used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading To hear that fiat of her lover’s--that only death or the divorce court could free a girl in her position from that slight yet deadly tie--and to hear it uttered with such seemingly heartless barbarity--was almost too ghastly to be borne.
(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 She hardly understood his last impassioned appeal to her to confide in him--all--all that was troubling her.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading To hear that fiat of her lover’s--that only death or the divorce court could free a girl in her position from that slight yet deadly tie--and to hear it uttered with such seemingly heartless barbarity--was almost too ghastly to be borne.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading To hear that fiat of her lover’s--that only death or the divorce court could free a girl in her position from that slight yet deadly tie--and to hear it uttered with such seemingly heartless barbarity--was almost too ghastly to be borne.
take a court case to a higher court for review
From this reading She hardly understood his last impassioned appeal to her to confide in him--all--all that was troubling her.
barbaritynounUS /bɑːrˈbærəti/
the quality of being shockingly cruel and inhumane
From this reading To hear that fiat of her lover’s--that only death or the divorce court could free a girl in her position from that slight yet deadly tie--and to hear it uttered with such seemingly heartless barbarity--was almost too ghastly to be borne.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading To hear that fiat of her lover’s--that only death or the divorce court could free a girl in her position from that slight yet deadly tie--and to hear it uttered with such seemingly heartless barbarity--was almost too ghastly to be borne.
inflected form of “bear” — have
From this reading To hear that fiat of her lover’s--that only death or the divorce court could free a girl in her position from that slight yet deadly tie--and to hear it uttered with such seemingly heartless barbarity--was almost too ghastly to be borne.
confideverbUS /kənˈfaɪd/
reveal in private; tell confidentially
From this reading She hardly understood his last impassioned appeal to her to confide in him--all--all that was troubling her.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading To hear that fiat of her lover’s--that only death or the divorce court could free a girl in her position from that slight yet deadly tie--and to hear it uttered with such seemingly heartless barbarity--was almost too ghastly to be borne.
an assembly (including one or more judges) to conduct judicial business
From this reading To hear that fiat of her lover’s--that only death or the divorce court could free a girl in her position from that slight yet deadly tie--and to hear it uttered with such seemingly heartless barbarity--was almost too ghastly to be borne.
causing or capable of causing death
From this reading To hear that fiat of her lover’s--that only death or the divorce court could free a girl in her position from that slight yet deadly tie--and to hear it uttered with such seemingly heartless barbarity--was almost too ghastly to be borne.
the event of dying or departure from life
From this reading To hear that fiat of her lover’s--that only death or the divorce court could free a girl in her position from that slight yet deadly tie--and to hear it uttered with such seemingly heartless barbarity--was almost too ghastly to be borne.
divorceverbUS /dɪˈvɔːrs/
part; cease or break association with
From this reading To hear that fiat of her lover’s--that only death or the divorce court could free a girl in her position from that slight yet deadly tie--and to hear it uttered with such seemingly heartless barbarity--was almost too ghastly to be borne.
fiatnounUS /ˈfaɪæt/
a legally binding command or decision entered on the court record (as if issued by a court or judge)
From this reading To hear that fiat of her lover’s--that only death or the divorce court could free a girl in her position from that slight yet deadly tie--and to hear it uttered with such seemingly heartless barbarity--was almost too ghastly to be borne.
grant freedom to; free from confinement
From this reading To hear that fiat of her lover’s--that only death or the divorce court could free a girl in her position from that slight yet deadly tie--and to hear it uttered with such seemingly heartless barbarity--was almost too ghastly to be borne.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading To hear that fiat of her lover’s--that only death or the divorce court could free a girl in her position from that slight yet deadly tie--and to hear it uttered with such seemingly heartless barbarity--was almost too ghastly to be borne.
ghastlyadjectiveUS /ˈɡæstli/
shockingly repellent; inspiring horror
From this reading To hear that fiat of her lover’s--that only death or the divorce court could free a girl in her position from that slight yet deadly tie--and to hear it uttered with such seemingly heartless barbarity--was almost too ghastly to be borne.
a young female
From this reading To hear that fiat of her lover’s--that only death or the divorce court could free a girl in her position from that slight yet deadly tie--and to hear it uttered with such seemingly heartless barbarity--was almost too ghastly to be borne.
only a very short time before
From this reading She hardly understood his last impassioned appeal to her to confide in him--all--all that was troubling her.
perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
From this reading To hear that fiat of her lover’s--that only death or the divorce court could free a girl in her position from that slight yet deadly tie--and to hear it uttered with such seemingly heartless barbarity--was almost too ghastly to be borne.
heartlessadjectiveUS /ˈhɑːrtləs/
lacking in feeling or pity or warmth
From this reading To hear that fiat of her lover’s--that only death or the divorce court could free a girl in her position from that slight yet deadly tie--and to hear it uttered with such seemingly heartless barbarity--was almost too ghastly to be borne.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading To hear that fiat of her lover’s--that only death or the divorce court could free a girl in her position from that slight yet deadly tie--and to hear it uttered with such seemingly heartless barbarity--was almost too ghastly to be borne.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading She hardly understood his last impassioned appeal to her to confide in him--all--all that was troubling her.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading She hardly understood his last impassioned appeal to her to confide in him--all--all that was troubling her.
impassionedadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpæʃənd/
characterized by intense emotion
From this reading She hardly understood his last impassioned appeal to her to confide in him--all--all that was troubling her.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading To hear that fiat of her lover’s--that only death or the divorce court could free a girl in her position from that slight yet deadly tie--and to hear it uttered with such seemingly heartless barbarity--was almost too ghastly to be borne.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading To hear that fiat of her lover’s--that only death or the divorce court could free a girl in her position from that slight yet deadly tie--and to hear it uttered with such seemingly heartless barbarity--was almost too ghastly to be borne.
