used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE HEART OF THE MAYOR “Inside was a smaller, but still prosperous-looking man sitting like a roly-poly behind a desk, and blinking amiably at me with his small eyes.”
how long something has existed
From this reading “Oh, dear, I don’t know--couldn’t tell his age any more than I could tell the age of a plum-pudding.
amiablyadverbUS /ˈeɪmiəbli/
in an affable manner
From this reading THE HEART OF THE MAYOR “Inside was a smaller, but still prosperous-looking man sitting like a roly-poly behind a desk, and blinking amiably at me with his small eyes.”
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE HEART OF THE MAYOR “Inside was a smaller, but still prosperous-looking man sitting like a roly-poly behind a desk, and blinking amiably at me with his small eyes.”
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading “Oh, dear, I don’t know--couldn’t tell his age any more than I could tell the age of a plum-pudding.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading Margaretta smiled, and asked, “Young or old?”
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading THE HEART OF THE MAYOR “Inside was a smaller, but still prosperous-looking man sitting like a roly-poly behind a desk, and blinking amiably at me with his small eyes.”
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading His face was fat and red, and he had so little hair that it might be either gray or sandy.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading THE HEART OF THE MAYOR “Inside was a smaller, but still prosperous-looking man sitting like a roly-poly behind a desk, and blinking amiably at me with his small eyes.”
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading I’d give him any age between fifteen and fifty.”
blinkingadjectiveUS /ˈblɪŋkɪŋ/
closing the eyes intermittently and rapidly
From this reading THE HEART OF THE MAYOR “Inside was a smaller, but still prosperous-looking man sitting like a roly-poly behind a desk, and blinking amiably at me with his small eyes.”
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading THE HEART OF THE MAYOR “Inside was a smaller, but still prosperous-looking man sitting like a roly-poly behind a desk, and blinking amiably at me with his small eyes.”
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading “Oh, dear, I don’t know--couldn’t tell his age any more than I could tell the age of a plum-pudding.
couldn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Oh, dear, I don’t know--couldn’t tell his age any more than I could tell the age of a plum-pudding.
dearly loved
From this reading “Oh, dear, I don’t know--couldn’t tell his age any more than I could tell the age of a plum-pudding.
a piece of furniture with a writing surface and usually drawers or other compartments
From this reading THE HEART OF THE MAYOR “Inside was a smaller, but still prosperous-looking man sitting like a roly-poly behind a desk, and blinking amiably at me with his small eyes.”
don't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Oh, dear, I don’t know--couldn’t tell his age any more than I could tell the age of a plum-pudding.
one or the other of two
From this reading His face was fat and red, and he had so little hair that it might be either gray or sandy.
opinion or judgment
From this reading THE HEART OF THE MAYOR “Inside was a smaller, but still prosperous-looking man sitting like a roly-poly behind a desk, and blinking amiably at me with his small eyes.”
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading His face was fat and red, and he had so little hair that it might be either gray or sandy.
having an (over)abundance of flesh
From this reading His face was fat and red, and he had so little hair that it might be either gray or sandy.
the cardinal number that is the sum of fourteen and one
From this reading I’d give him any age between fifteen and fifty.”
the cardinal number that is the product of ten and five
From this reading I’d give him any age between fifteen and fifty.”
cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading I’d give him any age between fifteen and fifty.”
a neutral achromatic color midway between white and black
From this reading His face was fat and red, and he had so little hair that it might be either gray or sandy.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading His face was fat and red, and he had so little hair that it might be either gray or sandy.
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 His face was fat and red, and he had so little hair that it might be either gray or sandy.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading His face was fat and red, and he had so little hair that it might be either gray or sandy.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading THE HEART OF THE MAYOR “Inside was a smaller, but still prosperous-looking man sitting like a roly-poly behind a desk, and blinking amiably at me with his small eyes.”
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading I’d give him any age between fifteen and fifty.”
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading THE HEART OF THE MAYOR “Inside was a smaller, but still prosperous-looking man sitting like a roly-poly behind a desk, and blinking amiably at me with his small eyes.”
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “Oh, dear, I don’t know--couldn’t tell his age any more than I could tell the age of a plum-pudding.
I'd
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I’d give him any age between fifteen and fifty.”
relating to or being on the side closer to the center or within a defined space
From this reading THE HEART OF THE MAYOR “Inside was a smaller, but still prosperous-looking man sitting like a roly-poly behind a desk, and blinking amiably at me with his small eyes.”
