used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The boys missed the kindly smile and familiar nod, and the inquiries after sick relatives, which were wont to make his greeting resemble that of a father.
speak to
From this reading THE SCHOOL-ROOM ADDRESS.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading The boys missed the kindly smile and familiar nod, and the inquiries after sick relatives, which were wont to make his greeting resemble that of a father.
(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 All felt that the vicar had something on his mind, as he stood behind the reading-desk, with the sunset glow on his bald head, looking down on the throng of boys clustering in the closely-filled benches.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading CURTIS looked unusually thoughtful and grave as he walked up the schoolroom.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading CURTIS looked unusually thoughtful and grave as he walked up the schoolroom.
baldadjectiveUS /bɔːld/
with no effort to conceal
From this reading All felt that the vicar had something on his mind, as he stood behind the reading-desk, with the sunset glow on his bald head, looking down on the throng of boys clustering in the closely-filled benches.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading All felt that the vicar had something on his mind, as he stood behind the reading-desk, with the sunset glow on his bald head, looking down on the throng of boys clustering in the closely-filled benches.
benchesnounUS /ˈbentʃɪz/
plural of “bench” — a long seat for more than one person
From this reading All felt that the vicar had something on his mind, as he stood behind the reading-desk, with the sunset glow on his bald head, looking down on the throng of boys clustering in the closely-filled benches.
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading The boys missed the kindly smile and familiar nod, and the inquiries after sick relatives, which were wont to make his greeting resemble that of a father.
closely-filled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All felt that the vicar had something on his mind, as he stood behind the reading-desk, with the sunset glow on his bald head, looking down on the throng of boys clustering in the closely-filled benches.
clusteringnounUS /ˈklʌstərɪŋ/
a grouping of a number of similar things
From this reading All felt that the vicar had something on his mind, as he stood behind the reading-desk, with the sunset glow on his bald head, looking down on the throng of boys clustering in the closely-filled benches.
CURTISnounUS /ˈkɜːrtəs/
English botanical writer and publisher (1746-1799)
From this reading CURTIS looked unusually thoughtful and grave as he walked up the schoolroom.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading All felt that the vicar had something on his mind, as he stood behind the reading-desk, with the sunset glow on his bald head, looking down on the throng of boys clustering in the closely-filled benches.
well known or easily recognized
From this reading The boys missed the kindly smile and familiar nod, and the inquiries after sick relatives, which were wont to make his greeting resemble that of a father.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading The boys missed the kindly smile and familiar nod, and the inquiries after sick relatives, which were wont to make his greeting resemble that of a father.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading All felt that the vicar had something on his mind, as he stood behind the reading-desk, with the sunset glow on his bald head, looking down on the throng of boys clustering in the closely-filled benches.
an alert and refreshed state
From this reading All felt that the vicar had something on his mind, as he stood behind the reading-desk, with the sunset glow on his bald head, looking down on the throng of boys clustering in the closely-filled benches.
death of a person
From this reading CURTIS looked unusually thoughtful and grave as he walked up the schoolroom.
greetingnounUS /ˈɡriːtɪŋ/
(usually plural) an acknowledgment or expression of good will (especially on meeting)
From this reading The boys missed the kindly smile and familiar nod, and the inquiries after sick relatives, which were wont to make his greeting resemble that of a father.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading All felt that the vicar had something on his mind, as he stood behind the reading-desk, with the sunset glow on his bald head, looking down on the throng of boys clustering in the closely-filled benches.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading CURTIS looked unusually thoughtful and grave as he walked up the schoolroom.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading All felt that the vicar had something on his mind, as he stood behind the reading-desk, with the sunset glow on his bald head, looking down on the throng of boys clustering in the closely-filled benches.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The boys missed the kindly smile and familiar nod, and the inquiries after sick relatives, which were wont to make his greeting resemble that of a father.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading All felt that the vicar had something on his mind, as he stood behind the reading-desk, with the sunset glow on his bald head, looking down on the throng of boys clustering in the closely-filled benches.
inquiriesnounUS /ˌɪnˈkwaɪəriz/
plural of “inquiry” — a search for knowledge
From this reading The boys missed the kindly smile and familiar nod, and the inquiries after sick relatives, which were wont to make his greeting resemble that of a father.
showing or motivated by sympathy and understanding and generosity
From this reading The boys missed the kindly smile and familiar nod, and the inquiries after sick relatives, which were wont to make his greeting resemble that of a father.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading CURTIS looked unusually thoughtful and grave as he walked up the schoolroom.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading All felt that the vicar had something on his mind, as he stood behind the reading-desk, with the sunset glow on his bald head, looking down on the throng of boys clustering in the closely-filled benches.
