used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading JOHN ROGERS David flung himself at the story as though it were a city to be taken by storm.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading He had half-a-dozen separate incentives, and the sum of these was a vast energy that drove him conqueringly through obstacle after obstacle of the story.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading His long-disused pen at first was stubborn, but gradually he re-broke it to work; and he wrote with an ease, a surety of touch, a fire, that he had never felt before.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading His long-disused pen at first was stubborn, but gradually he re-broke it to work; and he wrote with an ease, a surety of touch, a fire, that he had never felt before.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading JOHN ROGERS David flung himself at the story as though it were a city to be taken by storm.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading JOHN ROGERS David flung himself at the story as though it were a city to be taken by storm.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading JOHN ROGERS David flung himself at the story as though it were a city to be taken by storm.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading His long-disused pen at first was stubborn, but gradually he re-broke it to work; and he wrote with an ease, a surety of touch, a fire, that he had never felt before.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading His long-disused pen at first was stubborn, but gradually he re-broke it to work; and he wrote with an ease, a surety of touch, a fire, that he had never felt before.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading JOHN ROGERS David flung himself at the story as though it were a city to be taken by storm.
a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts
From this reading JOHN ROGERS David flung himself at the story as though it were a city to be taken by storm.
conqueringly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had half-a-dozen separate incentives, and the sum of these was a vast energy that drove him conqueringly through obstacle after obstacle of the story.
creativeadjectiveUS /kriˈeɪtɪv/
having the ability or power to create
From this reading He was full of power, of creative fury.
patron saint of Wales (circa 520-600)
From this reading JOHN ROGERS David flung himself at the story as though it were a city to be taken by storm.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading These early days of the story were high days with him.
a group of animals (a herd or flock) moving together
From this reading He had half-a-dozen separate incentives, and the sum of these was a vast energy that drove him conqueringly through obstacle after obstacle of the story.
earlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/
at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time
From this reading These early days of the story were high days with him.
move gently or carefully
From this reading His long-disused pen at first was stubborn, but gradually he re-broke it to work; and he wrote with an ease, a surety of touch, a fire, that he had never felt before.
(physics) a thermodynamic quantity equivalent to the capacity of a physical system to do work; the units of energy are joules or ergs
From this reading He had half-a-dozen separate incentives, and the sum of these was a vast energy that drove him conqueringly through obstacle after obstacle of the story.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading His long-disused pen at first was stubborn, but gradually he re-broke it to work; and he wrote with an ease, a surety of touch, a fire, that he had never felt before.
start firing a weapon
From this reading His long-disused pen at first was stubborn, but gradually he re-broke it to work; and he wrote with an ease, a surety of touch, a fire, that he had never felt before.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading His long-disused pen at first was stubborn, but gradually he re-broke it to work; and he wrote with an ease, a surety of touch, a fire, that he had never felt before.
inflected form of “fling” — throw with force or recklessness
From this reading JOHN ROGERS David flung himself at the story as though it were a city to be taken by storm.
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading He was full of power, of creative fury.
a feeling of intense anger
From this reading He was full of power, of creative fury.
in a gradual manner
From this reading His long-disused pen at first was stubborn, but gradually he re-broke it to work; and he wrote with an ease, a surety of touch, a fire, that he had never felt before.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading His long-disused pen at first was stubborn, but gradually he re-broke it to work; and he wrote with an ease, a surety of touch, a fire, that he had never felt before.
half-a-dozen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had half-a-dozen separate incentives, and the sum of these was a vast energy that drove him conqueringly through obstacle after obstacle of the story.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was full of power, of creative fury.
greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading These early days of the story were high days with him.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He had half-a-dozen separate incentives, and the sum of these was a vast energy that drove him conqueringly through obstacle after obstacle of the story.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading JOHN ROGERS David flung himself at the story as though it were a city to be taken by storm.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading His long-disused pen at first was stubborn, but gradually he re-broke it to work; and he wrote with an ease, a surety of touch, a fire, that he had never felt before.
incentivesnounUS /ˌɪnˈsentɪvz/
plural of “incentive” — a positive motivational influence
From this reading He had half-a-dozen separate incentives, and the sum of these was a vast energy that drove him conqueringly through obstacle after obstacle of the story.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading JOHN ROGERS David flung himself at the story as though it were a city to be taken by storm.
