used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading “Should I have liked to tell her,” she said, as if thinking aloud, “how we were really going to meet her father, and that you were coming with me to be my witness against him in a court,--to put him down and disgrace him,--to fight him, as father says?”
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading She sat looking dully at the little girl after the Westerner had gathered her up into his lap.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading “Should I have liked to tell her,” she said, as if thinking aloud, “how we were really going to meet her father, and that you were coming with me to be my witness against him in a court,--to put him down and disgrace him,--to fight him, as father says?”
using the voice; not silently
From this reading “Should I have liked to tell her,” she said, as if thinking aloud, “how we were really going to meet her father, and that you were coming with me to be my witness against him in a court,--to put him down and disgrace him,--to fight him, as father says?”
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading “But she was no trouble, and she is no relief.”
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading “Should I have liked to tell her,” she said, as if thinking aloud, “how we were really going to meet her father, and that you were coming with me to be my witness against him in a court,--to put him down and disgrace him,--to fight him, as father says?”
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading She sat looking dully at the little girl after the Westerner had gathered her up into his lap.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading “Should I have liked to tell her,” she said, as if thinking aloud, “how we were really going to meet her father, and that you were coming with me to be my witness against him in a court,--to put him down and disgrace him,--to fight him, as father says?”
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading “But she was no trouble, and she is no relief.”
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading “Should I have liked to tell her,” she said, as if thinking aloud, “how we were really going to meet her father, and that you were coming with me to be my witness against him in a court,--to put him down and disgrace him,--to fight him, as father says?”
consentedverbUS /kənˈsentɪd/
past form of “consent” — give an affirmative reply to; respond favorably to
From this reading “Well, let her go,” Marcia consented.
an assembly (including one or more judges) to conduct judicial business
From this reading “Should I have liked to tell her,” she said, as if thinking aloud, “how we were really going to meet her father, and that you were coming with me to be my witness against him in a court,--to put him down and disgrace him,--to fight him, as father says?”
bring shame or dishonor upon
From this reading “Should I have liked to tell her,” she said, as if thinking aloud, “how we were really going to meet her father, and that you were coming with me to be my witness against him in a court,--to put him down and disgrace him,--to fight him, as father says?”
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading “Should I have liked to tell her,” she said, as if thinking aloud, “how we were really going to meet her father, and that you were coming with me to be my witness against him in a court,--to put him down and disgrace him,--to fight him, as father says?”
dullyadverb
without liveliness
From this reading She sat looking dully at the little girl after the Westerner had gathered her up into his lap.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading “Should I have liked to tell her,” she said, as if thinking aloud, “how we were really going to meet her father, and that you were coming with me to be my witness against him in a court,--to put him down and disgrace him,--to fight him, as father says?”
feeblyadverbUS /ˈfiːbli/
in a faint and feeble manner
From this reading “You mustn't think of it in that way,” said Halleck, gently, but, as he felt, feebly and inadequately.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading “You mustn't think of it in that way,” said Halleck, gently, but, as he felt, feebly and inadequately.
be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight
From this reading “Should I have liked to tell her,” she said, as if thinking aloud, “how we were really going to meet her father, and that you were coming with me to be my witness against him in a court,--to put him down and disgrace him,--to fight him, as father says?”
brought together in one place
From this reading She sat looking dully at the little girl after the Westerner had gathered her up into his lap.
in a gradual manner
From this reading “You mustn't think of it in that way,” said Halleck, gently, but, as he felt, feebly and inadequately.
a young female
From this reading She sat looking dully at the little girl after the Westerner had gathered her up into his lap.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading “Well, let her go,” Marcia consented.
the act of departing
From this reading “Should I have liked to tell her,” she said, as if thinking aloud, “how we were really going to meet her father, and that you were coming with me to be my witness against him in a court,--to put him down and disgrace him,--to fight him, as father says?”
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading She sat looking dully at the little girl after the Westerner had gathered her up into his lap.
Halleck
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “You mustn't think of it in that way,” said Halleck, gently, but, as he felt, feebly and inadequately.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “Should I have liked to tell her,” she said, as if thinking aloud, “how we were really going to meet her father, and that you were coming with me to be my witness against him in a court,--to put him down and disgrace him,--to fight him, as father says?”
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “You mustn't think of it in that way,” said Halleck, gently, but, as he felt, feebly and inadequately.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading “Well, let her go,” Marcia consented.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “Should I have liked to tell her,” she said, as if thinking aloud, “how we were really going to meet her father, and that you were coming with me to be my witness against him in a court,--to put him down and disgrace him,--to fight him, as father says?”
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading She sat looking dully at the little girl after the Westerner had gathered her up into his lap.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Should I have liked to tell her,” she said, as if thinking aloud, “how we were really going to meet her father, and that you were coming with me to be my witness against him in a court,--to put him down and disgrace him,--to fight him, as father says?”
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “Should I have liked to tell her,” she said, as if thinking aloud, “how we were really going to meet her father, and that you were coming with me to be my witness against him in a court,--to put him down and disgrace him,--to fight him, as father says?”
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading “Should I have liked to tell her,” she said, as if thinking aloud, “how we were really going to meet her father, and that you were coming with me to be my witness against him in a court,--to put him down and disgrace him,--to fight him, as father says?”
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading “Should I have liked to tell her,” she said, as if thinking aloud, “how we were really going to meet her father, and that you were coming with me to be my witness against him in a court,--to put him down and disgrace him,--to fight him, as father says?”
inadequatelyadverbUS /ˌɪˈnædəkwətli/
in an inadequate manner or to an inadequate degree
From this reading “You mustn't think of it in that way,” said Halleck, gently, but, as he felt, feebly and inadequately.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading She sat looking dully at the little girl after the Westerner had gathered her up into his lap.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “But she was no trouble, and she is no relief.”
