used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Before he had finished, Mrs. Van Horn had sunk into a chair and covered her face with both hands.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading "I mean to do nothing--nothing!" she answered, with a gasp almost like that which leaves us when in straits for breath.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Before he had finished, Mrs. Van Horn had sunk into a chair and covered her face with both hands.
past form of “answer” — react verbally
From this reading "I mean to do nothing--nothing!" she answered, with a gasp almost like that which leaves us when in straits for breath.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Before he had finished, Mrs. Van Horn had sunk into a chair and covered her face with both hands.
the two together, not just one
From this reading Before he had finished, Mrs. Van Horn had sunk into a chair and covered her face with both hands.
the process of taking in and expelling air during breathing
From this reading "I mean to do nothing--nothing!" she answered, with a gasp almost like that which leaves us when in straits for breath.
of short duration or distance
From this reading In these brief seconds she was shedding more tears than had left her cold eyes for many years past.
a seat for one person, with a support for the back
From this reading Before he had finished, Mrs. Van Horn had sunk into a chair and covered her face with both hands.
having a low or inadequate temperature or feeling a sensation of coldness or having been made cold by e.g. ice or refrigeration
From this reading In these brief seconds she was shedding more tears than had left her cold eyes for many years past.
overlaid or spread or topped with or enclosed within something; sometimes used as a combining form
From this reading Before he had finished, Mrs. Van Horn had sunk into a chair and covered her face with both hands.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading "I mean to do nothing--nothing!" she answered, with a gasp almost like that which leaves us when in straits for breath.
opinion or judgment
From this reading In these brief seconds she was shedding more tears than had left her cold eyes for many years past.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading Before he had finished, Mrs. Van Horn had sunk into a chair and covered her face with both hands.
(of materials or goods) brought to the desired final state
From this reading Before he had finished, Mrs. Van Horn had sunk into a chair and covered her face with both hands.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading In these brief seconds she was shedding more tears than had left her cold eyes for many years past.
gaspnounUS /ɡæsp/
a short labored intake of breath with the mouth open
From this reading "I mean to do nothing--nothing!" she answered, with a gasp almost like that which leaves us when in straits for breath.
cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading "Do you give me your sacred promise," he said, "that this is true?"
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Before he had finished, Mrs. Van Horn had sunk into a chair and covered her face with both hands.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading Before he had finished, Mrs. Van Horn had sunk into a chair and covered her face with both hands.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Before he had finished, Mrs. Van Horn had sunk into a chair and covered her face with both hands.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Before he had finished, Mrs. Van Horn had sunk into a chair and covered her face with both hands.
HornnounUS /hɔːrn/
a noisemaker (as at parties or games) that makes a loud noise when you blow through it
From this reading Before he had finished, Mrs. Van Horn had sunk into a chair and covered her face with both hands.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I mean to do nothing--nothing!" she answered, with a gasp almost like that which leaves us when in straits for breath.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In these brief seconds she was shedding more tears than had left her cold eyes for many years past.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Before he had finished, Mrs. Van Horn had sunk into a chair and covered her face with both hands.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "Do you give me your sacred promise," he said, "that this is true?"
plural of “leaf” — the main organ of photosynthesis and transpiration in higher plants
From this reading "I mean to do nothing--nothing!" she answered, with a gasp almost like that which leaves us when in straits for breath.
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 In these brief seconds she was shedding more tears than had left her cold eyes for many years past.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading "I mean to do nothing--nothing!" she answered, with a gasp almost like that which leaves us when in straits for breath.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading In these brief seconds she was shedding more tears than had left her cold eyes for many years past.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "Do you give me your sacred promise," he said, "that this is true?"
mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading "I mean to do nothing--nothing!" she answered, with a gasp almost like that which leaves us when in straits for breath.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading In these brief seconds she was shedding more tears than had left her cold eyes for many years past.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading Before he had finished, Mrs. Van Horn had sunk into a chair and covered her face with both hands.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading "I mean to do nothing--nothing!" she answered, with a gasp almost like that which leaves us when in straits for breath.
the time that has elapsed
From this reading In these brief seconds she was shedding more tears than had left her cold eyes for many years past.
in the near future
From this reading Her sobs presently sounded, violent and rapid.
make a promise or commitment
From this reading "Do you give me your sacred promise," he said, "that this is true?"
rapidadjectiveUS /ˈræpəd/
done or occurring in a brief period of time
From this reading Her sobs presently sounded, violent and rapid.
concerned with religion or religious purposes
From this reading "Do you give me your sacred promise," he said, "that this is true?"
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "Do you give me your sacred promise," he said, "that this is true?"
plural of “second” — 1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading In these brief seconds she was shedding more tears than had left her cold eyes for many years past.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading In these brief seconds she was shedding more tears than had left her cold eyes for many years past.
sheddingnounUS /ˈʃedɪŋ/
the process whereby something is shed
From this reading In these brief seconds she was shedding more tears than had left her cold eyes for many years past.
sobsnounUS /sɑːbz/
plural of “sob” — a dyspneic condition
From this reading Her sobs presently sounded, violent and rapid.
past form of “sound” — appear in a certain way
From this reading Her sobs presently sounded, violent and rapid.
straitsnounUS /streɪts/
a bad or difficult situation or state of affairs
From this reading "I mean to do nothing--nothing!" she answered, with a gasp almost like that which leaves us when in straits for breath.
sunkadjectiveUS /sʌŋk/
doomed to extinction
From this reading Before he had finished, Mrs. Van Horn had sunk into a chair and covered her face with both hands.
the process of shedding tears (usually accompanied by sobs or other inarticulate sounds)
From this reading In these brief seconds she was shedding more tears than had left her cold eyes for many years past.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading In these brief seconds she was shedding more tears than had left her cold eyes for many years past.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "I mean to do nothing--nothing!" she answered, with a gasp almost like that which leaves us when in straits for breath.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading In these brief seconds she was shedding more tears than had left her cold eyes for many years past.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading "Do you give me your sacred promise," he said, "that this is true?"
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "I mean to do nothing--nothing!" she answered, with a gasp almost like that which leaves us when in straits for breath.
consistent with fact or reality; not false
From this reading "Do you give me your sacred promise," he said, "that this is true?"
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "I mean to do nothing--nothing!" she answered, with a gasp almost like that which leaves us when in straits for breath.
any creative group active in the innovation and application of new concepts and techniques in a given field (especially in the arts)
From this reading Before he had finished, Mrs. Van Horn had sunk into a chair and covered her face with both hands.
acting with or marked by or resulting from great force or energy or emotional intensity
From this reading Her sobs presently sounded, violent and rapid.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading In these brief seconds she was shedding more tears than had left her cold eyes for many years past.
at the time that
From this reading "I mean to do nothing--nothing!" she answered, with a gasp almost like that which leaves us when in straits for breath.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading "I mean to do nothing--nothing!" she answered, with a gasp almost like that which leaves us when in straits for breath.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Before he had finished, Mrs. Van Horn had sunk into a chair and covered her face with both hands.
a late time of life
From this reading In these brief seconds she was shedding more tears than had left her cold eyes for many years past.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Do you give me your sacred promise," he said, "that this is true?"
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Do you give me your sacred promise," he said, "that this is true?"
