used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was too dear a triumph to a schoolboy's heart to create shudders of disgust every time he opened his mouth!
AfterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading After the first start of surprise, understanding dawned quickly enough.
(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 The pile of presents on the trays waxed rapidly less and less, the last parcel of all being of exceptional daintiness,--tissue-paper, tied round with a narrow blue ribbon.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Jill's present had been short-lived, but it had served its purpose, both in her eyes and Jack's, in causing the sensation of the evening, and the mother's pitiful, "Take them off, Jack dear, do!
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Jill's present had been short-lived, but it had served its purpose, both in her eyes and Jack's, in causing the sensation of the evening, and the mother's pitiful, "Take them off, Jack dear, do!
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading The pile of presents on the trays waxed rapidly less and less, the last parcel of all being of exceptional daintiness,--tissue-paper, tied round with a narrow blue ribbon.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading You look _so_ dreadful!" could not persuade Jack to peel off the disfiguring black squares.
of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky
From this reading The pile of presents on the trays waxed rapidly less and less, the last parcel of all being of exceptional daintiness,--tissue-paper, tied round with a narrow blue ribbon.
the two together, not just one
From this reading Jill's present had been short-lived, but it had served its purpose, both in her eyes and Jack's, in causing the sensation of the evening, and the mother's pitiful, "Take them off, Jack dear, do!
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Jill's present had been short-lived, but it had served its purpose, both in her eyes and Jack's, in causing the sensation of the evening, and the mother's pitiful, "Take them off, Jack dear, do!
causingnounUS /ˈkɑːzɪŋ/
the act of causing something to happen
From this reading Jill's present had been short-lived, but it had served its purpose, both in her eyes and Jack's, in causing the sensation of the evening, and the mother's pitiful, "Take them off, Jack dear, do!
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading You look _so_ dreadful!" could not persuade Jack to peel off the disfiguring black squares.
createverbUS /kriˈeɪt/
make or cause to be or to become
From this reading It was too dear a triumph to a schoolboy's heart to create shudders of disgust every time he opened his mouth!
daintinessnoun
the quality of being beautiful and delicate in appearance
From this reading The pile of presents on the trays waxed rapidly less and less, the last parcel of all being of exceptional daintiness,--tissue-paper, tied round with a narrow blue ribbon.
dawnedverbUS /dɔːnd/
past form of “dawn” — become clear or enter one's consciousness or emotions
From this reading After the first start of surprise, understanding dawned quickly enough.
dearly loved
From this reading Jill's present had been short-lived, but it had served its purpose, both in her eyes and Jack's, in causing the sensation of the evening, and the mother's pitiful, "Take them off, Jack dear, do!
disfiguringverbUS /dɪˈsfɪɡjərɪŋ/
-ing form of “disfigure” — mar or spoil the appearance of
From this reading You look _so_ dreadful!" could not persuade Jack to peel off the disfiguring black squares.
disgustverbUS /dɪsˈɡʌst/
fill with distaste
From this reading It was too dear a triumph to a schoolboy's heart to create shudders of disgust every time he opened his mouth!
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading Jill's present had been short-lived, but it had served its purpose, both in her eyes and Jack's, in causing the sensation of the evening, and the mother's pitiful, "Take them off, Jack dear, do!
causing fear or dread or terror
From this reading You look _so_ dreadful!" could not persuade Jack to peel off the disfiguring black squares.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading After the first start of surprise, understanding dawned quickly enough.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading Jill's present had been short-lived, but it had served its purpose, both in her eyes and Jack's, in causing the sensation of the evening, and the mother's pitiful, "Take them off, Jack dear, do!
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading It was too dear a triumph to a schoolboy's heart to create shudders of disgust every time he opened his mouth!
exceptionaladjectiveUS /ɪkˈsepʃənəl/
far beyond what is usual in magnitude or degree
From this reading The pile of presents on the trays waxed rapidly less and less, the last parcel of all being of exceptional daintiness,--tissue-paper, tied round with a narrow blue ribbon.
opinion or judgment
From this reading Jill's present had been short-lived, but it had served its purpose, both in her eyes and Jack's, in causing the sensation of the evening, and the mother's pitiful, "Take them off, Jack dear, do!
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading After the first start of surprise, understanding dawned quickly enough.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Jill's present had been short-lived, but it had served its purpose, both in her eyes and Jack's, in causing the sensation of the evening, and the mother's pitiful, "Take them off, Jack dear, do!
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It was too dear a triumph to a schoolboy's heart to create shudders of disgust every time he opened his mouth!
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading It was too dear a triumph to a schoolboy's heart to create shudders of disgust every time he opened his mouth!
