used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A child and a dog sat very close to the fast-expiring embers of a small fire in a shabby London attic.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading The dog was very old, with palsied, shaking limbs, eyes half-blind, and an appearance about his whole person of almost disreputable ugliness and decrepitude, He was a large white-and-liver-colored dog, of no particular breed, and certainly of no particular beauty.
(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 Never, even in his best days, could this dog have been at all good-looking.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading The dog was very old, with palsied, shaking limbs, eyes half-blind, and an appearance about his whole person of almost disreputable ugliness and decrepitude, He was a large white-and-liver-colored dog, of no particular breed, and certainly of no particular beauty.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The dog was very old, with palsied, shaking limbs, eyes half-blind, and an appearance about his whole person of almost disreputable ugliness and decrepitude, He was a large white-and-liver-colored dog, of no particular breed, and certainly of no particular beauty.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A child and a dog sat very close to the fast-expiring embers of a small fire in a shabby London attic.
outward or visible aspect of a person or thing
From this reading The dog was very old, with palsied, shaking limbs, eyes half-blind, and an appearance about his whole person of almost disreputable ugliness and decrepitude, He was a large white-and-liver-colored dog, of no particular breed, and certainly of no particular beauty.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Never, even in his best days, could this dog have been at all good-looking.
atticnounUS /ˈætɪk/
floor consisting of open space at the top of a house just below roof; often used for storage
From this reading A child and a dog sat very close to the fast-expiring embers of a small fire in a shabby London attic.
the qualities that give pleasure to the senses
From this reading The dog was very old, with palsied, shaking limbs, eyes half-blind, and an appearance about his whole person of almost disreputable ugliness and decrepitude, He was a large white-and-liver-colored dog, of no particular breed, and certainly of no particular beauty.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Never, even in his best days, could this dog have been at all good-looking.
the supreme effort one can make
From this reading Never, even in his best days, could this dog have been at all good-looking.
breedverbUS /briːd/
call forth
From this reading The dog was very old, with palsied, shaking limbs, eyes half-blind, and an appearance about his whole person of almost disreputable ugliness and decrepitude, He was a large white-and-liver-colored dog, of no particular breed, and certainly of no particular beauty.
definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)
From this reading The dog was very old, with palsied, shaking limbs, eyes half-blind, and an appearance about his whole person of almost disreputable ugliness and decrepitude, He was a large white-and-liver-colored dog, of no particular breed, and certainly of no particular beauty.
a young person of either sex
From this reading A child and a dog sat very close to the fast-expiring embers of a small fire in a shabby London attic.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading A child and a dog sat very close to the fast-expiring embers of a small fire in a shabby London attic.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Never, even in his best days, could this dog have been at all good-looking.
crouchedverbUS /kraʊtʃt/
past form of “crouch” — bend one's back forward from the waist on down
From this reading The child who crouched close to him was small and thin.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading Never, even in his best days, could this dog have been at all good-looking.
decrepitudenoun
a state of deterioration due to old age or long use
From this reading The dog was very old, with palsied, shaking limbs, eyes half-blind, and an appearance about his whole person of almost disreputable ugliness and decrepitude, He was a large white-and-liver-colored dog, of no particular breed, and certainly of no particular beauty.
disreputableadjectiveUS /dɪsˈrepjətəbəl/
lacking respectability in character or behavior or appearance
From this reading The dog was very old, with palsied, shaking limbs, eyes half-blind, and an appearance about his whole person of almost disreputable ugliness and decrepitude, He was a large white-and-liver-colored dog, of no particular breed, and certainly of no particular beauty.
a member of the genus Canis (probably descended from the common wolf) that has been domesticated by man since prehistoric times; occurs in many breeds
From this reading A child and a dog sat very close to the fast-expiring embers of a small fire in a shabby London attic.
embersnounUS /ˈembərz/
plural of “ember” — a hot fragment of wood or coal that is left from a fire and is glowing or smoldering
From this reading A child and a dog sat very close to the fast-expiring embers of a small fire in a shabby London attic.
divisible by two
From this reading Never, even in his best days, could this dog have been at all good-looking.
opinion or judgment
From this reading The dog was very old, with palsied, shaking limbs, eyes half-blind, and an appearance about his whole person of almost disreputable ugliness and decrepitude, He was a large white-and-liver-colored dog, of no particular breed, and certainly of no particular beauty.
fast-expiring
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A child and a dog sat very close to the fast-expiring embers of a small fire in a shabby London attic.
start firing a weapon
From this reading A child and a dog sat very close to the fast-expiring embers of a small fire in a shabby London attic.
plural of “friend” — a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading THE THREE FRIENDS.
good-lookingadjectiveUS /ˈɡʊdlʊkɪŋ/
pleasing in appearance especially by reason of conformity to ideals of form and proportion
From this reading Never, even in his best days, could this dog have been at all good-looking.
half-blind
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The dog was very old, with palsied, shaking limbs, eyes half-blind, and an appearance about his whole person of almost disreputable ugliness and decrepitude, He was a large white-and-liver-colored dog, of no particular breed, and certainly of no particular beauty.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Never, even in his best days, could this dog have been at all good-looking.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The dog was very old, with palsied, shaking limbs, eyes half-blind, and an appearance about his whole person of almost disreputable ugliness and decrepitude, He was a large white-and-liver-colored dog, of no particular breed, and certainly of no particular beauty.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The child who crouched close to him was small and thin.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The dog was very old, with palsied, shaking limbs, eyes half-blind, and an appearance about his whole person of almost disreputable ugliness and decrepitude, He was a large white-and-liver-colored dog, of no particular breed, and certainly of no particular beauty.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A child and a dog sat very close to the fast-expiring embers of a small fire in a shabby London attic.
