used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Comethup slept that night on a hastily made-up bed in an empty room of the captain's cottage.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading It was made up on some old boxes and a chair or two, and the captain was touchingly apologetic about it and its meagreness.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading He remembered, long afterward, standing in the room, holding a candle, and shaking every now and then from head to foot with the last of his sobs, while the captain and the man Homer shook out the sheets and punched the pillows, and made the bed as comfortable as they could under the circumstances.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Comethup slept that night on a hastily made-up bed in an empty room of the captain's cottage.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He remembered, long afterward, standing in the room, holding a candle, and shaking every now and then from head to foot with the last of his sobs, while the captain and the man Homer shook out the sheets and punched the pillows, and made the bed as comfortable as they could under the circumstances.
apologeticadjectiveUS /əˌpɑːləˈdʒetɪk/
offering or expressing apology
From this reading It was made up on some old boxes and a chair or two, and the captain was touchingly apologetic about it and its meagreness.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He remembered, long afterward, standing in the room, holding a candle, and shaking every now and then from head to foot with the last of his sobs, while the captain and the man Homer shook out the sheets and punched the pillows, and made the bed as comfortable as they could under the circumstances.
in a state of sleep
From this reading Comethup assured him, however, that it would be quite comfortable, and undressed and got into it gratefully; for the excitement of the day had worn him out, and he was very soon asleep.
marked by assurance; exhibiting confidence
From this reading Comethup assured him, however, that it would be quite comfortable, and undressed and got into it gratefully; for the excitement of the day had worn him out, and he was very soon asleep.
the sister of your father or mother; the wife of your uncle
From this reading THE COMING OF AUNT CHARLOTTE.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Comethup assured him, however, that it would be quite comfortable, and undressed and got into it gratefully; for the excitement of the day had worn him out, and he was very soon asleep.
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading Comethup slept that night on a hastily made-up bed in an empty room of the captain's cottage.
boxesnounUS /ˈbɑːksəz/
plural of “box” — a (usually rectangular) container; may have a lid
From this reading It was made up on some old boxes and a chair or two, and the captain was touchingly apologetic about it and its meagreness.
stick of wax with a wick in the middle
From this reading He remembered, long afterward, standing in the room, holding a candle, and shaking every now and then from head to foot with the last of his sobs, while the captain and the man Homer shook out the sheets and punched the pillows, and made the bed as comfortable as they could under the circumstances.
an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant
From this reading He remembered, long afterward, standing in the room, holding a candle, and shaking every now and then from head to foot with the last of his sobs, while the captain and the man Homer shook out the sheets and punched the pillows, and made the bed as comfortable as they could under the circumstances.
captain'snounUS /ˈkæptənz/
possessive form of “captain” — an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant
From this reading Comethup slept that night on a hastily made-up bed in an empty room of the captain's cottage.
a seat for one person, with a support for the back
From this reading It was made up on some old boxes and a chair or two, and the captain was touchingly apologetic about it and its meagreness.
CHARLOTTEnounUS /ˈʃɑːrlət/
the largest city in North Carolina; located in south central North Carolina
From this reading THE COMING OF AUNT CHARLOTTE.
your overall circumstances or condition in life (including everything that happens to you)
From this reading He remembered, long afterward, standing in the room, holding a candle, and shaking every now and then from head to foot with the last of his sobs, while the captain and the man Homer shook out the sheets and punched the pillows, and made the bed as comfortable as they could under the circumstances.
Comethup
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Comethup slept that night on a hastily made-up bed in an empty room of the captain's cottage.
providing or experiencing physical well-being or relief (“comfy” is informal)
From this reading He remembered, long afterward, standing in the room, holding a candle, and shaking every now and then from head to foot with the last of his sobs, while the captain and the man Homer shook out the sheets and punched the pillows, and made the bed as comfortable as they could under the circumstances.
