used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading After a moment of mental confusion--for the enormity of the conception stirred him profoundly--he raised himself upon one elbow in bed and looked at his wife who lay sleeping beside him.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading He lay quiet, staring idly at the white ceiling above the bed, his mind groping dully with this abrupt enlightenment.
abruptadjectiveUS /əˈbrʌpt/
marked by sudden changes in subject and sharp transitions
From this reading He lay quiet, staring idly at the white ceiling above the bed, his mind groping dully with this abrupt enlightenment.
AfterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading After a moment of mental confusion--for the enormity of the conception stirred him profoundly--he raised himself upon one elbow in bed and looked at his wife who lay sleeping beside him.
how long something has existed
From this reading At the age of thirty-two Henry Jones awoke one brilliant summer morning with the sudden realization that the soul in him was starving.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading He had always thought her pretty in a quiet, unobtrusive sort of way.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading After a moment of mental confusion--for the enormity of the conception stirred him profoundly--he raised himself upon one elbow in bed and looked at his wife who lay sleeping beside him.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading He did not remember ever having noticed before the wrinkles that were beginning to show around her eyes, but he could see them there now, plainly.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At the age of thirty-two Henry Jones awoke one brilliant summer morning with the sudden realization that the soul in him was starving.
inflected form of “awake” — stop sleeping
From this reading At the age of thirty-two Henry Jones awoke one brilliant summer morning with the sudden realization that the soul in him was starving.
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading He lay quiet, staring idly at the white ceiling above the bed, his mind groping dully with this abrupt enlightenment.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading He did not remember ever having noticed before the wrinkles that were beginning to show around her eyes, but he could see them there now, plainly.
the event consisting of the start of something
From this reading He did not remember ever having noticed before the wrinkles that were beginning to show around her eyes, but he could see them there now, plainly.
next to; at the side of
From this reading After a moment of mental confusion--for the enormity of the conception stirred him profoundly--he raised himself upon one elbow in bed and looked at his wife who lay sleeping beside him.
of surpassing excellence
From this reading At the age of thirty-two Henry Jones awoke one brilliant summer morning with the sudden realization that the soul in him was starving.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He did not remember ever having noticed before the wrinkles that were beginning to show around her eyes, but he could see them there now, plainly.
ceilingnounUS /ˈsiːlɪŋ/
the overhead upper surface of a covered space
From this reading He lay quiet, staring idly at the white ceiling above the bed, his mind groping dully with this abrupt enlightenment.
conceptionnounUS /kənˈsepʃən/
an abstract or general idea inferred or derived from specific instances
From this reading After a moment of mental confusion--for the enormity of the conception stirred him profoundly--he raised himself upon one elbow in bed and looked at his wife who lay sleeping beside him.
disorder resulting from a failure to behave predictably
From this reading After a moment of mental confusion--for the enormity of the conception stirred him profoundly--he raised himself upon one elbow in bed and looked at his wife who lay sleeping beside him.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading He did not remember ever having noticed before the wrinkles that were beginning to show around her eyes, but he could see them there now, plainly.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading He did not remember ever having noticed before the wrinkles that were beginning to show around her eyes, but he could see them there now, plainly.
dullyadverb
without liveliness
From this reading He lay quiet, staring idly at the white ceiling above the bed, his mind groping dully with this abrupt enlightenment.
elbownounUS /ˈelboʊ/
hinge joint between the forearm and upper arm and the corresponding joint in the forelimb of a quadruped
From this reading After a moment of mental confusion--for the enormity of the conception stirred him profoundly--he raised himself upon one elbow in bed and looked at his wife who lay sleeping beside him.
enlightenmentnounUS /ˌenˈlaɪtənmənt/
education that results in understanding and the spread of knowledge
From this reading He lay quiet, staring idly at the white ceiling above the bed, his mind groping dully with this abrupt enlightenment.
enormitynounUS /ɪˈnɔːrməti/
the quality of being outrageous
From this reading After a moment of mental confusion--for the enormity of the conception stirred him profoundly--he raised himself upon one elbow in bed and looked at his wife who lay sleeping beside him.
at any time
From this reading He did not remember ever having noticed before the wrinkles that were beginning to show around her eyes, but he could see them there now, plainly.
opinion or judgment
From this reading He did not remember ever having noticed before the wrinkles that were beginning to show around her eyes, but he could see them there now, plainly.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading After a moment of mental confusion--for the enormity of the conception stirred him profoundly--he raised himself upon one elbow in bed and looked at his wife who lay sleeping beside him.
gropingadjectiveUS /ˈɡroʊpɪŋ/
acting with uncertainty or hesitance or lack of confidence
From this reading He lay quiet, staring idly at the white ceiling above the bed, his mind groping dully with this abrupt enlightenment.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had always thought her pretty in a quiet, unobtrusive sort of way.
