Chapter VIII

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading Christmas was over; the Countess Dowager and the Ladies Devenish had taken their departure from Thistlemere; the weather was inclement, and a great deal of time had to be spent indoors; which made Nora often wish that she and her husband were alone.

Having no one else present.

From this reading Christmas was over; the Countess Dowager and the Ladies Devenish had taken their departure from Thistlemere; the weather was inclement, and a great deal of time had to be spent indoors; which made Nora often wish that she and her husband were alone.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading Christmas was over; the Countess Dowager and the Ladies Devenish had taken their departure from Thistlemere; the weather was inclement, and a great deal of time had to be spent indoors; which made Nora often wish that she and her husband were alone.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading ‘Why, my darling, what do you call us at the present moment?

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading Christmas was over; the Countess Dowager and the Ladies Devenish had taken their departure from Thistlemere; the weather was inclement, and a great deal of time had to be spent indoors; which made Nora often wish that she and her husband were alone.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading She said,-- ‘I thought people usually kept their country seats for the purposes of retirement, but we have never been alone since we came here.’

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading She said,-- ‘I thought people usually kept their country seats for the purposes of retirement, but we have never been alone since we came here.’

assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading ‘Why, my darling, what do you call us at the present moment?

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading She said,-- ‘I thought people usually kept their country seats for the purposes of retirement, but we have never been alone since we came here.’

period extending from Dec. 24 to Jan. 6

From this reading Christmas was over; the Countess Dowager and the Ladies Devenish had taken their departure from Thistlemere; the weather was inclement, and a great deal of time had to be spent indoors; which made Nora often wish that she and her husband were alone.

female equivalent of a count or earl

From this reading Christmas was over; the Countess Dowager and the Ladies Devenish had taken their departure from Thistlemere; the weather was inclement, and a great deal of time had to be spent indoors; which made Nora often wish that she and her husband were alone.

a politically organized body of people under a single government

From this reading She said,-- ‘I thought people usually kept their country seats for the purposes of retirement, but we have never been alone since we came here.’

a special loved one

From this reading ‘Why, my darling, what do you call us at the present moment?

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading One day she expressed something of the kind to him.

act on verbally or in some form of artistic expression

From this reading Christmas was over; the Countess Dowager and the Ladies Devenish had taken their departure from Thistlemere; the weather was inclement, and a great deal of time had to be spent indoors; which made Nora often wish that she and her husband were alone.

the act of departing

From this reading Christmas was over; the Countess Dowager and the Ladies Devenish had taken their departure from Thistlemere; the weather was inclement, and a great deal of time had to be spent indoors; which made Nora often wish that she and her husband were alone.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Christmas was over; the Countess Dowager and the Ladies Devenish had taken their departure from Thistlemere; the weather was inclement, and a great deal of time had to be spent indoors; which made Nora often wish that she and her husband were alone.

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading ‘Why, my darling, what do you call us at the present moment?

a widow holding property received from her deceased husband

From this reading Christmas was over; the Countess Dowager and the Ladies Devenish had taken their departure from Thistlemere; the weather was inclement, and a great deal of time had to be spent indoors; which made Nora often wish that she and her husband were alone.

communicated in words

From this reading One day she expressed something of the kind to him.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading She said,-- ‘I thought people usually kept their country seats for the purposes of retirement, but we have never been alone since we came here.’

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Christmas was over; the Countess Dowager and the Ladies Devenish had taken their departure from Thistlemere; the weather was inclement, and a great deal of time had to be spent indoors; which made Nora often wish that she and her husband were alone.

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading Christmas was over; the Countess Dowager and the Ladies Devenish had taken their departure from Thistlemere; the weather was inclement, and a great deal of time had to be spent indoors; which made Nora often wish that she and her husband were alone.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading Christmas was over; the Countess Dowager and the Ladies Devenish had taken their departure from Thistlemere; the weather was inclement, and a great deal of time had to be spent indoors; which made Nora often wish that she and her husband were alone.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading She said,-- ‘I thought people usually kept their country seats for the purposes of retirement, but we have never been alone since we came here.’

