used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Of just what particular episode concerning his acquaintance with this girl had he been thinking when, like a blinding flash out of the dark, had leaped forth those startling words?
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading He had been particularly lonely that evening, perhaps because it was Christmas, and he could not help comparing his own silent fireside with the gay, laughter-filled, holly-trimmed homes all about him.
personal knowledge or information about someone or something
From this reading Of just what particular episode concerning his acquaintance with this girl had he been thinking when, like a blinding flash out of the dark, had leaped forth those startling words?
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading COUNTER-PLOTS In thinking it over afterwards Burke Denby tried to place the specific thing that put into his mind that most astounding suggestion.
(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 had been particularly lonely that evening, perhaps because it was Christmas, and he could not help comparing his own silent fireside with the gay, laughter-filled, holly-trimmed homes all about him.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He had been particularly lonely that evening, perhaps because it was Christmas, and he could not help comparing his own silent fireside with the gay, laughter-filled, holly-trimmed homes all about him.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He knew very well the precise moment of the inception of the idea--it had been on Christmas night as he sat before the fire in his gloomy library.
astoundingadjectiveUS /əˈstaʊndɪŋ/
bewildering or striking dumb with wonder
From this reading COUNTER-PLOTS In thinking it over afterwards Burke Denby tried to place the specific thing that put into his mind that most astounding suggestion.
for the reason that
From this reading He had been particularly lonely that evening, perhaps because it was Christmas, and he could not help comparing his own silent fireside with the gay, laughter-filled, holly-trimmed homes all about him.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading He knew very well the precise moment of the inception of the idea--it had been on Christmas night as he sat before the fire in his gloomy library.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading He knew very well the precise moment of the inception of the idea--it had been on Christmas night as he sat before the fire in his gloomy library.
blindingadjectiveUS /ˈblaɪndɪŋ/
shining intensely
From this reading Of just what particular episode concerning his acquaintance with this girl had he been thinking when, like a blinding flash out of the dark, had leaped forth those startling words?
BurkenounUS /bɜːrk/
British statesman famous for his oratory; pleaded the cause of the American colonists in British Parliament and defended the parliamentary system (1729-1797)
From this reading COUNTER-PLOTS In thinking it over afterwards Burke Denby tried to place the specific thing that put into his mind that most astounding suggestion.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But what had led to it?
period extending from Dec. 24 to Jan. 6
From this reading He knew very well the precise moment of the inception of the idea--it had been on Christmas night as he sat before the fire in his gloomy library.
comparingnounUS /kəmˈperɪŋ/
the act of examining resemblances
From this reading He had been particularly lonely that evening, perhaps because it was Christmas, and he could not help comparing his own silent fireside with the gay, laughter-filled, holly-trimmed homes all about him.
-ing form of “concern” — be relevant to
From this reading Of just what particular episode concerning his acquaintance with this girl had he been thinking when, like a blinding flash out of the dark, had leaped forth those startling words?
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading He had been particularly lonely that evening, perhaps because it was Christmas, and he could not help comparing his own silent fireside with the gay, laughter-filled, holly-trimmed homes all about him.
COUNTER-PLOTS
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading COUNTER-PLOTS In thinking it over afterwards Burke Denby tried to place the specific thing that put into his mind that most astounding suggestion.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading Of just what particular episode concerning his acquaintance with this girl had he been thinking when, like a blinding flash out of the dark, had leaped forth those startling words?
Denby
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading COUNTER-PLOTS In thinking it over afterwards Burke Denby tried to place the specific thing that put into his mind that most astounding suggestion.
episodenounUS /ˈepəsoʊd/
a happening that is distinctive in a series of related events
From this reading Of just what particular episode concerning his acquaintance with this girl had he been thinking when, like a blinding flash out of the dark, had leaped forth those startling words?
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading He had been particularly lonely that evening, perhaps because it was Christmas, and he could not help comparing his own silent fireside with the gay, laughter-filled, holly-trimmed homes all about him.
start firing a weapon
From this reading He knew very well the precise moment of the inception of the idea--it had been on Christmas night as he sat before the fire in his gloomy library.
firesidenounUS /ˈfaɪərsaɪd/
an area near a fireplace (usually paved and extending out into a room)
From this reading He had been particularly lonely that evening, perhaps because it was Christmas, and he could not help comparing his own silent fireside with the gay, laughter-filled, holly-trimmed homes all about him.
gleam or glow intermittently
From this reading Of just what particular episode concerning his acquaintance with this girl had he been thinking when, like a blinding flash out of the dark, had leaped forth those startling words?
