Chapter III

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

From this reading THE CULT OF THE B. C. A.’S WHEN Betty first unfolded what Will flippantly called the Morton-Prexy Proposition to the family circle, the “if” loomed very large indeed on mother’s face and larger still on Dorothy’s.

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading There was some reason in her trying to earn money in her own way last year, but now there isn’t the least sense in plunging into this project, just when the tea-shop is so nicely started and she has won the right to an easy time.”

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

From this reading THE CULT OF THE B. C. A.’S WHEN Betty first unfolded what Will flippantly called the Morton-Prexy Proposition to the family circle, the “if” loomed very large indeed on mother’s face and larger still on Dorothy’s.

aerobic rod-shaped spore-producing bacterium; often occurring in chainlike formations; found primarily in soil

From this reading THE CULT OF THE B. C. A.’S WHEN Betty first unfolded what Will flippantly called the Morton-Prexy Proposition to the family circle, the “if” loomed very large indeed on mother’s face and larger still on Dorothy’s.

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading It would be too much for Betty, mother said.

earlier than; in front of

From this reading “And I don’t want my little girl to get tired and dragged-out and old before she has to.

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

From this reading THE CULT OF THE B. C. A.’S WHEN Betty first unfolded what Will flippantly called the Morton-Prexy Proposition to the family circle, the “if” loomed very large indeed on mother’s face and larger still on Dorothy’s.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading There was some reason in her trying to earn money in her own way last year, but now there isn’t the least sense in plunging into this project, just when the tea-shop is so nicely started and she has won the right to an easy time.”

a degree on the centigrade scale of temperature

From this reading THE CULT OF THE B. C. A.’S WHEN Betty first unfolded what Will flippantly called the Morton-Prexy Proposition to the family circle, the “if” loomed very large indeed on mother’s face and larger still on Dorothy’s.

past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading THE CULT OF THE B. C. A.’S WHEN Betty first unfolded what Will flippantly called the Morton-Prexy Proposition to the family circle, the “if” loomed very large indeed on mother’s face and larger still on Dorothy’s.

a person who is in charge

From this reading “But, mother dear,” Betty interposed, “an easy time isn’t the chief thing in life.”

ellipse in which the two axes are of equal length; a plane curve generated by one point moving at a constant distance from a fixed point

From this reading THE CULT OF THE B. C. A.’S WHEN Betty first unfolded what Will flippantly called the Morton-Prexy Proposition to the family circle, the “if” loomed very large indeed on mother’s face and larger still on Dorothy’s.

followers of an exclusive system of beliefs and practices

From this reading THE CULT OF THE B. C. A.’S WHEN Betty first unfolded what Will flippantly called the Morton-Prexy Proposition to the family circle, the “if” loomed very large indeed on mother’s face and larger still on Dorothy’s.

dearly loved

From this reading “But, mother dear,” Betty interposed, “an easy time isn’t the chief thing in life.”

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

From this reading “And I don’t want my little girl to get tired and dragged-out and old before she has to.

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

From this reading THE CULT OF THE B. C. A.’S WHEN Betty first unfolded what Will flippantly called the Morton-Prexy Proposition to the family circle, the “if” loomed very large indeed on mother’s face and larger still on Dorothy’s.

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

From this reading “And I don’t want my little girl to get tired and dragged-out and old before she has to.

earn on some commercial or business transaction; earn as salary or wages

From this reading There was some reason in her trying to earn money in her own way last year, but now there isn’t the least sense in plunging into this project, just when the tea-shop is so nicely started and she has won the right to an easy time.”

posing no difficulty; requiring little effort

From this reading There was some reason in her trying to earn money in her own way last year, but now there isn’t the least sense in plunging into this project, just when the tea-shop is so nicely started and she has won the right to an easy time.”

the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear

From this reading THE CULT OF THE B. C. A.’S WHEN Betty first unfolded what Will flippantly called the Morton-Prexy Proposition to the family circle, the “if” loomed very large indeed on mother’s face and larger still on Dorothy’s.

a social unit living together

From this reading THE CULT OF THE B. C. A.’S WHEN Betty first unfolded what Will flippantly called the Morton-Prexy Proposition to the family circle, the “if” loomed very large indeed on mother’s face and larger still on Dorothy’s.

