used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The perversity is, perhaps, the predominating element in his motive--a perversity which, having chilled her away from the subject when she was eagerly seeking an opening to it, now forces her to return to it.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The perversity is, perhaps, the predominating element in his motive--a perversity which, having chilled her away from the subject when she was eagerly seeking an opening to it, now forces her to return to it.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It is partly remorse at having snubbed her, and partly perversity, which dictates this sentence on Jim's part.
answersnounUS /ˈænsərz/
plural of “answer” — a statement (either spoken or written) that is made to reply to a question or request or criticism or accusation
From this reading "Yes--yes," she answers; "but 'brought things back' is not quite the right phrase; they"--her voice growing low and tremulous--"had not very far to come."
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading It is partly remorse at having snubbed her, and partly perversity, which dictates this sentence on Jim's part.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading The perversity is, perhaps, the predominating element in his motive--a perversity which, having chilled her away from the subject when she was eagerly seeking an opening to it, now forces her to return to it.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading "You said just now that seeing me brought things back to you."
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading "You said just now that seeing me brought things back to you."
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading "Yes--yes," she answers; "but 'brought things back' is not quite the right phrase; they"--her voice growing low and tremulous--"had not very far to come."
chilledverbUS /tʃɪld/
past form of “chill” — depress or discourage
From this reading The perversity is, perhaps, the predominating element in his motive--a perversity which, having chilled her away from the subject when she was eagerly seeking an opening to it, now forces her to return to it.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading "Yes--yes," she answers; "but 'brought things back' is not quite the right phrase; they"--her voice growing low and tremulous--"had not very far to come."
dictatesnounUS /dɪkˈteɪts/
plural of “dictate” — an authoritative rule
From this reading It is partly remorse at having snubbed her, and partly perversity, which dictates this sentence on Jim's part.
with eagerness; in an eager manner
From this reading The perversity is, perhaps, the predominating element in his motive--a perversity which, having chilled her away from the subject when she was eagerly seeking an opening to it, now forces her to return to it.
elementnounUS /ˈeləmənt/
an abstract part of something
From this reading The perversity is, perhaps, the predominating element in his motive--a perversity which, having chilled her away from the subject when she was eagerly seeking an opening to it, now forces her to return to it.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading "Yes--yes," she answers; "but 'brought things back' is not quite the right phrase; they"--her voice growing low and tremulous--"had not very far to come."
plural of “force” — a powerful effect or influence
From this reading The perversity is, perhaps, the predominating element in his motive--a perversity which, having chilled her away from the subject when she was eagerly seeking an opening to it, now forces her to return to it.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The perversity is, perhaps, the predominating element in his motive--a perversity which, having chilled her away from the subject when she was eagerly seeking an opening to it, now forces her to return to it.
(biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level
From this reading "Yes--yes," she answers; "but 'brought things back' is not quite the right phrase; they"--her voice growing low and tremulous--"had not very far to come."
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading "Yes--yes," she answers; "but 'brought things back' is not quite the right phrase; they"--her voice growing low and tremulous--"had not very far to come."
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading It is partly remorse at having snubbed her, and partly perversity, which dictates this sentence on Jim's part.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading It is partly remorse at having snubbed her, and partly perversity, which dictates this sentence on Jim's part.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The perversity is, perhaps, the predominating element in his motive--a perversity which, having chilled her away from the subject when she was eagerly seeking an opening to it, now forces her to return to it.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The perversity is, perhaps, the predominating element in his motive--a perversity which, having chilled her away from the subject when she was eagerly seeking an opening to it, now forces her to return to it.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It is partly remorse at having snubbed her, and partly perversity, which dictates this sentence on Jim's part.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It is partly remorse at having snubbed her, and partly perversity, which dictates this sentence on Jim's part.
Jim's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It is partly remorse at having snubbed her, and partly perversity, which dictates this sentence on Jim's part.
and nothing more
From this reading "You said just now that seeing me brought things back to you."
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading She starts a little.
less than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading "Yes--yes," she answers; "but 'brought things back' is not quite the right phrase; they"--her voice growing low and tremulous--"had not very far to come."
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "You said just now that seeing me brought things back to you."
motivenounUS /ˈmoʊtɪv/
the psychological feature that arouses an organism to action toward a desired goal; the reason for the action; that which gives purpose and direction to behavior
From this reading The perversity is, perhaps, the predominating element in his motive--a perversity which, having chilled her away from the subject when she was eagerly seeking an opening to it, now forces her to return to it.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "Yes--yes," she answers; "but 'brought things back' is not quite the right phrase; they"--her voice growing low and tremulous--"had not very far to come."
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading "You said just now that seeing me brought things back to you."
