used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A hand, feather-soft, fell upon, his shoulder, "And who was your Ysoude, Jean Bulmer?"
in the past
From this reading "A woman who died twenty years ago,--a woman dead before you were born, my dear."
Alison
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And his face sank down into his hands, and Claire was forgotten, for he was remembering Alison Pleydell and that ancient bankruptcy of his heart in youth, and this preposterous old John Bulmer (he reflected) was simply revelling in pity for himself.
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading "I--I am sorry," she said, inadequately.
Belonging to the very distant past and no longer in existence or deeply revered.
From this reading And his face sank down into his hands, and Claire was forgotten, for he was remembering Alison Pleydell and that ancient bankruptcy of his heart in youth, and this preposterous old John Bulmer (he reflected) was simply revelling in pity for himself.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading And his face sank down into his hands, and Claire was forgotten, for he was remembering Alison Pleydell and that ancient bankruptcy of his heart in youth, and this preposterous old John Bulmer (he reflected) was simply revelling in pity for himself.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "You are the more gracious."
bankruptcynounUS /ˈbæŋkrəpsi/
a state of complete lack of some abstract property
From this reading And his face sank down into his hands, and Claire was forgotten, for he was remembering Alison Pleydell and that ancient bankruptcy of his heart in youth, and this preposterous old John Bulmer (he reflected) was simply revelling in pity for himself.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading "A woman who died twenty years ago,--a woman dead before you were born, my dear."
brought into existence
From this reading "A woman who died twenty years ago,--a woman dead before you were born, my dear."
Bulmer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And his face sank down into his hands, and Claire was forgotten, for he was remembering Alison Pleydell and that ancient bankruptcy of his heart in youth, and this preposterous old John Bulmer (he reflected) was simply revelling in pity for himself.
Claire
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And his face sank down into his hands, and Claire was forgotten, for he was remembering Alison Pleydell and that ancient bankruptcy of his heart in youth, and this preposterous old John Bulmer (he reflected) was simply revelling in pity for himself.
no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life
From this reading "A woman who died twenty years ago,--a woman dead before you were born, my dear."
dearly loved
From this reading "A woman who died twenty years ago,--a woman dead before you were born, my dear."
past form of “die” — pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life
From this reading "A woman who died twenty years ago,--a woman dead before you were born, my dear."
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading And his face sank down into his hands, and Claire was forgotten, for he was remembering Alison Pleydell and that ancient bankruptcy of his heart in youth, and this preposterous old John Bulmer (he reflected) was simply revelling in pity for himself.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading And his face sank down into his hands, and Claire was forgotten, for he was remembering Alison Pleydell and that ancient bankruptcy of his heart in youth, and this preposterous old John Bulmer (he reflected) was simply revelling in pity for himself.
feather-soft
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A hand, feather-soft, fell upon, his shoulder, "And who was your Ysoude, Jean Bulmer?"
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading A hand, feather-soft, fell upon, his shoulder, "And who was your Ysoude, Jean Bulmer?"
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading And his face sank down into his hands, and Claire was forgotten, for he was remembering Alison Pleydell and that ancient bankruptcy of his heart in youth, and this preposterous old John Bulmer (he reflected) was simply revelling in pity for himself.
Not remembered; lapsed from memory.
From this reading And his face sank down into his hands, and Claire was forgotten, for he was remembering Alison Pleydell and that ancient bankruptcy of his heart in youth, and this preposterous old John Bulmer (he reflected) was simply revelling in pity for himself.
characterized by charm, good taste, and generosity of spirit
From this reading "You are the more gracious."
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading A hand, feather-soft, fell upon, his shoulder, "And who was your Ysoude, Jean Bulmer?"
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading And his face sank down into his hands, and Claire was forgotten, for he was remembering Alison Pleydell and that ancient bankruptcy of his heart in youth, and this preposterous old John Bulmer (he reflected) was simply revelling in pity for himself.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading And his face sank down into his hands, and Claire was forgotten, for he was remembering Alison Pleydell and that ancient bankruptcy of his heart in youth, and this preposterous old John Bulmer (he reflected) was simply revelling in pity for himself.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading And his face sank down into his hands, and Claire was forgotten, for he was remembering Alison Pleydell and that ancient bankruptcy of his heart in youth, and this preposterous old John Bulmer (he reflected) was simply revelling in pity for himself.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading And his face sank down into his hands, and Claire was forgotten, for he was remembering Alison Pleydell and that ancient bankruptcy of his heart in youth, and this preposterous old John Bulmer (he reflected) was simply revelling in pity for himself.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading And his face sank down into his hands, and Claire was forgotten, for he was remembering Alison Pleydell and that ancient bankruptcy of his heart in youth, and this preposterous old John Bulmer (he reflected) was simply revelling in pity for himself.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I--I am sorry," she said, inadequately.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading And his face sank down into his hands, and Claire was forgotten, for he was remembering Alison Pleydell and that ancient bankruptcy of his heart in youth, and this preposterous old John Bulmer (he reflected) was simply revelling in pity for himself.
inadequatelyadverbUS /ˌɪˈnædəkwətli/
in an inadequate manner or to an inadequate degree
From this reading "I--I am sorry," she said, inadequately.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading And his face sank down into his hands, and Claire was forgotten, for he was remembering Alison Pleydell and that ancient bankruptcy of his heart in youth, and this preposterous old John Bulmer (he reflected) was simply revelling in pity for himself.
a coarse durable twill-weave cotton fabric
From this reading A hand, feather-soft, fell upon, his shoulder, "And who was your Ysoude, Jean Bulmer?"
a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading And his face sank down into his hands, and Claire was forgotten, for he was remembering Alison Pleydell and that ancient bankruptcy of his heart in youth, and this preposterous old John Bulmer (he reflected) was simply revelling in pity for himself.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading "You are the more gracious."