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading He did not remember ever having noticed before the wrinkles that were beginning to show around her eyes, but he could see them there now, plainly.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He lay quiet, staring idly at the white ceiling above the bed, his mind groping dully with this abrupt enlightenment.
a unit of inductance in which an induced electromotive force of one volt is produced when the current is varied at the rate of one ampere per second
From this reading At the age of thirty-two Henry Jones awoke one brilliant summer morning with the sudden realization that the soul in him was starving.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading He had always thought her pretty in a quiet, unobtrusive sort of way.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading At the age of thirty-two Henry Jones awoke one brilliant summer morning with the sudden realization that the soul in him was starving.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading After a moment of mental confusion--for the enormity of the conception stirred him profoundly--he raised himself upon one elbow in bed and looked at his wife who lay sleeping beside him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He lay quiet, staring idly at the white ceiling above the bed, his mind groping dully with this abrupt enlightenment.
idlyadverbUS /ˈaɪdli/
in an idle manner
From this reading He lay quiet, staring idly at the white ceiling above the bed, his mind groping dully with this abrupt enlightenment.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading At the age of thirty-two Henry Jones awoke one brilliant summer morning with the sudden realization that the soul in him was starving.
United States labor leader (born in Ireland) who helped to found the Industrial Workers of the World (1830-1930)
From this reading At the age of thirty-two Henry Jones awoke one brilliant summer morning with the sudden realization that the soul in him was starving.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading He lay quiet, staring idly at the white ceiling above the bed, his mind groping dully with this abrupt enlightenment.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading After a moment of mental confusion--for the enormity of the conception stirred him profoundly--he raised himself upon one elbow in bed and looked at his wife who lay sleeping beside him.
involving the mind or an intellectual process
From this reading After a moment of mental confusion--for the enormity of the conception stirred him profoundly--he raised himself upon one elbow in bed and looked at his wife who lay sleeping beside him.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading He lay quiet, staring idly at the white ceiling above the bed, his mind groping dully with this abrupt enlightenment.
a particular point in time
From this reading After a moment of mental confusion--for the enormity of the conception stirred him profoundly--he raised himself upon one elbow in bed and looked at his wife who lay sleeping beside him.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading At the age of thirty-two Henry Jones awoke one brilliant summer morning with the sudden realization that the soul in him was starving.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He did not remember ever having noticed before the wrinkles that were beginning to show around her eyes, but he could see them there now, plainly.
being perceived or observed
From this reading He did not remember ever having noticed before the wrinkles that were beginning to show around her eyes, but he could see them there now, plainly.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading He did not remember ever having noticed before the wrinkles that were beginning to show around her eyes, but he could see them there now, plainly.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading At the age of thirty-two Henry Jones awoke one brilliant summer morning with the sudden realization that the soul in him was starving.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading At the age of thirty-two Henry Jones awoke one brilliant summer morning with the sudden realization that the soul in him was starving.
unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)
From this reading He did not remember ever having noticed before the wrinkles that were beginning to show around her eyes, but he could see them there now, plainly.
pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing
From this reading He had always thought her pretty in a quiet, unobtrusive sort of way.
profoundlyadverbUS /proʊˈfaʊndli/
to a great depth psychologically or emotionally
From this reading After a moment of mental confusion--for the enormity of the conception stirred him profoundly--he raised himself upon one elbow in bed and looked at his wife who lay sleeping beside him.
quietadjectiveUS /ˈkwaɪət/
characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity
From this reading He lay quiet, staring idly at the white ceiling above the bed, his mind groping dully with this abrupt enlightenment.
located or moved above the surround or above the normal position
From this reading After a moment of mental confusion--for the enormity of the conception stirred him profoundly--he raised himself upon one elbow in bed and looked at his wife who lay sleeping beside him.
realizationnounUS /ˈriːləˈzeɪʃən/
coming to understand something clearly and distinctly
From this reading At the age of thirty-two Henry Jones awoke one brilliant summer morning with the sudden realization that the soul in him was starving.
