used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was, he saw, a flat key of a sort common twenty years before, not of the more recent corrugated shape.
in actual fact
From this reading Sherrill had said the house was his, had been given him by his father; but that fact could not actually make it his in his realization.
Alan
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "ARRIVED SAFE; WELL" As the door closed behind Sherrill, Alan went over to the dresser and picked up the key which Sherrill had left.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "ARRIVED SAFE; WELL" As the door closed behind Sherrill, Alan went over to the dresser and picked up the key which Sherrill had left.
past form of “arrive” — reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress
From this reading "ARRIVED SAFE; WELL" As the door closed behind Sherrill, Alan went over to the dresser and picked up the key which Sherrill had left.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading "ARRIVED SAFE; WELL" As the door closed behind Sherrill, Alan went over to the dresser and picked up the key which Sherrill had left.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading As he looked at it and then away from it, thoughtfully turning it over and over in his fingers, it brought no sense of possession to him.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading As he looked at it and then away from it, thoughtfully turning it over and over in his fingers, it brought no sense of possession to him.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Sherrill had said the house was his, had been given him by his father; but that fact could not actually make it his in his realization.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading It was, he saw, a flat key of a sort common twenty years before, not of the more recent corrugated shape.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading "ARRIVED SAFE; WELL" As the door closed behind Sherrill, Alan went over to the dresser and picked up the key which Sherrill had left.
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading As he looked at it and then away from it, thoughtfully turning it over and over in his fingers, it brought no sense of possession to him.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Sherrill had said the house was his, had been given him by his father; but that fact could not actually make it his in his realization.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Sherrill had said the house was his, had been given him by his father; but that fact could not actually make it his in his realization.
not open or affording passage or access
From this reading "ARRIVED SAFE; WELL" As the door closed behind Sherrill, Alan went over to the dresser and picked up the key which Sherrill had left.
belonging to or participated in by a community as a whole; public
From this reading It was, he saw, a flat key of a sort common twenty years before, not of the more recent corrugated shape.
corrugatedadjectiveUS /ˈkɔːrəɡeɪtɪd/
shaped into alternating parallel grooves and ridges
From this reading It was, he saw, a flat key of a sort common twenty years before, not of the more recent corrugated shape.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Sherrill had said the house was his, had been given him by his father; but that fact could not actually make it his in his realization.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading He could not imagine himself owning such a house or what he would do with it if it were his.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading "ARRIVED SAFE; WELL" As the door closed behind Sherrill, Alan went over to the dresser and picked up the key which Sherrill had left.
dressernounUS /ˈdresər/
furniture with drawers for keeping clothes
From this reading "ARRIVED SAFE; WELL" As the door closed behind Sherrill, Alan went over to the dresser and picked up the key which Sherrill had left.
a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred
From this reading Sherrill had said the house was his, had been given him by his father; but that fact could not actually make it his in his realization.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading Sherrill had said the house was his, had been given him by his father; but that fact could not actually make it his in his realization.
plural of “finger” — any of the terminal members of the hand (sometimes excepting the thumb)
From this reading As he looked at it and then away from it, thoughtfully turning it over and over in his fingers, it brought no sense of possession to him.
having a surface without slope, tilt in which no part is higher or lower than another
From this reading It was, he saw, a flat key of a sort common twenty years before, not of the more recent corrugated shape.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading As he looked at it and then away from it, thoughtfully turning it over and over in his fingers, it brought no sense of possession to him.
givenadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪvən/
acknowledged as a supposition
From this reading Sherrill had said the house was his, had been given him by his father; but that fact could not actually make it his in his realization.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading "ARRIVED SAFE; WELL" As the door closed behind Sherrill, Alan went over to the dresser and picked up the key which Sherrill had left.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It was, he saw, a flat key of a sort common twenty years before, not of the more recent corrugated shape.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading As he looked at it and then away from it, thoughtfully turning it over and over in his fingers, it brought no sense of possession to him.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading He could not imagine himself owning such a house or what he would do with it if it were his.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading As he looked at it and then away from it, thoughtfully turning it over and over in his fingers, it brought no sense of possession to him.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading Sherrill had said the house was his, had been given him by his father; but that fact could not actually make it his in his realization.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading He could not imagine himself owning such a house or what he would do with it if it were his.
form a mental image of something that is not present or that is not the case
From this reading He could not imagine himself owning such a house or what he would do with it if it were his.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading As he looked at it and then away from it, thoughtfully turning it over and over in his fingers, it brought no sense of possession to him.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was, he saw, a flat key of a sort common twenty years before, not of the more recent corrugated shape.
metal device shaped in such a way that when it is inserted into the appropriate lock the lock's mechanism can be rotated
From this reading "ARRIVED SAFE; WELL" As the door closed behind Sherrill, Alan went over to the dresser and picked up the key which Sherrill had left.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading "ARRIVED SAFE; WELL" As the door closed behind Sherrill, Alan went over to the dresser and picked up the key which Sherrill had left.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading As he looked at it and then away from it, thoughtfully turning it over and over in his fingers, it brought no sense of possession to him.
