used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A BAD REPUTATION Pratt sat alone in his library.
(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 He collected rare editions, he indulged in gorgeous bindings, and placed all his gatherings on shelves behind glass doors.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading A BAD REPUTATION Pratt sat alone in his library.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading He was not reading, for although he had many books he rarely looked into one of them.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He collected rare editions, he indulged in gorgeous bindings, and placed all his gatherings on shelves behind glass doors.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading If his collection had been so many volumes of blank pages he would have been just as well pleased.
having undesirable or negative qualities
From this reading A BAD REPUTATION Pratt sat alone in his library.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading If his collection had been so many volumes of blank pages he would have been just as well pleased.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading He collected rare editions, he indulged in gorgeous bindings, and placed all his gatherings on shelves behind glass doors.
bindingsnounUS /ˈbaɪndɪŋz/
plural of “binding” — the capacity to attract and hold something
From this reading He collected rare editions, he indulged in gorgeous bindings, and placed all his gatherings on shelves behind glass doors.
blankadjectiveUS /blæŋk/
(of a surface) not written or printed on
From this reading If his collection had been so many volumes of blank pages he would have been just as well pleased.
Bound written or printed works.
From this reading He was not reading, for although he had many books he rarely looked into one of them.
collectedadjectiveUS /kəˈlektəd/
brought together in one place
From this reading He collected rare editions, he indulged in gorgeous bindings, and placed all his gatherings on shelves behind glass doors.
collectionnounUS /kəˈlekʃən/
several things grouped together or considered as a whole
From this reading If his collection had been so many volumes of blank pages he would have been just as well pleased.
plural of “door” — a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading He collected rare editions, he indulged in gorgeous bindings, and placed all his gatherings on shelves behind glass doors.
editionsnounUS /ɪˈdɪʃənz/
plural of “edition” — the form in which a text (especially a printed book) is published
From this reading He collected rare editions, he indulged in gorgeous bindings, and placed all his gatherings on shelves behind glass doors.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He was not reading, for although he had many books he rarely looked into one of them.
gatheringsnounUS /ˈɡæðərɪŋz/
plural of “gathering” — a group of persons together in one place
From this reading He collected rare editions, he indulged in gorgeous bindings, and placed all his gatherings on shelves behind glass doors.
a brittle transparent solid with irregular atomic structure
From this reading He collected rare editions, he indulged in gorgeous bindings, and placed all his gatherings on shelves behind glass doors.
gorgeousadjectiveUS /ˈɡɔːrdʒəs/
dazzlingly beautiful
From this reading He collected rare editions, he indulged in gorgeous bindings, and placed all his gatherings on shelves behind glass doors.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He was not reading, for although he had many books he rarely looked into one of them.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading If his collection had been so many volumes of blank pages he would have been just as well pleased.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was not reading, for although he had many books he rarely looked into one of them.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading A BAD REPUTATION Pratt sat alone in his library.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If his collection had been so many volumes of blank pages he would have been just as well pleased.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A BAD REPUTATION Pratt sat alone in his library.
indulgedverbUS /ˌɪnˈdʌldʒd/
past form of “indulge” — give free rein to
From this reading He collected rare editions, he indulged in gorgeous bindings, and placed all his gatherings on shelves behind glass doors.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading He was not reading, for although he had many books he rarely looked into one of them.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was the look of the thing Pratt liked.
and nothing more
From this reading If his collection had been so many volumes of blank pages he would have been just as well pleased.
a room where books are kept
From this reading A BAD REPUTATION Pratt sat alone in his library.
found pleasant or attractive; often used as a combining form
From this reading It was the look of the thing Pratt liked.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading It was the look of the thing Pratt liked.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading He was not reading, for although he had many books he rarely looked into one of them.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading He was not reading, for although he had many books he rarely looked into one of them.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He was not reading, for although he had many books he rarely looked into one of them.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He was not reading, for although he had many books he rarely looked into one of them.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He collected rare editions, he indulged in gorgeous bindings, and placed all his gatherings on shelves behind glass doors.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading He was not reading, for although he had many books he rarely looked into one of them.
plural of “page” — one side of one leaf (of a book or magazine or newspaper or letter etc.) or the written or pictorial matter it contains
From this reading If his collection had been so many volumes of blank pages he would have been just as well pleased.
situated in a particular spot or position
From this reading He collected rare editions, he indulged in gorgeous bindings, and placed all his gatherings on shelves behind glass doors.
experiencing or manifesting pleasure
From this reading If his collection had been so many volumes of blank pages he would have been just as well pleased.
Pratt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A BAD REPUTATION Pratt sat alone in his library.
not widely known; especially valued for its uncommonness
From this reading He collected rare editions, he indulged in gorgeous bindings, and placed all his gatherings on shelves behind glass doors.
rarelyadverbUS /ˈrerli/
not often
From this reading He was not reading, for although he had many books he rarely looked into one of them.
the cognitive process of understanding a written linguistic message
From this reading He was not reading, for although he had many books he rarely looked into one of them.
the state of being held in high esteem and honor
From this reading A BAD REPUTATION Pratt sat alone in his library.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading A BAD REPUTATION Pratt sat alone in his library.
shelvesnounUS /ʃelvz/
Plural of shelf; the vast wooden or stone structures holding archives.
From this reading He collected rare editions, he indulged in gorgeous bindings, and placed all his gatherings on shelves behind glass doors.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading If his collection had been so many volumes of blank pages he would have been just as well pleased.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It was the look of the thing Pratt liked.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading He was not reading, for although he had many books he rarely looked into one of them.
a special situation
From this reading It was the look of the thing Pratt liked.
volumesnounUS /ˈvɑːljuːmz/
plural of “volume” — the amount of 3-dimensional space occupied by an object
From this reading If his collection had been so many volumes of blank pages he would have been just as well pleased.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He was not reading, for although he had many books he rarely looked into one of them.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading If his collection had been so many volumes of blank pages he would have been just as well pleased.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading If his collection had been so many volumes of blank pages he would have been just as well pleased.