Joan
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Joan shuddered.
immediately past
From this reading She hardly understood his last impassioned appeal to her to confide in him--all--all that was troubling her.
launchverbUS /lɔːntʃ/
set up or found
From this reading A steam launch went puffing up stream.
lover'snounUS /ˈlʌvərz/
possessive form of “lover” — a person who loves someone or is loved by someone
From this reading To hear that fiat of her lover’s--that only death or the divorce court could free a girl in her position from that slight yet deadly tie--and to hear it uttered with such seemingly heartless barbarity--was almost too ghastly to be borne.
miserablyadverbUS /ˈmɪzərəbli/
in a miserable manner
From this reading She stared miserably out upon the river.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading To hear that fiat of her lover’s--that only death or the divorce court could free a girl in her position from that slight yet deadly tie--and to hear it uttered with such seemingly heartless barbarity--was almost too ghastly to be borne.
and nothing more
From this reading To hear that fiat of her lover’s--that only death or the divorce court could free a girl in her position from that slight yet deadly tie--and to hear it uttered with such seemingly heartless barbarity--was almost too ghastly to be borne.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading To hear that fiat of her lover’s--that only death or the divorce court could free a girl in her position from that slight yet deadly tie--and to hear it uttered with such seemingly heartless barbarity--was almost too ghastly to be borne.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading She stared miserably out upon the river.
the particular portion of space occupied by something
From this reading To hear that fiat of her lover’s--that only death or the divorce court could free a girl in her position from that slight yet deadly tie--and to hear it uttered with such seemingly heartless barbarity--was almost too ghastly to be borne.
puffingnounUS /ˈpʌfɪŋ/
blowing tobacco smoke out into the air
From this reading A steam launch went puffing up stream.
a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)
From this reading She stared miserably out upon the river.
seeminglyadverbUS /ˈsiːmɪŋli/
from appearances alone
From this reading To hear that fiat of her lover’s--that only death or the divorce court could free a girl in her position from that slight yet deadly tie--and to hear it uttered with such seemingly heartless barbarity--was almost too ghastly to be borne.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She hardly understood his last impassioned appeal to her to confide in him--all--all that was troubling her.
shudderedverbUS /ˈʃʌdərd/
past form of “shudder” — shake, as from cold
From this reading Joan shuddered.
a deliberate discourteous act (usually as an expression of anger or disapproval)
From this reading To hear that fiat of her lover’s--that only death or the divorce court could free a girl in her position from that slight yet deadly tie--and to hear it uttered with such seemingly heartless barbarity--was almost too ghastly to be borne.
past form of “stare” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading She stared miserably out upon the river.
steamverbUS /stiːm/
travel by means of steam power
From this reading A steam launch went puffing up stream.
a natural body of running water flowing on or under the earth
From this reading A steam launch went puffing up stream.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading To hear that fiat of her lover’s--that only death or the divorce court could free a girl in her position from that slight yet deadly tie--and to hear it uttered with such seemingly heartless barbarity--was almost too ghastly to be borne.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading To hear that fiat of her lover’s--that only death or the divorce court could free a girl in her position from that slight yet deadly tie--and to hear it uttered with such seemingly heartless barbarity--was almost too ghastly to be borne.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading To hear that fiat of her lover’s--that only death or the divorce court could free a girl in her position from that slight yet deadly tie--and to hear it uttered with such seemingly heartless barbarity--was almost too ghastly to be borne.
tienounUS /taɪ/
neckwear consisting of a long narrow piece of material worn (mostly by men) under a collar and tied in knot at the front
From this reading To hear that fiat of her lover’s--that only death or the divorce court could free a girl in her position from that slight yet deadly tie--and to hear it uttered with such seemingly heartless barbarity--was almost too ghastly to be borne.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading To hear that fiat of her lover’s--that only death or the divorce court could free a girl in her position from that slight yet deadly tie--and to hear it uttered with such seemingly heartless barbarity--was almost too ghastly to be borne.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading To hear that fiat of her lover’s--that only death or the divorce court could free a girl in her position from that slight yet deadly tie--and to hear it uttered with such seemingly heartless barbarity--was almost too ghastly to be borne.
troublingadjectiveUS /ˈtrʌbəlɪŋ/
causing distress or worry or anxiety
From this reading She hardly understood his last impassioned appeal to her to confide in him--all--all that was troubling her.
fully apprehended as to purport or meaning or explanation
From this reading She hardly understood his last impassioned appeal to her to confide in him--all--all that was troubling her.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading A steam launch went puffing up stream.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading She stared miserably out upon the river.
communicated in words
From this reading To hear that fiat of her lover’s--that only death or the divorce court could free a girl in her position from that slight yet deadly tie--and to hear it uttered with such seemingly heartless barbarity--was almost too ghastly to be borne.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading To hear that fiat of her lover’s--that only death or the divorce court could free a girl in her position from that slight yet deadly tie--and to hear it uttered with such seemingly heartless barbarity--was almost too ghastly to be borne.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading A steam launch went puffing up stream.
in the company of; together with
From this reading To hear that fiat of her lover’s--that only death or the divorce court could free a girl in her position from that slight yet deadly tie--and to hear it uttered with such seemingly heartless barbarity--was almost too ghastly to be borne.
but in spite of that
From this reading To hear that fiat of her lover’s--that only death or the divorce court could free a girl in her position from that slight yet deadly tie--and to hear it uttered with such seemingly heartless barbarity--was almost too ghastly to be borne.
