used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading After she had received the promise she desired from her sons--a promise burdened with so strange a condition--Madam Melcombe seemed to lose all the keenness and energy she had displayed at first.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading She had desired above all things that honour should be shown to her in her death; her mind often occupied itself with strange interest and pertinacity on the details of her funeral.
Accipe
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Accipe Hoc.
AfterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading After she had received the promise she desired from her sons--a promise burdened with so strange a condition--Madam Melcombe seemed to lose all the keenness and energy she had displayed at first.
(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 she had received the promise she desired from her sons--a promise burdened with so strange a condition--Madam Melcombe seemed to lose all the keenness and energy she had displayed at first.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading After she had received the promise she desired from her sons--a promise burdened with so strange a condition--Madam Melcombe seemed to lose all the keenness and energy she had displayed at first.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading After she had received the promise she desired from her sons--a promise burdened with so strange a condition--Madam Melcombe seemed to lose all the keenness and energy she had displayed at first.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading She had desired above all things that honour should be shown to her in her death; her mind often occupied itself with strange interest and pertinacity on the details of her funeral.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading All her wishes respecting it had long been known to her granddaughters, but her eldest surviving son had never been mentioned by name to them.
burdenedadjectiveUS /ˈbɜːrdənd/
bearing a heavy burden of work or difficulties or responsibilities
From this reading After she had received the promise she desired from her sons--a promise burdened with so strange a condition--Madam Melcombe seemed to lose all the keenness and energy she had displayed at first.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading All her wishes respecting it had long been known to her granddaughters, but her eldest surviving son had never been mentioned by name to them.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading All her wishes respecting it had long been known to her granddaughters, but her eldest surviving son had never been mentioned by name to them.
a state at a particular time
From this reading After she had received the promise she desired from her sons--a promise burdened with so strange a condition--Madam Melcombe seemed to lose all the keenness and energy she had displayed at first.
the event of dying or departure from life
From this reading She had desired above all things that honour should be shown to her in her death; her mind often occupied itself with strange interest and pertinacity on the details of her funeral.
wanted intensely
From this reading After she had received the promise she desired from her sons--a promise burdened with so strange a condition--Madam Melcombe seemed to lose all the keenness and energy she had displayed at first.
true confidential information
From this reading She had desired above all things that honour should be shown to her in her death; her mind often occupied itself with strange interest and pertinacity on the details of her funeral.
displayedverbUS /dɪˈspleɪd/
past form of “display” — to show, make visible or apparent
From this reading After she had received the promise she desired from her sons--a promise burdened with so strange a condition--Madam Melcombe seemed to lose all the keenness and energy she had displayed at first.
eldestadjectiveUS /ˈeldəst/
first in order of birth
From this reading All her wishes respecting it had long been known to her granddaughters, but her eldest surviving son had never been mentioned by name to them.
(physics) a thermodynamic quantity equivalent to the capacity of a physical system to do work; the units of energy are joules or ergs
From this reading After she had received the promise she desired from her sons--a promise burdened with so strange a condition--Madam Melcombe seemed to lose all the keenness and energy she had displayed at first.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading After she had received the promise she desired from her sons--a promise burdened with so strange a condition--Madam Melcombe seemed to lose all the keenness and energy she had displayed at first.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading After she had received the promise she desired from her sons--a promise burdened with so strange a condition--Madam Melcombe seemed to lose all the keenness and energy she had displayed at first.
funeralnounUS /ˈfjuːnərəl/
a ceremony at which a dead person is buried or cremated
From this reading She had desired above all things that honour should be shown to her in her death; her mind often occupied itself with strange interest and pertinacity on the details of her funeral.
coins made of gold
From this reading GOLD, THE INCORRUPTIBLE WITNESS.
granddaughtersnounUS /ˈɡrændɔːtərz/
plural of “granddaughter” — a female grandchild
From this reading All her wishes respecting it had long been known to her granddaughters, but her eldest surviving son had never been mentioned by name to them.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading After she had received the promise she desired from her sons--a promise burdened with so strange a condition--Madam Melcombe seemed to lose all the keenness and energy she had displayed at first.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading After she had received the promise she desired from her sons--a promise burdened with so strange a condition--Madam Melcombe seemed to lose all the keenness and energy she had displayed at first.
Hoc
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Accipe Hoc.
the state of being honored
From this reading She had desired above all things that honour should be shown to her in her death; her mind often occupied itself with strange interest and pertinacity on the details of her funeral.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading She had desired above all things that honour should be shown to her in her death; her mind often occupied itself with strange interest and pertinacity on the details of her funeral.
INCORRUPTIBLEadjective
incapable of being morally corrupted
From this reading GOLD, THE INCORRUPTIBLE WITNESS.
a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something
From this reading She had desired above all things that honour should be shown to her in her death; her mind often occupied itself with strange interest and pertinacity on the details of her funeral.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading All her wishes respecting it had long been known to her granddaughters, but her eldest surviving son had never been mentioned by name to them.
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading She had desired above all things that honour should be shown to her in her death; her mind often occupied itself with strange interest and pertinacity on the details of her funeral.
keennessnoun
a quick and penetrating intelligence
From this reading After she had received the promise she desired from her sons--a promise burdened with so strange a condition--Madam Melcombe seemed to lose all the keenness and energy she had displayed at first.
apprehended with certainty
From this reading All her wishes respecting it had long been known to her granddaughters, but her eldest surviving son had never been mentioned by name to them.
