used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading While Lady Vera's friends are seeking with heavy hearts some clew to her strange fate, the fair young countess, half distracted with grief, remains a closely-guarded captive in the ruined mansion in the lonely wood.
ailingadjectiveUS /ˈeɪlɪŋ/
somewhat ill or prone to illness
From this reading In spite of all her tears and protestations Betsy Robson persists in believing her to be a dangerous lunatic, and in treating her as such, albeit always kind and complaisant as to an ailing child.
albeitconjunctionUS /ɔːlˈbiːɪt/
although
From this reading In spite of all her tears and protestations Betsy Robson persists in believing her to be a dangerous lunatic, and in treating her as such, albeit always kind and complaisant as to an ailing child.
(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 In spite of all her tears and protestations Betsy Robson persists in believing her to be a dangerous lunatic, and in treating her as such, albeit always kind and complaisant as to an ailing child.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading In spite of all her tears and protestations Betsy Robson persists in believing her to be a dangerous lunatic, and in treating her as such, albeit always kind and complaisant as to an ailing child.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading In spite of all her tears and protestations Betsy Robson persists in believing her to be a dangerous lunatic, and in treating her as such, albeit always kind and complaisant as to an ailing child.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading In spite of all her tears and protestations Betsy Robson persists in believing her to be a dangerous lunatic, and in treating her as such, albeit always kind and complaisant as to an ailing child.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading While Lady Vera's friends are seeking with heavy hearts some clew to her strange fate, the fair young countess, half distracted with grief, remains a closely-guarded captive in the ruined mansion in the lonely wood.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading In spite of all her tears and protestations Betsy Robson persists in believing her to be a dangerous lunatic, and in treating her as such, albeit always kind and complaisant as to an ailing child.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading In spite of all her tears and protestations Betsy Robson persists in believing her to be a dangerous lunatic, and in treating her as such, albeit always kind and complaisant as to an ailing child.
relevant relation or interconnection
From this reading The summer days glide slowly past, each one bearing some portion of hope from Vera's lonely heart.
beguileverbUS /bɪˈɡaɪl/
influence by slyness
From this reading The days were so long and lonely without books, music or occupation to beguile them of their length and dreariness.
believingnounUS /bɪˈliːvɪŋ/
the cognitive process that leads to convictions
From this reading In spite of all her tears and protestations Betsy Robson persists in believing her to be a dangerous lunatic, and in treating her as such, albeit always kind and complaisant as to an ailing child.
Betsy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In spite of all her tears and protestations Betsy Robson persists in believing her to be a dangerous lunatic, and in treating her as such, albeit always kind and complaisant as to an ailing child.
Bound written or printed works.
From this reading The days were so long and lonely without books, music or occupation to beguile them of their length and dreariness.
captivenounUS /ˈkæptɪv/
a person who is confined; especially a prisoner of war
From this reading While Lady Vera's friends are seeking with heavy hearts some clew to her strange fate, the fair young countess, half distracted with grief, remains a closely-guarded captive in the ruined mansion in the lonely wood.
a young person of either sex
From this reading In spite of all her tears and protestations Betsy Robson persists in believing her to be a dangerous lunatic, and in treating her as such, albeit always kind and complaisant as to an ailing child.
clewnoun
a ball of yarn or cord or thread
From this reading While Lady Vera's friends are seeking with heavy hearts some clew to her strange fate, the fair young countess, half distracted with grief, remains a closely-guarded captive in the ruined mansion in the lonely wood.
closely-guarded
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading While Lady Vera's friends are seeking with heavy hearts some clew to her strange fate, the fair young countess, half distracted with grief, remains a closely-guarded captive in the ruined mansion in the lonely wood.
complaisantadjectiveUS /kəmˈpleɪsənt/
showing a cheerful willingness to do favors for others
From this reading In spite of all her tears and protestations Betsy Robson persists in believing her to be a dangerous lunatic, and in treating her as such, albeit always kind and complaisant as to an ailing child.
