used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading In the morning indeed she had gathered some fragile strength, such strength as so wasted a form could exert, and the breeze and the fresh May sun made believe of health on her cheeks.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading Evening after evening, my dear mother’s presence seemed more and more dreamy and shadowy; and night after night she went feebler and feebler to bed.
(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 But for the present, curiosity, gratitude, hate, all feelings indeed and passions, except from the bled vein of love, and the heart-rooted fibres of sorrow, were to be crushed within me.
past form of “allow” — make it possible through a specific action or lack of action for something to happen
From this reading Those little liberties, which with less than a matron’s dignity, and more than a mother’s fondness she had so long allowed me, became as she still expected, and I could not bear to take them, so many great distresses.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading But for the present, curiosity, gratitude, hate, all feelings indeed and passions, except from the bled vein of love, and the heart-rooted fibres of sorrow, were to be crushed within me.
a human limb; technically the part of the superior limb between the shoulder and the elbow but commonly used to refer to the whole superior limb
From this reading But no more was I tempted to lay my arm round her waist, and rally her on its delicate girlish span, nor could I now look gaily into her eyes, and tell her how much she excelled her child.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading In the morning indeed she had gathered some fragile strength, such strength as so wasted a form could exert, and the breeze and the fresh May sun made believe of health on her cheeks.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading But for the present, curiosity, gratitude, hate, all feelings indeed and passions, except from the bled vein of love, and the heart-rooted fibres of sorrow, were to be crushed within me.
have
From this reading Those little liberties, which with less than a matron’s dignity, and more than a mother’s fondness she had so long allowed me, became as she still expected, and I could not bear to take them, so many great distresses.
inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading Those little liberties, which with less than a matron’s dignity, and more than a mother’s fondness she had so long allowed me, became as she still expected, and I could not bear to take them, so many great distresses.
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading Evening after evening, my dear mother’s presence seemed more and more dreamy and shadowy; and night after night she went feebler and feebler to bed.
accept as true; take to be true
From this reading In the morning indeed she had gathered some fragile strength, such strength as so wasted a form could exert, and the breeze and the fresh May sun made believe of health on her cheeks.
bledverbUS /bled/
inflected form of “bleed” — lose blood from one's body
From this reading But for the present, curiosity, gratitude, hate, all feelings indeed and passions, except from the bled vein of love, and the heart-rooted fibres of sorrow, were to be crushed within me.
a slight wind (usually refreshing)
From this reading In the morning indeed she had gathered some fragile strength, such strength as so wasted a form could exert, and the breeze and the fresh May sun made believe of health on her cheeks.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But for the present, curiosity, gratitude, hate, all feelings indeed and passions, except from the bled vein of love, and the heart-rooted fibres of sorrow, were to be crushed within me.
plural of “cheek” — either side of the face below the eyes
From this reading In the morning indeed she had gathered some fragile strength, such strength as so wasted a form could exert, and the breeze and the fresh May sun made believe of health on her cheeks.
a young person of either sex
From this reading But no more was I tempted to lay my arm round her waist, and rally her on its delicate girlish span, nor could I now look gaily into her eyes, and tell her how much she excelled her child.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading In the morning indeed she had gathered some fragile strength, such strength as so wasted a form could exert, and the breeze and the fresh May sun made believe of health on her cheeks.
crushedadjectiveUS /krʌʃt/
treated so as to have a permanently wrinkled appearance
From this reading But for the present, curiosity, gratitude, hate, all feelings indeed and passions, except from the bled vein of love, and the heart-rooted fibres of sorrow, were to be crushed within me.
a state in which you want to learn more about something
From this reading But for the present, curiosity, gratitude, hate, all feelings indeed and passions, except from the bled vein of love, and the heart-rooted fibres of sorrow, were to be crushed within me.
dearly loved
From this reading Evening after evening, my dear mother’s presence seemed more and more dreamy and shadowy; and night after night she went feebler and feebler to bed.
exquisitely fine and subtle and pleasing; susceptible to injury
From this reading But no more was I tempted to lay my arm round her waist, and rally her on its delicate girlish span, nor could I now look gaily into her eyes, and tell her how much she excelled her child.
