used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The first thing Annie had done on arriving at her London lodging had been to take off her wedding-ring and hide it away in a corner of her desk.
adoptverbUS /əˈdɑːpt/
choose and follow; as of theories, ideas, policies, strategies or plans
From this reading She had given to the landlady the name “Miss Langton,” which she had resolved to adopt for the future.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The first thing Annie had done on arriving at her London lodging had been to take off her wedding-ring and hide it away in a corner of her desk.
Annie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The first thing Annie had done on arriving at her London lodging had been to take off her wedding-ring and hide it away in a corner of her desk.
arrivingverbUS /ərˈaɪvɪŋ/
-ing form of “arrive” — reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress
From this reading The first thing Annie had done on arriving at her London lodging had been to take off her wedding-ring and hide it away in a corner of her desk.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading During these long weeks when she had lain ill in bed, she had pondered in her mind how she could live when she had left her husband, as she at the very beginning of her illness determined to do.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The first thing Annie had done on arriving at her London lodging had been to take off her wedding-ring and hide it away in a corner of her desk.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading The first thing Annie had done on arriving at her London lodging had been to take off her wedding-ring and hide it away in a corner of her desk.
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading During these long weeks when she had lain ill in bed, she had pondered in her mind how she could live when she had left her husband, as she at the very beginning of her illness determined to do.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The first thing Annie had done on arriving at her London lodging had been to take off her wedding-ring and hide it away in a corner of her desk.
the event consisting of the start of something
From this reading During these long weeks when she had lain ill in bed, she had pondered in her mind how she could live when she had left her husband, as she at the very beginning of her illness determined to do.
bolderadjectiveUS /ˈboʊldər/
comparative of “bold” — fearless and daring
From this reading These were her first steps toward cutting herself off from her past life; the next was a bolder one.
a place off to the side of an area
From this reading The first thing Annie had done on arriving at her London lodging had been to take off her wedding-ring and hide it away in a corner of her desk.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading During these long weeks when she had lain ill in bed, she had pondered in her mind how she could live when she had left her husband, as she at the very beginning of her illness determined to do.
the activity of selecting the scenes to be shown and putting them together to create a film
From this reading These were her first steps toward cutting herself off from her past life; the next was a bolder one.
a piece of furniture with a writing surface and usually drawers or other compartments
From this reading The first thing Annie had done on arriving at her London lodging had been to take off her wedding-ring and hide it away in a corner of her desk.
characterized by great determination
From this reading During these long weeks when she had lain ill in bed, she had pondered in her mind how she could live when she had left her husband, as she at the very beginning of her illness determined to do.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading During these long weeks when she had lain ill in bed, she had pondered in her mind how she could live when she had left her husband, as she at the very beginning of her illness determined to do.
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading The first thing Annie had done on arriving at her London lodging had been to take off her wedding-ring and hide it away in a corner of her desk.
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading During these long weeks when she had lain ill in bed, she had pondered in her mind how she could live when she had left her husband, as she at the very beginning of her illness determined to do.
with ease (“easy” is sometimes used informally for “easily”)
From this reading One trial of the life of a governess had been enough for her, and she could not easily have re-entered it except in some sort under false pretenses.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading One trial of the life of a governess had been enough for her, and she could not easily have re-entered it except in some sort under false pretenses.
apart from; not including
From this reading One trial of the life of a governess had been enough for her, and she could not easily have re-entered it except in some sort under false pretenses.
not in accordance with the fact or reality or actuality
From this reading One trial of the life of a governess had been enough for her, and she could not easily have re-entered it except in some sort under false pretenses.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading The first thing Annie had done on arriving at her London lodging had been to take off her wedding-ring and hide it away in a corner of her desk.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading She had given to the landlady the name “Miss Langton,” which she had resolved to adopt for the future.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading These were her first steps toward cutting herself off from her past life; the next was a bolder one.
yet to be or coming
From this reading She had given to the landlady the name “Miss Langton,” which she had resolved to adopt for the future.
givenadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪvən/
acknowledged as a supposition
From this reading She had given to the landlady the name “Miss Langton,” which she had resolved to adopt for the future.
governessnounUS /ˈɡʌvərnəs/
a woman entrusted with the care and supervision of a child (especially in a private home)
From this reading One trial of the life of a governess had been enough for her, and she could not easily have re-entered it except in some sort under false pretenses.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The first thing Annie had done on arriving at her London lodging had been to take off her wedding-ring and hide it away in a corner of her desk.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading One trial of the life of a governess had been enough for her, and she could not easily have re-entered it except in some sort under false pretenses.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The first thing Annie had done on arriving at her London lodging had been to take off her wedding-ring and hide it away in a corner of her desk.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading These were her first steps toward cutting herself off from her past life; the next was a bolder one.
prevent from being seen or discovered
From this reading The first thing Annie had done on arriving at her London lodging had been to take off her wedding-ring and hide it away in a corner of her desk.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading During these long weeks when she had lain ill in bed, she had pondered in her mind how she could live when she had left her husband, as she at the very beginning of her illness determined to do.
a married man; a woman's partner in marriage
From this reading During these long weeks when she had lain ill in bed, she had pondered in her mind how she could live when she had left her husband, as she at the very beginning of her illness determined to do.
affected by an impairment of normal physical or mental function
From this reading During these long weeks when she had lain ill in bed, she had pondered in her mind how she could live when she had left her husband, as she at the very beginning of her illness determined to do.
illnessnounUS /ˈɪlnəs/
impairment of normal physiological function affecting part or all of an organism
From this reading During these long weeks when she had lain ill in bed, she had pondered in her mind how she could live when she had left her husband, as she at the very beginning of her illness determined to do.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The first thing Annie had done on arriving at her London lodging had been to take off her wedding-ring and hide it away in a corner of her desk.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The first thing Annie had done on arriving at her London lodging had been to take off her wedding-ring and hide it away in a corner of her desk.
lainverbUS /leɪn/
inflected form of “lie” — be located or situated somewhere; occupy a certain position
From this reading During these long weeks when she had lain ill in bed, she had pondered in her mind how she could live when she had left her husband, as she at the very beginning of her illness determined to do.
landladynounUS /ˈlændleɪdi/
a landlord who is a woman
From this reading She had given to the landlady the name “Miss Langton,” which she had resolved to adopt for the future.
