had
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
How often you will meet it
Rank 16 of 71,295 words measured. It occurs 1,783,673 times across 175,177 chapters — 0.848% of every word in the library.
It belongs to the first 100 words, the band worth learning before any other.
What it means
auxiliary verb
- the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
had in real books
Each sentence below was written by a published author and is taken from a different book in our library. Open one to read the passage it came from, with narration.
-
There had been murder in the man's eyes, loathsome things in his white unkempt face.
The Betrayal · E. Phillips (Edward Phillips) Oppenheim · Chapter 1
-
But until within a few weeks ago she herself had had no idea of the kind.
Christian's Mistake · Dinah Maria Mulock Craik · Chapter 1
-
I have always been my own master; had at least always been so, till I met Dorian Gray.
The Picture of Dorian Gray · Oscar Wilde · Chapter 1
-
A century before, a Hawn had settled in one bottom, the lower one, and a Honeycutt in the other.
The Heart of the Hills · John, Jr. Fox · Chapter 1
-
The girl and her chaperon had been deposited early in the desirable second-story window in Durfee, looking down on the tree.
The Courage of the Commonplace · Mary Raymond Shipman Andrews · Chapter 1