used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading For some days after Dr. Deane's visit, Old-man Barton was a continual source of astonishment to his son Alfred and his daughter Ann.
activitynounUS /ækˈtɪvəti/
any specific behavior
From this reading To the former this awakened activity of the old man's brain was not a little annoying.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading For some days after Dr. Deane's visit, Old-man Barton was a continual source of astonishment to his son Alfred and his daughter Ann.
agedadjectiveUS /eɪdʒd/
advanced in years; (“aged” is pronounced as two syllables)
From this reading The almost worn-out machinery of his life seemed to have been mysteriously repaired, whether by Dr. Deane's tinkering, or by one of those freaks of Nature which sometimes bring new teeth and hair to an aged head, neither the son nor the daughter could guess.
ALFREDnounUS /ˈælfrəd/
king of Wessex; defeated the Vikings and encouraged writing in English (849-899)
From this reading ALFRED BARTON BETWEEN TWO FIRES.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading The almost worn-out machinery of his life seemed to have been mysteriously repaired, whether by Dr. Deane's tinkering, or by one of those freaks of Nature which sometimes bring new teeth and hair to an aged head, neither the son nor the daughter could guess.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The almost worn-out machinery of his life seemed to have been mysteriously repaired, whether by Dr. Deane's tinkering, or by one of those freaks of Nature which sometimes bring new teeth and hair to an aged head, neither the son nor the daughter could guess.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading For some days after Dr. Deane's visit, Old-man Barton was a continual source of astonishment to his son Alfred and his daughter Ann.
Ann
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For some days after Dr. Deane's visit, Old-man Barton was a continual source of astonishment to his son Alfred and his daughter Ann.
annoyingadjectiveUS /əˈnɔɪɪŋ/
causing irritation or annoyance
From this reading To the former this awakened activity of the old man's brain was not a little annoying.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading The signs of gradual decay which one of them, at least, had watched with the keenest interest, had suddenly disappeared; he was brighter, sharper, more talkative than at any time within the previous five years.
the feeling that accompanies something extremely surprising
From this reading For some days after Dr. Deane's visit, Old-man Barton was a continual source of astonishment to his son Alfred and his daughter Ann.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The signs of gradual decay which one of them, at least, had watched with the keenest interest, had suddenly disappeared; he was brighter, sharper, more talkative than at any time within the previous five years.
aroused or activated
From this reading To the former this awakened activity of the old man's brain was not a little annoying.
BARTON
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ALFRED BARTON BETWEEN TWO FIRES.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The almost worn-out machinery of his life seemed to have been mysteriously repaired, whether by Dr. Deane's tinkering, or by one of those freaks of Nature which sometimes bring new teeth and hair to an aged head, neither the son nor the daughter could guess.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading ALFRED BARTON BETWEEN TWO FIRES.
that part of the central nervous system that includes all the higher nervous centers; enclosed within the skull; continuous with the spinal cord
From this reading To the former this awakened activity of the old man's brain was not a little annoying.
brighteradjectiveUS /ˈbraɪtər/
comparative of “bright” — emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts
From this reading The signs of gradual decay which one of them, at least, had watched with the keenest interest, had suddenly disappeared; he was brighter, sharper, more talkative than at any time within the previous five years.
take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading The almost worn-out machinery of his life seemed to have been mysteriously repaired, whether by Dr. Deane's tinkering, or by one of those freaks of Nature which sometimes bring new teeth and hair to an aged head, neither the son nor the daughter could guess.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The almost worn-out machinery of his life seemed to have been mysteriously repaired, whether by Dr. Deane's tinkering, or by one of those freaks of Nature which sometimes bring new teeth and hair to an aged head, neither the son nor the daughter could guess.
continualadjectiveUS /kənˈtɪnjuːəl/
recurring regularly or frequently in a prolonged and closely spaced series
From this reading For some days after Dr. Deane's visit, Old-man Barton was a continual source of astonishment to his son Alfred and his daughter Ann.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading The almost worn-out machinery of his life seemed to have been mysteriously repaired, whether by Dr. Deane's tinkering, or by one of those freaks of Nature which sometimes bring new teeth and hair to an aged head, neither the son nor the daughter could guess.
a female human offspring
From this reading For some days after Dr. Deane's visit, Old-man Barton was a continual source of astonishment to his son Alfred and his daughter Ann.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading For some days after Dr. Deane's visit, Old-man Barton was a continual source of astonishment to his son Alfred and his daughter Ann.
