used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The remembrance of it set him now to exulting, in an odd, restrained little way, where a moment ago he had been desponding.
in the past
From this reading The remembrance of it set him now to exulting, in an odd, restrained little way, where a moment ago he had been desponding.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading He could almost feel light fingers unlacing the stubbed little shoe; Sheelah's fingers were rather heavy and not patient with knots.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The remembrance of it set him now to exulting, in an odd, restrained little way, where a moment ago he had been desponding.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He clasped plump, brown little hands around a plump, brown little knee and swayed gently this way and that.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading He clasped plump, brown little hands around a plump, brown little knee and swayed gently this way and that.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The Promise Murray was not as one without hope, for there was the Promise.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The remembrance of it set him now to exulting, in an odd, restrained little way, where a moment ago he had been desponding.
take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading "Maybe she'll begin with my shoes," Murray thought, and held his foot quite still.
an orange of low brightness and saturation
From this reading He clasped plump, brown little hands around a plump, brown little knee and swayed gently this way and that.
past form of “clasp” — hold firmly and tightly
From this reading He clasped plump, brown little hands around a plump, brown little knee and swayed gently this way and that.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading He could almost feel light fingers unlacing the stubbed little shoe; Sheelah's fingers were rather heavy and not patient with knots.
desponding
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The remembrance of it set him now to exulting, in an odd, restrained little way, where a moment ago he had been desponding.
exultingadjectiveUS /ɪɡˈzʌltɪŋ/
joyful and proud especially because of triumph or success
From this reading The remembrance of it set him now to exulting, in an odd, restrained little way, where a moment ago he had been desponding.
undergo an emotional sensation or be in a particular state of mind
From this reading He could almost feel light fingers unlacing the stubbed little shoe; Sheelah's fingers were rather heavy and not patient with knots.
plural of “finger” — any of the terminal members of the hand (sometimes excepting the thumb)
From this reading He could almost feel light fingers unlacing the stubbed little shoe; Sheelah's fingers were rather heavy and not patient with knots.
the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading "Maybe she'll begin with my shoes," Murray thought, and held his foot quite still.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The Promise Murray was not as one without hope, for there was the Promise.
in a gradual manner
From this reading He clasped plump, brown little hands around a plump, brown little knee and swayed gently this way and that.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The remembrance of it set him now to exulting, in an odd, restrained little way, where a moment ago he had been desponding.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading He clasped plump, brown little hands around a plump, brown little knee and swayed gently this way and that.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The remembrance of it set him now to exulting, in an odd, restrained little way, where a moment ago he had been desponding.
of comparatively great physical weight or density
From this reading He could almost feel light fingers unlacing the stubbed little shoe; Sheelah's fingers were rather heavy and not patient with knots.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading "Maybe she'll begin with my shoes," Murray thought, and held his foot quite still.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The remembrance of it set him now to exulting, in an odd, restrained little way, where a moment ago he had been desponding.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading "Maybe she'll begin with my shoes," Murray thought, and held his foot quite still.
a specific instance of feeling hopeful
From this reading The Promise Murray was not as one without hope, for there was the Promise.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The remembrance of it set him now to exulting, in an odd, restrained little way, where a moment ago he had been desponding.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The remembrance of it set him now to exulting, in an odd, restrained little way, where a moment ago he had been desponding.
hinge joint in the human leg connecting the tibia and fibula with the femur and protected in front by the patella
From this reading He clasped plump, brown little hands around a plump, brown little knee and swayed gently this way and that.
knotsnounUS /nɑːts/
plural of “knot” — a tight cluster of people or things
From this reading He could almost feel light fingers unlacing the stubbed little shoe; Sheelah's fingers were rather heavy and not patient with knots.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading He could almost feel light fingers unlacing the stubbed little shoe; Sheelah's fingers were rather heavy and not patient with knots.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The remembrance of it set him now to exulting, in an odd, restrained little way, where a moment ago he had been desponding.
by chance
From this reading "Maybe she'll begin with my shoes," Murray thought, and held his foot quite still.
a particular point in time
From this reading The remembrance of it set him now to exulting, in an odd, restrained little way, where a moment ago he had been desponding.
