used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It will be easier for you to understand after you have been with us a while."
(usually followed by “to”) having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something
From this reading "Suppose we postpone explaining how I am able to use your tongue.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading It will be easier for you to understand after you have been with us a while."
anew
From this reading Presently the stranger spoke again; if anything, the kindly smile on his face became even broader.
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading "Suppose we postpone explaining how I am able to use your tongue.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He spoke slowly and carefully, yet with a faint lisp, much as some infant prodigy might speak.
any thing at all
From this reading Presently the stranger spoke again; if anything, the kindly smile on his face became even broader.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He spoke slowly and carefully, yet with a faint lisp, much as some infant prodigy might speak.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading It will be easier for you to understand after you have been with us a while."
inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading Presently the stranger spoke again; if anything, the kindly smile on his face became even broader.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading It will be easier for you to understand after you have been with us a while."
broaderadjectiveUS /ˈbrɔːdər/
comparative of “broad” — having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading Presently the stranger spoke again; if anything, the kindly smile on his face became even broader.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But there was no doubt that he had really done it.
taking care or paying attention
From this reading He spoke slowly and carefully, yet with a faint lisp, much as some infant prodigy might speak.
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading But there was no doubt that he had really done it.
the state of being unsure of something
From this reading But there was no doubt that he had really done it.
comparative of “easy” — posing no difficulty; requiring little effort
From this reading It will be easier for you to understand after you have been with us a while."
divisible by two
From this reading Presently the stranger spoke again; if anything, the kindly smile on his face became even broader.
explainingverbUS /ɪkˈspleɪnɪŋ/
-ing form of “explain” — make plain and comprehensible
From this reading "Suppose we postpone explaining how I am able to use your tongue.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading Presently the stranger spoke again; if anything, the kindly smile on his face became even broader.
deficient in magnitude; barely perceptible; lacking clarity or brightness or loudness etc
From this reading He spoke slowly and carefully, yet with a faint lisp, much as some infant prodigy might speak.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It will be easier for you to understand after you have been with us a while."
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading But there was no doubt that he had really done it.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading It will be easier for you to understand after you have been with us a while."
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He spoke slowly and carefully, yet with a faint lisp, much as some infant prodigy might speak.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Presently the stranger spoke again; if anything, the kindly smile on his face became even broader.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Suppose we postpone explaining how I am able to use your tongue.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "Suppose we postpone explaining how I am able to use your tongue.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Presently the stranger spoke again; if anything, the kindly smile on his face became even broader.
infantnounUS /ˈɪnfənt/
a very young child (birth to 1 year) who has not yet begun to walk or talk
From this reading He spoke slowly and carefully, yet with a faint lisp, much as some infant prodigy might speak.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It will be easier for you to understand after you have been with us a while."
showing or motivated by sympathy and understanding and generosity
From this reading Presently the stranger spoke again; if anything, the kindly smile on his face became even broader.
lispnounUS /lɪsp/
a speech defect that involves pronouncing “s” like voiceless “th” and “z” like voiced “th”
From this reading He spoke slowly and carefully, yet with a faint lisp, much as some infant prodigy might speak.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading He spoke slowly and carefully, yet with a faint lisp, much as some infant prodigy might speak.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading He spoke slowly and carefully, yet with a faint lisp, much as some infant prodigy might speak.
not any; not one
From this reading But there was no doubt that he had really done it.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Presently the stranger spoke again; if anything, the kindly smile on his face became even broader.
postponeverbUS /poʊstˈpoʊn/
hold back to a later time
From this reading "Suppose we postpone explaining how I am able to use your tongue.
in the near future
From this reading Presently the stranger spoke again; if anything, the kindly smile on his face became even broader.
prodigynounUS /ˈprɑːdədʒi/
an unusually gifted or intelligent (young) person; someone whose talents excite wonder and admiration
From this reading He spoke slowly and carefully, yet with a faint lisp, much as some infant prodigy might speak.
in accordance with truth or fact or reality
From this reading But there was no doubt that he had really done it.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading He spoke slowly and carefully, yet with a faint lisp, much as some infant prodigy might speak.
change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure
From this reading Presently the stranger spoke again; if anything, the kindly smile on his face became even broader.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading He spoke slowly and carefully, yet with a faint lisp, much as some infant prodigy might speak.
express in speech
From this reading He spoke slowly and carefully, yet with a faint lisp, much as some infant prodigy might speak.
support consisting of a radial member of a wheel joining the hub to the rim
From this reading Presently the stranger spoke again; if anything, the kindly smile on his face became even broader.
anyone who does not belong in the environment in which they are found
From this reading Presently the stranger spoke again; if anything, the kindly smile on his face became even broader.
express a supposition
From this reading "Suppose we postpone explaining how I am able to use your tongue.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading But there was no doubt that he had really done it.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Presently the stranger spoke again; if anything, the kindly smile on his face became even broader.
in or at that place or location
From this reading But there was no doubt that he had really done it.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "Suppose we postpone explaining how I am able to use your tongue.
a mobile mass of muscular tissue covered with mucous membrane and located in the oral cavity
From this reading "Suppose we postpone explaining how I am able to use your tongue.
know and comprehend the nature or meaning of
From this reading It will be easier for you to understand after you have been with us a while."
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading It will be easier for you to understand after you have been with us a while."
the act of using
From this reading "Suppose we postpone explaining how I am able to use your tongue.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading But there was no doubt that he had really done it.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading "Suppose we postpone explaining how I am able to use your tongue.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading It will be easier for you to understand after you have been with us a while."
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading It will be easier for you to understand after you have been with us a while."
in the company of; together with
From this reading It will be easier for you to understand after you have been with us a while."
but in spite of that
From this reading He spoke slowly and carefully, yet with a faint lisp, much as some infant prodigy might speak.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading It will be easier for you to understand after you have been with us a while."
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Suppose we postpone explaining how I am able to use your tongue.
