used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Dr. Camperdown lived in a large, bare stone house a few blocks distant from his office.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading He looked about his lonely room, where the furniture was ugly and scanty and the general aspect of things cheerless.
the part of the day between noon and evening
From this reading Late one afternoon he stood at one of the back windows from which he commanded a magnificent view of the harbor.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He looked about his lonely room, where the furniture was ugly and scanty and the general aspect of things cheerless.
a distinct feature or element in a problem
From this reading He looked about his lonely room, where the furniture was ugly and scanty and the general aspect of things cheerless.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Late one afternoon he stood at one of the back windows from which he commanded a magnificent view of the harbor.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading “Bah! it’s going to be cold to-night,” he said, suddenly banging down the window; “the snow clouds have blown away.”
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading Late one afternoon he stood at one of the back windows from which he commanded a magnificent view of the harbor.
Bah
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Bah! it’s going to be cold to-night,” he said, suddenly banging down the window; “the snow clouds have blown away.”
bangingnounUS /ˈbæŋɪŋ/
a continuing very loud noise
From this reading “Bah! it’s going to be cold to-night,” he said, suddenly banging down the window; “the snow clouds have blown away.”
completely unclothed
From this reading Dr. Camperdown lived in a large, bare stone house a few blocks distant from his office.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading “Bah! it’s going to be cold to-night,” he said, suddenly banging down the window; “the snow clouds have blown away.”
blocksnounUS /blɑːks/
plural of “block” — a solid piece of something (usually having flat rectangular sides)
From this reading Dr. Camperdown lived in a large, bare stone house a few blocks distant from his office.
blownadjectiveUS /bloʊn/
being moved or acted upon by moving air or vapor
From this reading “Bah! it’s going to be cold to-night,” he said, suddenly banging down the window; “the snow clouds have blown away.”
Camperdown
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Dr. Camperdown lived in a large, bare stone house a few blocks distant from his office.
cheerlessadjective
causing sad feelings of gloom and inadequacy
From this reading He looked about his lonely room, where the furniture was ugly and scanty and the general aspect of things cheerless.
plural of “cloud” — any collection of particles (e.g., smoke or dust) or gases that is visible
From this reading “Bah! it’s going to be cold to-night,” he said, suddenly banging down the window; “the snow clouds have blown away.”
having a low or inadequate temperature or feeling a sensation of coldness or having been made cold by e.g. ice or refrigeration
From this reading “Bah! it’s going to be cold to-night,” he said, suddenly banging down the window; “the snow clouds have blown away.”
past form of “command” — be in command of
From this reading Late one afternoon he stood at one of the back windows from which he commanded a magnificent view of the harbor.
DesolateadjectiveUS /ˈdesələt/
providing no shelter or sustenance
From this reading “Desolate, eh,” he muttered thoughtfully fixing his eyes on the expiring embers of the fire.
separated in space or coming from or going to a distance
From this reading Dr. Camperdown lived in a large, bare stone house a few blocks distant from his office.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading “Bah! it’s going to be cold to-night,” he said, suddenly banging down the window; “the snow clouds have blown away.”
Dr
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Dr. Camperdown lived in a large, bare stone house a few blocks distant from his office.
eh
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Desolate, eh,” he muttered thoughtfully fixing his eyes on the expiring embers of the fire.
embersnounUS /ˈembərz/
plural of “ember” — a hot fragment of wood or coal that is left from a fire and is glowing or smoldering
From this reading “Desolate, eh,” he muttered thoughtfully fixing his eyes on the expiring embers of the fire.
expiringverbUS /ɪkˈspaɪrɪŋ/
-ing form of “expire” — lose validity
From this reading “Desolate, eh,” he muttered thoughtfully fixing his eyes on the expiring embers of the fire.
opinion or judgment
From this reading “Desolate, eh,” he muttered thoughtfully fixing his eyes on the expiring embers of the fire.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading Dr. Camperdown lived in a large, bare stone house a few blocks distant from his office.
start firing a weapon
From this reading “Desolate, eh,” he muttered thoughtfully fixing his eyes on the expiring embers of the fire.
fixingnounUS /ˈfɪksɪŋ/
the act of putting something in working order again
From this reading “Desolate, eh,” he muttered thoughtfully fixing his eyes on the expiring embers of the fire.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Dr. Camperdown lived in a large, bare stone house a few blocks distant from his office.
furnishings that make a room or other area ready for occupancy
From this reading He looked about his lonely room, where the furniture was ugly and scanty and the general aspect of things cheerless.
applying to all or most members of a category or group
From this reading He looked about his lonely room, where the furniture was ugly and scanty and the general aspect of things cheerless.
the act of departing
From this reading “Bah! it’s going to be cold to-night,” he said, suddenly banging down the window; “the snow clouds have blown away.”
harborverbUS /ˈhɑːrbər/
maintain (a theory, thoughts, or feelings)
From this reading Late one afternoon he stood at one of the back windows from which he commanded a magnificent view of the harbor.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “Bah! it’s going to be cold to-night,” he said, suddenly banging down the window; “the snow clouds have blown away.”
