used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading If someone had had time to spend a lot of love about him his defects could have been patched up so as to be scarcely noticeable.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading If someone had had time to spend a lot of love about him his defects could have been patched up so as to be scarcely noticeable.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading They shored him up hurriedly and left him; but no one cared enough to give him new foundations.
angelsnounUS /ˈeɪndʒəlz/
plural of “angel” — spiritual being attendant upon God
From this reading Ocky was like the jerry-built houses in which most of his life was spent: the angels who made him had had good intentions, but they had scamped their work.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading If someone had had time to spend a lot of love about him his defects could have been patched up so as to be scarcely noticeable.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading If someone had had time to spend a lot of love about him his defects could have been patched up so as to be scarcely noticeable.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading If someone had had time to spend a lot of love about him his defects could have been patched up so as to be scarcely noticeable.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Ocky was like the jerry-built houses in which most of his life was spent: the angels who made him had had good intentions, but they had scamped their work.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading As it was people only came to his help when he was on the point of tumbling down.
past form of “care” — feel concern or interest
From this reading They shored him up hurriedly and left him; but no one cared enough to give him new foundations.
ConsequentlyadverbUS /ˈkɑːnsəkwəntli/
(sentence connectors) because of the reason given
From this reading Consequently he was in continual need of repair.
continualadjectiveUS /kənˈtɪnjuːəl/
recurring regularly or frequently in a prolonged and closely spaced series
From this reading Consequently he was in continual need of repair.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading If someone had had time to spend a lot of love about him his defects could have been patched up so as to be scarcely noticeable.
defectsnounUS /ˈdiːfekts/
plural of “defect” — an imperfection in a bodily system
From this reading If someone had had time to spend a lot of love about him his defects could have been patched up so as to be scarcely noticeable.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading As it was people only came to his help when he was on the point of tumbling down.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading They shored him up hurriedly and left him; but no one cared enough to give him new foundations.
foundationsnounUS /faʊnˈdeɪʃənz/
plural of “foundation” — the basis on which something is grounded
From this reading They shored him up hurriedly and left him; but no one cared enough to give him new foundations.
cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading They shored him up hurriedly and left him; but no one cared enough to give him new foundations.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading Ocky was like the jerry-built houses in which most of his life was spent: the angels who made him had had good intentions, but they had scamped their work.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Ocky was like the jerry-built houses in which most of his life was spent: the angels who made him had had good intentions, but they had scamped their work.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading If someone had had time to spend a lot of love about him his defects could have been patched up so as to be scarcely noticeable.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Consequently he was in continual need of repair.
give help or assistance; be of service
From this reading As it was people only came to his help when he was on the point of tumbling down.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Ocky was like the jerry-built houses in which most of his life was spent: the angels who made him had had good intentions, but they had scamped their work.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Ocky was like the jerry-built houses in which most of his life was spent: the angels who made him had had good intentions, but they had scamped their work.
plural of “house” — a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading Ocky was like the jerry-built houses in which most of his life was spent: the angels who made him had had good intentions, but they had scamped their work.
hurriedlyadverbUS /ˈhɜːridli/
in a hurried or hasty manner
From this reading They shored him up hurriedly and left him; but no one cared enough to give him new foundations.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If someone had had time to spend a lot of love about him his defects could have been patched up so as to be scarcely noticeable.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Ocky was like the jerry-built houses in which most of his life was spent: the angels who made him had had good intentions, but they had scamped their work.
intentionsnounUS /ˌɪnˈtentʃənz/
plural of “intention” — an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions
From this reading Ocky was like the jerry-built houses in which most of his life was spent: the angels who made him had had good intentions, but they had scamped their work.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading As it was people only came to his help when he was on the point of tumbling down.
jerry-builtadjective
badly or hastily built
From this reading Ocky was like the jerry-built houses in which most of his life was spent: the angels who made him had had good intentions, but they had scamped their work.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading They shored him up hurriedly and left him; but no one cared enough to give him new foundations.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading Ocky was like the jerry-built houses in which most of his life was spent: the angels who made him had had good intentions, but they had scamped their work.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Ocky was like the jerry-built houses in which most of his life was spent: the angels who made him had had good intentions, but they had scamped their work.
