used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading After a while he seemed to lose the wish to talk about them to little Jeanne; or rather, he began to feel as if he could not, that the words would not come, or that if they did, they would not tell what he wanted.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Some days went on, and nothing more was said by the children about the adventures which had so puzzled poor Hugh.
plural of “adventure” — a wild and exciting undertaking (not necessarily lawful)
From this reading Some days went on, and nothing more was said by the children about the adventures which had so puzzled poor Hugh.
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading "And all their cattish gestures plainly spoke They thought the affair they'd come upon no joke."
AfterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading After a while he seemed to lose the wish to talk about them to little Jeanne; or rather, he began to feel as if he could not, that the words would not come, or that if they did, they would not tell what he wanted.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading "And all their cattish gestures plainly spoke They thought the affair they'd come upon no joke."
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading WINGS AND CATS.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading After a while he seemed to lose the wish to talk about them to little Jeanne; or rather, he began to feel as if he could not, that the words would not come, or that if they did, they would not tell what he wanted.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading After a while he seemed to lose the wish to talk about them to little Jeanne; or rather, he began to feel as if he could not, that the words would not come, or that if they did, they would not tell what he wanted.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Some days went on, and nothing more was said by the children about the adventures which had so puzzled poor Hugh.
CATSnounUS /kæts/
plural of “cat” — feline mammal usually having thick soft fur and no ability to roar: domestic cats; wildcats
From this reading WINGS AND CATS.
cattishadjective
marked by or arising from malice
From this reading "And all their cattish gestures plainly spoke They thought the affair they'd come upon no joke."
King of France from 1560 to 1574 whose reign was dominated by his mother Catherine de Medicis (1550-1574)
From this reading CHARLES LAMB.
plural of “child” — a young person of either sex
From this reading Some days went on, and nothing more was said by the children about the adventures which had so puzzled poor Hugh.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading "And all their cattish gestures plainly spoke They thought the affair they'd come upon no joke."
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading After a while he seemed to lose the wish to talk about them to little Jeanne; or rather, he began to feel as if he could not, that the words would not come, or that if they did, they would not tell what he wanted.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading Some days went on, and nothing more was said by the children about the adventures which had so puzzled poor Hugh.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading After a while he seemed to lose the wish to talk about them to little Jeanne; or rather, he began to feel as if he could not, that the words would not come, or that if they did, they would not tell what he wanted.
undergo an emotional sensation or be in a particular state of mind
From this reading After a while he seemed to lose the wish to talk about them to little Jeanne; or rather, he began to feel as if he could not, that the words would not come, or that if they did, they would not tell what he wanted.
gesturesnounUS /ˈdʒestʃərz/
plural of “gesture” — motion of hands or body to emphasize or help to express a thought or feeling
From this reading "And all their cattish gestures plainly spoke They thought the affair they'd come upon no joke."
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Some days went on, and nothing more was said by the children about the adventures which had so puzzled poor Hugh.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading After a while he seemed to lose the wish to talk about them to little Jeanne; or rather, he began to feel as if he could not, that the words would not come, or that if they did, they would not tell what he wanted.
Hugh
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Some days went on, and nothing more was said by the children about the adventures which had so puzzled poor Hugh.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading After a while he seemed to lose the wish to talk about them to little Jeanne; or rather, he began to feel as if he could not, that the words would not come, or that if they did, they would not tell what he wanted.
Jeanne
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading After a while he seemed to lose the wish to talk about them to little Jeanne; or rather, he began to feel as if he could not, that the words would not come, or that if they did, they would not tell what he wanted.
a humorous anecdote or remark intended to provoke laughter
From this reading "And all their cattish gestures plainly spoke They thought the affair they'd come upon no joke."
LAMBnounUS /læm/
young sheep
From this reading CHARLES LAMB.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading After a while he seemed to lose the wish to talk about them to little Jeanne; or rather, he began to feel as if he could not, that the words would not come, or that if they did, they would not tell what he wanted.
fail to keep or to maintain; cease to have, either physically or in an abstract sense
From this reading After a while he seemed to lose the wish to talk about them to little Jeanne; or rather, he began to feel as if he could not, that the words would not come, or that if they did, they would not tell what he wanted.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Some days went on, and nothing more was said by the children about the adventures which had so puzzled poor Hugh.
not any; not one
From this reading "And all their cattish gestures plainly spoke They thought the affair they'd come upon no joke."
