Chapter V

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading Throughout supper, all six of them (Miss Femm had never spoken a word) had chatted easily, though there had been no general burst of talk; but now they were quiet.

anew

From this reading Then suddenly they were given one, for Miss Femm, who had begun to seem a mere object, turned herself into a real person again by rising from her chair and waddling away.

(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 Throughout supper, all six of them (Miss Femm had never spoken a word) had chatted easily, though there had been no general burst of talk; but now they were quiet.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading They had finished eating now and had somehow drifted into silence.

inflected form of “arise” — come into existence; take on form or shape

From this reading She said nothing, gave no meaning glances, did not hesitate, but simply arose and departed.

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading Then suddenly they were given one, for Miss Femm, who had begun to seem a mere object, turned herself into a real person again by rising from her chair and waddling away.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Throughout supper, all six of them (Miss Femm had never spoken a word) had chatted easily, though there had been no general burst of talk; but now they were quiet.

inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading Then suddenly they were given one, for Miss Femm, who had begun to seem a mere object, turned herself into a real person again by rising from her chair and waddling away.

come open suddenly and violently, as if from internal pressure

From this reading Throughout supper, all six of them (Miss Femm had never spoken a word) had chatted easily, though there had been no general burst of talk; but now they were quiet.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Throughout supper, all six of them (Miss Femm had never spoken a word) had chatted easily, though there had been no general burst of talk; but now they were quiet.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Then suddenly they were given one, for Miss Femm, who had begun to seem a mere object, turned herself into a real person again by rising from her chair and waddling away.

a seat for one person, with a support for the back

From this reading Then suddenly they were given one, for Miss Femm, who had begun to seem a mere object, turned herself into a real person again by rising from her chair and waddling away.

inflected form of “chat” — talk socially without exchanging too much information

From this reading Throughout supper, all six of them (Miss Femm had never spoken a word) had chatted easily, though there had been no general burst of talk; but now they were quiet.

in a manner differing from the usual or expected

From this reading They might have been waiting for a signal, they were so curiously still.

well in the past; former

From this reading She said nothing, gave no meaning glances, did not hesitate, but simply arose and departed.

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading She said nothing, gave no meaning glances, did not hesitate, but simply arose and departed.

past form of “drift” — be in motion due to some air or water current

From this reading They had finished eating now and had somehow drifted into silence.

with ease (“easy” is sometimes used informally for “easily”)

From this reading Throughout supper, all six of them (Miss Femm had never spoken a word) had chatted easily, though there had been no general burst of talk; but now they were quiet.

the act of consuming food

From this reading They had finished eating now and had somehow drifted into silence.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Throughout supper, all six of them (Miss Femm had never spoken a word) had chatted easily, though there had been no general burst of talk; but now they were quiet.

(of materials or goods) brought to the desired final state

From this reading They had finished eating now and had somehow drifted into silence.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading They might have been waiting for a signal, they were so curiously still.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Then suddenly they were given one, for Miss Femm, who had begun to seem a mere object, turned herself into a real person again by rising from her chair and waddling away.

inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading She said nothing, gave no meaning glances, did not hesitate, but simply arose and departed.

applying to all or most members of a category or group

From this reading Throughout supper, all six of them (Miss Femm had never spoken a word) had chatted easily, though there had been no general burst of talk; but now they were quiet.

acknowledged as a supposition

From this reading Then suddenly they were given one, for Miss Femm, who had begun to seem a mere object, turned herself into a real person again by rising from her chair and waddling away.

plural of “glance” — a quick look

From this reading She said nothing, gave no meaning glances, did not hesitate, but simply arose and departed.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading They had finished eating now and had somehow drifted into silence.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading They might have been waiting for a signal, they were so curiously still.

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading Then suddenly they were given one, for Miss Femm, who had begun to seem a mere object, turned herself into a real person again by rising from her chair and waddling away.

used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object

From this reading Then suddenly they were given one, for Miss Femm, who had begun to seem a mere object, turned herself into a real person again by rising from her chair and waddling away.

pause or hold back in uncertainty or unwillingness

From this reading She said nothing, gave no meaning glances, did not hesitate, but simply arose and departed.

moving to the inside of something

From this reading They had finished eating now and had somehow drifted into silence.

the message that is intended or expressed or signified

From this reading She said nothing, gave no meaning glances, did not hesitate, but simply arose and departed.

being nothing more than specified

From this reading Then suddenly they were given one, for Miss Femm, who had begun to seem a mere object, turned herself into a real person again by rising from her chair and waddling away.

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading They might have been waiting for a signal, they were so curiously still.

fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind

From this reading Throughout supper, all six of them (Miss Femm had never spoken a word) had chatted easily, though there had been no general burst of talk; but now they were quiet.

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading Throughout supper, all six of them (Miss Femm had never spoken a word) had chatted easily, though there had been no general burst of talk; but now they were quiet.

not any; not one

From this reading Throughout supper, all six of them (Miss Femm had never spoken a word) had chatted easily, though there had been no general burst of talk; but now they were quiet.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading She said nothing, gave no meaning glances, did not hesitate, but simply arose and departed.

not one thing; not anything

From this reading She said nothing, gave no meaning glances, did not hesitate, but simply arose and departed.

