used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Having dragged a heavy wooden chair into the pantry, he placed its tall back directly against the shelves.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading Having dragged a heavy wooden chair into the pantry, he placed its tall back directly against the shelves.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The boy's curiosity was at fever heat and got the better of his customary inertia in the face of explicit prohibitions.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading It was quite a feat for a very small boy, but the slight timidity that characterized him as a rule was totally forgotten for the time.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The boy's curiosity was at fever heat and got the better of his customary inertia in the face of explicit prohibitions.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading Having dragged a heavy wooden chair into the pantry, he placed its tall back directly against the shelves.
(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another
From this reading The boy's curiosity was at fever heat and got the better of his customary inertia in the face of explicit prohibitions.
a youthful male person
From this reading It was quite a feat for a very small boy, but the slight timidity that characterized him as a rule was totally forgotten for the time.
boy'snounUS /bɔɪz/
possessive form of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading The boy's curiosity was at fever heat and got the better of his customary inertia in the face of explicit prohibitions.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading It was quite a feat for a very small boy, but the slight timidity that characterized him as a rule was totally forgotten for the time.
a seat for one person, with a support for the back
From this reading Having dragged a heavy wooden chair into the pantry, he placed its tall back directly against the shelves.
characterizedverbUS /ˈkerəktəraɪzd/
past form of “characterize” — describe or portray the character or the qualities or peculiarities of
From this reading It was quite a feat for a very small boy, but the slight timidity that characterized him as a rule was totally forgotten for the time.
past form of “climb” — go upward with gradual or continuous progress
From this reading The crosspieces in the back of the chair formed rungs on which he climbed up to the top shelf.
crosspiecesnounUS /ˈkrɔːspiːsəz/
plural of “crosspiece” — a horizontal beam that extends across something
From this reading The crosspieces in the back of the chair formed rungs on which he climbed up to the top shelf.
a state in which you want to learn more about something
From this reading The boy's curiosity was at fever heat and got the better of his customary inertia in the face of explicit prohibitions.
customaryadjectiveUS /ˈkʌstəmeri/
in accordance with convention or custom
From this reading The boy's curiosity was at fever heat and got the better of his customary inertia in the face of explicit prohibitions.
without deviation
From this reading Having dragged a heavy wooden chair into the pantry, he placed its tall back directly against the shelves.
inflected form of “drag” — pull, as against a resistance
From this reading Having dragged a heavy wooden chair into the pantry, he placed its tall back directly against the shelves.
explicitadjectiveUS /ɪkˈsplɪsət/
precisely and clearly expressed or readily observable; leaving nothing to implication
From this reading The boy's curiosity was at fever heat and got the better of his customary inertia in the face of explicit prohibitions.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading The boy's curiosity was at fever heat and got the better of his customary inertia in the face of explicit prohibitions.
featnounUS /fiːt/
a notable achievement
From this reading It was quite a feat for a very small boy, but the slight timidity that characterized him as a rule was totally forgotten for the time.
a rise in the temperature of the body; frequently a symptom of infection
From this reading The boy's curiosity was at fever heat and got the better of his customary inertia in the face of explicit prohibitions.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It was quite a feat for a very small boy, but the slight timidity that characterized him as a rule was totally forgotten for the time.
Not remembered; lapsed from memory.
From this reading It was quite a feat for a very small boy, but the slight timidity that characterized him as a rule was totally forgotten for the time.
having or given a form or shape
From this reading The crosspieces in the back of the chair formed rungs on which he climbed up to the top shelf.
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading The boy's curiosity was at fever heat and got the better of his customary inertia in the face of explicit prohibitions.
Havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading Having dragged a heavy wooden chair into the pantry, he placed its tall back directly against the shelves.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Having dragged a heavy wooden chair into the pantry, he placed its tall back directly against the shelves.
a form of energy that is transferred by a difference in temperature
From this reading The boy's curiosity was at fever heat and got the better of his customary inertia in the face of explicit prohibitions.
of comparatively great physical weight or density
From this reading Having dragged a heavy wooden chair into the pantry, he placed its tall back directly against the shelves.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading It was quite a feat for a very small boy, but the slight timidity that characterized him as a rule was totally forgotten for the time.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The boy's curiosity was at fever heat and got the better of his customary inertia in the face of explicit prohibitions.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The boy's curiosity was at fever heat and got the better of his customary inertia in the face of explicit prohibitions.
