used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A LONG hush followed these few words of explanation.
(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 Mechanically she moved toward her room, and took off her hat and coat; but all the time she was washing her hands and smoothing her hair, her ears were strained for sounds from Georgie's room, which was next her own.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading FIVE AND ONE MAKE SIX.
make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading Gertrude was too stunned to ask further questions.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading There was very little to be heard,--only a low, continuous murmur of conversation, broken now and then by a louder word; but all so subdued that Candace, sitting on the staircase seat, caught nothing.
physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split
From this reading There was very little to be heard,--only a low, continuous murmur of conversation, broken now and then by a louder word; but all so subdued that Candace, sitting on the staircase seat, caught nothing.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Mechanically she moved toward her room, and took off her hat and coat; but all the time she was washing her hands and smoothing her hair, her ears were strained for sounds from Georgie's room, which was next her own.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading There was very little to be heard,--only a low, continuous murmur of conversation, broken now and then by a louder word; but all so subdued that Candace, sitting on the staircase seat, caught nothing.
Candace
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was very little to be heard,--only a low, continuous murmur of conversation, broken now and then by a louder word; but all so subdued that Candace, sitting on the staircase seat, caught nothing.
inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading There was very little to be heard,--only a low, continuous murmur of conversation, broken now and then by a louder word; but all so subdued that Candace, sitting on the staircase seat, caught nothing.
an outer garment that has sleeves and covers the body from shoulder down; worn outdoors
From this reading Mechanically she moved toward her room, and took off her hat and coat; but all the time she was washing her hands and smoothing her hair, her ears were strained for sounds from Georgie's room, which was next her own.
continuousadjectiveUS /kənˈtɪnjuːəs/
continuing in time or space without interruption
From this reading There was very little to be heard,--only a low, continuous murmur of conversation, broken now and then by a louder word; but all so subdued that Candace, sitting on the staircase seat, caught nothing.
the use of speech for informal exchange of views or ideas or information etc.
From this reading There was very little to be heard,--only a low, continuous murmur of conversation, broken now and then by a louder word; but all so subdued that Candace, sitting on the staircase seat, caught nothing.
plural of “ear” — the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium
From this reading Mechanically she moved toward her room, and took off her hat and coat; but all the time she was washing her hands and smoothing her hair, her ears were strained for sounds from Georgie's room, which was next her own.
a statement that makes something comprehensible by describing the relevant structure or operation or circumstances etc.
From this reading A LONG hush followed these few words of explanation.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading A LONG hush followed these few words of explanation.
the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one
From this reading FIVE AND ONE MAKE SIX.
past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading A LONG hush followed these few words of explanation.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Mechanically she moved toward her room, and took off her hat and coat; but all the time she was washing her hands and smoothing her hair, her ears were strained for sounds from Georgie's room, which was next her own.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Mechanically she moved toward her room, and took off her hat and coat; but all the time she was washing her hands and smoothing her hair, her ears were strained for sounds from Georgie's room, which was next her own.
to or at a greater extent or degree or a more advanced stage (“further” is used more often than “farther” in this abstract sense)
From this reading Gertrude was too stunned to ask further questions.
Georgie's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mechanically she moved toward her room, and took off her hat and coat; but all the time she was washing her hands and smoothing her hair, her ears were strained for sounds from Georgie's room, which was next her own.
Gertrude
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Gertrude was too stunned to ask further questions.
a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss
From this reading Mechanically she moved toward her room, and took off her hat and coat; but all the time she was washing her hands and smoothing her hair, her ears were strained for sounds from Georgie's room, which was next her own.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading Mechanically she moved toward her room, and took off her hat and coat; but all the time she was washing her hands and smoothing her hair, her ears were strained for sounds from Georgie's room, which was next her own.
headdress that protects the head from bad weather; has shaped crown and usually a brim
From this reading Mechanically she moved toward her room, and took off her hat and coat; but all the time she was washing her hands and smoothing her hair, her ears were strained for sounds from Georgie's room, which was next her own.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading There was very little to be heard,--only a low, continuous murmur of conversation, broken now and then by a louder word; but all so subdued that Candace, sitting on the staircase seat, caught nothing.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Mechanically she moved toward her room, and took off her hat and coat; but all the time she was washing her hands and smoothing her hair, her ears were strained for sounds from Georgie's room, which was next her own.
