used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Leaving Ben for a time, we go back to his old home to inquire how his mother and stepfather were faring.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading All she had gained by it was a home for herself, but her clothing she was obliged to purchase at her own expense.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Leaving Ben for a time, we go back to his old home to inquire how his mother and stepfather were faring.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Mr. Winter seemed to grow meaner as he grew older.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading His wife often asked herself how she could have been so foolish as to marry him.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading All she had gained by it was a home for herself, but her clothing she was obliged to purchase at her own expense.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading Leaving Ben for a time, we go back to his old home to inquire how his mother and stepfather were faring.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading His wife often asked herself how she could have been so foolish as to marry him.
a mountain or tall hill
From this reading Leaving Ben for a time, we go back to his old home to inquire how his mother and stepfather were faring.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading All she had gained by it was a home for herself, but her clothing she was obliged to purchase at her own expense.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading All she had gained by it was a home for herself, but her clothing she was obliged to purchase at her own expense.
clothingnounUS /ˈkloʊðɪŋ/
a covering designed to be worn on a person's body
From this reading All she had gained by it was a home for herself, but her clothing she was obliged to purchase at her own expense.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading His wife often asked herself how she could have been so foolish as to marry him.
expensenounUS /ɪkˈspens/
amounts paid for goods and services that may be currently tax deductible (as opposed to capital expenditures)
From this reading All she had gained by it was a home for herself, but her clothing she was obliged to purchase at her own expense.
faringverbUS /ˈferiŋ/
-ing form of “fare” — proceed or get along
From this reading Leaving Ben for a time, we go back to his old home to inquire how his mother and stepfather were faring.
devoid of good sense or judgment
From this reading His wife often asked herself how she could have been so foolish as to marry him.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Leaving Ben for a time, we go back to his old home to inquire how his mother and stepfather were faring.
past form of “gain” — obtain
From this reading All she had gained by it was a home for herself, but her clothing she was obliged to purchase at her own expense.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Leaving Ben for a time, we go back to his old home to inquire how his mother and stepfather were faring.
inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading Mr. Winter seemed to grow meaner as he grew older.
pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading Mr. Winter seemed to grow meaner as he grew older.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading All she had gained by it was a home for herself, but her clothing she was obliged to purchase at her own expense.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading His wife often asked herself how she could have been so foolish as to marry him.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Mr. Winter seemed to grow meaner as he grew older.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading All she had gained by it was a home for herself, but her clothing she was obliged to purchase at her own expense.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading His wife often asked herself how she could have been so foolish as to marry him.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading His wife often asked herself how she could have been so foolish as to marry him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Leaving Ben for a time, we go back to his old home to inquire how his mother and stepfather were faring.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading Leaving Ben for a time, we go back to his old home to inquire how his mother and stepfather were faring.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Leaving Ben for a time, we go back to his old home to inquire how his mother and stepfather were faring.
inquireverbUS /ˌɪnˈkwaɪr/
address a question to and expect an answer from
From this reading Leaving Ben for a time, we go back to his old home to inquire how his mother and stepfather were faring.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading All she had gained by it was a home for herself, but her clothing she was obliged to purchase at her own expense.
JACOBnounUS /ˈdʒeɪkəb/
French biochemist who (with Jacques Monod) studied regulatory processes in cells (born in 1920)
From this reading JACOB WINTER.
the act of departing
From this reading Leaving Ben for a time, we go back to his old home to inquire how his mother and stepfather were faring.
take in marriage
From this reading His wife often asked herself how she could have been so foolish as to marry him.
meaneradjectiveUS /ˈmiːnər/
comparative of “mean” — approximating the statistical norm or average or expected value
From this reading Mr. Winter seemed to grow meaner as he grew older.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading Leaving Ben for a time, we go back to his old home to inquire how his mother and stepfather were faring.
a form of address for a man
From this reading Mr. Winter seemed to grow meaner as he grew older.
under a moral obligation to do something
From this reading All she had gained by it was a home for herself, but her clothing she was obliged to purchase at her own expense.
many times at short intervals
From this reading His wife often asked herself how she could have been so foolish as to marry him.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading Leaving Ben for a time, we go back to his old home to inquire how his mother and stepfather were faring.
olderadjectiveUS /ˈoʊldər/
advanced in years; (“aged” is pronounced as two syllables)
From this reading Mr. Winter seemed to grow meaner as he grew older.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading All she had gained by it was a home for herself, but her clothing she was obliged to purchase at her own expense.
purchasenounUS /ˈpɜːrtʃəs/
the acquisition of something for payment
From this reading All she had gained by it was a home for herself, but her clothing she was obliged to purchase at her own expense.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Mr. Winter seemed to grow meaner as he grew older.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading His wife often asked herself how she could have been so foolish as to marry him.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading His wife often asked herself how she could have been so foolish as to marry him.
stepfathernounUS /ˈstepfɑːðər/
the husband of your mother by a subsequent marriage
From this reading Leaving Ben for a time, we go back to his old home to inquire how his mother and stepfather were faring.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Leaving Ben for a time, we go back to his old home to inquire how his mother and stepfather were faring.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Leaving Ben for a time, we go back to his old home to inquire how his mother and stepfather were faring.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading All she had gained by it was a home for herself, but her clothing she was obliged to purchase at her own expense.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading Leaving Ben for a time, we go back to his old home to inquire how his mother and stepfather were faring.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Leaving Ben for a time, we go back to his old home to inquire how his mother and stepfather were faring.
a married woman; a man's partner in marriage
From this reading His wife often asked herself how she could have been so foolish as to marry him.
the coldest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the winter solstice to the vernal equinox
From this reading JACOB WINTER.
