used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The forces of attraction and repulsion were so nearly balanced that for a long time he oscillated before his own door like a piece of iron hung between the opposite poles of a battery.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading After wandering aimlessly about the city for awhile the half-crazed gambler turned his footsteps toward home.
AfterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading After wandering aimlessly about the city for awhile the half-crazed gambler turned his footsteps toward home.
aimlesslyadverbUS /ˈeɪmləsli/
without aim; in an aimless manner
From this reading After wandering aimlessly about the city for awhile the half-crazed gambler turned his footsteps toward home.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE INEVITABLE HOUR "How shall I lose the sin yet keep the sense, And love th' offender, yet detest the offense?"
attractionnounUS /əˈtrækʃən/
the force by which one object attracts another
From this reading The forces of attraction and repulsion were so nearly balanced that for a long time he oscillated before his own door like a piece of iron hung between the opposite poles of a battery.
awhileadverbUS /əˈwaɪl/
for a short time
From this reading After wandering aimlessly about the city for awhile the half-crazed gambler turned his footsteps toward home.
balancedadjectiveUS /ˈbælənst/
being in a state of proper equilibrium
From this reading The forces of attraction and repulsion were so nearly balanced that for a long time he oscillated before his own door like a piece of iron hung between the opposite poles of a battery.
batterynounUS /ˈbætəri/
group of guns or missile launchers operated together at one place
From this reading The forces of attraction and repulsion were so nearly balanced that for a long time he oscillated before his own door like a piece of iron hung between the opposite poles of a battery.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading The forces of attraction and repulsion were so nearly balanced that for a long time he oscillated before his own door like a piece of iron hung between the opposite poles of a battery.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading The forces of attraction and repulsion were so nearly balanced that for a long time he oscillated before his own door like a piece of iron hung between the opposite poles of a battery.
a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts
From this reading After wandering aimlessly about the city for awhile the half-crazed gambler turned his footsteps toward home.
detestverbUS /dɪˈtest/
dislike intensely; feel antipathy or aversion towards
From this reading THE INEVITABLE HOUR "How shall I lose the sin yet keep the sense, And love th' offender, yet detest the offense?"
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading The forces of attraction and repulsion were so nearly balanced that for a long time he oscillated before his own door like a piece of iron hung between the opposite poles of a battery.
dreadedadjectiveUS /ˈdredɪd/
causing fear or dread or terror
From this reading He longed for and yet dreaded its quiet and repose.
plural of “footstep” — the sound of a step of someone walking
From this reading After wandering aimlessly about the city for awhile the half-crazed gambler turned his footsteps toward home.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading After wandering aimlessly about the city for awhile the half-crazed gambler turned his footsteps toward home.
plural of “force” — a powerful effect or influence
From this reading The forces of attraction and repulsion were so nearly balanced that for a long time he oscillated before his own door like a piece of iron hung between the opposite poles of a battery.
gamblernounUS /ˈɡæmblər/
a person who wagers money on the outcome of games or sporting events
From this reading After wandering aimlessly about the city for awhile the half-crazed gambler turned his footsteps toward home.
half-crazedadjective
driven insane
From this reading After wandering aimlessly about the city for awhile the half-crazed gambler turned his footsteps toward home.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He longed for and yet dreaded its quiet and repose.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading After wandering aimlessly about the city for awhile the half-crazed gambler turned his footsteps toward home.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading After wandering aimlessly about the city for awhile the half-crazed gambler turned his footsteps toward home.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading THE INEVITABLE HOUR "How shall I lose the sin yet keep the sense, And love th' offender, yet detest the offense?"
How
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE INEVITABLE HOUR "How shall I lose the sin yet keep the sense, And love th' offender, yet detest the offense?"
inflected form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging
From this reading The forces of attraction and repulsion were so nearly balanced that for a long time he oscillated before his own door like a piece of iron hung between the opposite poles of a battery.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading THE INEVITABLE HOUR "How shall I lose the sin yet keep the sense, And love th' offender, yet detest the offense?"
INEVITABLEadjectiveUS /ˌɪˈnevətəbəl/
incapable of being avoided or prevented
From this reading THE INEVITABLE HOUR "How shall I lose the sin yet keep the sense, And love th' offender, yet detest the offense?"
a heavy ductile magnetic metallic element; is silver-white in pure form but readily rusts; used in construction and tools and armament; plays a role in the transport of oxygen by the blood
From this reading The forces of attraction and repulsion were so nearly balanced that for a long time he oscillated before his own door like a piece of iron hung between the opposite poles of a battery.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading He longed for and yet dreaded its quiet and repose.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading THE INEVITABLE HOUR "How shall I lose the sin yet keep the sense, And love th' offender, yet detest the offense?"