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 All her wishes respecting it had long been known to her granddaughters, but her eldest surviving son had never been mentioned by name to them.
fail to keep or to maintain; cease to have, either physically or in an abstract sense
From this reading After she had received the promise she desired from her sons--a promise burdened with so strange a condition--Madam Melcombe seemed to lose all the keenness and energy she had displayed at first.
a woman of refinement
From this reading After she had received the promise she desired from her sons--a promise burdened with so strange a condition--Madam Melcombe seemed to lose all the keenness and energy she had displayed at first.
Melcombe
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading After she had received the promise she desired from her sons--a promise burdened with so strange a condition--Madam Melcombe seemed to lose all the keenness and energy she had displayed at first.
past form of “mention” — make reference to
From this reading All her wishes respecting it had long been known to her granddaughters, but her eldest surviving son had never been mentioned by name to them.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading She had desired above all things that honour should be shown to her in her death; her mind often occupied itself with strange interest and pertinacity on the details of her funeral.
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading All her wishes respecting it had long been known to her granddaughters, but her eldest surviving son had never been mentioned by name to them.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading All her wishes respecting it had long been known to her granddaughters, but her eldest surviving son had never been mentioned by name to them.
held or filled or in use
From this reading She had desired above all things that honour should be shown to her in her death; her mind often occupied itself with strange interest and pertinacity on the details of her funeral.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading She had desired above all things that honour should be shown to her in her death; her mind often occupied itself with strange interest and pertinacity on the details of her funeral.
many times at short intervals
From this reading She had desired above all things that honour should be shown to her in her death; her mind often occupied itself with strange interest and pertinacity on the details of her funeral.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading She had desired above all things that honour should be shown to her in her death; her mind often occupied itself with strange interest and pertinacity on the details of her funeral.
pertinacitynoun
persistent determination
From this reading She had desired above all things that honour should be shown to her in her death; her mind often occupied itself with strange interest and pertinacity on the details of her funeral.
make a promise or commitment
From this reading After she had received the promise she desired from her sons--a promise burdened with so strange a condition--Madam Melcombe seemed to lose all the keenness and energy she had displayed at first.
conforming to the established language usage of educated native speakers
From this reading After she had received the promise she desired from her sons--a promise burdened with so strange a condition--Madam Melcombe seemed to lose all the keenness and energy she had displayed at first.
respectingverbUS /riˈspektɪŋ/
-ing form of “respect” — regard highly; think much of
From this reading All her wishes respecting it had long been known to her granddaughters, but her eldest surviving son had never been mentioned by name to them.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading After she had received the promise she desired from her sons--a promise burdened with so strange a condition--Madam Melcombe seemed to lose all the keenness and energy she had displayed at first.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading After she had received the promise she desired from her sons--a promise burdened with so strange a condition--Madam Melcombe seemed to lose all the keenness and energy she had displayed at first.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading She had desired above all things that honour should be shown to her in her death; her mind often occupied itself with strange interest and pertinacity on the details of her funeral.
inflected form of “show” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading She had desired above all things that honour should be shown to her in her death; her mind often occupied itself with strange interest and pertinacity on the details of her funeral.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading After she had received the promise she desired from her sons--a promise burdened with so strange a condition--Madam Melcombe seemed to lose all the keenness and energy she had displayed at first.
a male human offspring
From this reading All her wishes respecting it had long been known to her granddaughters, but her eldest surviving son had never been mentioned by name to them.
plural of “son” — a male human offspring
From this reading After she had received the promise she desired from her sons--a promise burdened with so strange a condition--Madam Melcombe seemed to lose all the keenness and energy she had displayed at first.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading After she had received the promise she desired from her sons--a promise burdened with so strange a condition--Madam Melcombe seemed to lose all the keenness and energy she had displayed at first.
survivingadjectiveUS /sərˈvaɪvɪŋ/
still in existence
From this reading All her wishes respecting it had long been known to her granddaughters, but her eldest surviving son had never been mentioned by name to them.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading She had desired above all things that honour should be shown to her in her death; her mind often occupied itself with strange interest and pertinacity on the details of her funeral.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading GOLD, THE INCORRUPTIBLE WITNESS.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading All her wishes respecting it had long been known to her granddaughters, but her eldest surviving son had never been mentioned by name to them.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading She had desired above all things that honour should be shown to her in her death; her mind often occupied itself with strange interest and pertinacity on the details of her funeral.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading After she had received the promise she desired from her sons--a promise burdened with so strange a condition--Madam Melcombe seemed to lose all the keenness and energy she had displayed at first.
plural of “wish” — a specific feeling of desire
From this reading All her wishes respecting it had long been known to her granddaughters, but her eldest surviving son had never been mentioned by name to them.
in the company of; together with
From this reading After she had received the promise she desired from her sons--a promise burdened with so strange a condition--Madam Melcombe seemed to lose all the keenness and energy she had displayed at first.
someone who sees an event and reports what happened
From this reading GOLD, THE INCORRUPTIBLE WITNESS.
