used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Again his speech was a little thick, and the mother's face assumed an ominous look.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading She said nothing about what was nearest her heart, however, she started instead to complain of some petty disobedience on the part of Keith.
acted upon; influenced
From this reading But perhaps there was something else in the atmosphere that affected his sensitive nerves and sent him unexpectedly into a paroxysm of weeping.
anew
From this reading Again his speech was a little thick, and the mother's face assumed an ominous look.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Again his speech was a little thick, and the mother's face assumed an ominous look.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Again his speech was a little thick, and the mother's face assumed an ominous look.
adopted in order to deceive
From this reading Again his speech was a little thick, and the mother's face assumed an ominous look.
a particular environment or surrounding influence
From this reading But perhaps there was something else in the atmosphere that affected his sensitive nerves and sent him unexpectedly into a paroxysm of weeping.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading His words carried no particular menace, and there seemed no reason why the boy should be scared.
a youthful male person
From this reading His words carried no particular menace, and there seemed no reason why the boy should be scared.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But perhaps there was something else in the atmosphere that affected his sensitive nerves and sent him unexpectedly into a paroxysm of weeping.
inflected form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body
From this reading His words carried no particular menace, and there seemed no reason why the boy should be scared.
complainverbUS /kəmˈpleɪn/
express complaints, discontent, displeasure, or unhappiness
From this reading She said nothing about what was nearest her heart, however, she started instead to complain of some petty disobedience on the part of Keith.
disobediencenounUS /ˌdɪsəˈbiːdiəns/
the failure to obey
From this reading She said nothing about what was nearest her heart, however, she started instead to complain of some petty disobedience on the part of Keith.
else
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But perhaps there was something else in the atmosphere that affected his sensitive nerves and sent him unexpectedly into a paroxysm of weeping.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading Again his speech was a little thick, and the mother's face assumed an ominous look.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading "If you spanked him a little more and humoured him la little less, he would obey more readily," said the father.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "If you spanked him a little more and humoured him la little less, he would obey more readily," said the father.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading She said nothing about what was nearest her heart, however, she started instead to complain of some petty disobedience on the part of Keith.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She said nothing about what was nearest her heart, however, she started instead to complain of some petty disobedience on the part of Keith.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "If you spanked him a little more and humoured him la little less, he would obey more readily," said the father.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Again his speech was a little thick, and the mother's face assumed an ominous look.
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading She said nothing about what was nearest her heart, however, she started instead to complain of some petty disobedience on the part of Keith.
humoured
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "If you spanked him a little more and humoured him la little less, he would obey more readily," said the father.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading "If you spanked him a little more and humoured him la little less, he would obey more readily," said the father.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading But perhaps there was something else in the atmosphere that affected his sensitive nerves and sent him unexpectedly into a paroxysm of weeping.
in place of, or as an alternative to
From this reading She said nothing about what was nearest her heart, however, she started instead to complain of some petty disobedience on the part of Keith.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading But perhaps there was something else in the atmosphere that affected his sensitive nerves and sent him unexpectedly into a paroxysm of weeping.
Keith
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She said nothing about what was nearest her heart, however, she started instead to complain of some petty disobedience on the part of Keith.
a white soft metallic element that tarnishes readily; occurs in rare earth minerals and is usually classified as a rare earth
From this reading "If you spanked him a little more and humoured him la little less, he would obey more readily," said the father.
used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs
From this reading "If you spanked him a little more and humoured him la little less, he would obey more readily," said the father.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Again his speech was a little thick, and the mother's face assumed an ominous look.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading Again his speech was a little thick, and the mother's face assumed an ominous look.
menaceverbUS /ˈmenəs/
pose a threat to; present a danger to
From this reading His words carried no particular menace, and there seemed no reason why the boy should be scared.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading "If you spanked him a little more and humoured him la little less, he would obey more readily," said the father.
mother'snounUS /ˈmʌðərz/
possessive form of “mother” — a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading Again his speech was a little thick, and the mother's face assumed an ominous look.
