used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading For a few days Rod went about a little, picking up threads of old acquaintance with places and people.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading For a few days Rod went about a little, picking up threads of old acquaintance with places and people.
personal knowledge or information about someone or something
From this reading For a few days Rod went about a little, picking up threads of old acquaintance with places and people.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading For a few days Rod went about a little, picking up threads of old acquaintance with places and people.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading The uneasy consciousness of a heart which might fail him at any moment troubled him now and then.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The uneasy consciousness of a heart which might fail him at any moment troubled him now and then.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But it did not stop--not quite.
an alert cognitive state in which you are aware of yourself and your situation
From this reading The uneasy consciousness of a heart which might fail him at any moment troubled him now and then.
crisisnounUS /ˈkraɪsəs/
an unstable situation of extreme danger or difficulty
From this reading He wondered if he had passed a crisis that first night at home when he felt himself locked in a grapple with death itself.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading For a few days Rod went about a little, picking up threads of old acquaintance with places and people.
the event of dying or departure from life
From this reading He wondered if he had passed a crisis that first night at home when he felt himself locked in a grapple with death itself.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading But it did not stop--not quite.
fail to do something; leave something undone
From this reading The uneasy consciousness of a heart which might fail him at any moment troubled him now and then.
falteringnounUS /ˈfɔːltərɪŋ/
the act of pausing uncertainly
From this reading Once or twice he felt that strange faltering.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading Once or twice he felt that strange faltering.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading For a few days Rod went about a little, picking up threads of old acquaintance with places and people.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading He wondered if he had passed a crisis that first night at home when he felt himself locked in a grapple with death itself.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For a few days Rod went about a little, picking up threads of old acquaintance with places and people.
grappleverbUS /ˈɡræpəl/
succeed in doing, achieving, or producing (something) with the limited or inadequate means available
From this reading He wondered if he had passed a crisis that first night at home when he felt himself locked in a grapple with death itself.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He wondered if he had passed a crisis that first night at home when he felt himself locked in a grapple with death itself.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Once or twice he felt that strange faltering.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading The uneasy consciousness of a heart which might fail him at any moment troubled him now and then.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The uneasy consciousness of a heart which might fail him at any moment troubled him now and then.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading He wondered if he had passed a crisis that first night at home when he felt himself locked in a grapple with death itself.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading He wondered if he had passed a crisis that first night at home when he felt himself locked in a grapple with death itself.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading He wondered if he had passed a crisis that first night at home when he felt himself locked in a grapple with death itself.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He wondered if he had passed a crisis that first night at home when he felt himself locked in a grapple with death itself.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading But it did not stop--not quite.
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading He wondered if he had passed a crisis that first night at home when he felt himself locked in a grapple with death itself.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading For a few days Rod went about a little, picking up threads of old acquaintance with places and people.
past form of “lock” — fasten with a lock
From this reading He wondered if he had passed a crisis that first night at home when he felt himself locked in a grapple with death itself.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading The uneasy consciousness of a heart which might fail him at any moment troubled him now and then.
a particular point in time
From this reading The uneasy consciousness of a heart which might fail him at any moment troubled him now and then.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading He wondered if he had passed a crisis that first night at home when he felt himself locked in a grapple with death itself.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading But it did not stop--not quite.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading The uneasy consciousness of a heart which might fail him at any moment troubled him now and then.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading For a few days Rod went about a little, picking up threads of old acquaintance with places and people.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading For a few days Rod went about a little, picking up threads of old acquaintance with places and people.
on one occasion
From this reading Once or twice he felt that strange faltering.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Once or twice he felt that strange faltering.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading He wondered if he had passed a crisis that first night at home when he felt himself locked in a grapple with death itself.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading For a few days Rod went about a little, picking up threads of old acquaintance with places and people.
pickingnounUS /ˈpɪkɪŋ/
the quantity of a crop that is harvested
From this reading For a few days Rod went about a little, picking up threads of old acquaintance with places and people.
plural of “place” — a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading For a few days Rod went about a little, picking up threads of old acquaintance with places and people.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading But it did not stop--not quite.
RodnounUS /rɑːd/
a long thin implement made of metal or wood
From this reading For a few days Rod went about a little, picking up threads of old acquaintance with places and people.
come to a halt, stop moving
From this reading But it did not stop--not quite.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading Once or twice he felt that strange faltering.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Once or twice he felt that strange faltering.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The uneasy consciousness of a heart which might fail him at any moment troubled him now and then.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading The uneasy consciousness of a heart which might fail him at any moment troubled him now and then.
threadsnounUS /θredz/
informal terms for clothing
From this reading For a few days Rod went about a little, picking up threads of old acquaintance with places and people.
characterized by or indicative of distress or affliction or danger or need
From this reading The uneasy consciousness of a heart which might fail him at any moment troubled him now and then.
two times
From this reading Once or twice he felt that strange faltering.
uneasyadjectiveUS /əˈniːzi/
lacking a sense of security or affording no ease or reassurance
From this reading The uneasy consciousness of a heart which might fail him at any moment troubled him now and then.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading For a few days Rod went about a little, picking up threads of old acquaintance with places and people.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading For a few days Rod went about a little, picking up threads of old acquaintance with places and people.
at the time that
From this reading He wondered if he had passed a crisis that first night at home when he felt himself locked in a grapple with death itself.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The uneasy consciousness of a heart which might fail him at any moment troubled him now and then.
in the company of; together with
From this reading For a few days Rod went about a little, picking up threads of old acquaintance with places and people.
past form of “wonder” — have a wish or desire to know something
From this reading He wondered if he had passed a crisis that first night at home when he felt himself locked in a grapple with death itself.