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading His face was fat and red, and he had so little hair that it might be either gray or sandy.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading “Oh, dear, I don’t know--couldn’t tell his age any more than I could tell the age of a plum-pudding.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading THE HEART OF THE MAYOR “Inside was a smaller, but still prosperous-looking man sitting like a roly-poly behind a desk, and blinking amiably at me with his small eyes.”
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading His face was fat and red, and he had so little hair that it might be either gray or sandy.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading THE HEART OF THE MAYOR “Inside was a smaller, but still prosperous-looking man sitting like a roly-poly behind a desk, and blinking amiably at me with his small eyes.”
Margaretta
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Margaretta smiled, and asked, “Young or old?”
MAYORnounUS /ˈmeɪər/
the head of a city government
From this reading THE HEART OF THE MAYOR “Inside was a smaller, but still prosperous-looking man sitting like a roly-poly behind a desk, and blinking amiably at me with his small eyes.”
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading THE HEART OF THE MAYOR “Inside was a smaller, but still prosperous-looking man sitting like a roly-poly behind a desk, and blinking amiably at me with his small eyes.”
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading His face was fat and red, and he had so little hair that it might be either gray or sandy.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading “Oh, dear, I don’t know--couldn’t tell his age any more than I could tell the age of a plum-pudding.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE HEART OF THE MAYOR “Inside was a smaller, but still prosperous-looking man sitting like a roly-poly behind a desk, and blinking amiably at me with his small eyes.”
a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region
From this reading “Oh, dear, I don’t know--couldn’t tell his age any more than I could tell the age of a plum-pudding.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading Margaretta smiled, and asked, “Young or old?”
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Margaretta smiled, and asked, “Young or old?”
plum-pudding
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Oh, dear, I don’t know--couldn’t tell his age any more than I could tell the age of a plum-pudding.
prosperous-looking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE HEART OF THE MAYOR “Inside was a smaller, but still prosperous-looking man sitting like a roly-poly behind a desk, and blinking amiably at me with his small eyes.”
red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood
From this reading His face was fat and red, and he had so little hair that it might be either gray or sandy.
roly-polynoun
a rotund individual
From this reading THE HEART OF THE MAYOR “Inside was a smaller, but still prosperous-looking man sitting like a roly-poly behind a desk, and blinking amiably at me with his small eyes.”
sandyadjectiveUS /ˈsændi/
of hair color; pale yellowish to yellowish brown
From this reading His face was fat and red, and he had so little hair that it might be either gray or sandy.
(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)
From this reading THE HEART OF THE MAYOR “Inside was a smaller, but still prosperous-looking man sitting like a roly-poly behind a desk, and blinking amiably at me with his small eyes.”
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading THE HEART OF THE MAYOR “Inside was a smaller, but still prosperous-looking man sitting like a roly-poly behind a desk, and blinking amiably at me with his small eyes.”
small or little relative to something else
From this reading THE HEART OF THE MAYOR “Inside was a smaller, but still prosperous-looking man sitting like a roly-poly behind a desk, and blinking amiably at me with his small eyes.”
past form of “smile” — change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure
From this reading Margaretta smiled, and asked, “Young or old?”
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading His face was fat and red, and he had so little hair that it might be either gray or sandy.
not in physical motion
From this reading THE HEART OF THE MAYOR “Inside was a smaller, but still prosperous-looking man sitting like a roly-poly behind a desk, and blinking amiably at me with his small eyes.”
express in words
From this reading “Oh, dear, I don’t know--couldn’t tell his age any more than I could tell the age of a plum-pudding.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading “Oh, dear, I don’t know--couldn’t tell his age any more than I could tell the age of a plum-pudding.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading His face was fat and red, and he had so little hair that it might be either gray or sandy.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE HEART OF THE MAYOR “Inside was a smaller, but still prosperous-looking man sitting like a roly-poly behind a desk, and blinking amiably at me with his small eyes.”
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading THE HEART OF THE MAYOR “Inside was a smaller, but still prosperous-looking man sitting like a roly-poly behind a desk, and blinking amiably at me with his small eyes.”
in the company of; together with
From this reading THE HEART OF THE MAYOR “Inside was a smaller, but still prosperous-looking man sitting like a roly-poly behind a desk, and blinking amiably at me with his small eyes.”
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading Margaretta smiled, and asked, “Young or old?”
