used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Too well he knew that the breaking of the drought could be no affair of a thunderstorm! many inches of rain must fall before they could hope to recover from the long months of heat and dryness.
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading Too well he knew that the breaking of the drought could be no affair of a thunderstorm! many inches of rain must fall before they could hope to recover from the long months of heat and dryness.
filled with fear or apprehension
From this reading It was as though he were afraid to close his eyes for fear the rain might stop.
(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 He would go to the window and look out into the blackness: sometimes he went out to the verandah, and walked up and down, all his being rejoicing in the rain, just as the thirsty earth was rejoicing.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading He woke every half-hour, dreading to find the rain had stopped; but always there was the steady drumming on the roof—no music had ever been so sweet to him.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Too well he knew that the breaking of the drought could be no affair of a thunderstorm! many inches of rain must fall before they could hope to recover from the long months of heat and dryness.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading It was as though he were afraid to close his eyes for fear the rain might stop.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Too well he knew that the breaking of the drought could be no affair of a thunderstorm! many inches of rain must fall before they could hope to recover from the long months of heat and dryness.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading He woke every half-hour, dreading to find the rain had stopped; but always there was the steady drumming on the roof—no music had ever been so sweet to him.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Too well he knew that the breaking of the drought could be no affair of a thunderstorm! many inches of rain must fall before they could hope to recover from the long months of heat and dryness.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading He would go to the window and look out into the blackness: sometimes he went out to the verandah, and walked up and down, all his being rejoicing in the rain, just as the thirsty earth was rejoicing.
blacknessnounUS /ˈblæknəs/
the quality or state of the achromatic color of least lightness (bearing the least resemblance to white)
From this reading He would go to the window and look out into the blackness: sometimes he went out to the verandah, and walked up and down, all his being rejoicing in the rain, just as the thirsty earth was rejoicing.
the act of breaking something
From this reading Too well he knew that the breaking of the drought could be no affair of a thunderstorm! many inches of rain must fall before they could hope to recover from the long months of heat and dryness.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading CONCLUSION JOHN WESTON slept but little that night.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading It was as though he were afraid to close his eyes for fear the rain might stop.
a position or opinion or judgment reached after consideration
From this reading CONCLUSION JOHN WESTON slept but little that night.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Too well he knew that the breaking of the drought could be no affair of a thunderstorm! many inches of rain must fall before they could hope to recover from the long months of heat and dryness.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading He would go to the window and look out into the blackness: sometimes he went out to the verandah, and walked up and down, all his being rejoicing in the rain, just as the thirsty earth was rejoicing.
dreadingverbUS /ˈdredɪŋ/
-ing form of “dread” — be afraid or scared of; be frightened of
From this reading He woke every half-hour, dreading to find the rain had stopped; but always there was the steady drumming on the roof—no music had ever been so sweet to him.
droughtnounUS /draʊt/
a shortage of rainfall
From this reading Too well he knew that the breaking of the drought could be no affair of a thunderstorm! many inches of rain must fall before they could hope to recover from the long months of heat and dryness.
drummingnounUS /ˈdrʌmɪŋ/
the act of playing drums
From this reading He woke every half-hour, dreading to find the rain had stopped; but always there was the steady drumming on the roof—no music had ever been so sweet to him.
drynessnounUS /ˈdraɪnəs/
the condition of not containing or being covered by a liquid (especially water)
From this reading Too well he knew that the breaking of the drought could be no affair of a thunderstorm! many inches of rain must fall before they could hope to recover from the long months of heat and dryness.
the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on
From this reading He would go to the window and look out into the blackness: sometimes he went out to the verandah, and walked up and down, all his being rejoicing in the rain, just as the thirsty earth was rejoicing.
at any time
From this reading He woke every half-hour, dreading to find the rain had stopped; but always there was the steady drumming on the roof—no music had ever been so sweet to him.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading He woke every half-hour, dreading to find the rain had stopped; but always there was the steady drumming on the roof—no music had ever been so sweet to him.
opinion or judgment
From this reading It was as though he were afraid to close his eyes for fear the rain might stop.
descend in free fall under the influence of gravity
From this reading Too well he knew that the breaking of the drought could be no affair of a thunderstorm! many inches of rain must fall before they could hope to recover from the long months of heat and dryness.
