used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Such a thing had never happened before.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading “It might have fallen off into the snow,” Mattie continued, after a pause during which they had stood intently listening.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading Another wild thought tore through him.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading “It must have been pushed off, then,” he rejoined in the same tone.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Such a thing had never happened before.
the two together, not just one
From this reading “Maybe she’s forgotten it,” Mattie said in a tremulous whisper; but both of them knew that it was not like Zeena to forget.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading “Maybe she’s forgotten it,” Mattie said in a tremulous whisper; but both of them knew that it was not like Zeena to forget.
without stop or interruption
From this reading “It might have fallen off into the snow,” Mattie continued, after a pause during which they had stood intently listening.
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading “It might have fallen off into the snow,” Mattie continued, after a pause during which they had stood intently listening.
having dropped by the force of gravity
From this reading “It might have fallen off into the snow,” Mattie continued, after a pause during which they had stood intently listening.
dismiss from the mind; stop remembering
From this reading “Maybe she’s forgotten it,” Mattie said in a tremulous whisper; but both of them knew that it was not like Zeena to forget.
Not remembered; lapsed from memory.
From this reading “Maybe she’s forgotten it,” Mattie said in a tremulous whisper; but both of them knew that it was not like Zeena to forget.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Such a thing had never happened before.
past form of “happen” — come to pass
From this reading Such a thing had never happened before.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “It might have fallen off into the snow,” Mattie continued, after a pause during which they had stood intently listening.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “It must have been pushed off, then,” he rejoined in the same tone.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Another wild thought tore through him.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading “Maybe she’s forgotten it,” Mattie said in a tremulous whisper; but both of them knew that it was not like Zeena to forget.
intentlyadverbUS /ˌɪnˈtentli/
with strained or eager attention
From this reading “It might have fallen off into the snow,” Mattie continued, after a pause during which they had stood intently listening.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading “It might have fallen off into the snow,” Mattie continued, after a pause during which they had stood intently listening.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “Maybe she’s forgotten it,” Mattie said in a tremulous whisper; but both of them knew that it was not like Zeena to forget.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading “Maybe she’s forgotten it,” Mattie said in a tremulous whisper; but both of them knew that it was not like Zeena to forget.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading “Maybe she’s forgotten it,” Mattie said in a tremulous whisper; but both of them knew that it was not like Zeena to forget.
the act of hearing attentively
From this reading “It might have fallen off into the snow,” Mattie continued, after a pause during which they had stood intently listening.
Mattie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Maybe she’s forgotten it,” Mattie said in a tremulous whisper; but both of them knew that it was not like Zeena to forget.
by chance
From this reading “Maybe she’s forgotten it,” Mattie said in a tremulous whisper; but both of them knew that it was not like Zeena to forget.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading “It might have fallen off into the snow,” Mattie continued, after a pause during which they had stood intently listening.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading “It must have been pushed off, then,” he rejoined in the same tone.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading Such a thing had never happened before.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading “Maybe she’s forgotten it,” Mattie said in a tremulous whisper; but both of them knew that it was not like Zeena to forget.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “Maybe she’s forgotten it,” Mattie said in a tremulous whisper; but both of them knew that it was not like Zeena to forget.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading “It might have fallen off into the snow,” Mattie continued, after a pause during which they had stood intently listening.
a time interval during which there is a temporary cessation of something
From this reading “It might have fallen off into the snow,” Mattie continued, after a pause during which they had stood intently listening.
past form of “push” — move with force
From this reading “It must have been pushed off, then,” he rejoined in the same tone.
past form of “rejoin” — join again
From this reading “It must have been pushed off, then,” he rejoined in the same tone.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “Maybe she’s forgotten it,” Mattie said in a tremulous whisper; but both of them knew that it was not like Zeena to forget.
Identical; not different.
From this reading “It must have been pushed off, then,” he rejoined in the same tone.
she's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Maybe she’s forgotten it,” Mattie said in a tremulous whisper; but both of them knew that it was not like Zeena to forget.
precipitation falling from clouds in the form of ice crystals
From this reading “It might have fallen off into the snow,” Mattie continued, after a pause during which they had stood intently listening.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading “It might have fallen off into the snow,” Mattie continued, after a pause during which they had stood intently listening.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading Such a thing had never happened before.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading “Maybe she’s forgotten it,” Mattie said in a tremulous whisper; but both of them knew that it was not like Zeena to forget.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “It might have fallen off into the snow,” Mattie continued, after a pause during which they had stood intently listening.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading “Maybe she’s forgotten it,” Mattie said in a tremulous whisper; but both of them knew that it was not like Zeena to forget.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading “It must have been pushed off, then,” he rejoined in the same tone.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “It might have fallen off into the snow,” Mattie continued, after a pause during which they had stood intently listening.
a special situation
From this reading Such a thing had never happened before.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading Another wild thought tore through him.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading Another wild thought tore through him.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “Maybe she’s forgotten it,” Mattie said in a tremulous whisper; but both of them knew that it was not like Zeena to forget.
the quality of a person's voice
From this reading “It must have been pushed off, then,” he rejoined in the same tone.
commonly the lowest molding at the base of a column
From this reading Another wild thought tore through him.
tremulousadjectiveUS /ˈtremjələs/
(of the voice) quivering as from weakness or fear
From this reading “Maybe she’s forgotten it,” Mattie said in a tremulous whisper; but both of them knew that it was not like Zeena to forget.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “Maybe she’s forgotten it,” Mattie said in a tremulous whisper; but both of them knew that it was not like Zeena to forget.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading “It might have fallen off into the snow,” Mattie continued, after a pause during which they had stood intently listening.
speaking softly without vibration of the vocal cords
From this reading “Maybe she’s forgotten it,” Mattie said in a tremulous whisper; but both of them knew that it was not like Zeena to forget.
marked by extreme lack of restraint or control
From this reading Another wild thought tore through him.
Zeena
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Maybe she’s forgotten it,” Mattie said in a tremulous whisper; but both of them knew that it was not like Zeena to forget.