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Of just what particular episode concerning his acquaintance with this girl had he been thinking when, like a blinding flash out of the dark, had leaped forth those startling words?
bright and pleasant; promoting a feeling of cheer
From this reading He had been particularly lonely that evening, perhaps because it was Christmas, and he could not help comparing his own silent fireside with the gay, laughter-filled, holly-trimmed homes all about him.
a young female
From this reading Of just what particular episode concerning his acquaintance with this girl had he been thinking when, like a blinding flash out of the dark, had leaped forth those startling words?
depressingly dark
From this reading He knew very well the precise moment of the inception of the idea--it had been on Christmas night as he sat before the fire in his gloomy library.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He knew very well the precise moment of the inception of the idea--it had been on Christmas night as he sat before the fire in his gloomy library.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He knew very well the precise moment of the inception of the idea--it had been on Christmas night as he sat before the fire in his gloomy library.
give help or assistance; be of service
From this reading He had been particularly lonely that evening, perhaps because it was Christmas, and he could not help comparing his own silent fireside with the gay, laughter-filled, holly-trimmed homes all about him.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He had been particularly lonely that evening, perhaps because it was Christmas, and he could not help comparing his own silent fireside with the gay, laughter-filled, holly-trimmed homes all about him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading COUNTER-PLOTS In thinking it over afterwards Burke Denby tried to place the specific thing that put into his mind that most astounding suggestion.
holly-trimmed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had been particularly lonely that evening, perhaps because it was Christmas, and he could not help comparing his own silent fireside with the gay, laughter-filled, holly-trimmed homes all about him.
homesnounUS /hoʊmz/
plural of “home” — where you live at a particular time
From this reading He had been particularly lonely that evening, perhaps because it was Christmas, and he could not help comparing his own silent fireside with the gay, laughter-filled, holly-trimmed homes all about him.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading He knew very well the precise moment of the inception of the idea--it had been on Christmas night as he sat before the fire in his gloomy library.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading COUNTER-PLOTS In thinking it over afterwards Burke Denby tried to place the specific thing that put into his mind that most astounding suggestion.
inceptionnounUS /ˌɪnˈsepʃən/
an event that is a beginning; a first part or stage of subsequent events
From this reading He knew very well the precise moment of the inception of the idea--it had been on Christmas night as he sat before the fire in his gloomy library.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading COUNTER-PLOTS In thinking it over afterwards Burke Denby tried to place the specific thing that put into his mind that most astounding suggestion.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading COUNTER-PLOTS In thinking it over afterwards Burke Denby tried to place the specific thing that put into his mind that most astounding suggestion.
and nothing more
From this reading Of just what particular episode concerning his acquaintance with this girl had he been thinking when, like a blinding flash out of the dark, had leaped forth those startling words?
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 He knew very well the precise moment of the inception of the idea--it had been on Christmas night as he sat before the fire in his gloomy library.
laughter-filled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had been particularly lonely that evening, perhaps because it was Christmas, and he could not help comparing his own silent fireside with the gay, laughter-filled, holly-trimmed homes all about him.
past form of “leap” — move forward by leaps and bounds
From this reading Of just what particular episode concerning his acquaintance with this girl had he been thinking when, like a blinding flash out of the dark, had leaped forth those startling words?
diode such that light emitted at a p-n junction is proportional to the bias current; color depends on the material used
From this reading But what had led to it?
a room where books are kept
From this reading He knew very well the precise moment of the inception of the idea--it had been on Christmas night as he sat before the fire in his gloomy library.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Of just what particular episode concerning his acquaintance with this girl had he been thinking when, like a blinding flash out of the dark, had leaped forth those startling words?
lacking companions or companionship
From this reading He had been particularly lonely that evening, perhaps because it was Christmas, and he could not help comparing his own silent fireside with the gay, laughter-filled, holly-trimmed homes all about him.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading COUNTER-PLOTS In thinking it over afterwards Burke Denby tried to place the specific thing that put into his mind that most astounding suggestion.
a particular point in time
From this reading He knew very well the precise moment of the inception of the idea--it had been on Christmas night as he sat before the fire in his gloomy library.
used to form the superlative
From this reading COUNTER-PLOTS In thinking it over afterwards Burke Denby tried to place the specific thing that put into his mind that most astounding suggestion.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading He knew very well the precise moment of the inception of the idea--it had been on Christmas night as he sat before the fire in his gloomy library.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He had been particularly lonely that evening, perhaps because it was Christmas, and he could not help comparing his own silent fireside with the gay, laughter-filled, holly-trimmed homes all about him.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He knew very well the precise moment of the inception of the idea--it had been on Christmas night as he sat before the fire in his gloomy library.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He knew very well the precise moment of the inception of the idea--it had been on Christmas night as he sat before the fire in his gloomy library.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Of just what particular episode concerning his acquaintance with this girl had he been thinking when, like a blinding flash out of the dark, had leaped forth those startling words?
