used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was the sublimated infatuation half compounded of dreams, half of instinct, which a little girl usually has for her doll.
(usually followed by “to”) having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something
From this reading She had possessed dolls, of course, but she had never been quite able to rise above the obvious sham of them, the cloth and the sawdust and the paint.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading She had possessed dolls, of course, but she had never been quite able to rise above the obvious sham of them, the cloth and the sawdust and the paint.
a positive feeling of liking
From this reading Why she should have been ashamed of her affection, her passion, for it was, in fact, passion, her first, she could not have told.
(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 Maria had fallen in love with the baby, and her first impulse, as in the case of all true love, was secrecy.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Maria had fallen in love with the baby, and her first impulse, as in the case of all true love, was secrecy.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading But Maria had never had any particular love for a doll.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Maria had fallen in love with the baby, and her first impulse, as in the case of all true love, was secrecy.
feeling shame or guilt or embarrassment or remorse
From this reading Why she should have been ashamed of her affection, her passion, for it was, in fact, passion, her first, she could not have told.
a very young child (birth to 1 year) who has not yet begun to walk or talk
From this reading Maria had fallen in love with the baby, and her first impulse, as in the case of all true love, was secrecy.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Why she should have been ashamed of her affection, her passion, for it was, in fact, passion, her first, she could not have told.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But Maria had never had any particular love for a doll.
an occurrence of something
From this reading Maria had fallen in love with the baby, and her first impulse, as in the case of all true love, was secrecy.
artifact made by weaving or felting or knitting or crocheting natural or synthetic fibers
From this reading She had possessed dolls, of course, but she had never been quite able to rise above the obvious sham of them, the cloth and the sawdust and the paint.
compoundedadjectiveUS /kəmˈpaʊndəd/
combined into or constituting a chemical compound
From this reading It was the sublimated infatuation half compounded of dreams, half of instinct, which a little girl usually has for her doll.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Why she should have been ashamed of her affection, her passion, for it was, in fact, passion, her first, she could not have told.
education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading She had possessed dolls, of course, but she had never been quite able to rise above the obvious sham of them, the cloth and the sawdust and the paint.
dollnounUS /dɑːl/
a small replica of a person; used as a toy
From this reading It was the sublimated infatuation half compounded of dreams, half of instinct, which a little girl usually has for her doll.
dollsnounUS /dɑːlz/
plural of “doll” — a small replica of a person; used as a toy
From this reading She had possessed dolls, of course, but she had never been quite able to rise above the obvious sham of them, the cloth and the sawdust and the paint.
plural of “dream” — a series of mental images and emotions occurring during sleep
From this reading It was the sublimated infatuation half compounded of dreams, half of instinct, which a little girl usually has for her doll.
a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred
From this reading Why she should have been ashamed of her affection, her passion, for it was, in fact, passion, her first, she could not have told.
having dropped by the force of gravity
From this reading Maria had fallen in love with the baby, and her first impulse, as in the case of all true love, was secrecy.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading Maria had fallen in love with the baby, and her first impulse, as in the case of all true love, was secrecy.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Why she should have been ashamed of her affection, her passion, for it was, in fact, passion, her first, she could not have told.
a young female
From this reading It was the sublimated infatuation half compounded of dreams, half of instinct, which a little girl usually has for her doll.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Maria had fallen in love with the baby, and her first impulse, as in the case of all true love, was secrecy.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading It was the sublimated infatuation half compounded of dreams, half of instinct, which a little girl usually has for her doll.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was the sublimated infatuation half compounded of dreams, half of instinct, which a little girl usually has for her doll.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Why she should have been ashamed of her affection, her passion, for it was, in fact, passion, her first, she could not have told.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Maria had fallen in love with the baby, and her first impulse, as in the case of all true love, was secrecy.
an instinctive motive
From this reading Maria had fallen in love with the baby, and her first impulse, as in the case of all true love, was secrecy.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Maria had fallen in love with the baby, and her first impulse, as in the case of all true love, was secrecy.
infatuationnounUS /ˌɪnfætʃuːˈeɪʃən/
a foolish and usually extravagant passion or love or admiration
From this reading It was the sublimated infatuation half compounded of dreams, half of instinct, which a little girl usually has for her doll.
inborn pattern of behavior often responsive to specific stimuli
From this reading It was the sublimated infatuation half compounded of dreams, half of instinct, which a little girl usually has for her doll.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Why she should have been ashamed of her affection, her passion, for it was, in fact, passion, her first, she could not have told.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading It was the sublimated infatuation half compounded of dreams, half of instinct, which a little girl usually has for her doll.
a strong positive emotion of regard and affection
From this reading Maria had fallen in love with the baby, and her first impulse, as in the case of all true love, was secrecy.