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading They had finished eating now and had somehow drifted into silence.

a tangible and visible entity; an entity that can cast a shadow

From this reading Then suddenly they were given one, for Miss Femm, who had begun to seem a mere object, turned herself into a real person again by rising from her chair and waddling away.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Throughout supper, all six of them (Miss Femm had never spoken a word) had chatted easily, though there had been no general burst of talk; but now they were quiet.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Then suddenly they were given one, for Miss Femm, who had begun to seem a mere object, turned herself into a real person again by rising from her chair and waddling away.

a human being

From this reading Then suddenly they were given one, for Miss Femm, who had begun to seem a mere object, turned herself into a real person again by rising from her chair and waddling away.

characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity

From this reading Throughout supper, all six of them (Miss Femm had never spoken a word) had chatted easily, though there had been no general burst of talk; but now they were quiet.

being or occurring in fact or actuality; having verified existence; not illusory

From this reading Then suddenly they were given one, for Miss Femm, who had begun to seem a mere object, turned herself into a real person again by rising from her chair and waddling away.

advancing or becoming higher or greater in degree or value or status

From this reading Then suddenly they were given one, for Miss Femm, who had begun to seem a mere object, turned herself into a real person again by rising from her chair and waddling away.

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading She said nothing, gave no meaning glances, did not hesitate, but simply arose and departed.

give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading Then suddenly they were given one, for Miss Femm, who had begun to seem a mere object, turned herself into a real person again by rising from her chair and waddling away.

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading She said nothing, gave no meaning glances, did not hesitate, but simply arose and departed.

any nonverbal action or gesture that encodes a message

From this reading They might have been waiting for a signal, they were so curiously still.

Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.

From this reading They had finished eating now and had somehow drifted into silence.

and nothing more

From this reading She said nothing, gave no meaning glances, did not hesitate, but simply arose and departed.

the cardinal number that is the sum of five and one

From this reading Throughout supper, all six of them (Miss Femm had never spoken a word) had chatted easily, though there had been no general burst of talk; but now they were quiet.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading They might have been waiting for a signal, they were so curiously still.

in some unspecified way or manner; or by some unspecified means

From this reading They had finished eating now and had somehow drifted into silence.

uttered through the medium of speech or characterized by speech; sometimes used in combination

From this reading Throughout supper, all six of them (Miss Femm had never spoken a word) had chatted easily, though there had been no general burst of talk; but now they were quiet.

not in physical motion

From this reading They might have been waiting for a signal, they were so curiously still.

happening unexpectedly

From this reading Then suddenly they were given one, for Miss Femm, who had begun to seem a mere object, turned herself into a real person again by rising from her chair and waddling away.

a light evening meal; served in early evening if dinner is at midday or served late in the evening at bedtime

From this reading Throughout supper, all six of them (Miss Femm had never spoken a word) had chatted easily, though there had been no general burst of talk; but now they were quiet.

exchange thoughts; talk with

From this reading Throughout supper, all six of them (Miss Femm had never spoken a word) had chatted easily, though there had been no general burst of talk; but now they were quiet.

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading Throughout supper, all six of them (Miss Femm had never spoken a word) had chatted easily, though there had been no general burst of talk; but now they were quiet.

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading Then suddenly they were given one, for Miss Femm, who had begun to seem a mere object, turned herself into a real person again by rising from her chair and waddling away.

in or at that place or location

From this reading Throughout supper, all six of them (Miss Femm had never spoken a word) had chatted easily, though there had been no general burst of talk; but now they were quiet.

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading They had finished eating now and had somehow drifted into silence.

in spite of the fact that

From this reading Throughout supper, all six of them (Miss Femm had never spoken a word) had chatted easily, though there had been no general burst of talk; but now they were quiet.

in every part of a place, or for the whole of a period

From this reading Throughout supper, all six of them (Miss Femm had never spoken a word) had chatted easily, though there had been no general burst of talk; but now they were quiet.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading Then suddenly they were given one, for Miss Femm, who had begun to seem a mere object, turned herself into a real person again by rising from her chair and waddling away.

moved around an axis or center

From this reading Then suddenly they were given one, for Miss Femm, who had begun to seem a mere object, turned herself into a real person again by rising from her chair and waddling away.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Then suddenly they were given one, for Miss Femm, who had begun to seem a mere object, turned herself into a real person again by rising from her chair and waddling away.

the act of waiting (remaining inactive in one place while expecting something)

From this reading They might have been waiting for a signal, they were so curiously still.

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading Throughout supper, all six of them (Miss Femm had never spoken a word) had chatted easily, though there had been no general burst of talk; but now they were quiet.

which person or people

From this reading Then suddenly they were given one, for Miss Femm, who had begun to seem a mere object, turned herself into a real person again by rising from her chair and waddling away.

a unit of language that native speakers can identify

From this reading Throughout supper, all six of them (Miss Femm had never spoken a word) had chatted easily, though there had been no general burst of talk; but now they were quiet.