become quiet or still; fall silent
From this reading A LONG hush followed these few words of explanation.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading There was very little to be heard,--only a low, continuous murmur of conversation, broken now and then by a louder word; but all so subdued that Candace, sitting on the staircase seat, caught nothing.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading A LONG hush followed these few words of explanation.
louderadjectiveUS /ˈlaʊdər/
comparative of “loud” — characterized by or producing sound of great volume or intensity
From this reading There was very little to be heard,--only a low, continuous murmur of conversation, broken now and then by a louder word; but all so subdued that Candace, sitting on the staircase seat, caught nothing.
less than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading There was very little to be heard,--only a low, continuous murmur of conversation, broken now and then by a louder word; but all so subdued that Candace, sitting on the staircase seat, caught nothing.
engage in
From this reading FIVE AND ONE MAKE SIX.
MechanicallyadverbUS /məˈkænɪkli/
in a mechanical manner; by a mechanism
From this reading Mechanically she moved toward her room, and took off her hat and coat; but all the time she was washing her hands and smoothing her hair, her ears were strained for sounds from Georgie's room, which was next her own.
being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion
From this reading Mechanically she moved toward her room, and took off her hat and coat; but all the time she was washing her hands and smoothing her hair, her ears were strained for sounds from Georgie's room, which was next her own.
a low continuous indistinct sound; often accompanied by movement of the lips without the production of articulate speech
From this reading There was very little to be heard,--only a low, continuous murmur of conversation, broken now and then by a louder word; but all so subdued that Candace, sitting on the staircase seat, caught nothing.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading Mechanically she moved toward her room, and took off her hat and coat; but all the time she was washing her hands and smoothing her hair, her ears were strained for sounds from Georgie's room, which was next her own.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading There was very little to be heard,--only a low, continuous murmur of conversation, broken now and then by a louder word; but all so subdued that Candace, sitting on the staircase seat, caught nothing.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading There was very little to be heard,--only a low, continuous murmur of conversation, broken now and then by a louder word; but all so subdued that Candace, sitting on the staircase seat, caught nothing.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A LONG hush followed these few words of explanation.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Mechanically she moved toward her room, and took off her hat and coat; but all the time she was washing her hands and smoothing her hair, her ears were strained for sounds from Georgie's room, which was next her own.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading There was very little to be heard,--only a low, continuous murmur of conversation, broken now and then by a louder word; but all so subdued that Candace, sitting on the staircase seat, caught nothing.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading FIVE AND ONE MAKE SIX.
and nothing more
From this reading There was very little to be heard,--only a low, continuous murmur of conversation, broken now and then by a louder word; but all so subdued that Candace, sitting on the staircase seat, caught nothing.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading Mechanically she moved toward her room, and took off her hat and coat; but all the time she was washing her hands and smoothing her hair, her ears were strained for sounds from Georgie's room, which was next her own.
plural of “question” — an instance of questioning
From this reading Gertrude was too stunned to ask further questions.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading Mechanically she moved toward her room, and took off her hat and coat; but all the time she was washing her hands and smoothing her hair, her ears were strained for sounds from Georgie's room, which was next her own.
a space reserved for sitting (as in a theater or on a train or airplane)
From this reading There was very little to be heard,--only a low, continuous murmur of conversation, broken now and then by a louder word; but all so subdued that Candace, sitting on the staircase seat, caught nothing.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Mechanically she moved toward her room, and took off her hat and coat; but all the time she was washing her hands and smoothing her hair, her ears were strained for sounds from Georgie's room, which was next her own.
