used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading She pounced on them when they arrived, and read them anxiously; after luncheon she read them again, and in the evening she read them aloud in case she or Ann had missed a word.
AfricanadjectiveUS /ˈæfrəkən/
of or relating to the nations of Africa or their peoples
From this reading The arrival of the post was almost the only excitement at Dreams, and on the days that the Indian and South African mails came, Mrs. Douglas could do nothing but pore over the precious letters.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading She pounced on them when they arrived, and read them anxiously; after luncheon she read them again, and in the evening she read them aloud in case she or Ann had missed a word.
anew
From this reading She pounced on them when they arrived, and read them anxiously; after luncheon she read them again, and in the evening she read them aloud in case she or Ann had missed a word.
(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 "This has been a good day--news from all quarters.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading The arrival of the post was almost the only excitement at Dreams, and on the days that the Indian and South African mails came, Mrs. Douglas could do nothing but pore over the precious letters.
using the voice; not silently
From this reading She pounced on them when they arrived, and read them anxiously; after luncheon she read them again, and in the evening she read them aloud in case she or Ann had missed a word.
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading I am glad Jim is having this tour.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The arrival of the post was almost the only excitement at Dreams, and on the days that the Indian and South African mails came, Mrs. Douglas could do nothing but pore over the precious letters.
Ann
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She pounced on them when they arrived, and read them anxiously; after luncheon she read them again, and in the evening she read them aloud in case she or Ann had missed a word.
with anxiety or apprehension
From this reading She pounced on them when they arrived, and read them anxiously; after luncheon she read them again, and in the evening she read them aloud in case she or Ann had missed a word.
accomplishment of an objective
From this reading The arrival of the post was almost the only excitement at Dreams, and on the days that the Indian and South African mails came, Mrs. Douglas could do nothing but pore over the precious letters.
past form of “arrive” — reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress
From this reading She pounced on them when they arrived, and read them anxiously; after luncheon she read them again, and in the evening she read them aloud in case she or Ann had missed a word.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The arrival of the post was almost the only excitement at Dreams, and on the days that the Indian and South African mails came, Mrs. Douglas could do nothing but pore over the precious letters.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading "This has been a good day--news from all quarters.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The arrival of the post was almost the only excitement at Dreams, and on the days that the Indian and South African mails came, Mrs. Douglas could do nothing but pore over the precious letters.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading The arrival of the post was almost the only excitement at Dreams, and on the days that the Indian and South African mails came, Mrs. Douglas could do nothing but pore over the precious letters.
an occurrence of something
From this reading She pounced on them when they arrived, and read them anxiously; after luncheon she read them again, and in the evening she read them aloud in case she or Ann had missed a word.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading The arrival of the post was almost the only excitement at Dreams, and on the days that the Indian and South African mails came, Mrs. Douglas could do nothing but pore over the precious letters.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading "This has been a good day--news from all quarters.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading The arrival of the post was almost the only excitement at Dreams, and on the days that the Indian and South African mails came, Mrs. Douglas could do nothing but pore over the precious letters.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading The arrival of the post was almost the only excitement at Dreams, and on the days that the Indian and South African mails came, Mrs. Douglas could do nothing but pore over the precious letters.
DouglasnounUS /ˈdʌɡləs/
United States politician who proposed that individual territories be allowed to decide whether they would have slavery; he engaged in a famous series of debates with Abraham Lincoln (1813-1861)
From this reading The arrival of the post was almost the only excitement at Dreams, and on the days that the Indian and South African mails came, Mrs. Douglas could do nothing but pore over the precious letters.
plural of “dream” — a series of mental images and emotions occurring during sleep
From this reading The arrival of the post was almost the only excitement at Dreams, and on the days that the Indian and South African mails came, Mrs. Douglas could do nothing but pore over the precious letters.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading She pounced on them when they arrived, and read them anxiously; after luncheon she read them again, and in the evening she read them aloud in case she or Ann had missed a word.
the feeling of lively and cheerful joy
From this reading The arrival of the post was almost the only excitement at Dreams, and on the days that the Indian and South African mails came, Mrs. Douglas could do nothing but pore over the precious letters.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading "This has been a good day--news from all quarters.
showing or causing joy and pleasure; especially made happy
From this reading I am glad Jim is having this tour.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading "This has been a good day--news from all quarters.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading She pounced on them when they arrived, and read them anxiously; after luncheon she read them again, and in the evening she read them aloud in case she or Ann had missed a word.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "This has been a good day--news from all quarters.
