used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Sally always remembered that winter, a winter of hard work and growing anxiety for her, enlivened by brief and occasional joys.
AfterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading After the times when they were not, Sally wanted to cry, but she didn't, which made it all the harder.
(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 After the times when they were not, Sally wanted to cry, but she didn't, which made it all the harder.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading Sally always remembered that winter, a winter of hard work and growing anxiety for her, enlivened by brief and occasional joys.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading Sally did not count dancing-school among the enlivenments.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Sally always remembered that winter, a winter of hard work and growing anxiety for her, enlivened by brief and occasional joys.
(psychiatry) a relatively permanent state of worry and nervousness occurring in a variety of mental disorders, usually accompanied by compulsive behavior or attacks of panic
From this reading Sally always remembered that winter, a winter of hard work and growing anxiety for her, enlivened by brief and occasional joys.
of short duration or distance
From this reading Sally always remembered that winter, a winter of hard work and growing anxiety for her, enlivened by brief and occasional joys.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading After the times when they were not, Sally wanted to cry, but she didn't, which made it all the harder.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Sally always remembered that winter, a winter of hard work and growing anxiety for her, enlivened by brief and occasional joys.
continualadjectiveUS /kənˈtɪnjuːəl/
recurring regularly or frequently in a prolonged and closely spaced series
From this reading She got to know Fox and Henrietta very well, which was a continual joy and enlivenment.
determine the number or amount of
From this reading Sally did not count dancing-school among the enlivenments.
utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading After the times when they were not, Sally wanted to cry, but she didn't, which made it all the harder.
dancing-school
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sally did not count dancing-school among the enlivenments.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Sally did not count dancing-school among the enlivenments.
didn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading After the times when they were not, Sally wanted to cry, but she didn't, which made it all the harder.
enlivenedadjectiveUS /enˈlaɪvənd/
made sprightly or cheerful
From this reading Sally always remembered that winter, a winter of hard work and growing anxiety for her, enlivened by brief and occasional joys.
enlivenment
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She got to know Fox and Henrietta very well, which was a continual joy and enlivenment.
enlivenments
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sally did not count dancing-school among the enlivenments.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading And the infrequent lessons with Fox and Henrietta and her father were enlivenments, too, usually; not always.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Sally always remembered that winter, a winter of hard work and growing anxiety for her, enlivened by brief and occasional joys.
alert carnivorous mammal with pointed muzzle and ears and a bushy tail; most are predators that do not hunt in packs
From this reading She got to know Fox and Henrietta very well, which was a continual joy and enlivenment.
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading She got to know Fox and Henrietta very well, which was a continual joy and enlivenment.
(biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level
From this reading Sally always remembered that winter, a winter of hard work and growing anxiety for her, enlivened by brief and occasional joys.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading Sally always remembered that winter, a winter of hard work and growing anxiety for her, enlivened by brief and occasional joys.
harderadverbUS /ˈhɑːrdər/
comparative of “hard” — with effort or force or vigor
From this reading After the times when they were not, Sally wanted to cry, but she didn't, which made it all the harder.
Henrietta
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She got to know Fox and Henrietta very well, which was a continual joy and enlivenment.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Sally always remembered that winter, a winter of hard work and growing anxiety for her, enlivened by brief and occasional joys.
infrequentadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈfriːkwənt/
not frequent; not occurring regularly or at short intervals
From this reading And the infrequent lessons with Fox and Henrietta and her father were enlivenments, too, usually; not always.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading After the times when they were not, Sally wanted to cry, but she didn't, which made it all the harder.
the emotion of great happiness
From this reading She got to know Fox and Henrietta very well, which was a continual joy and enlivenment.
joysnounUS /dʒɔɪz/
plural of “joy” — the emotion of great happiness
From this reading Sally always remembered that winter, a winter of hard work and growing anxiety for her, enlivened by brief and occasional joys.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading She got to know Fox and Henrietta very well, which was a continual joy and enlivenment.
lessonsnounUS /ˈlesənz/
plural of “lesson” — a unit of instruction
From this reading And the infrequent lessons with Fox and Henrietta and her father were enlivenments, too, usually; not always.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading After the times when they were not, Sally wanted to cry, but she didn't, which made it all the harder.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Sally did not count dancing-school among the enlivenments.
occasionaladjectiveUS /əˈkeɪʒənəl/
occurring from time to time
From this reading Sally always remembered that winter, a winter of hard work and growing anxiety for her, enlivened by brief and occasional joys.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Sally always remembered that winter, a winter of hard work and growing anxiety for her, enlivened by brief and occasional joys.
past form of “remember” — recall knowledge from memory; have a recollection
From this reading Sally always remembered that winter, a winter of hard work and growing anxiety for her, enlivened by brief and occasional joys.
witty remark
From this reading Sally always remembered that winter, a winter of hard work and growing anxiety for her, enlivened by brief and occasional joys.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She got to know Fox and Henrietta very well, which was a continual joy and enlivenment.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Sally always remembered that winter, a winter of hard work and growing anxiety for her, enlivened by brief and occasional joys.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Sally did not count dancing-school among the enlivenments.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading After the times when they were not, Sally wanted to cry, but she didn't, which made it all the harder.
a more or less definite period of time now or previously present
From this reading After the times when they were not, Sally wanted to cry, but she didn't, which made it all the harder.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading She got to know Fox and Henrietta very well, which was a continual joy and enlivenment.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading And the infrequent lessons with Fox and Henrietta and her father were enlivenments, too, usually; not always.
under normal conditions
From this reading And the infrequent lessons with Fox and Henrietta and her father were enlivenments, too, usually; not always.
precisely as stated
From this reading She got to know Fox and Henrietta very well, which was a continual joy and enlivenment.
desired or wished for or sought
From this reading After the times when they were not, Sally wanted to cry, but she didn't, which made it all the harder.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading She got to know Fox and Henrietta very well, which was a continual joy and enlivenment.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading She got to know Fox and Henrietta very well, which was a continual joy and enlivenment.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading And the infrequent lessons with Fox and Henrietta and her father were enlivenments, too, usually; not always.
at the time that
From this reading After the times when they were not, Sally wanted to cry, but she didn't, which made it all the harder.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading She got to know Fox and Henrietta very well, which was a continual joy and enlivenment.
the coldest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the winter solstice to the vernal equinox
From this reading Sally always remembered that winter, a winter of hard work and growing anxiety for her, enlivened by brief and occasional joys.
in the company of; together with
From this reading And the infrequent lessons with Fox and Henrietta and her father were enlivenments, too, usually; not always.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading Sally always remembered that winter, a winter of hard work and growing anxiety for her, enlivened by brief and occasional joys.
