used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It contained a letter written with pencil on a cheap tablet page of lined stationery.
speak to
From this reading It was addressed by an illiterate hand and bore several official stampings of _Wrong address_ and _Not Found_.
(of mail) marked with a destination
From this reading It was addressed by an illiterate hand and bore several official stampings of _Wrong address_ and _Not Found_.
(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 But Uncle Sam, that invincible errand boy, had left it at the right place at last, though all too late.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading It was very much the worse for its travels, almost in shreds.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading It was addressed by an illiterate hand and bore several official stampings of _Wrong address_ and _Not Found_.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading I arose and took from him the envelope which he held in his extended hand; he was too lazy to get up and hand it to me.
inflected form of “arise” — come into existence; take on form or shape
From this reading I arose and took from him the envelope which he held in his extended hand; he was too lazy to get up and hand it to me.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading But Uncle Sam, that invincible errand boy, had left it at the right place at last, though all too late.
cause to be bored
From this reading It was addressed by an illiterate hand and bore several official stampings of _Wrong address_ and _Not Found_.
a youthful male person
From this reading But Uncle Sam, that invincible errand boy, had left it at the right place at last, though all too late.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But Uncle Sam, that invincible errand boy, had left it at the right place at last, though all too late.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading It was addressed by an illiterate hand and bore several official stampings of _Wrong address_ and _Not Found_.
cheapadjectiveUS /tʃiːp/
relatively low in price or charging low prices
From this reading It contained a letter written with pencil on a cheap tablet page of lined stationery.
gotten under control
From this reading It contained a letter written with pencil on a cheap tablet page of lined stationery.
envelopenounUS /ˈenvəloʊp/
a flat (usually rectangular) container for a letter, thin package, etc.
From this reading I arose and took from him the envelope which he held in his extended hand; he was too lazy to get up and hand it to me.
errandnounUS /ˈerənd/
a short trip that is taken in the performance of a necessary task or mission
From this reading But Uncle Sam, that invincible errand boy, had left it at the right place at last, though all too late.
relatively long in duration; tediously protracted
From this reading I arose and took from him the envelope which he held in his extended hand; he was too lazy to get up and hand it to me.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It was very much the worse for its travels, almost in shreds.
set up or found
From this reading It was addressed by an illiterate hand and bore several official stampings of _Wrong address_ and _Not Found_.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading I arose and took from him the envelope which he held in his extended hand; he was too lazy to get up and hand it to me.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading I arose and took from him the envelope which he held in his extended hand; he was too lazy to get up and hand it to me.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading But Uncle Sam, that invincible errand boy, had left it at the right place at last, though all too late.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading I arose and took from him the envelope which he held in his extended hand; he was too lazy to get up and hand it to me.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading I arose and took from him the envelope which he held in his extended hand; he was too lazy to get up and hand it to me.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading I arose and took from him the envelope which he held in his extended hand; he was too lazy to get up and hand it to me.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading I arose and took from him the envelope which he held in his extended hand; he was too lazy to get up and hand it to me.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading I arose and took from him the envelope which he held in his extended hand; he was too lazy to get up and hand it to me.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I arose and took from him the envelope which he held in his extended hand; he was too lazy to get up and hand it to me.
illiterateadjectiveUS /ˌɪˈlɪtərət/
not able to read or write
From this reading It was addressed by an illiterate hand and bore several official stampings of _Wrong address_ and _Not Found_.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading I arose and took from him the envelope which he held in his extended hand; he was too lazy to get up and hand it to me.
invincibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈvɪnsəbəl/
incapable of being overcome or subdued
From this reading But Uncle Sam, that invincible errand boy, had left it at the right place at last, though all too late.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading I arose and took from him the envelope which he held in his extended hand; he was too lazy to get up and hand it to me.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading It was very much the worse for its travels, almost in shreds.
immediately past
From this reading But Uncle Sam, that invincible errand boy, had left it at the right place at last, though all too late.
being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time
From this reading But Uncle Sam, that invincible errand boy, had left it at the right place at last, though all too late.
