used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A HOSTAGE TO FORTUNE Lying awake next morning after a night of troubled dreams, it flashed upon him that he ought scarcely to go and see Miss Coble again upon the mere impulsive invitation given on the door-step without her father’s knowledge.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading A HOSTAGE TO FORTUNE Lying awake next morning after a night of troubled dreams, it flashed upon him that he ought scarcely to go and see Miss Coble again upon the mere impulsive invitation given on the door-step without her father’s knowledge.
anew
From this reading A HOSTAGE TO FORTUNE Lying awake next morning after a night of troubled dreams, it flashed upon him that he ought scarcely to go and see Miss Coble again upon the mere impulsive invitation given on the door-step without her father’s knowledge.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A HOSTAGE TO FORTUNE Lying awake next morning after a night of troubled dreams, it flashed upon him that he ought scarcely to go and see Miss Coble again upon the mere impulsive invitation given on the door-step without her father’s knowledge.
angryadjectiveUS /ˈæŋɡri/
feeling or showing anger
From this reading He was angry with himself for having so curiously let himself drift away from the very purpose of his visit.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He concluded he had best call on old Coble again at the store, and walked thither with hangdog mien, unable even now to shake off the jail.
awakeadjectiveUS /əˈweɪk/
not in a state of sleep; completely conscious
From this reading A HOSTAGE TO FORTUNE Lying awake next morning after a night of troubled dreams, it flashed upon him that he ought scarcely to go and see Miss Coble again upon the mere impulsive invitation given on the door-step without her father’s knowledge.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading He was angry with himself for having so curiously let himself drift away from the very purpose of his visit.
balenounUS /beɪl/
a large bundle bound for storage or transport
From this reading Old Coble was sorting out a bale of sponge into three baskets--one for bests, one for seconds, and one for thirds.
basketsnounUS /ˈbæskəts/
plural of “basket” — a container that is usually woven and has handles
From this reading Old Coble was sorting out a bale of sponge into three baskets--one for bests, one for seconds, and one for thirds.
the supreme effort one can make
From this reading He concluded he had best call on old Coble again at the store, and walked thither with hangdog mien, unable even now to shake off the jail.
bests
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Old Coble was sorting out a bale of sponge into three baskets--one for bests, one for seconds, and one for thirds.
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading He concluded he had best call on old Coble again at the store, and walked thither with hangdog mien, unable even now to shake off the jail.
Coble
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A HOSTAGE TO FORTUNE Lying awake next morning after a night of troubled dreams, it flashed upon him that he ought scarcely to go and see Miss Coble again upon the mere impulsive invitation given on the door-step without her father’s knowledge.
having come or been brought to a conclusion
From this reading He concluded he had best call on old Coble again at the store, and walked thither with hangdog mien, unable even now to shake off the jail.
in a manner differing from the usual or expected
From this reading He was angry with himself for having so curiously let himself drift away from the very purpose of his visit.
door-step
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A HOSTAGE TO FORTUNE Lying awake next morning after a night of troubled dreams, it flashed upon him that he ought scarcely to go and see Miss Coble again upon the mere impulsive invitation given on the door-step without her father’s knowledge.
plural of “dream” — a series of mental images and emotions occurring during sleep
From this reading A HOSTAGE TO FORTUNE Lying awake next morning after a night of troubled dreams, it flashed upon him that he ought scarcely to go and see Miss Coble again upon the mere impulsive invitation given on the door-step without her father’s knowledge.
driftverbUS /drɪft/
be in motion due to some air or water current
From this reading He was angry with himself for having so curiously let himself drift away from the very purpose of his visit.
divisible by two
From this reading He concluded he had best call on old Coble again at the store, and walked thither with hangdog mien, unable even now to shake off the jail.
father'snounUS /ˈfɑːðərz/
possessive form of “father” — a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading A HOSTAGE TO FORTUNE Lying awake next morning after a night of troubled dreams, it flashed upon him that he ought scarcely to go and see Miss Coble again upon the mere impulsive invitation given on the door-step without her father’s knowledge.
