platform, was a tall, thin, severe-looking man of thirty-two or three.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The new principal, who had just stepped into the room, and who now stood waiting behind his flat-top desk on the platform, was a tall, thin, severe-looking man of thirty-two or three.
assemblynounUS /əˈsembli/
a group of machine parts that fit together to form a self-contained unit
From this reading The barely audible droning of study ceased promptly in the big assembly room of the Gridley High School.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading For this year Dr. Carl Thornton, beloved principal for a half-score of years, was not in command at the school.
the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others
From this reading or Dick & Co. on the Gridley Diamond "Attention, please."
audibleadjectiveUS /ˈɑːdəbəl/
heard or perceptible by the ear
From this reading The barely audible droning of study ceased promptly in the big assembly room of the Gridley High School.
barelyadverbUS /ˈberli/
only a very short time before
From this reading The barely audible droning of study ceased promptly in the big assembly room of the Gridley High School.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading The new principal, who had just stepped into the room, and who now stood waiting behind his flat-top desk on the platform, was a tall, thin, severe-looking man of thirty-two or three.
dearly loved
From this reading For this year Dr. Carl Thornton, beloved principal for a half-score of years, was not in command at the school.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The barely audible droning of study ceased promptly in the big assembly room of the Gridley High School.
Carl
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For this year Dr. Carl Thornton, beloved principal for a half-score of years, was not in command at the school.
past form of “cease” — put an end to a state or an activity
From this reading The barely audible droning of study ceased promptly in the big assembly room of the Gridley High School.
a seat for one person, with a support for the back
From this reading Ill health had forced the good old doctor to take at least a year's rest, and this stranger now sat in the Thornton chair.
ConounUS /koʊ/
an odorless very poisonous gas that is a product of incomplete combustion of carbon
From this reading or Dick & Co. on the Gridley Diamond "Attention, please."
an authoritative direction or instruction to do something
From this reading For this year Dr. Carl Thornton, beloved principal for a half-score of years, was not in command at the school.
a piece of furniture with a writing surface and usually drawers or other compartments
From this reading The new principal, who had just stepped into the room, and who now stood waiting behind his flat-top desk on the platform, was a tall, thin, severe-looking man of thirty-two or three.
DiamondnounUS /ˈdaɪmənd/
a transparent piece of diamond that has been cut and polished and is valued as a precious gem
From this reading or Dick & Co. on the Gridley Diamond "Attention, please."
someone who is a detective
From this reading or Dick & Co. on the Gridley Diamond "Attention, please."
a licensed medical practitioner
From this reading Ill health had forced the good old doctor to take at least a year's rest, and this stranger now sat in the Thornton chair.
Dr
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For this year Dr. Carl Thornton, beloved principal for a half-score of years, was not in command at the school.
droningnounUS /ˈdroʊnɪŋ/
an unchanging intonation
From this reading The barely audible droning of study ceased promptly in the big assembly room of the Gridley High School.
flat-topadjective
having a flat or flattened upper surface
From this reading The new principal, who had just stepped into the room, and who now stood waiting behind his flat-top desk on the platform, was a tall, thin, severe-looking man of thirty-two or three.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For this year Dr. Carl Thornton, beloved principal for a half-score of years, was not in command at the school.
produced by or subjected to forcing
From this reading Ill health had forced the good old doctor to take at least a year's rest, and this stranger now sat in the Thornton chair.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading Ill health had forced the good old doctor to take at least a year's rest, and this stranger now sat in the Thornton chair.
Gridley
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading or Dick & Co. on the Gridley Diamond "Attention, please."
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The new principal, who had just stepped into the room, and who now stood waiting behind his flat-top desk on the platform, was a tall, thin, severe-looking man of thirty-two or three.
half-score
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For this year Dr. Carl Thornton, beloved principal for a half-score of years, was not in command at the school.
a healthy state of wellbeing free from disease
From this reading Ill health had forced the good old doctor to take at least a year's rest, and this stranger now sat in the Thornton chair.
greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading The barely audible droning of study ceased promptly in the big assembly room of the Gridley High School.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The new principal, who had just stepped into the room, and who now stood waiting behind his flat-top desk on the platform, was a tall, thin, severe-looking man of thirty-two or three.
affected by an impairment of normal physical or mental function
From this reading Ill health had forced the good old doctor to take at least a year's rest, and this stranger now sat in the Thornton chair.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The barely audible droning of study ceased promptly in the big assembly room of the Gridley High School.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading The new principal, who had just stepped into the room, and who now stood waiting behind his flat-top desk on the platform, was a tall, thin, severe-looking man of thirty-two or three.
and nothing more
From this reading The new principal, who had just stepped into the room, and who now stood waiting behind his flat-top desk on the platform, was a tall, thin, severe-looking man of thirty-two or three.
the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree
From this reading Ill health had forced the good old doctor to take at least a year's rest, and this stranger now sat in the Thornton chair.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading The new principal, who had just stepped into the room, and who now stood waiting behind his flat-top desk on the platform, was a tall, thin, severe-looking man of thirty-two or three.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading The new principal, who had just stepped into the room, and who now stood waiting behind his flat-top desk on the platform, was a tall, thin, severe-looking man of thirty-two or three.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading For this year Dr. Carl Thornton, beloved principal for a half-score of years, was not in command at the school.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading The new principal, who had just stepped into the room, and who now stood waiting behind his flat-top desk on the platform, was a tall, thin, severe-looking man of thirty-two or three.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The barely audible droning of study ceased promptly in the big assembly room of the Gridley High School.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading Ill health had forced the good old doctor to take at least a year's rest, and this stranger now sat in the Thornton chair.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading or Dick & Co. on the Gridley Diamond "Attention, please."
