used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He watched her working for a few minutes before he spoke again.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading "Well, it's rather cool of me to take up your time talking about my own affairs,"--began Reay, at last--"But I've been pretty much by myself for a good while, and it's pleasant to have a chat with friendly people--man wasn't made to live alone, you know!
matters of personal concern
From this reading "Well, it's rather cool of me to take up your time talking about my own affairs,"--began Reay, at last--"But I've been pretty much by myself for a good while, and it's pleasant to have a chat with friendly people--man wasn't made to live alone, you know!
anew
From this reading He watched her working for a few minutes before he spoke again.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading "Well, it's rather cool of me to take up your time talking about my own affairs,"--began Reay, at last--"But I've been pretty much by myself for a good while, and it's pleasant to have a chat with friendly people--man wasn't made to live alone, you know!
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading And shading his eyes with one hand from the red glow of the fire, David Helmsley watched them both.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading "Well, it's rather cool of me to take up your time talking about my own affairs,"--began Reay, at last--"But I've been pretty much by myself for a good while, and it's pleasant to have a chat with friendly people--man wasn't made to live alone, you know!
a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading In fact, neither man nor beast nor bird can stand it.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading "Well, it's rather cool of me to take up your time talking about my own affairs,"--began Reay, at last--"But I've been pretty much by myself for a good while, and it's pleasant to have a chat with friendly people--man wasn't made to live alone, you know!
earlier than; in front of
From this reading He watched her working for a few minutes before he spoke again.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading "Well, it's rather cool of me to take up your time talking about my own affairs,"--began Reay, at last--"But I've been pretty much by myself for a good while, and it's pleasant to have a chat with friendly people--man wasn't made to live alone, you know!
warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings
From this reading In fact, neither man nor beast nor bird can stand it.
the two together, not just one
From this reading And shading his eyes with one hand from the red glow of the fire, David Helmsley watched them both.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading "Well, it's rather cool of me to take up your time talking about my own affairs,"--began Reay, at last--"But I've been pretty much by myself for a good while, and it's pleasant to have a chat with friendly people--man wasn't made to live alone, you know!
showing who or what does the action
From this reading "Well, it's rather cool of me to take up your time talking about my own affairs,"--began Reay, at last--"But I've been pretty much by myself for a good while, and it's pleasant to have a chat with friendly people--man wasn't made to live alone, you know!
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading In fact, neither man nor beast nor bird can stand it.
chatverbUS /tʃæt/
talk socially without exchanging too much information
From this reading "Well, it's rather cool of me to take up your time talking about my own affairs,"--began Reay, at last--"But I've been pretty much by myself for a good while, and it's pleasant to have a chat with friendly people--man wasn't made to live alone, you know!
neither warm nor very cold; giving relief from heat
From this reading "Well, it's rather cool of me to take up your time talking about my own affairs,"--began Reay, at last--"But I've been pretty much by myself for a good while, and it's pleasant to have a chat with friendly people--man wasn't made to live alone, you know!
cormorantnounUS /ˈkɔːrmərənt/
large voracious dark-colored long-necked seabird with a distensible pouch for holding fish; used in Asia to catch fish
From this reading Even a sea cormorant croaks to the wind!"
croaks
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Even a sea cormorant croaks to the wind!"
patron saint of Wales (circa 520-600)
From this reading And shading his eyes with one hand from the red glow of the fire, David Helmsley watched them both.
divisible by two
From this reading Even a sea cormorant croaks to the wind!"
opinion or judgment
From this reading And shading his eyes with one hand from the red glow of the fire, David Helmsley watched them both.
a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred
From this reading In fact, neither man nor beast nor bird can stand it.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading He watched her working for a few minutes before he spoke again.
start firing a weapon
From this reading And shading his eyes with one hand from the red glow of the fire, David Helmsley watched them both.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He watched her working for a few minutes before he spoke again.
characteristic of or befitting a friend
From this reading "Well, it's rather cool of me to take up your time talking about my own affairs,"--began Reay, at last--"But I've been pretty much by myself for a good while, and it's pleasant to have a chat with friendly people--man wasn't made to live alone, you know!