Deane's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For some days after Dr. Deane's visit, Old-man Barton was a continual source of astonishment to his son Alfred and his daughter Ann.
decaynounUS /dɪˈkeɪ/
the process of gradually becoming inferior
From this reading The signs of gradual decay which one of them, at least, had watched with the keenest interest, had suddenly disappeared; he was brighter, sharper, more talkative than at any time within the previous five years.
past form of “disappear” — get lost, as without warning or explanation
From this reading The signs of gradual decay which one of them, at least, had watched with the keenest interest, had suddenly disappeared; he was brighter, sharper, more talkative than at any time within the previous five years.
Dr
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For some days after Dr. Deane's visit, Old-man Barton was a continual source of astonishment to his son Alfred and his daughter Ann.
FIRESnounUS /ˈfaɪərz/
plural of “fire” — the event of something burning (often destructive)
From this reading ALFRED BARTON BETWEEN TWO FIRES.
the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one
From this reading The signs of gradual decay which one of them, at least, had watched with the keenest interest, had suddenly disappeared; he was brighter, sharper, more talkative than at any time within the previous five years.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For some days after Dr. Deane's visit, Old-man Barton was a continual source of astonishment to his son Alfred and his daughter Ann.
referring to the first of two things or persons mentioned (or the earlier one or ones of several)
From this reading To the former this awakened activity of the old man's brain was not a little annoying.
freaksnounUS /friːks/
plural of “freak” — a person or animal that is markedly unusual or deformed
From this reading The almost worn-out machinery of his life seemed to have been mysteriously repaired, whether by Dr. Deane's tinkering, or by one of those freaks of Nature which sometimes bring new teeth and hair to an aged head, neither the son nor the daughter could guess.
gradualadjectiveUS /ˈɡrædʒuːəl/
proceeding in small stages
From this reading The signs of gradual decay which one of them, at least, had watched with the keenest interest, had suddenly disappeared; he was brighter, sharper, more talkative than at any time within the previous five years.
expect, believe, or suppose
From this reading The almost worn-out machinery of his life seemed to have been mysteriously repaired, whether by Dr. Deane's tinkering, or by one of those freaks of Nature which sometimes bring new teeth and hair to an aged head, neither the son nor the daughter could guess.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The signs of gradual decay which one of them, at least, had watched with the keenest interest, had suddenly disappeared; he was brighter, sharper, more talkative than at any time within the previous five years.
a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss
From this reading The almost worn-out machinery of his life seemed to have been mysteriously repaired, whether by Dr. Deane's tinkering, or by one of those freaks of Nature which sometimes bring new teeth and hair to an aged head, neither the son nor the daughter could guess.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading The almost worn-out machinery of his life seemed to have been mysteriously repaired, whether by Dr. Deane's tinkering, or by one of those freaks of Nature which sometimes bring new teeth and hair to an aged head, neither the son nor the daughter could guess.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The signs of gradual decay which one of them, at least, had watched with the keenest interest, had suddenly disappeared; he was brighter, sharper, more talkative than at any time within the previous five years.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading The almost worn-out machinery of his life seemed to have been mysteriously repaired, whether by Dr. Deane's tinkering, or by one of those freaks of Nature which sometimes bring new teeth and hair to an aged head, neither the son nor the daughter could guess.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading For some days after Dr. Deane's visit, Old-man Barton was a continual source of astonishment to his son Alfred and his daughter Ann.
a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something
From this reading The signs of gradual decay which one of them, at least, had watched with the keenest interest, had suddenly disappeared; he was brighter, sharper, more talkative than at any time within the previous five years.
keenestadjectiveUS /ˈkiːnəst/
superlative of “keen” — having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions
From this reading The signs of gradual decay which one of them, at least, had watched with the keenest interest, had suddenly disappeared; he was brighter, sharper, more talkative than at any time within the previous five years.
the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree
From this reading The signs of gradual decay which one of them, at least, had watched with the keenest interest, had suddenly disappeared; he was brighter, sharper, more talkative than at any time within the previous five years.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading The almost worn-out machinery of his life seemed to have been mysteriously repaired, whether by Dr. Deane's tinkering, or by one of those freaks of Nature which sometimes bring new teeth and hair to an aged head, neither the son nor the daughter could guess.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading To the former this awakened activity of the old man's brain was not a little annoying.
