used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A VERY YOUNG COUPLE A pair of young lovers, persecuted and charming, exercises a fascination which is almost irresistible.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading A VERY YOUNG COUPLE A pair of young lovers, persecuted and charming, exercises a fascination which is almost irresistible.
pleasantly occupied
From this reading The citizens of Edinburgh, difficult to get at where their purse is concerned, could not prevent themselves from giving an amused and indulgent welcome to the very young couple who arrived at their gates in such brilliant penury.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The citizens of Edinburgh, difficult to get at where their purse is concerned, could not prevent themselves from giving an amused and indulgent welcome to the very young couple who arrived at their gates in such brilliant penury.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A VERY YOUNG COUPLE A pair of young lovers, persecuted and charming, exercises a fascination which is almost irresistible.
past form of “arrive” — reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress
From this reading The citizens of Edinburgh, difficult to get at where their purse is concerned, could not prevent themselves from giving an amused and indulgent welcome to the very young couple who arrived at their gates in such brilliant penury.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The citizens of Edinburgh, difficult to get at where their purse is concerned, could not prevent themselves from giving an amused and indulgent welcome to the very young couple who arrived at their gates in such brilliant penury.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Before leaving London Shelley had borrowed a few pounds from a friend.
borrowedverbUS /ˈbɑːroʊd/
past form of “borrow” — get temporarily
From this reading Before leaving London Shelley had borrowed a few pounds from a friend.
of surpassing excellence
From this reading The citizens of Edinburgh, difficult to get at where their purse is concerned, could not prevent themselves from giving an amused and indulgent welcome to the very young couple who arrived at their gates in such brilliant penury.
pleasing or delighting
From this reading A VERY YOUNG COUPLE A pair of young lovers, persecuted and charming, exercises a fascination which is almost irresistible.
citizensnounUS /ˈsɪtəzənz/
plural of “citizen” — a native or naturalized member of a state or other political community
From this reading The citizens of Edinburgh, difficult to get at where their purse is concerned, could not prevent themselves from giving an amused and indulgent welcome to the very young couple who arrived at their gates in such brilliant penury.
feeling or showing worry or solicitude
From this reading The citizens of Edinburgh, difficult to get at where their purse is concerned, could not prevent themselves from giving an amused and indulgent welcome to the very young couple who arrived at their gates in such brilliant penury.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading The citizens of Edinburgh, difficult to get at where their purse is concerned, could not prevent themselves from giving an amused and indulgent welcome to the very young couple who arrived at their gates in such brilliant penury.
a pair who associate with one another
From this reading A VERY YOUNG COUPLE A pair of young lovers, persecuted and charming, exercises a fascination which is almost irresistible.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading The citizens of Edinburgh, difficult to get at where their purse is concerned, could not prevent themselves from giving an amused and indulgent welcome to the very young couple who arrived at their gates in such brilliant penury.
EdinburghnounUS /ˈedənbəroʊ/
the capital of Scotland; located in the Lothian Region on the south side of the Firth of Forth
From this reading The citizens of Edinburgh, difficult to get at where their purse is concerned, could not prevent themselves from giving an amused and indulgent welcome to the very young couple who arrived at their gates in such brilliant penury.
elopementnoun
the act of running away with a lover (usually to get married)
From this reading It was useless to hope for help from his father, whom the news of his elopement must have thrown into paroxysms of rage.
exercisesnounUS /ˈeksərsaɪzəz/
plural of “exercise” — the activity of exerting your muscles in various ways to keep fit
From this reading A VERY YOUNG COUPLE A pair of young lovers, persecuted and charming, exercises a fascination which is almost irresistible.
fascinationnounUS /ˌfæsəˈneɪʃən/
the state of being intensely interested (as by awe or terror)
From this reading A VERY YOUNG COUPLE A pair of young lovers, persecuted and charming, exercises a fascination which is almost irresistible.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading It was useless to hope for help from his father, whom the news of his elopement must have thrown into paroxysms of rage.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading Before leaving London Shelley had borrowed a few pounds from a friend.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It was useless to hope for help from his father, whom the news of his elopement must have thrown into paroxysms of rage.
a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading Before leaving London Shelley had borrowed a few pounds from a friend.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The citizens of Edinburgh, difficult to get at where their purse is concerned, could not prevent themselves from giving an amused and indulgent welcome to the very young couple who arrived at their gates in such brilliant penury.