past form of “flash” — gleam or glow intermittently
From this reading A HOSTAGE TO FORTUNE Lying awake next morning after a night of troubled dreams, it flashed upon him that he ought scarcely to go and see Miss Coble again upon the mere impulsive invitation given on the door-step without her father’s knowledge.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He was angry with himself for having so curiously let himself drift away from the very purpose of his visit.
an unknown and unpredictable phenomenon that causes an event to result one way rather than another
From this reading A HOSTAGE TO FORTUNE Lying awake next morning after a night of troubled dreams, it flashed upon him that he ought scarcely to go and see Miss Coble again upon the mere impulsive invitation given on the door-step without her father’s knowledge.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading He was angry with himself for having so curiously let himself drift away from the very purpose of his visit.
givenadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪvən/
acknowledged as a supposition
From this reading A HOSTAGE TO FORTUNE Lying awake next morning after a night of troubled dreams, it flashed upon him that he ought scarcely to go and see Miss Coble again upon the mere impulsive invitation given on the door-step without her father’s knowledge.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading A HOSTAGE TO FORTUNE Lying awake next morning after a night of troubled dreams, it flashed upon him that he ought scarcely to go and see Miss Coble again upon the mere impulsive invitation given on the door-step without her father’s knowledge.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He concluded he had best call on old Coble again at the store, and walked thither with hangdog mien, unable even now to shake off the jail.
hangdogadjective
showing a sense of guilt
From this reading He concluded he had best call on old Coble again at the store, and walked thither with hangdog mien, unable even now to shake off the jail.
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading He was angry with himself for having so curiously let himself drift away from the very purpose of his visit.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading A HOSTAGE TO FORTUNE Lying awake next morning after a night of troubled dreams, it flashed upon him that he ought scarcely to go and see Miss Coble again upon the mere impulsive invitation given on the door-step without her father’s knowledge.
HellonounUS /həˈloʊ/
an expression of greeting
From this reading “Hello, young man!” he roared.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading A HOSTAGE TO FORTUNE Lying awake next morning after a night of troubled dreams, it flashed upon him that he ought scarcely to go and see Miss Coble again upon the mere impulsive invitation given on the door-step without her father’s knowledge.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading A HOSTAGE TO FORTUNE Lying awake next morning after a night of troubled dreams, it flashed upon him that he ought scarcely to go and see Miss Coble again upon the mere impulsive invitation given on the door-step without her father’s knowledge.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading He was angry with himself for having so curiously let himself drift away from the very purpose of his visit.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He was angry with himself for having so curiously let himself drift away from the very purpose of his visit.
HOSTAGEnounUS /ˈhɑːstɪdʒ/
a prisoner who is held by one party to insure that another party will meet specified terms
From this reading A HOSTAGE TO FORTUNE Lying awake next morning after a night of troubled dreams, it flashed upon him that he ought scarcely to go and see Miss Coble again upon the mere impulsive invitation given on the door-step without her father’s knowledge.
impulsiveadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpʌlsɪv/
proceeding from natural feeling or impulse without external stimulus
From this reading A HOSTAGE TO FORTUNE Lying awake next morning after a night of troubled dreams, it flashed upon him that he ought scarcely to go and see Miss Coble again upon the mere impulsive invitation given on the door-step without her father’s knowledge.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Old Coble was sorting out a bale of sponge into three baskets--one for bests, one for seconds, and one for thirds.
a request (spoken or written) to participate or be present or take part in something
From this reading A HOSTAGE TO FORTUNE Lying awake next morning after a night of troubled dreams, it flashed upon him that he ought scarcely to go and see Miss Coble again upon the mere impulsive invitation given on the door-step without her father’s knowledge.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading A HOSTAGE TO FORTUNE Lying awake next morning after a night of troubled dreams, it flashed upon him that he ought scarcely to go and see Miss Coble again upon the mere impulsive invitation given on the door-step without her father’s knowledge.
jailnounUS /dʒeɪl/
a correctional institution used to detain persons who are in the lawful custody of the government (either accused persons awaiting trial or convicted persons serving a sentence)
From this reading He concluded he had best call on old Coble again at the store, and walked thither with hangdog mien, unable even now to shake off the jail.
the psychological result of perception and learning and reasoning
From this reading A HOSTAGE TO FORTUNE Lying awake next morning after a night of troubled dreams, it flashed upon him that he ought scarcely to go and see Miss Coble again upon the mere impulsive invitation given on the door-step without her father’s knowledge.