female equivalent of a count or earl
From this reading While Lady Vera's friends are seeking with heavy hearts some clew to her strange fate, the fair young countess, half distracted with grief, remains a closely-guarded captive in the ruined mansion in the lonely wood.
involving or causing danger or risk; liable to hurt or harm
From this reading In spite of all her tears and protestations Betsy Robson persists in believing her to be a dangerous lunatic, and in treating her as such, albeit always kind and complaisant as to an ailing child.
the first light of day
From this reading With the dawn of each day she had hoped for release--with the sunset of each day she had wept over her disappointment.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading With the dawn of each day she had hoped for release--with the sunset of each day she had wept over her disappointment.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading The summer days glide slowly past, each one bearing some portion of hope from Vera's lonely heart.
a feeling of dissatisfaction that results when your expectations are not realized
From this reading With the dawn of each day she had hoped for release--with the sunset of each day she had wept over her disappointment.
distractedadjectiveUS /dɪˈstræktəd/
having the attention diverted especially because of anxiety
From this reading While Lady Vera's friends are seeking with heavy hearts some clew to her strange fate, the fair young countess, half distracted with grief, remains a closely-guarded captive in the ruined mansion in the lonely wood.
drearinessnounUS /ˈdriːrinəs/
extreme dullness; lacking spirit or interest
From this reading The days were so long and lonely without books, music or occupation to beguile them of their length and dreariness.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading The summer days glide slowly past, each one bearing some portion of hope from Vera's lonely heart.
free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; conforming with established standards or rules
From this reading While Lady Vera's friends are seeking with heavy hearts some clew to her strange fate, the fair young countess, half distracted with grief, remains a closely-guarded captive in the ruined mansion in the lonely wood.
an event (or a course of events) that will inevitably happen in the future
From this reading While Lady Vera's friends are seeking with heavy hearts some clew to her strange fate, the fair young countess, half distracted with grief, remains a closely-guarded captive in the ruined mansion in the lonely wood.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading With the dawn of each day she had hoped for release--with the sunset of each day she had wept over her disappointment.
plural of “friend” — a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading While Lady Vera's friends are seeking with heavy hearts some clew to her strange fate, the fair young countess, half distracted with grief, remains a closely-guarded captive in the ruined mansion in the lonely wood.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The summer days glide slowly past, each one bearing some portion of hope from Vera's lonely heart.
glideverbUS /ɡlaɪd/
move smoothly and effortlessly
From this reading The summer days glide slowly past, each one bearing some portion of hope from Vera's lonely heart.
intense sorrow caused by loss of a loved one (especially by death)
From this reading While Lady Vera's friends are seeking with heavy hearts some clew to her strange fate, the fair young countess, half distracted with grief, remains a closely-guarded captive in the ruined mansion in the lonely wood.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading With the dawn of each day she had hoped for release--with the sunset of each day she had wept over her disappointment.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading While Lady Vera's friends are seeking with heavy hearts some clew to her strange fate, the fair young countess, half distracted with grief, remains a closely-guarded captive in the ruined mansion in the lonely wood.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading The summer days glide slowly past, each one bearing some portion of hope from Vera's lonely heart.
a form of whist in which players avoid winning tricks containing hearts or the queen of spades
From this reading While Lady Vera's friends are seeking with heavy hearts some clew to her strange fate, the fair young countess, half distracted with grief, remains a closely-guarded captive in the ruined mansion in the lonely wood.
of comparatively great physical weight or density
From this reading While Lady Vera's friends are seeking with heavy hearts some clew to her strange fate, the fair young countess, half distracted with grief, remains a closely-guarded captive in the ruined mansion in the lonely wood.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading While Lady Vera's friends are seeking with heavy hearts some clew to her strange fate, the fair young countess, half distracted with grief, remains a closely-guarded captive in the ruined mansion in the lonely wood.
a specific instance of feeling hopeful
From this reading The summer days glide slowly past, each one bearing some portion of hope from Vera's lonely heart.
