used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading I cannot well tell you how much dismay this sight of a footprint in the ground gave me, nor how many sleepless nights it cost me.
absentmindedadjective
lost in thought; showing preoccupation
From this reading The more I pretended that I was not troubled, the more absentminded, and so the more troubled, I appeared to her.
(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 All the time I was trying to make my mother think that there was no ground for anxiety, and yet all the time I was showing her that I was very anxious.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading And yet, if I made no pretence, and told her what I really feared, I should have driven her almost wild by the story of my terrors.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading To have our pretty home broken up, perhaps to be put in the newspapers--which was a lot that, so far, we had always escaped in our quiet and modest life--all this was more than she or I could bear to think of.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading All the time I was trying to make my mother think that there was no ground for anxiety, and yet all the time I was showing her that I was very anxious.
(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 All the time I was trying to make my mother think that there was no ground for anxiety, and yet all the time I was showing her that I was very anxious.
eagerly desirous
From this reading All the time I was trying to make my mother think that there was no ground for anxiety, and yet all the time I was showing her that I was very anxious.
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading The more I pretended that I was not troubled, the more absentminded, and so the more troubled, I appeared to her.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading To have our pretty home broken up, perhaps to be put in the newspapers--which was a lot that, so far, we had always escaped in our quiet and modest life--all this was more than she or I could bear to think of.
have
From this reading To have our pretty home broken up, perhaps to be put in the newspapers--which was a lot that, so far, we had always escaped in our quiet and modest life--all this was more than she or I could bear to think of.
physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split
From this reading To have our pretty home broken up, perhaps to be put in the newspapers--which was a lot that, so far, we had always escaped in our quiet and modest life--all this was more than she or I could bear to think of.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading And yet, if I made no pretence, and told her what I really feared, I should have driven her almost wild by the story of my terrors.
cannot
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I cannot well tell you how much dismay this sight of a footprint in the ground gave me, nor how many sleepless nights it cost me.
the total spent for goods or services including money and time and labor
From this reading I cannot well tell you how much dismay this sight of a footprint in the ground gave me, nor how many sleepless nights it cost me.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading To have our pretty home broken up, perhaps to be put in the newspapers--which was a lot that, so far, we had always escaped in our quiet and modest life--all this was more than she or I could bear to think of.
dismaynounUS /dɪˈsmeɪ/
the feeling of despair in the face of obstacles
From this reading I cannot well tell you how much dismay this sight of a footprint in the ground gave me, nor how many sleepless nights it cost me.
compelled forcibly by an outside agency
From this reading And yet, if I made no pretence, and told her what I really feared, I should have driven her almost wild by the story of my terrors.
having escaped, especially from confinement
From this reading To have our pretty home broken up, perhaps to be put in the newspapers--which was a lot that, so far, we had always escaped in our quiet and modest life--all this was more than she or I could bear to think of.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading To have our pretty home broken up, perhaps to be put in the newspapers--which was a lot that, so far, we had always escaped in our quiet and modest life--all this was more than she or I could bear to think of.
past form of “fear” — be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
From this reading And yet, if I made no pretence, and told her what I really feared, I should have driven her almost wild by the story of my terrors.
footprintnounUS /ˈfʊtprɪnt/
a mark of a foot or shoe on a surface
From this reading I cannot well tell you how much dismay this sight of a footprint in the ground gave me, nor how many sleepless nights it cost me.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading All the time I was trying to make my mother think that there was no ground for anxiety, and yet all the time I was showing her that I was very anxious.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading I cannot well tell you how much dismay this sight of a footprint in the ground gave me, nor how many sleepless nights it cost me.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading I cannot well tell you how much dismay this sight of a footprint in the ground gave me, nor how many sleepless nights it cost me.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading To have our pretty home broken up, perhaps to be put in the newspapers--which was a lot that, so far, we had always escaped in our quiet and modest life--all this was more than she or I could bear to think of.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading And yet, if I made no pretence, and told her what I really feared, I should have driven her almost wild by the story of my terrors.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading All the time I was trying to make my mother think that there was no ground for anxiety, and yet all the time I was showing her that I was very anxious.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading To have our pretty home broken up, perhaps to be put in the newspapers--which was a lot that, so far, we had always escaped in our quiet and modest life--all this was more than she or I could bear to think of.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I cannot well tell you how much dismay this sight of a footprint in the ground gave me, nor how many sleepless nights it cost me.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I cannot well tell you how much dismay this sight of a footprint in the ground gave me, nor how many sleepless nights it cost me.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading And yet, if I made no pretence, and told her what I really feared, I should have driven her almost wild by the story of my terrors.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading I cannot well tell you how much dismay this sight of a footprint in the ground gave me, nor how many sleepless nights it cost me.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading I cannot well tell you how much dismay this sight of a footprint in the ground gave me, nor how many sleepless nights it cost me.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading To have our pretty home broken up, perhaps to be put in the newspapers--which was a lot that, so far, we had always escaped in our quiet and modest life--all this was more than she or I could bear to think of.