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading THE CULT OF THE B. C. A.’S WHEN Betty first unfolded what Will flippantly called the Morton-Prexy Proposition to the family circle, the “if” loomed very large indeed on mother’s face and larger still on Dorothy’s.

in a flippant manner

From this reading THE CULT OF THE B. C. A.’S WHEN Betty first unfolded what Will flippantly called the Morton-Prexy Proposition to the family circle, the “if” loomed very large indeed on mother’s face and larger still on Dorothy’s.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading It would be too much for Betty, mother said.

come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading “And I don’t want my little girl to get tired and dragged-out and old before she has to.

a young female

From this reading “And I don’t want my little girl to get tired and dragged-out and old before she has to.

the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading “And I don’t want my little girl to get tired and dragged-out and old before she has to.

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

From this reading There was some reason in her trying to earn money in her own way last year, but now there isn’t the least sense in plunging into this project, just when the tea-shop is so nicely started and she has won the right to an easy time.”

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading “And I don’t want my little girl to get tired and dragged-out and old before she has to.

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading THE CULT OF THE B. C. A.’S WHEN Betty first unfolded what Will flippantly called the Morton-Prexy Proposition to the family circle, the “if” loomed very large indeed on mother’s face and larger still on Dorothy’s.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading There was some reason in her trying to earn money in her own way last year, but now there isn’t the least sense in plunging into this project, just when the tea-shop is so nicely started and she has won the right to an easy time.”

in truth (often tends to intensify)

From this reading THE CULT OF THE B. C. A.’S WHEN Betty first unfolded what Will flippantly called the Morton-Prexy Proposition to the family circle, the “if” loomed very large indeed on mother’s face and larger still on Dorothy’s.

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

From this reading “But, mother dear,” Betty interposed, “an easy time isn’t the chief thing in life.”

moving to the inside of something

From this reading There was some reason in her trying to earn money in her own way last year, but now there isn’t the least sense in plunging into this project, just when the tea-shop is so nicely started and she has won the right to an easy time.”

the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading There was some reason in her trying to earn money in her own way last year, but now there isn’t the least sense in plunging into this project, just when the tea-shop is so nicely started and she has won the right to an easy time.”

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

From this reading There was some reason in her trying to earn money in her own way last year, but now there isn’t the least sense in plunging into this project, just when the tea-shop is so nicely started and she has won the right to an easy time.”

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It would be too much for Betty, mother said.

and nothing more

From this reading There was some reason in her trying to earn money in her own way last year, but now there isn’t the least sense in plunging into this project, just when the tea-shop is so nicely started and she has won the right to an easy time.”

above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading THE CULT OF THE B. C. A.’S WHEN Betty first unfolded what Will flippantly called the Morton-Prexy Proposition to the family circle, the “if” loomed very large indeed on mother’s face and larger still on Dorothy’s.

large or big relative to something else

From this reading THE CULT OF THE B. C. A.’S WHEN Betty first unfolded what Will flippantly called the Morton-Prexy Proposition to the family circle, the “if” loomed very large indeed on mother’s face and larger still on Dorothy’s.

immediately past

From this reading There was some reason in her trying to earn money in her own way last year, but now there isn’t the least sense in plunging into this project, just when the tea-shop is so nicely started and she has won the right to an easy time.”

the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree

From this reading There was some reason in her trying to earn money in her own way last year, but now there isn’t the least sense in plunging into this project, just when the tea-shop is so nicely started and she has won the right to an easy time.”

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading “But, mother dear,” Betty interposed, “an easy time isn’t the chief thing in life.”

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading “And I don’t want my little girl to get tired and dragged-out and old before she has to.

past form of “loom” — come into view indistinctly, often threateningly

From this reading THE CULT OF THE B. C. A.’S WHEN Betty first unfolded what Will flippantly called the Morton-Prexy Proposition to the family circle, the “if” loomed very large indeed on mother’s face and larger still on Dorothy’s.

the most common medium of exchange; functions as legal tender

From this reading There was some reason in her trying to earn money in her own way last year, but now there isn’t the least sense in plunging into this project, just when the tea-shop is so nicely started and she has won the right to an easy time.”