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading He was angry with himself for having so curiously let himself drift away from the very purpose of his visit.
the deliberate act of deviating from the truth
From this reading A HOSTAGE TO FORTUNE Lying awake next morning after a night of troubled dreams, it flashed upon him that he ought scarcely to go and see Miss Coble again upon the mere impulsive invitation given on the door-step without her father’s knowledge.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading “Hello, young man!” he roared.
being nothing more than specified
From this reading A HOSTAGE TO FORTUNE Lying awake next morning after a night of troubled dreams, it flashed upon him that he ought scarcely to go and see Miss Coble again upon the mere impulsive invitation given on the door-step without her father’s knowledge.
miennounUS /miːn/
dignified manner or conduct
From this reading He concluded he had best call on old Coble again at the store, and walked thither with hangdog mien, unable even now to shake off the jail.
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading A HOSTAGE TO FORTUNE Lying awake next morning after a night of troubled dreams, it flashed upon him that he ought scarcely to go and see Miss Coble again upon the mere impulsive invitation given on the door-step without her father’s knowledge.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading A HOSTAGE TO FORTUNE Lying awake next morning after a night of troubled dreams, it flashed upon him that he ought scarcely to go and see Miss Coble again upon the mere impulsive invitation given on the door-step without her father’s knowledge.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading A HOSTAGE TO FORTUNE Lying awake next morning after a night of troubled dreams, it flashed upon him that he ought scarcely to go and see Miss Coble again upon the mere impulsive invitation given on the door-step without her father’s knowledge.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading A HOSTAGE TO FORTUNE Lying awake next morning after a night of troubled dreams, it flashed upon him that he ought scarcely to go and see Miss Coble again upon the mere impulsive invitation given on the door-step without her father’s knowledge.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading He concluded he had best call on old Coble again at the store, and walked thither with hangdog mien, unable even now to shake off the jail.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A HOSTAGE TO FORTUNE Lying awake next morning after a night of troubled dreams, it flashed upon him that he ought scarcely to go and see Miss Coble again upon the mere impulsive invitation given on the door-step without her father’s knowledge.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading He concluded he had best call on old Coble again at the store, and walked thither with hangdog mien, unable even now to shake off the jail.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading He concluded he had best call on old Coble again at the store, and walked thither with hangdog mien, unable even now to shake off the jail.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading A HOSTAGE TO FORTUNE Lying awake next morning after a night of troubled dreams, it flashed upon him that he ought scarcely to go and see Miss Coble again upon the mere impulsive invitation given on the door-step without her father’s knowledge.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Old Coble was sorting out a bale of sponge into three baskets--one for bests, one for seconds, and one for thirds.
used with “to” to say what is right or advisable
From this reading A HOSTAGE TO FORTUNE Lying awake next morning after a night of troubled dreams, it flashed upon him that he ought scarcely to go and see Miss Coble again upon the mere impulsive invitation given on the door-step without her father’s knowledge.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Old Coble was sorting out a bale of sponge into three baskets--one for bests, one for seconds, and one for thirds.
an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions
From this reading He was angry with himself for having so curiously let himself drift away from the very purpose of his visit.
roaredverbUS /rɔːrd/
past form of “roar” — make a loud noise, as of wind, water, or vehicles
From this reading “Hello, young man!” he roared.
only a very short time before
From this reading A HOSTAGE TO FORTUNE Lying awake next morning after a night of troubled dreams, it flashed upon him that he ought scarcely to go and see Miss Coble again upon the mere impulsive invitation given on the door-step without her father’s knowledge.