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading It is partly remorse at having snubbed her, and partly perversity, which dictates this sentence on Jim's part.
an open or empty space in or between things
From this reading The perversity is, perhaps, the predominating element in his motive--a perversity which, having chilled her away from the subject when she was eagerly seeking an opening to it, now forces her to return to it.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading It is partly remorse at having snubbed her, and partly perversity, which dictates this sentence on Jim's part.
to some extent; in some degree; not wholly
From this reading It is partly remorse at having snubbed her, and partly perversity, which dictates this sentence on Jim's part.
by chance
From this reading The perversity is, perhaps, the predominating element in his motive--a perversity which, having chilled her away from the subject when she was eagerly seeking an opening to it, now forces her to return to it.
perversitynounUS /pərˈvɜːrsəti/
deliberate and stubborn unruliness and resistance to guidance or discipline
From this reading It is partly remorse at having snubbed her, and partly perversity, which dictates this sentence on Jim's part.
phrasenounUS /freɪz/
an expression consisting of one or more words forming a grammatical constituent of a sentence
From this reading "Yes--yes," she answers; "but 'brought things back' is not quite the right phrase; they"--her voice growing low and tremulous--"had not very far to come."
predominatingverbUS /prɪˈdɑːməneɪtɪŋ/
-ing form of “predominate” — be larger in number, quantity, power, status or importance
From this reading The perversity is, perhaps, the predominating element in his motive--a perversity which, having chilled her away from the subject when she was eagerly seeking an opening to it, now forces her to return to it.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading "Yes--yes," she answers; "but 'brought things back' is not quite the right phrase; they"--her voice growing low and tremulous--"had not very far to come."
remorsenounUS /rɪˈmɔːrs/
a feeling of deep regret (usually for some misdeed)
From this reading It is partly remorse at having snubbed her, and partly perversity, which dictates this sentence on Jim's part.
go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading The perversity is, perhaps, the predominating element in his motive--a perversity which, having chilled her away from the subject when she was eagerly seeking an opening to it, now forces her to return to it.
precisely, exactly
From this reading "Yes--yes," she answers; "but 'brought things back' is not quite the right phrase; they"--her voice growing low and tremulous--"had not very far to come."
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "You said just now that seeing me brought things back to you."
perception by means of the eyes
From this reading "You said just now that seeing me brought things back to you."
the act of searching for something
From this reading The perversity is, perhaps, the predominating element in his motive--a perversity which, having chilled her away from the subject when she was eagerly seeking an opening to it, now forces her to return to it.
a string of words satisfying the grammatical rules of a language
From this reading It is partly remorse at having snubbed her, and partly perversity, which dictates this sentence on Jim's part.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The perversity is, perhaps, the predominating element in his motive--a perversity which, having chilled her away from the subject when she was eagerly seeking an opening to it, now forces her to return to it.
snubbedverbUS /snʌbd/
inflected form of “snub” — refuse to acknowledge
From this reading It is partly remorse at having snubbed her, and partly perversity, which dictates this sentence on Jim's part.
startsnounUS /stɑːrts/
plural of “start” — the beginning of anything
From this reading She starts a little.
the subject matter of a conversation or discussion
From this reading The perversity is, perhaps, the predominating element in his motive--a perversity which, having chilled her away from the subject when she was eagerly seeking an opening to it, now forces her to return to it.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "You said just now that seeing me brought things back to you."
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The perversity is, perhaps, the predominating element in his motive--a perversity which, having chilled her away from the subject when she was eagerly seeking an opening to it, now forces her to return to it.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Yes--yes," she answers; "but 'brought things back' is not quite the right phrase; they"--her voice growing low and tremulous--"had not very far to come."
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading "You said just now that seeing me brought things back to you."
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading It is partly remorse at having snubbed her, and partly perversity, which dictates this sentence on Jim's part.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "You said just now that seeing me brought things back to you."
tremulousadjectiveUS /ˈtremjələs/
(of the voice) quivering as from weakness or fear
From this reading "Yes--yes," she answers; "but 'brought things back' is not quite the right phrase; they"--her voice growing low and tremulous--"had not very far to come."
precisely as stated
From this reading "Yes--yes," she answers; "but 'brought things back' is not quite the right phrase; they"--her voice growing low and tremulous--"had not very far to come."
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading "Yes--yes," she answers; "but 'brought things back' is not quite the right phrase; they"--her voice growing low and tremulous--"had not very far to come."
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The perversity is, perhaps, the predominating element in his motive--a perversity which, having chilled her away from the subject when she was eagerly seeking an opening to it, now forces her to return to it.
at the time that
From this reading The perversity is, perhaps, the predominating element in his motive--a perversity which, having chilled her away from the subject when she was eagerly seeking an opening to it, now forces her to return to it.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading It is partly remorse at having snubbed her, and partly perversity, which dictates this sentence on Jim's part.
an affirmative
From this reading "Yes--yes," she answers; "but 'brought things back' is not quite the right phrase; they"--her voice growing low and tremulous--"had not very far to come."
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "You said just now that seeing me brought things back to you."