(superlative of “near” or “close”) within the shortest distance
From this reading She said nothing about what was nearest her heart, however, she started instead to complain of some petty disobedience on the part of Keith.
an uneasy psychological state
From this reading But perhaps there was something else in the atmosphere that affected his sensitive nerves and sent him unexpectedly into a paroxysm of weeping.
not any; not one
From this reading His words carried no particular menace, and there seemed no reason why the boy should be scared.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading She said nothing about what was nearest her heart, however, she started instead to complain of some petty disobedience on the part of Keith.
be obedient to
From this reading "If you spanked him a little more and humoured him la little less, he would obey more readily," said the father.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading She said nothing about what was nearest her heart, however, she started instead to complain of some petty disobedience on the part of Keith.
ominousadjectiveUS /ˈɑːmənəs/
threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
From this reading Again his speech was a little thick, and the mother's face assumed an ominous look.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading She said nothing about what was nearest her heart, however, she started instead to complain of some petty disobedience on the part of Keith.
paroxysmnoun
a sudden uncontrollable attack
From this reading But perhaps there was something else in the atmosphere that affected his sensitive nerves and sent him unexpectedly into a paroxysm of weeping.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading She said nothing about what was nearest her heart, however, she started instead to complain of some petty disobedience on the part of Keith.
unique or specific to a person or thing or category
From this reading His words carried no particular menace, and there seemed no reason why the boy should be scared.
by chance
From this reading But perhaps there was something else in the atmosphere that affected his sensitive nerves and sent him unexpectedly into a paroxysm of weeping.
pettyadjectiveUS /ˈpetiː/
inferior in rank or status
From this reading She said nothing about what was nearest her heart, however, she started instead to complain of some petty disobedience on the part of Keith.
without much difficulty
From this reading "If you spanked him a little more and humoured him la little less, he would obey more readily," said the father.
a rational motive for a belief or action
From this reading His words carried no particular menace, and there seemed no reason why the boy should be scared.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading She said nothing about what was nearest her heart, however, she started instead to complain of some petty disobedience on the part of Keith.
scaredadjectiveUS /skerd/
made afraid
From this reading His words carried no particular menace, and there seemed no reason why the boy should be scared.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading His words carried no particular menace, and there seemed no reason why the boy should be scared.
sensitiveadjectiveUS /ˈsensətɪv/
responsive to physical stimuli
From this reading But perhaps there was something else in the atmosphere that affected his sensitive nerves and sent him unexpectedly into a paroxysm of weeping.
100 senti equal 1 kroon in Estonia
From this reading But perhaps there was something else in the atmosphere that affected his sensitive nerves and sent him unexpectedly into a paroxysm of weeping.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She said nothing about what was nearest her heart, however, she started instead to complain of some petty disobedience on the part of Keith.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading His words carried no particular menace, and there seemed no reason why the boy should be scared.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading She said nothing about what was nearest her heart, however, she started instead to complain of some petty disobedience on the part of Keith.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading But perhaps there was something else in the atmosphere that affected his sensitive nerves and sent him unexpectedly into a paroxysm of weeping.
spankedverbUS /spæŋkt/
past form of “spank” — give a spanking to; subject to a spanking
From this reading "If you spanked him a little more and humoured him la little less, he would obey more readily," said the father.
the act of delivering a formal spoken communication to an audience
From this reading Again his speech was a little thick, and the mother's face assumed an ominous look.
past form of “start” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading She said nothing about what was nearest her heart, however, she started instead to complain of some petty disobedience on the part of Keith.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading But perhaps there was something else in the atmosphere that affected his sensitive nerves and sent him unexpectedly into a paroxysm of weeping.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Again his speech was a little thick, and the mother's face assumed an ominous look.
in or at that place or location
From this reading His words carried no particular menace, and there seemed no reason why the boy should be scared.
not thin; of a specific thickness or of relatively great extent from one surface to the opposite usually in the smallest of the three solid dimensions
From this reading Again his speech was a little thick, and the mother's face assumed an ominous look.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading She said nothing about what was nearest her heart, however, she started instead to complain of some petty disobedience on the part of Keith.
unexpectedlyadverbUS /ˌʌnɪkˈspektɪdli/
in a way that was not expected
From this reading But perhaps there was something else in the atmosphere that affected his sensitive nerves and sent him unexpectedly into a paroxysm of weeping.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Again his speech was a little thick, and the mother's face assumed an ominous look.
showing sorrow
From this reading But perhaps there was something else in the atmosphere that affected his sensitive nerves and sent him unexpectedly into a paroxysm of weeping.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading She said nothing about what was nearest her heart, however, she started instead to complain of some petty disobedience on the part of Keith.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading His words carried no particular menace, and there seemed no reason why the boy should be scared.
the words that are spoken
From this reading His words carried no particular menace, and there seemed no reason why the boy should be scared.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading "If you spanked him a little more and humoured him la little less, he would obey more readily," said the father.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "If you spanked him a little more and humoured him la little less, he would obey more readily," said the father.