be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
From this reading It was as though he were afraid to close his eyes for fear the rain might stop.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading He woke every half-hour, dreading to find the rain had stopped; but always there was the steady drumming on the roof—no music had ever been so sweet to him.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It was as though he were afraid to close his eyes for fear the rain might stop.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Too well he knew that the breaking of the drought could be no affair of a thunderstorm! many inches of rain must fall before they could hope to recover from the long months of heat and dryness.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading He would go to the window and look out into the blackness: sometimes he went out to the verandah, and walked up and down, all his being rejoicing in the rain, just as the thirsty earth was rejoicing.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He woke every half-hour, dreading to find the rain had stopped; but always there was the steady drumming on the roof—no music had ever been so sweet to him.
half-hournounUS /ˈhæfaʊər/
a half of an hour
From this reading He woke every half-hour, dreading to find the rain had stopped; but always there was the steady drumming on the roof—no music had ever been so sweet to him.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It was as though he were afraid to close his eyes for fear the rain might stop.
a form of energy that is transferred by a difference in temperature
From this reading Too well he knew that the breaking of the drought could be no affair of a thunderstorm! many inches of rain must fall before they could hope to recover from the long months of heat and dryness.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He woke every half-hour, dreading to find the rain had stopped; but always there was the steady drumming on the roof—no music had ever been so sweet to him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading It was as though he were afraid to close his eyes for fear the rain might stop.
a specific instance of feeling hopeful
From this reading Too well he knew that the breaking of the drought could be no affair of a thunderstorm! many inches of rain must fall before they could hope to recover from the long months of heat and dryness.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He would go to the window and look out into the blackness: sometimes he went out to the verandah, and walked up and down, all his being rejoicing in the rain, just as the thirsty earth was rejoicing.
plural of “inch” — a unit of length equal to one twelfth of a foot
From this reading Too well he knew that the breaking of the drought could be no affair of a thunderstorm! many inches of rain must fall before they could hope to recover from the long months of heat and dryness.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading He would go to the window and look out into the blackness: sometimes he went out to the verandah, and walked up and down, all his being rejoicing in the rain, just as the thirsty earth was rejoicing.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was as though he were afraid to close his eyes for fear the rain might stop.
a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading CONCLUSION JOHN WESTON slept but little that night.
and nothing more
From this reading He would go to the window and look out into the blackness: sometimes he went out to the verandah, and walked up and down, all his being rejoicing in the rain, just as the thirsty earth was rejoicing.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading Too well he knew that the breaking of the drought could be no affair of a thunderstorm! many inches of rain must fall before they could hope to recover from the long months of heat and dryness.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading CONCLUSION JOHN WESTON slept but little that night.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading Too well he knew that the breaking of the drought could be no affair of a thunderstorm! many inches of rain must fall before they could hope to recover from the long months of heat and dryness.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading He would go to the window and look out into the blackness: sometimes he went out to the verandah, and walked up and down, all his being rejoicing in the rain, just as the thirsty earth was rejoicing.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading Too well he knew that the breaking of the drought could be no affair of a thunderstorm! many inches of rain must fall before they could hope to recover from the long months of heat and dryness.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading It was as though he were afraid to close his eyes for fear the rain might stop.
plural of “month” — one of the twelve divisions of the calendar year
From this reading Too well he knew that the breaking of the drought could be no affair of a thunderstorm! many inches of rain must fall before they could hope to recover from the long months of heat and dryness.
an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner
From this reading He woke every half-hour, dreading to find the rain had stopped; but always there was the steady drumming on the roof—no music had ever been so sweet to him.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading Too well he knew that the breaking of the drought could be no affair of a thunderstorm! many inches of rain must fall before they could hope to recover from the long months of heat and dryness.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading CONCLUSION JOHN WESTON slept but little that night.
not any; not one
From this reading Too well he knew that the breaking of the drought could be no affair of a thunderstorm! many inches of rain must fall before they could hope to recover from the long months of heat and dryness.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Too well he knew that the breaking of the drought could be no affair of a thunderstorm! many inches of rain must fall before they could hope to recover from the long months of heat and dryness.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He woke every half-hour, dreading to find the rain had stopped; but always there was the steady drumming on the roof—no music had ever been so sweet to him.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading He would go to the window and look out into the blackness: sometimes he went out to the verandah, and walked up and down, all his being rejoicing in the rain, just as the thirsty earth was rejoicing.
water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere
From this reading It was as though he were afraid to close his eyes for fear the rain might stop.
recoververbUS /rɪˈkʌvər/
get or find back; recover the use of
From this reading Too well he knew that the breaking of the drought could be no affair of a thunderstorm! many inches of rain must fall before they could hope to recover from the long months of heat and dryness.
