used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "Yes, soothed her nerves as with a nutmeg-grater, no doubt.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading Well, what does Mr. Hartman say?--Don't tell me anything that is private, or belongs to Clarice alone."
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading You will serenade her next with tin pans and fish-horns, and think that a delicate attention.
any thing at all
From this reading Well, what does Mr. Hartman say?--Don't tell me anything that is private, or belongs to Clarice alone."
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading "Yes, soothed her nerves as with a nutmeg-grater, no doubt.
the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others
From this reading You will serenade her next with tin pans and fish-horns, and think that a delicate attention.
belongsverbUS /bɪˈlɔːŋz/
third-person singular of “belong” — be owned by; be in the possession of
From this reading Well, what does Mr. Hartman say?--Don't tell me anything that is private, or belongs to Clarice alone."
a male with the same parents as someone else
From this reading Brother, Clarice does not share your peculiar view of humor, nor do I. Mabel tries to comprehend it and to catch your tone, as is her melancholy duty; but it is hard work for her.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Brother, Clarice does not share your peculiar view of humor, nor do I. Mabel tries to comprehend it and to catch your tone, as is her melancholy duty; but it is hard work for her.
discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading Brother, Clarice does not share your peculiar view of humor, nor do I. Mabel tries to comprehend it and to catch your tone, as is her melancholy duty; but it is hard work for her.
Clarice
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Brother, Clarice does not share your peculiar view of humor, nor do I. Mabel tries to comprehend it and to catch your tone, as is her melancholy duty; but it is hard work for her.
comprehendverbUS /ˌkɑːmpriˈhend/
get the meaning of something
From this reading Brother, Clarice does not share your peculiar view of humor, nor do I. Mabel tries to comprehend it and to catch your tone, as is her melancholy duty; but it is hard work for her.
exquisitely fine and subtle and pleasing; susceptible to injury
From this reading You will serenade her next with tin pans and fish-horns, and think that a delicate attention.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading Brother, Clarice does not share your peculiar view of humor, nor do I. Mabel tries to comprehend it and to catch your tone, as is her melancholy duty; but it is hard work for her.
doesauxiliary verbUS /dʌz/
the form of “do” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Brother, Clarice does not share your peculiar view of humor, nor do I. Mabel tries to comprehend it and to catch your tone, as is her melancholy duty; but it is hard work for her.
Don't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Well, what does Mr. Hartman say?--Don't tell me anything that is private, or belongs to Clarice alone."
the state of being unsure of something
From this reading "Yes, soothed her nerves as with a nutmeg-grater, no doubt.
the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force
From this reading Brother, Clarice does not share your peculiar view of humor, nor do I. Mabel tries to comprehend it and to catch your tone, as is her melancholy duty; but it is hard work for her.
fish-horns
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading You will serenade her next with tin pans and fish-horns, and think that a delicate attention.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Brother, Clarice does not share your peculiar view of humor, nor do I. Mabel tries to comprehend it and to catch your tone, as is her melancholy duty; but it is hard work for her.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading Brother, Clarice does not share your peculiar view of humor, nor do I. Mabel tries to comprehend it and to catch your tone, as is her melancholy duty; but it is hard work for her.
Hartman
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Well, what does Mr. Hartman say?--Don't tell me anything that is private, or belongs to Clarice alone."
perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
From this reading "O, you may hear most of it.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading "Yes, soothed her nerves as with a nutmeg-grater, no doubt.
humornounUS /ˈhjuːmər/
a message whose ingenuity or verbal skill or incongruity has the power to evoke laughter
From this reading Brother, Clarice does not share your peculiar view of humor, nor do I. Mabel tries to comprehend it and to catch your tone, as is her melancholy duty; but it is hard work for her.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Brother, Clarice does not share your peculiar view of humor, nor do I. Mabel tries to comprehend it and to catch your tone, as is her melancholy duty; but it is hard work for her.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Brother, Clarice does not share your peculiar view of humor, nor do I. Mabel tries to comprehend it and to catch your tone, as is her melancholy duty; but it is hard work for her.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Brother, Clarice does not share your peculiar view of humor, nor do I. Mabel tries to comprehend it and to catch your tone, as is her melancholy duty; but it is hard work for her.
Mabel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Brother, Clarice does not share your peculiar view of humor, nor do I. Mabel tries to comprehend it and to catch your tone, as is her melancholy duty; but it is hard work for her.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading "O, you may hear most of it.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Well, what does Mr. Hartman say?--Don't tell me anything that is private, or belongs to Clarice alone."
a feeling of thoughtful sadness
From this reading Brother, Clarice does not share your peculiar view of humor, nor do I. Mabel tries to comprehend it and to catch your tone, as is her melancholy duty; but it is hard work for her.
used to form the superlative
From this reading "O, you may hear most of it.
a form of address for a man
From this reading Well, what does Mr. Hartman say?--Don't tell me anything that is private, or belongs to Clarice alone."
an uneasy psychological state
From this reading "Yes, soothed her nerves as with a nutmeg-grater, no doubt.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading You will serenade her next with tin pans and fish-horns, and think that a delicate attention.
not any; not one
From this reading "Yes, soothed her nerves as with a nutmeg-grater, no doubt.
