used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Circumstances prevented my coming to see your father and mother for several years; but now that God has seen fit to give you this terrible affliction, and has taken your dear mother to Himself, I have arrived, determined to act a mother's part to you.
perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)
From this reading Circumstances prevented my coming to see your father and mother for several years; but now that God has seen fit to give you this terrible affliction, and has taken your dear mother to Himself, I have arrived, determined to act a mother's part to you.
afflictionnounUS /əˈflɪkʃən/
a state of great suffering and distress due to adversity
From this reading Circumstances prevented my coming to see your father and mother for several years; but now that God has seen fit to give you this terrible affliction, and has taken your dear mother to Himself, I have arrived, determined to act a mother's part to you.
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading "Yes, children," she said, "I am your aunt--your Aunt Jane Dolman, your father's only sister.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "Aunt is her name," said Diana, "and I don't think much of her."
past form of “arrive” — reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress
From this reading Circumstances prevented my coming to see your father and mother for several years; but now that God has seen fit to give you this terrible affliction, and has taken your dear mother to Himself, I have arrived, determined to act a mother's part to you.
the sister of your father or mother; the wife of your uncle
From this reading AUNT IS HER NAME.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Circumstances prevented my coming to see your father and mother for several years; but now that God has seen fit to give you this terrible affliction, and has taken your dear mother to Himself, I have arrived, determined to act a mother's part to you.
plural of “child” — a young person of either sex
From this reading "Yes, children," she said, "I am your aunt--your Aunt Jane Dolman, your father's only sister.
your overall circumstances or condition in life (including everything that happens to you)
From this reading Circumstances prevented my coming to see your father and mother for several years; but now that God has seen fit to give you this terrible affliction, and has taken your dear mother to Himself, I have arrived, determined to act a mother's part to you.
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading Circumstances prevented my coming to see your father and mother for several years; but now that God has seen fit to give you this terrible affliction, and has taken your dear mother to Himself, I have arrived, determined to act a mother's part to you.
dearly loved
From this reading Circumstances prevented my coming to see your father and mother for several years; but now that God has seen fit to give you this terrible affliction, and has taken your dear mother to Himself, I have arrived, determined to act a mother's part to you.
characterized by great determination
From this reading Circumstances prevented my coming to see your father and mother for several years; but now that God has seen fit to give you this terrible affliction, and has taken your dear mother to Himself, I have arrived, determined to act a mother's part to you.
DiananounUS /daɪˈænə/
English aristocrat who was the first wife of Prince Charles; her death in an automobile accident in Paris produced intense national mourning (1961-1997)
From this reading "Aunt is her name," said Diana, "and I don't think much of her."
DolmannounUS /ˈdɑːlmən/
a hussar's jacket worn over the shoulders
From this reading Mrs. Dolman strode rapidly into the nursery.
don't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Aunt is her name," said Diana, "and I don't think much of her."
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading Circumstances prevented my coming to see your father and mother for several years; but now that God has seen fit to give you this terrible affliction, and has taken your dear mother to Himself, I have arrived, determined to act a mother's part to you.
father'snounUS /ˈfɑːðərz/
possessive form of “father” — a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading "Yes, children," she said, "I am your aunt--your Aunt Jane Dolman, your father's only sister.
be agreeable or acceptable to
From this reading Circumstances prevented my coming to see your father and mother for several years; but now that God has seen fit to give you this terrible affliction, and has taken your dear mother to Himself, I have arrived, determined to act a mother's part to you.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Circumstances prevented my coming to see your father and mother for several years; but now that God has seen fit to give you this terrible affliction, and has taken your dear mother to Himself, I have arrived, determined to act a mother's part to you.
cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading Circumstances prevented my coming to see your father and mother for several years; but now that God has seen fit to give you this terrible affliction, and has taken your dear mother to Himself, I have arrived, determined to act a mother's part to you.
the supernatural being conceived as the perfect and omnipotent and omniscient originator and ruler of the universe; the object of worship in monotheistic religions
From this reading Circumstances prevented my coming to see your father and mother for several years; but now that God has seen fit to give you this terrible affliction, and has taken your dear mother to Himself, I have arrived, determined to act a mother's part to you.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Circumstances prevented my coming to see your father and mother for several years; but now that God has seen fit to give you this terrible affliction, and has taken your dear mother to Himself, I have arrived, determined to act a mother's part to you.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Circumstances prevented my coming to see your father and mother for several years; but now that God has seen fit to give you this terrible affliction, and has taken your dear mother to Himself, I have arrived, determined to act a mother's part to you.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading AUNT IS HER NAME.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading Circumstances prevented my coming to see your father and mother for several years; but now that God has seen fit to give you this terrible affliction, and has taken your dear mother to Himself, I have arrived, determined to act a mother's part to you.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "Aunt is her name," said Diana, "and I don't think much of her."
