used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading They rather welcomed the sight of Miss Cora, stiff-backed and stern-lipped, bearing down upon them like a tug of war.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading They had learned in their history, that in "union there is strength," and now they were about to test the truth of it.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading They had left Billie inside the dormitory, had gone into the hall, closed the door after them firmly and had defiantly placed themselves before it.
anew
From this reading If one of them felt her courage slipping, all she had to do was to think of the breakfast they had had that morning and, presto, it was all back again.
(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 If one of them felt her courage slipping, all she had to do was to think of the breakfast they had had that morning and, presto, it was all back again.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE CAPTURE The girls expected trouble and they had not long to wait for it.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading If one of them felt her courage slipping, all she had to do was to think of the breakfast they had had that morning and, presto, it was all back again.
relevant relation or interconnection
From this reading They rather welcomed the sight of Miss Cora, stiff-backed and stern-lipped, bearing down upon them like a tug of war.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading They had left Billie inside the dormitory, had gone into the hall, closed the door after them firmly and had defiantly placed themselves before it.
Billie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They had left Billie inside the dormitory, had gone into the hall, closed the door after them firmly and had defiantly placed themselves before it.
eat an early morning meal
From this reading If one of them felt her courage slipping, all she had to do was to think of the breakfast they had had that morning and, presto, it was all back again.
CAPTUREverbUS /ˈkæptʃər/
succeed in representing or expressing something intangible
From this reading THE CAPTURE The girls expected trouble and they had not long to wait for it.
not open or affording passage or access
From this reading They had left Billie inside the dormitory, had gone into the hall, closed the door after them firmly and had defiantly placed themselves before it.
CoranounUS /ˈkɔːrə/
(Greek mythology) daughter of Zeus and Demeter; made queen of the underworld by Pluto in ancient mythology; identified with Roman Proserpina
From this reading They rather welcomed the sight of Miss Cora, stiff-backed and stern-lipped, bearing down upon them like a tug of war.
a quality of spirit that enables you to face danger or pain without showing fear
From this reading If one of them felt her courage slipping, all she had to do was to think of the breakfast they had had that morning and, presto, it was all back again.
defiantlyadverbUS /dɪˈfaɪəntli/
in a rebellious manner
From this reading They had left Billie inside the dormitory, had gone into the hall, closed the door after them firmly and had defiantly placed themselves before it.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading If one of them felt her courage slipping, all she had to do was to think of the breakfast they had had that morning and, presto, it was all back again.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading They had left Billie inside the dormitory, had gone into the hall, closed the door after them firmly and had defiantly placed themselves before it.
dormitorynounUS /ˈdɔːrmətɔːri/
a college or university building containing living quarters for students
From this reading They had left Billie inside the dormitory, had gone into the hall, closed the door after them firmly and had defiantly placed themselves before it.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading They rather welcomed the sight of Miss Cora, stiff-backed and stern-lipped, bearing down upon them like a tug of war.
considered likely or probable to happen or arrive
From this reading THE CAPTURE The girls expected trouble and they had not long to wait for it.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading If one of them felt her courage slipping, all she had to do was to think of the breakfast they had had that morning and, presto, it was all back again.
with resolute determination
From this reading They had left Billie inside the dormitory, had gone into the hall, closed the door after them firmly and had defiantly placed themselves before it.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading THE CAPTURE The girls expected trouble and they had not long to wait for it.
plural of “girl” — a young female
From this reading THE CAPTURE The girls expected trouble and they had not long to wait for it.
destroyed or killed
From this reading They had left Billie inside the dormitory, had gone into the hall, closed the door after them firmly and had defiantly placed themselves before it.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading THE CAPTURE The girls expected trouble and they had not long to wait for it.
an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open
From this reading They had left Billie inside the dormitory, had gone into the hall, closed the door after them firmly and had defiantly placed themselves before it.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading If one of them felt her courage slipping, all she had to do was to think of the breakfast they had had that morning and, presto, it was all back again.
the aggregate of past events
From this reading They had learned in their history, that in "union there is strength," and now they were about to test the truth of it.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If one of them felt her courage slipping, all she had to do was to think of the breakfast they had had that morning and, presto, it was all back again.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading They had learned in their history, that in "union there is strength," and now they were about to test the truth of it.
relating to or being on the side closer to the center or within a defined space
From this reading They had left Billie inside the dormitory, had gone into the hall, closed the door after them firmly and had defiantly placed themselves before it.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading They had left Billie inside the dormitory, had gone into the hall, closed the door after them firmly and had defiantly placed themselves before it.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading They had learned in their history, that in "union there is strength," and now they were about to test the truth of it.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading THE CAPTURE The girls expected trouble and they had not long to wait for it.
having or showing profound knowledge
From this reading They had learned in their history, that in "union there is strength," and now they were about to test the truth of it.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading They had left Billie inside the dormitory, had gone into the hall, closed the door after them firmly and had defiantly placed themselves before it.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading They rather welcomed the sight of Miss Cora, stiff-backed and stern-lipped, bearing down upon them like a tug of war.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading THE CAPTURE The girls expected trouble and they had not long to wait for it.