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The dog was very old, with palsied, shaking limbs, eyes half-blind, and an appearance about his whole person of almost disreputable ugliness and decrepitude, He was a large white-and-liver-colored dog, of no particular breed, and certainly of no particular beauty.
plural of “limb” — one of the jointed appendages of an animal used for locomotion or grasping: arm; leg; wing; flipper
From this reading The dog was very old, with palsied, shaking limbs, eyes half-blind, and an appearance about his whole person of almost disreputable ugliness and decrepitude, He was a large white-and-liver-colored dog, of no particular breed, and certainly of no particular beauty.
the capital and largest city of England; located on the Thames in southeastern England; financial and industrial and cultural center
From this reading A child and a dog sat very close to the fast-expiring embers of a small fire in a shabby London attic.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading Never, even in his best days, could this dog have been at all good-looking.
not any; not one
From this reading The dog was very old, with palsied, shaking limbs, eyes half-blind, and an appearance about his whole person of almost disreputable ugliness and decrepitude, He was a large white-and-liver-colored dog, of no particular breed, and certainly of no particular beauty.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A child and a dog sat very close to the fast-expiring embers of a small fire in a shabby London attic.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading The dog was very old, with palsied, shaking limbs, eyes half-blind, and an appearance about his whole person of almost disreputable ugliness and decrepitude, He was a large white-and-liver-colored dog, of no particular breed, and certainly of no particular beauty.
palsiedadjective
affected with palsy or uncontrollable tremor
From this reading The dog was very old, with palsied, shaking limbs, eyes half-blind, and an appearance about his whole person of almost disreputable ugliness and decrepitude, He was a large white-and-liver-colored dog, of no particular breed, and certainly of no particular beauty.
unique or specific to a person or thing or category
From this reading The dog was very old, with palsied, shaking limbs, eyes half-blind, and an appearance about his whole person of almost disreputable ugliness and decrepitude, He was a large white-and-liver-colored dog, of no particular breed, and certainly of no particular beauty.
a human being
From this reading The dog was very old, with palsied, shaking limbs, eyes half-blind, and an appearance about his whole person of almost disreputable ugliness and decrepitude, He was a large white-and-liver-colored dog, of no particular breed, and certainly of no particular beauty.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading A child and a dog sat very close to the fast-expiring embers of a small fire in a shabby London attic.
shabbyadjectiveUS /ˈʃæbi/
showing signs of wear and tear
From this reading A child and a dog sat very close to the fast-expiring embers of a small fire in a shabby London attic.
the act of causing something to move up and down (or back and forth) with quick movements
From this reading The dog was very old, with palsied, shaking limbs, eyes half-blind, and an appearance about his whole person of almost disreputable ugliness and decrepitude, He was a large white-and-liver-colored dog, of no particular breed, and certainly of no particular beauty.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading A child and a dog sat very close to the fast-expiring embers of a small fire in a shabby London attic.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE THREE FRIENDS.
Having little thickness or extent.
From this reading The child who crouched close to him was small and thin.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Never, even in his best days, could this dog have been at all good-looking.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading THE THREE FRIENDS.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A child and a dog sat very close to the fast-expiring embers of a small fire in a shabby London attic.
uglinessnounUS /ˈʌɡlinəs/
qualities of appearance that do not give pleasure to the senses
From this reading The dog was very old, with palsied, shaking limbs, eyes half-blind, and an appearance about his whole person of almost disreputable ugliness and decrepitude, He was a large white-and-liver-colored dog, of no particular breed, and certainly of no particular beauty.
precisely as stated
From this reading A child and a dog sat very close to the fast-expiring embers of a small fire in a shabby London attic.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The dog was very old, with palsied, shaking limbs, eyes half-blind, and an appearance about his whole person of almost disreputable ugliness and decrepitude, He was a large white-and-liver-colored dog, of no particular breed, and certainly of no particular beauty.
white-and-liver-colored
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The dog was very old, with palsied, shaking limbs, eyes half-blind, and an appearance about his whole person of almost disreputable ugliness and decrepitude, He was a large white-and-liver-colored dog, of no particular breed, and certainly of no particular beauty.
which person or people
From this reading The child who crouched close to him was small and thin.
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading The dog was very old, with palsied, shaking limbs, eyes half-blind, and an appearance about his whole person of almost disreputable ugliness and decrepitude, He was a large white-and-liver-colored dog, of no particular breed, and certainly of no particular beauty.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The dog was very old, with palsied, shaking limbs, eyes half-blind, and an appearance about his whole person of almost disreputable ugliness and decrepitude, He was a large white-and-liver-colored dog, of no particular breed, and certainly of no particular beauty.
