used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading When he came out upon the valley road he was no longer the admirable young man he had been less than a year since.
(usually followed by “to”) having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something
From this reading He had murdered one who had been his friend, and it was a thing he might never be able to forget.
admirableadjectiveUS /ˈædmərəbəl/
deserving of the highest esteem or admiration
From this reading When he came out upon the valley road he was no longer the admirable young man he had been less than a year since.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading He was an offense against existence and against the gathering, blessed gloom of the quiet evening....
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading He was an offense against existence and against the gathering, blessed gloom of the quiet evening....
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He was a broken thing, and he was stained by another's blood.
another's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a broken thing, and he was stained by another's blood.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading He had murdered one who had been his friend, and it was a thing he might never be able to forget.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading When he came out upon the valley road he was no longer the admirable young man he had been less than a year since.
highly favored or fortunate (as e.g. by divine grace)
From this reading He was an offense against existence and against the gathering, blessed gloom of the quiet evening....
The red fluid that circulates in the heart and blood vessels.
From this reading He was a broken thing, and he was stained by another's blood.
physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split
From this reading He was a broken thing, and he was stained by another's blood.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading He was a broken thing, and he was stained by another's blood.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading When he came out upon the valley road he was no longer the admirable young man he had been less than a year since.
degradationnounUS /ˌdeɡrəˈdeɪʃən/
changing to a lower state (a less respected state)
From this reading He was marked eternally by what he had done, and there was upon him a degradation unspeakable.
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading He was marked eternally by what he had done, and there was upon him a degradation unspeakable.
eternallyadverbUS /ɪˈtɜːrnəli/
for a limitless time
From this reading He was marked eternally by what he had done, and there was upon him a degradation unspeakable.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading He was an offense against existence and against the gathering, blessed gloom of the quiet evening....
the state or fact of existing
From this reading He was an offense against existence and against the gathering, blessed gloom of the quiet evening....
dismiss from the mind; stop remembering
From this reading He had murdered one who had been his friend, and it was a thing he might never be able to forget.
a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading He had murdered one who had been his friend, and it was a thing he might never be able to forget.
a group of persons together in one place
From this reading He was an offense against existence and against the gathering, blessed gloom of the quiet evening....
a state of partial or total darkness
From this reading He was an offense against existence and against the gathering, blessed gloom of the quiet evening....
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading When he came out upon the valley road he was no longer the admirable young man he had been less than a year since.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When he came out upon the valley road he was no longer the admirable young man he had been less than a year since.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He was marked eternally by what he had done, and there was upon him a degradation unspeakable.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He had murdered one who had been his friend, and it was a thing he might never be able to forget.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He had murdered one who had been his friend, and it was a thing he might never be able to forget.
used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs
From this reading When he came out upon the valley road he was no longer the admirable young man he had been less than a year since.
for more time
From this reading When he came out upon the valley road he was no longer the admirable young man he had been less than a year since.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading When he came out upon the valley road he was no longer the admirable young man he had been less than a year since.
strongly marked; easily noticeable
From this reading He was marked eternally by what he had done, and there was upon him a degradation unspeakable.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading He had murdered one who had been his friend, and it was a thing he might never be able to forget.
murderedadjectiveUS /ˈmɜːrdərd/
killed unlawfully
From this reading He had murdered one who had been his friend, and it was a thing he might never be able to forget.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading He had murdered one who had been his friend, and it was a thing he might never be able to forget.
not any; not one
From this reading When he came out upon the valley road he was no longer the admirable young man he had been less than a year since.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He was an offense against existence and against the gathering, blessed gloom of the quiet evening....
offensenounUS /əˈfens/
a lack of politeness; a failure to show regard for others; wounding the feelings or others
From this reading He was an offense against existence and against the gathering, blessed gloom of the quiet evening....
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading He had murdered one who had been his friend, and it was a thing he might never be able to forget.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading When he came out upon the valley road he was no longer the admirable young man he had been less than a year since.
quietadjectiveUS /ˈkwaɪət/
characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity
From this reading He was an offense against existence and against the gathering, blessed gloom of the quiet evening....
an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation
From this reading When he came out upon the valley road he was no longer the admirable young man he had been less than a year since.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading When he came out upon the valley road he was no longer the admirable young man he had been less than a year since.
stainedadjectiveUS /steɪnd/
marked or dyed or discolored with foreign matter
From this reading He was a broken thing, and he was stained by another's blood.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading When he came out upon the valley road he was no longer the admirable young man he had been less than a year since.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading When he came out upon the valley road he was no longer the admirable young man he had been less than a year since.
in or at that place or location
From this reading He was marked eternally by what he had done, and there was upon him a degradation unspeakable.
a special situation
From this reading He was a broken thing, and he was stained by another's blood.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He had murdered one who had been his friend, and it was a thing he might never be able to forget.
unspeakableadjectiveUS /ənˈspiːkəbəl/
defying expression or description
From this reading He was marked eternally by what he had done, and there was upon him a degradation unspeakable.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading When he came out upon the valley road he was no longer the admirable young man he had been less than a year since.
a long depression in the surface of the land that usually contains a river
From this reading When he came out upon the valley road he was no longer the admirable young man he had been less than a year since.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading When he came out upon the valley road he was no longer the admirable young man he had been less than a year since.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading He was marked eternally by what he had done, and there was upon him a degradation unspeakable.
at the time that
From this reading When he came out upon the valley road he was no longer the admirable young man he had been less than a year since.
which person or people
From this reading He had murdered one who had been his friend, and it was a thing he might never be able to forget.
a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days
From this reading When he came out upon the valley road he was no longer the admirable young man he had been less than a year since.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading When he came out upon the valley road he was no longer the admirable young man he had been less than a year since.
