used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading I made a dash ahead of Abby, and opened the door.
Abby
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I made a dash ahead of Abby, and opened the door.
at or in the front
From this reading I made a dash ahead of Abby, and opened the door.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading THE EVIDENCE It did not seem possible that Mr. Dingley and father could be gone longer than half an hour, but the hands of the clock went to nine and then to ten before I heard them on the steps.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE EVIDENCE It did not seem possible that Mr. Dingley and father could be gone longer than half an hour, but the hands of the clock went to nine and then to ten before I heard them on the steps.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading "Did he get away?"
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading THE EVIDENCE It did not seem possible that Mr. Dingley and father could be gone longer than half an hour, but the hands of the clock went to nine and then to ten before I heard them on the steps.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading I knew it had been a dreadfully wrong thing to say.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading THE EVIDENCE It did not seem possible that Mr. Dingley and father could be gone longer than half an hour, but the hands of the clock went to nine and then to ten before I heard them on the steps.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading THE EVIDENCE It did not seem possible that Mr. Dingley and father could be gone longer than half an hour, but the hands of the clock went to nine and then to ten before I heard them on the steps.
a timepiece that shows the time of day
From this reading THE EVIDENCE It did not seem possible that Mr. Dingley and father could be gone longer than half an hour, but the hands of the clock went to nine and then to ten before I heard them on the steps.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading THE EVIDENCE It did not seem possible that Mr. Dingley and father could be gone longer than half an hour, but the hands of the clock went to nine and then to ten before I heard them on the steps.
dashverbUS /dæʃ/
run or move very quickly or hastily
From this reading I made a dash ahead of Abby, and opened the door.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading THE EVIDENCE It did not seem possible that Mr. Dingley and father could be gone longer than half an hour, but the hands of the clock went to nine and then to ten before I heard them on the steps.
Dingley
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE EVIDENCE It did not seem possible that Mr. Dingley and father could be gone longer than half an hour, but the hands of the clock went to nine and then to ten before I heard them on the steps.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading I made a dash ahead of Abby, and opened the door.
dreadfullyadverbUS /ˈdredfəli/
of a dreadful kind
From this reading I knew it had been a dreadfully wrong thing to say.
your basis for belief or disbelief; knowledge on which to base belief
From this reading THE EVIDENCE It did not seem possible that Mr. Dingley and father could be gone longer than half an hour, but the hands of the clock went to nine and then to ten before I heard them on the steps.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading THE EVIDENCE It did not seem possible that Mr. Dingley and father could be gone longer than half an hour, but the hands of the clock went to nine and then to ten before I heard them on the steps.
inflected form of “fly” — travel through the air; be airborne
From this reading The words flew off my tongue before I could think.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading "Did he get away?"
destroyed or killed
From this reading THE EVIDENCE It did not seem possible that Mr. Dingley and father could be gone longer than half an hour, but the hands of the clock went to nine and then to ten before I heard them on the steps.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading I knew it had been a dreadfully wrong thing to say.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading THE EVIDENCE It did not seem possible that Mr. Dingley and father could be gone longer than half an hour, but the hands of the clock went to nine and then to ten before I heard them on the steps.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading THE EVIDENCE It did not seem possible that Mr. Dingley and father could be gone longer than half an hour, but the hands of the clock went to nine and then to ten before I heard them on the steps.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Did he get away?"