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “You mustn't think of it in that way,” said Halleck, gently, but, as he felt, feebly and inadequately.
lapverbUS /læp/
lie partly over or alongside of something or of one another
From this reading She sat looking dully at the little girl after the Westerner had gathered her up into his lap.
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading “Well, let her go,” Marcia consented.
found pleasant or attractive; often used as a combining form
From this reading “Should I have liked to tell her,” she said, as if thinking aloud, “how we were really going to meet her father, and that you were coming with me to be my witness against him in a court,--to put him down and disgrace him,--to fight him, as father says?”
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading She sat looking dully at the little girl after the Westerner had gathered her up into his lap.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading She sat looking dully at the little girl after the Westerner had gathered her up into his lap.
Marcia
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Well, let her go,” Marcia consented.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “Should I have liked to tell her,” she said, as if thinking aloud, “how we were really going to meet her father, and that you were coming with me to be my witness against him in a court,--to put him down and disgrace him,--to fight him, as father says?”
come together
From this reading “Should I have liked to tell her,” she said, as if thinking aloud, “how we were really going to meet her father, and that you were coming with me to be my witness against him in a court,--to put him down and disgrace him,--to fight him, as father says?”
mustn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “You mustn't think of it in that way,” said Halleck, gently, but, as he felt, feebly and inadequately.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading “Should I have liked to tell her,” she said, as if thinking aloud, “how we were really going to meet her father, and that you were coming with me to be my witness against him in a court,--to put him down and disgrace him,--to fight him, as father says?”
not any; not one
From this reading “But she was no trouble, and she is no relief.”
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “You mustn't think of it in that way,” said Halleck, gently, but, as he felt, feebly and inadequately.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading “Should I have liked to tell her,” she said, as if thinking aloud, “how we were really going to meet her father, and that you were coming with me to be my witness against him in a court,--to put him down and disgrace him,--to fight him, as father says?”
in accordance with truth or fact or reality
From this reading “Should I have liked to tell her,” she said, as if thinking aloud, “how we were really going to meet her father, and that you were coming with me to be my witness against him in a court,--to put him down and disgrace him,--to fight him, as father says?”
the feeling that comes when something burdensome is removed or reduced
From this reading “But she was no trouble, and she is no relief.”
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “Should I have liked to tell her,” she said, as if thinking aloud, “how we were really going to meet her father, and that you were coming with me to be my witness against him in a court,--to put him down and disgrace him,--to fight him, as father says?”
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading She sat looking dully at the little girl after the Westerner had gathered her up into his lap.
plural of “say” — the chance to speak
From this reading “Should I have liked to tell her,” she said, as if thinking aloud, “how we were really going to meet her father, and that you were coming with me to be my witness against him in a court,--to put him down and disgrace him,--to fight him, as father says?”
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “But she was no trouble, and she is no relief.”
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading “Should I have liked to tell her,” she said, as if thinking aloud, “how we were really going to meet her father, and that you were coming with me to be my witness against him in a court,--to put him down and disgrace him,--to fight him, as father says?”
express in words
From this reading “Should I have liked to tell her,” she said, as if thinking aloud, “how we were really going to meet her father, and that you were coming with me to be my witness against him in a court,--to put him down and disgrace him,--to fight him, as father says?”
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading “Should I have liked to tell her,” she said, as if thinking aloud, “how we were really going to meet her father, and that you were coming with me to be my witness against him in a court,--to put him down and disgrace him,--to fight him, as father says?”
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading She sat looking dully at the little girl after the Westerner had gathered her up into his lap.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading “You mustn't think of it in that way,” said Halleck, gently, but, as he felt, feebly and inadequately.
the process of using your mind to consider something carefully
From this reading “Should I have liked to tell her,” she said, as if thinking aloud, “how we were really going to meet her father, and that you were coming with me to be my witness against him in a court,--to put him down and disgrace him,--to fight him, as father says?”
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “Should I have liked to tell her,” she said, as if thinking aloud, “how we were really going to meet her father, and that you were coming with me to be my witness against him in a court,--to put him down and disgrace him,--to fight him, as father says?”
a source of difficulty
From this reading “But she was no trouble, and she is no relief.”
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading She sat looking dully at the little girl after the Westerner had gathered her up into his lap.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “But she was no trouble, and she is no relief.”
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading “You mustn't think of it in that way,” said Halleck, gently, but, as he felt, feebly and inadequately.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading “Should I have liked to tell her,” she said, as if thinking aloud, “how we were really going to meet her father, and that you were coming with me to be my witness against him in a court,--to put him down and disgrace him,--to fight him, as father says?”
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading “Well, let her go,” Marcia consented.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading “Should I have liked to tell her,” she said, as if thinking aloud, “how we were really going to meet her father, and that you were coming with me to be my witness against him in a court,--to put him down and disgrace him,--to fight him, as father says?”
WesternernounUS /ˈwestərnər/
an inhabitant of a western area; especially of the U.S.
From this reading She sat looking dully at the little girl after the Westerner had gathered her up into his lap.
in the company of; together with
From this reading “Should I have liked to tell her,” she said, as if thinking aloud, “how we were really going to meet her father, and that you were coming with me to be my witness against him in a court,--to put him down and disgrace him,--to fight him, as father says?”
someone who sees an event and reports what happened
From this reading “Should I have liked to tell her,” she said, as if thinking aloud, “how we were really going to meet her father, and that you were coming with me to be my witness against him in a court,--to put him down and disgrace him,--to fight him, as father says?”
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “Should I have liked to tell her,” she said, as if thinking aloud, “how we were really going to meet her father, and that you were coming with me to be my witness against him in a court,--to put him down and disgrace him,--to fight him, as father says?”