Langton
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had given to the landlady the name “Miss Langton,” which she had resolved to adopt for the future.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading During these long weeks when she had lain ill in bed, she had pondered in her mind how she could live when she had left her husband, as she at the very beginning of her illness determined to do.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading These were her first steps toward cutting herself off from her past life; the next was a bolder one.
be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading During these long weeks when she had lain ill in bed, she had pondered in her mind how she could live when she had left her husband, as she at the very beginning of her illness determined to do.
lodgingnounUS /ˈlɑːdʒɪŋ/
structures collectively in which people are housed
From this reading The first thing Annie had done on arriving at her London lodging had been to take off her wedding-ring and hide it away in a corner of her desk.
the capital and largest city of England; located on the Thames in southeastern England; financial and industrial and cultural center
From this reading The first thing Annie had done on arriving at her London lodging had been to take off her wedding-ring and hide it away in a corner of her desk.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading During these long weeks when she had lain ill in bed, she had pondered in her mind how she could live when she had left her husband, as she at the very beginning of her illness determined to do.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading During these long weeks when she had lain ill in bed, she had pondered in her mind how she could live when she had left her husband, as she at the very beginning of her illness determined to do.
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading She had given to the landlady the name “Miss Langton,” which she had resolved to adopt for the future.
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading She had given to the landlady the name “Miss Langton,” which she had resolved to adopt for the future.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading These were her first steps toward cutting herself off from her past life; the next was a bolder one.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading One trial of the life of a governess had been enough for her, and she could not easily have re-entered it except in some sort under false pretenses.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The first thing Annie had done on arriving at her London lodging had been to take off her wedding-ring and hide it away in a corner of her desk.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading The first thing Annie had done on arriving at her London lodging had been to take off her wedding-ring and hide it away in a corner of her desk.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The first thing Annie had done on arriving at her London lodging had been to take off her wedding-ring and hide it away in a corner of her desk.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading These were her first steps toward cutting herself off from her past life; the next was a bolder one.
the time that has elapsed
From this reading These were her first steps toward cutting herself off from her past life; the next was a bolder one.
ponderedverbUS /ˈpɑːndərd/
past form of “ponder” — reflect deeply on a subject
From this reading During these long weeks when she had lain ill in bed, she had pondered in her mind how she could live when she had left her husband, as she at the very beginning of her illness determined to do.
pretensesnounUS /priˈtensɪz/
plural of “pretense” — the act of giving a false appearance
From this reading One trial of the life of a governess had been enough for her, and she could not easily have re-entered it except in some sort under false pretenses.
re-enteredverbUS /ˌriːˈentərd/
past form of “re-enter” — enter again
From this reading One trial of the life of a governess had been enough for her, and she could not easily have re-entered it except in some sort under false pretenses.
determined
From this reading She had given to the landlady the name “Miss Langton,” which she had resolved to adopt for the future.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She had given to the landlady the name “Miss Langton,” which she had resolved to adopt for the future.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading One trial of the life of a governess had been enough for her, and she could not easily have re-entered it except in some sort under false pretenses.
a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
From this reading One trial of the life of a governess had been enough for her, and she could not easily have re-entered it except in some sort under false pretenses.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading These were her first steps toward cutting herself off from her past life; the next was a bolder one.
carry out
From this reading The first thing Annie had done on arriving at her London lodging had been to take off her wedding-ring and hide it away in a corner of her desk.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The first thing Annie had done on arriving at her London lodging had been to take off her wedding-ring and hide it away in a corner of her desk.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading These were her first steps toward cutting herself off from her past life; the next was a bolder one.
a special situation
From this reading The first thing Annie had done on arriving at her London lodging had been to take off her wedding-ring and hide it away in a corner of her desk.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The first thing Annie had done on arriving at her London lodging had been to take off her wedding-ring and hide it away in a corner of her desk.
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading These were her first steps toward cutting herself off from her past life; the next was a bolder one.
the act of testing something
From this reading One trial of the life of a governess had been enough for her, and she could not easily have re-entered it except in some sort under false pretenses.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading One trial of the life of a governess had been enough for her, and she could not easily have re-entered it except in some sort under false pretenses.
precisely as stated
From this reading During these long weeks when she had lain ill in bed, she had pondered in her mind how she could live when she had left her husband, as she at the very beginning of her illness determined to do.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading These were her first steps toward cutting herself off from her past life; the next was a bolder one.
wedding-ring
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The first thing Annie had done on arriving at her London lodging had been to take off her wedding-ring and hide it away in a corner of her desk.
plural of “week” — any period of seven consecutive days
From this reading During these long weeks when she had lain ill in bed, she had pondered in her mind how she could live when she had left her husband, as she at the very beginning of her illness determined to do.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading These were her first steps toward cutting herself off from her past life; the next was a bolder one.
at the time that
From this reading During these long weeks when she had lain ill in bed, she had pondered in her mind how she could live when she had left her husband, as she at the very beginning of her illness determined to do.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading She had given to the landlady the name “Miss Langton,” which she had resolved to adopt for the future.
