used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Only a short half year ago it looked unfamiliar, its grandeurs frightened her.
in the past
From this reading Only a short half year ago it looked unfamiliar, its grandeurs frightened her.
(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 She went up the broad stairway between Natalie and Alys silently, slowly; all three girls were trying not to cry.
using the voice; not silently
From this reading “I suppose her mortal life seemed queer to a changeling, too, when she first went back from fairy-land,” Beth said aloud, speaking out of her thoughts.
Alys
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She went up the broad stairway between Natalie and Alys silently, slowly; all three girls were trying not to cry.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Now it seemed to her like home and the more than simple house of her former life came before her memory like something utterly strange and barren.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading “I suppose her mortal life seemed queer to a changeling, too, when she first went back from fairy-land,” Beth said aloud, speaking out of her thoughts.
barrenadjectiveUS /ˈbærən/
providing no shelter or sustenance
From this reading Now it seemed to her like home and the more than simple house of her former life came before her memory like something utterly strange and barren.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Now it seemed to her like home and the more than simple house of her former life came before her memory like something utterly strange and barren.
BethnounUS /beθ/
the 2nd letter of the Hebrew alphabet
From this reading THE WONDER-WINTER MELTS IN SPRING How changed the house looked to Beth, now that it was settled that she was to leave it!
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading She went up the broad stairway between Natalie and Alys silently, slowly; all three girls were trying not to cry.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading She went up the broad stairway between Natalie and Alys silently, slowly; all three girls were trying not to cry.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Now it seemed to her like home and the more than simple house of her former life came before her memory like something utterly strange and barren.
made or become different in nature or form
From this reading THE WONDER-WINTER MELTS IN SPRING How changed the house looked to Beth, now that it was settled that she was to leave it!
changelingnoun
a person of subnormal intelligence
From this reading “I suppose her mortal life seemed queer to a changeling, too, when she first went back from fairy-land,” Beth said aloud, speaking out of her thoughts.
utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading She went up the broad stairway between Natalie and Alys silently, slowly; all three girls were trying not to cry.
fairy-land
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I suppose her mortal life seemed queer to a changeling, too, when she first went back from fairy-land,” Beth said aloud, speaking out of her thoughts.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading “I suppose her mortal life seemed queer to a changeling, too, when she first went back from fairy-land,” Beth said aloud, speaking out of her thoughts.
referring to the first of two things or persons mentioned (or the earlier one or ones of several)
From this reading Now it seemed to her like home and the more than simple house of her former life came before her memory like something utterly strange and barren.
made afraid
From this reading Only a short half year ago it looked unfamiliar, its grandeurs frightened her.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading “I suppose her mortal life seemed queer to a changeling, too, when she first went back from fairy-land,” Beth said aloud, speaking out of her thoughts.
plural of “girl” — a young female
From this reading She went up the broad stairway between Natalie and Alys silently, slowly; all three girls were trying not to cry.
grandeurs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Only a short half year ago it looked unfamiliar, its grandeurs frightened her.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading Only a short half year ago it looked unfamiliar, its grandeurs frightened her.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Only a short half year ago it looked unfamiliar, its grandeurs frightened her.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading Now it seemed to her like home and the more than simple house of her former life came before her memory like something utterly strange and barren.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading THE WONDER-WINTER MELTS IN SPRING How changed the house looked to Beth, now that it was settled that she was to leave it!
How
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE WONDER-WINTER MELTS IN SPRING How changed the house looked to Beth, now that it was settled that she was to leave it!
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “I suppose her mortal life seemed queer to a changeling, too, when she first went back from fairy-land,” Beth said aloud, speaking out of her thoughts.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THE WONDER-WINTER MELTS IN SPRING How changed the house looked to Beth, now that it was settled that she was to leave it!
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading THE WONDER-WINTER MELTS IN SPRING How changed the house looked to Beth, now that it was settled that she was to leave it!
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Only a short half year ago it looked unfamiliar, its grandeurs frightened her.
go away from a place
From this reading THE WONDER-WINTER MELTS IN SPRING How changed the house looked to Beth, now that it was settled that she was to leave it!
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading Now it seemed to her like home and the more than simple house of her former life came before her memory like something utterly strange and barren.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Now it seemed to her like home and the more than simple house of her former life came before her memory like something utterly strange and barren.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading THE WONDER-WINTER MELTS IN SPRING How changed the house looked to Beth, now that it was settled that she was to leave it!
MELTSnounUS /melts/
plural of “melt” — the process whereby heat changes something from a solid to a liquid
From this reading THE WONDER-WINTER MELTS IN SPRING How changed the house looked to Beth, now that it was settled that she was to leave it!
The faculty by which the mind stores and remembers information and knowledge.
From this reading Now it seemed to her like home and the more than simple house of her former life came before her memory like something utterly strange and barren.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Now it seemed to her like home and the more than simple house of her former life came before her memory like something utterly strange and barren.
subject to death
From this reading “I suppose her mortal life seemed queer to a changeling, too, when she first went back from fairy-land,” Beth said aloud, speaking out of her thoughts.
