used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading What important communication was she thinking of making, at a time when prudence counselled the earliest possible departure, now that we had determined upon not giving way to the will of the King?
(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 "We will hear you," said Delange to her, "but be quick, I beg; all these consultations are dangerous just now."
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "We will hear you," said Delange to her, "but be quick, I beg; all these consultations are dangerous just now."
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading What important communication was she thinking of making, at a time when prudence counselled the earliest possible departure, now that we had determined upon not giving way to the will of the King?
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "We will hear you," said Delange to her, "but be quick, I beg; all these consultations are dangerous just now."
BeatricenounUS /ˈbiːətrəs/
the woman who guided Dante through Paradise in the Divine Comedy
From this reading "Make your minds quite easy," replied Miss Beatrice.
call upon in supplication; entreat
From this reading "We will hear you," said Delange to her, "but be quick, I beg; all these consultations are dangerous just now."
of short duration or distance
From this reading "I will be brief.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading "We will hear you," said Delange to her, "but be quick, I beg; all these consultations are dangerous just now."
communicationnounUS /kəˌmjuːnəˈkeɪʃən/
the activity of communicating; the activity of conveying information
From this reading What important communication was she thinking of making, at a time when prudence counselled the earliest possible departure, now that we had determined upon not giving way to the will of the King?
consultationsnounUS /ˌkɑːnsəlˈteɪʃənz/
plural of “consultation” — a conference (usually with someone important)
From this reading "We will hear you," said Delange to her, "but be quick, I beg; all these consultations are dangerous just now."
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading What could she have to say to us?
counselled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What important communication was she thinking of making, at a time when prudence counselled the earliest possible departure, now that we had determined upon not giving way to the will of the King?
involving or causing danger or risk; liable to hurt or harm
From this reading "We will hear you," said Delange to her, "but be quick, I beg; all these consultations are dangerous just now."
Delange
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "We will hear you," said Delange to her, "but be quick, I beg; all these consultations are dangerous just now."
the act of departing
From this reading What important communication was she thinking of making, at a time when prudence counselled the earliest possible departure, now that we had determined upon not giving way to the will of the King?
characterized by great determination
From this reading What important communication was she thinking of making, at a time when prudence counselled the earliest possible departure, now that we had determined upon not giving way to the will of the King?
earliestadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrliəst/
(comparative and superlative of “early”) more early than; most early
From this reading What important communication was she thinking of making, at a time when prudence counselled the earliest possible departure, now that we had determined upon not giving way to the will of the King?
posing no difficulty; requiring little effort
From this reading "Make your minds quite easy," replied Miss Beatrice.
the act of giving
From this reading What important communication was she thinking of making, at a time when prudence counselled the earliest possible departure, now that we had determined upon not giving way to the will of the King?
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading What important communication was she thinking of making, at a time when prudence counselled the earliest possible departure, now that we had determined upon not giving way to the will of the King?
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading What could she have to say to us?
perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
From this reading "We will hear you," said Delange to her, "but be quick, I beg; all these consultations are dangerous just now."
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading "We will hear you," said Delange to her, "but be quick, I beg; all these consultations are dangerous just now."
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "We will hear you," said Delange to her, "but be quick, I beg; all these consultations are dangerous just now."
of great significance or value
From this reading What important communication was she thinking of making, at a time when prudence counselled the earliest possible departure, now that we had determined upon not giving way to the will of the King?
and nothing more
From this reading "We will hear you," said Delange to her, "but be quick, I beg; all these consultations are dangerous just now."
a male sovereign; ruler of a kingdom
From this reading What important communication was she thinking of making, at a time when prudence counselled the earliest possible departure, now that we had determined upon not giving way to the will of the King?
engage in
From this reading "Make your minds quite easy," replied Miss Beatrice.
the act that results in something coming to be
From this reading What important communication was she thinking of making, at a time when prudence counselled the earliest possible departure, now that we had determined upon not giving way to the will of the King?
plural of “mind” — that which is responsible for one's thoughts, feelings, and conscious brain functions; the seat of the faculty of reason
From this reading "Make your minds quite easy," replied Miss Beatrice.
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading "Make your minds quite easy," replied Miss Beatrice.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading What important communication was she thinking of making, at a time when prudence counselled the earliest possible departure, now that we had determined upon not giving way to the will of the King?
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading What important communication was she thinking of making, at a time when prudence counselled the earliest possible departure, now that we had determined upon not giving way to the will of the King?
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading What important communication was she thinking of making, at a time when prudence counselled the earliest possible departure, now that we had determined upon not giving way to the will of the King?
capable of happening or existing
From this reading What important communication was she thinking of making, at a time when prudence counselled the earliest possible departure, now that we had determined upon not giving way to the will of the King?
prudencenounUS /ˈpruːdəns/
discretion in practical affairs
From this reading What important communication was she thinking of making, at a time when prudence counselled the earliest possible departure, now that we had determined upon not giving way to the will of the King?
accomplished rapidly and without delay
From this reading "We will hear you," said Delange to her, "but be quick, I beg; all these consultations are dangerous just now."
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading "Make your minds quite easy," replied Miss Beatrice.
inflected form of “reply” — react verbally
From this reading "Make your minds quite easy," replied Miss Beatrice.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "We will hear you," said Delange to her, "but be quick, I beg; all these consultations are dangerous just now."
express in words
From this reading What could she have to say to us?
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading What could she have to say to us?
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading What important communication was she thinking of making, at a time when prudence counselled the earliest possible departure, now that we had determined upon not giving way to the will of the King?
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading What important communication was she thinking of making, at a time when prudence counselled the earliest possible departure, now that we had determined upon not giving way to the will of the King?
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading "We will hear you," said Delange to her, "but be quick, I beg; all these consultations are dangerous just now."
the process of using your mind to consider something carefully
From this reading What important communication was she thinking of making, at a time when prudence counselled the earliest possible departure, now that we had determined upon not giving way to the will of the King?
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading What important communication was she thinking of making, at a time when prudence counselled the earliest possible departure, now that we had determined upon not giving way to the will of the King?
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading What could she have to say to us?
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading What important communication was she thinking of making, at a time when prudence counselled the earliest possible departure, now that we had determined upon not giving way to the will of the King?
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading What could she have to say to us?
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading What important communication was she thinking of making, at a time when prudence counselled the earliest possible departure, now that we had determined upon not giving way to the will of the King?
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading What important communication was she thinking of making, at a time when prudence counselled the earliest possible departure, now that we had determined upon not giving way to the will of the King?
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading What important communication was she thinking of making, at a time when prudence counselled the earliest possible departure, now that we had determined upon not giving way to the will of the King?
used to ask for information about something
From this reading What could she have to say to us?
at the time that
From this reading What important communication was she thinking of making, at a time when prudence counselled the earliest possible departure, now that we had determined upon not giving way to the will of the King?
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading What important communication was she thinking of making, at a time when prudence counselled the earliest possible departure, now that we had determined upon not giving way to the will of the King?
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "We will hear you," said Delange to her, "but be quick, I beg; all these consultations are dangerous just now."
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Make your minds quite easy," replied Miss Beatrice.