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading COUNTER-PLOTS In thinking it over afterwards Burke Denby tried to place the specific thing that put into his mind that most astounding suggestion.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading He had been particularly lonely that evening, perhaps because it was Christmas, and he could not help comparing his own silent fireside with the gay, laughter-filled, holly-trimmed homes all about him.
unique or specific to a person or thing or category
From this reading Of just what particular episode concerning his acquaintance with this girl had he been thinking when, like a blinding flash out of the dark, had leaped forth those startling words?
to a distinctly greater extent or degree than is common
From this reading He had been particularly lonely that evening, perhaps because it was Christmas, and he could not help comparing his own silent fireside with the gay, laughter-filled, holly-trimmed homes all about him.
by chance
From this reading He had been particularly lonely that evening, perhaps because it was Christmas, and he could not help comparing his own silent fireside with the gay, laughter-filled, holly-trimmed homes all about him.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading COUNTER-PLOTS In thinking it over afterwards Burke Denby tried to place the specific thing that put into his mind that most astounding suggestion.
preciseadjectiveUS /prɪˈsaɪs/
sharply exact or accurate or delimited
From this reading He knew very well the precise moment of the inception of the idea--it had been on Christmas night as he sat before the fire in his gloomy library.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading COUNTER-PLOTS In thinking it over afterwards Burke Denby tried to place the specific thing that put into his mind that most astounding suggestion.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading He knew very well the precise moment of the inception of the idea--it had been on Christmas night as he sat before the fire in his gloomy library.
marked by absence of sound
From this reading He had been particularly lonely that evening, perhaps because it was Christmas, and he could not help comparing his own silent fireside with the gay, laughter-filled, holly-trimmed homes all about him.
specificadjectiveUS /spəˈsɪfɪk/
(sometimes followed by “to”) applying to or characterized by or distinguishing something particular or special or unique
From this reading COUNTER-PLOTS In thinking it over afterwards Burke Denby tried to place the specific thing that put into his mind that most astounding suggestion.
startlingadjectiveUS /ˈstɑːrtlɪŋ/
so remarkably different or sudden as to cause momentary shock or alarm
From this reading Of just what particular episode concerning his acquaintance with this girl had he been thinking when, like a blinding flash out of the dark, had leaped forth those startling words?
an idea that is suggested
From this reading COUNTER-PLOTS In thinking it over afterwards Burke Denby tried to place the specific thing that put into his mind that most astounding suggestion.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading COUNTER-PLOTS In thinking it over afterwards Burke Denby tried to place the specific thing that put into his mind that most astounding suggestion.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading COUNTER-PLOTS In thinking it over afterwards Burke Denby tried to place the specific thing that put into his mind that most astounding suggestion.
a special situation
From this reading COUNTER-PLOTS In thinking it over afterwards Burke Denby tried to place the specific thing that put into his mind that most astounding suggestion.
the process of using your mind to consider something carefully
From this reading COUNTER-PLOTS In thinking it over afterwards Burke Denby tried to place the specific thing that put into his mind that most astounding suggestion.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Of just what particular episode concerning his acquaintance with this girl had he been thinking when, like a blinding flash out of the dark, had leaped forth those startling words?
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading Of just what particular episode concerning his acquaintance with this girl had he been thinking when, like a blinding flash out of the dark, had leaped forth those startling words?
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading COUNTER-PLOTS In thinking it over afterwards Burke Denby tried to place the specific thing that put into his mind that most astounding suggestion.
tested and proved useful or correct
From this reading COUNTER-PLOTS In thinking it over afterwards Burke Denby tried to place the specific thing that put into his mind that most astounding suggestion.
precisely as stated
From this reading He knew very well the precise moment of the inception of the idea--it had been on Christmas night as he sat before the fire in his gloomy library.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He had been particularly lonely that evening, perhaps because it was Christmas, and he could not help comparing his own silent fireside with the gay, laughter-filled, holly-trimmed homes all about him.
(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 He knew very well the precise moment of the inception of the idea--it had been on Christmas night as he sat before the fire in his gloomy library.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading But what had led to it?
at the time that
From this reading Of just what particular episode concerning his acquaintance with this girl had he been thinking when, like a blinding flash out of the dark, had leaped forth those startling words?
in the company of; together with
From this reading Of just what particular episode concerning his acquaintance with this girl had he been thinking when, like a blinding flash out of the dark, had leaped forth those startling words?
the words that are spoken
From this reading Of just what particular episode concerning his acquaintance with this girl had he been thinking when, like a blinding flash out of the dark, had leaped forth those startling words?