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading or Dick & Co. on the Gridley Diamond "Attention, please."
a raised horizontal surface
From this reading The new principal, who had just stepped into the room, and who now stood waiting behind his flat-top desk on the platform, was a tall, thin, severe-looking man of thirty-two or three.
give pleasure to or be pleasing to
From this reading or Dick & Co. on the Gridley Diamond "Attention, please."
the original amount of a debt on which interest is calculated
From this reading The new principal, who had just stepped into the room, and who now stood waiting behind his flat-top desk on the platform, was a tall, thin, severe-looking man of thirty-two or three.
promptlyadverbUS /ˈprɑːmptli/
with little or no delay
From this reading The barely audible droning of study ceased promptly in the big assembly room of the Gridley High School.
not move; be in a resting position
From this reading Ill health had forced the good old doctor to take at least a year's rest, and this stranger now sat in the Thornton chair.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading The barely audible droning of study ceased promptly in the big assembly room of the Gridley High School.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading Ill health had forced the good old doctor to take at least a year's rest, and this stranger now sat in the Thornton chair.
an educational institution
From this reading The barely audible droning of study ceased promptly in the big assembly room of the Gridley High School.
severe-looking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The new principal, who had just stepped into the room, and who now stood waiting behind his flat-top desk on the platform, was a tall, thin, severe-looking man of thirty-two or three.
inflected form of “step” — shift or move by taking a step
From this reading The new principal, who had just stepped into the room, and who now stood waiting behind his flat-top desk on the platform, was a tall, thin, severe-looking man of thirty-two or three.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading The new principal, who had just stepped into the room, and who now stood waiting behind his flat-top desk on the platform, was a tall, thin, severe-looking man of thirty-two or three.
anyone who does not belong in the environment in which they are found
From this reading Ill health had forced the good old doctor to take at least a year's rest, and this stranger now sat in the Thornton chair.
a detailed critical inspection
From this reading The barely audible droning of study ceased promptly in the big assembly room of the Gridley High School.
carry out
From this reading Ill health had forced the good old doctor to take at least a year's rest, and this stranger now sat in the Thornton chair.
great in vertical dimension; high in stature
From this reading The new principal, who had just stepped into the room, and who now stood waiting behind his flat-top desk on the platform, was a tall, thin, severe-looking man of thirty-two or three.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading or Dick & Co. on the Gridley Diamond "Attention, please."
Having little thickness or extent.
From this reading The new principal, who had just stepped into the room, and who now stood waiting behind his flat-top desk on the platform, was a tall, thin, severe-looking man of thirty-two or three.
thirty-twoadjective
being two more than thirty
From this reading The new principal, who had just stepped into the room, and who now stood waiting behind his flat-top desk on the platform, was a tall, thin, severe-looking man of thirty-two or three.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading For this year Dr. Carl Thornton, beloved principal for a half-score of years, was not in command at the school.
ThorntonnounUS /ˈθɔːrntən/
American architect (1759-1828)
From this reading For this year Dr. Carl Thornton, beloved principal for a half-score of years, was not in command at the school.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading The new principal, who had just stepped into the room, and who now stood waiting behind his flat-top desk on the platform, was a tall, thin, severe-looking man of thirty-two or three.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Ill health had forced the good old doctor to take at least a year's rest, and this stranger now sat in the Thornton chair.
the act of waiting (remaining inactive in one place while expecting something)
From this reading The new principal, who had just stepped into the room, and who now stood waiting behind his flat-top desk on the platform, was a tall, thin, severe-looking man of thirty-two or three.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The new principal, who had just stepped into the room, and who now stood waiting behind his flat-top desk on the platform, was a tall, thin, severe-looking man of thirty-two or three.
which person or people
From this reading The new principal, who had just stepped into the room, and who now stood waiting behind his flat-top desk on the platform, was a tall, thin, severe-looking man of thirty-two or three.
a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days
From this reading For this year Dr. Carl Thornton, beloved principal for a half-score of years, was not in command at the school.
year'snounUS /jɪrz/
possessive form of “year” — a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days
From this reading Ill health had forced the good old doctor to take at least a year's rest, and this stranger now sat in the Thornton chair.
a late time of life
From this reading For this year Dr. Carl Thornton, beloved principal for a half-score of years, was not in command at the school.