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Jill's present had been short-lived, but it had served its purpose, both in her eyes and Jack's, in causing the sensation of the evening, and the mother's pitiful, "Take them off, Jack dear, do!
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading It was too dear a triumph to a schoolboy's heart to create shudders of disgust every time he opened his mouth!
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Jill's present had been short-lived, but it had served its purpose, both in her eyes and Jack's, in causing the sensation of the evening, and the mother's pitiful, "Take them off, Jack dear, do!
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Jill's present had been short-lived, but it had served its purpose, both in her eyes and Jack's, in causing the sensation of the evening, and the mother's pitiful, "Take them off, Jack dear, do!
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Jill's present had been short-lived, but it had served its purpose, both in her eyes and Jack's, in causing the sensation of the evening, and the mother's pitiful, "Take them off, Jack dear, do!
a small worthless amount
From this reading Jill's present had been short-lived, but it had served its purpose, both in her eyes and Jack's, in causing the sensation of the evening, and the mother's pitiful, "Take them off, Jack dear, do!
Jack'snounUS /dʒæks/
possessive form of “jack” — a small worthless amount
From this reading Jill's present had been short-lived, but it had served its purpose, both in her eyes and Jack's, in causing the sensation of the evening, and the mother's pitiful, "Take them off, Jack dear, do!
Jill's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Jill's present had been short-lived, but it had served its purpose, both in her eyes and Jack's, in causing the sensation of the evening, and the mother's pitiful, "Take them off, Jack dear, do!
immediately past
From this reading The pile of presents on the trays waxed rapidly less and less, the last parcel of all being of exceptional daintiness,--tissue-paper, tied round with a narrow blue ribbon.
used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs
From this reading The pile of presents on the trays waxed rapidly less and less, the last parcel of all being of exceptional daintiness,--tissue-paper, tied round with a narrow blue ribbon.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading You look _so_ dreadful!" could not persuade Jack to peel off the disfiguring black squares.
mother'snounUS /ˈmʌðərz/
possessive form of “mother” — a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading Jill's present had been short-lived, but it had served its purpose, both in her eyes and Jack's, in causing the sensation of the evening, and the mother's pitiful, "Take them off, Jack dear, do!
the opening through which food is taken in and vocalizations emerge
From this reading It was too dear a triumph to a schoolboy's heart to create shudders of disgust every time he opened his mouth!
make or become more narrow or restricted
From this reading The pile of presents on the trays waxed rapidly less and less, the last parcel of all being of exceptional daintiness,--tissue-paper, tied round with a narrow blue ribbon.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading You look _so_ dreadful!" could not persuade Jack to peel off the disfiguring black squares.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading After the first start of surprise, understanding dawned quickly enough.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Jill's present had been short-lived, but it had served its purpose, both in her eyes and Jack's, in causing the sensation of the evening, and the mother's pitiful, "Take them off, Jack dear, do!
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The pile of presents on the trays waxed rapidly less and less, the last parcel of all being of exceptional daintiness,--tissue-paper, tied round with a narrow blue ribbon.
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading It was too dear a triumph to a schoolboy's heart to create shudders of disgust every time he opened his mouth!
parcelnounUS /ˈpɑːrsəl/
a wrapped container
From this reading The pile of presents on the trays waxed rapidly less and less, the last parcel of all being of exceptional daintiness,--tissue-paper, tied round with a narrow blue ribbon.
peelverbUS /piːl/
strip the skin off
From this reading You look _so_ dreadful!" could not persuade Jack to peel off the disfiguring black squares.
persuadeverbUS /pərˈsweɪd/
win approval or support for
From this reading You look _so_ dreadful!" could not persuade Jack to peel off the disfiguring black squares.
pilenounUS /paɪl/
a collection of objects laid on top of each other
From this reading The pile of presents on the trays waxed rapidly less and less, the last parcel of all being of exceptional daintiness,--tissue-paper, tied round with a narrow blue ribbon.
pitifuladjectiveUS /ˈpɪtəfəl/
inspiring mixed contempt and pity
From this reading Jill's present had been short-lived, but it had served its purpose, both in her eyes and Jack's, in causing the sensation of the evening, and the mother's pitiful, "Take them off, Jack dear, do!