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading Christmas was over; the Countess Dowager and the Ladies Devenish had taken their departure from Thistlemere; the weather was inclement, and a great deal of time had to be spent indoors; which made Nora often wish that she and her husband were alone.

in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is

From this reading She said,-- ‘I thought people usually kept their country seats for the purposes of retirement, but we have never been alone since we came here.’

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading One day she expressed something of the kind to him.

a married man; a woman's partner in marriage

From this reading Christmas was over; the Countess Dowager and the Ladies Devenish had taken their departure from Thistlemere; the weather was inclement, and a great deal of time had to be spent indoors; which made Nora often wish that she and her husband were alone.

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading She said,-- ‘I thought people usually kept their country seats for the purposes of retirement, but we have never been alone since we came here.’

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Ilfracombe laughed.

(of weather or climate) severe

From this reading Christmas was over; the Countess Dowager and the Ladies Devenish had taken their departure from Thistlemere; the weather was inclement, and a great deal of time had to be spent indoors; which made Nora often wish that she and her husband were alone.

within a building

From this reading Christmas was over; the Countess Dowager and the Ladies Devenish had taken their departure from Thistlemere; the weather was inclement, and a great deal of time had to be spent indoors; which made Nora often wish that she and her husband were alone.

(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded

From this reading She said,-- ‘I thought people usually kept their country seats for the purposes of retirement, but we have never been alone since we came here.’

having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior

From this reading One day she expressed something of the kind to him.

plural of “lady” — a polite name for any woman

From this reading Christmas was over; the Countess Dowager and the Ladies Devenish had taken their departure from Thistlemere; the weather was inclement, and a great deal of time had to be spent indoors; which made Nora often wish that she and her husband were alone.

past form of “laugh” — produce laughter

From this reading Ilfracombe laughed.

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading Christmas was over; the Countess Dowager and the Ladies Devenish had taken their departure from Thistlemere; the weather was inclement, and a great deal of time had to be spent indoors; which made Nora often wish that she and her husband were alone.

a particular point in time

From this reading ‘Why, my darling, what do you call us at the present moment?

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading ‘Why, my darling, what do you call us at the present moment?

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading She said,-- ‘I thought people usually kept their country seats for the purposes of retirement, but we have never been alone since we came here.’

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Christmas was over; the Countess Dowager and the Ladies Devenish had taken their departure from Thistlemere; the weather was inclement, and a great deal of time had to be spent indoors; which made Nora often wish that she and her husband were alone.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Christmas was over; the Countess Dowager and the Ladies Devenish had taken their departure from Thistlemere; the weather was inclement, and a great deal of time had to be spent indoors; which made Nora often wish that she and her husband were alone.

many times at short intervals

From this reading Christmas was over; the Countess Dowager and the Ladies Devenish had taken their departure from Thistlemere; the weather was inclement, and a great deal of time had to be spent indoors; which made Nora often wish that she and her husband were alone.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading One day she expressed something of the kind to him.

above and across; more than

From this reading Christmas was over; the Countess Dowager and the Ladies Devenish had taken their departure from Thistlemere; the weather was inclement, and a great deal of time had to be spent indoors; which made Nora often wish that she and her husband were alone.

(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively

From this reading She said,-- ‘I thought people usually kept their country seats for the purposes of retirement, but we have never been alone since we came here.’

give an exhibition of to an interested audience

From this reading ‘Why, my darling, what do you call us at the present moment?

plural of “purpose” — an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions

From this reading She said,-- ‘I thought people usually kept their country seats for the purposes of retirement, but we have never been alone since we came here.’

the state of being retired from one's business or occupation

From this reading She said,-- ‘I thought people usually kept their country seats for the purposes of retirement, but we have never been alone since we came here.’

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading She said,-- ‘I thought people usually kept their country seats for the purposes of retirement, but we have never been alone since we came here.’

an area that includes places where several people can sit

From this reading She said,-- ‘I thought people usually kept their country seats for the purposes of retirement, but we have never been alone since we came here.’