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Late one afternoon he stood at one of the back windows from which he commanded a magnificent view of the harbor.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Dr. Camperdown lived in a large, bare stone house a few blocks distant from his office.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading Dr. Camperdown lived in a large, bare stone house a few blocks distant from his office.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Dr. Camperdown lived in a large, bare stone house a few blocks distant from his office.
it's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Bah! it’s going to be cold to-night,” he said, suddenly banging down the window; “the snow clouds have blown away.”
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Dr. Camperdown lived in a large, bare stone house a few blocks distant from his office.
being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time
From this reading Late one afternoon he stood at one of the back windows from which he commanded a magnificent view of the harbor.
past form of “live” — be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading Dr. Camperdown lived in a large, bare stone house a few blocks distant from his office.
lacking companions or companionship
From this reading He looked about his lonely room, where the furniture was ugly and scanty and the general aspect of things cheerless.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading He looked about his lonely room, where the furniture was ugly and scanty and the general aspect of things cheerless.
characterized by grandeur
From this reading Late one afternoon he stood at one of the back windows from which he commanded a magnificent view of the harbor.
past form of “mutter” — talk indistinctly; usually in a low voice
From this reading “Desolate, eh,” he muttered thoughtfully fixing his eyes on the expiring embers of the fire.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Late one afternoon he stood at one of the back windows from which he commanded a magnificent view of the harbor.
place of business where professional or clerical duties are performed
From this reading Dr. Camperdown lived in a large, bare stone house a few blocks distant from his office.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading “Desolate, eh,” he muttered thoughtfully fixing his eyes on the expiring embers of the fire.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Late one afternoon he stood at one of the back windows from which he commanded a magnificent view of the harbor.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading He looked about his lonely room, where the furniture was ugly and scanty and the general aspect of things cheerless.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “Bah! it’s going to be cold to-night,” he said, suddenly banging down the window; “the snow clouds have blown away.”
scantyadjectiveUS /ˈskænti/
lacking in magnitude or quantity
From this reading He looked about his lonely room, where the furniture was ugly and scanty and the general aspect of things cheerless.
precipitation falling from clouds in the form of ice crystals
From this reading “Bah! it’s going to be cold to-night,” he said, suddenly banging down the window; “the snow clouds have blown away.”
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading Dr. Camperdown lived in a large, bare stone house a few blocks distant from his office.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading Late one afternoon he stood at one of the back windows from which he commanded a magnificent view of the harbor.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading “Bah! it’s going to be cold to-night,” he said, suddenly banging down the window; “the snow clouds have blown away.”
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Late one afternoon he stood at one of the back windows from which he commanded a magnificent view of the harbor.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading He looked about his lonely room, where the furniture was ugly and scanty and the general aspect of things cheerless.
thoughtfullyadverbUS /ˈθɔːtfəli/
in a thoughtful manner
From this reading “Desolate, eh,” he muttered thoughtfully fixing his eyes on the expiring embers of the fire.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “Bah! it’s going to be cold to-night,” he said, suddenly banging down the window; “the snow clouds have blown away.”
to-night
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Bah! it’s going to be cold to-night,” he said, suddenly banging down the window; “the snow clouds have blown away.”
displeasing to the senses
From this reading He looked about his lonely room, where the furniture was ugly and scanty and the general aspect of things cheerless.
a way of regarding situations or topics etc.
From this reading Late one afternoon he stood at one of the back windows from which he commanded a magnificent view of the harbor.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He looked about his lonely room, where the furniture was ugly and scanty and the general aspect of things cheerless.
in or at the place that
From this reading He looked about his lonely room, where the furniture was ugly and scanty and the general aspect of things cheerless.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Late one afternoon he stood at one of the back windows from which he commanded a magnificent view of the harbor.
a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air
From this reading “Bah! it’s going to be cold to-night,” he said, suddenly banging down the window; “the snow clouds have blown away.”
(trademark) an operating system with a graphical user interface
From this reading Late one afternoon he stood at one of the back windows from which he commanded a magnificent view of the harbor.
