used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Left alone, Miss Primby mechanically reverted to her embroidery; but it is to be feared that her doing so was little better than a pretence.
adonounUS /əˈduː/
a rapid active commotion
From this reading She bit her underlip very hard to help her in controlling the nervous emotion which she had much ado not to give way to.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading Left alone, Miss Primby mechanically reverted to her embroidery; but it is to be feared that her doing so was little better than a pretence.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading When she came back she looked paler than before, but her eyes were extraordinarily bright and luminous.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading True to her promise, Clara was not more than a few minutes away.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading When she came back she looked paler than before, but her eyes were extraordinarily bright and luminous.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Left alone, Miss Primby mechanically reverted to her embroidery; but it is to be feared that her doing so was little better than a pretence.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading When she came back she looked paler than before, but her eyes were extraordinarily bright and luminous.
(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another
From this reading Left alone, Miss Primby mechanically reverted to her embroidery; but it is to be feared that her doing so was little better than a pretence.
a small piece or quantity of something
From this reading She bit her underlip very hard to help her in controlling the nervous emotion which she had much ado not to give way to.
emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts
From this reading When she came back she looked paler than before, but her eyes were extraordinarily bright and luminous.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Left alone, Miss Primby mechanically reverted to her embroidery; but it is to be feared that her doing so was little better than a pretence.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading When she came back she looked paler than before, but her eyes were extraordinarily bright and luminous.
Clara
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading True to her promise, Clara was not more than a few minutes away.
controllingadjectiveUS /kənˈtroʊlɪŋ/
able to control or determine policy
From this reading She bit her underlip very hard to help her in controlling the nervous emotion which she had much ado not to give way to.
-ing form of “do” — engage in
From this reading Left alone, Miss Primby mechanically reverted to her embroidery; but it is to be feared that her doing so was little better than a pretence.
embroiderynounUS /emˈbrɔɪdəri/
elaboration of an interpretation by the use of decorative (sometimes fictitious) detail
From this reading Left alone, Miss Primby mechanically reverted to her embroidery; but it is to be feared that her doing so was little better than a pretence.
any strong feeling
From this reading She bit her underlip very hard to help her in controlling the nervous emotion which she had much ado not to give way to.
extraordinarilyadverbUS /ekˌstrɔːrdəˈnerəli/
extremely
From this reading When she came back she looked paler than before, but her eyes were extraordinarily bright and luminous.
opinion or judgment
From this reading When she came back she looked paler than before, but her eyes were extraordinarily bright and luminous.
past form of “fear” — be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
From this reading Left alone, Miss Primby mechanically reverted to her embroidery; but it is to be feared that her doing so was little better than a pretence.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading True to her promise, Clara was not more than a few minutes away.
cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading She bit her underlip very hard to help her in controlling the nervous emotion which she had much ado not to give way to.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading She bit her underlip very hard to help her in controlling the nervous emotion which she had much ado not to give way to.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading She bit her underlip very hard to help her in controlling the nervous emotion which she had much ado not to give way to.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Is he safe, Clara?
give help or assistance; be of service
From this reading She bit her underlip very hard to help her in controlling the nervous emotion which she had much ado not to give way to.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Left alone, Miss Primby mechanically reverted to her embroidery; but it is to be feared that her doing so was little better than a pretence.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading She bit her underlip very hard to help her in controlling the nervous emotion which she had much ado not to give way to.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Left alone, Miss Primby mechanically reverted to her embroidery; but it is to be feared that her doing so was little better than a pretence.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Left alone, Miss Primby mechanically reverted to her embroidery; but it is to be feared that her doing so was little better than a pretence.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading Left alone, Miss Primby mechanically reverted to her embroidery; but it is to be feared that her doing so was little better than a pretence.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Left alone, Miss Primby mechanically reverted to her embroidery; but it is to be feared that her doing so was little better than a pretence.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading When she came back she looked paler than before, but her eyes were extraordinarily bright and luminous.
luminousadjectiveUS /ˈluːmənəs/
softly bright or radiant
From this reading When she came back she looked paler than before, but her eyes were extraordinarily bright and luminous.
mechanicallyadverbUS /məˈkænɪkli/
in a mechanical manner; by a mechanism
From this reading Left alone, Miss Primby mechanically reverted to her embroidery; but it is to be feared that her doing so was little better than a pretence.
a written account of what transpired at a meeting
From this reading True to her promise, Clara was not more than a few minutes away.
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading Left alone, Miss Primby mechanically reverted to her embroidery; but it is to be feared that her doing so was little better than a pretence.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading True to her promise, Clara was not more than a few minutes away.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading She bit her underlip very hard to help her in controlling the nervous emotion which she had much ado not to give way to.
easily agitated
From this reading She bit her underlip very hard to help her in controlling the nervous emotion which she had much ado not to give way to.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading She bit her underlip very hard to help her in controlling the nervous emotion which she had much ado not to give way to.
paler
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When she came back she looked paler than before, but her eyes were extraordinarily bright and luminous.
pretencenoun
a false or unsupportable quality
From this reading Left alone, Miss Primby mechanically reverted to her embroidery; but it is to be feared that her doing so was little better than a pretence.
Primby
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Left alone, Miss Primby mechanically reverted to her embroidery; but it is to be feared that her doing so was little better than a pretence.
make a promise or commitment
From this reading True to her promise, Clara was not more than a few minutes away.
revertedverbUS /rɪˈvɜːrtɪd/
past form of “revert” — go back to a previous state
From this reading Left alone, Miss Primby mechanically reverted to her embroidery; but it is to be feared that her doing so was little better than a pretence.
free from danger or the risk of harm
From this reading "Is he safe, Clara?
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She bit her underlip very hard to help her in controlling the nervous emotion which she had much ado not to give way to.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Left alone, Miss Primby mechanically reverted to her embroidery; but it is to be feared that her doing so was little better than a pretence.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Left alone, Miss Primby mechanically reverted to her embroidery; but it is to be feared that her doing so was little better than a pretence.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Left alone, Miss Primby mechanically reverted to her embroidery; but it is to be feared that her doing so was little better than a pretence.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading She bit her underlip very hard to help her in controlling the nervous emotion which she had much ado not to give way to.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Left alone, Miss Primby mechanically reverted to her embroidery; but it is to be feared that her doing so was little better than a pretence.
consistent with fact or reality; not false
From this reading True to her promise, Clara was not more than a few minutes away.
underlipnoun
the lower lip
From this reading She bit her underlip very hard to help her in controlling the nervous emotion which she had much ado not to give way to.
precisely as stated
From this reading She bit her underlip very hard to help her in controlling the nervous emotion which she had much ado not to give way to.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Left alone, Miss Primby mechanically reverted to her embroidery; but it is to be feared that her doing so was little better than a pretence.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading She bit her underlip very hard to help her in controlling the nervous emotion which she had much ado not to give way to.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading When she came back she looked paler than before, but her eyes were extraordinarily bright and luminous.
at the time that
From this reading When she came back she looked paler than before, but her eyes were extraordinarily bright and luminous.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading She bit her underlip very hard to help her in controlling the nervous emotion which she had much ado not to give way to.
