used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading She had come back home when she found that the search for her missing girl would be a long one, and from early morning till late at night she kept about her tasks.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading She had come back home when she found that the search for her missing girl would be a long one, and from early morning till late at night she kept about her tasks.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Eyes, hands and feet were busy; but no matter how busy she kept them she could not keep her mind and heart at ease.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Pa McBirney went about his tasks, too, and his face grew careworn as he saw the old restlessness and torment coming back in his wife’s face.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading THE ESCAPE Mrs. McBirney sat at her loom.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading She had come back home when she found that the search for her missing girl would be a long one, and from early morning till late at night she kept about her tasks.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading She had come back home when she found that the search for her missing girl would be a long one, and from early morning till late at night she kept about her tasks.
actively or fully engaged or occupied
From this reading Eyes, hands and feet were busy; but no matter how busy she kept them she could not keep her mind and heart at ease.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Eyes, hands and feet were busy; but no matter how busy she kept them she could not keep her mind and heart at ease.
carewornadjective
showing the wearing effects of overwork or care or suffering
From this reading Pa McBirney went about his tasks, too, and his face grew careworn as he saw the old restlessness and torment coming back in his wife’s face.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading She had come back home when she found that the search for her missing girl would be a long one, and from early morning till late at night she kept about her tasks.
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading Pa McBirney went about his tasks, too, and his face grew careworn as he saw the old restlessness and torment coming back in his wife’s face.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Eyes, hands and feet were busy; but no matter how busy she kept them she could not keep her mind and heart at ease.
earlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/
at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time
From this reading She had come back home when she found that the search for her missing girl would be a long one, and from early morning till late at night she kept about her tasks.
move gently or carefully
From this reading Eyes, hands and feet were busy; but no matter how busy she kept them she could not keep her mind and heart at ease.
the act of escaping physically
From this reading THE ESCAPE Mrs. McBirney sat at her loom.
opinion or judgment
From this reading Eyes, hands and feet were busy; but no matter how busy she kept them she could not keep her mind and heart at ease.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading Pa McBirney went about his tasks, too, and his face grew careworn as he saw the old restlessness and torment coming back in his wife’s face.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading Eyes, hands and feet were busy; but no matter how busy she kept them she could not keep her mind and heart at ease.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading She had come back home when she found that the search for her missing girl would be a long one, and from early morning till late at night she kept about her tasks.
forgetfulnessnoun
tendency to forget
From this reading She had a theory that there was nothing like work to help a troubled mind to forgetfulness, and she put her theory to the full test.
set up or found
From this reading She had come back home when she found that the search for her missing girl would be a long one, and from early morning till late at night she kept about her tasks.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading She had come back home when she found that the search for her missing girl would be a long one, and from early morning till late at night she kept about her tasks.
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading She had a theory that there was nothing like work to help a troubled mind to forgetfulness, and she put her theory to the full test.
a young female
From this reading She had come back home when she found that the search for her missing girl would be a long one, and from early morning till late at night she kept about her tasks.
inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading Pa McBirney went about his tasks, too, and his face grew careworn as he saw the old restlessness and torment coming back in his wife’s face.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading She had come back home when she found that the search for her missing girl would be a long one, and from early morning till late at night she kept about her tasks.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading Eyes, hands and feet were busy; but no matter how busy she kept them she could not keep her mind and heart at ease.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Pa McBirney went about his tasks, too, and his face grew careworn as he saw the old restlessness and torment coming back in his wife’s face.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading Eyes, hands and feet were busy; but no matter how busy she kept them she could not keep her mind and heart at ease.
give help or assistance; be of service
From this reading She had a theory that there was nothing like work to help a troubled mind to forgetfulness, and she put her theory to the full test.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading THE ESCAPE Mrs. McBirney sat at her loom.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Pa McBirney went about his tasks, too, and his face grew careworn as he saw the old restlessness and torment coming back in his wife’s face.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading She had come back home when she found that the search for her missing girl would be a long one, and from early morning till late at night she kept about her tasks.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Eyes, hands and feet were busy; but no matter how busy she kept them she could not keep her mind and heart at ease.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Pa McBirney went about his tasks, too, and his face grew careworn as he saw the old restlessness and torment coming back in his wife’s face.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading Eyes, hands and feet were busy; but no matter how busy she kept them she could not keep her mind and heart at ease.
(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded
From this reading Eyes, hands and feet were busy; but no matter how busy she kept them she could not keep her mind and heart at ease.
being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time
From this reading She had come back home when she found that the search for her missing girl would be a long one, and from early morning till late at night she kept about her tasks.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading She had a theory that there was nothing like work to help a troubled mind to forgetfulness, and she put her theory to the full test.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading She had come back home when she found that the search for her missing girl would be a long one, and from early morning till late at night she kept about her tasks.
loomverbUS /luːm/
come into view indistinctly, often threateningly
From this reading THE ESCAPE Mrs. McBirney sat at her loom.