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "A woman who died twenty years ago,--a woman dead before you were born, my dear."
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading And his face sank down into his hands, and Claire was forgotten, for he was remembering Alison Pleydell and that ancient bankruptcy of his heart in youth, and this preposterous old John Bulmer (he reflected) was simply revelling in pity for himself.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading And his face sank down into his hands, and Claire was forgotten, for he was remembering Alison Pleydell and that ancient bankruptcy of his heart in youth, and this preposterous old John Bulmer (he reflected) was simply revelling in pity for himself.
a feeling of sympathy and sorrow for the misfortunes of others
From this reading And his face sank down into his hands, and Claire was forgotten, for he was remembering Alison Pleydell and that ancient bankruptcy of his heart in youth, and this preposterous old John Bulmer (he reflected) was simply revelling in pity for himself.
Pleydell
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And his face sank down into his hands, and Claire was forgotten, for he was remembering Alison Pleydell and that ancient bankruptcy of his heart in youth, and this preposterous old John Bulmer (he reflected) was simply revelling in pity for himself.
preposterousadjectiveUS /prɪˈpɑːstərəs/
so unreasonable as to invite derision
From this reading And his face sank down into his hands, and Claire was forgotten, for he was remembering Alison Pleydell and that ancient bankruptcy of his heart in youth, and this preposterous old John Bulmer (he reflected) was simply revelling in pity for himself.
(especially of incident sound or light) bent or sent back
From this reading And his face sank down into his hands, and Claire was forgotten, for he was remembering Alison Pleydell and that ancient bankruptcy of his heart in youth, and this preposterous old John Bulmer (he reflected) was simply revelling in pity for himself.
rememberingnounUS /rɪˈmembərɪŋ/
the cognitive processes whereby past experience is remembered
From this reading And his face sank down into his hands, and Claire was forgotten, for he was remembering Alison Pleydell and that ancient bankruptcy of his heart in youth, and this preposterous old John Bulmer (he reflected) was simply revelling in pity for himself.
revelling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And his face sank down into his hands, and Claire was forgotten, for he was remembering Alison Pleydell and that ancient bankruptcy of his heart in youth, and this preposterous old John Bulmer (he reflected) was simply revelling in pity for himself.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "I--I am sorry," she said, inadequately.
inflected form of “sink” — fall or descend to a lower place or level
From this reading And his face sank down into his hands, and Claire was forgotten, for he was remembering Alison Pleydell and that ancient bankruptcy of his heart in youth, and this preposterous old John Bulmer (he reflected) was simply revelling in pity for himself.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "I--I am sorry," she said, inadequately.
lift onto one's shoulders
From this reading A hand, feather-soft, fell upon, his shoulder, "And who was your Ysoude, Jean Bulmer?"
and nothing more
From this reading And his face sank down into his hands, and Claire was forgotten, for he was remembering Alison Pleydell and that ancient bankruptcy of his heart in youth, and this preposterous old John Bulmer (he reflected) was simply revelling in pity for himself.
sorryadjectiveUS /ˈsɑːri/
feeling or expressing regret or sorrow or a sense of loss over something done or undone
From this reading "I--I am sorry," she said, inadequately.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading And his face sank down into his hands, and Claire was forgotten, for he was remembering Alison Pleydell and that ancient bankruptcy of his heart in youth, and this preposterous old John Bulmer (he reflected) was simply revelling in pity for himself.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "You are the more gracious."
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading And his face sank down into his hands, and Claire was forgotten, for he was remembering Alison Pleydell and that ancient bankruptcy of his heart in youth, and this preposterous old John Bulmer (he reflected) was simply revelling in pity for himself.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nineteen and one
From this reading "A woman who died twenty years ago,--a woman dead before you were born, my dear."
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading A hand, feather-soft, fell upon, his shoulder, "And who was your Ysoude, Jean Bulmer?"
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading And his face sank down into his hands, and Claire was forgotten, for he was remembering Alison Pleydell and that ancient bankruptcy of his heart in youth, and this preposterous old John Bulmer (he reflected) was simply revelling in pity for himself.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "A woman who died twenty years ago,--a woman dead before you were born, my dear."
which person or people
From this reading A hand, feather-soft, fell upon, his shoulder, "And who was your Ysoude, Jean Bulmer?"
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading "A woman who died twenty years ago,--a woman dead before you were born, my dear."
a late time of life
From this reading "A woman who died twenty years ago,--a woman dead before you were born, my dear."
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "You are the more gracious."
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading A hand, feather-soft, fell upon, his shoulder, "And who was your Ysoude, Jean Bulmer?"
a young person (especially a young man or boy)
From this reading And his face sank down into his hands, and Claire was forgotten, for he was remembering Alison Pleydell and that ancient bankruptcy of his heart in youth, and this preposterous old John Bulmer (he reflected) was simply revelling in pity for himself.
Ysoude
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A hand, feather-soft, fell upon, his shoulder, "And who was your Ysoude, Jean Bulmer?"