the quality of being worthy of esteem or respect
From this reading Those little liberties, which with less than a matron’s dignity, and more than a mother’s fondness she had so long allowed me, became as she still expected, and I could not bear to take them, so many great distresses.
distressesnounUS /dɪˈstresɪz/
plural of “distress” — psychological suffering
From this reading Those little liberties, which with less than a matron’s dignity, and more than a mother’s fondness she had so long allowed me, became as she still expected, and I could not bear to take them, so many great distresses.
dreamyadjectiveUS /ˈdriːmi/
dreamy in mood or nature
From this reading Evening after evening, my dear mother’s presence seemed more and more dreamy and shadowy; and night after night she went feebler and feebler to bed.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading Evening after evening, my dear mother’s presence seemed more and more dreamy and shadowy; and night after night she went feebler and feebler to bed.
excelledverbUS /ɪkˈseld/
inflected form of “excel” — distinguish oneself
From this reading But no more was I tempted to lay my arm round her waist, and rally her on its delicate girlish span, nor could I now look gaily into her eyes, and tell her how much she excelled her child.
apart from; not including
From this reading But for the present, curiosity, gratitude, hate, all feelings indeed and passions, except from the bled vein of love, and the heart-rooted fibres of sorrow, were to be crushed within me.
exertverbUS /ɪɡˈzɜːrt/
put to use
From this reading In the morning indeed she had gathered some fragile strength, such strength as so wasted a form could exert, and the breeze and the fresh May sun made believe of health on her cheeks.
considered likely or probable to happen or arrive
From this reading Those little liberties, which with less than a matron’s dignity, and more than a mother’s fondness she had so long allowed me, became as she still expected, and I could not bear to take them, so many great distresses.
opinion or judgment
From this reading But no more was I tempted to lay my arm round her waist, and rally her on its delicate girlish span, nor could I now look gaily into her eyes, and tell her how much she excelled her child.
feebler
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Evening after evening, my dear mother’s presence seemed more and more dreamy and shadowy; and night after night she went feebler and feebler to bed.
emotional or moral sensitivity (especially in relation to personal principles or dignity)
From this reading But for the present, curiosity, gratitude, hate, all feelings indeed and passions, except from the bled vein of love, and the heart-rooted fibres of sorrow, were to be crushed within me.
fibresnounUS /ˈfaɪbərz/
plural of “fibre” — a slender and greatly elongated substance capable of being spun into yarn
From this reading But for the present, curiosity, gratitude, hate, all feelings indeed and passions, except from the bled vein of love, and the heart-rooted fibres of sorrow, were to be crushed within me.
fondnessnounUS /ˈfɑːndnəs/
a predisposition to like something
From this reading Those little liberties, which with less than a matron’s dignity, and more than a mother’s fondness she had so long allowed me, became as she still expected, and I could not bear to take them, so many great distresses.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading But for the present, curiosity, gratitude, hate, all feelings indeed and passions, except from the bled vein of love, and the heart-rooted fibres of sorrow, were to be crushed within me.
the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something
From this reading In the morning indeed she had gathered some fragile strength, such strength as so wasted a form could exert, and the breeze and the fresh May sun made believe of health on her cheeks.
fragileadjectiveUS /ˈfrædʒəl/
easily broken or damaged or destroyed
From this reading In the morning indeed she had gathered some fragile strength, such strength as so wasted a form could exert, and the breeze and the fresh May sun made believe of health on her cheeks.
recently made, produced, or harvested
From this reading In the morning indeed she had gathered some fragile strength, such strength as so wasted a form could exert, and the breeze and the fresh May sun made believe of health on her cheeks.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading But for the present, curiosity, gratitude, hate, all feelings indeed and passions, except from the bled vein of love, and the heart-rooted fibres of sorrow, were to be crushed within me.
gailyadverbUS /ˈɡeɪli/
in a gay manner
From this reading But no more was I tempted to lay my arm round her waist, and rally her on its delicate girlish span, nor could I now look gaily into her eyes, and tell her how much she excelled her child.
brought together in one place
From this reading In the morning indeed she had gathered some fragile strength, such strength as so wasted a form could exert, and the breeze and the fresh May sun made believe of health on her cheeks.