past form of “hope” — expect and wish
From this reading With the dawn of each day she had hoped for release--with the sunset of each day she had wept over her disappointment.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading While Lady Vera's friends are seeking with heavy hearts some clew to her strange fate, the fair young countess, half distracted with grief, remains a closely-guarded captive in the ruined mansion in the lonely wood.
having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior
From this reading In spite of all her tears and protestations Betsy Robson persists in believing her to be a dangerous lunatic, and in treating her as such, albeit always kind and complaisant as to an ailing child.
a polite name for any woman
From this reading While Lady Vera's friends are seeking with heavy hearts some clew to her strange fate, the fair young countess, half distracted with grief, remains a closely-guarded captive in the ruined mansion in the lonely wood.
the linear extent in space from one end to the other; the longest dimension of something that is fixed in place
From this reading The days were so long and lonely without books, music or occupation to beguile them of their length and dreariness.
lacking companions or companionship
From this reading While Lady Vera's friends are seeking with heavy hearts some clew to her strange fate, the fair young countess, half distracted with grief, remains a closely-guarded captive in the ruined mansion in the lonely wood.
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 days were so long and lonely without books, music or occupation to beguile them of their length and dreariness.
lunaticadjectiveUS /ˈluːnətɪk/
insane and believed to be affected by the phases of the moon
From this reading In spite of all her tears and protestations Betsy Robson persists in believing her to be a dangerous lunatic, and in treating her as such, albeit always kind and complaisant as to an ailing child.
mansionnounUS /ˈmænʃən/
(astrology) one of 12 equal areas into which the zodiac is divided
From this reading While Lady Vera's friends are seeking with heavy hearts some clew to her strange fate, the fair young countess, half distracted with grief, remains a closely-guarded captive in the ruined mansion in the lonely wood.
an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner
From this reading The days were so long and lonely without books, music or occupation to beguile them of their length and dreariness.
occupationnounUS /ˌɑːkjəˈpeɪʃən/
the principal activity in your life that you do to earn money
From this reading The days were so long and lonely without books, music or occupation to beguile them of their length and dreariness.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading In spite of all her tears and protestations Betsy Robson persists in believing her to be a dangerous lunatic, and in treating her as such, albeit always kind and complaisant as to an ailing child.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The summer days glide slowly past, each one bearing some portion of hope from Vera's lonely heart.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading The days were so long and lonely without books, music or occupation to beguile them of their length and dreariness.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading With the dawn of each day she had hoped for release--with the sunset of each day she had wept over her disappointment.
the time that has elapsed
From this reading The summer days glide slowly past, each one bearing some portion of hope from Vera's lonely heart.
persistsverbUS /pərˈsɪsts/
third-person singular of “persist” — continue to exist
From this reading In spite of all her tears and protestations Betsy Robson persists in believing her to be a dangerous lunatic, and in treating her as such, albeit always kind and complaisant as to an ailing child.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading The summer days glide slowly past, each one bearing some portion of hope from Vera's lonely heart.
protestationsnounUS /ˌproʊteˈsteɪʃənz/
plural of “protestation” — a formal and solemn declaration of objection
From this reading In spite of all her tears and protestations Betsy Robson persists in believing her to be a dangerous lunatic, and in treating her as such, albeit always kind and complaisant as to an ailing child.
releaseverbUS /riˈliːs/
release, as from one's grip
From this reading With the dawn of each day she had hoped for release--with the sunset of each day she had wept over her disappointment.
any object that is left unused or still extant
From this reading While Lady Vera's friends are seeking with heavy hearts some clew to her strange fate, the fair young countess, half distracted with grief, remains a closely-guarded captive in the ruined mansion in the lonely wood.