inertianounUS /ˌɪˈnɜːrʃə/
a disposition to remain inactive or inert
From this reading The boy's curiosity was at fever heat and got the better of his customary inertia in the face of explicit prohibitions.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Having dragged a heavy wooden chair into the pantry, he placed its tall back directly against the shelves.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was quite a feat for a very small boy, but the slight timidity that characterized him as a rule was totally forgotten for the time.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Having dragged a heavy wooden chair into the pantry, he placed its tall back directly against the shelves.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading There was the mystifying package together with many others.
mystifyingadjectiveUS /ˈmɪstəfaɪɪŋ/
of an obscure nature
From this reading There was the mystifying package together with many others.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The boy's curiosity was at fever heat and got the better of his customary inertia in the face of explicit prohibitions.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The crosspieces in the back of the chair formed rungs on which he climbed up to the top shelf.
others
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was the mystifying package together with many others.
packagenounUS /ˈpækədʒ/
a collection of things wrapped or boxed together
From this reading There was the mystifying package together with many others.
pantrynounUS /ˈpæntri/
a small storeroom for storing foods or wines
From this reading Having dragged a heavy wooden chair into the pantry, he placed its tall back directly against the shelves.
situated in a particular spot or position
From this reading Having dragged a heavy wooden chair into the pantry, he placed its tall back directly against the shelves.
prohibitionsnounUS /ˌproʊəˈbɪʃənz/
plural of “prohibition” — a law forbidding the sale of alcoholic beverages
From this reading The boy's curiosity was at fever heat and got the better of his customary inertia in the face of explicit prohibitions.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading It was quite a feat for a very small boy, but the slight timidity that characterized him as a rule was totally forgotten for the time.
a principle or condition that customarily governs behavior
From this reading It was quite a feat for a very small boy, but the slight timidity that characterized him as a rule was totally forgotten for the time.
rungsnounUS /rʌŋz/
plural of “rung” — a crosspiece between the legs of a chair
From this reading The crosspieces in the back of the chair formed rungs on which he climbed up to the top shelf.
shelfnounUS /ʃelf/
A flat horizontal plane used to hold books or scrolls in a library.
From this reading The crosspieces in the back of the chair formed rungs on which he climbed up to the top shelf.
shelvesnounUS /ʃelvz/
Plural of shelf; the vast wooden or stone structures holding archives.
From this reading Having dragged a heavy wooden chair into the pantry, he placed its tall back directly against the shelves.
a deliberate discourteous act (usually as an expression of anger or disapproval)
From this reading It was quite a feat for a very small boy, but the slight timidity that characterized him as a rule was totally forgotten for the time.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading It was quite a feat for a very small boy, but the slight timidity that characterized him as a rule was totally forgotten for the time.
great in vertical dimension; high in stature
From this reading Having dragged a heavy wooden chair into the pantry, he placed its tall back directly against the shelves.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was quite a feat for a very small boy, but the slight timidity that characterized him as a rule was totally forgotten for the time.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The boy's curiosity was at fever heat and got the better of his customary inertia in the face of explicit prohibitions.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was the mystifying package together with many others.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading It was quite a feat for a very small boy, but the slight timidity that characterized him as a rule was totally forgotten for the time.
timiditynounUS /təˈmɪdəti/
fear of the unknown or unfamiliar or fear of making decisions
From this reading It was quite a feat for a very small boy, but the slight timidity that characterized him as a rule was totally forgotten for the time.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The crosspieces in the back of the chair formed rungs on which he climbed up to the top shelf.
in contact with each other or in proximity
From this reading There was the mystifying package together with many others.
the upper part of anything
From this reading The crosspieces in the back of the chair formed rungs on which he climbed up to the top shelf.
totallyadverbUS /ˈtoʊtəli/
to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)
From this reading It was quite a feat for a very small boy, but the slight timidity that characterized him as a rule was totally forgotten for the time.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading The crosspieces in the back of the chair formed rungs on which he climbed up to the top shelf.
precisely as stated
From this reading It was quite a feat for a very small boy, but the slight timidity that characterized him as a rule was totally forgotten for the time.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The boy's curiosity was at fever heat and got the better of his customary inertia in the face of explicit prohibitions.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The crosspieces in the back of the chair formed rungs on which he climbed up to the top shelf.
in the company of; together with
From this reading There was the mystifying package together with many others.
made or consisting of (entirely or in part) or employing wood
From this reading Having dragged a heavy wooden chair into the pantry, he placed its tall back directly against the shelves.
