used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Now and then he asked a question, sharp and pertinent, but for the most part he kept silence--a sure proof that he regarded the case as very serious.
at or in the front
From this reading Her coming had been wired, ahead, and an automobile had been in waiting to rush them to the White House.
(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 No train had been convenient, and the Watson had brought them all the way to Washington.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Her coming had been wired, ahead, and an automobile had been in waiting to rush them to the White House.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading At eleven o’clock the next morning Topham, Rutile and Miss Byrd were ushered into the presence of the President.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading One by one the President heard their stories, his square jaw growing squarer and squarer as he listened.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading Now and then he asked a question, sharp and pertinent, but for the most part he kept silence--a sure proof that he regarded the case as very serious.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At eleven o’clock the next morning Topham, Rutile and Miss Byrd were ushered into the presence of the President.
automobilenounUS /ˈɔːtəmoʊbiːl/
a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine
From this reading Her coming had been wired, ahead, and an automobile had been in waiting to rush them to the White House.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading No train had been convenient, and the Watson had brought them all the way to Washington.
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading No train had been convenient, and the Watson had brought them all the way to Washington.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Now and then he asked a question, sharp and pertinent, but for the most part he kept silence--a sure proof that he regarded the case as very serious.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading One by one the President heard their stories, his square jaw growing squarer and squarer as he listened.
ByrdnounUS /bɜːrd/
English organist and composer of church music; master of 16th century polyphony; was granted a monopoly in music printing with Thomas Tallis (1543-1623)
From this reading At eleven o’clock the next morning Topham, Rutile and Miss Byrd were ushered into the presence of the President.
an occurrence of something
From this reading Now and then he asked a question, sharp and pertinent, but for the most part he kept silence--a sure proof that he regarded the case as very serious.
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading Her coming had been wired, ahead, and an automobile had been in waiting to rush them to the White House.
convenientadjectiveUS /kənˈviːnjənt/
suited to your comfort or purpose or needs
From this reading No train had been convenient, and the Watson had brought them all the way to Washington.
being one more than ten
From this reading At eleven o’clock the next morning Topham, Rutile and Miss Byrd were ushered into the presence of the President.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Now and then he asked a question, sharp and pertinent, but for the most part he kept silence--a sure proof that he regarded the case as very serious.
(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 One by one the President heard their stories, his square jaw growing squarer and squarer as he listened.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading No train had been convenient, and the Watson had brought them all the way to Washington.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading One by one the President heard their stories, his square jaw growing squarer and squarer as he listened.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading One by one the President heard their stories, his square jaw growing squarer and squarer as he listened.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Her coming had been wired, ahead, and an automobile had been in waiting to rush them to the White House.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading One by one the President heard their stories, his square jaw growing squarer and squarer as he listened.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading Her coming had been wired, ahead, and an automobile had been in waiting to rush them to the White House.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Her coming had been wired, ahead, and an automobile had been in waiting to rush them to the White House.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading At eleven o’clock the next morning Topham, Rutile and Miss Byrd were ushered into the presence of the President.
jawverbUS /dʒɔː/
talk socially without exchanging too much information
From this reading One by one the President heard their stories, his square jaw growing squarer and squarer as he listened.
(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded
From this reading Now and then he asked a question, sharp and pertinent, but for the most part he kept silence--a sure proof that he regarded the case as very serious.
past form of “listen” — hear with intention
From this reading One by one the President heard their stories, his square jaw growing squarer and squarer as he listened.
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading At eleven o’clock the next morning Topham, Rutile and Miss Byrd were ushered into the presence of the President.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading At eleven o’clock the next morning Topham, Rutile and Miss Byrd were ushered into the presence of the President.
used to form the superlative
From this reading Now and then he asked a question, sharp and pertinent, but for the most part he kept silence--a sure proof that he regarded the case as very serious.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading At eleven o’clock the next morning Topham, Rutile and Miss Byrd were ushered into the presence of the President.
not any; not one
From this reading No train had been convenient, and the Watson had brought them all the way to Washington.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Now and then he asked a question, sharp and pertinent, but for the most part he kept silence--a sure proof that he regarded the case as very serious.
o'clockadverbUS /əˈklɑːk/
according to the clock
From this reading At eleven o’clock the next morning Topham, Rutile and Miss Byrd were ushered into the presence of the President.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading At eleven o’clock the next morning Topham, Rutile and Miss Byrd were ushered into the presence of the President.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading One by one the President heard their stories, his square jaw growing squarer and squarer as he listened.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading Now and then he asked a question, sharp and pertinent, but for the most part he kept silence--a sure proof that he regarded the case as very serious.
