used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A SHAMEFUL DECEPTION.
perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)
From this reading An act of vain curiosity on her part, for, as we have said, the poor girl could not read.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading Discovering, a little while afterward, that her godmother was asleep, Mariette, who up to that time had kept the letter from Louis Richard--the scrivener's only son--carefully concealed in her lap, broke the seal and opened the missive.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading An act of vain curiosity on her part, for, as we have said, the poor girl could not read.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Discovering, a little while afterward, that her godmother was asleep, Mariette, who up to that time had kept the letter from Louis Richard--the scrivener's only son--carefully concealed in her lap, broke the seal and opened the missive.
(psychiatry) a relatively permanent state of worry and nervousness occurring in a variety of mental disorders, usually accompanied by compulsive behavior or attacks of panic
From this reading She perceived with a strange mingling of anxiety and hope that the letter was very short.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading An act of vain curiosity on her part, for, as we have said, the poor girl could not read.
in a state of sleep
From this reading Discovering, a little while afterward, that her godmother was asleep, Mariette, who up to that time had kept the letter from Louis Richard--the scrivener's only son--carefully concealed in her lap, broke the seal and opened the missive.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading But it was a touching sight to see her eagerly gaze at these, to her, incomprehensible characters.
lacking funds
From this reading Discovering, a little while afterward, that her godmother was asleep, Mariette, who up to that time had kept the letter from Louis Richard--the scrivener's only son--carefully concealed in her lap, broke the seal and opened the missive.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But it was a touching sight to see her eagerly gaze at these, to her, incomprehensible characters.
taking care or paying attention
From this reading Discovering, a little while afterward, that her godmother was asleep, Mariette, who up to that time had kept the letter from Louis Richard--the scrivener's only son--carefully concealed in her lap, broke the seal and opened the missive.
plural of “character” — an imaginary person represented in a work of fiction (play or film or story)
From this reading But it was a touching sight to see her eagerly gaze at these, to her, incomprehensible characters.
not accessible to view
From this reading Discovering, a little while afterward, that her godmother was asleep, Mariette, who up to that time had kept the letter from Louis Richard--the scrivener's only son--carefully concealed in her lap, broke the seal and opened the missive.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading An act of vain curiosity on her part, for, as we have said, the poor girl could not read.
a state in which you want to learn more about something
From this reading An act of vain curiosity on her part, for, as we have said, the poor girl could not read.
DECEPTIONnounUS /dɪˈsepʃən/
a misleading falsehood
From this reading A SHAMEFUL DECEPTION.
DiscoveringverbUS /dɪˈskʌvərɪŋ/
-ing form of “discover” — discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of
From this reading Discovering, a little while afterward, that her godmother was asleep, Mariette, who up to that time had kept the letter from Louis Richard--the scrivener's only son--carefully concealed in her lap, broke the seal and opened the missive.
with eagerness; in an eager manner
From this reading But it was a touching sight to see her eagerly gaze at these, to her, incomprehensible characters.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading An act of vain curiosity on her part, for, as we have said, the poor girl could not read.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Discovering, a little while afterward, that her godmother was asleep, Mariette, who up to that time had kept the letter from Louis Richard--the scrivener's only son--carefully concealed in her lap, broke the seal and opened the missive.
a long fixed look
From this reading But it was a touching sight to see her eagerly gaze at these, to her, incomprehensible characters.
a young female
From this reading An act of vain curiosity on her part, for, as we have said, the poor girl could not read.
godmothernounUS /ˈɡɑːdmʌðər/
any woman who serves as a sponsor for a child at baptism
From this reading Discovering, a little while afterward, that her godmother was asleep, Mariette, who up to that time had kept the letter from Louis Richard--the scrivener's only son--carefully concealed in her lap, broke the seal and opened the missive.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Discovering, a little while afterward, that her godmother was asleep, Mariette, who up to that time had kept the letter from Louis Richard--the scrivener's only son--carefully concealed in her lap, broke the seal and opened the missive.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading An act of vain curiosity on her part, for, as we have said, the poor girl could not read.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Discovering, a little while afterward, that her godmother was asleep, Mariette, who up to that time had kept the letter from Louis Richard--the scrivener's only son--carefully concealed in her lap, broke the seal and opened the missive.