MurraynounUS /ˈmɜːri/
British classical scholar (born in Australia) who advocated the League of Nations and the United Nations (1866-1957)
From this reading The Promise Murray was not as one without hope, for there was the Promise.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "Maybe she'll begin with my shoes," Murray thought, and held his foot quite still.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The Promise Murray was not as one without hope, for there was the Promise.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading The remembrance of it set him now to exulting, in an odd, restrained little way, where a moment ago he had been desponding.
not divisible by two
From this reading The remembrance of it set him now to exulting, in an odd, restrained little way, where a moment ago he had been desponding.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The remembrance of it set him now to exulting, in an odd, restrained little way, where a moment ago he had been desponding.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The Promise Murray was not as one without hope, for there was the Promise.
a person who requires medical care
From this reading He could almost feel light fingers unlacing the stubbed little shoe; Sheelah's fingers were rather heavy and not patient with knots.
plumpadjectiveUS /plʌmp/
sufficiently fat so as to have a pleasing fullness of figure
From this reading He clasped plump, brown little hands around a plump, brown little knee and swayed gently this way and that.
make a promise or commitment
From this reading The Promise Murray was not as one without hope, for there was the Promise.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading "Maybe she'll begin with my shoes," Murray thought, and held his foot quite still.
on the contrary
From this reading He could almost feel light fingers unlacing the stubbed little shoe; Sheelah's fingers were rather heavy and not patient with knots.
remembrancenounUS /riˈmembrəns/
the ability to recall past occurrences
From this reading The remembrance of it set him now to exulting, in an odd, restrained little way, where a moment ago he had been desponding.
restrainedadjectiveUS /riˈstreɪnd/
cool and formal in manner
From this reading The remembrance of it set him now to exulting, in an odd, restrained little way, where a moment ago he had been desponding.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading The remembrance of it set him now to exulting, in an odd, restrained little way, where a moment ago he had been desponding.
she'll
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Maybe she'll begin with my shoes," Murray thought, and held his foot quite still.
Sheelah's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could almost feel light fingers unlacing the stubbed little shoe; Sheelah's fingers were rather heavy and not patient with knots.
shoenounUS /ʃuː/
footwear shaped to fit the foot (below the ankle) with a flexible upper of leather or plastic and a sole and heel of heavier material
From this reading He could almost feel light fingers unlacing the stubbed little shoe; Sheelah's fingers were rather heavy and not patient with knots.
a particular situation
From this reading "Maybe she'll begin with my shoes," Murray thought, and held his foot quite still.
not in physical motion
From this reading "Maybe she'll begin with my shoes," Murray thought, and held his foot quite still.
stubbedverbUS /stʌbd/
inflected form of “stub” — pull up (weeds) by their roots
From this reading He could almost feel light fingers unlacing the stubbed little shoe; Sheelah's fingers were rather heavy and not patient with knots.
swayedverbUS /sweɪd/
past form of “sway” — move back and forth or sideways
From this reading He clasped plump, brown little hands around a plump, brown little knee and swayed gently this way and that.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He clasped plump, brown little hands around a plump, brown little knee and swayed gently this way and that.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The Promise Murray was not as one without hope, for there was the Promise.
in or at that place or location
From this reading The Promise Murray was not as one without hope, for there was the Promise.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading He clasped plump, brown little hands around a plump, brown little knee and swayed gently this way and that.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading "Maybe she'll begin with my shoes," Murray thought, and held his foot quite still.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The remembrance of it set him now to exulting, in an odd, restrained little way, where a moment ago he had been desponding.
unlacing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could almost feel light fingers unlacing the stubbed little shoe; Sheelah's fingers were rather heavy and not patient with knots.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The Promise Murray was not as one without hope, for there was the Promise.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading The remembrance of it set him now to exulting, in an odd, restrained little way, where a moment ago he had been desponding.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading He could almost feel light fingers unlacing the stubbed little shoe; Sheelah's fingers were rather heavy and not patient with knots.
in or at the place that
From this reading The remembrance of it set him now to exulting, in an odd, restrained little way, where a moment ago he had been desponding.
in the company of; together with
From this reading "Maybe she'll begin with my shoes," Murray thought, and held his foot quite still.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading The Promise Murray was not as one without hope, for there was the Promise.