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading THE EVIDENCE It did not seem possible that Mr. Dingley and father could be gone longer than half an hour, but the hands of the clock went to nine and then to ten before I heard them on the steps.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading THE EVIDENCE It did not seem possible that Mr. Dingley and father could be gone longer than half an hour, but the hands of the clock went to nine and then to ten before I heard them on the steps.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading THE EVIDENCE It did not seem possible that Mr. Dingley and father could be gone longer than half an hour, but the hands of the clock went to nine and then to ten before I heard them on the steps.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading THE EVIDENCE It did not seem possible that Mr. Dingley and father could be gone longer than half an hour, but the hands of the clock went to nine and then to ten before I heard them on the steps.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading I knew it had been a dreadfully wrong thing to say.
for more time
From this reading THE EVIDENCE It did not seem possible that Mr. Dingley and father could be gone longer than half an hour, but the hands of the clock went to nine and then to ten before I heard them on the steps.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading I made a dash ahead of Abby, and opened the door.
a form of address for a man
From this reading THE EVIDENCE It did not seem possible that Mr. Dingley and father could be gone longer than half an hour, but the hands of the clock went to nine and then to ten before I heard them on the steps.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading The words flew off my tongue before I could think.
the cardinal number that is the sum of eight and one
From this reading THE EVIDENCE It did not seem possible that Mr. Dingley and father could be gone longer than half an hour, but the hands of the clock went to nine and then to ten before I heard them on the steps.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading THE EVIDENCE It did not seem possible that Mr. Dingley and father could be gone longer than half an hour, but the hands of the clock went to nine and then to ten before I heard them on the steps.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE EVIDENCE It did not seem possible that Mr. Dingley and father could be gone longer than half an hour, but the hands of the clock went to nine and then to ten before I heard them on the steps.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading The words flew off my tongue before I could think.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading THE EVIDENCE It did not seem possible that Mr. Dingley and father could be gone longer than half an hour, but the hands of the clock went to nine and then to ten before I heard them on the steps.
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading I made a dash ahead of Abby, and opened the door.
capable of happening or existing
From this reading THE EVIDENCE It did not seem possible that Mr. Dingley and father could be gone longer than half an hour, but the hands of the clock went to nine and then to ten before I heard them on the steps.
express in words
From this reading I knew it had been a dreadfully wrong thing to say.
give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading THE EVIDENCE It did not seem possible that Mr. Dingley and father could be gone longer than half an hour, but the hands of the clock went to nine and then to ten before I heard them on the steps.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading THE EVIDENCE It did not seem possible that Mr. Dingley and father could be gone longer than half an hour, but the hands of the clock went to nine and then to ten before I heard them on the steps.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading THE EVIDENCE It did not seem possible that Mr. Dingley and father could be gone longer than half an hour, but the hands of the clock went to nine and then to ten before I heard them on the steps.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading THE EVIDENCE It did not seem possible that Mr. Dingley and father could be gone longer than half an hour, but the hands of the clock went to nine and then to ten before I heard them on the steps.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading THE EVIDENCE It did not seem possible that Mr. Dingley and father could be gone longer than half an hour, but the hands of the clock went to nine and then to ten before I heard them on the steps.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE EVIDENCE It did not seem possible that Mr. Dingley and father could be gone longer than half an hour, but the hands of the clock went to nine and then to ten before I heard them on the steps.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading THE EVIDENCE It did not seem possible that Mr. Dingley and father could be gone longer than half an hour, but the hands of the clock went to nine and then to ten before I heard them on the steps.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading THE EVIDENCE It did not seem possible that Mr. Dingley and father could be gone longer than half an hour, but the hands of the clock went to nine and then to ten before I heard them on the steps.
a special situation
From this reading I knew it had been a dreadfully wrong thing to say.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading The words flew off my tongue before I could think.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE EVIDENCE It did not seem possible that Mr. Dingley and father could be gone longer than half an hour, but the hands of the clock went to nine and then to ten before I heard them on the steps.
a mobile mass of muscular tissue covered with mucous membrane and located in the oral cavity
From this reading The words flew off my tongue before I could think.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading THE EVIDENCE It did not seem possible that Mr. Dingley and father could be gone longer than half an hour, but the hands of the clock went to nine and then to ten before I heard them on the steps.
the words that are spoken
From this reading The words flew off my tongue before I could think.
not correct; not in conformity with fact or truth
From this reading I knew it had been a dreadfully wrong thing to say.