lazyadjectiveUS /ˈleɪzi/
moving slowly and gently
From this reading I arose and took from him the envelope which he held in his extended hand; he was too lazy to get up and hand it to me.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading But Uncle Sam, that invincible errand boy, had left it at the right place at last, though all too late.
a written message addressed to a person or organization
From this reading It contained a letter written with pencil on a cheap tablet page of lined stationery.
linedadjectiveUS /laɪnd/
bordered by a line of things
From this reading It contained a letter written with pencil on a cheap tablet page of lined stationery.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading I arose and took from him the envelope which he held in his extended hand; he was too lazy to get up and hand it to me.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading It was very much the worse for its travels, almost in shreds.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading It was addressed by an illiterate hand and bore several official stampings of _Wrong address_ and _Not Found_.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It was addressed by an illiterate hand and bore several official stampings of _Wrong address_ and _Not Found_.
having official authority or sanction
From this reading It was addressed by an illiterate hand and bore several official stampings of _Wrong address_ and _Not Found_.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading It contained a letter written with pencil on a cheap tablet page of lined stationery.
one side of one leaf (of a book or magazine or newspaper or letter etc.) or the written or pictorial matter it contains
From this reading It contained a letter written with pencil on a cheap tablet page of lined stationery.
pencilnounUS /ˈpensəl/
a thin cylindrical pointed writing implement; a rod of marking substance encased in wood
From this reading It contained a letter written with pencil on a cheap tablet page of lined stationery.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading But Uncle Sam, that invincible errand boy, had left it at the right place at last, though all too late.
precisely, exactly
From this reading But Uncle Sam, that invincible errand boy, had left it at the right place at last, though all too late.
a guided missile fired from land or shipboard against an airborne target
From this reading But Uncle Sam, that invincible errand boy, had left it at the right place at last, though all too late.
(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many
From this reading It was addressed by an illiterate hand and bore several official stampings of _Wrong address_ and _Not Found_.
shredsnounUS /ʃredz/
plural of “shred” — a tiny or scarcely detectable amount
From this reading It was very much the worse for its travels, almost in shreds.
stampings
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was addressed by an illiterate hand and bore several official stampings of _Wrong address_ and _Not Found_.
stationerynounUS /ˈsteɪʃəneri/
paper cut to an appropriate size for writing letters; usually with matching envelopes
From this reading It contained a letter written with pencil on a cheap tablet page of lined stationery.
tabletnounUS /ˈtæblət/
a slab of stone or wood suitable for bearing an inscription
From this reading It contained a letter written with pencil on a cheap tablet page of lined stationery.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading But Uncle Sam, that invincible errand boy, had left it at the right place at last, though all too late.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading I arose and took from him the envelope which he held in his extended hand; he was too lazy to get up and hand it to me.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading But Uncle Sam, that invincible errand boy, had left it at the right place at last, though all too late.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I arose and took from him the envelope which he held in his extended hand; he was too lazy to get up and hand it to me.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading I arose and took from him the envelope which he held in his extended hand; he was too lazy to get up and hand it to me.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading I arose and took from him the envelope which he held in his extended hand; he was too lazy to get up and hand it to me.
travelsnounUS /ˈtrævəlz/
plural of “travel” — the act of going from one place to another
From this reading It was very much the worse for its travels, almost in shreds.
the brother of your father or mother; the husband of your aunt
From this reading But Uncle Sam, that invincible errand boy, had left it at the right place at last, though all too late.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading I arose and took from him the envelope which he held in his extended hand; he was too lazy to get up and hand it to me.
precisely as stated
From this reading It was very much the worse for its travels, almost in shreds.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading I arose and took from him the envelope which he held in his extended hand; he was too lazy to get up and hand it to me.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading I arose and took from him the envelope which he held in his extended hand; he was too lazy to get up and hand it to me.
in the company of; together with
From this reading It contained a letter written with pencil on a cheap tablet page of lined stationery.
(comparative of “bad”) inferior to another in quality or condition or desirability
From this reading It was very much the worse for its travels, almost in shreds.
set down in writing in any of various ways
From this reading It contained a letter written with pencil on a cheap tablet page of lined stationery.
not correct; not in conformity with fact or truth
From this reading It was addressed by an illiterate hand and bore several official stampings of _Wrong address_ and _Not Found_.