a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading JOHN ROGERS David flung himself at the story as though it were a city to be taken by storm.
long-disused
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His long-disused pen at first was stubborn, but gradually he re-broke it to work; and he wrote with an ease, a surety of touch, a fire, that he had never felt before.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading His long-disused pen at first was stubborn, but gradually he re-broke it to work; and he wrote with an ease, a surety of touch, a fire, that he had never felt before.
obstaclenounUS /ˈɑːbstəkəl/
something immaterial that stands in the way and must be circumvented or surmounted
From this reading He had half-a-dozen separate incentives, and the sum of these was a vast energy that drove him conqueringly through obstacle after obstacle of the story.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He was full of power, of creative fury.
a writing implement with a point from which ink flows
From this reading His long-disused pen at first was stubborn, but gradually he re-broke it to work; and he wrote with an ease, a surety of touch, a fire, that he had never felt before.
possession of controlling influence
From this reading He was full of power, of creative fury.
re-broke
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His long-disused pen at first was stubborn, but gradually he re-broke it to work; and he wrote with an ease, a surety of touch, a fire, that he had never felt before.
ROGERSnounUS /ˈrɑːdʒərz/
United States humorist remembered for his homespun commentary on politics and American society (1879-1935)
From this reading JOHN ROGERS David flung himself at the story as though it were a city to be taken by storm.
act as a barrier between; stand between
From this reading He had half-a-dozen separate incentives, and the sum of these was a vast energy that drove him conqueringly through obstacle after obstacle of the story.
behave violently, as if in state of a great anger
From this reading JOHN ROGERS David flung himself at the story as though it were a city to be taken by storm.
a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading JOHN ROGERS David flung himself at the story as though it were a city to be taken by storm.
stubbornadjectiveUS /ˈstʌbərn/
tenaciously unwilling or marked by tenacious unwillingness to yield
From this reading His long-disused pen at first was stubborn, but gradually he re-broke it to work; and he wrote with an ease, a surety of touch, a fire, that he had never felt before.
a quantity of money
From this reading He had half-a-dozen separate incentives, and the sum of these was a vast energy that drove him conqueringly through obstacle after obstacle of the story.
suretynounUS /ˈʃʊrəti/
something clearly established
From this reading His long-disused pen at first was stubborn, but gradually he re-broke it to work; and he wrote with an ease, a surety of touch, a fire, that he had never felt before.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading JOHN ROGERS David flung himself at the story as though it were a city to be taken by storm.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading His long-disused pen at first was stubborn, but gradually he re-broke it to work; and he wrote with an ease, a surety of touch, a fire, that he had never felt before.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading JOHN ROGERS David flung himself at the story as though it were a city to be taken by storm.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading He had half-a-dozen separate incentives, and the sum of these was a vast energy that drove him conqueringly through obstacle after obstacle of the story.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading JOHN ROGERS David flung himself at the story as though it were a city to be taken by storm.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading He had half-a-dozen separate incentives, and the sum of these was a vast energy that drove him conqueringly through obstacle after obstacle of the story.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading JOHN ROGERS David flung himself at the story as though it were a city to be taken by storm.
make physical contact with, come in contact with
From this reading His long-disused pen at first was stubborn, but gradually he re-broke it to work; and he wrote with an ease, a surety of touch, a fire, that he had never felt before.
unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope
From this reading He had half-a-dozen separate incentives, and the sum of these was a vast energy that drove him conqueringly through obstacle after obstacle of the story.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He was full of power, of creative fury.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading JOHN ROGERS David flung himself at the story as though it were a city to be taken by storm.
in the company of; together with
From this reading His long-disused pen at first was stubborn, but gradually he re-broke it to work; and he wrote with an ease, a surety of touch, a fire, that he had never felt before.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading His long-disused pen at first was stubborn, but gradually he re-broke it to work; and he wrote with an ease, a surety of touch, a fire, that he had never felt before.
inflected form of “write” — produce a literary work
From this reading His long-disused pen at first was stubborn, but gradually he re-broke it to work; and he wrote with an ease, a surety of touch, a fire, that he had never felt before.
