used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Both, of course, had guessed that the end was getting near, but it came as a shock when finally declared.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Old Christopher Sill had not beaten about the bush; indeed, he was disconcertingly direct.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading They had just gone on, father and son, until they chanced to come to Kit, and, if John had lived, he might very possibly have gone on, too.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Both, of course, had guessed that the end was getting near, but it came as a shock when finally declared.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He told them quite simply that he had had notice to quit, making no attempt at either excuse or complaint.
earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something
From this reading He told them quite simply that he had had notice to quit, making no attempt at either excuse or complaint.
formed or made thin by hammering
From this reading Old Christopher Sill had not beaten about the bush; indeed, he was disconcertingly direct.
the two together, not just one
From this reading Both, of course, had guessed that the end was getting near, but it came as a shock when finally declared.
a low woody perennial plant usually having several major stems
From this reading Old Christopher Sill had not beaten about the bush; indeed, he was disconcertingly direct.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Both, of course, had guessed that the end was getting near, but it came as a shock when finally declared.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Both, of course, had guessed that the end was getting near, but it came as a shock when finally declared.
chancedverbUS /tʃænst/
past form of “chance” — be the case by chance
From this reading They had just gone on, father and son, until they chanced to come to Kit, and, if John had lived, he might very possibly have gone on, too.
ChristophernounUS /ˈkrɪstəfər/
Christian martyr and patron saint of travellers (3rd century)
From this reading Old Christopher Sill had not beaten about the bush; indeed, he was disconcertingly direct.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading They had just gone on, father and son, until they chanced to come to Kit, and, if John had lived, he might very possibly have gone on, too.
belonging to or participated in by a community as a whole; public
From this reading The thing was common enough, indeed, in such lives as theirs, but it had not happened to the Sills for more than a hundred years.
complaintnounUS /kəmˈpleɪnt/
an often persistent bodily disorder or disease; a cause for complaining
From this reading He told them quite simply that he had had notice to quit, making no attempt at either excuse or complaint.
education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading Both, of course, had guessed that the end was getting near, but it came as a shock when finally declared.
made known or openly avowed
From this reading Both, of course, had guessed that the end was getting near, but it came as a shock when finally declared.
command with authority
From this reading Old Christopher Sill had not beaten about the bush; indeed, he was disconcertingly direct.
disconcertinglyadverb
in a disturbing or embarrassing manner
From this reading Old Christopher Sill had not beaten about the bush; indeed, he was disconcertingly direct.
one or the other of two
From this reading He told them quite simply that he had had notice to quit, making no attempt at either excuse or complaint.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading Both, of course, had guessed that the end was getting near, but it came as a shock when finally declared.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading The thing was common enough, indeed, in such lives as theirs, but it had not happened to the Sills for more than a hundred years.
accept an excuse for
From this reading He told them quite simply that he had had notice to quit, making no attempt at either excuse or complaint.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading They had just gone on, father and son, until they chanced to come to Kit, and, if John had lived, he might very possibly have gone on, too.
after an unspecified period of time or an especially long delay
From this reading Both, of course, had guessed that the end was getting near, but it came as a shock when finally declared.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The thing was common enough, indeed, in such lives as theirs, but it had not happened to the Sills for more than a hundred years.
the act of acquiring something
From this reading Both, of course, had guessed that the end was getting near, but it came as a shock when finally declared.
destroyed or killed
From this reading They had just gone on, father and son, until they chanced to come to Kit, and, if John had lived, he might very possibly have gone on, too.
past form of “guess” — expect, believe, or suppose
From this reading Both, of course, had guessed that the end was getting near, but it came as a shock when finally declared.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Old Christopher Sill had not beaten about the bush; indeed, he was disconcertingly direct.
past form of “happen” — come to pass
From this reading The thing was common enough, indeed, in such lives as theirs, but it had not happened to the Sills for more than a hundred years.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading They had just gone on, father and son, until they chanced to come to Kit, and, if John had lived, he might very possibly have gone on, too.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Old Christopher Sill had not beaten about the bush; indeed, he was disconcertingly direct.
ten 10s
From this reading The thing was common enough, indeed, in such lives as theirs, but it had not happened to the Sills for more than a hundred years.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading They had just gone on, father and son, until they chanced to come to Kit, and, if John had lived, he might very possibly have gone on, too.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The thing was common enough, indeed, in such lives as theirs, but it had not happened to the Sills for more than a hundred years.
in truth (often tends to intensify)
From this reading Old Christopher Sill had not beaten about the bush; indeed, he was disconcertingly direct.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Both, of course, had guessed that the end was getting near, but it came as a shock when finally declared.
a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading They had just gone on, father and son, until they chanced to come to Kit, and, if John had lived, he might very possibly have gone on, too.
and nothing more
From this reading They had just gone on, father and son, until they chanced to come to Kit, and, if John had lived, he might very possibly have gone on, too.