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading THE COMING OF AUNT CHARLOTTE.
a small house with a single story
From this reading Comethup slept that night on a hastily made-up bed in an empty room of the captain's cottage.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading He remembered, long afterward, standing in the room, holding a candle, and shaking every now and then from head to foot with the last of his sobs, while the captain and the man Homer shook out the sheets and punched the pillows, and made the bed as comfortable as they could under the circumstances.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading Comethup assured him, however, that it would be quite comfortable, and undressed and got into it gratefully; for the excitement of the day had worn him out, and he was very soon asleep.
make void or empty of contents
From this reading Comethup slept that night on a hastily made-up bed in an empty room of the captain's cottage.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading He remembered, long afterward, standing in the room, holding a candle, and shaking every now and then from head to foot with the last of his sobs, while the captain and the man Homer shook out the sheets and punched the pillows, and made the bed as comfortable as they could under the circumstances.
the feeling of lively and cheerful joy
From this reading Comethup assured him, however, that it would be quite comfortable, and undressed and got into it gratefully; for the excitement of the day had worn him out, and he was very soon asleep.
the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading He remembered, long afterward, standing in the room, holding a candle, and shaking every now and then from head to foot with the last of his sobs, while the captain and the man Homer shook out the sheets and punched the pillows, and made the bed as comfortable as they could under the circumstances.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Comethup assured him, however, that it would be quite comfortable, and undressed and got into it gratefully; for the excitement of the day had worn him out, and he was very soon asleep.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading He remembered, long afterward, standing in the room, holding a candle, and shaking every now and then from head to foot with the last of his sobs, while the captain and the man Homer shook out the sheets and punched the pillows, and made the bed as comfortable as they could under the circumstances.
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading Comethup assured him, however, that it would be quite comfortable, and undressed and got into it gratefully; for the excitement of the day had worn him out, and he was very soon asleep.
gratefullyadverbUS /ˈɡreɪtfəli/
with appreciation; in a grateful manner
From this reading Comethup assured him, however, that it would be quite comfortable, and undressed and got into it gratefully; for the excitement of the day had worn him out, and he was very soon asleep.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Comethup assured him, however, that it would be quite comfortable, and undressed and got into it gratefully; for the excitement of the day had worn him out, and he was very soon asleep.
in a hurried or hasty manner
From this reading Comethup slept that night on a hastily made-up bed in an empty room of the captain's cottage.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He remembered, long afterward, standing in the room, holding a candle, and shaking every now and then from head to foot with the last of his sobs, while the captain and the man Homer shook out the sheets and punched the pillows, and made the bed as comfortable as they could under the circumstances.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading He remembered, long afterward, standing in the room, holding a candle, and shaking every now and then from head to foot with the last of his sobs, while the captain and the man Homer shook out the sheets and punched the pillows, and made the bed as comfortable as they could under the circumstances.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Comethup assured him, however, that it would be quite comfortable, and undressed and got into it gratefully; for the excitement of the day had worn him out, and he was very soon asleep.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He remembered, long afterward, standing in the room, holding a candle, and shaking every now and then from head to foot with the last of his sobs, while the captain and the man Homer shook out the sheets and punched the pillows, and made the bed as comfortable as they could under the circumstances.
the act of retaining something
From this reading He remembered, long afterward, standing in the room, holding a candle, and shaking every now and then from head to foot with the last of his sobs, while the captain and the man Homer shook out the sheets and punched the pillows, and made the bed as comfortable as they could under the circumstances.
HomernounUS /ˈhoʊmər/
a base hit on which the batter scores a run
From this reading He remembered, long afterward, standing in the room, holding a candle, and shaking every now and then from head to foot with the last of his sobs, while the captain and the man Homer shook out the sheets and punched the pillows, and made the bed as comfortable as they could under the circumstances.
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading Comethup assured him, however, that it would be quite comfortable, and undressed and got into it gratefully; for the excitement of the day had worn him out, and he was very soon asleep.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Comethup slept that night on a hastily made-up bed in an empty room of the captain's cottage.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Comethup assured him, however, that it would be quite comfortable, and undressed and got into it gratefully; for the excitement of the day had worn him out, and he was very soon asleep.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was made up on some old boxes and a chair or two, and the captain was touchingly apologetic about it and its meagreness.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading It was made up on some old boxes and a chair or two, and the captain was touchingly apologetic about it and its meagreness.
immediately past
From this reading He remembered, long afterward, standing in the room, holding a candle, and shaking every now and then from head to foot with the last of his sobs, while the captain and the man Homer shook out the sheets and punched the pillows, and made the bed as comfortable as they could under the circumstances.