girlishadjectiveUS /ˈɡɜːrlɪʃ/
befitting or characteristic of a young girl
From this reading But no more was I tempted to lay my arm round her waist, and rally her on its delicate girlish span, nor could I now look gaily into her eyes, and tell her how much she excelled her child.
a feeling of thankfulness and appreciation
From this reading But for the present, curiosity, gratitude, hate, all feelings indeed and passions, except from the bled vein of love, and the heart-rooted fibres of sorrow, were to be crushed within me.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading Those little liberties, which with less than a matron’s dignity, and more than a mother’s fondness she had so long allowed me, became as she still expected, and I could not bear to take them, so many great distresses.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading In the morning indeed she had gathered some fragile strength, such strength as so wasted a form could exert, and the breeze and the fresh May sun made believe of health on her cheeks.
the emotion of intense dislike; a feeling of dislike so strong that it demands action
From this reading But for the present, curiosity, gratitude, hate, all feelings indeed and passions, except from the bled vein of love, and the heart-rooted fibres of sorrow, were to be crushed within me.
a healthy state of wellbeing free from disease
From this reading In the morning indeed she had gathered some fragile strength, such strength as so wasted a form could exert, and the breeze and the fresh May sun made believe of health on her cheeks.
heart-rooted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But for the present, curiosity, gratitude, hate, all feelings indeed and passions, except from the bled vein of love, and the heart-rooted fibres of sorrow, were to be crushed within me.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading In the morning indeed she had gathered some fragile strength, such strength as so wasted a form could exert, and the breeze and the fresh May sun made believe of health on her cheeks.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But no more was I tempted to lay my arm round her waist, and rally her on its delicate girlish span, nor could I now look gaily into her eyes, and tell her how much she excelled her child.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading But no more was I tempted to lay my arm round her waist, and rally her on its delicate girlish span, nor could I now look gaily into her eyes, and tell her how much she excelled her child.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In the morning indeed she had gathered some fragile strength, such strength as so wasted a form could exert, and the breeze and the fresh May sun made believe of health on her cheeks.
in truth (often tends to intensify)
From this reading But for the present, curiosity, gratitude, hate, all feelings indeed and passions, except from the bled vein of love, and the heart-rooted fibres of sorrow, were to be crushed within me.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading But no more was I tempted to lay my arm round her waist, and rally her on its delicate girlish span, nor could I now look gaily into her eyes, and tell her how much she excelled her child.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading But no more was I tempted to lay my arm round her waist, and rally her on its delicate girlish span, nor could I now look gaily into her eyes, and tell her how much she excelled her child.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading But no more was I tempted to lay my arm round her waist, and rally her on its delicate girlish span, nor could I now look gaily into her eyes, and tell her how much she excelled her child.
used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs
From this reading Those little liberties, which with less than a matron’s dignity, and more than a mother’s fondness she had so long allowed me, became as she still expected, and I could not bear to take them, so many great distresses.
libertiesnounUS /ˈlɪbərtiːz/
plural of “liberty” — immunity from arbitrary exercise of authority: political independence
From this reading Those little liberties, which with less than a matron’s dignity, and more than a mother’s fondness she had so long allowed me, became as she still expected, and I could not bear to take them, so many great distresses.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Those little liberties, which with less than a matron’s dignity, and more than a mother’s fondness she had so long allowed me, became as she still expected, and I could not bear to take them, so many great distresses.
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 Those little liberties, which with less than a matron’s dignity, and more than a mother’s fondness she had so long allowed me, became as she still expected, and I could not bear to take them, so many great distresses.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading But no more was I tempted to lay my arm round her waist, and rally her on its delicate girlish span, nor could I now look gaily into her eyes, and tell her how much she excelled her child.
a strong positive emotion of regard and affection
From this reading But for the present, curiosity, gratitude, hate, all feelings indeed and passions, except from the bled vein of love, and the heart-rooted fibres of sorrow, were to be crushed within me.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading In the morning indeed she had gathered some fragile strength, such strength as so wasted a form could exert, and the breeze and the fresh May sun made believe of health on her cheeks.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading Those little liberties, which with less than a matron’s dignity, and more than a mother’s fondness she had so long allowed me, became as she still expected, and I could not bear to take them, so many great distresses.