Natalie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She went up the broad stairway between Natalie and Alys silently, slowly; all three girls were trying not to cry.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading She went up the broad stairway between Natalie and Alys silently, slowly; all three girls were trying not to cry.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading THE WONDER-WINTER MELTS IN SPRING How changed the house looked to Beth, now that it was settled that she was to leave it!
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Now it seemed to her like home and the more than simple house of her former life came before her memory like something utterly strange and barren.
and nothing more
From this reading Only a short half year ago it looked unfamiliar, its grandeurs frightened her.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading “I suppose her mortal life seemed queer to a changeling, too, when she first went back from fairy-land,” Beth said aloud, speaking out of her thoughts.
beyond or deviating from the usual or expected
From this reading “I suppose her mortal life seemed queer to a changeling, too, when she first went back from fairy-land,” Beth said aloud, speaking out of her thoughts.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “I suppose her mortal life seemed queer to a changeling, too, when she first went back from fairy-land,” Beth said aloud, speaking out of her thoughts.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Now it seemed to her like home and the more than simple house of her former life came before her memory like something utterly strange and barren.
established or decided beyond dispute or doubt
From this reading THE WONDER-WINTER MELTS IN SPRING How changed the house looked to Beth, now that it was settled that she was to leave it!
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading THE WONDER-WINTER MELTS IN SPRING How changed the house looked to Beth, now that it was settled that she was to leave it!
primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration
From this reading Only a short half year ago it looked unfamiliar, its grandeurs frightened her.
without speaking
From this reading She went up the broad stairway between Natalie and Alys silently, slowly; all three girls were trying not to cry.
having few parts; not complex or complicated or involved
From this reading Now it seemed to her like home and the more than simple house of her former life came before her memory like something utterly strange and barren.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading She went up the broad stairway between Natalie and Alys silently, slowly; all three girls were trying not to cry.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading Now it seemed to her like home and the more than simple house of her former life came before her memory like something utterly strange and barren.
the utterance of intelligible speech
From this reading “I suppose her mortal life seemed queer to a changeling, too, when she first went back from fairy-land,” Beth said aloud, speaking out of her thoughts.
the season of growth
From this reading THE WONDER-WINTER MELTS IN SPRING How changed the house looked to Beth, now that it was settled that she was to leave it!
stairwaynounUS /ˈsterweɪ/
a way of access (upward and downward) consisting of a set of steps
From this reading She went up the broad stairway between Natalie and Alys silently, slowly; all three girls were trying not to cry.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading Now it seemed to her like home and the more than simple house of her former life came before her memory like something utterly strange and barren.
express a supposition
From this reading “I suppose her mortal life seemed queer to a changeling, too, when she first went back from fairy-land,” Beth said aloud, speaking out of her thoughts.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Now it seemed to her like home and the more than simple house of her former life came before her memory like something utterly strange and barren.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading THE WONDER-WINTER MELTS IN SPRING How changed the house looked to Beth, now that it was settled that she was to leave it!
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE WONDER-WINTER MELTS IN SPRING How changed the house looked to Beth, now that it was settled that she was to leave it!
plural of “thought” — the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading “I suppose her mortal life seemed queer to a changeling, too, when she first went back from fairy-land,” Beth said aloud, speaking out of her thoughts.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading She went up the broad stairway between Natalie and Alys silently, slowly; all three girls were trying not to cry.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE WONDER-WINTER MELTS IN SPRING How changed the house looked to Beth, now that it was settled that she was to leave it!
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading “I suppose her mortal life seemed queer to a changeling, too, when she first went back from fairy-land,” Beth said aloud, speaking out of her thoughts.
hard to endure
From this reading She went up the broad stairway between Natalie and Alys silently, slowly; all three girls were trying not to cry.
unfamiliaradjectiveUS /ˌʌnfəˈmɪljər/
not known or well known
From this reading Only a short half year ago it looked unfamiliar, its grandeurs frightened her.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading She went up the broad stairway between Natalie and Alys silently, slowly; all three girls were trying not to cry.
completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers
From this reading Now it seemed to her like home and the more than simple house of her former life came before her memory like something utterly strange and barren.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading THE WONDER-WINTER MELTS IN SPRING How changed the house looked to Beth, now that it was settled that she was to leave it!
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading She went up the broad stairway between Natalie and Alys silently, slowly; all three girls were trying not to cry.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading She went up the broad stairway between Natalie and Alys silently, slowly; all three girls were trying not to cry.
at the time that
From this reading “I suppose her mortal life seemed queer to a changeling, too, when she first went back from fairy-land,” Beth said aloud, speaking out of her thoughts.
WONDER-WINTER
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE WONDER-WINTER MELTS IN SPRING How changed the house looked to Beth, now that it was settled that she was to leave it!
a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days
From this reading Only a short half year ago it looked unfamiliar, its grandeurs frightened her.
