used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Of a Young Person in Brown Holland I WAS still seated, striving to break to myself the news that I really must be out, and that my brave dreams were as dust, when the man I least desired to see--the General Nuisance--appeared with his condolence.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading He placed a shilling in my hand with an air of indescribable tenderness.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading He placed a shilling in my hand with an air of indescribable tenderness.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Of a Young Person in Brown Holland I WAS still seated, striving to break to myself the news that I really must be out, and that my brave dreams were as dust, when the man I least desired to see--the General Nuisance--appeared with his condolence.
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Of a Young Person in Brown Holland I WAS still seated, striving to break to myself the news that I really must be out, and that my brave dreams were as dust, when the man I least desired to see--the General Nuisance--appeared with his condolence.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Of a Young Person in Brown Holland I WAS still seated, striving to break to myself the news that I really must be out, and that my brave dreams were as dust, when the man I least desired to see--the General Nuisance--appeared with his condolence.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Of a Young Person in Brown Holland I WAS still seated, striving to break to myself the news that I really must be out, and that my brave dreams were as dust, when the man I least desired to see--the General Nuisance--appeared with his condolence.
possessing or displaying courage; able to face and deal with danger or fear without flinching
From this reading Of a Young Person in Brown Holland I WAS still seated, striving to break to myself the news that I really must be out, and that my brave dreams were as dust, when the man I least desired to see--the General Nuisance--appeared with his condolence.
terminate
From this reading Of a Young Person in Brown Holland I WAS still seated, striving to break to myself the news that I really must be out, and that my brave dreams were as dust, when the man I least desired to see--the General Nuisance--appeared with his condolence.
an orange of low brightness and saturation
From this reading Of a Young Person in Brown Holland I WAS still seated, striving to break to myself the news that I really must be out, and that my brave dreams were as dust, when the man I least desired to see--the General Nuisance--appeared with his condolence.
condolencenounUS /kənˈdoʊləns/
an expression of sympathy with another's grief
From this reading Of a Young Person in Brown Holland I WAS still seated, striving to break to myself the news that I really must be out, and that my brave dreams were as dust, when the man I least desired to see--the General Nuisance--appeared with his condolence.
cricketnounUS /ˈkrɪkət/
leaping insect; male makes chirping noises by rubbing the forewings together
From this reading “For your cricket outfit,” said he.
wanted intensely
From this reading Of a Young Person in Brown Holland I WAS still seated, striving to break to myself the news that I really must be out, and that my brave dreams were as dust, when the man I least desired to see--the General Nuisance--appeared with his condolence.
plural of “dream” — a series of mental images and emotions occurring during sleep
From this reading Of a Young Person in Brown Holland I WAS still seated, striving to break to myself the news that I really must be out, and that my brave dreams were as dust, when the man I least desired to see--the General Nuisance--appeared with his condolence.
remove the dust from
From this reading Of a Young Person in Brown Holland I WAS still seated, striving to break to myself the news that I really must be out, and that my brave dreams were as dust, when the man I least desired to see--the General Nuisance--appeared with his condolence.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading “What’s this for?”
applying to all or most members of a category or group
From this reading Of a Young Person in Brown Holland I WAS still seated, striving to break to myself the news that I really must be out, and that my brave dreams were as dust, when the man I least desired to see--the General Nuisance--appeared with his condolence.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading He placed a shilling in my hand with an air of indescribable tenderness.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He placed a shilling in my hand with an air of indescribable tenderness.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Of a Young Person in Brown Holland I WAS still seated, striving to break to myself the news that I really must be out, and that my brave dreams were as dust, when the man I least desired to see--the General Nuisance--appeared with his condolence.
HollandnounUS /ˈhɑːlənd/
a constitutional monarchy in western Europe on the North Sea; half the country lies below sea level
From this reading Of a Young Person in Brown Holland I WAS still seated, striving to break to myself the news that I really must be out, and that my brave dreams were as dust, when the man I least desired to see--the General Nuisance--appeared with his condolence.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Of a Young Person in Brown Holland I WAS still seated, striving to break to myself the news that I really must be out, and that my brave dreams were as dust, when the man I least desired to see--the General Nuisance--appeared with his condolence.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Of a Young Person in Brown Holland I WAS still seated, striving to break to myself the news that I really must be out, and that my brave dreams were as dust, when the man I least desired to see--the General Nuisance--appeared with his condolence.
indescribableadjectiveUS /ˌɪndɪˈskraɪbəbəl/
defying expression or description
From this reading He placed a shilling in my hand with an air of indescribable tenderness.
the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree
From this reading Of a Young Person in Brown Holland I WAS still seated, striving to break to myself the news that I really must be out, and that my brave dreams were as dust, when the man I least desired to see--the General Nuisance--appeared with his condolence.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading Of a Young Person in Brown Holland I WAS still seated, striving to break to myself the news that I really must be out, and that my brave dreams were as dust, when the man I least desired to see--the General Nuisance--appeared with his condolence.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading Of a Young Person in Brown Holland I WAS still seated, striving to break to myself the news that I really must be out, and that my brave dreams were as dust, when the man I least desired to see--the General Nuisance--appeared with his condolence.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading Of a Young Person in Brown Holland I WAS still seated, striving to break to myself the news that I really must be out, and that my brave dreams were as dust, when the man I least desired to see--the General Nuisance--appeared with his condolence.
used when the speaker is also the object of the action
From this reading Of a Young Person in Brown Holland I WAS still seated, striving to break to myself the news that I really must be out, and that my brave dreams were as dust, when the man I least desired to see--the General Nuisance--appeared with his condolence.
information about recent and important events
From this reading Of a Young Person in Brown Holland I WAS still seated, striving to break to myself the news that I really must be out, and that my brave dreams were as dust, when the man I least desired to see--the General Nuisance--appeared with his condolence.