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 He remembered, long afterward, standing in the room, holding a candle, and shaking every now and then from head to foot with the last of his sobs, while the captain and the man Homer shook out the sheets and punched the pillows, and made the bed as comfortable as they could under the circumstances.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading He remembered, long afterward, standing in the room, holding a candle, and shaking every now and then from head to foot with the last of his sobs, while the captain and the man Homer shook out the sheets and punched the pillows, and made the bed as comfortable as they could under the circumstances.
made-upadjective
having been paved
From this reading Comethup slept that night on a hastily made-up bed in an empty room of the captain's cottage.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading He remembered, long afterward, standing in the room, holding a candle, and shaking every now and then from head to foot with the last of his sobs, while the captain and the man Homer shook out the sheets and punched the pillows, and made the bed as comfortable as they could under the circumstances.
meagrenessnoun
the quality of being meager
From this reading It was made up on some old boxes and a chair or two, and the captain was touchingly apologetic about it and its meagreness.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading Comethup slept that night on a hastily made-up bed in an empty room of the captain's cottage.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading He remembered, long afterward, standing in the room, holding a candle, and shaking every now and then from head to foot with the last of his sobs, while the captain and the man Homer shook out the sheets and punched the pillows, and made the bed as comfortable as they could under the circumstances.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE COMING OF AUNT CHARLOTTE.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading It was made up on some old boxes and a chair or two, and the captain was touchingly apologetic about it and its meagreness.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Comethup slept that night on a hastily made-up bed in an empty room of the captain's cottage.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading It was made up on some old boxes and a chair or two, and the captain was touchingly apologetic about it and its meagreness.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading He remembered, long afterward, standing in the room, holding a candle, and shaking every now and then from head to foot with the last of his sobs, while the captain and the man Homer shook out the sheets and punched the pillows, and made the bed as comfortable as they could under the circumstances.
pillowsnounUS /ˈpɪloʊz/
plural of “pillow” — a cushion to support the head of a sleeping person
From this reading He remembered, long afterward, standing in the room, holding a candle, and shaking every now and then from head to foot with the last of his sobs, while the captain and the man Homer shook out the sheets and punched the pillows, and made the bed as comfortable as they could under the circumstances.
punchedverbUS /pʌntʃt/
past form of “punch” — deliver a quick blow to
From this reading He remembered, long afterward, standing in the room, holding a candle, and shaking every now and then from head to foot with the last of his sobs, while the captain and the man Homer shook out the sheets and punched the pillows, and made the bed as comfortable as they could under the circumstances.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading Comethup assured him, however, that it would be quite comfortable, and undressed and got into it gratefully; for the excitement of the day had worn him out, and he was very soon asleep.
past form of “remember” — recall knowledge from memory; have a recollection
From this reading He remembered, long afterward, standing in the room, holding a candle, and shaking every now and then from head to foot with the last of his sobs, while the captain and the man Homer shook out the sheets and punched the pillows, and made the bed as comfortable as they could under the circumstances.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading Comethup slept that night on a hastily made-up bed in an empty room of the captain's cottage.
the act of causing something to move up and down (or back and forth) with quick movements
From this reading He remembered, long afterward, standing in the room, holding a candle, and shaking every now and then from head to foot with the last of his sobs, while the captain and the man Homer shook out the sheets and punched the pillows, and made the bed as comfortable as they could under the circumstances.
sheetsnounUS /ʃiːts/
plural of “sheet” — any broad thin expanse or surface
From this reading He remembered, long afterward, standing in the room, holding a candle, and shaking every now and then from head to foot with the last of his sobs, while the captain and the man Homer shook out the sheets and punched the pillows, and made the bed as comfortable as they could under the circumstances.