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading Eyes, hands and feet were busy; but no matter how busy she kept them she could not keep her mind and heart at ease.
McBirney
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE ESCAPE Mrs. McBirney sat at her loom.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading Eyes, hands and feet were busy; but no matter how busy she kept them she could not keep her mind and heart at ease.
not able to be found
From this reading She had come back home when she found that the search for her missing girl would be a long one, and from early morning till late at night she kept about her tasks.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading She had come back home when she found that the search for her missing girl would be a long one, and from early morning till late at night she kept about her tasks.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading THE ESCAPE Mrs. McBirney sat at her loom.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading She had come back home when she found that the search for her missing girl would be a long one, and from early morning till late at night she kept about her tasks.
not any; not one
From this reading Eyes, hands and feet were busy; but no matter how busy she kept them she could not keep her mind and heart at ease.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Eyes, hands and feet were busy; but no matter how busy she kept them she could not keep her mind and heart at ease.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading She had a theory that there was nothing like work to help a troubled mind to forgetfulness, and she put her theory to the full test.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading Pa McBirney went about his tasks, too, and his face grew careworn as he saw the old restlessness and torment coming back in his wife’s face.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading She had come back home when she found that the search for her missing girl would be a long one, and from early morning till late at night she kept about her tasks.
PanounUS /pɑː/
an informal term for a father; probably derived from baby talk
From this reading Pa McBirney went about his tasks, too, and his face grew careworn as he saw the old restlessness and torment coming back in his wife’s face.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading She had a theory that there was nothing like work to help a troubled mind to forgetfulness, and she put her theory to the full test.
restlessnessnounUS /ˈrestləsnəs/
the quality of being ceaselessly moving or active
From this reading Pa McBirney went about his tasks, too, and his face grew careworn as he saw the old restlessness and torment coming back in his wife’s face.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading THE ESCAPE Mrs. McBirney sat at her loom.
cut with a saw
From this reading Pa McBirney went about his tasks, too, and his face grew careworn as he saw the old restlessness and torment coming back in his wife’s face.
try to locate or discover, or try to establish the existence of
From this reading She had come back home when she found that the search for her missing girl would be a long one, and from early morning till late at night she kept about her tasks.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Eyes, hands and feet were busy; but no matter how busy she kept them she could not keep her mind and heart at ease.
tasksnounUS /tæsks/
plural of “task” — any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted
From this reading She had come back home when she found that the search for her missing girl would be a long one, and from early morning till late at night she kept about her tasks.
testnounUS /test/
trying something to find out about it
From this reading She had a theory that there was nothing like work to help a troubled mind to forgetfulness, and she put her theory to the full test.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading She had come back home when she found that the search for her missing girl would be a long one, and from early morning till late at night she kept about her tasks.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE ESCAPE Mrs. McBirney sat at her loom.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Eyes, hands and feet were busy; but no matter how busy she kept them she could not keep her mind and heart at ease.
a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world; an organized system of accepted knowledge that applies in a variety of circumstances to explain a specific set of phenomena
From this reading She had a theory that there was nothing like work to help a troubled mind to forgetfulness, and she put her theory to the full test.
in or at that place or location
From this reading She had a theory that there was nothing like work to help a troubled mind to forgetfulness, and she put her theory to the full test.
up to a particular time
From this reading She had come back home when she found that the search for her missing girl would be a long one, and from early morning till late at night she kept about her tasks.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading She had a theory that there was nothing like work to help a troubled mind to forgetfulness, and she put her theory to the full test.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading Pa McBirney went about his tasks, too, and his face grew careworn as he saw the old restlessness and torment coming back in his wife’s face.
tormentnounUS /ˈtɔːrment/
unbearable physical pain
From this reading Pa McBirney went about his tasks, too, and his face grew careworn as he saw the old restlessness and torment coming back in his wife’s face.
characterized by or indicative of distress or affliction or danger or need
From this reading She had a theory that there was nothing like work to help a troubled mind to forgetfulness, and she put her theory to the full test.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading She had a theory that there was nothing like work to help a troubled mind to forgetfulness, and she put her theory to the full test.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Pa McBirney went about his tasks, too, and his face grew careworn as he saw the old restlessness and torment coming back in his wife’s face.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Eyes, hands and feet were busy; but no matter how busy she kept them she could not keep her mind and heart at ease.
at the time that
From this reading She had come back home when she found that the search for her missing girl would be a long one, and from early morning till late at night she kept about her tasks.
wife'snounUS /waɪfs/
possessive form of “wife” — a married woman; a man's partner in marriage
From this reading Pa McBirney went about his tasks, too, and his face grew careworn as he saw the old restlessness and torment coming back in his wife’s face.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading She had a theory that there was nothing like work to help a troubled mind to forgetfulness, and she put her theory to the full test.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading She had come back home when she found that the search for her missing girl would be a long one, and from early morning till late at night she kept about her tasks.
