used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A DIFFICULT DAY Aunt Deborah did not linger to talk with her little niece, for it was a part of her belief that idle talk was unwise.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading The door had hardly closed behind her when Winifred's head appeared from under the chintz valance of the bed, and she looked cautiously about.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The door had hardly closed behind her when Winifred's head appeared from under the chintz valance of the bed, and she looked cautiously about.
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading The door had hardly closed behind her when Winifred's head appeared from under the chintz valance of the bed, and she looked cautiously about.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading "Has she gone?" she asked in a cautious whisper.
the sister of your father or mother; the wife of your uncle
From this reading A DIFFICULT DAY Aunt Deborah did not linger to talk with her little niece, for it was a part of her belief that idle talk was unwise.
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading The door had hardly closed behind her when Winifred's head appeared from under the chintz valance of the bed, and she looked cautiously about.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading The door had hardly closed behind her when Winifred's head appeared from under the chintz valance of the bed, and she looked cautiously about.
any cognitive content held as true
From this reading A DIFFICULT DAY Aunt Deborah did not linger to talk with her little niece, for it was a part of her belief that idle talk was unwise.
cautiousadjectiveUS /ˈkɔːʃəs/
showing careful forethought
From this reading "Has she gone?" she asked in a cautious whisper.
cautiouslyadverbUS /ˈkɔːʃəsli/
as if with kid gloves; with caution or prudence or tact
From this reading The door had hardly closed behind her when Winifred's head appeared from under the chintz valance of the bed, and she looked cautiously about.
chintznoun
a brightly printed and glazed cotton fabric
From this reading The door had hardly closed behind her when Winifred's head appeared from under the chintz valance of the bed, and she looked cautiously about.
not open or affording passage or access
From this reading The door had hardly closed behind her when Winifred's head appeared from under the chintz valance of the bed, and she looked cautiously about.
crawledverbUS /krɔːld/
past form of “crawl” — move slowly; in the case of people or animals with the body near the ground
From this reading Ruth nodded, and Winifred now crawled out from her hiding-place.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading A DIFFICULT DAY Aunt Deborah did not linger to talk with her little niece, for it was a part of her belief that idle talk was unwise.
Deborah
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A DIFFICULT DAY Aunt Deborah did not linger to talk with her little niece, for it was a part of her belief that idle talk was unwise.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading A DIFFICULT DAY Aunt Deborah did not linger to talk with her little niece, for it was a part of her belief that idle talk was unwise.
didn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I'm glad she didn't see me, Ruth.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading A DIFFICULT DAY Aunt Deborah did not linger to talk with her little niece, for it was a part of her belief that idle talk was unwise.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading The door had hardly closed behind her when Winifred's head appeared from under the chintz valance of the bed, and she looked cautiously about.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading A DIFFICULT DAY Aunt Deborah did not linger to talk with her little niece, for it was a part of her belief that idle talk was unwise.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The door had hardly closed behind her when Winifred's head appeared from under the chintz valance of the bed, and she looked cautiously about.
showing or causing joy and pleasure; especially made happy
From this reading "I'm glad she didn't see me, Ruth.
destroyed or killed
From this reading "Has she gone?" she asked in a cautious whisper.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The door had hardly closed behind her when Winifred's head appeared from under the chintz valance of the bed, and she looked cautiously about.
only a very short time before
From this reading The door had hardly closed behind her when Winifred's head appeared from under the chintz valance of the bed, and she looked cautiously about.
Hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "Has she gone?" she asked in a cautious whisper.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading The door had hardly closed behind her when Winifred's head appeared from under the chintz valance of the bed, and she looked cautiously about.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading A DIFFICULT DAY Aunt Deborah did not linger to talk with her little niece, for it was a part of her belief that idle talk was unwise.
hiding-place
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ruth nodded, and Winifred now crawled out from her hiding-place.