(often followed by “of”) a large number or amount or extent
From this reading To have our pretty home broken up, perhaps to be put in the newspapers--which was a lot that, so far, we had always escaped in our quiet and modest life--all this was more than she or I could bear to think of.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading And yet, if I made no pretence, and told her what I really feared, I should have driven her almost wild by the story of my terrors.
engage in
From this reading All the time I was trying to make my mother think that there was no ground for anxiety, and yet all the time I was showing her that I was very anxious.
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 I cannot well tell you how much dismay this sight of a footprint in the ground gave me, nor how many sleepless nights it cost me.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading I cannot well tell you how much dismay this sight of a footprint in the ground gave me, nor how many sleepless nights it cost me.
modestadjectiveUS /ˈmɑːdəst/
marked by simplicity; having a humble opinion of yourself
From this reading To have our pretty home broken up, perhaps to be put in the newspapers--which was a lot that, so far, we had always escaped in our quiet and modest life--all this was more than she or I could bear to think of.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading The more I pretended that I was not troubled, the more absentminded, and so the more troubled, I appeared to her.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading All the time I was trying to make my mother think that there was no ground for anxiety, and yet all the time I was showing her that I was very anxious.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading I cannot well tell you how much dismay this sight of a footprint in the ground gave me, nor how many sleepless nights it cost me.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading All the time I was trying to make my mother think that there was no ground for anxiety, and yet all the time I was showing her that I was very anxious.
newspapersnounUS /ˈnuːzpeɪpərz/
plural of “newspaper” — a daily or weekly publication on folded sheets; contains news and articles and advertisements
From this reading To have our pretty home broken up, perhaps to be put in the newspapers--which was a lot that, so far, we had always escaped in our quiet and modest life--all this was more than she or I could bear to think of.
Periods of darkness between sunset and sunrise.
From this reading I cannot well tell you how much dismay this sight of a footprint in the ground gave me, nor how many sleepless nights it cost me.
not any; not one
From this reading All the time I was trying to make my mother think that there was no ground for anxiety, and yet all the time I was showing her that I was very anxious.
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading I cannot well tell you how much dismay this sight of a footprint in the ground gave me, nor how many sleepless nights it cost me.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The more I pretended that I was not troubled, the more absentminded, and so the more troubled, I appeared to her.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading I cannot well tell you how much dismay this sight of a footprint in the ground gave me, nor how many sleepless nights it cost me.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading To have our pretty home broken up, perhaps to be put in the newspapers--which was a lot that, so far, we had always escaped in our quiet and modest life--all this was more than she or I could bear to think of.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading To have our pretty home broken up, perhaps to be put in the newspapers--which was a lot that, so far, we had always escaped in our quiet and modest life--all this was more than she or I could bear to think of.
by chance
From this reading To have our pretty home broken up, perhaps to be put in the newspapers--which was a lot that, so far, we had always escaped in our quiet and modest life--all this was more than she or I could bear to think of.
pretencenoun
a false or unsupportable quality
From this reading And yet, if I made no pretence, and told her what I really feared, I should have driven her almost wild by the story of my terrors.
pretendedadjectiveUS /priˈtendɪd/
adopted in order to deceive
From this reading The more I pretended that I was not troubled, the more absentminded, and so the more troubled, I appeared to her.
pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing
From this reading To have our pretty home broken up, perhaps to be put in the newspapers--which was a lot that, so far, we had always escaped in our quiet and modest life--all this was more than she or I could bear to think of.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading To have our pretty home broken up, perhaps to be put in the newspapers--which was a lot that, so far, we had always escaped in our quiet and modest life--all this was more than she or I could bear to think of.
quietadjectiveUS /ˈkwaɪət/
characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity
From this reading To have our pretty home broken up, perhaps to be put in the newspapers--which was a lot that, so far, we had always escaped in our quiet and modest life--all this was more than she or I could bear to think of.