(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)
From this reading There was very little to be heard,--only a low, continuous murmur of conversation, broken now and then by a louder word; but all so subdued that Candace, sitting on the staircase seat, caught nothing.
the cardinal number that is the sum of five and one
From this reading FIVE AND ONE MAKE SIX.
smoothingverbUS /ˈsmuːðɪŋ/
-ing form of “smooth” — make smooth or smoother, as if by rubbing
From this reading Mechanically she moved toward her room, and took off her hat and coat; but all the time she was washing her hands and smoothing her hair, her ears were strained for sounds from Georgie's room, which was next her own.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading There was very little to be heard,--only a low, continuous murmur of conversation, broken now and then by a louder word; but all so subdued that Candace, sitting on the staircase seat, caught nothing.
plural of “sound” — the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading Mechanically she moved toward her room, and took off her hat and coat; but all the time she was washing her hands and smoothing her hair, her ears were strained for sounds from Georgie's room, which was next her own.
a way of access (upward and downward) consisting of a set of steps
From this reading There was very little to be heard,--only a low, continuous murmur of conversation, broken now and then by a louder word; but all so subdued that Candace, sitting on the staircase seat, caught nothing.
strainedadjectiveUS /streɪnd/
lacking natural ease
From this reading Mechanically she moved toward her room, and took off her hat and coat; but all the time she was washing her hands and smoothing her hair, her ears were strained for sounds from Georgie's room, which was next her own.
stunnedadjectiveUS /stʌnd/
filled with the emotional impact of overwhelming surprise or shock
From this reading Gertrude was too stunned to ask further questions.
subduedadjectiveUS /səbˈduːd/
in a softened tone
From this reading There was very little to be heard,--only a low, continuous murmur of conversation, broken now and then by a louder word; but all so subdued that Candace, sitting on the staircase seat, caught nothing.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading There was very little to be heard,--only a low, continuous murmur of conversation, broken now and then by a louder word; but all so subdued that Candace, sitting on the staircase seat, caught nothing.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Mechanically she moved toward her room, and took off her hat and coat; but all the time she was washing her hands and smoothing her hair, her ears were strained for sounds from Georgie's room, which was next her own.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading There was very little to be heard,--only a low, continuous murmur of conversation, broken now and then by a louder word; but all so subdued that Candace, sitting on the staircase seat, caught nothing.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was very little to be heard,--only a low, continuous murmur of conversation, broken now and then by a louder word; but all so subdued that Candace, sitting on the staircase seat, caught nothing.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading A LONG hush followed these few words of explanation.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Mechanically she moved toward her room, and took off her hat and coat; but all the time she was washing her hands and smoothing her hair, her ears were strained for sounds from Georgie's room, which was next her own.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Gertrude was too stunned to ask further questions.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading Gertrude was too stunned to ask further questions.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading Mechanically she moved toward her room, and took off her hat and coat; but all the time she was washing her hands and smoothing her hair, her ears were strained for sounds from Georgie's room, which was next her own.
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading Mechanically she moved toward her room, and took off her hat and coat; but all the time she was washing her hands and smoothing her hair, her ears were strained for sounds from Georgie's room, which was next her own.
precisely as stated
From this reading There was very little to be heard,--only a low, continuous murmur of conversation, broken now and then by a louder word; but all so subdued that Candace, sitting on the staircase seat, caught nothing.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Gertrude was too stunned to ask further questions.
washingnounUS /ˈwɑːʃɪŋ/
the work of cleansing (usually with soap and water)
From this reading Mechanically she moved toward her room, and took off her hat and coat; but all the time she was washing her hands and smoothing her hair, her ears were strained for sounds from Georgie's room, which was next her own.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Mechanically she moved toward her room, and took off her hat and coat; but all the time she was washing her hands and smoothing her hair, her ears were strained for sounds from Georgie's room, which was next her own.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Mechanically she moved toward her room, and took off her hat and coat; but all the time she was washing her hands and smoothing her hair, her ears were strained for sounds from Georgie's room, which was next her own.
a unit of language that native speakers can identify
From this reading There was very little to be heard,--only a low, continuous murmur of conversation, broken now and then by a louder word; but all so subdued that Candace, sitting on the staircase seat, caught nothing.
the words that are spoken
From this reading A LONG hush followed these few words of explanation.