plural of “second” — 1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading Old Coble was sorting out a bale of sponge into three baskets--one for bests, one for seconds, and one for thirds.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading A HOSTAGE TO FORTUNE Lying awake next morning after a night of troubled dreams, it flashed upon him that he ought scarcely to go and see Miss Coble again upon the mere impulsive invitation given on the door-step without her father’s knowledge.
move or cause to move back and forth
From this reading He concluded he had best call on old Coble again at the store, and walked thither with hangdog mien, unable even now to shake off the jail.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading He was angry with himself for having so curiously let himself drift away from the very purpose of his visit.
sortingnounUS /ˈsɔːrtɪŋ/
an operation that segregates items into groups according to a specified criterion
From this reading Old Coble was sorting out a bale of sponge into three baskets--one for bests, one for seconds, and one for thirds.
spongeverbUS /spʌndʒ/
wipe with a sponge, so as to clean or moisten
From this reading Old Coble was sorting out a bale of sponge into three baskets--one for bests, one for seconds, and one for thirds.
a mercantile establishment for the retail sale of goods or services
From this reading He concluded he had best call on old Coble again at the store, and walked thither with hangdog mien, unable even now to shake off the jail.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading A HOSTAGE TO FORTUNE Lying awake next morning after a night of troubled dreams, it flashed upon him that he ought scarcely to go and see Miss Coble again upon the mere impulsive invitation given on the door-step without her father’s knowledge.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A HOSTAGE TO FORTUNE Lying awake next morning after a night of troubled dreams, it flashed upon him that he ought scarcely to go and see Miss Coble again upon the mere impulsive invitation given on the door-step without her father’s knowledge.
thirdsnounUS /θɜːrdz/
plural of “third” — one of three equal parts of a divisible whole
From this reading Old Coble was sorting out a bale of sponge into three baskets--one for bests, one for seconds, and one for thirds.
thitheradverbUS /ˈðɪθɜːr/
an old word meaning “to that place”
From this reading He concluded he had best call on old Coble again at the store, and walked thither with hangdog mien, unable even now to shake off the jail.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading Old Coble was sorting out a bale of sponge into three baskets--one for bests, one for seconds, and one for thirds.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A HOSTAGE TO FORTUNE Lying awake next morning after a night of troubled dreams, it flashed upon him that he ought scarcely to go and see Miss Coble again upon the mere impulsive invitation given on the door-step without her father’s knowledge.
characterized by or indicative of distress or affliction or danger or need
From this reading A HOSTAGE TO FORTUNE Lying awake next morning after a night of troubled dreams, it flashed upon him that he ought scarcely to go and see Miss Coble again upon the mere impulsive invitation given on the door-step without her father’s knowledge.
(usually followed by “to”) not having the necessary means or skill or know-how
From this reading He concluded he had best call on old Coble again at the store, and walked thither with hangdog mien, unable even now to shake off the jail.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading A HOSTAGE TO FORTUNE Lying awake next morning after a night of troubled dreams, it flashed upon him that he ought scarcely to go and see Miss Coble again upon the mere impulsive invitation given on the door-step without her father’s knowledge.
precisely as stated
From this reading He was angry with himself for having so curiously let himself drift away from the very purpose of his visit.
go to see a place, as for entertainment
From this reading He was angry with himself for having so curiously let himself drift away from the very purpose of his visit.
past form of “walk” — use one's feet to advance; advance by steps
From this reading He concluded he had best call on old Coble again at the store, and walked thither with hangdog mien, unable even now to shake off the jail.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He was angry with himself for having so curiously let himself drift away from the very purpose of his visit.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He was angry with himself for having so curiously let himself drift away from the very purpose of his visit.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading A HOSTAGE TO FORTUNE Lying awake next morning after a night of troubled dreams, it flashed upon him that he ought scarcely to go and see Miss Coble again upon the mere impulsive invitation given on the door-step without her father’s knowledge.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading “Hello, young man!” he roared.