MarianounUS /mərˈiːə/
a dark region of considerable extent on the surface of the moon
From this reading Maria had fallen in love with the baby, and her first impulse, as in the case of all true love, was secrecy.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading But Maria had never had any particular love for a doll.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Why she should have been ashamed of her affection, her passion, for it was, in fact, passion, her first, she could not have told.
obviousadjectiveUS /ˈɑːbviəs/
easily perceived by the senses or grasped by the mind
From this reading She had possessed dolls, of course, but she had never been quite able to rise above the obvious sham of them, the cloth and the sawdust and the paint.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Maria had fallen in love with the baby, and her first impulse, as in the case of all true love, was secrecy.
make a painting
From this reading She had possessed dolls, of course, but she had never been quite able to rise above the obvious sham of them, the cloth and the sawdust and the paint.
unique or specific to a person or thing or category
From this reading But Maria had never had any particular love for a doll.
a strong feeling or emotion
From this reading Why she should have been ashamed of her affection, her passion, for it was, in fact, passion, her first, she could not have told.
influenced or controlled by a powerful force such as a strong emotion
From this reading She had possessed dolls, of course, but she had never been quite able to rise above the obvious sham of them, the cloth and the sawdust and the paint.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading She had possessed dolls, of course, but she had never been quite able to rise above the obvious sham of them, the cloth and the sawdust and the paint.
move upward
From this reading She had possessed dolls, of course, but she had never been quite able to rise above the obvious sham of them, the cloth and the sawdust and the paint.
sawdustnounUS /ˈsɔːdʌst/
fine particles of wood made by sawing wood
From this reading She had possessed dolls, of course, but she had never been quite able to rise above the obvious sham of them, the cloth and the sawdust and the paint.
secrecynounUS /ˈsiːkrəsi/
the trait of keeping things secret
From this reading Maria had fallen in love with the baby, and her first impulse, as in the case of all true love, was secrecy.
shamnounUS /ʃæm/
something that is a counterfeit; not what it seems to be
From this reading She had possessed dolls, of course, but she had never been quite able to rise above the obvious sham of them, the cloth and the sawdust and the paint.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Why she should have been ashamed of her affection, her passion, for it was, in fact, passion, her first, she could not have told.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading Why she should have been ashamed of her affection, her passion, for it was, in fact, passion, her first, she could not have told.
sublimatedadjective
passing or having passed from the solid to the gaseous state (or vice versa) without becoming liquid
From this reading It was the sublimated infatuation half compounded of dreams, half of instinct, which a little girl usually has for her doll.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Maria had fallen in love with the baby, and her first impulse, as in the case of all true love, was secrecy.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading She had possessed dolls, of course, but she had never been quite able to rise above the obvious sham of them, the cloth and the sawdust and the paint.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading She had possessed dolls, of course, but she had never been quite able to rise above the obvious sham of them, the cloth and the sawdust and the paint.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading Why she should have been ashamed of her affection, her passion, for it was, in fact, passion, her first, she could not have told.
consistent with fact or reality; not false
From this reading Maria had fallen in love with the baby, and her first impulse, as in the case of all true love, was secrecy.
under normal conditions
From this reading It was the sublimated infatuation half compounded of dreams, half of instinct, which a little girl usually has for her doll.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Maria had fallen in love with the baby, and her first impulse, as in the case of all true love, was secrecy.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading It was the sublimated infatuation half compounded of dreams, half of instinct, which a little girl usually has for her doll.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading Why she should have been ashamed of her affection, her passion, for it was, in fact, passion, her first, she could not have told.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Maria had fallen in love with the baby, and her first impulse, as in the case of all true love, was secrecy.
