aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading ONE evening, about ten days before Christmas, mother and I were waiting, as we so often did, for father's return.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading ONE evening, about ten days before Christmas, mother and I were waiting, as we so often did, for father's return.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading ONE evening, about ten days before Christmas, mother and I were waiting, as we so often did, for father's return.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading It was earlier than he commonly came back, so we did not expect him yet.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading She thought, if she had, she would be happier.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading I had been reading to mother the fifteenth of John, and she said she did wish she had cared more for such things.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading ONE evening, about ten days before Christmas, mother and I were waiting, as we so often did, for father's return.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading It was earlier than he commonly came back, so we did not expect him yet.
past form of “care” — feel concern or interest
From this reading I had been reading to mother the fifteenth of John, and she said she did wish she had cared more for such things.
period extending from Dec. 24 to Jan. 6
From this reading ONE evening, about ten days before Christmas, mother and I were waiting, as we so often did, for father's return.
commonlyadverbUS /ˈkɑːmənli/
under normal conditions
From this reading It was earlier than he commonly came back, so we did not expect him yet.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading ONE evening, about ten days before Christmas, mother and I were waiting, as we so often did, for father's return.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading ONE evening, about ten days before Christmas, mother and I were waiting, as we so often did, for father's return.
earlier in time; previously
From this reading It was earlier than he commonly came back, so we did not expect him yet.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading THE END.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading ONE evening, about ten days before Christmas, mother and I were waiting, as we so often did, for father's return.
regard something as probable or likely
From this reading It was earlier than he commonly came back, so we did not expect him yet.
father'snounUS /ˈfɑːðərz/
possessive form of “father” — a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading ONE evening, about ten days before Christmas, mother and I were waiting, as we so often did, for father's return.
fifteenthadjectiveUS /fɪfˈtiːnθ/
coming next after the fourteenth and just before the sixteenth in position
From this reading I had been reading to mother the fifteenth of John, and she said she did wish she had cared more for such things.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading ONE evening, about ten days before Christmas, mother and I were waiting, as we so often did, for father's return.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading I had been reading to mother the fifteenth of John, and she said she did wish she had cared more for such things.
happieradjectiveUS /ˈhæpiər/
comparative of “happy” — enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure
From this reading She thought, if she had, she would be happier.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It was earlier than he commonly came back, so we did not expect him yet.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading It was earlier than he commonly came back, so we did not expect him yet.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading ONE evening, about ten days before Christmas, mother and I were waiting, as we so often did, for father's return.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading She thought, if she had, she would be happier.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was earlier than he commonly came back, so we did not expect him yet.
a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading I had been reading to mother the fifteenth of John, and she said she did wish she had cared more for such things.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading I had been reading to mother the fifteenth of John, and she said she did wish she had cared more for such things.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading ONE evening, about ten days before Christmas, mother and I were waiting, as we so often did, for father's return.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading It was earlier than he commonly came back, so we did not expect him yet.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading I had been reading to mother the fifteenth of John, and she said she did wish she had cared more for such things.
many times at short intervals
From this reading ONE evening, about ten days before Christmas, mother and I were waiting, as we so often did, for father's return.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading ONE evening, about ten days before Christmas, mother and I were waiting, as we so often did, for father's return.
the cognitive process of understanding a written linguistic message
From this reading I had been reading to mother the fifteenth of John, and she said she did wish she had cared more for such things.
go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading ONE evening, about ten days before Christmas, mother and I were waiting, as we so often did, for father's return.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading I had been reading to mother the fifteenth of John, and she said she did wish she had cared more for such things.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading I had been reading to mother the fifteenth of John, and she said she did wish she had cared more for such things.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading ONE evening, about ten days before Christmas, mother and I were waiting, as we so often did, for father's return.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading I had been reading to mother the fifteenth of John, and she said she did wish she had cared more for such things.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading ONE evening, about ten days before Christmas, mother and I were waiting, as we so often did, for father's return.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading It was earlier than he commonly came back, so we did not expect him yet.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE END.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading I had been reading to mother the fifteenth of John, and she said she did wish she had cared more for such things.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading She thought, if she had, she would be happier.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I had been reading to mother the fifteenth of John, and she said she did wish she had cared more for such things.
the act of waiting (remaining inactive in one place while expecting something)
From this reading ONE evening, about ten days before Christmas, mother and I were waiting, as we so often did, for father's return.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was earlier than he commonly came back, so we did not expect him yet.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading ONE evening, about ten days before Christmas, mother and I were waiting, as we so often did, for father's return.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading ONE evening, about ten days before Christmas, mother and I were waiting, as we so often did, for father's return.
hope for; have a wish
From this reading I had been reading to mother the fifteenth of John, and she said she did wish she had cared more for such things.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading She thought, if she had, she would be happier.
but in spite of that
From this reading It was earlier than he commonly came back, so we did not expect him yet.
