used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Poor dear! he took it into his head to go for a jaunt, he says, and went by the night train.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading Mrs. Marry delivered her startling piece of news with an air of triumph.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Mrs. Marry delivered her startling piece of news with an air of triumph.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "He came back last night," she continued, "and he told me with his fingers how he had been lying ill in London town.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading He meant to have come back to me next morning, but a nasty influenza took him and kept him away.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading "He came back last night," she continued, "and he told me with his fingers how he had been lying ill in London town.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading "He came back last night," she continued, "and he told me with his fingers how he had been lying ill in London town.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He meant to have come back to me next morning, but a nasty influenza took him and kept him away.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Poor dear! he took it into his head to go for a jaunt, he says, and went by the night train.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading "He came back last night," she continued, "and he told me with his fingers how he had been lying ill in London town.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading He meant to have come back to me next morning, but a nasty influenza took him and kept him away.
without stop or interruption
From this reading "He came back last night," she continued, "and he told me with his fingers how he had been lying ill in London town.
dearly loved
From this reading Poor dear! he took it into his head to go for a jaunt, he says, and went by the night train.
past form of “deliver” — deliver (a speech, oration, or idea)
From this reading Mrs. Marry delivered her startling piece of news with an air of triumph.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading She did not guess for one moment how very important it was, or in what peril it placed the Quiet Gentleman.
plural of “finger” — any of the terminal members of the hand (sometimes excepting the thumb)
From this reading "He came back last night," she continued, "and he told me with his fingers how he had been lying ill in London town.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading She did not guess for one moment how very important it was, or in what peril it placed the Quiet Gentleman.
a man of refinement
From this reading She did not guess for one moment how very important it was, or in what peril it placed the Quiet Gentleman.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Poor dear! he took it into his head to go for a jaunt, he says, and went by the night train.
expect, believe, or suppose
From this reading She did not guess for one moment how very important it was, or in what peril it placed the Quiet Gentleman.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading "He came back last night," she continued, "and he told me with his fingers how he had been lying ill in London town.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading He meant to have come back to me next morning, but a nasty influenza took him and kept him away.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "He came back last night," she continued, "and he told me with his fingers how he had been lying ill in London town.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading Poor dear! he took it into his head to go for a jaunt, he says, and went by the night train.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Mrs. Marry delivered her startling piece of news with an air of triumph.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He meant to have come back to me next morning, but a nasty influenza took him and kept him away.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading "He came back last night," she continued, "and he told me with his fingers how he had been lying ill in London town.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She did not guess for one moment how very important it was, or in what peril it placed the Quiet Gentleman.
affected by an impairment of normal physical or mental function
From this reading "He came back last night," she continued, "and he told me with his fingers how he had been lying ill in London town.
of great significance or value
From this reading She did not guess for one moment how very important it was, or in what peril it placed the Quiet Gentleman.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading She did not guess for one moment how very important it was, or in what peril it placed the Quiet Gentleman.
influenzanounUS /ˌɪnfluːˈenzə/
an acute febrile highly contagious viral disease
From this reading He meant to have come back to me next morning, but a nasty influenza took him and kept him away.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Poor dear! he took it into his head to go for a jaunt, he says, and went by the night train.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading She did not guess for one moment how very important it was, or in what peril it placed the Quiet Gentleman.
jauntnounUS /dʒɔːnt/
a journey taken for pleasure
From this reading Poor dear! he took it into his head to go for a jaunt, he says, and went by the night train.
(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded
From this reading He meant to have come back to me next morning, but a nasty influenza took him and kept him away.
immediately past
From this reading "He came back last night," she continued, "and he told me with his fingers how he had been lying ill in London town.
the capital and largest city of England; located on the Thames in southeastern England; financial and industrial and cultural center
From this reading "He came back last night," she continued, "and he told me with his fingers how he had been lying ill in London town.
the deliberate act of deviating from the truth
From this reading "He came back last night," she continued, "and he told me with his fingers how he had been lying ill in London town.
take in marriage
From this reading Mrs. Marry delivered her startling piece of news with an air of triumph.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "He came back last night," she continued, "and he told me with his fingers how he had been lying ill in London town.
inflected form of “mean” — mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading He meant to have come back to me next morning, but a nasty influenza took him and kept him away.
a particular point in time
From this reading She did not guess for one moment how very important it was, or in what peril it placed the Quiet Gentleman.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading He meant to have come back to me next morning, but a nasty influenza took him and kept him away.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading Mrs. Marry delivered her startling piece of news with an air of triumph.
nastyadjectiveUS /ˈnæsti/
offensive or even (of persons) malicious
From this reading He meant to have come back to me next morning, but a nasty influenza took him and kept him away.
information about recent and important events
From this reading Mrs. Marry delivered her startling piece of news with an air of triumph.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading He meant to have come back to me next morning, but a nasty influenza took him and kept him away.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading "He came back last night," she continued, "and he told me with his fingers how he had been lying ill in London town.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading She did not guess for one moment how very important it was, or in what peril it placed the Quiet Gentleman.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Mrs. Marry delivered her startling piece of news with an air of triumph.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading She did not guess for one moment how very important it was, or in what peril it placed the Quiet Gentleman.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading She did not guess for one moment how very important it was, or in what peril it placed the Quiet Gentleman.
perilnounUS /ˈperəl/
a source of danger; a possibility of incurring loss or misfortune
From this reading She did not guess for one moment how very important it was, or in what peril it placed the Quiet Gentleman.
a separate part of a whole
From this reading Mrs. Marry delivered her startling piece of news with an air of triumph.
situated in a particular spot or position
From this reading She did not guess for one moment how very important it was, or in what peril it placed the Quiet Gentleman.
deserving or inciting pity
From this reading Poor dear! he took it into his head to go for a jaunt, he says, and went by the night train.
QuietadjectiveUS /ˈkwaɪət/
characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity
From this reading She did not guess for one moment how very important it was, or in what peril it placed the Quiet Gentleman.
plural of “say” — the chance to speak
From this reading Poor dear! he took it into his head to go for a jaunt, he says, and went by the night train.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She did not guess for one moment how very important it was, or in what peril it placed the Quiet Gentleman.
startlingadjectiveUS /ˈstɑːrtlɪŋ/
so remarkably different or sudden as to cause momentary shock or alarm
From this reading Mrs. Marry delivered her startling piece of news with an air of triumph.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading She did not guess for one moment how very important it was, or in what peril it placed the Quiet Gentleman.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Poor dear! he took it into his head to go for a jaunt, he says, and went by the night train.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading "He came back last night," she continued, "and he told me with his fingers how he had been lying ill in London town.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading Poor dear! he took it into his head to go for a jaunt, he says, and went by the night train.
an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading "He came back last night," she continued, "and he told me with his fingers how he had been lying ill in London town.
create by training and teaching
From this reading Poor dear! he took it into his head to go for a jaunt, he says, and went by the night train.
a successful ending of a struggle or contest
From this reading Mrs. Marry delivered her startling piece of news with an air of triumph.
precisely as stated
From this reading She did not guess for one moment how very important it was, or in what peril it placed the Quiet Gentleman.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading She did not guess for one moment how very important it was, or in what peril it placed the Quiet Gentleman.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Poor dear! he took it into his head to go for a jaunt, he says, and went by the night train.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading She did not guess for one moment how very important it was, or in what peril it placed the Quiet Gentleman.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Mrs. Marry delivered her startling piece of news with an air of triumph.