matron's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Those little liberties, which with less than a matron’s dignity, and more than a mother’s fondness she had so long allowed me, became as she still expected, and I could not bear to take them, so many great distresses.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading In the morning indeed she had gathered some fragile strength, such strength as so wasted a form could exert, and the breeze and the fresh May sun made believe of health on her cheeks.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading But for the present, curiosity, gratitude, hate, all feelings indeed and passions, except from the bled vein of love, and the heart-rooted fibres of sorrow, were to be crushed within me.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Evening after evening, my dear mother’s presence seemed more and more dreamy and shadowy; and night after night she went feebler and feebler to bed.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading In the morning indeed she had gathered some fragile strength, such strength as so wasted a form could exert, and the breeze and the fresh May sun made believe of health on her cheeks.
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 Evening after evening, my dear mother’s presence seemed more and more dreamy and shadowy; and night after night she went feebler and feebler to bed.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading But no more was I tempted to lay my arm round her waist, and rally her on its delicate girlish span, nor could I now look gaily into her eyes, and tell her how much she excelled her child.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading Evening after evening, my dear mother’s presence seemed more and more dreamy and shadowy; and night after night she went feebler and feebler to bed.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading Evening after evening, my dear mother’s presence seemed more and more dreamy and shadowy; and night after night she went feebler and feebler to bed.
not any; not one
From this reading But no more was I tempted to lay my arm round her waist, and rally her on its delicate girlish span, nor could I now look gaily into her eyes, and tell her how much she excelled her child.
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading But no more was I tempted to lay my arm round her waist, and rally her on its delicate girlish span, nor could I now look gaily into her eyes, and tell her how much she excelled her child.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Those little liberties, which with less than a matron’s dignity, and more than a mother’s fondness she had so long allowed me, became as she still expected, and I could not bear to take them, so many great distresses.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading But no more was I tempted to lay my arm round her waist, and rally her on its delicate girlish span, nor could I now look gaily into her eyes, and tell her how much she excelled her child.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading But for the present, curiosity, gratitude, hate, all feelings indeed and passions, except from the bled vein of love, and the heart-rooted fibres of sorrow, were to be crushed within me.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading In the morning indeed she had gathered some fragile strength, such strength as so wasted a form could exert, and the breeze and the fresh May sun made believe of health on her cheeks.
passionsnounUS /ˈpæʃənz/
plural of “passion” — a strong feeling or emotion
From this reading But for the present, curiosity, gratitude, hate, all feelings indeed and passions, except from the bled vein of love, and the heart-rooted fibres of sorrow, were to be crushed within me.
the state of being present; current existence
From this reading Evening after evening, my dear mother’s presence seemed more and more dreamy and shadowy; and night after night she went feebler and feebler to bed.
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading But for the present, curiosity, gratitude, hate, all feelings indeed and passions, except from the bled vein of love, and the heart-rooted fibres of sorrow, were to be crushed within me.
rallyverbUS /ˈræli/
gather
From this reading But no more was I tempted to lay my arm round her waist, and rally her on its delicate girlish span, nor could I now look gaily into her eyes, and tell her how much she excelled her child.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading But no more was I tempted to lay my arm round her waist, and rally her on its delicate girlish span, nor could I now look gaily into her eyes, and tell her how much she excelled her child.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Evening after evening, my dear mother’s presence seemed more and more dreamy and shadowy; and night after night she went feebler and feebler to bed.
shadowyadjectiveUS /ˈʃædoʊi/
filled with shade
From this reading Evening after evening, my dear mother’s presence seemed more and more dreamy and shadowy; and night after night she went feebler and feebler to bed.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Evening after evening, my dear mother’s presence seemed more and more dreamy and shadowy; and night after night she went feebler and feebler to bed.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading In the morning indeed she had gathered some fragile strength, such strength as so wasted a form could exert, and the breeze and the fresh May sun made believe of health on her cheeks.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading In the morning indeed she had gathered some fragile strength, such strength as so wasted a form could exert, and the breeze and the fresh May sun made believe of health on her cheeks.
