used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He managed, however, to drink a cup of coffee, but his hands were trembling so with excitement he could scarcely hold the cup.
take a risk in the hope of a favorable outcome
From this reading CLEARING THE TRACK Allan did his best to force himself to eat, but the strangeness of the hour and the excitement of the promised adventure took all desire for food from him.
(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 CLEARING THE TRACK Allan did his best to force himself to eat, but the strangeness of the hour and the excitement of the promised adventure took all desire for food from him.
Allan
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading CLEARING THE TRACK Allan did his best to force himself to eat, but the strangeness of the hour and the excitement of the promised adventure took all desire for food from him.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading CLEARING THE TRACK Allan did his best to force himself to eat, but the strangeness of the hour and the excitement of the promised adventure took all desire for food from him.
having undesirable or negative qualities
From this reading It was a wreck, and a bad one.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading He was eager to be off.
the supreme effort one can make
From this reading CLEARING THE TRACK Allan did his best to force himself to eat, but the strangeness of the hour and the excitement of the promised adventure took all desire for food from him.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading CLEARING THE TRACK Allan did his best to force himself to eat, but the strangeness of the hour and the excitement of the promised adventure took all desire for food from him.
CLEARINGnounUS /ˈklɪrɪŋ/
a tract of land with few or no trees in the middle of a wooded area
From this reading CLEARING THE TRACK Allan did his best to force himself to eat, but the strangeness of the hour and the excitement of the promised adventure took all desire for food from him.
a beverage consisting of an infusion of ground coffee beans
From this reading He managed, however, to drink a cup of coffee, but his hands were trembling so with excitement he could scarcely hold the cup.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading He managed, however, to drink a cup of coffee, but his hands were trembling so with excitement he could scarcely hold the cup.
a small open container usually used for drinking; usually has a handle
From this reading He managed, however, to drink a cup of coffee, but his hands were trembling so with excitement he could scarcely hold the cup.
the feeling that accompanies an unsatisfied state
From this reading CLEARING THE TRACK Allan did his best to force himself to eat, but the strangeness of the hour and the excitement of the promised adventure took all desire for food from him.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading CLEARING THE TRACK Allan did his best to force himself to eat, but the strangeness of the hour and the excitement of the promised adventure took all desire for food from him.
take in liquids
From this reading He managed, however, to drink a cup of coffee, but his hands were trembling so with excitement he could scarcely hold the cup.
eageradjectiveUS /ˈiːɡər/
having or showing keen interest or intense desire or impatient expectancy
From this reading He was eager to be off.
take in solid food
From this reading CLEARING THE TRACK Allan did his best to force himself to eat, but the strangeness of the hour and the excitement of the promised adventure took all desire for food from him.
the feeling of lively and cheerful joy
From this reading CLEARING THE TRACK Allan did his best to force himself to eat, but the strangeness of the hour and the excitement of the promised adventure took all desire for food from him.
any substance that can be metabolized by an animal to give energy and build tissue
From this reading CLEARING THE TRACK Allan did his best to force himself to eat, but the strangeness of the hour and the excitement of the promised adventure took all desire for food from him.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading CLEARING THE TRACK Allan did his best to force himself to eat, but the strangeness of the hour and the excitement of the promised adventure took all desire for food from him.
a powerful effect or influence
From this reading CLEARING THE TRACK Allan did his best to force himself to eat, but the strangeness of the hour and the excitement of the promised adventure took all desire for food from him.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading CLEARING THE TRACK Allan did his best to force himself to eat, but the strangeness of the hour and the excitement of the promised adventure took all desire for food from him.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading He managed, however, to drink a cup of coffee, but his hands were trembling so with excitement he could scarcely hold the cup.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He managed, however, to drink a cup of coffee, but his hands were trembling so with excitement he could scarcely hold the cup.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading CLEARING THE TRACK Allan did his best to force himself to eat, but the strangeness of the hour and the excitement of the promised adventure took all desire for food from him.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading CLEARING THE TRACK Allan did his best to force himself to eat, but the strangeness of the hour and the excitement of the promised adventure took all desire for food from him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading CLEARING THE TRACK Allan did his best to force himself to eat, but the strangeness of the hour and the excitement of the promised adventure took all desire for food from him.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading He managed, however, to drink a cup of coffee, but his hands were trembling so with excitement he could scarcely hold the cup.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading CLEARING THE TRACK Allan did his best to force himself to eat, but the strangeness of the hour and the excitement of the promised adventure took all desire for food from him.
How
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How terrible to lose a moment!
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading He managed, however, to drink a cup of coffee, but his hands were trembling so with excitement he could scarcely hold the cup.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was a wreck, and a bad one.
fail to keep or to maintain; cease to have, either physically or in an abstract sense
From this reading How terrible to lose a moment!
past form of “manage” — be successful; achieve a goal
From this reading He managed, however, to drink a cup of coffee, but his hands were trembling so with excitement he could scarcely hold the cup.
a particular point in time
From this reading How terrible to lose a moment!
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading CLEARING THE TRACK Allan did his best to force himself to eat, but the strangeness of the hour and the excitement of the promised adventure took all desire for food from him.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading He was eager to be off.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading It was a wreck, and a bad one.
past form of “promise” — make a promise or commitment
From this reading CLEARING THE TRACK Allan did his best to force himself to eat, but the strangeness of the hour and the excitement of the promised adventure took all desire for food from him.
only a very short time before
From this reading He managed, however, to drink a cup of coffee, but his hands were trembling so with excitement he could scarcely hold the cup.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading He managed, however, to drink a cup of coffee, but his hands were trembling so with excitement he could scarcely hold the cup.
strangenessnounUS /ˈstreɪndʒnəs/
unusualness as a consequence of not being well known
From this reading CLEARING THE TRACK Allan did his best to force himself to eat, but the strangeness of the hour and the excitement of the promised adventure took all desire for food from him.
causing fear or dread or terror
From this reading How terrible to lose a moment!
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading CLEARING THE TRACK Allan did his best to force himself to eat, but the strangeness of the hour and the excitement of the promised adventure took all desire for food from him.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading CLEARING THE TRACK Allan did his best to force himself to eat, but the strangeness of the hour and the excitement of the promised adventure took all desire for food from him.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading CLEARING THE TRACK Allan did his best to force himself to eat, but the strangeness of the hour and the excitement of the promised adventure took all desire for food from him.
a line or route along which something travels or moves
From this reading CLEARING THE TRACK Allan did his best to force himself to eat, but the strangeness of the hour and the excitement of the promised adventure took all desire for food from him.
a shaky motion
From this reading He managed, however, to drink a cup of coffee, but his hands were trembling so with excitement he could scarcely hold the cup.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was a wreck, and a bad one.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading He managed, however, to drink a cup of coffee, but his hands were trembling so with excitement he could scarcely hold the cup.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He managed, however, to drink a cup of coffee, but his hands were trembling so with excitement he could scarcely hold the cup.
wrecknounUS /rek/
something or someone that has suffered ruin or dilapidation
From this reading It was a wreck, and a bad one.