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading After a while he seemed to lose the wish to talk about them to little Jeanne; or rather, he began to feel as if he could not, that the words would not come, or that if they did, they would not tell what he wanted.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading Some days went on, and nothing more was said by the children about the adventures which had so puzzled poor Hugh.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Some days went on, and nothing more was said by the children about the adventures which had so puzzled poor Hugh.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading After a while he seemed to lose the wish to talk about them to little Jeanne; or rather, he began to feel as if he could not, that the words would not come, or that if they did, they would not tell what he wanted.
unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)
From this reading "And all their cattish gestures plainly spoke They thought the affair they'd come upon no joke."
deserving or inciting pity
From this reading Some days went on, and nothing more was said by the children about the adventures which had so puzzled poor Hugh.
filled with bewilderment
From this reading Some days went on, and nothing more was said by the children about the adventures which had so puzzled poor Hugh.
on the contrary
From this reading After a while he seemed to lose the wish to talk about them to little Jeanne; or rather, he began to feel as if he could not, that the words would not come, or that if they did, they would not tell what he wanted.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading Some days went on, and nothing more was said by the children about the adventures which had so puzzled poor Hugh.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading After a while he seemed to lose the wish to talk about them to little Jeanne; or rather, he began to feel as if he could not, that the words would not come, or that if they did, they would not tell what he wanted.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Some days went on, and nothing more was said by the children about the adventures which had so puzzled poor Hugh.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Some days went on, and nothing more was said by the children about the adventures which had so puzzled poor Hugh.
support consisting of a radial member of a wheel joining the hub to the rim
From this reading "And all their cattish gestures plainly spoke They thought the affair they'd come upon no joke."
exchange thoughts; talk with
From this reading After a while he seemed to lose the wish to talk about them to little Jeanne; or rather, he began to feel as if he could not, that the words would not come, or that if they did, they would not tell what he wanted.
express in words
From this reading After a while he seemed to lose the wish to talk about them to little Jeanne; or rather, he began to feel as if he could not, that the words would not come, or that if they did, they would not tell what he wanted.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading After a while he seemed to lose the wish to talk about them to little Jeanne; or rather, he began to feel as if he could not, that the words would not come, or that if they did, they would not tell what he wanted.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "And all their cattish gestures plainly spoke They thought the affair they'd come upon no joke."
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading "And all their cattish gestures plainly spoke They thought the affair they'd come upon no joke."
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading After a while he seemed to lose the wish to talk about them to little Jeanne; or rather, he began to feel as if he could not, that the words would not come, or that if they did, they would not tell what he wanted.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "And all their cattish gestures plainly spoke They thought the affair they'd come upon no joke."
they'd
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "And all their cattish gestures plainly spoke They thought the affair they'd come upon no joke."
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading "And all their cattish gestures plainly spoke They thought the affair they'd come upon no joke."
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading After a while he seemed to lose the wish to talk about them to little Jeanne; or rather, he began to feel as if he could not, that the words would not come, or that if they did, they would not tell what he wanted.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading "And all their cattish gestures plainly spoke They thought the affair they'd come upon no joke."
desired or wished for or sought
From this reading After a while he seemed to lose the wish to talk about them to little Jeanne; or rather, he began to feel as if he could not, that the words would not come, or that if they did, they would not tell what he wanted.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Some days went on, and nothing more was said by the children about the adventures which had so puzzled poor Hugh.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Some days went on, and nothing more was said by the children about the adventures which had so puzzled poor Hugh.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading After a while he seemed to lose the wish to talk about them to little Jeanne; or rather, he began to feel as if he could not, that the words would not come, or that if they did, they would not tell what he wanted.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Some days went on, and nothing more was said by the children about the adventures which had so puzzled poor Hugh.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading After a while he seemed to lose the wish to talk about them to little Jeanne; or rather, he began to feel as if he could not, that the words would not come, or that if they did, they would not tell what he wanted.
a means of flight or ascent
From this reading WINGS AND CATS.
hope for; have a wish
From this reading After a while he seemed to lose the wish to talk about them to little Jeanne; or rather, he began to feel as if he could not, that the words would not come, or that if they did, they would not tell what he wanted.
the words that are spoken
From this reading After a while he seemed to lose the wish to talk about them to little Jeanne; or rather, he began to feel as if he could not, that the words would not come, or that if they did, they would not tell what he wanted.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading After a while he seemed to lose the wish to talk about them to little Jeanne; or rather, he began to feel as if he could not, that the words would not come, or that if they did, they would not tell what he wanted.