engage in
From this reading Sherrill had said the house was his, had been given him by his father; but that fact could not actually make it his in his realization.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading It was, he saw, a flat key of a sort common twenty years before, not of the more recent corrugated shape.
not any; not one
From this reading As he looked at it and then away from it, thoughtfully turning it over and over in his fingers, it brought no sense of possession to him.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading It was, he saw, a flat key of a sort common twenty years before, not of the more recent corrugated shape.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It was, he saw, a flat key of a sort common twenty years before, not of the more recent corrugated shape.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading He could not imagine himself owning such a house or what he would do with it if it were his.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading "ARRIVED SAFE; WELL" As the door closed behind Sherrill, Alan went over to the dresser and picked up the key which Sherrill had left.
owningverbUS /ˈoʊnɪŋ/
-ing form of “own” — have ownership or possession of
From this reading He could not imagine himself owning such a house or what he would do with it if it were his.
past form of “pick” — select carefully from a group
From this reading "ARRIVED SAFE; WELL" As the door closed behind Sherrill, Alan went over to the dresser and picked up the key which Sherrill had left.
the act of having and controlling property
From this reading As he looked at it and then away from it, thoughtfully turning it over and over in his fingers, it brought no sense of possession to him.
realizationnounUS /ˈriːləˈzeɪʃən/
coming to understand something clearly and distinctly
From this reading Sherrill had said the house was his, had been given him by his father; but that fact could not actually make it his in his realization.
recentadjectiveUS /ˈriːsənt/
new
From this reading It was, he saw, a flat key of a sort common twenty years before, not of the more recent corrugated shape.
free from danger or the risk of harm
From this reading "ARRIVED SAFE; WELL" As the door closed behind Sherrill, Alan went over to the dresser and picked up the key which Sherrill had left.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading Sherrill had said the house was his, had been given him by his father; but that fact could not actually make it his in his realization.
cut with a saw
From this reading It was, he saw, a flat key of a sort common twenty years before, not of the more recent corrugated shape.
a general conscious awareness
From this reading As he looked at it and then away from it, thoughtfully turning it over and over in his fingers, it brought no sense of possession to him.
any spatial attributes (especially as defined by outline)
From this reading It was, he saw, a flat key of a sort common twenty years before, not of the more recent corrugated shape.
Sherrill
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "ARRIVED SAFE; WELL" As the door closed behind Sherrill, Alan went over to the dresser and picked up the key which Sherrill had left.
a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
From this reading It was, he saw, a flat key of a sort common twenty years before, not of the more recent corrugated shape.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading He could not imagine himself owning such a house or what he would do with it if it were his.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Sherrill had said the house was his, had been given him by his father; but that fact could not actually make it his in his realization.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "ARRIVED SAFE; WELL" As the door closed behind Sherrill, Alan went over to the dresser and picked up the key which Sherrill had left.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading As he looked at it and then away from it, thoughtfully turning it over and over in his fingers, it brought no sense of possession to him.
thoughtfullyadverbUS /ˈθɔːtfəli/
in a thoughtful manner
From this reading As he looked at it and then away from it, thoughtfully turning it over and over in his fingers, it brought no sense of possession to him.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "ARRIVED SAFE; WELL" As the door closed behind Sherrill, Alan went over to the dresser and picked up the key which Sherrill had left.
the act of changing or reversing the direction of the course
From this reading As he looked at it and then away from it, thoughtfully turning it over and over in his fingers, it brought no sense of possession to him.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nineteen and one
From this reading It was, he saw, a flat key of a sort common twenty years before, not of the more recent corrugated shape.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading "ARRIVED SAFE; WELL" As the door closed behind Sherrill, Alan went over to the dresser and picked up the key which Sherrill had left.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was, he saw, a flat key of a sort common twenty years before, not of the more recent corrugated shape.
(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 "ARRIVED SAFE; WELL" As the door closed behind Sherrill, Alan went over to the dresser and picked up the key which Sherrill had left.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading "ARRIVED SAFE; WELL" As the door closed behind Sherrill, Alan went over to the dresser and picked up the key which Sherrill had left.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading He could not imagine himself owning such a house or what he would do with it if it were his.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading He could not imagine himself owning such a house or what he would do with it if it were his.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading "ARRIVED SAFE; WELL" As the door closed behind Sherrill, Alan went over to the dresser and picked up the key which Sherrill had left.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He could not imagine himself owning such a house or what he would do with it if it were his.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading He could not imagine himself owning such a house or what he would do with it if it were his.
a late time of life
From this reading It was, he saw, a flat key of a sort common twenty years before, not of the more recent corrugated shape.