To recall to mind.
From this reading He did not remember ever having noticed before the wrinkles that were beginning to show around her eyes, but he could see them there now, plainly.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading He did not remember ever having noticed before the wrinkles that were beginning to show around her eyes, but he could see them there now, plainly.
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading He did not remember ever having noticed before the wrinkles that were beginning to show around her eyes, but he could see them there now, plainly.
the state of being asleep
From this reading After a moment of mental confusion--for the enormity of the conception stirred him profoundly--he raised himself upon one elbow in bed and looked at his wife who lay sleeping beside him.
a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
From this reading He had always thought her pretty in a quiet, unobtrusive sort of way.
the immaterial part of a person; the actuating cause of an individual life
From this reading At the age of thirty-two Henry Jones awoke one brilliant summer morning with the sudden realization that the soul in him was starving.
(used of eyes) open and fixed as if in fear or wonder
From this reading He lay quiet, staring idly at the white ceiling above the bed, his mind groping dully with this abrupt enlightenment.
starvingadjectiveUS /ˈstɑːrvɪŋ/
suffering from lack of food
From this reading At the age of thirty-two Henry Jones awoke one brilliant summer morning with the sudden realization that the soul in him was starving.
being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion
From this reading After a moment of mental confusion--for the enormity of the conception stirred him profoundly--he raised himself upon one elbow in bed and looked at his wife who lay sleeping beside him.
happening without warning or in a short space of time
From this reading At the age of thirty-two Henry Jones awoke one brilliant summer morning with the sudden realization that the soul in him was starving.
the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox
From this reading At the age of thirty-two Henry Jones awoke one brilliant summer morning with the sudden realization that the soul in him was starving.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading At the age of thirty-two Henry Jones awoke one brilliant summer morning with the sudden realization that the soul in him was starving.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading At the age of thirty-two Henry Jones awoke one brilliant summer morning with the sudden realization that the soul in him was starving.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading He did not remember ever having noticed before the wrinkles that were beginning to show around her eyes, but he could see them there now, plainly.
in or at that place or location
From this reading He did not remember ever having noticed before the wrinkles that were beginning to show around her eyes, but he could see them there now, plainly.
thirty-twoadjective
being two more than thirty
From this reading At the age of thirty-two Henry Jones awoke one brilliant summer morning with the sudden realization that the soul in him was starving.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading He lay quiet, staring idly at the white ceiling above the bed, his mind groping dully with this abrupt enlightenment.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading He had always thought her pretty in a quiet, unobtrusive sort of way.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He did not remember ever having noticed before the wrinkles that were beginning to show around her eyes, but he could see them there now, plainly.
unobtrusiveadjectiveUS /ˌʌnəbˈtruːsɪv/
not obtrusive or undesirably noticeable
From this reading He had always thought her pretty in a quiet, unobtrusive sort of way.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading After a moment of mental confusion--for the enormity of the conception stirred him profoundly--he raised himself upon one elbow in bed and looked at his wife who lay sleeping beside him.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading At the age of thirty-two Henry Jones awoke one brilliant summer morning with the sudden realization that the soul in him was starving.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading He had always thought her pretty in a quiet, unobtrusive sort of way.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading He did not remember ever having noticed before the wrinkles that were beginning to show around her eyes, but he could see them there now, plainly.
a Caucasian
From this reading He lay quiet, staring idly at the white ceiling above the bed, his mind groping dully with this abrupt enlightenment.
which person or people
From this reading After a moment of mental confusion--for the enormity of the conception stirred him profoundly--he raised himself upon one elbow in bed and looked at his wife who lay sleeping beside him.
a married woman; a man's partner in marriage
From this reading After a moment of mental confusion--for the enormity of the conception stirred him profoundly--he raised himself upon one elbow in bed and looked at his wife who lay sleeping beside him.
in the company of; together with
From this reading At the age of thirty-two Henry Jones awoke one brilliant summer morning with the sudden realization that the soul in him was starving.
wrinklesnounUS /ˈrɪŋkəlz/
plural of “wrinkle” — a slight depression or fold in the smoothness of a surface
From this reading He did not remember ever having noticed before the wrinkles that were beginning to show around her eyes, but he could see them there now, plainly.