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

From this reading THE CULT OF THE B. C. A.’S WHEN Betty first unfolded what Will flippantly called the Morton-Prexy Proposition to the family circle, the “if” loomed very large indeed on mother’s face and larger still on Dorothy’s.

a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)

From this reading It would be too much for Betty, mother said.

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 THE CULT OF THE B. C. A.’S WHEN Betty first unfolded what Will flippantly called the Morton-Prexy Proposition to the family circle, the “if” loomed very large indeed on mother’s face and larger still on Dorothy’s.

to a great degree or extent

From this reading It would be too much for Betty, mother said.

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading “And I don’t want my little girl to get tired and dragged-out and old before she has to.

in a nice way

From this reading There was some reason in her trying to earn money in her own way last year, but now there isn’t the least sense in plunging into this project, just when the tea-shop is so nicely started and she has won the right to an easy time.”

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

From this reading There was some reason in her trying to earn money in her own way last year, but now there isn’t the least sense in plunging into this project, just when the tea-shop is so nicely started and she has won the right to an easy time.”

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading THE CULT OF THE B. C. A.’S WHEN Betty first unfolded what Will flippantly called the Morton-Prexy Proposition to the family circle, the “if” loomed very large indeed on mother’s face and larger still on Dorothy’s.

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading “And I don’t want my little girl to get tired and dragged-out and old before she has to.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading THE CULT OF THE B. C. A.’S WHEN Betty first unfolded what Will flippantly called the Morton-Prexy Proposition to the family circle, the “if” loomed very large indeed on mother’s face and larger still on Dorothy’s.

have ownership or possession of

From this reading There was some reason in her trying to earn money in her own way last year, but now there isn’t the least sense in plunging into this project, just when the tea-shop is so nicely started and she has won the right to an easy time.”

-ing form of “plunge” — thrust or throw into

From this reading There was some reason in her trying to earn money in her own way last year, but now there isn’t the least sense in plunging into this project, just when the tea-shop is so nicely started and she has won the right to an easy time.”

communicate vividly

From this reading There was some reason in her trying to earn money in her own way last year, but now there isn’t the least sense in plunging into this project, just when the tea-shop is so nicely started and she has won the right to an easy time.”

(logic) a statement that affirms or denies something and is either true or false

From this reading THE CULT OF THE B. C. A.’S WHEN Betty first unfolded what Will flippantly called the Morton-Prexy Proposition to the family circle, the “if” loomed very large indeed on mother’s face and larger still on Dorothy’s.

a rational motive for a belief or action

From this reading There was some reason in her trying to earn money in her own way last year, but now there isn’t the least sense in plunging into this project, just when the tea-shop is so nicely started and she has won the right to an easy time.”

precisely, exactly

From this reading There was some reason in her trying to earn money in her own way last year, but now there isn’t the least sense in plunging into this project, just when the tea-shop is so nicely started and she has won the right to an easy time.”

1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites

From this reading THE CULT OF THE B. C. A.’S WHEN Betty first unfolded what Will flippantly called the Morton-Prexy Proposition to the family circle, the “if” loomed very large indeed on mother’s face and larger still on Dorothy’s.

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading It would be too much for Betty, mother said.

a general conscious awareness

From this reading There was some reason in her trying to earn money in her own way last year, but now there isn’t the least sense in plunging into this project, just when the tea-shop is so nicely started and she has won the right to an easy time.”

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

From this reading “And I don’t want my little girl to get tired and dragged-out and old before she has to.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading There was some reason in her trying to earn money in her own way last year, but now there isn’t the least sense in plunging into this project, just when the tea-shop is so nicely started and she has won the right to an easy time.”

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading There was some reason in her trying to earn money in her own way last year, but now there isn’t the least sense in plunging into this project, just when the tea-shop is so nicely started and she has won the right to an easy time.”