a disassembled barrel; the parts packed for storage or shipment
From this reading He remembered, long afterward, standing in the room, holding a candle, and shaking every now and then from head to foot with the last of his sobs, while the captain and the man Homer shook out the sheets and punched the pillows, and made the bed as comfortable as they could under the circumstances.
inflected form of “sleep” — be asleep
From this reading Comethup slept that night on a hastily made-up bed in an empty room of the captain's cottage.
sobsnounUS /sɑːbz/
plural of “sob” — a dyspneic condition
From this reading He remembered, long afterward, standing in the room, holding a candle, and shaking every now and then from head to foot with the last of his sobs, while the captain and the man Homer shook out the sheets and punched the pillows, and made the bed as comfortable as they could under the circumstances.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading It was made up on some old boxes and a chair or two, and the captain was touchingly apologetic about it and its meagreness.
in the near future
From this reading Comethup assured him, however, that it would be quite comfortable, and undressed and got into it gratefully; for the excitement of the day had worn him out, and he was very soon asleep.
having a supporting base
From this reading He remembered, long afterward, standing in the room, holding a candle, and shaking every now and then from head to foot with the last of his sobs, while the captain and the man Homer shook out the sheets and punched the pillows, and made the bed as comfortable as they could under the circumstances.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Comethup slept that night on a hastily made-up bed in an empty room of the captain's cottage.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE COMING OF AUNT CHARLOTTE.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading He remembered, long afterward, standing in the room, holding a candle, and shaking every now and then from head to foot with the last of his sobs, while the captain and the man Homer shook out the sheets and punched the pillows, and made the bed as comfortable as they could under the circumstances.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He remembered, long afterward, standing in the room, holding a candle, and shaking every now and then from head to foot with the last of his sobs, while the captain and the man Homer shook out the sheets and punched the pillows, and made the bed as comfortable as they could under the circumstances.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He remembered, long afterward, standing in the room, holding a candle, and shaking every now and then from head to foot with the last of his sobs, while the captain and the man Homer shook out the sheets and punched the pillows, and made the bed as comfortable as they could under the circumstances.
touchinglyadverb
in a poignant or touching manner
From this reading It was made up on some old boxes and a chair or two, and the captain was touchingly apologetic about it and its meagreness.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading It was made up on some old boxes and a chair or two, and the captain was touchingly apologetic about it and its meagreness.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading He remembered, long afterward, standing in the room, holding a candle, and shaking every now and then from head to foot with the last of his sobs, while the captain and the man Homer shook out the sheets and punched the pillows, and made the bed as comfortable as they could under the circumstances.
undressedadjectiveUS /ənˈdrest/
of lumber or stone or hides; not finished or dressed
From this reading Comethup assured him, however, that it would be quite comfortable, and undressed and got into it gratefully; for the excitement of the day had worn him out, and he was very soon asleep.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading It was made up on some old boxes and a chair or two, and the captain was touchingly apologetic about it and its meagreness.
precisely as stated
From this reading Comethup assured him, however, that it would be quite comfortable, and undressed and got into it gratefully; for the excitement of the day had worn him out, and he was very soon asleep.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was made up on some old boxes and a chair or two, and the captain was touchingly apologetic about it and its meagreness.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading He remembered, long afterward, standing in the room, holding a candle, and shaking every now and then from head to foot with the last of his sobs, while the captain and the man Homer shook out the sheets and punched the pillows, and made the bed as comfortable as they could under the circumstances.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He remembered, long afterward, standing in the room, holding a candle, and shaking every now and then from head to foot with the last of his sobs, while the captain and the man Homer shook out the sheets and punched the pillows, and made the bed as comfortable as they could under the circumstances.
Damaged or thinned by continuous use.
From this reading Comethup assured him, however, that it would be quite comfortable, and undressed and got into it gratefully; for the excitement of the day had worn him out, and he was very soon asleep.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Comethup assured him, however, that it would be quite comfortable, and undressed and got into it gratefully; for the excitement of the day had worn him out, and he was very soon asleep.