KitnounUS /kɪt/
a case for containing a set of articles
From this reading They had just gone on, father and son, until they chanced to come to Kit, and, if John had lived, he might very possibly have gone on, too.
past form of “live” — be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading They had just gone on, father and son, until they chanced to come to Kit, and, if John had lived, he might very possibly have gone on, too.
plural of “life” — a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading The thing was common enough, indeed, in such lives as theirs, but it had not happened to the Sills for more than a hundred years.
the act that results in something coming to be
From this reading He told them quite simply that he had had notice to quit, making no attempt at either excuse or complaint.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading They had just gone on, father and son, until they chanced to come to Kit, and, if John had lived, he might very possibly have gone on, too.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading The thing was common enough, indeed, in such lives as theirs, but it had not happened to the Sills for more than a hundred years.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading Both, of course, had guessed that the end was getting near, but it came as a shock when finally declared.
not any; not one
From this reading He told them quite simply that he had had notice to quit, making no attempt at either excuse or complaint.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Old Christopher Sill had not beaten about the bush; indeed, he was disconcertingly direct.
an announcement containing information about an event
From this reading He told them quite simply that he had had notice to quit, making no attempt at either excuse or complaint.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Both, of course, had guessed that the end was getting near, but it came as a shock when finally declared.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading Old Christopher Sill had not beaten about the bush; indeed, he was disconcertingly direct.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading They had just gone on, father and son, until they chanced to come to Kit, and, if John had lived, he might very possibly have gone on, too.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading He told them quite simply that he had had notice to quit, making no attempt at either excuse or complaint.
by chance
From this reading They had just gone on, father and son, until they chanced to come to Kit, and, if John had lived, he might very possibly have gone on, too.
quitverbUS /kwɪt/
put an end to a state or an activity
From this reading He told them quite simply that he had had notice to quit, making no attempt at either excuse or complaint.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading He told them quite simply that he had had notice to quit, making no attempt at either excuse or complaint.
the feeling of distress and disbelief that you have when something bad happens accidentally
From this reading Both, of course, had guessed that the end was getting near, but it came as a shock when finally declared.
SillnounUS /sɪl/
structural member consisting of a continuous horizontal timber forming the lowest member of a framework or supporting structure
From this reading Old Christopher Sill had not beaten about the bush; indeed, he was disconcertingly direct.
SillsnounUS /sɪlz/
United States operatic soprano (born in 1929)
From this reading The thing was common enough, indeed, in such lives as theirs, but it had not happened to the Sills for more than a hundred years.
and nothing more
From this reading He told them quite simply that he had had notice to quit, making no attempt at either excuse or complaint.
a male human offspring
From this reading They had just gone on, father and son, until they chanced to come to Kit, and, if John had lived, he might very possibly have gone on, too.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading The thing was common enough, indeed, in such lives as theirs, but it had not happened to the Sills for more than a hundred years.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading The thing was common enough, indeed, in such lives as theirs, but it had not happened to the Sills for more than a hundred years.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He told them quite simply that he had had notice to quit, making no attempt at either excuse or complaint.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Old Christopher Sill had not beaten about the bush; indeed, he was disconcertingly direct.
theirspronounUS /ðerz/
the one or ones belonging to them
From this reading The thing was common enough, indeed, in such lives as theirs, but it had not happened to the Sills for more than a hundred years.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading He told them quite simply that he had had notice to quit, making no attempt at either excuse or complaint.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They had just gone on, father and son, until they chanced to come to Kit, and, if John had lived, he might very possibly have gone on, too.
a special situation
From this reading The thing was common enough, indeed, in such lives as theirs, but it had not happened to the Sills for more than a hundred years.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He told them quite simply that he had had notice to quit, making no attempt at either excuse or complaint.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading He told them quite simply that he had had notice to quit, making no attempt at either excuse or complaint.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading They had just gone on, father and son, until they chanced to come to Kit, and, if John had lived, he might very possibly have gone on, too.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading They had just gone on, father and son, until they chanced to come to Kit, and, if John had lived, he might very possibly have gone on, too.
precisely as stated
From this reading They had just gone on, father and son, until they chanced to come to Kit, and, if John had lived, he might very possibly have gone on, too.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Old Christopher Sill had not beaten about the bush; indeed, he was disconcertingly direct.
at the time that
From this reading Both, of course, had guessed that the end was getting near, but it came as a shock when finally declared.
a late time of life
From this reading The thing was common enough, indeed, in such lives as theirs, but it had not happened to the Sills for more than a hundred years.