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Mrs. Dolman strode rapidly into the nursery.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading AUNT IS HER NAME.
Jane
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Yes, children," she said, "I am your aunt--your Aunt Jane Dolman, your father's only sister.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading Circumstances prevented my coming to see your father and mother for several years; but now that God has seen fit to give you this terrible affliction, and has taken your dear mother to Himself, I have arrived, determined to act a mother's part to you.
mother'snounUS /ˈmʌðərz/
possessive form of “mother” — a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading Circumstances prevented my coming to see your father and mother for several years; but now that God has seen fit to give you this terrible affliction, and has taken your dear mother to Himself, I have arrived, determined to act a mother's part to you.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading Mrs. Dolman strode rapidly into the nursery.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading "Aunt is her name," said Diana, "and I don't think much of her."
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading Circumstances prevented my coming to see your father and mother for several years; but now that God has seen fit to give you this terrible affliction, and has taken your dear mother to Himself, I have arrived, determined to act a mother's part to you.
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading AUNT IS HER NAME.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Circumstances prevented my coming to see your father and mother for several years; but now that God has seen fit to give you this terrible affliction, and has taken your dear mother to Himself, I have arrived, determined to act a mother's part to you.
nurserynounUS /ˈnɜːrsəri/
a child's room for a baby
From this reading Mrs. Dolman strode rapidly into the nursery.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "Aunt is her name," said Diana, "and I don't think much of her."
and nothing more
From this reading "Yes, children," she said, "I am your aunt--your Aunt Jane Dolman, your father's only sister.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading Circumstances prevented my coming to see your father and mother for several years; but now that God has seen fit to give you this terrible affliction, and has taken your dear mother to Himself, I have arrived, determined to act a mother's part to you.
preventedverbUS /prɪˈventɪd/
past form of “prevent” — keep from happening or arising; make impossible
From this reading Circumstances prevented my coming to see your father and mother for several years; but now that God has seen fit to give you this terrible affliction, and has taken your dear mother to Himself, I have arrived, determined to act a mother's part to you.
with speed
From this reading Mrs. Dolman strode rapidly into the nursery.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "Aunt is her name," said Diana, "and I don't think much of her."
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading Circumstances prevented my coming to see your father and mother for several years; but now that God has seen fit to give you this terrible affliction, and has taken your dear mother to Himself, I have arrived, determined to act a mother's part to you.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading Circumstances prevented my coming to see your father and mother for several years; but now that God has seen fit to give you this terrible affliction, and has taken your dear mother to Himself, I have arrived, determined to act a mother's part to you.
(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many
From this reading Circumstances prevented my coming to see your father and mother for several years; but now that God has seen fit to give you this terrible affliction, and has taken your dear mother to Himself, I have arrived, determined to act a mother's part to you.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Yes, children," she said, "I am your aunt--your Aunt Jane Dolman, your father's only sister.
a female person who has the same parents as another person
From this reading "Yes, children," she said, "I am your aunt--your Aunt Jane Dolman, your father's only sister.
strodeverbUS /stroʊd/
inflected form of “stride” — walk with long steps
From this reading Mrs. Dolman strode rapidly into the nursery.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading Circumstances prevented my coming to see your father and mother for several years; but now that God has seen fit to give you this terrible affliction, and has taken your dear mother to Himself, I have arrived, determined to act a mother's part to you.
causing fear or dread or terror
From this reading Circumstances prevented my coming to see your father and mother for several years; but now that God has seen fit to give you this terrible affliction, and has taken your dear mother to Himself, I have arrived, determined to act a mother's part to you.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Circumstances prevented my coming to see your father and mother for several years; but now that God has seen fit to give you this terrible affliction, and has taken your dear mother to Himself, I have arrived, determined to act a mother's part to you.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Mrs. Dolman strode rapidly into the nursery.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading "Aunt is her name," said Diana, "and I don't think much of her."
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Circumstances prevented my coming to see your father and mother for several years; but now that God has seen fit to give you this terrible affliction, and has taken your dear mother to Himself, I have arrived, determined to act a mother's part to you.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Circumstances prevented my coming to see your father and mother for several years; but now that God has seen fit to give you this terrible affliction, and has taken your dear mother to Himself, I have arrived, determined to act a mother's part to you.
a late time of life
From this reading Circumstances prevented my coming to see your father and mother for several years; but now that God has seen fit to give you this terrible affliction, and has taken your dear mother to Himself, I have arrived, determined to act a mother's part to you.
an affirmative
From this reading "Yes, children," she said, "I am your aunt--your Aunt Jane Dolman, your father's only sister.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading Circumstances prevented my coming to see your father and mother for several years; but now that God has seen fit to give you this terrible affliction, and has taken your dear mother to Himself, I have arrived, determined to act a mother's part to you.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Yes, children," she said, "I am your aunt--your Aunt Jane Dolman, your father's only sister.