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading And shading his eyes with one hand from the red glow of the fire, David Helmsley watched them both.
an alert and refreshed state
From this reading And shading his eyes with one hand from the red glow of the fire, David Helmsley watched them both.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading "Well, it's rather cool of me to take up your time talking about my own affairs,"--began Reay, at last--"But I've been pretty much by myself for a good while, and it's pleasant to have a chat with friendly people--man wasn't made to live alone, you know!
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading And shading his eyes with one hand from the red glow of the fire, David Helmsley watched them both.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading "Well, it's rather cool of me to take up your time talking about my own affairs,"--began Reay, at last--"But I've been pretty much by myself for a good while, and it's pleasant to have a chat with friendly people--man wasn't made to live alone, you know!
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He watched her working for a few minutes before he spoke again.
Helmsley
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And shading his eyes with one hand from the red glow of the fire, David Helmsley watched them both.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading He watched her working for a few minutes before he spoke again.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading And shading his eyes with one hand from the red glow of the fire, David Helmsley watched them both.
I've
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Well, it's rather cool of me to take up your time talking about my own affairs,"--began Reay, at last--"But I've been pretty much by myself for a good while, and it's pleasant to have a chat with friendly people--man wasn't made to live alone, you know!
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In fact, neither man nor beast nor bird can stand it.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading In fact, neither man nor beast nor bird can stand it.
it's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Well, it's rather cool of me to take up your time talking about my own affairs,"--began Reay, at last--"But I've been pretty much by myself for a good while, and it's pleasant to have a chat with friendly people--man wasn't made to live alone, you know!
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading "Well, it's rather cool of me to take up your time talking about my own affairs,"--began Reay, at last--"But I've been pretty much by myself for a good while, and it's pleasant to have a chat with friendly people--man wasn't made to live alone, you know!
immediately past
From this reading "Well, it's rather cool of me to take up your time talking about my own affairs,"--began Reay, at last--"But I've been pretty much by myself for a good while, and it's pleasant to have a chat with friendly people--man wasn't made to live alone, you know!
be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading "Well, it's rather cool of me to take up your time talking about my own affairs,"--began Reay, at last--"But I've been pretty much by myself for a good while, and it's pleasant to have a chat with friendly people--man wasn't made to live alone, you know!
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading "Well, it's rather cool of me to take up your time talking about my own affairs,"--began Reay, at last--"But I've been pretty much by myself for a good while, and it's pleasant to have a chat with friendly people--man wasn't made to live alone, you know!
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading "Well, it's rather cool of me to take up your time talking about my own affairs,"--began Reay, at last--"But I've been pretty much by myself for a good while, and it's pleasant to have a chat with friendly people--man wasn't made to live alone, you know!
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "Well, it's rather cool of me to take up your time talking about my own affairs,"--began Reay, at last--"But I've been pretty much by myself for a good while, and it's pleasant to have a chat with friendly people--man wasn't made to live alone, you know!
a written account of what transpired at a meeting
From this reading He watched her working for a few minutes before he spoke again.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading "Well, it's rather cool of me to take up your time talking about my own affairs,"--began Reay, at last--"But I've been pretty much by myself for a good while, and it's pleasant to have a chat with friendly people--man wasn't made to live alone, you know!
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "Well, it's rather cool of me to take up your time talking about my own affairs,"--began Reay, at last--"But I've been pretty much by myself for a good while, and it's pleasant to have a chat with friendly people--man wasn't made to live alone, you know!
used when the speaker is also the object of the action
From this reading "Well, it's rather cool of me to take up your time talking about my own affairs,"--began Reay, at last--"But I've been pretty much by myself for a good while, and it's pleasant to have a chat with friendly people--man wasn't made to live alone, you know!
not one and not the other of two
From this reading In fact, neither man nor beast nor bird can stand it.
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading In fact, neither man nor beast nor bird can stand it.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading And shading his eyes with one hand from the red glow of the fire, David Helmsley watched them both.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading And shading his eyes with one hand from the red glow of the fire, David Helmsley watched them both.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading "Well, it's rather cool of me to take up your time talking about my own affairs,"--began Reay, at last--"But I've been pretty much by myself for a good while, and it's pleasant to have a chat with friendly people--man wasn't made to live alone, you know!