pertinentadjectiveUS /ˈpɜːrtɪnɪnt/
having precise or logical relevance to the matter at hand
From this reading Now and then he asked a question, sharp and pertinent, but for the most part he kept silence--a sure proof that he regarded the case as very serious.
the state of being present; current existence
From this reading At eleven o’clock the next morning Topham, Rutile and Miss Byrd were ushered into the presence of the President.
an executive officer of a firm or corporation
From this reading At eleven o’clock the next morning Topham, Rutile and Miss Byrd were ushered into the presence of the President.
any factual evidence that helps to establish the truth of something
From this reading Now and then he asked a question, sharp and pertinent, but for the most part he kept silence--a sure proof that he regarded the case as very serious.
challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of
From this reading Now and then he asked a question, sharp and pertinent, but for the most part he kept silence--a sure proof that he regarded the case as very serious.
past form of “regard” — deem to be
From this reading Now and then he asked a question, sharp and pertinent, but for the most part he kept silence--a sure proof that he regarded the case as very serious.
move hurridly
From this reading Her coming had been wired, ahead, and an automobile had been in waiting to rush them to the White House.
RutilenounUS /ˈruːtil/
a mineral consisting of titanium dioxide in crystalline form; occurs in metamorphic and plutonic rocks and is a major source of titanium
From this reading At eleven o’clock the next morning Topham, Rutile and Miss Byrd were ushered into the presence of the President.
concerned with work or important matters rather than play or trivialities
From this reading Now and then he asked a question, sharp and pertinent, but for the most part he kept silence--a sure proof that he regarded the case as very serious.
(of something seen or heard) clearly defined
From this reading Now and then he asked a question, sharp and pertinent, but for the most part he kept silence--a sure proof that he regarded the case as very serious.
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading Now and then he asked a question, sharp and pertinent, but for the most part he kept silence--a sure proof that he regarded the case as very serious.
make square
From this reading One by one the President heard their stories, his square jaw growing squarer and squarer as he listened.
squarer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One by one the President heard their stories, his square jaw growing squarer and squarer as he listened.
plural of “story” — 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 One by one the President heard their stories, his square jaw growing squarer and squarer as he listened.
having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured
From this reading Now and then he asked a question, sharp and pertinent, but for the most part he kept silence--a sure proof that he regarded the case as very serious.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Now and then he asked a question, sharp and pertinent, but for the most part he kept silence--a sure proof that he regarded the case as very serious.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading At eleven o’clock the next morning Topham, Rutile and Miss Byrd were ushered into the presence of the President.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading One by one the President heard their stories, his square jaw growing squarer and squarer as he listened.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading No train had been convenient, and the Watson had brought them all the way to Washington.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Now and then he asked a question, sharp and pertinent, but for the most part he kept silence--a sure proof that he regarded the case as very serious.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading No train had been convenient, and the Watson had brought them all the way to Washington.
Topham
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At eleven o’clock the next morning Topham, Rutile and Miss Byrd were ushered into the presence of the President.
create by training and teaching
From this reading No train had been convenient, and the Watson had brought them all the way to Washington.
usheredverbUS /ˈʌʃərd/
past form of “usher” — take (someone) to their seats, as in theaters or auditoriums
From this reading At eleven o’clock the next morning Topham, Rutile and Miss Byrd were ushered into the presence of the President.
precisely as stated
From this reading Now and then he asked a question, sharp and pertinent, but for the most part he kept silence--a sure proof that he regarded the case as very serious.
the act of waiting (remaining inactive in one place while expecting something)
From this reading Her coming had been wired, ahead, and an automobile had been in waiting to rush them to the White House.
the capital of the United States in the District of Columbia and a tourist mecca; George Washington commissioned Charles L'Enfant to lay out the city in 1791
From this reading No train had been convenient, and the Watson had brought them all the way to Washington.
WatsonnounUS /ˈwɑːtsən/
United States telephone engineer who assisted Alexander Graham Bell in his experiments (1854-1934)
From this reading No train had been convenient, and the Watson had brought them all the way to Washington.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading No train had been convenient, and the Watson had brought them all the way to Washington.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading At eleven o’clock the next morning Topham, Rutile and Miss Byrd were ushered into the presence of the President.
a Caucasian
From this reading Her coming had been wired, ahead, and an automobile had been in waiting to rush them to the White House.
wiredadjectiveUS /ˈwaɪərd/
equipped with wire or wires especially for electric or telephone service
From this reading Her coming had been wired, ahead, and an automobile had been in waiting to rush them to the White House.