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading The forces of attraction and repulsion were so nearly balanced that for a long time he oscillated before his own door like a piece of iron hung between the opposite poles of a battery.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading The forces of attraction and repulsion were so nearly balanced that for a long time he oscillated before his own door like a piece of iron hung between the opposite poles of a battery.
past form of “long” — desire strongly or persistently
From this reading He longed for and yet dreaded its quiet and repose.
fail to keep or to maintain; cease to have, either physically or in an abstract sense
From this reading THE INEVITABLE HOUR "How shall I lose the sin yet keep the sense, And love th' offender, yet detest the offense?"
a strong positive emotion of regard and affection
From this reading THE INEVITABLE HOUR "How shall I lose the sin yet keep the sense, And love th' offender, yet detest the offense?"
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading The forces of attraction and repulsion were so nearly balanced that for a long time he oscillated before his own door like a piece of iron hung between the opposite poles of a battery.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The forces of attraction and repulsion were so nearly balanced that for a long time he oscillated before his own door like a piece of iron hung between the opposite poles of a battery.
offendernounUS /əˈfendər/
a person who transgresses moral or civil law
From this reading THE INEVITABLE HOUR "How shall I lose the sin yet keep the sense, And love th' offender, yet detest the offense?"
offensenounUS /əˈfens/
a lack of politeness; a failure to show regard for others; wounding the feelings or others
From this reading THE INEVITABLE HOUR "How shall I lose the sin yet keep the sense, And love th' offender, yet detest the offense?"
being directly across from each other; facing
From this reading The forces of attraction and repulsion were so nearly balanced that for a long time he oscillated before his own door like a piece of iron hung between the opposite poles of a battery.
oscillatedverbUS /ˈɑːsəleɪtəd/
past form of “oscillate” — be undecided about something; waver between conflicting positions or courses of action
From this reading The forces of attraction and repulsion were so nearly balanced that for a long time he oscillated before his own door like a piece of iron hung between the opposite poles of a battery.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading The forces of attraction and repulsion were so nearly balanced that for a long time he oscillated before his own door like a piece of iron hung between the opposite poles of a battery.
a separate part of a whole
From this reading The forces of attraction and repulsion were so nearly balanced that for a long time he oscillated before his own door like a piece of iron hung between the opposite poles of a battery.
polesnounUS /poʊlz/
plural of “pole” — a long (usually round) rod of wood or metal or plastic
From this reading The forces of attraction and repulsion were so nearly balanced that for a long time he oscillated before his own door like a piece of iron hung between the opposite poles of a battery.
PopenounUS /poʊp/
the head of the Roman Catholic Church
From this reading --Pope.
quietadjectiveUS /ˈkwaɪət/
characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity
From this reading He longed for and yet dreaded its quiet and repose.
reposeverbUS /riˈpoʊz/
put or confide something in a person or thing
From this reading He longed for and yet dreaded its quiet and repose.
repulsionnoun
the force by which bodies repel one another
From this reading The forces of attraction and repulsion were so nearly balanced that for a long time he oscillated before his own door like a piece of iron hung between the opposite poles of a battery.
a general conscious awareness
From this reading THE INEVITABLE HOUR "How shall I lose the sin yet keep the sense, And love th' offender, yet detest the offense?"
used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest
From this reading THE INEVITABLE HOUR "How shall I lose the sin yet keep the sense, And love th' offender, yet detest the offense?"
estrangement from god
From this reading THE INEVITABLE HOUR "How shall I lose the sin yet keep the sense, And love th' offender, yet detest the offense?"
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The forces of attraction and repulsion were so nearly balanced that for a long time he oscillated before his own door like a piece of iron hung between the opposite poles of a battery.
the fifth day of the week; the fourth working day
From this reading THE INEVITABLE HOUR "How shall I lose the sin yet keep the sense, And love th' offender, yet detest the offense?"
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The forces of attraction and repulsion were so nearly balanced that for a long time he oscillated before his own door like a piece of iron hung between the opposite poles of a battery.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE INEVITABLE HOUR "How shall I lose the sin yet keep the sense, And love th' offender, yet detest the offense?"
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading The forces of attraction and repulsion were so nearly balanced that for a long time he oscillated before his own door like a piece of iron hung between the opposite poles of a battery.
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading After wandering aimlessly about the city for awhile the half-crazed gambler turned his footsteps toward home.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading After wandering aimlessly about the city for awhile the half-crazed gambler turned his footsteps toward home.
migratory
From this reading After wandering aimlessly about the city for awhile the half-crazed gambler turned his footsteps toward home.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The forces of attraction and repulsion were so nearly balanced that for a long time he oscillated before his own door like a piece of iron hung between the opposite poles of a battery.
but in spite of that
From this reading THE INEVITABLE HOUR "How shall I lose the sin yet keep the sense, And love th' offender, yet detest the offense?"