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading I am glad Jim is having this tour.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading One evening she sat with a pile of letters on her lap, her large tortoise-shell spectacles on the top of the pile, and said, with a satisfied sigh:
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I am glad Jim is having this tour.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading She pounced on them when they arrived, and read them anxiously; after luncheon she read them again, and in the evening she read them aloud in case she or Ann had missed a word.
of or relating to or characteristic of India or the East Indies or their peoples or languages or cultures
From this reading The arrival of the post was almost the only excitement at Dreams, and on the days that the Indian and South African mails came, Mrs. Douglas could do nothing but pore over the precious letters.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading I am glad Jim is having this tour.
Jim
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I am glad Jim is having this tour.
lapverbUS /læp/
lie partly over or alongside of something or of one another
From this reading One evening she sat with a pile of letters on her lap, her large tortoise-shell spectacles on the top of the pile, and said, with a satisfied sigh:
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading One evening she sat with a pile of letters on her lap, her large tortoise-shell spectacles on the top of the pile, and said, with a satisfied sigh:
the literary culture
From this reading The arrival of the post was almost the only excitement at Dreams, and on the days that the Indian and South African mails came, Mrs. Douglas could do nothing but pore over the precious letters.
luncheonnounUS /ˈlʌntʃən/
a midday meal
From this reading She pounced on them when they arrived, and read them anxiously; after luncheon she read them again, and in the evening she read them aloud in case she or Ann had missed a word.
mailsnounUS /meɪlz/
plural of “mail” — the bags of letters and packages that are transported by the postal service
From this reading The arrival of the post was almost the only excitement at Dreams, and on the days that the Indian and South African mails came, Mrs. Douglas could do nothing but pore over the precious letters.
not caught with the senses or the mind
From this reading She pounced on them when they arrived, and read them anxiously; after luncheon she read them again, and in the evening she read them aloud in case she or Ann had missed a word.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading The arrival of the post was almost the only excitement at Dreams, and on the days that the Indian and South African mails came, Mrs. Douglas could do nothing but pore over the precious letters.
information about recent and important events
From this reading "This has been a good day--news from all quarters.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading The arrival of the post was almost the only excitement at Dreams, and on the days that the Indian and South African mails came, Mrs. Douglas could do nothing but pore over the precious letters.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The arrival of the post was almost the only excitement at Dreams, and on the days that the Indian and South African mails came, Mrs. Douglas could do nothing but pore over the precious letters.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The arrival of the post was almost the only excitement at Dreams, and on the days that the Indian and South African mails came, Mrs. Douglas could do nothing but pore over the precious letters.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading One evening she sat with a pile of letters on her lap, her large tortoise-shell spectacles on the top of the pile, and said, with a satisfied sigh:
and nothing more
From this reading The arrival of the post was almost the only excitement at Dreams, and on the days that the Indian and South African mails came, Mrs. Douglas could do nothing but pore over the precious letters.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading She pounced on them when they arrived, and read them anxiously; after luncheon she read them again, and in the evening she read them aloud in case she or Ann had missed a word.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading The arrival of the post was almost the only excitement at Dreams, and on the days that the Indian and South African mails came, Mrs. Douglas could do nothing but pore over the precious letters.
a collection of objects laid on top of each other
From this reading One evening she sat with a pile of letters on her lap, her large tortoise-shell spectacles on the top of the pile, and said, with a satisfied sigh:
porenounUS /pɔːr/
any tiny hole admitting passage of a liquid (fluid or gas)
From this reading The arrival of the post was almost the only excitement at Dreams, and on the days that the Indian and South African mails came, Mrs. Douglas could do nothing but pore over the precious letters.