(often followed by “of”) a large number or amount or extent
From this reading If someone had had time to spend a lot of love about him his defects could have been patched up so as to be scarcely noticeable.
a strong positive emotion of regard and affection
From this reading If someone had had time to spend a lot of love about him his defects could have been patched up so as to be scarcely noticeable.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading Ocky was like the jerry-built houses in which most of his life was spent: the angels who made him had had good intentions, but they had scamped their work.
used to form the superlative
From this reading Ocky was like the jerry-built houses in which most of his life was spent: the angels who made him had had good intentions, but they had scamped their work.
a condition requiring relief
From this reading Consequently he was in continual need of repair.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading They shored him up hurriedly and left him; but no one cared enough to give him new foundations.
not any; not one
From this reading They shored him up hurriedly and left him; but no one cared enough to give him new foundations.
noticeableadjectiveUS /ˈnoʊtəsəbəl/
capable or worthy of being noticed
From this reading If someone had had time to spend a lot of love about him his defects could have been patched up so as to be scarcely noticeable.
Ocky
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ocky was like the jerry-built houses in which most of his life was spent: the angels who made him had had good intentions, but they had scamped their work.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Ocky was like the jerry-built houses in which most of his life was spent: the angels who made him had had good intentions, but they had scamped their work.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading As it was people only came to his help when he was on the point of tumbling down.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading They shored him up hurriedly and left him; but no one cared enough to give him new foundations.
and nothing more
From this reading As it was people only came to his help when he was on the point of tumbling down.
patchedadjectiveUS /pætʃt/
mended usually clumsily by covering a hole with a patch
From this reading If someone had had time to spend a lot of love about him his defects could have been patched up so as to be scarcely noticeable.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading As it was people only came to his help when he was on the point of tumbling down.
a geometric element that has position but no extension
From this reading As it was people only came to his help when he was on the point of tumbling down.
repairnounUS /rɪˈper/
the act of putting something in working order again
From this reading Consequently he was in continual need of repair.
scamped
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ocky was like the jerry-built houses in which most of his life was spent: the angels who made him had had good intentions, but they had scamped their work.
only a very short time before
From this reading If someone had had time to spend a lot of love about him his defects could have been patched up so as to be scarcely noticeable.
shoredverbUS /ʃɔːrd/
past form of “shore” — serve as a shore to
From this reading They shored him up hurriedly and left him; but no one cared enough to give him new foundations.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading If someone had had time to spend a lot of love about him his defects could have been patched up so as to be scarcely noticeable.
a person, without saying who
From this reading If someone had had time to spend a lot of love about him his defects could have been patched up so as to be scarcely noticeable.
use up a period of time in a specific way
From this reading If someone had had time to spend a lot of love about him his defects could have been patched up so as to be scarcely noticeable.
depleted of energy, force, or strength
From this reading Ocky was like the jerry-built houses in which most of his life was spent: the angels who made him had had good intentions, but they had scamped their work.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Ocky was like the jerry-built houses in which most of his life was spent: the angels who made him had had good intentions, but they had scamped their work.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Ocky was like the jerry-built houses in which most of his life was spent: the angels who made him had had good intentions, but they had scamped their work.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Ocky was like the jerry-built houses in which most of his life was spent: the angels who made him had had good intentions, but they had scamped their work.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading If someone had had time to spend a lot of love about him his defects could have been patched up so as to be scarcely noticeable.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading If someone had had time to spend a lot of love about him his defects could have been patched up so as to be scarcely noticeable.
tumblingnounUS /ˈtʌmbəlɪŋ/
the gymnastic moves of an acrobat
From this reading As it was people only came to his help when he was on the point of tumbling down.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading If someone had had time to spend a lot of love about him his defects could have been patched up so as to be scarcely noticeable.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Ocky was like the jerry-built houses in which most of his life was spent: the angels who made him had had good intentions, but they had scamped their work.
at the time that
From this reading As it was people only came to his help when he was on the point of tumbling down.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Ocky was like the jerry-built houses in which most of his life was spent: the angels who made him had had good intentions, but they had scamped their work.
which person or people
From this reading Ocky was like the jerry-built houses in which most of his life was spent: the angels who made him had had good intentions, but they had scamped their work.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading Ocky was like the jerry-built houses in which most of his life was spent: the angels who made him had had good intentions, but they had scamped their work.