United States computer entrepreneur whose software company made him the youngest multi-billionaire in the history of the United States (born in 1955)
From this reading The citizens of Edinburgh, difficult to get at where their purse is concerned, could not prevent themselves from giving an amused and indulgent welcome to the very young couple who arrived at their gates in such brilliant penury.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading The citizens of Edinburgh, difficult to get at where their purse is concerned, could not prevent themselves from giving an amused and indulgent welcome to the very young couple who arrived at their gates in such brilliant penury.
the act of giving
From this reading The citizens of Edinburgh, difficult to get at where their purse is concerned, could not prevent themselves from giving an amused and indulgent welcome to the very young couple who arrived at their gates in such brilliant penury.
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading When he got to Edinburgh he hadn’t a penny left.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Before leaving London Shelley had borrowed a few pounds from a friend.
hadn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When he got to Edinburgh he hadn’t a penny left.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading It was useless to hope for help from his father, whom the news of his elopement must have thrown into paroxysms of rage.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When he got to Edinburgh he hadn’t a penny left.
give help or assistance; be of service
From this reading It was useless to hope for help from his father, whom the news of his elopement must have thrown into paroxysms of rage.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading It was useless to hope for help from his father, whom the news of his elopement must have thrown into paroxysms of rage.
a specific instance of feeling hopeful
From this reading It was useless to hope for help from his father, whom the news of his elopement must have thrown into paroxysms of rage.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The citizens of Edinburgh, difficult to get at where their purse is concerned, could not prevent themselves from giving an amused and indulgent welcome to the very young couple who arrived at their gates in such brilliant penury.
indulgentadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈdʌldʒənt/
characterized by or given to yielding to the wishes of someone
From this reading The citizens of Edinburgh, difficult to get at where their purse is concerned, could not prevent themselves from giving an amused and indulgent welcome to the very young couple who arrived at their gates in such brilliant penury.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading It was useless to hope for help from his father, whom the news of his elopement must have thrown into paroxysms of rage.
irresistibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪrɪˈzɪstəbəl/
impossible to resist; overpowering
From this reading A VERY YOUNG COUPLE A pair of young lovers, persecuted and charming, exercises a fascination which is almost irresistible.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A VERY YOUNG COUPLE A pair of young lovers, persecuted and charming, exercises a fascination which is almost irresistible.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was useless to hope for help from his father, whom the news of his elopement must have thrown into paroxysms of rage.
the act of departing
From this reading Before leaving London Shelley had borrowed a few pounds from a friend.
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 When he got to Edinburgh he hadn’t a penny left.
the capital and largest city of England; located on the Thames in southeastern England; financial and industrial and cultural center
From this reading Before leaving London Shelley had borrowed a few pounds from a friend.
loversnounUS /ˈlʌvərz/
plural of “lover” — a person who loves someone or is loved by someone
From this reading A VERY YOUNG COUPLE A pair of young lovers, persecuted and charming, exercises a fascination which is almost irresistible.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading It was useless to hope for help from his father, whom the news of his elopement must have thrown into paroxysms of rage.
information about recent and important events
From this reading It was useless to hope for help from his father, whom the news of his elopement must have thrown into paroxysms of rage.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The citizens of Edinburgh, difficult to get at where their purse is concerned, could not prevent themselves from giving an amused and indulgent welcome to the very young couple who arrived at their gates in such brilliant penury.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A VERY YOUNG COUPLE A pair of young lovers, persecuted and charming, exercises a fascination which is almost irresistible.
a set of two similar things considered as a unit
From this reading A VERY YOUNG COUPLE A pair of young lovers, persecuted and charming, exercises a fascination which is almost irresistible.
paroxysms
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was useless to hope for help from his father, whom the news of his elopement must have thrown into paroxysms of rage.
a fractional monetary unit of Ireland and the United Kingdom; equal to one hundredth of a pound
From this reading When he got to Edinburgh he hadn’t a penny left.