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading They rather welcomed the sight of Miss Cora, stiff-backed and stern-lipped, bearing down upon them like a tug of war.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading If one of them felt her courage slipping, all she had to do was to think of the breakfast they had had that morning and, presto, it was all back again.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading THE CAPTURE The girls expected trouble and they had not long to wait for it.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading They had learned in their history, that in "union there is strength," and now they were about to test the truth of it.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading They rather welcomed the sight of Miss Cora, stiff-backed and stern-lipped, bearing down upon them like a tug of war.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading If one of them felt her courage slipping, all she had to do was to think of the breakfast they had had that morning and, presto, it was all back again.
situated in a particular spot or position
From this reading They had left Billie inside the dormitory, had gone into the hall, closed the door after them firmly and had defiantly placed themselves before it.
prestoadverbUS /ˈprestoʊ/
suddenly
From this reading If one of them felt her courage slipping, all she had to do was to think of the breakfast they had had that morning and, presto, it was all back again.
on the contrary
From this reading They rather welcomed the sight of Miss Cora, stiff-backed and stern-lipped, bearing down upon them like a tug of war.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading If one of them felt her courage slipping, all she had to do was to think of the breakfast they had had that morning and, presto, it was all back again.
an instance of visual perception
From this reading They rather welcomed the sight of Miss Cora, stiff-backed and stern-lipped, bearing down upon them like a tug of war.
slippingadjectiveUS /ˈslɪpɪŋ/
moving as on a slippery surface
From this reading If one of them felt her courage slipping, all she had to do was to think of the breakfast they had had that morning and, presto, it was all back again.
stern-lipped
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They rather welcomed the sight of Miss Cora, stiff-backed and stern-lipped, bearing down upon them like a tug of war.
stiff-backedadjective
having a stiff back
From this reading They rather welcomed the sight of Miss Cora, stiff-backed and stern-lipped, bearing down upon them like a tug of war.
the property of being physically or mentally strong
From this reading They had learned in their history, that in "union there is strength," and now they were about to test the truth of it.
testnounUS /test/
trying something to find out about it
From this reading They had learned in their history, that in "union there is strength," and now they were about to test the truth of it.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading They had learned in their history, that in "union there is strength," and now they were about to test the truth of it.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE CAPTURE The girls expected trouble and they had not long to wait for it.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading They had learned in their history, that in "union there is strength," and now they were about to test the truth of it.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading They had left Billie inside the dormitory, had gone into the hall, closed the door after them firmly and had defiantly placed themselves before it.
used when the people doing the action are also its object
From this reading They had left Billie inside the dormitory, had gone into the hall, closed the door after them firmly and had defiantly placed themselves before it.
in or at that place or location
From this reading They had learned in their history, that in "union there is strength," and now they were about to test the truth of it.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading THE CAPTURE The girls expected trouble and they had not long to wait for it.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading If one of them felt her courage slipping, all she had to do was to think of the breakfast they had had that morning and, presto, it was all back again.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE CAPTURE The girls expected trouble and they had not long to wait for it.
a source of difficulty
From this reading THE CAPTURE The girls expected trouble and they had not long to wait for it.
a fact that has been verified
From this reading They had learned in their history, that in "union there is strength," and now they were about to test the truth of it.
tugverbUS /tʌɡ/
pull hard
From this reading They rather welcomed the sight of Miss Cora, stiff-backed and stern-lipped, bearing down upon them like a tug of war.
an organization of employees formed to bargain with the employer
From this reading They had learned in their history, that in "union there is strength," and now they were about to test the truth of it.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading They rather welcomed the sight of Miss Cora, stiff-backed and stern-lipped, bearing down upon them like a tug of war.
stay in one place and anticipate or expect something
From this reading THE CAPTURE The girls expected trouble and they had not long to wait for it.
the waging of armed conflict against an enemy
From this reading They rather welcomed the sight of Miss Cora, stiff-backed and stern-lipped, bearing down upon them like a tug of war.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading If one of them felt her courage slipping, all she had to do was to think of the breakfast they had had that morning and, presto, it was all back again.
welcomedverbUS /ˈwelkəmd/
past form of “welcome” — accept gladly
From this reading They rather welcomed the sight of Miss Cora, stiff-backed and stern-lipped, bearing down upon them like a tug of war.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They had learned in their history, that in "union there is strength," and now they were about to test the truth of it.