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading Jill's present had been short-lived, but it had served its purpose, both in her eyes and Jack's, in causing the sensation of the evening, and the mother's pitiful, "Take them off, Jack dear, do!
presentsnounUS /ˈprezənts/
plural of “present” — the period of time that is happening now; any continuous stretch of time including the moment of speech
From this reading The pile of presents on the trays waxed rapidly less and less, the last parcel of all being of exceptional daintiness,--tissue-paper, tied round with a narrow blue ribbon.
an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions
From this reading Jill's present had been short-lived, but it had served its purpose, both in her eyes and Jack's, in causing the sensation of the evening, and the mother's pitiful, "Take them off, Jack dear, do!
with speed
From this reading After the first start of surprise, understanding dawned quickly enough.
with speed
From this reading The pile of presents on the trays waxed rapidly less and less, the last parcel of all being of exceptional daintiness,--tissue-paper, tied round with a narrow blue ribbon.
ribbonnounUS /ˈrɪbən/
any long object resembling a thin line
From this reading The pile of presents on the trays waxed rapidly less and less, the last parcel of all being of exceptional daintiness,--tissue-paper, tied round with a narrow blue ribbon.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading The pile of presents on the trays waxed rapidly less and less, the last parcel of all being of exceptional daintiness,--tissue-paper, tied round with a narrow blue ribbon.
schoolboy's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was too dear a triumph to a schoolboy's heart to create shudders of disgust every time he opened his mouth!
an unelaborated elementary awareness of stimulation
From this reading Jill's present had been short-lived, but it had served its purpose, both in her eyes and Jack's, in causing the sensation of the evening, and the mother's pitiful, "Take them off, Jack dear, do!
past form of “serve” — serve a purpose, role, or function
From this reading Jill's present had been short-lived, but it had served its purpose, both in her eyes and Jack's, in causing the sensation of the evening, and the mother's pitiful, "Take them off, Jack dear, do!
short-livedadjectiveUS /ˈʃɔːrtˈlaɪvd/
lasting a very short time
From this reading Jill's present had been short-lived, but it had served its purpose, both in her eyes and Jack's, in causing the sensation of the evening, and the mother's pitiful, "Take them off, Jack dear, do!
shuddersnounUS /ˈʃʌdərz/
plural of “shudder” — an almost pleasurable sensation of fright
From this reading It was too dear a triumph to a schoolboy's heart to create shudders of disgust every time he opened his mouth!
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading You look _so_ dreadful!" could not persuade Jack to peel off the disfiguring black squares.
squaresnounUS /skwerz/
plural of “square” — (geometry) a plane rectangle with four equal sides and four right angles; a four-sided regular polygon
From this reading You look _so_ dreadful!" could not persuade Jack to peel off the disfiguring black squares.
take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading After the first start of surprise, understanding dawned quickly enough.
the astonishment you feel when something totally unexpected happens to you
From this reading After the first start of surprise, understanding dawned quickly enough.
carry out
From this reading Jill's present had been short-lived, but it had served its purpose, both in her eyes and Jack's, in causing the sensation of the evening, and the mother's pitiful, "Take them off, Jack dear, do!
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading After the first start of surprise, understanding dawned quickly enough.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Jill's present had been short-lived, but it had served its purpose, both in her eyes and Jack's, in causing the sensation of the evening, and the mother's pitiful, "Take them off, Jack dear, do!
bound or secured closely
From this reading The pile of presents on the trays waxed rapidly less and less, the last parcel of all being of exceptional daintiness,--tissue-paper, tied round with a narrow blue ribbon.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading It was too dear a triumph to a schoolboy's heart to create shudders of disgust every time he opened his mouth!
tissue-paper
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The pile of presents on the trays waxed rapidly less and less, the last parcel of all being of exceptional daintiness,--tissue-paper, tied round with a narrow blue ribbon.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading You look _so_ dreadful!" could not persuade Jack to peel off the disfiguring black squares.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading It was too dear a triumph to a schoolboy's heart to create shudders of disgust every time he opened his mouth!
traysnounUS /treɪz/
plural of “tray” — an open receptacle for holding or displaying or serving articles or food
From this reading The pile of presents on the trays waxed rapidly less and less, the last parcel of all being of exceptional daintiness,--tissue-paper, tied round with a narrow blue ribbon.
a successful ending of a struggle or contest
From this reading It was too dear a triumph to a schoolboy's heart to create shudders of disgust every time he opened his mouth!
the cognitive condition of someone who understands
From this reading After the first start of surprise, understanding dawned quickly enough.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was too dear a triumph to a schoolboy's heart to create shudders of disgust every time he opened his mouth!
waxedadjectiveUS /wækst/
treated with wax
From this reading The pile of presents on the trays waxed rapidly less and less, the last parcel of all being of exceptional daintiness,--tissue-paper, tied round with a narrow blue ribbon.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The pile of presents on the trays waxed rapidly less and less, the last parcel of all being of exceptional daintiness,--tissue-paper, tied round with a narrow blue ribbon.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading You look _so_ dreadful!" could not persuade Jack to peel off the disfiguring black squares.