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

From this reading There was some reason in her trying to earn money in her own way last year, but now there isn’t the least sense in plunging into this project, just when the tea-shop is so nicely started and she has won the right to an easy time.”

not in physical motion

From this reading THE CULT OF THE B. C. A.’S WHEN Betty first unfolded what Will flippantly called the Morton-Prexy Proposition to the family circle, the “if” loomed very large indeed on mother’s face and larger still on Dorothy’s.

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

From this reading There was some reason in her trying to earn money in her own way last year, but now there isn’t the least sense in plunging into this project, just when the tea-shop is so nicely started and she has won the right to an easy time.”

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading THE CULT OF THE B. C. A.’S WHEN Betty first unfolded what Will flippantly called the Morton-Prexy Proposition to the family circle, the “if” loomed very large indeed on mother’s face and larger still on Dorothy’s.

in or at that place or location

From this reading There was some reason in her trying to earn money in her own way last year, but now there isn’t the least sense in plunging into this project, just when the tea-shop is so nicely started and she has won the right to an easy time.”

a special situation

From this reading “But, mother dear,” Betty interposed, “an easy time isn’t the chief thing in life.”

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading There was some reason in her trying to earn money in her own way last year, but now there isn’t the least sense in plunging into this project, just when the tea-shop is so nicely started and she has won the right to an easy time.”

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading There was some reason in her trying to earn money in her own way last year, but now there isn’t the least sense in plunging into this project, just when the tea-shop is so nicely started and she has won the right to an easy time.”

depleted of strength or energy

From this reading “And I don’t want my little girl to get tired and dragged-out and old before she has to.

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

From this reading THE CULT OF THE B. C. A.’S WHEN Betty first unfolded what Will flippantly called the Morton-Prexy Proposition to the family circle, the “if” loomed very large indeed on mother’s face and larger still on Dorothy’s.

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading It would be too much for Betty, mother said.

hard to endure

From this reading There was some reason in her trying to earn money in her own way last year, but now there isn’t the least sense in plunging into this project, just when the tea-shop is so nicely started and she has won the right to an easy time.”

past form of “unfold” — develop or come to a promising stage

From this reading THE CULT OF THE B. C. A.’S WHEN Betty first unfolded what Will flippantly called the Morton-Prexy Proposition to the family circle, the “if” loomed very large indeed on mother’s face and larger still on Dorothy’s.

precisely as stated

From this reading THE CULT OF THE B. C. A.’S WHEN Betty first unfolded what Will flippantly called the Morton-Prexy Proposition to the family circle, the “if” loomed very large indeed on mother’s face and larger still on Dorothy’s.

feel or have a desire for; want strongly

From this reading “And I don’t want my little girl to get tired and dragged-out and old before she has to.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading There was some reason in her trying to earn money in her own way last year, but now there isn’t the least sense in plunging into this project, just when the tea-shop is so nicely started and she has won the right to an easy time.”

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading There was some reason in her trying to earn money in her own way last year, but now there isn’t the least sense in plunging into this project, just when the tea-shop is so nicely started and she has won the right to an easy time.”

used to ask for information about something

From this reading THE CULT OF THE B. C. A.’S WHEN Betty first unfolded what Will flippantly called the Morton-Prexy Proposition to the family circle, the “if” loomed very large indeed on mother’s face and larger still on Dorothy’s.

at the time that

From this reading THE CULT OF THE B. C. A.’S WHEN Betty first unfolded what Will flippantly called the Morton-Prexy Proposition to the family circle, the “if” loomed very large indeed on mother’s face and larger still on Dorothy’s.

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading THE CULT OF THE B. C. A.’S WHEN Betty first unfolded what Will flippantly called the Morton-Prexy Proposition to the family circle, the “if” loomed very large indeed on mother’s face and larger still on Dorothy’s.

the basic unit of money in South Korea

From this reading There was some reason in her trying to earn money in her own way last year, but now there isn’t the least sense in plunging into this project, just when the tea-shop is so nicely started and she has won the right to an easy time.”

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading It would be too much for Betty, mother said.

a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days

From this reading There was some reason in her trying to earn money in her own way last year, but now there isn’t the least sense in plunging into this project, just when the tea-shop is so nicely started and she has won the right to an easy time.”