I'm
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I'm glad she didn't see me, Ruth.
not in action or at work
From this reading A DIFFICULT DAY Aunt Deborah did not linger to talk with her little niece, for it was a part of her belief that idle talk was unwise.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "Has she gone?" she asked in a cautious whisper.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading A DIFFICULT DAY Aunt Deborah did not linger to talk with her little niece, for it was a part of her belief that idle talk was unwise.
lingerverbUS /ˈlɪŋɡər/
remain present although waning or gradually dying
From this reading A DIFFICULT DAY Aunt Deborah did not linger to talk with her little niece, for it was a part of her belief that idle talk was unwise.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading A DIFFICULT DAY Aunt Deborah did not linger to talk with her little niece, for it was a part of her belief that idle talk was unwise.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading The door had hardly closed behind her when Winifred's head appeared from under the chintz valance of the bed, and she looked cautiously about.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "I'm glad she didn't see me, Ruth.
niecenounUS /niːs/
a daughter of your brother or sister
From this reading A DIFFICULT DAY Aunt Deborah did not linger to talk with her little niece, for it was a part of her belief that idle talk was unwise.
inflected form of “nod” — express or signify by nodding
From this reading Ruth nodded, and Winifred now crawled out from her hiding-place.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading A DIFFICULT DAY Aunt Deborah did not linger to talk with her little niece, for it was a part of her belief that idle talk was unwise.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Ruth nodded, and Winifred now crawled out from her hiding-place.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A DIFFICULT DAY Aunt Deborah did not linger to talk with her little niece, for it was a part of her belief that idle talk was unwise.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Ruth nodded, and Winifred now crawled out from her hiding-place.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading A DIFFICULT DAY Aunt Deborah did not linger to talk with her little niece, for it was a part of her belief that idle talk was unwise.
United States professional baseball player famous for hitting home runs (1895-1948)
From this reading Ruth nodded, and Winifred now crawled out from her hiding-place.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading "I'm glad she didn't see me, Ruth.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The door had hardly closed behind her when Winifred's head appeared from under the chintz valance of the bed, and she looked cautiously about.
exchange thoughts; talk with
From this reading A DIFFICULT DAY Aunt Deborah did not linger to talk with her little niece, for it was a part of her belief that idle talk was unwise.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading A DIFFICULT DAY Aunt Deborah did not linger to talk with her little niece, for it was a part of her belief that idle talk was unwise.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The door had hardly closed behind her when Winifred's head appeared from under the chintz valance of the bed, and she looked cautiously about.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A DIFFICULT DAY Aunt Deborah did not linger to talk with her little niece, for it was a part of her belief that idle talk was unwise.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading The door had hardly closed behind her when Winifred's head appeared from under the chintz valance of the bed, and she looked cautiously about.
unwiseadjectiveUS /ənˈwaɪz/
showing or resulting from lack of judgment or wisdom
From this reading A DIFFICULT DAY Aunt Deborah did not linger to talk with her little niece, for it was a part of her belief that idle talk was unwise.
valancenoun
a decorative framework to conceal curtain fixtures at the top of a window casing
From this reading The door had hardly closed behind her when Winifred's head appeared from under the chintz valance of the bed, and she looked cautiously about.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A DIFFICULT DAY Aunt Deborah did not linger to talk with her little niece, for it was a part of her belief that idle talk was unwise.
at the time that
From this reading The door had hardly closed behind her when Winifred's head appeared from under the chintz valance of the bed, and she looked cautiously about.
speaking softly without vibration of the vocal cords
From this reading "Has she gone?" she asked in a cautious whisper.
Winifred
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ruth nodded, and Winifred now crawled out from her hiding-place.
Winifred's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The door had hardly closed behind her when Winifred's head appeared from under the chintz valance of the bed, and she looked cautiously about.
in the company of; together with
From this reading A DIFFICULT DAY Aunt Deborah did not linger to talk with her little niece, for it was a part of her belief that idle talk was unwise.
