used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A day earlier, Joel Fenno had been happily, if always grouchily, the master of his own actions.
actionsnounUS /ˈækʃənz/
plural of “action” — something done (usually as opposed to something said)
From this reading A day earlier, Joel Fenno had been happily, if always grouchily, the master of his own actions.
in actual fact
From this reading Actually, it was something under an hour.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading A day earlier, Joel Fenno had been happily, if always grouchily, the master of his own actions.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Actually, it was something under an hour.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading To-day, Joel Fenno sat huddled miserably in a police station cell, at La Cerra, a hundred miles from home.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading A day earlier, Joel Fenno had been happily, if always grouchily, the master of his own actions.
a long seat for more than one person
From this reading The man did not know how long he crouched there in growing mental torment, on the hard cell bench.
cellnounUS /sel/
A small stone room in a prison where an inmate is locked behind iron bars.
From this reading To-day, Joel Fenno sat huddled miserably in a police station cell, at La Cerra, a hundred miles from home.
centuriesnounUS /ˈsentʃəriz/
plural of “century” — a period of 100 years
From this reading It seemed to him a handful of centuries in duration.
Cerra
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To-day, Joel Fenno sat huddled miserably in a police station cell, at La Cerra, a hundred miles from home.
crouchedverbUS /kraʊtʃt/
past form of “crouch” — bend one's back forward from the waist on down
From this reading The man did not know how long he crouched there in growing mental torment, on the hard cell bench.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading A day earlier, Joel Fenno had been happily, if always grouchily, the master of his own actions.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading The man did not know how long he crouched there in growing mental torment, on the hard cell bench.
durationnounUS /ˈdʊˈreɪʃən/
the period of time during which something continues
From this reading It seemed to him a handful of centuries in duration.
earlier in time; previously
From this reading A day earlier, Joel Fenno had been happily, if always grouchily, the master of his own actions.
Fenno
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A day earlier, Joel Fenno had been happily, if always grouchily, the master of his own actions.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading To-day, Joel Fenno sat huddled miserably in a police station cell, at La Cerra, a hundred miles from home.
grouchilyadverb
in an ill-natured manner
From this reading A day earlier, Joel Fenno had been happily, if always grouchily, the master of his own actions.
(biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level
From this reading The man did not know how long he crouched there in growing mental torment, on the hard cell bench.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading A day earlier, Joel Fenno had been happily, if always grouchily, the master of his own actions.
handfulnounUS /ˈhændfʊl/
a small number or amount
From this reading It seemed to him a handful of centuries in duration.
happilyadverbUS /ˈhæpəli/
in a joyous manner
From this reading A day earlier, Joel Fenno had been happily, if always grouchily, the master of his own actions.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading The man did not know how long he crouched there in growing mental torment, on the hard cell bench.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The man did not know how long he crouched there in growing mental torment, on the hard cell bench.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading It seemed to him a handful of centuries in duration.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading A day earlier, Joel Fenno had been happily, if always grouchily, the master of his own actions.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading To-day, Joel Fenno sat huddled miserably in a police station cell, at La Cerra, a hundred miles from home.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading Actually, it was something under an hour.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The man did not know how long he crouched there in growing mental torment, on the hard cell bench.
huddledadjectiveUS /ˈhʌdəld/
crowded or massed together
From this reading To-day, Joel Fenno sat huddled miserably in a police station cell, at La Cerra, a hundred miles from home.
ten 10s
From this reading To-day, Joel Fenno sat huddled miserably in a police station cell, at La Cerra, a hundred miles from home.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading A day earlier, Joel Fenno had been happily, if always grouchily, the master of his own actions.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading To-day, Joel Fenno sat huddled miserably in a police station cell, at La Cerra, a hundred miles from home.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It seemed to him a handful of centuries in duration.
JoelnounUS /ˈdʒoʊəl/
a Hebrew minor prophet
From this reading A day earlier, Joel Fenno had been happily, if always grouchily, the master of his own actions.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading The man did not know how long he crouched there in growing mental torment, on the hard cell bench.
a white soft metallic element that tarnishes readily; occurs in rare earth minerals and is usually classified as a rare earth
From this reading To-day, Joel Fenno sat huddled miserably in a police station cell, at La Cerra, a hundred miles from home.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading The man did not know how long he crouched there in growing mental torment, on the hard cell bench.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading The man did not know how long he crouched there in growing mental torment, on the hard cell bench.
an artist of consummate skill
From this reading A day earlier, Joel Fenno had been happily, if always grouchily, the master of his own actions.
involving the mind or an intellectual process
From this reading The man did not know how long he crouched there in growing mental torment, on the hard cell bench.
plural of “mile” — a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading To-day, Joel Fenno sat huddled miserably in a police station cell, at La Cerra, a hundred miles from home.
miserablyadverbUS /ˈmɪzərəbli/
in a miserable manner
From this reading To-day, Joel Fenno sat huddled miserably in a police station cell, at La Cerra, a hundred miles from home.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The man did not know how long he crouched there in growing mental torment, on the hard cell bench.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A day earlier, Joel Fenno had been happily, if always grouchily, the master of his own actions.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The man did not know how long he crouched there in growing mental torment, on the hard cell bench.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading A day earlier, Joel Fenno had been happily, if always grouchily, the master of his own actions.
the force of policemen and officers
From this reading To-day, Joel Fenno sat huddled miserably in a police station cell, at La Cerra, a hundred miles from home.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading To-day, Joel Fenno sat huddled miserably in a police station cell, at La Cerra, a hundred miles from home.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading It seemed to him a handful of centuries in duration.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading Actually, it was something under an hour.
a facility equipped with special equipment and personnel for a particular purpose
From this reading To-day, Joel Fenno sat huddled miserably in a police station cell, at La Cerra, a hundred miles from home.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A day earlier, Joel Fenno had been happily, if always grouchily, the master of his own actions.
in or at that place or location
From this reading The man did not know how long he crouched there in growing mental torment, on the hard cell bench.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It seemed to him a handful of centuries in duration.
To-day
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To-day, Joel Fenno sat huddled miserably in a police station cell, at La Cerra, a hundred miles from home.
tormentnounUS /ˈtɔːrment/
unbearable physical pain
From this reading The man did not know how long he crouched there in growing mental torment, on the hard cell bench.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading Actually, it was something under an hour.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Actually, it was something under an hour.