machinerynounUS /məˈʃiːnəri/
machines or machine systems collectively
From this reading The almost worn-out machinery of his life seemed to have been mysteriously repaired, whether by Dr. Deane's tinkering, or by one of those freaks of Nature which sometimes bring new teeth and hair to an aged head, neither the son nor the daughter could guess.
man'snounUS /mænz/
possessive form of “man” — an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading To the former this awakened activity of the old man's brain was not a little annoying.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading The signs of gradual decay which one of them, at least, had watched with the keenest interest, had suddenly disappeared; he was brighter, sharper, more talkative than at any time within the previous five years.
mysteriouslyadverbUS /ˌmɪˈstɪriəsli/
in a cryptic manner
From this reading The almost worn-out machinery of his life seemed to have been mysteriously repaired, whether by Dr. Deane's tinkering, or by one of those freaks of Nature which sometimes bring new teeth and hair to an aged head, neither the son nor the daughter could guess.
the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized
From this reading The almost worn-out machinery of his life seemed to have been mysteriously repaired, whether by Dr. Deane's tinkering, or by one of those freaks of Nature which sometimes bring new teeth and hair to an aged head, neither the son nor the daughter could guess.
not one and not the other of two
From this reading The almost worn-out machinery of his life seemed to have been mysteriously repaired, whether by Dr. Deane's tinkering, or by one of those freaks of Nature which sometimes bring new teeth and hair to an aged head, neither the son nor the daughter could guess.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading The almost worn-out machinery of his life seemed to have been mysteriously repaired, whether by Dr. Deane's tinkering, or by one of those freaks of Nature which sometimes bring new teeth and hair to an aged head, neither the son nor the daughter could guess.
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading The almost worn-out machinery of his life seemed to have been mysteriously repaired, whether by Dr. Deane's tinkering, or by one of those freaks of Nature which sometimes bring new teeth and hair to an aged head, neither the son nor the daughter could guess.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading To the former this awakened activity of the old man's brain was not a little annoying.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading For some days after Dr. Deane's visit, Old-man Barton was a continual source of astonishment to his son Alfred and his daughter Ann.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading To the former this awakened activity of the old man's brain was not a little annoying.
Old-man
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For some days after Dr. Deane's visit, Old-man Barton was a continual source of astonishment to his son Alfred and his daughter Ann.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The signs of gradual decay which one of them, at least, had watched with the keenest interest, had suddenly disappeared; he was brighter, sharper, more talkative than at any time within the previous five years.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading The almost worn-out machinery of his life seemed to have been mysteriously repaired, whether by Dr. Deane's tinkering, or by one of those freaks of Nature which sometimes bring new teeth and hair to an aged head, neither the son nor the daughter could guess.
just preceding something else in time or order
From this reading The signs of gradual decay which one of them, at least, had watched with the keenest interest, had suddenly disappeared; he was brighter, sharper, more talkative than at any time within the previous five years.
repairedverbUS /rɪˈperd/
past form of “repair” — restore by replacing a part or putting together what is torn or broken
From this reading The almost worn-out machinery of his life seemed to have been mysteriously repaired, whether by Dr. Deane's tinkering, or by one of those freaks of Nature which sometimes bring new teeth and hair to an aged head, neither the son nor the daughter could guess.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading The almost worn-out machinery of his life seemed to have been mysteriously repaired, whether by Dr. Deane's tinkering, or by one of those freaks of Nature which sometimes bring new teeth and hair to an aged head, neither the son nor the daughter could guess.
sharpernounUS /ˈʃɑːrpər/
a professional card player who makes a living by cheating at card games
From this reading The signs of gradual decay which one of them, at least, had watched with the keenest interest, had suddenly disappeared; he was brighter, sharper, more talkative than at any time within the previous five years.
plural of “sign” — a perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that something has happened)
From this reading The signs of gradual decay which one of them, at least, had watched with the keenest interest, had suddenly disappeared; he was brighter, sharper, more talkative than at any time within the previous five years.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading For some days after Dr. Deane's visit, Old-man Barton was a continual source of astonishment to his son Alfred and his daughter Ann.
on certain occasions or in certain cases but not always
From this reading The almost worn-out machinery of his life seemed to have been mysteriously repaired, whether by Dr. Deane's tinkering, or by one of those freaks of Nature which sometimes bring new teeth and hair to an aged head, neither the son nor the daughter could guess.
