used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Within twenty-four hours, the life of his only son, the hope of his age, had been placed in danger; and all the earnings of a long and laborious life had been scattered to the winds by one tremendous blast of ill-fortune.
how long something has existed
From this reading Within twenty-four hours, the life of his only son, the hope of his age, had been placed in danger; and all the earnings of a long and laborious life had been scattered to the winds by one tremendous blast of ill-fortune.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading Within twenty-four hours, the life of his only son, the hope of his age, had been placed in danger; and all the earnings of a long and laborious life had been scattered to the winds by one tremendous blast of ill-fortune.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Within twenty-four hours, the life of his only son, the hope of his age, had been placed in danger; and all the earnings of a long and laborious life had been scattered to the winds by one tremendous blast of ill-fortune.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Mr. O'Donnell, towards the close of that unlucky day, found himself once more in his comfortable home at Rathclare.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Within twenty-four hours, the life of his only son, the hope of his age, had been placed in danger; and all the earnings of a long and laborious life had been scattered to the winds by one tremendous blast of ill-fortune.
blastverbUS /blæst/
make a strident sound
From this reading Within twenty-four hours, the life of his only son, the hope of his age, had been placed in danger; and all the earnings of a long and laborious life had been scattered to the winds by one tremendous blast of ill-fortune.
a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it
From this reading Outside his business, which was large and engrossing, he cared for little save his wife, and son, and home.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Within twenty-four hours, the life of his only son, the hope of his age, had been placed in danger; and all the earnings of a long and laborious life had been scattered to the winds by one tremendous blast of ill-fortune.
past form of “care” — feel concern or interest
From this reading Outside his business, which was large and engrossing, he cared for little save his wife, and son, and home.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading Mr. O'Donnell, towards the close of that unlucky day, found himself once more in his comfortable home at Rathclare.
providing or experiencing physical well-being or relief (“comfy” is informal)
From this reading Mr. O'Donnell, towards the close of that unlucky day, found himself once more in his comfortable home at Rathclare.
communicativeadjectiveUS /kəˈmjuːnəkətɪv/
of or relating to communication
From this reading He was not a communicative or demonstrative man.
the condition of being susceptible to harm or injury
From this reading Within twenty-four hours, the life of his only son, the hope of his age, had been placed in danger; and all the earnings of a long and laborious life had been scattered to the winds by one tremendous blast of ill-fortune.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading Mr. O'Donnell, towards the close of that unlucky day, found himself once more in his comfortable home at Rathclare.
give pleasure to or be pleasing to
From this reading He took his pleasures soberly, gravely, and with little exterior show of delight.
demonstrativenounUS /dɪˈmɑːnstrətɪv/
a pronoun that points out an intended referent
From this reading He was not a communicative or demonstrative man.
earningsnounUS /ˈɜːrnɪŋz/
the excess of revenues over outlays in a given period of time (including depreciation and other non-cash expenses)
From this reading Within twenty-four hours, the life of his only son, the hope of his age, had been placed in danger; and all the earnings of a long and laborious life had been scattered to the winds by one tremendous blast of ill-fortune.
engrossingadjectiveUS /ɪnˈɡroʊsɪŋ/
capable of arousing and holding the attention
From this reading Outside his business, which was large and engrossing, he cared for little save his wife, and son, and home.
exteriornounUS /ɪkˈstɪriər/
the region that is outside of something
From this reading He took his pleasures soberly, gravely, and with little exterior show of delight.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Outside his business, which was large and engrossing, he cared for little save his wife, and son, and home.
set up or found
From this reading Mr. O'Donnell, towards the close of that unlucky day, found himself once more in his comfortable home at Rathclare.
in a grave and sober manner
From this reading He took his pleasures soberly, gravely, and with little exterior show of delight.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Within twenty-four hours, the life of his only son, the hope of his age, had been placed in danger; and all the earnings of a long and laborious life had been scattered to the winds by one tremendous blast of ill-fortune.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was not a communicative or demonstrative man.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading Mr. O'Donnell, towards the close of that unlucky day, found himself once more in his comfortable home at Rathclare.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Mr. O'Donnell, towards the close of that unlucky day, found himself once more in his comfortable home at Rathclare.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading Mr. O'Donnell, towards the close of that unlucky day, found himself once more in his comfortable home at Rathclare.
a specific instance of feeling hopeful
From this reading Within twenty-four hours, the life of his only son, the hope of his age, had been placed in danger; and all the earnings of a long and laborious life had been scattered to the winds by one tremendous blast of ill-fortune.
a period of time assigned for work
From this reading Within twenty-four hours, the life of his only son, the hope of his age, had been placed in danger; and all the earnings of a long and laborious life had been scattered to the winds by one tremendous blast of ill-fortune.
ill-fortune
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Within twenty-four hours, the life of his only son, the hope of his age, had been placed in danger; and all the earnings of a long and laborious life had been scattered to the winds by one tremendous blast of ill-fortune.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Mr. O'Donnell, towards the close of that unlucky day, found himself once more in his comfortable home at Rathclare.
laboriousadjectiveUS /ləˈbɔːriəs/
characterized by effort to the point of exhaustion; especially physical effort
From this reading Within twenty-four hours, the life of his only son, the hope of his age, had been placed in danger; and all the earnings of a long and laborious life had been scattered to the winds by one tremendous blast of ill-fortune.