rejoicingnounUS /rɪˈdʒɔɪsɪŋ/
a feeling of great happiness
From this reading He would go to the window and look out into the blackness: sometimes he went out to the verandah, and walked up and down, all his being rejoicing in the rain, just as the thirsty earth was rejoicing.
a protective covering that covers or forms the top of a building
From this reading He woke every half-hour, dreading to find the rain had stopped; but always there was the steady drumming on the roof—no music had ever been so sweet to him.
inflected form of “sleep” — be asleep
From this reading CONCLUSION JOHN WESTON slept but little that night.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading He woke every half-hour, dreading to find the rain had stopped; but always there was the steady drumming on the roof—no music had ever been so sweet to him.
on certain occasions or in certain cases but not always
From this reading He would go to the window and look out into the blackness: sometimes he went out to the verandah, and walked up and down, all his being rejoicing in the rain, just as the thirsty earth was rejoicing.
make steady
From this reading He woke every half-hour, dreading to find the rain had stopped; but always there was the steady drumming on the roof—no music had ever been so sweet to him.
come to a halt, stop moving
From this reading It was as though he were afraid to close his eyes for fear the rain might stop.
(of a nose) blocked
From this reading He woke every half-hour, dreading to find the rain had stopped; but always there was the steady drumming on the roof—no music had ever been so sweet to him.
having or denoting the characteristic taste of sugar
From this reading He woke every half-hour, dreading to find the rain had stopped; but always there was the steady drumming on the roof—no music had ever been so sweet to him.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading CONCLUSION JOHN WESTON slept but little that night.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It was as though he were afraid to close his eyes for fear the rain might stop.
in or at that place or location
From this reading He woke every half-hour, dreading to find the rain had stopped; but always there was the steady drumming on the roof—no music had ever been so sweet to him.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Too well he knew that the breaking of the drought could be no affair of a thunderstorm! many inches of rain must fall before they could hope to recover from the long months of heat and dryness.
thirstyadjectiveUS /ˈθɜːrsti/
needing moisture
From this reading He would go to the window and look out into the blackness: sometimes he went out to the verandah, and walked up and down, all his being rejoicing in the rain, just as the thirsty earth was rejoicing.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading It was as though he were afraid to close his eyes for fear the rain might stop.
thunderstormnounUS /ˈθʌndərstɔːrm/
a storm resulting from strong rising air currents; heavy rain or hail along with thunder and lightning
From this reading Too well he knew that the breaking of the drought could be no affair of a thunderstorm! many inches of rain must fall before they could hope to recover from the long months of heat and dryness.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It was as though he were afraid to close his eyes for fear the rain might stop.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading Too well he knew that the breaking of the drought could be no affair of a thunderstorm! many inches of rain must fall before they could hope to recover from the long months of heat and dryness.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading He would go to the window and look out into the blackness: sometimes he went out to the verandah, and walked up and down, all his being rejoicing in the rain, just as the thirsty earth was rejoicing.
verandahnoun
a porch along the outside of a building (sometimes partly enclosed)
From this reading He would go to the window and look out into the blackness: sometimes he went out to the verandah, and walked up and down, all his being rejoicing in the rain, just as the thirsty earth was rejoicing.
past form of “walk” — use one's feet to advance; advance by steps
From this reading He would go to the window and look out into the blackness: sometimes he went out to the verandah, and walked up and down, all his being rejoicing in the rain, just as the thirsty earth was rejoicing.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was as though he were afraid to close his eyes for fear the rain might stop.
(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 Too well he knew that the breaking of the drought could be no affair of a thunderstorm! many inches of rain must fall before they could hope to recover from the long months of heat and dryness.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading He would go to the window and look out into the blackness: sometimes he went out to the verandah, and walked up and down, all his being rejoicing in the rain, just as the thirsty earth was rejoicing.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading It was as though he were afraid to close his eyes for fear the rain might stop.
WESTONnounUS /ˈwestən/
United States photographer(1886-1958)
From this reading CONCLUSION JOHN WESTON slept but little that night.
a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air
From this reading He would go to the window and look out into the blackness: sometimes he went out to the verandah, and walked up and down, all his being rejoicing in the rain, just as the thirsty earth was rejoicing.
wokeverbUS /woʊk/
inflected form of “wake” — be awake, be alert, be there
From this reading He woke every half-hour, dreading to find the rain had stopped; but always there was the steady drumming on the roof—no music had ever been so sweet to him.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading He would go to the window and look out into the blackness: sometimes he went out to the verandah, and walked up and down, all his being rejoicing in the rain, just as the thirsty earth was rejoicing.