a male human offspring
From this reading For some days after Dr. Deane's visit, Old-man Barton was a continual source of astonishment to his son Alfred and his daughter Ann.
the place where something begins, where it springs into being
From this reading For some days after Dr. Deane's visit, Old-man Barton was a continual source of astonishment to his son Alfred and his daughter Ann.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading The signs of gradual decay which one of them, at least, had watched with the keenest interest, had suddenly disappeared; he was brighter, sharper, more talkative than at any time within the previous five years.
talkativeadjectiveUS /ˈtɔːkətɪv/
full of trivial conversation
From this reading The signs of gradual decay which one of them, at least, had watched with the keenest interest, had suddenly disappeared; he was brighter, sharper, more talkative than at any time within the previous five years.
the kind and number and arrangement of teeth (collectively) in a person or animal
From this reading The almost worn-out machinery of his life seemed to have been mysteriously repaired, whether by Dr. Deane's tinkering, or by one of those freaks of Nature which sometimes bring new teeth and hair to an aged head, neither the son nor the daughter could guess.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading The signs of gradual decay which one of them, at least, had watched with the keenest interest, had suddenly disappeared; he was brighter, sharper, more talkative than at any time within the previous five years.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The signs of gradual decay which one of them, at least, had watched with the keenest interest, had suddenly disappeared; he was brighter, sharper, more talkative than at any time within the previous five years.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The signs of gradual decay which one of them, at least, had watched with the keenest interest, had suddenly disappeared; he was brighter, sharper, more talkative than at any time within the previous five years.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading To the former this awakened activity of the old man's brain was not a little annoying.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading The almost worn-out machinery of his life seemed to have been mysteriously repaired, whether by Dr. Deane's tinkering, or by one of those freaks of Nature which sometimes bring new teeth and hair to an aged head, neither the son nor the daughter could guess.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading The signs of gradual decay which one of them, at least, had watched with the keenest interest, had suddenly disappeared; he was brighter, sharper, more talkative than at any time within the previous five years.
tinkeringverbUS /ˈtɪŋkərɪŋ/
-ing form of “tinker” — do random, unplanned work or activities or spend time idly
From this reading The almost worn-out machinery of his life seemed to have been mysteriously repaired, whether by Dr. Deane's tinkering, or by one of those freaks of Nature which sometimes bring new teeth and hair to an aged head, neither the son nor the daughter could guess.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading For some days after Dr. Deane's visit, Old-man Barton was a continual source of astonishment to his son Alfred and his daughter Ann.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading ALFRED BARTON BETWEEN TWO FIRES.
go to see a place, as for entertainment
From this reading For some days after Dr. Deane's visit, Old-man Barton was a continual source of astonishment to his son Alfred and his daughter Ann.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading For some days after Dr. Deane's visit, Old-man Barton was a continual source of astonishment to his son Alfred and his daughter Ann.
past form of “watch” — look attentively
From this reading The signs of gradual decay which one of them, at least, had watched with the keenest interest, had suddenly disappeared; he was brighter, sharper, more talkative than at any time within the previous five years.
used to introduce two or more possibilities
From this reading The almost worn-out machinery of his life seemed to have been mysteriously repaired, whether by Dr. Deane's tinkering, or by one of those freaks of Nature which sometimes bring new teeth and hair to an aged head, neither the son nor the daughter could guess.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The signs of gradual decay which one of them, at least, had watched with the keenest interest, had suddenly disappeared; he was brighter, sharper, more talkative than at any time within the previous five years.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The signs of gradual decay which one of them, at least, had watched with the keenest interest, had suddenly disappeared; he was brighter, sharper, more talkative than at any time within the previous five years.
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading The signs of gradual decay which one of them, at least, had watched with the keenest interest, had suddenly disappeared; he was brighter, sharper, more talkative than at any time within the previous five years.
worn-outadjective
used until no longer useful
From this reading The almost worn-out machinery of his life seemed to have been mysteriously repaired, whether by Dr. Deane's tinkering, or by one of those freaks of Nature which sometimes bring new teeth and hair to an aged head, neither the son nor the daughter could guess.
a late time of life
From this reading The signs of gradual decay which one of them, at least, had watched with the keenest interest, had suddenly disappeared; he was brighter, sharper, more talkative than at any time within the previous five years.