affix in a public place or for public notice
From this reading The arrival of the post was almost the only excitement at Dreams, and on the days that the Indian and South African mails came, Mrs. Douglas could do nothing but pore over the precious letters.
pouncedverbUS /paʊnst/
past form of “pounce” — move down on as if in an attack
From this reading She pounced on them when they arrived, and read them anxiously; after luncheon she read them again, and in the evening she read them aloud in case she or Ann had missed a word.
characterized by feeling or showing fond affection for
From this reading The arrival of the post was almost the only excitement at Dreams, and on the days that the Indian and South African mails came, Mrs. Douglas could do nothing but pore over the precious letters.
housing available for people to live in
From this reading "This has been a good day--news from all quarters.
interpret something that is written or printed
From this reading She pounced on them when they arrived, and read them anxiously; after luncheon she read them again, and in the evening she read them aloud in case she or Ann had missed a word.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading One evening she sat with a pile of letters on her lap, her large tortoise-shell spectacles on the top of the pile, and said, with a satisfied sigh:
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading One evening she sat with a pile of letters on her lap, her large tortoise-shell spectacles on the top of the pile, and said, with a satisfied sigh:
filled with satisfaction
From this reading One evening she sat with a pile of letters on her lap, her large tortoise-shell spectacles on the top of the pile, and said, with a satisfied sigh:
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She pounced on them when they arrived, and read them anxiously; after luncheon she read them again, and in the evening she read them aloud in case she or Ann had missed a word.
heave or utter a sigh; breathe deeply and heavily
From this reading One evening she sat with a pile of letters on her lap, her large tortoise-shell spectacles on the top of the pile, and said, with a satisfied sigh:
the region of the United States lying to the south of the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading The arrival of the post was almost the only excitement at Dreams, and on the days that the Indian and South African mails came, Mrs. Douglas could do nothing but pore over the precious letters.
spectaclesnounUS /ˈspektəkəlz/
(plural) optical instrument consisting of a frame that holds a pair of lenses for correcting defective vision
From this reading One evening she sat with a pile of letters on her lap, her large tortoise-shell spectacles on the top of the pile, and said, with a satisfied sigh:
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The arrival of the post was almost the only excitement at Dreams, and on the days that the Indian and South African mails came, Mrs. Douglas could do nothing but pore over the precious letters.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The arrival of the post was almost the only excitement at Dreams, and on the days that the Indian and South African mails came, Mrs. Douglas could do nothing but pore over the precious letters.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading She pounced on them when they arrived, and read them anxiously; after luncheon she read them again, and in the evening she read them aloud in case she or Ann had missed a word.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She pounced on them when they arrived, and read them anxiously; after luncheon she read them again, and in the evening she read them aloud in case she or Ann had missed a word.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading "This has been a good day--news from all quarters.
the upper part of anything
From this reading One evening she sat with a pile of letters on her lap, her large tortoise-shell spectacles on the top of the pile, and said, with a satisfied sigh:
tortoise-shell
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One evening she sat with a pile of letters on her lap, her large tortoise-shell spectacles on the top of the pile, and said, with a satisfied sigh:
tournounUS /tʊr/
a journey or route all the way around a particular place or area
From this reading I am glad Jim is having this tour.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The arrival of the post was almost the only excitement at Dreams, and on the days that the Indian and South African mails came, Mrs. Douglas could do nothing but pore over the precious letters.
at the time that
From this reading She pounced on them when they arrived, and read them anxiously; after luncheon she read them again, and in the evening she read them aloud in case she or Ann had missed a word.
in the company of; together with
From this reading One evening she sat with a pile of letters on her lap, her large tortoise-shell spectacles on the top of the pile, and said, with a satisfied sigh:
a unit of language that native speakers can identify
From this reading She pounced on them when they arrived, and read them anxiously; after luncheon she read them again, and in the evening she read them aloud in case she or Ann had missed a word.
