used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It seemed almost as difficult to Barbara to leave the sea as it is to get out of bed on a winter morning.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading It seemed almost as difficult to Barbara to leave the sea as it is to get out of bed on a winter morning.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was now the beginning of August, and just "grilling," as Donald would have expressed it.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading It was now the beginning of August, and just "grilling," as Donald would have expressed it.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading "It must be so very nice to be a mermaid--in summer," she said, looking back at the water, as she and Marie went up the beach one morning.
the month following July and preceding September
From this reading It was now the beginning of August, and just "grilling," as Donald would have expressed it.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading "It must be so very nice to be a mermaid--in summer," she said, looking back at the water, as she and Marie went up the beach one morning.
Barbara
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It seemed almost as difficult to Barbara to leave the sea as it is to get out of bed on a winter morning.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "It must be so very nice to be a mermaid--in summer," she said, looking back at the water, as she and Marie went up the beach one morning.
an area of sand sloping down to the water of a sea or lake
From this reading "It must be so very nice to be a mermaid--in summer," she said, looking back at the water, as she and Marie went up the beach one morning.
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading It seemed almost as difficult to Barbara to leave the sea as it is to get out of bed on a winter morning.
the event consisting of the start of something
From this reading It was now the beginning of August, and just "grilling," as Donald would have expressed it.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading It seemed almost as difficult to Barbara to leave the sea as it is to get out of bed on a winter morning.
Donald
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was now the beginning of August, and just "grilling," as Donald would have expressed it.
communicated in words
From this reading It was now the beginning of August, and just "grilling," as Donald would have expressed it.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading It seemed almost as difficult to Barbara to leave the sea as it is to get out of bed on a winter morning.
grillingnounUS /ˈɡrɪlɪŋ/
cooking by direct exposure to radiant heat (as over a fire or under a grill)
From this reading It was now the beginning of August, and just "grilling," as Donald would have expressed it.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading "Yes," returned Marie, "If they had short hair.
a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss
From this reading "Yes," returned Marie, "If they had short hair.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading It was now the beginning of August, and just "grilling," as Donald would have expressed it.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading "Yes," returned Marie, "If they had short hair.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "It must be so very nice to be a mermaid--in summer," she said, looking back at the water, as she and Marie went up the beach one morning.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It seemed almost as difficult to Barbara to leave the sea as it is to get out of bed on a winter morning.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was now the beginning of August, and just "grilling," as Donald would have expressed it.
and nothing more
From this reading It was now the beginning of August, and just "grilling," as Donald would have expressed it.
go away from a place
From this reading It seemed almost as difficult to Barbara to leave the sea as it is to get out of bed on a winter morning.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading "It must be so very nice to be a mermaid--in summer," she said, looking back at the water, as she and Marie went up the beach one morning.
Marie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "It must be so very nice to be a mermaid--in summer," she said, looking back at the water, as she and Marie went up the beach one morning.
mermaidnounUS /ˈmɜːrmeɪd/
half woman and half fish; lives in the sea
From this reading "It must be so very nice to be a mermaid--in summer," she said, looking back at the water, as she and Marie went up the beach one morning.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading It seemed almost as difficult to Barbara to leave the sea as it is to get out of bed on a winter morning.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading "It must be so very nice to be a mermaid--in summer," she said, looking back at the water, as she and Marie went up the beach one morning.
pleasant or pleasing or agreeable in nature or appearance
From this reading "It must be so very nice to be a mermaid--in summer," she said, looking back at the water, as she and Marie went up the beach one morning.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading It was now the beginning of August, and just "grilling," as Donald would have expressed it.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It was now the beginning of August, and just "grilling," as Donald would have expressed it.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading It seemed almost as difficult to Barbara to leave the sea as it is to get out of bed on a winter morning.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading "It must be so very nice to be a mermaid--in summer," she said, looking back at the water, as she and Marie went up the beach one morning.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading It seemed almost as difficult to Barbara to leave the sea as it is to get out of bed on a winter morning.
past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading "Yes," returned Marie, "If they had short hair.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "It must be so very nice to be a mermaid--in summer," she said, looking back at the water, as she and Marie went up the beach one morning.
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading It seemed almost as difficult to Barbara to leave the sea as it is to get out of bed on a winter morning.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading It seemed almost as difficult to Barbara to leave the sea as it is to get out of bed on a winter morning.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "It must be so very nice to be a mermaid--in summer," she said, looking back at the water, as she and Marie went up the beach one morning.
primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration
From this reading "Yes," returned Marie, "If they had short hair.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading "It must be so very nice to be a mermaid--in summer," she said, looking back at the water, as she and Marie went up the beach one morning.
deliver a sharp blow, as with the hand, fist, or weapon
From this reading THE STRIKE.
the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox
From this reading "It must be so very nice to be a mermaid--in summer," she said, looking back at the water, as she and Marie went up the beach one morning.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE STRIKE.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Yes," returned Marie, "If they had short hair.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It seemed almost as difficult to Barbara to leave the sea as it is to get out of bed on a winter morning.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading "It must be so very nice to be a mermaid--in summer," she said, looking back at the water, as she and Marie went up the beach one morning.
precisely as stated
From this reading "It must be so very nice to be a mermaid--in summer," she said, looking back at the water, as she and Marie went up the beach one morning.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was now the beginning of August, and just "grilling," as Donald would have expressed it.
binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent
From this reading "It must be so very nice to be a mermaid--in summer," she said, looking back at the water, as she and Marie went up the beach one morning.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading "It must be so very nice to be a mermaid--in summer," she said, looking back at the water, as she and Marie went up the beach one morning.
the coldest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the winter solstice to the vernal equinox
From this reading It seemed almost as difficult to Barbara to leave the sea as it is to get out of bed on a winter morning.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading It was now the beginning of August, and just "grilling," as Donald would have expressed it.
an affirmative
From this reading "Yes," returned Marie, "If they had short hair.