penurynounUS /ˈpenjʊri/
a state of extreme poverty or destitution
From this reading The citizens of Edinburgh, difficult to get at where their purse is concerned, could not prevent themselves from giving an amused and indulgent welcome to the very young couple who arrived at their gates in such brilliant penury.
persecutedverbUS /ˈpɜːrsəkjuːtɪd/
past form of “persecute” — cause to suffer
From this reading A VERY YOUNG COUPLE A pair of young lovers, persecuted and charming, exercises a fascination which is almost irresistible.
plural of “pound” — 16 ounces avoirdupois
From this reading Before leaving London Shelley had borrowed a few pounds from a friend.
keep from happening or arising; make impossible
From this reading The citizens of Edinburgh, difficult to get at where their purse is concerned, could not prevent themselves from giving an amused and indulgent welcome to the very young couple who arrived at their gates in such brilliant penury.
pursenounUS /pɜːrs/
a container used for carrying money and small personal items or accessories (especially by women)
From this reading The citizens of Edinburgh, difficult to get at where their purse is concerned, could not prevent themselves from giving an amused and indulgent welcome to the very young couple who arrived at their gates in such brilliant penury.
a feeling of intense anger
From this reading It was useless to hope for help from his father, whom the news of his elopement must have thrown into paroxysms of rage.
ShelleynounUS /ˈʃeli/
English writer who created Frankenstein's monster and married Percy Bysshe Shelley (1797-1851)
From this reading Before leaving London Shelley had borrowed a few pounds from a friend.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading The citizens of Edinburgh, difficult to get at where their purse is concerned, could not prevent themselves from giving an amused and indulgent welcome to the very young couple who arrived at their gates in such brilliant penury.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The citizens of Edinburgh, difficult to get at where their purse is concerned, could not prevent themselves from giving an amused and indulgent welcome to the very young couple who arrived at their gates in such brilliant penury.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The citizens of Edinburgh, difficult to get at where their purse is concerned, could not prevent themselves from giving an amused and indulgent welcome to the very young couple who arrived at their gates in such brilliant penury.
used when the people doing the action are also its object
From this reading The citizens of Edinburgh, difficult to get at where their purse is concerned, could not prevent themselves from giving an amused and indulgent welcome to the very young couple who arrived at their gates in such brilliant penury.
caused to fall to the ground
From this reading It was useless to hope for help from his father, whom the news of his elopement must have thrown into paroxysms of rage.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The citizens of Edinburgh, difficult to get at where their purse is concerned, could not prevent themselves from giving an amused and indulgent welcome to the very young couple who arrived at their gates in such brilliant penury.
having no beneficial use or incapable of functioning usefully
From this reading It was useless to hope for help from his father, whom the news of his elopement must have thrown into paroxysms of rage.
precisely as stated
From this reading A VERY YOUNG COUPLE A pair of young lovers, persecuted and charming, exercises a fascination which is almost irresistible.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was useless to hope for help from his father, whom the news of his elopement must have thrown into paroxysms of rage.
accept gladly
From this reading The citizens of Edinburgh, difficult to get at where their purse is concerned, could not prevent themselves from giving an amused and indulgent welcome to the very young couple who arrived at their gates in such brilliant penury.
at the time that
From this reading When he got to Edinburgh he hadn’t a penny left.
in or at the place that
From this reading The citizens of Edinburgh, difficult to get at where their purse is concerned, could not prevent themselves from giving an amused and indulgent welcome to the very young couple who arrived at their gates in such brilliant penury.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading A VERY YOUNG COUPLE A pair of young lovers, persecuted and charming, exercises a fascination which is almost irresistible.
which person or people
From this reading The citizens of Edinburgh, difficult to get at where their purse is concerned, could not prevent themselves from giving an amused and indulgent welcome to the very young couple who arrived at their gates in such brilliant penury.
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading It was useless to hope for help from his father, whom the news of his elopement must have thrown into paroxysms of rage.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading A VERY YOUNG COUPLE A pair of young lovers, persecuted and charming, exercises a fascination which is almost irresistible.
