used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Yet there was a wonderful charm in my own home circle.
in addition
From this reading The circle was made larger in the evening, by the coming in of two of Ransom's friends, who were also, I saw, friends of my father and mother.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading SKIRMISHING That first dinner at home! how strange and sweet it was.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading SKIRMISHING That first dinner at home! how strange and sweet it was.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading But mamma had struck it up stairs, and its vibrations would not quite be still.
a hollow device made of metal that makes a ringing sound when struck
From this reading So sweet, that I could scarcely hear the note of the little warning bell down in the bottom of my heart.
the lower side of anything
From this reading So sweet, that I could scarcely hear the note of the little warning bell down in the bottom of my heart.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But mamma had struck it up stairs, and its vibrations would not quite be still.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The circle was made larger in the evening, by the coming in of two of Ransom's friends, who were also, I saw, friends of my father and mother.
attractiveness that interests or pleases or stimulates
From this reading Yet there was a wonderful charm in my own home circle.
ellipse in which the two axes are of equal length; a plane curve generated by one point moving at a constant distance from a fixed point
From this reading Yet there was a wonderful charm in my own home circle.
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading The circle was made larger in the evening, by the coming in of two of Ransom's friends, who were also, I saw, friends of my father and mother.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading So sweet, that I could scarcely hear the note of the little warning bell down in the bottom of my heart.
the main meal of the day served in the evening or at midday
From this reading SKIRMISHING That first dinner at home! how strange and sweet it was.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading So sweet, that I could scarcely hear the note of the little warning bell down in the bottom of my heart.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading The circle was made larger in the evening, by the coming in of two of Ransom's friends, who were also, I saw, friends of my father and mother.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading The circle was made larger in the evening, by the coming in of two of Ransom's friends, who were also, I saw, friends of my father and mother.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading SKIRMISHING That first dinner at home! how strange and sweet it was.
plural of “friend” — a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading The circle was made larger in the evening, by the coming in of two of Ransom's friends, who were also, I saw, friends of my father and mother.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading But mamma had struck it up stairs, and its vibrations would not quite be still.
perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
From this reading So sweet, that I could scarcely hear the note of the little warning bell down in the bottom of my heart.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading So sweet, that I could scarcely hear the note of the little warning bell down in the bottom of my heart.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading SKIRMISHING That first dinner at home! how strange and sweet it was.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading SKIRMISHING That first dinner at home! how strange and sweet it was.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading So sweet, that I could scarcely hear the note of the little warning bell down in the bottom of my heart.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading So sweet, that I could scarcely hear the note of the little warning bell down in the bottom of my heart.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading SKIRMISHING That first dinner at home! how strange and sweet it was.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading But mamma had struck it up stairs, and its vibrations would not quite be still.
large or big relative to something else
From this reading The circle was made larger in the evening, by the coming in of two of Ransom's friends, who were also, I saw, friends of my father and mother.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading So sweet, that I could scarcely hear the note of the little warning bell down in the bottom of my heart.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading The circle was made larger in the evening, by the coming in of two of Ransom's friends, who were also, I saw, friends of my father and mother.
informal terms for a mother
From this reading But mamma had struck it up stairs, and its vibrations would not quite be still.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading The circle was made larger in the evening, by the coming in of two of Ransom's friends, who were also, I saw, friends of my father and mother.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading So sweet, that I could scarcely hear the note of the little warning bell down in the bottom of my heart.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading But mamma had struck it up stairs, and its vibrations would not quite be still.
a brief written record
From this reading So sweet, that I could scarcely hear the note of the little warning bell down in the bottom of my heart.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading So sweet, that I could scarcely hear the note of the little warning bell down in the bottom of my heart.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading Yet there was a wonderful charm in my own home circle.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading But mamma had struck it up stairs, and its vibrations would not quite be still.
Ransom'snounUS /ˈrænsəmz/
possessive form of “ransom” — money demanded for the return of a captured person
From this reading The circle was made larger in the evening, by the coming in of two of Ransom's friends, who were also, I saw, friends of my father and mother.
cut with a saw
From this reading The circle was made larger in the evening, by the coming in of two of Ransom's friends, who were also, I saw, friends of my father and mother.
only a very short time before
From this reading So sweet, that I could scarcely hear the note of the little warning bell down in the bottom of my heart.
SKIRMISHINGverbUS /ˈskɜːrmɪʃɪŋ/
-ing form of “skirmish” — engage in a skirmish
From this reading SKIRMISHING That first dinner at home! how strange and sweet it was.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading So sweet, that I could scarcely hear the note of the little warning bell down in the bottom of my heart.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading But mamma had struck it up stairs, and its vibrations would not quite be still.
not in physical motion
From this reading But mamma had struck it up stairs, and its vibrations would not quite be still.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading SKIRMISHING That first dinner at home! how strange and sweet it was.
(used in combination) affected by something overwhelming
From this reading But mamma had struck it up stairs, and its vibrations would not quite be still.
having or denoting the characteristic taste of sugar
From this reading SKIRMISHING That first dinner at home! how strange and sweet it was.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading SKIRMISHING That first dinner at home! how strange and sweet it was.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading So sweet, that I could scarcely hear the note of the little warning bell down in the bottom of my heart.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Yet there was a wonderful charm in my own home circle.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading The circle was made larger in the evening, by the coming in of two of Ransom's friends, who were also, I saw, friends of my father and mother.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading But mamma had struck it up stairs, and its vibrations would not quite be still.
vibrationsnounUS /vaɪˈbreɪʃənz/
plural of “vibration” — the act of vibrating
From this reading But mamma had struck it up stairs, and its vibrations would not quite be still.
a message informing of danger
From this reading So sweet, that I could scarcely hear the note of the little warning bell down in the bottom of my heart.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading SKIRMISHING That first dinner at home! how strange and sweet it was.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The circle was made larger in the evening, by the coming in of two of Ransom's friends, who were also, I saw, friends of my father and mother.
which person or people
From this reading The circle was made larger in the evening, by the coming in of two of Ransom's friends, who were also, I saw, friends of my father and mother.
extraordinarily good or great; used especially as intensifiers
From this reading Yet there was a wonderful charm in my own home circle.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading But mamma had struck it up stairs, and its vibrations would not quite be still.
but in spite of that
From this reading Yet there was a wonderful charm in my own home circle.