an emotion of great sadness associated with loss or bereavement
From this reading But for the present, curiosity, gratitude, hate, all feelings indeed and passions, except from the bled vein of love, and the heart-rooted fibres of sorrow, were to be crushed within me.
spannounUS /spæn/
the complete duration of something
From this reading But no more was I tempted to lay my arm round her waist, and rally her on its delicate girlish span, nor could I now look gaily into her eyes, and tell her how much she excelled her child.
not in physical motion
From this reading Those little liberties, which with less than a matron’s dignity, and more than a mother’s fondness she had so long allowed me, became as she still expected, and I could not bear to take them, so many great distresses.
the property of being physically or mentally strong
From this reading In the morning indeed she had gathered some fragile strength, such strength as so wasted a form could exert, and the breeze and the fresh May sun made believe of health on her cheeks.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading In the morning indeed she had gathered some fragile strength, such strength as so wasted a form could exert, and the breeze and the fresh May sun made believe of health on her cheeks.
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading In the morning indeed she had gathered some fragile strength, such strength as so wasted a form could exert, and the breeze and the fresh May sun made believe of health on her cheeks.
carry out
From this reading Those little liberties, which with less than a matron’s dignity, and more than a mother’s fondness she had so long allowed me, became as she still expected, and I could not bear to take them, so many great distresses.
express in words
From this reading But no more was I tempted to lay my arm round her waist, and rally her on its delicate girlish span, nor could I now look gaily into her eyes, and tell her how much she excelled her child.
temptedverbUS /ˈtemptɪd/
past form of “tempt” — dispose or incline or entice to
From this reading But no more was I tempted to lay my arm round her waist, and rally her on its delicate girlish span, nor could I now look gaily into her eyes, and tell her how much she excelled her child.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Those little liberties, which with less than a matron’s dignity, and more than a mother’s fondness she had so long allowed me, became as she still expected, and I could not bear to take them, so many great distresses.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading But for the present, curiosity, gratitude, hate, all feelings indeed and passions, except from the bled vein of love, and the heart-rooted fibres of sorrow, were to be crushed within me.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Those little liberties, which with less than a matron’s dignity, and more than a mother’s fondness she had so long allowed me, became as she still expected, and I could not bear to take them, so many great distresses.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading Those little liberties, which with less than a matron’s dignity, and more than a mother’s fondness she had so long allowed me, became as she still expected, and I could not bear to take them, so many great distresses.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading But for the present, curiosity, gratitude, hate, all feelings indeed and passions, except from the bled vein of love, and the heart-rooted fibres of sorrow, were to be crushed within me.
veinnounUS /veɪn/
a blood vessel that carries blood from the capillaries toward the heart
From this reading But for the present, curiosity, gratitude, hate, all feelings indeed and passions, except from the bled vein of love, and the heart-rooted fibres of sorrow, were to be crushed within me.
the narrowing of the body between the ribs and hips
From this reading But no more was I tempted to lay my arm round her waist, and rally her on its delicate girlish span, nor could I now look gaily into her eyes, and tell her how much she excelled her child.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading But no more was I tempted to lay my arm round her waist, and rally her on its delicate girlish span, nor could I now look gaily into her eyes, and tell her how much she excelled her child.
wastedadjectiveUS /ˈweɪstɪd/
serving no useful purpose; having no excuse for being
From this reading In the morning indeed she had gathered some fragile strength, such strength as so wasted a form could exert, and the breeze and the fresh May sun made believe of health on her cheeks.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Evening after evening, my dear mother’s presence seemed more and more dreamy and shadowy; and night after night she went feebler and feebler to bed.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading But for the present, curiosity, gratitude, hate, all feelings indeed and passions, except from the bled vein of love, and the heart-rooted fibres of sorrow, were to be crushed within me.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Those little liberties, which with less than a matron’s dignity, and more than a mother’s fondness she had so long allowed me, became as she still expected, and I could not bear to take them, so many great distresses.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Those little liberties, which with less than a matron’s dignity, and more than a mother’s fondness she had so long allowed me, became as she still expected, and I could not bear to take them, so many great distresses.
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading But for the present, curiosity, gratitude, hate, all feelings indeed and passions, except from the bled vein of love, and the heart-rooted fibres of sorrow, were to be crushed within me.
