used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading We had held sort of a family council before we had left home and Grandfather had talked to us.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading I I had been as nervous as an old woman about Aunt Gracia all during these everlasting proceedings.
(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 I I had been as nervous as an old woman about Aunt Gracia all during these everlasting proceedings.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading I I had been as nervous as an old woman about Aunt Gracia all during these everlasting proceedings.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She and I had ridden to Quilterville together to keep from crowding the carriage.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading I I had been as nervous as an old woman about Aunt Gracia all during these everlasting proceedings.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading We were no sooner mounted, and off, than she began to talk to me about hoping I’d be “discreet” at the inquest.
the sister of your father or mother; the wife of your uncle
From this reading I I had been as nervous as an old woman about Aunt Gracia all during these everlasting proceedings.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading We were no sooner mounted, and off, than she began to talk to me about hoping I’d be “discreet” at the inquest.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading I I had been as nervous as an old woman about Aunt Gracia all during these everlasting proceedings.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading We had held sort of a family council before we had left home and Grandfather had talked to us.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading We were no sooner mounted, and off, than she began to talk to me about hoping I’d be “discreet” at the inquest.
a railcar where passengers ride
From this reading She and I had ridden to Quilterville together to keep from crowding the carriage.
a body serving in an administrative capacity
From this reading We had held sort of a family council before we had left home and Grandfather had talked to us.
crowdingnounUS /ˈkraʊdɪŋ/
a situation in which people or things are crowded together
From this reading She and I had ridden to Quilterville together to keep from crowding the carriage.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading I did not understand her, at first.
discreetadjectiveUS /dɪˈskriːt/
marked by prudence or modesty and wise self-restraint
From this reading We were no sooner mounted, and off, than she began to talk to me about hoping I’d be “discreet” at the inquest.
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading I I had been as nervous as an old woman about Aunt Gracia all during these everlasting proceedings.
everlastingadjectiveUS /ˌevərˈlæstɪŋ/
continuing forever or indefinitely
From this reading I I had been as nervous as an old woman about Aunt Gracia all during these everlasting proceedings.
a social unit living together
From this reading We had held sort of a family council before we had left home and Grandfather had talked to us.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading I did not understand her, at first.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading She and I had ridden to Quilterville together to keep from crowding the carriage.
Gracia
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I I had been as nervous as an old woman about Aunt Gracia all during these everlasting proceedings.
the father of your father or mother
From this reading We had held sort of a family council before we had left home and Grandfather had talked to us.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading I I had been as nervous as an old woman about Aunt Gracia all during these everlasting proceedings.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading We had held sort of a family council before we had left home and Grandfather had talked to us.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading I did not understand her, at first.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading We had held sort of a family council before we had left home and Grandfather had talked to us.
-ing form of “hope” — expect and wish
From this reading We were no sooner mounted, and off, than she began to talk to me about hoping I’d be “discreet” at the inquest.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I I had been as nervous as an old woman about Aunt Gracia all during these everlasting proceedings.
I'd
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We were no sooner mounted, and off, than she began to talk to me about hoping I’d be “discreet” at the inquest.
inquestnounUS /ˈɪnkwest/
an inquiry into the cause of an unexpected death
From this reading We were no sooner mounted, and off, than she began to talk to me about hoping I’d be “discreet” at the inquest.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading She and I had ridden to Quilterville together to keep from crowding the carriage.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading We had held sort of a family council before we had left home and Grandfather had talked to us.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading We were no sooner mounted, and off, than she began to talk to me about hoping I’d be “discreet” at the inquest.
assembled for use; especially by being attached to a support
From this reading We were no sooner mounted, and off, than she began to talk to me about hoping I’d be “discreet” at the inquest.
easily agitated
From this reading I I had been as nervous as an old woman about Aunt Gracia all during these everlasting proceedings.
not any; not one
From this reading We were no sooner mounted, and off, than she began to talk to me about hoping I’d be “discreet” at the inquest.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading I did not understand her, at first.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading We had held sort of a family council before we had left home and Grandfather had talked to us.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading We were no sooner mounted, and off, than she began to talk to me about hoping I’d be “discreet” at the inquest.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading I I had been as nervous as an old woman about Aunt Gracia all during these everlasting proceedings.
proceedingsnounUS /proʊˈsiːdɪŋz/
(law) the institution of a sequence of steps by which legal judgments are invoked
From this reading I I had been as nervous as an old woman about Aunt Gracia all during these everlasting proceedings.
Quilterville
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She and I had ridden to Quilterville together to keep from crowding the carriage.
riddenverbUS /ˈrɪdən/
inflected form of “ride” — sit and travel on the back of animal, usually while controlling its motions
From this reading She and I had ridden to Quilterville together to keep from crowding the carriage.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She and I had ridden to Quilterville together to keep from crowding the carriage.
comparatives of “soon” or “early”
From this reading We were no sooner mounted, and off, than she began to talk to me about hoping I’d be “discreet” at the inquest.
a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
From this reading We had held sort of a family council before we had left home and Grandfather had talked to us.
exchange thoughts; talk with
From this reading We were no sooner mounted, and off, than she began to talk to me about hoping I’d be “discreet” at the inquest.
past form of “talk” — exchange thoughts; talk with
From this reading We had held sort of a family council before we had left home and Grandfather had talked to us.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading We were no sooner mounted, and off, than she began to talk to me about hoping I’d be “discreet” at the inquest.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading She and I had ridden to Quilterville together to keep from crowding the carriage.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading I I had been as nervous as an old woman about Aunt Gracia all during these everlasting proceedings.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading She and I had ridden to Quilterville together to keep from crowding the carriage.
in contact with each other or in proximity
From this reading She and I had ridden to Quilterville together to keep from crowding the carriage.
know and comprehend the nature or meaning of
From this reading I did not understand her, at first.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading We had held sort of a family council before we had left home and Grandfather had talked to us.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading We were no sooner mounted, and off, than she began to talk to me about hoping I’d be “discreet” at the inquest.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading We were no sooner mounted, and off, than she began to talk to me about hoping I’d be “discreet” at the inquest.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading I I had been as nervous as an old woman about Aunt Gracia all during these everlasting proceedings.
