used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading CHRISTMAS EVE Peter Sinclair was now in a serious predicament.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading He raged and railed against everything and everybody in general.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He raged and railed against everything and everybody in general.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading When sober thoughts at length came to him, he began to realise the seriousness of his position.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Fortune had favoured him so long that to be thus blocked by a mean little stump was too much for his excitable nature.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading When sober thoughts at length came to him, he began to realise the seriousness of his position.
blockedadjectiveUS /blɑːkt/
closed to traffic
From this reading Fortune had favoured him so long that to be thus blocked by a mean little stump was too much for his excitable nature.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But the tall stately trees were silent witnesses to his passionate outbursts, and poor sympathisers.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Fortune had favoured him so long that to be thus blocked by a mean little stump was too much for his excitable nature.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading When sober thoughts at length came to him, he began to realise the seriousness of his position.
period extending from Dec. 24 to Jan. 6
From this reading CHRISTMAS EVE Peter Sinclair was now in a serious predicament.
(Old Testament) Adam's wife in Judeo-Christian mythology: the first woman and mother of the human race; God created Eve from Adam's rib and placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden
From this reading CHRISTMAS EVE Peter Sinclair was now in a serious predicament.
every person
From this reading He raged and railed against everything and everybody in general.
all things; all of a situation
From this reading He raged and railed against everything and everybody in general.
excitableadjectiveUS /ɪkˈsaɪtəbəl/
easily excited
From this reading Fortune had favoured him so long that to be thus blocked by a mean little stump was too much for his excitable nature.
favoured
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Fortune had favoured him so long that to be thus blocked by a mean little stump was too much for his excitable nature.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Fortune had favoured him so long that to be thus blocked by a mean little stump was too much for his excitable nature.
an unknown and unpredictable phenomenon that causes an event to result one way rather than another
From this reading Fortune had favoured him so long that to be thus blocked by a mean little stump was too much for his excitable nature.
applying to all or most members of a category or group
From this reading He raged and railed against everything and everybody in general.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Fortune had favoured him so long that to be thus blocked by a mean little stump was too much for his excitable nature.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He raged and railed against everything and everybody in general.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Fortune had favoured him so long that to be thus blocked by a mean little stump was too much for his excitable nature.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Fortune had favoured him so long that to be thus blocked by a mean little stump was too much for his excitable nature.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading CHRISTMAS EVE Peter Sinclair was now in a serious predicament.
the linear extent in space from one end to the other; the longest dimension of something that is fixed in place
From this reading When sober thoughts at length came to him, he began to realise the seriousness of his position.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Fortune had favoured him so long that to be thus blocked by a mean little stump was too much for his excitable nature.
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 Fortune had favoured him so long that to be thus blocked by a mean little stump was too much for his excitable nature.
mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading Fortune had favoured him so long that to be thus blocked by a mean little stump was too much for his excitable nature.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading Fortune had favoured him so long that to be thus blocked by a mean little stump was too much for his excitable nature.
the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized
From this reading Fortune had favoured him so long that to be thus blocked by a mean little stump was too much for his excitable nature.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading CHRISTMAS EVE Peter Sinclair was now in a serious predicament.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading When sober thoughts at length came to him, he began to realise the seriousness of his position.
outburstsnounUS /ˈaʊtbɜːrsts/
plural of “outburst” — an unrestrained expression of emotion
From this reading But the tall stately trees were silent witnesses to his passionate outbursts, and poor sympathisers.
having or expressing strong emotions
From this reading But the tall stately trees were silent witnesses to his passionate outbursts, and poor sympathisers.
disciple of Jesus and leader of the Apostles; regarded by Catholics as the vicar of Christ on earth and first Pope
From this reading CHRISTMAS EVE Peter Sinclair was now in a serious predicament.
deserving or inciting pity
From this reading But the tall stately trees were silent witnesses to his passionate outbursts, and poor sympathisers.
the particular portion of space occupied by something
From this reading When sober thoughts at length came to him, he began to realise the seriousness of his position.
predicamentnounUS /prɪˈdɪkəmənt/
a situation from which extrication is difficult especially an unpleasant or trying one
From this reading CHRISTMAS EVE Peter Sinclair was now in a serious predicament.
ragedverbUS /reɪdʒd/
past form of “rage” — behave violently, as if in state of a great anger
From this reading He raged and railed against everything and everybody in general.
railedverbUS /reɪld/
past form of “rail” — complain bitterly
From this reading He raged and railed against everything and everybody in general.
realiseverbUS /ˈriːəlaɪz/
earn on some commercial or business transaction; earn as salary or wages
From this reading When sober thoughts at length came to him, he began to realise the seriousness of his position.
concerned with work or important matters rather than play or trivialities
From this reading CHRISTMAS EVE Peter Sinclair was now in a serious predicament.
seriousnessnounUS /ˈsɪriəsnəs/
an earnest and sincere feeling
From this reading When sober thoughts at length came to him, he began to realise the seriousness of his position.
marked by absence of sound
From this reading But the tall stately trees were silent witnesses to his passionate outbursts, and poor sympathisers.
SinclairnounUS /sɪnˈkler/
United States writer whose novels argued for social reform (1878-1968)
From this reading CHRISTMAS EVE Peter Sinclair was now in a serious predicament.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Fortune had favoured him so long that to be thus blocked by a mean little stump was too much for his excitable nature.
soberadjectiveUS /ˈsoʊbər/
not affected by a chemical substance (especially alcohol)
From this reading When sober thoughts at length came to him, he began to realise the seriousness of his position.
statelyadjectiveUS /ˈsteɪtli/
impressive in appearance
From this reading But the tall stately trees were silent witnesses to his passionate outbursts, and poor sympathisers.
stumpnounUS /stʌmp/
the base part of a tree that remains standing after the tree has been felled
From this reading Fortune had favoured him so long that to be thus blocked by a mean little stump was too much for his excitable nature.
sympathisers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But the tall stately trees were silent witnesses to his passionate outbursts, and poor sympathisers.
great in vertical dimension; high in stature
From this reading But the tall stately trees were silent witnesses to his passionate outbursts, and poor sympathisers.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Fortune had favoured him so long that to be thus blocked by a mean little stump was too much for his excitable nature.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading But the tall stately trees were silent witnesses to his passionate outbursts, and poor sympathisers.
plural of “thought” — the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading When sober thoughts at length came to him, he began to realise the seriousness of his position.
(used to introduce a logical conclusion) from that fact or reason or as a result
From this reading Fortune had favoured him so long that to be thus blocked by a mean little stump was too much for his excitable nature.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Fortune had favoured him so long that to be thus blocked by a mean little stump was too much for his excitable nature.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading Fortune had favoured him so long that to be thus blocked by a mean little stump was too much for his excitable nature.
plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading But the tall stately trees were silent witnesses to his passionate outbursts, and poor sympathisers.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading CHRISTMAS EVE Peter Sinclair was now in a serious predicament.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading But the tall stately trees were silent witnesses to his passionate outbursts, and poor sympathisers.
at the time that
From this reading When sober thoughts at length came to him, he began to realise the seriousness of his position.
witnessesnounUS /ˈwɪtnəsəz/
plural of “witness” — someone who sees an event and reports what happened
From this reading But the tall stately trees were silent witnesses to his passionate outbursts, and poor sympathisers.
