andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.
angelsnounUS /ˈeɪndʒəlz/
plural of “angel” — spiritual being attendant upon God
From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.
armsnounUS /ɑːrmz/
weapons considered collectively
From this reading Yet they faced their indefinite futures impassively, content in relief from pain, in the child in their arms, in present peace and security.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Some of them were like herself, or herself as she might have been, bearing their children out of wedlock.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.
babiesnounUS /ˈbeɪbiz/
plural of “baby” — a very young child (birth to 1 year) who has not yet begun to walk or talk
From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.
bearingnounUS /ˈberɪŋ/
relevant relation or interconnection
From this reading Some of them were like herself, or herself as she might have been, bearing their children out of wedlock.
bednounUS /bed/
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Some of them were like herself, or herself as she might have been, bearing their children out of wedlock.
bundlesnounUS /ˈbʌndəlz/
plural of “bundle” — a collection of things wrapped or boxed together
From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.
childnounUS /tʃaɪld/
a young person of either sex
From this reading Yet they faced their indefinite futures impassively, content in relief from pain, in the child in their arms, in present peace and security.
childrennounUS /ˈtʃɪldrən/
plural of “child” — a young person of either sex
From this reading Some of them were like herself, or herself as she might have been, bearing their children out of wedlock.
contentnounUS /ˈkɑːntent/
(usually plural) everything that is included in a collection and that is held or included in something
From this reading Yet they faced their indefinite futures impassively, content in relief from pain, in the child in their arms, in present peace and security.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading She could not understand.
daysnounUS /deɪz/
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.
Edith
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.
facedadjectiveUS /feɪst/
having a face or facing especially of a specified kind or number; often used in combination
From this reading Yet they faced their indefinite futures impassively, content in relief from pain, in the child in their arms, in present peace and security.
feltverbUS /felt/
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading She herself felt no sense of loss.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Yet they faced their indefinite futures impassively, content in relief from pain, in the child in their arms, in present peace and security.
futuresnounUS /ˈfjuːtʃərz/
plural of “future” — the time yet to come
From this reading Yet they faced their indefinite futures impassively, content in relief from pain, in the child in their arms, in present peace and security.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Some of them were like herself, or herself as she might have been, bearing their children out of wedlock.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.
herselfpronounUS /hərˈself/
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading Some of them were like herself, or herself as she might have been, bearing their children out of wedlock.
hoververbUS /ˈhʌvər/
be undecided about something; waver between conflicting positions or courses of action
From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.
impassivelyadverbUS /ˌɪmˈpæsɪvli/
in an impassive manner
From this reading Yet they faced their indefinite futures impassively, content in relief from pain, in the child in their arms, in present peace and security.
InprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.
indefiniteadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈdefənət/
vague or not clearly defined or stated
From this reading Yet they faced their indefinite futures impassively, content in relief from pain, in the child in their arms, in present peace and security.
instinctnounUS /ˈɪnstɪŋkt/
inborn pattern of behavior often responsive to specific stimuli
From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.
layverbUS /leɪ/
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.
likeverbUS /laɪk/
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.
lossnounUS /lɔːs/
something that is lost
From this reading She herself felt no sense of loss.
madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.
maternitynounUS /məˈtɜːrnɪti/
the state of being pregnant; the period from conception to birth when a woman carries a developing fetus in her uterus
From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.
mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading Some of them were like herself, or herself as she might have been, bearing their children out of wedlock.
ministeringverbUS /ˈmɪnɪstrɪŋ/
-ing form of “minister” — attend to the wants and needs of others
From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.
mis-shaped
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading She herself felt no sense of loss.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading She could not understand.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Some of them were like herself, or herself as she might have been, bearing their children out of wedlock.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Some of them were like herself, or herself as she might have been, bearing their children out of wedlock.
otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.
outadjectiveUS /aʊt/
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Some of them were like herself, or herself as she might have been, bearing their children out of wedlock.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.
painnounUS /peɪn/
a symptom of some physical hurt or disorder
From this reading Yet they faced their indefinite futures impassively, content in relief from pain, in the child in their arms, in present peace and security.
peacenounUS /piːs/
the state prevailing during the absence of war
From this reading Yet they faced their indefinite futures impassively, content in relief from pain, in the child in their arms, in present peace and security.
presentverbUS /ˈprezənt/
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading Yet they faced their indefinite futures impassively, content in relief from pain, in the child in their arms, in present peace and security.
queeradjectiveUS /kwɪr/
beyond or deviating from the usual or expected
From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.
quiveringnounUS /ˈkwɪvərɪŋ/
a shaky motion
From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.
reliefnounUS /rɪˈliːf/
the feeling that comes when something burdensome is removed or reduced
From this reading Yet they faced their indefinite futures impassively, content in relief from pain, in the child in their arms, in present peace and security.
securitynounUS /sɪˈkjʊrəti/
the state of being free from danger or injury
From this reading Yet they faced their indefinite futures impassively, content in relief from pain, in the child in their arms, in present peace and security.
sensenounUS /sens/
a general conscious awareness
From this reading She herself felt no sense of loss.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Some of them were like herself, or herself as she might have been, bearing their children out of wedlock.
SomeadjectiveUS /sʌm/
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Some of them were like herself, or herself as she might have been, bearing their children out of wedlock.
strangeadjectiveUS /streɪndʒ/
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Yet they faced their indefinite futures impassively, content in relief from pain, in the child in their arms, in present peace and security.
throughprepositionUS /θruː/
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.
tinyadjectiveUS /ˈtaɪni/
very small
From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.
understandverbUS /ˌʌndərˈstænd/
know and comprehend the nature or meaning of
From this reading She could not understand.
wardnounUS /wɔːrd/
a person who is under the protection or in the custody of another
From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.
watchingnounUS /ˈwɑːtʃɪŋ/
the act of observing; taking a patient look
From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.
wedlocknounUS /ˈwedlɑːk/
the state of being a married couple voluntarily joined for life (or until divorce)
From this reading Some of them were like herself, or herself as she might have been, bearing their children out of wedlock.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Some of them were like herself, or herself as she might have been, bearing their children out of wedlock.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.
womennounUS /ˈwɪmən/
plural of “woman” — an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.
wonderingadjectiveUS /ˈwʌndərɪŋ/
showing curiosity
From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.
YetconjunctionUS /jet/
but in spite of that
From this reading Yet they faced their indefinite futures impassively, content in relief from pain, in the child in their arms, in present peace and security.
