used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The fire had very nearly gone out, and she had some difficulty in brightening it a little.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading He was going to talk about Stephen Whitelaw and his hateful money perhaps.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The fire had very nearly gone out, and she had some difficulty in brightening it a little.
anticipatingverbUS /ænˈtɪsəpeɪtɪŋ/
-ing form of “anticipate” — regard something as probable or likely
From this reading She waited very patiently, wondering what her father could have to say to her, and not anticipating much pleasure from the interview.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "WHAT MUST BE SHALL BE."
brighteningverbUS /ˈbraɪtənɪŋ/
-ing form of “brighten” — make more cheerful through the use of color
From this reading The fire had very nearly gone out, and she had some difficulty in brightening it a little.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Ellen Carley waited in the little parlour, dimly lighted by one candle.
stick of wax with a wick in the middle
From this reading Ellen Carley waited in the little parlour, dimly lighted by one candle.
Carley
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ellen Carley waited in the little parlour, dimly lighted by one candle.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading She waited very patiently, wondering what her father could have to say to her, and not anticipating much pleasure from the interview.
an effort that is inconvenient
From this reading The fire had very nearly gone out, and she had some difficulty in brightening it a little.
dimlyadverbUS /ˈdɪmli/
in a dim indistinct manner
From this reading Ellen Carley waited in the little parlour, dimly lighted by one candle.
Ellen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ellen Carley waited in the little parlour, dimly lighted by one candle.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading She waited very patiently, wondering what her father could have to say to her, and not anticipating much pleasure from the interview.
start firing a weapon
From this reading The fire had very nearly gone out, and she had some difficulty in brightening it a little.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading She waited very patiently, wondering what her father could have to say to her, and not anticipating much pleasure from the interview.
the act of departing
From this reading He was going to talk about Stephen Whitelaw and his hateful money perhaps.
destroyed or killed
From this reading The fire had very nearly gone out, and she had some difficulty in brightening it a little.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The fire had very nearly gone out, and she had some difficulty in brightening it a little.
hatefuladjectiveUS /ˈheɪtfəl/
evoking or deserving hatred
From this reading He was going to talk about Stephen Whitelaw and his hateful money perhaps.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading She waited very patiently, wondering what her father could have to say to her, and not anticipating much pleasure from the interview.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was going to talk about Stephen Whitelaw and his hateful money perhaps.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She waited very patiently, wondering what her father could have to say to her, and not anticipating much pleasure from the interview.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He was going to talk about Stephen Whitelaw and his hateful money perhaps.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Ellen Carley waited in the little parlour, dimly lighted by one candle.
conduct an interview in television, newspaper, and radio reporting
From this reading She waited very patiently, wondering what her father could have to say to her, and not anticipating much pleasure from the interview.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The fire had very nearly gone out, and she had some difficulty in brightening it a little.
set afire or burning
From this reading Ellen Carley waited in the little parlour, dimly lighted by one candle.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Ellen Carley waited in the little parlour, dimly lighted by one candle.
the most common medium of exchange; functions as legal tender
From this reading He was going to talk about Stephen Whitelaw and his hateful money perhaps.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading She waited very patiently, wondering what her father could have to say to her, and not anticipating much pleasure from the interview.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading "WHAT MUST BE SHALL BE."
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading The fire had very nearly gone out, and she had some difficulty in brightening it a little.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading She waited very patiently, wondering what her father could have to say to her, and not anticipating much pleasure from the interview.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Ellen Carley waited in the little parlour, dimly lighted by one candle.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading The fire had very nearly gone out, and she had some difficulty in brightening it a little.
parlournounUS /ˈpɑːrlər/
reception room in an inn or club where visitors can be received
From this reading Ellen Carley waited in the little parlour, dimly lighted by one candle.
patientlyadverbUS /ˈpeɪʃəntli/
with patience; in a patient manner
From this reading She waited very patiently, wondering what her father could have to say to her, and not anticipating much pleasure from the interview.
by chance
From this reading He was going to talk about Stephen Whitelaw and his hateful money perhaps.
a fundamental feeling that is hard to define but that people desire to experience
From this reading She waited very patiently, wondering what her father could have to say to her, and not anticipating much pleasure from the interview.
express in words
From this reading She waited very patiently, wondering what her father could have to say to her, and not anticipating much pleasure from the interview.
used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest
From this reading "WHAT MUST BE SHALL BE."
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The fire had very nearly gone out, and she had some difficulty in brightening it a little.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading The fire had very nearly gone out, and she had some difficulty in brightening it a little.
StephennounUS /ˈstiːvən/
English writer (1832-1904)
From this reading He was going to talk about Stephen Whitelaw and his hateful money perhaps.
exchange thoughts; talk with
From this reading He was going to talk about Stephen Whitelaw and his hateful money perhaps.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Ellen Carley waited in the little parlour, dimly lighted by one candle.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading She waited very patiently, wondering what her father could have to say to her, and not anticipating much pleasure from the interview.
precisely as stated
From this reading The fire had very nearly gone out, and she had some difficulty in brightening it a little.
past form of “wait” — stay in one place and anticipate or expect something
From this reading Ellen Carley waited in the little parlour, dimly lighted by one candle.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He was going to talk about Stephen Whitelaw and his hateful money perhaps.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "WHAT MUST BE SHALL BE."
Whitelaw
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was going to talk about Stephen Whitelaw and his hateful money perhaps.
showing curiosity
From this reading She waited very patiently, wondering what her father could have to say to her, and not anticipating much pleasure from the interview.
