used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He had gone on steadily with his evening studies; he had been an eager pupil, and Ray had been a faithful teacher.
AlbanynounUS /ˈɔːlbəni/
state capital of New York; located in eastern New York State on the west bank of the Hudson river
From this reading Onward sped the busy days, until at last there came an evening which made it exactly three years since Edward had first set foot in Albany.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Onward sped the busy days, until at last there came an evening which made it exactly three years since Edward had first set foot in Albany.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away."
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Onward sped the busy days, until at last there came an evening which made it exactly three years since Edward had first set foot in Albany.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading "And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away."
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading They had been years of wonderful progress to him.
actively or fully engaged or occupied
From this reading Onward sped the busy days, until at last there came an evening which made it exactly three years since Edward had first set foot in Albany.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading This evening he sat in the library waiting for Ray, but he had a very troubled face.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Onward sped the busy days, until at last there came an evening which made it exactly three years since Edward had first set foot in Albany.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading Onward sped the busy days, until at last there came an evening which made it exactly three years since Edward had first set foot in Albany.
eageradjectiveUS /ˈiːɡər/
having or showing keen interest or intense desire or impatient expectancy
From this reading He had gone on steadily with his evening studies; he had been an eager pupil, and Ray had been a faithful teacher.
King of England and Ireland in 1936; his marriage to Wallis Warfield Simpson created a constitutional crisis leading to his abdication (1894-1972)
From this reading Onward sped the busy days, until at last there came an evening which made it exactly three years since Edward had first set foot in Albany.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading Onward sped the busy days, until at last there came an evening which made it exactly three years since Edward had first set foot in Albany.
indicating exactness or preciseness
From this reading Onward sped the busy days, until at last there came an evening which made it exactly three years since Edward had first set foot in Albany.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading This evening he sat in the library waiting for Ray, but he had a very troubled face.
steadfast in affection or allegiance
From this reading He had gone on steadily with his evening studies; he had been an eager pupil, and Ray had been a faithful teacher.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading Onward sped the busy days, until at last there came an evening which made it exactly three years since Edward had first set foot in Albany.
the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading Onward sped the busy days, until at last there came an evening which made it exactly three years since Edward had first set foot in Albany.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading This evening he sat in the library waiting for Ray, but he had a very troubled face.
destroyed or killed
From this reading He had gone on steadily with his evening studies; he had been an eager pupil, and Ray had been a faithful teacher.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Onward sped the busy days, until at last there came an evening which made it exactly three years since Edward had first set foot in Albany.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had gone on steadily with his evening studies; he had been an eager pupil, and Ray had been a faithful teacher.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading They had been years of wonderful progress to him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He had gone on steadily with his evening studies; he had been an eager pupil, and Ray had been a faithful teacher.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Onward sped the busy days, until at last there came an evening which made it exactly three years since Edward had first set foot in Albany.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Onward sped the busy days, until at last there came an evening which made it exactly three years since Edward had first set foot in Albany.
immediately past
From this reading Onward sped the busy days, until at last there came an evening which made it exactly three years since Edward had first set foot in Albany.
a room where books are kept
From this reading This evening he sat in the library waiting for Ray, but he had a very troubled face.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading "And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away."
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading Onward sped the busy days, until at last there came an evening which made it exactly three years since Edward had first set foot in Albany.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading They had been years of wonderful progress to him.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He had gone on steadily with his evening studies; he had been an eager pupil, and Ray had been a faithful teacher.
OnwardadverbUS /ˈɔːnwərd/
forward in time or order or degree
From this reading Onward sped the busy days, until at last there came an evening which made it exactly three years since Edward had first set foot in Albany.
gradual improvement or growth or development
From this reading They had been years of wonderful progress to him.
pupilnounUS /ˈpjuːpəl/
a learner who is enrolled in an educational institution
From this reading He had gone on steadily with his evening studies; he had been an eager pupil, and Ray had been a faithful teacher.
RaynounUS /reɪ/
a column of light (as from a beacon)
From this reading He had gone on steadily with his evening studies; he had been an eager pupil, and Ray had been a faithful teacher.
especially of petals or leaves in bud; having margins rolled inward
From this reading "And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away."
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading This evening he sat in the library waiting for Ray, but he had a very troubled face.
cut with a saw
From this reading "And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away."
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Onward sped the busy days, until at last there came an evening which made it exactly three years since Edward had first set foot in Albany.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading Onward sped the busy days, until at last there came an evening which made it exactly three years since Edward had first set foot in Albany.
spedverbUS /sped/
inflected form of “speed” — move hurridly
From this reading Onward sped the busy days, until at last there came an evening which made it exactly three years since Edward had first set foot in Albany.
at a steady rate or pace
From this reading He had gone on steadily with his evening studies; he had been an eager pupil, and Ray had been a faithful teacher.
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading "And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away."
studiesnounUS /ˈstʌdiz/
plural of “study” — a detailed critical inspection
From this reading He had gone on steadily with his evening studies; he had been an eager pupil, and Ray had been a faithful teacher.
teachernounUS /ˈtiːtʃər/
a person whose occupation is teaching
From this reading He had gone on steadily with his evening studies; he had been an eager pupil, and Ray had been a faithful teacher.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away."
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away."
in or at that place or location
From this reading Onward sped the busy days, until at last there came an evening which made it exactly three years since Edward had first set foot in Albany.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away."
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This evening he sat in the library waiting for Ray, but he had a very troubled face.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading Onward sped the busy days, until at last there came an evening which made it exactly three years since Edward had first set foot in Albany.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading They had been years of wonderful progress to him.
characterized by or indicative of distress or affliction or danger or need
From this reading This evening he sat in the library waiting for Ray, but he had a very troubled face.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading Onward sped the busy days, until at last there came an evening which made it exactly three years since Edward had first set foot in Albany.
precisely as stated
From this reading This evening he sat in the library waiting for Ray, but he had a very troubled face.
the act of waiting (remaining inactive in one place while expecting something)
From this reading This evening he sat in the library waiting for Ray, but he had a very troubled face.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away."
at the time that
From this reading "And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away."
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Onward sped the busy days, until at last there came an evening which made it exactly three years since Edward had first set foot in Albany.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He had gone on steadily with his evening studies; he had been an eager pupil, and Ray had been a faithful teacher.
extraordinarily good or great; used especially as intensifiers
From this reading They had been years of wonderful progress to him.
a late time of life
From this reading Onward sped the busy days, until at last there came an evening which made it exactly three years since Edward had first set foot in Albany.
