used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Yes, a couple of sons in the house, and probably one or two more boys from the city, boarders like Keith.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading The mother said something about the necessity for Keith of going where everything was clean and wholesome--the air, the food, the people.
advertisementnounUS /ædˈvɜːrtəzmənt/
a public promotion of some product or service
From this reading An advertisement in a newspaper had led his mother on the track of what she wanted.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading The mother said something about the necessity for Keith of going where everything was clean and wholesome--the air, the food, the people.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading An advertisement in a newspaper had led his mother on the track of what she wanted.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Yes, a couple of sons in the house, and probably one or two more boys from the city, boarders like Keith.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading It seemed the thing had been planning for a long time.
boardersnounUS /ˈbɔːrdərz/
plural of “boarder” — a tenant in someone's house
From this reading Yes, a couple of sons in the house, and probably one or two more boys from the city, boarders like Keith.
a youthful male person
From this reading The boy knew that she had been worrying about him for some reason he could not guess.
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading Yes, a couple of sons in the house, and probably one or two more boys from the city, boarders like Keith.
a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts
From this reading Yes, a couple of sons in the house, and probably one or two more boys from the city, boarders like Keith.
free from dirt or impurities; or having clean habits
From this reading The mother said something about the necessity for Keith of going where everything was clean and wholesome--the air, the food, the people.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading The boy knew that she had been worrying about him for some reason he could not guess.
a pair who associate with one another
From this reading Yes, a couple of sons in the house, and probably one or two more boys from the city, boarders like Keith.
all things; all of a situation
From this reading The mother said something about the necessity for Keith of going where everything was clean and wholesome--the air, the food, the people.
any substance that can be metabolized by an animal to give energy and build tissue
From this reading The mother said something about the necessity for Keith of going where everything was clean and wholesome--the air, the food, the people.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It seemed the thing had been planning for a long time.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Yes, a couple of sons in the house, and probably one or two more boys from the city, boarders like Keith.
the act of departing
From this reading The mother said something about the necessity for Keith of going where everything was clean and wholesome--the air, the food, the people.
expect, believe, or suppose
From this reading The boy knew that she had been worrying about him for some reason he could not guess.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It seemed the thing had been planning for a long time.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The boy knew that she had been worrying about him for some reason he could not guess.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The boy knew that she had been worrying about him for some reason he could not guess.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading An advertisement in a newspaper had led his mother on the track of what she wanted.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading Yes, a couple of sons in the house, and probably one or two more boys from the city, boarders like Keith.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Yes, a couple of sons in the house, and probably one or two more boys from the city, boarders like Keith.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It seemed the thing had been planning for a long time.
Keith
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yes, a couple of sons in the house, and probably one or two more boys from the city, boarders like Keith.
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 The boy knew that she had been worrying about him for some reason he could not guess.
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 An advertisement in a newspaper had led his mother on the track of what she wanted.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Yes, a couple of sons in the house, and probably one or two more boys from the city, boarders like Keith.
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 It seemed the thing had been planning for a long time.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Yes, a couple of sons in the house, and probably one or two more boys from the city, boarders like Keith.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading The mother said something about the necessity for Keith of going where everything was clean and wholesome--the air, the food, the people.
the condition of being essential or indispensable
From this reading The mother said something about the necessity for Keith of going where everything was clean and wholesome--the air, the food, the people.
a daily or weekly publication on folded sheets; contains news and articles and advertisements
From this reading An advertisement in a newspaper had led his mother on the track of what she wanted.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The boy knew that she had been worrying about him for some reason he could not guess.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Yes, a couple of sons in the house, and probably one or two more boys from the city, boarders like Keith.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading An advertisement in a newspaper had led his mother on the track of what she wanted.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Yes, a couple of sons in the house, and probably one or two more boys from the city, boarders like Keith.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Yes, a couple of sons in the house, and probably one or two more boys from the city, boarders like Keith.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading The mother said something about the necessity for Keith of going where everything was clean and wholesome--the air, the food, the people.
planningnounUS /ˈplænɪŋ/
an act of formulating a program for a definite course of action
From this reading It seemed the thing had been planning for a long time.
with considerable certainty; without much doubt
From this reading Yes, a couple of sons in the house, and probably one or two more boys from the city, boarders like Keith.
a rational motive for a belief or action
From this reading The boy knew that she had been worrying about him for some reason he could not guess.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading The mother said something about the necessity for Keith of going where everything was clean and wholesome--the air, the food, the people.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading It seemed the thing had been planning for a long time.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The boy knew that she had been worrying about him for some reason he could not guess.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading The boy knew that she had been worrying about him for some reason he could not guess.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading The mother said something about the necessity for Keith of going where everything was clean and wholesome--the air, the food, the people.
plural of “son” — a male human offspring
From this reading Yes, a couple of sons in the house, and probably one or two more boys from the city, boarders like Keith.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The boy knew that she had been worrying about him for some reason he could not guess.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Yes, a couple of sons in the house, and probably one or two more boys from the city, boarders like Keith.
a special situation
From this reading It seemed the thing had been planning for a long time.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading It seemed the thing had been planning for a long time.
a line or route along which something travels or moves
From this reading An advertisement in a newspaper had led his mother on the track of what she wanted.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading Yes, a couple of sons in the house, and probably one or two more boys from the city, boarders like Keith.
desired or wished for or sought
From this reading An advertisement in a newspaper had led his mother on the track of what she wanted.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The mother said something about the necessity for Keith of going where everything was clean and wholesome--the air, the food, the people.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading An advertisement in a newspaper had led his mother on the track of what she wanted.
in or at the place that
From this reading The mother said something about the necessity for Keith of going where everything was clean and wholesome--the air, the food, the people.
wholesomeadjectiveUS /ˈhoʊlsəm/
conducive to or characteristic of physical or moral well-being
From this reading The mother said something about the necessity for Keith of going where everything was clean and wholesome--the air, the food, the people.
worryingnounUS /ˈwɜːriɪŋ/
the act of harassing someone
From this reading The boy knew that she had been worrying about him for some reason he could not guess.
an affirmative
From this reading Yes, a couple of sons in the house, and probably one or two more boys from the city, boarders like Keith.
