used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading If, a year or two later, you could have persuaded Mrs. Cloud to tell you her thoughts, she would have said that she always considered the engagement ring to be at the bottom of the whole wretched business.
declare to be true or admit the existence or reality or truth of
From this reading She was perfectly willing to admit that Justin had his faults....
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading If, a year or two later, you could have persuaded Mrs. Cloud to tell you her thoughts, she would have said that she always considered the engagement ring to be at the bottom of the whole wretched business.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading If, a year or two later, you could have persuaded Mrs. Cloud to tell you her thoughts, she would have said that she always considered the engagement ring to be at the bottom of the whole wretched business.
backbonenounUS /ˈbækboʊn/
a central cohesive source of support and stability
From this reading If Laura had begun by being firm ... but Laura, she could not help feeling, had been lamentably wanting in backbone where Justin was concerned....
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading If, a year or two later, you could have persuaded Mrs. Cloud to tell you her thoughts, she would have said that she always considered the engagement ring to be at the bottom of the whole wretched business.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading If Laura had begun by being firm ... but Laura, she could not help feeling, had been lamentably wanting in backbone where Justin was concerned....
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading If Laura had begun by being firm ... but Laura, she could not help feeling, had been lamentably wanting in backbone where Justin was concerned....
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading If Laura had begun by being firm ... but Laura, she could not help feeling, had been lamentably wanting in backbone where Justin was concerned....
the lower side of anything
From this reading If, a year or two later, you could have persuaded Mrs. Cloud to tell you her thoughts, she would have said that she always considered the engagement ring to be at the bottom of the whole wretched business.
a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it
From this reading If, a year or two later, you could have persuaded Mrs. Cloud to tell you her thoughts, she would have said that she always considered the engagement ring to be at the bottom of the whole wretched business.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading If Laura had begun by being firm ... but Laura, she could not help feeling, had been lamentably wanting in backbone where Justin was concerned....
showing who or what does the action
From this reading If Laura had begun by being firm ... but Laura, she could not help feeling, had been lamentably wanting in backbone where Justin was concerned....
make overcast or cloudy
From this reading If, a year or two later, you could have persuaded Mrs. Cloud to tell you her thoughts, she would have said that she always considered the engagement ring to be at the bottom of the whole wretched business.
feeling or showing worry or solicitude
From this reading If Laura had begun by being firm ... but Laura, she could not help feeling, had been lamentably wanting in backbone where Justin was concerned....
carefully weighed
From this reading If, a year or two later, you could have persuaded Mrs. Cloud to tell you her thoughts, she would have said that she always considered the engagement ring to be at the bottom of the whole wretched business.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading If, a year or two later, you could have persuaded Mrs. Cloud to tell you her thoughts, she would have said that she always considered the engagement ring to be at the bottom of the whole wretched business.
a hostile meeting of opposing military forces in the course of a war
From this reading If, a year or two later, you could have persuaded Mrs. Cloud to tell you her thoughts, she would have said that she always considered the engagement ring to be at the bottom of the whole wretched business.
faultsnounUS /fɔːlts/
plural of “fault” — a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention
From this reading For Justin had his faults....
the experiencing of affective and emotional states
From this reading If Laura had begun by being firm ... but Laura, she could not help feeling, had been lamentably wanting in backbone where Justin was concerned....
marked by firm determination or resolution; not shakable
From this reading If Laura had begun by being firm ... but Laura, she could not help feeling, had been lamentably wanting in backbone where Justin was concerned....
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For Justin had his faults....
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading If Laura had begun by being firm ... but Laura, she could not help feeling, had been lamentably wanting in backbone where Justin was concerned....
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading If, a year or two later, you could have persuaded Mrs. Cloud to tell you her thoughts, she would have said that she always considered the engagement ring to be at the bottom of the whole wretched business.
give help or assistance; be of service
From this reading If Laura had begun by being firm ... but Laura, she could not help feeling, had been lamentably wanting in backbone where Justin was concerned....
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading If, a year or two later, you could have persuaded Mrs. Cloud to tell you her thoughts, she would have said that she always considered the engagement ring to be at the bottom of the whole wretched business.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading For Justin had his faults....
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If, a year or two later, you could have persuaded Mrs. Cloud to tell you her thoughts, she would have said that she always considered the engagement ring to be at the bottom of the whole wretched business.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading If Laura had begun by being firm ... but Laura, she could not help feeling, had been lamentably wanting in backbone where Justin was concerned....
Justin
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If Laura had begun by being firm ... but Laura, she could not help feeling, had been lamentably wanting in backbone where Justin was concerned....
lamentablyadverb
in an unfortunate or deplorable manner
From this reading If Laura had begun by being firm ... but Laura, she could not help feeling, had been lamentably wanting in backbone where Justin was concerned....