NuisancenounUS /ˈnuːsəns/
(law) a broad legal concept including anything that disturbs the reasonable use of your property or endangers life and health or is offensive
From this reading Of a Young Person in Brown Holland I WAS still seated, striving to break to myself the news that I really must be out, and that my brave dreams were as dust, when the man I least desired to see--the General Nuisance--appeared with his condolence.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Of a Young Person in Brown Holland I WAS still seated, striving to break to myself the news that I really must be out, and that my brave dreams were as dust, when the man I least desired to see--the General Nuisance--appeared with his condolence.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Of a Young Person in Brown Holland I WAS still seated, striving to break to myself the news that I really must be out, and that my brave dreams were as dust, when the man I least desired to see--the General Nuisance--appeared with his condolence.
outfitnounUS /ˈaʊtfɪt/
any cohesive unit such as a military company
From this reading “For your cricket outfit,” said he.
a human being
From this reading Of a Young Person in Brown Holland I WAS still seated, striving to break to myself the news that I really must be out, and that my brave dreams were as dust, when the man I least desired to see--the General Nuisance--appeared with his condolence.
situated in a particular spot or position
From this reading He placed a shilling in my hand with an air of indescribable tenderness.
in accordance with truth or fact or reality
From this reading Of a Young Person in Brown Holland I WAS still seated, striving to break to myself the news that I really must be out, and that my brave dreams were as dust, when the man I least desired to see--the General Nuisance--appeared with his condolence.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading I said.
(of persons) having the torso erect and legs bent with the body supported on the buttocks
From this reading Of a Young Person in Brown Holland I WAS still seated, striving to break to myself the news that I really must be out, and that my brave dreams were as dust, when the man I least desired to see--the General Nuisance--appeared with his condolence.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading Of a Young Person in Brown Holland I WAS still seated, striving to break to myself the news that I really must be out, and that my brave dreams were as dust, when the man I least desired to see--the General Nuisance--appeared with his condolence.
shillingnounUS /ˈʃɪlɪŋ/
the basic unit of money in Uganda; equal to 100 cents
From this reading He placed a shilling in my hand with an air of indescribable tenderness.
not in physical motion
From this reading Of a Young Person in Brown Holland I WAS still seated, striving to break to myself the news that I really must be out, and that my brave dreams were as dust, when the man I least desired to see--the General Nuisance--appeared with his condolence.
strivingnounUS /ˈstraɪvɪŋ/
an effortful attempt to attain a goal
From this reading Of a Young Person in Brown Holland I WAS still seated, striving to break to myself the news that I really must be out, and that my brave dreams were as dust, when the man I least desired to see--the General Nuisance--appeared with his condolence.
a tendency to express warm and affectionate feeling
From this reading He placed a shilling in my hand with an air of indescribable tenderness.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Of a Young Person in Brown Holland I WAS still seated, striving to break to myself the news that I really must be out, and that my brave dreams were as dust, when the man I least desired to see--the General Nuisance--appeared with his condolence.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Of a Young Person in Brown Holland I WAS still seated, striving to break to myself the news that I really must be out, and that my brave dreams were as dust, when the man I least desired to see--the General Nuisance--appeared with his condolence.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading “What’s this for?”
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Of a Young Person in Brown Holland I WAS still seated, striving to break to myself the news that I really must be out, and that my brave dreams were as dust, when the man I least desired to see--the General Nuisance--appeared with his condolence.
WASauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Of a Young Person in Brown Holland I WAS still seated, striving to break to myself the news that I really must be out, and that my brave dreams were as dust, when the man I least desired to see--the General Nuisance--appeared with his condolence.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Of a Young Person in Brown Holland I WAS still seated, striving to break to myself the news that I really must be out, and that my brave dreams were as dust, when the man I least desired to see--the General Nuisance--appeared with his condolence.
What's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “What’s this for?”
at the time that
From this reading Of a Young Person in Brown Holland I WAS still seated, striving to break to myself the news that I really must be out, and that my brave dreams were as dust, when the man I least desired to see--the General Nuisance--appeared with his condolence.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Of a Young Person in Brown Holland I WAS still seated, striving to break to myself the news that I really must be out, and that my brave dreams were as dust, when the man I least desired to see--the General Nuisance--appeared with his condolence.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading Of a Young Person in Brown Holland I WAS still seated, striving to break to myself the news that I really must be out, and that my brave dreams were as dust, when the man I least desired to see--the General Nuisance--appeared with his condolence.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “For your cricket outfit,” said he.