a specific instance of feeling hopeful
From this reading She perceived with a strange mingling of anxiety and hope that the letter was very short.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Discovering, a little while afterward, that her godmother was asleep, Mariette, who up to that time had kept the letter from Louis Richard--the scrivener's only son--carefully concealed in her lap, broke the seal and opened the missive.
incomprehensibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪŋkɑːmprəˈhensɪbəl/
incapable of being explained or accounted for
From this reading But it was a touching sight to see her eagerly gaze at these, to her, incomprehensible characters.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading But it was a touching sight to see her eagerly gaze at these, to her, incomprehensible characters.
(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded
From this reading Discovering, a little while afterward, that her godmother was asleep, Mariette, who up to that time had kept the letter from Louis Richard--the scrivener's only son--carefully concealed in her lap, broke the seal and opened the missive.
lapverbUS /læp/
lie partly over or alongside of something or of one another
From this reading Discovering, a little while afterward, that her godmother was asleep, Mariette, who up to that time had kept the letter from Louis Richard--the scrivener's only son--carefully concealed in her lap, broke the seal and opened the missive.
a written message addressed to a person or organization
From this reading Discovering, a little while afterward, that her godmother was asleep, Mariette, who up to that time had kept the letter from Louis Richard--the scrivener's only son--carefully concealed in her lap, broke the seal and opened the missive.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Discovering, a little while afterward, that her godmother was asleep, Mariette, who up to that time had kept the letter from Louis Richard--the scrivener's only son--carefully concealed in her lap, broke the seal and opened the missive.
United States prizefighter who was world heavyweight champion for 12 years (1914-1981)
From this reading Discovering, a little while afterward, that her godmother was asleep, Mariette, who up to that time had kept the letter from Louis Richard--the scrivener's only son--carefully concealed in her lap, broke the seal and opened the missive.
Mariette
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Discovering, a little while afterward, that her godmother was asleep, Mariette, who up to that time had kept the letter from Louis Richard--the scrivener's only son--carefully concealed in her lap, broke the seal and opened the missive.
minglingnounUS /ˈmɪŋɡəlɪŋ/
the action of people mingling and coming into contact
From this reading She perceived with a strange mingling of anxiety and hope that the letter was very short.
missivenounUS /ˈmɪsɪv/
a written message addressed to a person or organization
From this reading Discovering, a little while afterward, that her godmother was asleep, Mariette, who up to that time had kept the letter from Louis Richard--the scrivener's only son--carefully concealed in her lap, broke the seal and opened the missive.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading An act of vain curiosity on her part, for, as we have said, the poor girl could not read.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading An act of vain curiosity on her part, for, as we have said, the poor girl could not read.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading An act of vain curiosity on her part, for, as we have said, the poor girl could not read.
and nothing more
From this reading Discovering, a little while afterward, that her godmother was asleep, Mariette, who up to that time had kept the letter from Louis Richard--the scrivener's only son--carefully concealed in her lap, broke the seal and opened the missive.
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading Discovering, a little while afterward, that her godmother was asleep, Mariette, who up to that time had kept the letter from Louis Richard--the scrivener's only son--carefully concealed in her lap, broke the seal and opened the missive.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading An act of vain curiosity on her part, for, as we have said, the poor girl could not read.
detected by instinct or inference rather than by recognized perceptual cues
From this reading She perceived with a strange mingling of anxiety and hope that the letter was very short.
deserving or inciting pity
From this reading An act of vain curiosity on her part, for, as we have said, the poor girl could not read.
interpret something that is written or printed
From this reading An act of vain curiosity on her part, for, as we have said, the poor girl could not read.