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading If, a year or two later, you could have persuaded Mrs. Cloud to tell you her thoughts, she would have said that she always considered the engagement ring to be at the bottom of the whole wretched business.
Laura
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If Laura had begun by being firm ... but Laura, she could not help feeling, had been lamentably wanting in backbone where Justin was concerned....
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading She was his mother, but she was not like some mothers....
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading She was his mother, but she was not like some mothers....
mothersnounUS /ˈmʌðərz/
plural of “mother” — a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading She was his mother, but she was not like some mothers....
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading If, a year or two later, you could have persuaded Mrs. Cloud to tell you her thoughts, she would have said that she always considered the engagement ring to be at the bottom of the whole wretched business.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading If Laura had begun by being firm ... but Laura, she could not help feeling, had been lamentably wanting in backbone where Justin was concerned....
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading If, a year or two later, you could have persuaded Mrs. Cloud to tell you her thoughts, she would have said that she always considered the engagement ring to be at the bottom of the whole wretched business.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading If, a year or two later, you could have persuaded Mrs. Cloud to tell you her thoughts, she would have said that she always considered the engagement ring to be at the bottom of the whole wretched business.
completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers
From this reading She was perfectly willing to admit that Justin had his faults....
persuadedverbUS /pərˈsweɪdɪd/
past form of “persuade” — win approval or support for
From this reading If, a year or two later, you could have persuaded Mrs. Cloud to tell you her thoughts, she would have said that she always considered the engagement ring to be at the bottom of the whole wretched business.
sound loudly and sonorously
From this reading If, a year or two later, you could have persuaded Mrs. Cloud to tell you her thoughts, she would have said that she always considered the engagement ring to be at the bottom of the whole wretched business.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading If, a year or two later, you could have persuaded Mrs. Cloud to tell you her thoughts, she would have said that she always considered the engagement ring to be at the bottom of the whole wretched business.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading If, a year or two later, you could have persuaded Mrs. Cloud to tell you her thoughts, she would have said that she always considered the engagement ring to be at the bottom of the whole wretched business.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading She was his mother, but she was not like some mothers....
express in words
From this reading If, a year or two later, you could have persuaded Mrs. Cloud to tell you her thoughts, she would have said that she always considered the engagement ring to be at the bottom of the whole wretched business.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading If, a year or two later, you could have persuaded Mrs. Cloud to tell you her thoughts, she would have said that she always considered the engagement ring to be at the bottom of the whole wretched business.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading If, a year or two later, you could have persuaded Mrs. Cloud to tell you her thoughts, she would have said that she always considered the engagement ring to be at the bottom of the whole wretched business.
plural of “thought” — the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading If, a year or two later, you could have persuaded Mrs. Cloud to tell you her thoughts, she would have said that she always considered the engagement ring to be at the bottom of the whole wretched business.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading If, a year or two later, you could have persuaded Mrs. Cloud to tell you her thoughts, she would have said that she always considered the engagement ring to be at the bottom of the whole wretched business.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading If, a year or two later, you could have persuaded Mrs. Cloud to tell you her thoughts, she would have said that she always considered the engagement ring to be at the bottom of the whole wretched business.
nonexistent
From this reading If Laura had begun by being firm ... but Laura, she could not help feeling, had been lamentably wanting in backbone where Justin was concerned....
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading If Laura had begun by being firm ... but Laura, she could not help feeling, had been lamentably wanting in backbone where Justin was concerned....
in or at the place that
From this reading If Laura had begun by being firm ... but Laura, she could not help feeling, had been lamentably wanting in backbone where Justin was concerned....
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading If, a year or two later, you could have persuaded Mrs. Cloud to tell you her thoughts, she would have said that she always considered the engagement ring to be at the bottom of the whole wretched business.
disposed or inclined toward
From this reading She was perfectly willing to admit that Justin had his faults....
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading If, a year or two later, you could have persuaded Mrs. Cloud to tell you her thoughts, she would have said that she always considered the engagement ring to be at the bottom of the whole wretched business.
of very poor quality or condition
From this reading If, a year or two later, you could have persuaded Mrs. Cloud to tell you her thoughts, she would have said that she always considered the engagement ring to be at the bottom of the whole wretched business.
a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days
From this reading If, a year or two later, you could have persuaded Mrs. Cloud to tell you her thoughts, she would have said that she always considered the engagement ring to be at the bottom of the whole wretched business.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading If, a year or two later, you could have persuaded Mrs. Cloud to tell you her thoughts, she would have said that she always considered the engagement ring to be at the bottom of the whole wretched business.