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading Brother, Clarice does not share your peculiar view of humor, nor do I. Mabel tries to comprehend it and to catch your tone, as is her melancholy duty; but it is hard work for her.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Brother, Clarice does not share your peculiar view of humor, nor do I. Mabel tries to comprehend it and to catch your tone, as is her melancholy duty; but it is hard work for her.
nutmeg-grater
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Yes, soothed her nerves as with a nutmeg-grater, no doubt.
a nonmetallic bivalent element that is normally a colorless odorless tasteless nonflammable diatomic gas; constitutes 21 percent of the atmosphere by volume; the most abundant element in the earth's crust
From this reading "O, you may hear most of it.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Brother, Clarice does not share your peculiar view of humor, nor do I. Mabel tries to comprehend it and to catch your tone, as is her melancholy duty; but it is hard work for her.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Well, what does Mr. Hartman say?--Don't tell me anything that is private, or belongs to Clarice alone."
pansnounUS /pænz/
plural of “pan” — cooking utensil consisting of a wide metal vessel
From this reading You will serenade her next with tin pans and fish-horns, and think that a delicate attention.
beyond or deviating from the usual or expected
From this reading Brother, Clarice does not share your peculiar view of humor, nor do I. Mabel tries to comprehend it and to catch your tone, as is her melancholy duty; but it is hard work for her.
confined to particular persons or groups or providing privacy
From this reading Well, what does Mr. Hartman say?--Don't tell me anything that is private, or belongs to Clarice alone."
express in words
From this reading Well, what does Mr. Hartman say?--Don't tell me anything that is private, or belongs to Clarice alone."
serenadenounUS /ˌserəˈneɪd/
a musical composition in several movements; has no fixed form
From this reading You will serenade her next with tin pans and fish-horns, and think that a delicate attention.
have in common
From this reading Brother, Clarice does not share your peculiar view of humor, nor do I. Mabel tries to comprehend it and to catch your tone, as is her melancholy duty; but it is hard work for her.
soothedverbUS /suːðd/
past form of “soothe” — give moral or emotional strength to
From this reading "Yes, soothed her nerves as with a nutmeg-grater, no doubt.
express in words
From this reading Well, what does Mr. Hartman say?--Don't tell me anything that is private, or belongs to Clarice alone."
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading You will serenade her next with tin pans and fish-horns, and think that a delicate attention.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading You will serenade her next with tin pans and fish-horns, and think that a delicate attention.
tinnounUS /tɪn/
a silvery malleable metallic element that resists corrosion; used in many alloys and to coat other metals to prevent corrosion; obtained chiefly from cassiterite where it occurs as tin oxide
From this reading You will serenade her next with tin pans and fish-horns, and think that a delicate attention.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Brother, Clarice does not share your peculiar view of humor, nor do I. Mabel tries to comprehend it and to catch your tone, as is her melancholy duty; but it is hard work for her.
the quality of a person's voice
From this reading Brother, Clarice does not share your peculiar view of humor, nor do I. Mabel tries to comprehend it and to catch your tone, as is her melancholy duty; but it is hard work for her.
triesnounUS /traɪz/
plural of “try” — earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something
From this reading Brother, Clarice does not share your peculiar view of humor, nor do I. Mabel tries to comprehend it and to catch your tone, as is her melancholy duty; but it is hard work for her.
a way of regarding situations or topics etc.
From this reading Brother, Clarice does not share your peculiar view of humor, nor do I. Mabel tries to comprehend it and to catch your tone, as is her melancholy duty; but it is hard work for her.
(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, what does Mr. Hartman say?--Don't tell me anything that is private, or belongs to Clarice alone."
used to ask for information about something
From this reading Well, what does Mr. Hartman say?--Don't tell me anything that is private, or belongs to Clarice alone."
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading You will serenade her next with tin pans and fish-horns, and think that a delicate attention.
in the company of; together with
From this reading "Yes, soothed her nerves as with a nutmeg-grater, no doubt.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading Brother, Clarice does not share your peculiar view of humor, nor do I. Mabel tries to comprehend it and to catch your tone, as is her melancholy duty; but it is hard work for her.
an affirmative
From this reading "Yes, soothed her nerves as with a nutmeg-grater, no doubt.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading You will serenade her next with tin pans and fish-horns, and think that a delicate attention.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading Brother, Clarice does not share your peculiar view of humor, nor do I. Mabel tries to comprehend it and to catch your tone, as is her melancholy duty; but it is hard work for her.