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Christmas was over; the Countess Dowager and the Ladies Devenish had taken their departure from Thistlemere; the weather was inclement, and a great deal of time had to be spent indoors; which made Nora often wish that she and her husband were alone.

from a time in the past until now

From this reading She said,-- ‘I thought people usually kept their country seats for the purposes of retirement, but we have never been alone since we came here.’

a thing, without saying which

From this reading One day she expressed something of the kind to him.

depleted of energy, force, or strength

From this reading Christmas was over; the Countess Dowager and the Ladies Devenish had taken their departure from Thistlemere; the weather was inclement, and a great deal of time had to be spent indoors; which made Nora often wish that she and her husband were alone.

understood in a certain way; made sense of

From this reading Christmas was over; the Countess Dowager and the Ladies Devenish had taken their departure from Thistlemere; the weather was inclement, and a great deal of time had to be spent indoors; which made Nora often wish that she and her husband were alone.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Christmas was over; the Countess Dowager and the Ladies Devenish had taken their departure from Thistlemere; the weather was inclement, and a great deal of time had to be spent indoors; which made Nora often wish that she and her husband were alone.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading Christmas was over; the Countess Dowager and the Ladies Devenish had taken their departure from Thistlemere; the weather was inclement, and a great deal of time had to be spent indoors; which made Nora often wish that she and her husband were alone.

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading Christmas was over; the Countess Dowager and the Ladies Devenish had taken their departure from Thistlemere; the weather was inclement, and a great deal of time had to be spent indoors; which made Nora often wish that she and her husband were alone.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Christmas was over; the Countess Dowager and the Ladies Devenish had taken their departure from Thistlemere; the weather was inclement, and a great deal of time had to be spent indoors; which made Nora often wish that she and her husband were alone.

the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading She said,-- ‘I thought people usually kept their country seats for the purposes of retirement, but we have never been alone since we came here.’

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading Christmas was over; the Countess Dowager and the Ladies Devenish had taken their departure from Thistlemere; the weather was inclement, and a great deal of time had to be spent indoors; which made Nora often wish that she and her husband were alone.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading Christmas was over; the Countess Dowager and the Ladies Devenish had taken their departure from Thistlemere; the weather was inclement, and a great deal of time had to be spent indoors; which made Nora often wish that she and her husband were alone.

the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading ‘Why, my darling, what do you call us at the present moment?

under normal conditions

From this reading She said,-- ‘I thought people usually kept their country seats for the purposes of retirement, but we have never been alone since we came here.’

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading Christmas was over; the Countess Dowager and the Ladies Devenish had taken their departure from Thistlemere; the weather was inclement, and a great deal of time had to be spent indoors; which made Nora often wish that she and her husband were alone.

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading She said,-- ‘I thought people usually kept their country seats for the purposes of retirement, but we have never been alone since we came here.’

the atmospheric conditions that comprise the state of the atmosphere in terms of temperature and wind and clouds and precipitation

From this reading Christmas was over; the Countess Dowager and the Ladies Devenish had taken their departure from Thistlemere; the weather was inclement, and a great deal of time had to be spent indoors; which made Nora often wish that she and her husband were alone.

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading Christmas was over; the Countess Dowager and the Ladies Devenish had taken their departure from Thistlemere; the weather was inclement, and a great deal of time had to be spent indoors; which made Nora often wish that she and her husband were alone.

used to ask for information about something

From this reading ‘Why, my darling, what do you call us at the present moment?

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading Christmas was over; the Countess Dowager and the Ladies Devenish had taken their departure from Thistlemere; the weather was inclement, and a great deal of time had to be spent indoors; which made Nora often wish that she and her husband were alone.

the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”

From this reading ‘Why, my darling, what do you call us at the present moment?

hope for; have a wish

From this reading Christmas was over; the Countess Dowager and the Ladies Devenish had taken their departure from Thistlemere; the weather was inclement, and a great deal of time had to be spent indoors; which made Nora often wish that she and her husband were alone.

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading ‘Why, my darling, what do you call us at the present moment?