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Outside his business, which was large and engrossing, he cared for little save his wife, and son, and home.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading Within twenty-four hours, the life of his only son, the hope of his age, had been placed in danger; and all the earnings of a long and laborious life had been scattered to the winds by one tremendous blast of ill-fortune.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading He took his pleasures soberly, gravely, and with little exterior show of delight.
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 Within twenty-four hours, the life of his only son, the hope of his age, had been placed in danger; and all the earnings of a long and laborious life had been scattered to the winds by one tremendous blast of ill-fortune.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading He was not a communicative or demonstrative man.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Mr. O'Donnell, towards the close of that unlucky day, found himself once more in his comfortable home at Rathclare.
a form of address for a man
From this reading Mr. O'Donnell, towards the close of that unlucky day, found himself once more in his comfortable home at Rathclare.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He was not a communicative or demonstrative man.
O'Donnell
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mr. O'Donnell, towards the close of that unlucky day, found himself once more in his comfortable home at Rathclare.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Mr. O'Donnell, towards the close of that unlucky day, found himself once more in his comfortable home at Rathclare.
on one occasion
From this reading Mr. O'Donnell, towards the close of that unlucky day, found himself once more in his comfortable home at Rathclare.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Within twenty-four hours, the life of his only son, the hope of his age, had been placed in danger; and all the earnings of a long and laborious life had been scattered to the winds by one tremendous blast of ill-fortune.
and nothing more
From this reading Within twenty-four hours, the life of his only son, the hope of his age, had been placed in danger; and all the earnings of a long and laborious life had been scattered to the winds by one tremendous blast of ill-fortune.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading He was not a communicative or demonstrative man.
relating to or being on or near the outer side or limit
From this reading Outside his business, which was large and engrossing, he cared for little save his wife, and son, and home.
situated in a particular spot or position
From this reading Within twenty-four hours, the life of his only son, the hope of his age, had been placed in danger; and all the earnings of a long and laborious life had been scattered to the winds by one tremendous blast of ill-fortune.
pleasuresnounUS /ˈpleʒərz/
plural of “pleasure” — a fundamental feeling that is hard to define but that people desire to experience
From this reading He took his pleasures soberly, gravely, and with little exterior show of delight.
Rathclare
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mr. O'Donnell, towards the close of that unlucky day, found himself once more in his comfortable home at Rathclare.
except for; apart from
From this reading Outside his business, which was large and engrossing, he cared for little save his wife, and son, and home.
occurring or distributed over widely spaced and irregular intervals in time or space
From this reading Within twenty-four hours, the life of his only son, the hope of his age, had been placed in danger; and all the earnings of a long and laborious life had been scattered to the winds by one tremendous blast of ill-fortune.
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading He took his pleasures soberly, gravely, and with little exterior show of delight.
soberlyadverbUS /ˈsoʊbərli/
in a grave and sober manner
From this reading He took his pleasures soberly, gravely, and with little exterior show of delight.
a male human offspring
From this reading Within twenty-four hours, the life of his only son, the hope of his age, had been placed in danger; and all the earnings of a long and laborious life had been scattered to the winds by one tremendous blast of ill-fortune.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Mr. O'Donnell, towards the close of that unlucky day, found himself once more in his comfortable home at Rathclare.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Mr. O'Donnell, towards the close of that unlucky day, found himself once more in his comfortable home at Rathclare.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Within twenty-four hours, the life of his only son, the hope of his age, had been placed in danger; and all the earnings of a long and laborious life had been scattered to the winds by one tremendous blast of ill-fortune.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading He took his pleasures soberly, gravely, and with little exterior show of delight.
in the direction of
From this reading Mr. O'Donnell, towards the close of that unlucky day, found himself once more in his comfortable home at Rathclare.
extraordinarily large in size or extent or amount or power or degree
From this reading Within twenty-four hours, the life of his only son, the hope of his age, had been placed in danger; and all the earnings of a long and laborious life had been scattered to the winds by one tremendous blast of ill-fortune.
twenty-fouradjectiveUS /ˈtwentifɔːr/
being four more than twenty
From this reading Within twenty-four hours, the life of his only son, the hope of his age, had been placed in danger; and all the earnings of a long and laborious life had been scattered to the winds by one tremendous blast of ill-fortune.
unluckyadjectiveUS /ənˈlʌki/
having or bringing misfortune
From this reading Mr. O'Donnell, towards the close of that unlucky day, found himself once more in his comfortable home at Rathclare.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He was not a communicative or demonstrative man.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Outside his business, which was large and engrossing, he cared for little save his wife, and son, and home.
a married woman; a man's partner in marriage
From this reading Outside his business, which was large and engrossing, he cared for little save his wife, and son, and home.
plural of “wind” — air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading Within twenty-four hours, the life of his only son, the hope of his age, had been placed in danger; and all the earnings of a long and laborious life had been scattered to the winds by one tremendous blast of ill-fortune.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He took his pleasures soberly, gravely, and with little exterior show of delight.
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading Within twenty-four hours, the life of his only son, the hope of his age, had been placed in danger; and all the earnings of a long and laborious life had been scattered to the winds by one tremendous blast of ill-fortune.
