used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He nervously brushed back the lock of gray hair from his lined forehead and pushed his rimless glasses into a more secure position on his nose.
completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers
From this reading _It was absolutely amazing what science could do.
amazingadjectiveUS /əˈmeɪzɪŋ/
surprising greatly
From this reading _It was absolutely amazing what science could do.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He nervously brushed back the lock of gray hair from his lined forehead and pushed his rimless glasses into a more secure position on his nose.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading Why even the circus was far better--or was it?_ "Going to the circus?" the man with the sallow complexion asked.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Kevin nodded but didn't look at his questioner.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading He nervously brushed back the lock of gray hair from his lined forehead and pushed his rimless glasses into a more secure position on his nose.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The last century of progress had been wonderful!
(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 Why even the circus was far better--or was it?_ "Going to the circus?" the man with the sallow complexion asked.
brushedadjectiveUS /brʌʃt/
touched lightly in passing; grazed against
From this reading He nervously brushed back the lock of gray hair from his lined forehead and pushed his rimless glasses into a more secure position on his nose.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Kevin nodded but didn't look at his questioner.
a period of 100 years
From this reading The last century of progress had been wonderful!
circusnounUS /ˈsɜːrkəs/
a travelling company of entertainers; including trained animals
From this reading Why even the circus was far better--or was it?_ "Going to the circus?" the man with the sallow complexion asked.
complexionnounUS /kəmˈplekʃən/
the coloring of a person's face
From this reading Why even the circus was far better--or was it?_ "Going to the circus?" the man with the sallow complexion asked.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading _It was absolutely amazing what science could do.
didn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Kevin nodded but didn't look at his questioner.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading _It was absolutely amazing what science could do.
divisible by two
From this reading Why even the circus was far better--or was it?_ "Going to the circus?" the man with the sallow complexion asked.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading Why even the circus was far better--or was it?_ "Going to the circus?" the man with the sallow complexion asked.
the part of the face above the eyes
From this reading He nervously brushed back the lock of gray hair from his lined forehead and pushed his rimless glasses into a more secure position on his nose.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading He nervously brushed back the lock of gray hair from his lined forehead and pushed his rimless glasses into a more secure position on his nose.
(plural) optical instrument consisting of a frame that holds a pair of lenses for correcting defective vision
From this reading He nervously brushed back the lock of gray hair from his lined forehead and pushed his rimless glasses into a more secure position on his nose.
the act of departing
From this reading Why even the circus was far better--or was it?_ "Going to the circus?" the man with the sallow complexion asked.
a neutral achromatic color midway between white and black
From this reading He nervously brushed back the lock of gray hair from his lined forehead and pushed his rimless glasses into a more secure position on his nose.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The last century of progress had been wonderful!
a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss
From this reading He nervously brushed back the lock of gray hair from his lined forehead and pushed his rimless glasses into a more secure position on his nose.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He nervously brushed back the lock of gray hair from his lined forehead and pushed his rimless glasses into a more secure position on his nose.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Kevin nodded but didn't look at his questioner.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading He nervously brushed back the lock of gray hair from his lined forehead and pushed his rimless glasses into a more secure position on his nose.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading _It was absolutely amazing what science could do.
Kevin
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Kevin nodded but didn't look at his questioner.
immediately past
From this reading The last century of progress had been wonderful!
linedadjectiveUS /laɪnd/
bordered by a line of things
From this reading He nervously brushed back the lock of gray hair from his lined forehead and pushed his rimless glasses into a more secure position on his nose.
fasten with a lock
From this reading He nervously brushed back the lock of gray hair from his lined forehead and pushed his rimless glasses into a more secure position on his nose.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading Kevin nodded but didn't look at his questioner.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading Why even the circus was far better--or was it?_ "Going to the circus?" the man with the sallow complexion asked.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading He nervously brushed back the lock of gray hair from his lined forehead and pushed his rimless glasses into a more secure position on his nose.
nervouslyadverbUS /ˈnɜːrvəsli/
in an anxiously nervous manner
From this reading He nervously brushed back the lock of gray hair from his lined forehead and pushed his rimless glasses into a more secure position on his nose.
inflected form of “nod” — express or signify by nodding
From this reading Kevin nodded but didn't look at his questioner.
the organ of smell and entrance to the respiratory tract; the prominent part of the face of man or other mammals
From this reading He nervously brushed back the lock of gray hair from his lined forehead and pushed his rimless glasses into a more secure position on his nose.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The last century of progress had been wonderful!
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He nervously brushed back the lock of gray hair from his lined forehead and pushed his rimless glasses into a more secure position on his nose.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Why even the circus was far better--or was it?_ "Going to the circus?" the man with the sallow complexion asked.
the particular portion of space occupied by something
From this reading He nervously brushed back the lock of gray hair from his lined forehead and pushed his rimless glasses into a more secure position on his nose.
gradual improvement or growth or development
From this reading The last century of progress had been wonderful!
past form of “push” — move with force
From this reading He nervously brushed back the lock of gray hair from his lined forehead and pushed his rimless glasses into a more secure position on his nose.
questionernounUS /ˈkwestʃənər/
someone who asks a question
From this reading Kevin nodded but didn't look at his questioner.
rimlessadjective
lacking a rim or frame
From this reading He nervously brushed back the lock of gray hair from his lined forehead and pushed his rimless glasses into a more secure position on his nose.
sallowadjective
unhealthy looking
From this reading Why even the circus was far better--or was it?_ "Going to the circus?" the man with the sallow complexion asked.
a particular branch of scientific knowledge
From this reading _It was absolutely amazing what science could do.
get by special effort
From this reading He nervously brushed back the lock of gray hair from his lined forehead and pushed his rimless glasses into a more secure position on his nose.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The last century of progress had been wonderful!
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Why even the circus was far better--or was it?_ "Going to the circus?" the man with the sallow complexion asked.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading _It was absolutely amazing what science could do.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading _It was absolutely amazing what science could do.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading Why even the circus was far better--or was it?_ "Going to the circus?" the man with the sallow complexion asked.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Why even the circus was far better--or was it?_ "Going to the circus?" the man with the sallow complexion asked.
extraordinarily good or great; used especially as intensifiers
From this reading The last century of progress had been wonderful!