in accordance with truth or fact or reality
From this reading And yet, if I made no pretence, and told her what I really feared, I should have driven her almost wild by the story of my terrors.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading To have our pretty home broken up, perhaps to be put in the newspapers--which was a lot that, so far, we had always escaped in our quiet and modest life--all this was more than she or I could bear to think of.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading And yet, if I made no pretence, and told her what I really feared, I should have driven her almost wild by the story of my terrors.
the display of a motion picture
From this reading All the time I was trying to make my mother think that there was no ground for anxiety, and yet all the time I was showing her that I was very anxious.
an instance of visual perception
From this reading I cannot well tell you how much dismay this sight of a footprint in the ground gave me, nor how many sleepless nights it cost me.
sleeplessadjectiveUS /ˈsliːpləs/
experiencing or accompanied by sleeplessness
From this reading I cannot well tell you how much dismay this sight of a footprint in the ground gave me, nor how many sleepless nights it cost me.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The more I pretended that I was not troubled, the more absentminded, and so the more troubled, I appeared to her.
a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading And yet, if I made no pretence, and told her what I really feared, I should have driven her almost wild by the story of my terrors.
express in words
From this reading I cannot well tell you how much dismay this sight of a footprint in the ground gave me, nor how many sleepless nights it cost me.
terrorsnounUS /ˈterərz/
plural of “terror” — an overwhelming feeling of fear and anxiety
From this reading And yet, if I made no pretence, and told her what I really feared, I should have driven her almost wild by the story of my terrors.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading To have our pretty home broken up, perhaps to be put in the newspapers--which was a lot that, so far, we had always escaped in our quiet and modest life--all this was more than she or I could bear to think of.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading All the time I was trying to make my mother think that there was no ground for anxiety, and yet all the time I was showing her that I was very anxious.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading I cannot well tell you how much dismay this sight of a footprint in the ground gave me, nor how many sleepless nights it cost me.
in or at that place or location
From this reading All the time I was trying to make my mother think that there was no ground for anxiety, and yet all the time I was showing her that I was very anxious.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading All the time I was trying to make my mother think that there was no ground for anxiety, and yet all the time I was showing her that I was very anxious.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading I cannot well tell you how much dismay this sight of a footprint in the ground gave me, nor how many sleepless nights it cost me.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading All the time I was trying to make my mother think that there was no ground for anxiety, and yet all the time I was showing her that I was very anxious.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading All the time I was trying to make my mother think that there was no ground for anxiety, and yet all the time I was showing her that I was very anxious.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading And yet, if I made no pretence, and told her what I really feared, I should have driven her almost wild by the story of my terrors.
characterized by or indicative of distress or affliction or danger or need
From this reading The more I pretended that I was not troubled, the more absentminded, and so the more troubled, I appeared to her.
hard to endure
From this reading All the time I was trying to make my mother think that there was no ground for anxiety, and yet all the time I was showing her that I was very anxious.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading To have our pretty home broken up, perhaps to be put in the newspapers--which was a lot that, so far, we had always escaped in our quiet and modest life--all this was more than she or I could bear to think of.
precisely as stated
From this reading All the time I was trying to make my mother think that there was no ground for anxiety, and yet all the time I was showing her that I was very anxious.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading All the time I was trying to make my mother think that there was no ground for anxiety, and yet all the time I was showing her that I was very anxious.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading To have our pretty home broken up, perhaps to be put in the newspapers--which was a lot that, so far, we had always escaped in our quiet and modest life--all this was more than she or I could bear to think of.
(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 I cannot well tell you how much dismay this sight of a footprint in the ground gave me, nor how many sleepless nights it cost me.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading And yet, if I made no pretence, and told her what I really feared, I should have driven her almost wild by the story of my terrors.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading To have our pretty home broken up, perhaps to be put in the newspapers--which was a lot that, so far, we had always escaped in our quiet and modest life--all this was more than she or I could bear to think of.
marked by extreme lack of restraint or control
From this reading And yet, if I made no pretence, and told her what I really feared, I should have driven her almost wild by the story of my terrors.
but in spite of that
From this reading All the time I was trying to make my mother think that there was no ground for anxiety, and yet all the time I was showing her that I was very anxious.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading I cannot well tell you how much dismay this sight of a footprint in the ground gave me, nor how many sleepless nights it cost me.