engage in
From this reading The boys missed the kindly smile and familiar nod, and the inquiries after sick relatives, which were wont to make his greeting resemble that of a father.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading All felt that the vicar had something on his mind, as he stood behind the reading-desk, with the sunset glow on his bald head, looking down on the throng of boys clustering in the closely-filled benches.
not caught with the senses or the mind
From this reading The boys missed the kindly smile and familiar nod, and the inquiries after sick relatives, which were wont to make his greeting resemble that of a father.
a form of address for a man
From this reading MR.
nodverbUS /nɑːd/
express or signify by nodding
From this reading The boys missed the kindly smile and familiar nod, and the inquiries after sick relatives, which were wont to make his greeting resemble that of a father.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The boys missed the kindly smile and familiar nod, and the inquiries after sick relatives, which were wont to make his greeting resemble that of a father.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading All felt that the vicar had something on his mind, as he stood behind the reading-desk, with the sunset glow on his bald head, looking down on the throng of boys clustering in the closely-filled benches.
reading-desk
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All felt that the vicar had something on his mind, as he stood behind the reading-desk, with the sunset glow on his bald head, looking down on the throng of boys clustering in the closely-filled benches.
relativesnounUS /ˈrelətɪvz/
plural of “relative” — a person related by blood or marriage
From this reading The boys missed the kindly smile and familiar nod, and the inquiries after sick relatives, which were wont to make his greeting resemble that of a father.
resembleverbUS /rɪˈzembəl/
appear like; be similar or bear a likeness to
From this reading The boys missed the kindly smile and familiar nod, and the inquiries after sick relatives, which were wont to make his greeting resemble that of a father.
SCHOOL-ROOM
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE SCHOOL-ROOM ADDRESS.
schoolroomnounUS /ˈskuːlruːm/
a room in a school where lessons take place
From this reading CURTIS looked unusually thoughtful and grave as he walked up the schoolroom.
affected by an impairment of normal physical or mental function
From this reading The boys missed the kindly smile and familiar nod, and the inquiries after sick relatives, which were wont to make his greeting resemble that of a father.
change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure
From this reading The boys missed the kindly smile and familiar nod, and the inquiries after sick relatives, which were wont to make his greeting resemble that of a father.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading All felt that the vicar had something on his mind, as he stood behind the reading-desk, with the sunset glow on his bald head, looking down on the throng of boys clustering in the closely-filled benches.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading All felt that the vicar had something on his mind, as he stood behind the reading-desk, with the sunset glow on his bald head, looking down on the throng of boys clustering in the closely-filled benches.
the time in the evening at which the sun begins to fall below the horizon
From this reading All felt that the vicar had something on his mind, as he stood behind the reading-desk, with the sunset glow on his bald head, looking down on the throng of boys clustering in the closely-filled benches.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The boys missed the kindly smile and familiar nod, and the inquiries after sick relatives, which were wont to make his greeting resemble that of a father.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE SCHOOL-ROOM ADDRESS.
thoughtfuladjectiveUS /ˈθɔːtfəl/
having intellectual depth
From this reading CURTIS looked unusually thoughtful and grave as he walked up the schoolroom.
throngnounUS /θrɔːŋ/
a large gathering of people
From this reading All felt that the vicar had something on his mind, as he stood behind the reading-desk, with the sunset glow on his bald head, looking down on the throng of boys clustering in the closely-filled benches.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The boys missed the kindly smile and familiar nod, and the inquiries after sick relatives, which were wont to make his greeting resemble that of a father.
unusuallyadverbUS /əˈnjuːʒuːəli/
to a remarkable degree or extent
From this reading CURTIS looked unusually thoughtful and grave as he walked up the schoolroom.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading CURTIS looked unusually thoughtful and grave as he walked up the schoolroom.
vicarnounUS /ˈvɪkər/
a Roman Catholic priest who acts for another higher-ranking clergyman
From this reading All felt that the vicar had something on his mind, as he stood behind the reading-desk, with the sunset glow on his bald head, looking down on the throng of boys clustering in the closely-filled benches.
past form of “walk” — use one's feet to advance; advance by steps
From this reading CURTIS looked unusually thoughtful and grave as he walked up the schoolroom.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The boys missed the kindly smile and familiar nod, and the inquiries after sick relatives, which were wont to make his greeting resemble that of a father.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The boys missed the kindly smile and familiar nod, and the inquiries after sick relatives, which were wont to make his greeting resemble that of a father.
in the company of; together with
From this reading All felt that the vicar had something on his mind, as he stood behind the reading-desk, with the sunset glow on his bald head, looking down on the throng of boys clustering in the closely-filled benches.
wontnounUS /woʊnt/
an established custom
From this reading The boys missed the kindly smile and familiar nod, and the inquiries after sick relatives, which were wont to make his greeting resemble that of a father.