Richard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Discovering, a little while afterward, that her godmother was asleep, Mariette, who up to that time had kept the letter from Louis Richard--the scrivener's only son--carefully concealed in her lap, broke the seal and opened the missive.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading An act of vain curiosity on her part, for, as we have said, the poor girl could not read.
scrivener's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Discovering, a little while afterward, that her godmother was asleep, Mariette, who up to that time had kept the letter from Louis Richard--the scrivener's only son--carefully concealed in her lap, broke the seal and opened the missive.
sealverbUS /siːl/
make tight; secure against leakage
From this reading Discovering, a little while afterward, that her godmother was asleep, Mariette, who up to that time had kept the letter from Louis Richard--the scrivener's only son--carefully concealed in her lap, broke the seal and opened the missive.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading But it was a touching sight to see her eagerly gaze at these, to her, incomprehensible characters.
SHAMEFULadjectiveUS /ˈʃeɪmfəl/
(used of conduct or character) deserving or bringing disgrace or shame
From this reading A SHAMEFUL DECEPTION.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She perceived with a strange mingling of anxiety and hope that the letter was very short.
primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration
From this reading She perceived with a strange mingling of anxiety and hope that the letter was very short.
an instance of visual perception
From this reading But it was a touching sight to see her eagerly gaze at these, to her, incomprehensible characters.
a male human offspring
From this reading Discovering, a little while afterward, that her godmother was asleep, Mariette, who up to that time had kept the letter from Louis Richard--the scrivener's only son--carefully concealed in her lap, broke the seal and opened the missive.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading She perceived with a strange mingling of anxiety and hope that the letter was very short.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Discovering, a little while afterward, that her godmother was asleep, Mariette, who up to that time had kept the letter from Louis Richard--the scrivener's only son--carefully concealed in her lap, broke the seal and opened the missive.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Discovering, a little while afterward, that her godmother was asleep, Mariette, who up to that time had kept the letter from Louis Richard--the scrivener's only son--carefully concealed in her lap, broke the seal and opened the missive.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading But it was a touching sight to see her eagerly gaze at these, to her, incomprehensible characters.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Discovering, a little while afterward, that her godmother was asleep, Mariette, who up to that time had kept the letter from Louis Richard--the scrivener's only son--carefully concealed in her lap, broke the seal and opened the missive.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Discovering, a little while afterward, that her godmother was asleep, Mariette, who up to that time had kept the letter from Louis Richard--the scrivener's only son--carefully concealed in her lap, broke the seal and opened the missive.
arousing affect
From this reading But it was a touching sight to see her eagerly gaze at these, to her, incomprehensible characters.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Discovering, a little while afterward, that her godmother was asleep, Mariette, who up to that time had kept the letter from Louis Richard--the scrivener's only son--carefully concealed in her lap, broke the seal and opened the missive.
characteristic of false pride; having an exaggerated sense of self-importance
From this reading An act of vain curiosity on her part, for, as we have said, the poor girl could not read.
precisely as stated
From this reading She perceived with a strange mingling of anxiety and hope that the letter was very short.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Discovering, a little while afterward, that her godmother was asleep, Mariette, who up to that time had kept the letter from Louis Richard--the scrivener's only son--carefully concealed in her lap, broke the seal and opened the missive.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading An act of vain curiosity on her part, for, as we have said, the poor girl could not read.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading Discovering, a little while afterward, that her godmother was asleep, Mariette, who up to that time had kept the letter from Louis Richard--the scrivener's only son--carefully concealed in her lap, broke the seal and opened the missive.
which person or people
From this reading Discovering, a little while afterward, that her godmother was asleep, Mariette, who up to that time had kept the letter from Louis Richard--the scrivener's only son--carefully concealed in her lap, broke the seal and opened the missive.
in the company of; together with
From this reading She perceived with a strange mingling of anxiety and hope that the letter was very short.