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading "Well, it's rather cool of me to take up your time talking about my own affairs,"--began Reay, at last--"But I've been pretty much by myself for a good while, and it's pleasant to have a chat with friendly people--man wasn't made to live alone, you know!
affording pleasure; being in harmony with your taste or likings
From this reading "Well, it's rather cool of me to take up your time talking about my own affairs,"--began Reay, at last--"But I've been pretty much by myself for a good while, and it's pleasant to have a chat with friendly people--man wasn't made to live alone, you know!
pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing
From this reading "Well, it's rather cool of me to take up your time talking about my own affairs,"--began Reay, at last--"But I've been pretty much by myself for a good while, and it's pleasant to have a chat with friendly people--man wasn't made to live alone, you know!
on the contrary
From this reading "Well, it's rather cool of me to take up your time talking about my own affairs,"--began Reay, at last--"But I've been pretty much by myself for a good while, and it's pleasant to have a chat with friendly people--man wasn't made to live alone, you know!
Reay
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Well, it's rather cool of me to take up your time talking about my own affairs,"--began Reay, at last--"But I've been pretty much by myself for a good while, and it's pleasant to have a chat with friendly people--man wasn't made to live alone, you know!
red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood
From this reading And shading his eyes with one hand from the red glow of the fire, David Helmsley watched them both.
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading Even a sea cormorant croaks to the wind!"
shadingnounUS /ˈʃeɪdɪŋ/
graded markings that indicate light or shaded areas in a drawing or painting
From this reading And shading his eyes with one hand from the red glow of the fire, David Helmsley watched them both.
support consisting of a radial member of a wheel joining the hub to the rim
From this reading He watched her working for a few minutes before he spoke again.
be standing; be upright
From this reading In fact, neither man nor beast nor bird can stand it.
carry out
From this reading "Well, it's rather cool of me to take up your time talking about my own affairs,"--began Reay, at last--"But I've been pretty much by myself for a good while, and it's pleasant to have a chat with friendly people--man wasn't made to live alone, you know!
an exchange of ideas via conversation
From this reading "Well, it's rather cool of me to take up your time talking about my own affairs,"--began Reay, at last--"But I've been pretty much by myself for a good while, and it's pleasant to have a chat with friendly people--man wasn't made to live alone, you know!
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading And shading his eyes with one hand from the red glow of the fire, David Helmsley watched them both.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading And shading his eyes with one hand from the red glow of the fire, David Helmsley watched them both.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading "Well, it's rather cool of me to take up your time talking about my own affairs,"--began Reay, at last--"But I've been pretty much by myself for a good while, and it's pleasant to have a chat with friendly people--man wasn't made to live alone, you know!
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "Well, it's rather cool of me to take up your time talking about my own affairs,"--began Reay, at last--"But I've been pretty much by myself for a good while, and it's pleasant to have a chat with friendly people--man wasn't made to live alone, you know!
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading "Well, it's rather cool of me to take up your time talking about my own affairs,"--began Reay, at last--"But I've been pretty much by myself for a good while, and it's pleasant to have a chat with friendly people--man wasn't made to live alone, you know!
wasn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Well, it's rather cool of me to take up your time talking about my own affairs,"--began Reay, at last--"But I've been pretty much by myself for a good while, and it's pleasant to have a chat with friendly people--man wasn't made to live alone, you know!
past form of “watch” — look attentively
From this reading He watched her working for a few minutes before he spoke again.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading "Well, it's rather cool of me to take up your time talking about my own affairs,"--began Reay, at last--"But I've been pretty much by myself for a good while, and it's pleasant to have a chat with friendly people--man wasn't made to live alone, you know!
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading "Well, it's rather cool of me to take up your time talking about my own affairs,"--began Reay, at last--"But I've been pretty much by myself for a good while, and it's pleasant to have a chat with friendly people--man wasn't made to live alone, you know!
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading Even a sea cormorant croaks to the wind!"
in the company of; together with
From this reading And shading his eyes with one hand from the red glow of the fire, David Helmsley watched them both.
actively engaged in paid work
From this reading He watched her working for a few minutes before he spoke again.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Well, it's rather cool of me to take up your time talking about my own affairs,"--began Reay, at last--"But I've been pretty much by myself for a good while, and it's pleasant to have a chat with friendly people--man wasn't made to live alone, you know!
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Well, it's rather cool of me to take up your time talking about my own affairs,"--began Reay, at last--"But I've been pretty much by myself for a good while, and it's pleasant to have a chat with friendly people--man wasn't made to live alone, you know!