Robson
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In spite of all her tears and protestations Betsy Robson persists in believing her to be a dangerous lunatic, and in treating her as such, albeit always kind and complaisant as to an ailing child.
destroyed physically or morally
From this reading While Lady Vera's friends are seeking with heavy hearts some clew to her strange fate, the fair young countess, half distracted with grief, remains a closely-guarded captive in the ruined mansion in the lonely wood.
the act of searching for something
From this reading While Lady Vera's friends are seeking with heavy hearts some clew to her strange fate, the fair young countess, half distracted with grief, remains a closely-guarded captive in the ruined mansion in the lonely wood.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading With the dawn of each day she had hoped for release--with the sunset of each day she had wept over her disappointment.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading The summer days glide slowly past, each one bearing some portion of hope from Vera's lonely heart.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The days were so long and lonely without books, music or occupation to beguile them of their length and dreariness.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading While Lady Vera's friends are seeking with heavy hearts some clew to her strange fate, the fair young countess, half distracted with grief, remains a closely-guarded captive in the ruined mansion in the lonely wood.
feeling a need to see others suffer
From this reading In spite of all her tears and protestations Betsy Robson persists in believing her to be a dangerous lunatic, and in treating her as such, albeit always kind and complaisant as to an ailing child.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading While Lady Vera's friends are seeking with heavy hearts some clew to her strange fate, the fair young countess, half distracted with grief, remains a closely-guarded captive in the ruined mansion in the lonely wood.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading In spite of all her tears and protestations Betsy Robson persists in believing her to be a dangerous lunatic, and in treating her as such, albeit always kind and complaisant as to an ailing child.
the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox
From this reading The summer days glide slowly past, each one bearing some portion of hope from Vera's lonely heart.
the time in the evening at which the sun begins to fall below the horizon
From this reading With the dawn of each day she had hoped for release--with the sunset of each day she had wept over her disappointment.
the process of shedding tears (usually accompanied by sobs or other inarticulate sounds)
From this reading In spite of all her tears and protestations Betsy Robson persists in believing her to be a dangerous lunatic, and in treating her as such, albeit always kind and complaisant as to an ailing child.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading While Lady Vera's friends are seeking with heavy hearts some clew to her strange fate, the fair young countess, half distracted with grief, remains a closely-guarded captive in the ruined mansion in the lonely wood.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The days were so long and lonely without books, music or occupation to beguile them of their length and dreariness.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The days were so long and lonely without books, music or occupation to beguile them of their length and dreariness.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading While Lady Vera's friends are seeking with heavy hearts some clew to her strange fate, the fair young countess, half distracted with grief, remains a closely-guarded captive in the ruined mansion in the lonely wood.
treatingverbUS /ˈtriːtɪŋ/
-ing form of “treat” — interact in a certain way
From this reading In spite of all her tears and protestations Betsy Robson persists in believing her to be a dangerous lunatic, and in treating her as such, albeit always kind and complaisant as to an ailing child.
Vera's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading While Lady Vera's friends are seeking with heavy hearts some clew to her strange fate, the fair young countess, half distracted with grief, remains a closely-guarded captive in the ruined mansion in the lonely wood.
inflected form of “weep” — shed tears because of sadness, rage, or pain
From this reading With the dawn of each day she had hoped for release--with the sunset of each day she had wept over her disappointment.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The days were so long and lonely without books, music or occupation to beguile them of their length and dreariness.
WhileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading While Lady Vera's friends are seeking with heavy hearts some clew to her strange fate, the fair young countess, half distracted with grief, remains a closely-guarded captive in the ruined mansion in the lonely wood.
in the company of; together with
From this reading While Lady Vera's friends are seeking with heavy hearts some clew to her strange fate, the fair young countess, half distracted with grief, remains a closely-guarded captive in the ruined mansion in the lonely wood.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading The days were so long and lonely without books, music or occupation to beguile them of their length and dreariness.
the hard fibrous lignified substance under the bark of trees
From this reading While Lady Vera's friends are seeking with heavy hearts some clew to her strange fate, the fair young countess, half distracted with grief, remains a closely-guarded captive in the ruined mansion in the lonely wood.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading While Lady Vera's friends are seeking with heavy hearts some clew to her strange fate, the fair young countess, half distracted with grief, remains a closely-guarded captive in the ruined mansion in the lonely wood.
