used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading But she only went as far as the landing; there she crouched down in a corner and waited.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading The outward circumstances of Nan Esterleigh’s life had never been too bright, but all the same she had been a happy little girl; she had been petted and fussed about and loved, and her battered doll, Sophia Maria, had been the greatest imaginable comfort to her.
commonly used or practiced; usual
From this reading She was quite accustomed to scanty meals and poor rooms and cross landladies.
(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 The outward circumstances of Nan Esterleigh’s life had never been too bright, but all the same she had been a happy little girl; she had been petted and fussed about and loved, and her battered doll, Sophia Maria, had been the greatest imaginable comfort to her.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading But she only went as far as the landing; there she crouched down in a corner and waited.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading But she only went as far as the landing; there she crouched down in a corner and waited.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading She did not know what she feared, nor exactly what was going to happen; it seemed to her that there was a great darkness everywhere, and that it pressed her round and shut away the light.
batteredadjectiveUS /ˈbætərd/
damaged by blows or hard usage
From this reading The outward circumstances of Nan Esterleigh’s life had never been too bright, but all the same she had been a happy little girl; she had been petted and fussed about and loved, and her battered doll, Sophia Maria, had been the greatest imaginable comfort to her.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The outward circumstances of Nan Esterleigh’s life had never been too bright, but all the same she had been a happy little girl; she had been petted and fussed about and loved, and her battered doll, Sophia Maria, had been the greatest imaginable comfort to her.
emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts
From this reading The outward circumstances of Nan Esterleigh’s life had never been too bright, but all the same she had been a happy little girl; she had been petted and fussed about and loved, and her battered doll, Sophia Maria, had been the greatest imaginable comfort to her.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But she only went as far as the landing; there she crouched down in a corner and waited.
your overall circumstances or condition in life (including everything that happens to you)
From this reading The outward circumstances of Nan Esterleigh’s life had never been too bright, but all the same she had been a happy little girl; she had been petted and fussed about and loved, and her battered doll, Sophia Maria, had been the greatest imaginable comfort to her.
a state of being relaxed and feeling no pain
From this reading The outward circumstances of Nan Esterleigh’s life had never been too bright, but all the same she had been a happy little girl; she had been petted and fussed about and loved, and her battered doll, Sophia Maria, had been the greatest imaginable comfort to her.
a place off to the side of an area
From this reading But she only went as far as the landing; there she crouched down in a corner and waited.
travel across or pass over
From this reading She was quite accustomed to scanty meals and poor rooms and cross landladies.
crouchedverbUS /kraʊtʃt/
past form of “crouch” — bend one's back forward from the waist on down
From this reading But she only went as far as the landing; there she crouched down in a corner and waited.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading She did not know what she feared, nor exactly what was going to happen; it seemed to her that there was a great darkness everywhere, and that it pressed her round and shut away the light.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading She did not know what she feared, nor exactly what was going to happen; it seemed to her that there was a great darkness everywhere, and that it pressed her round and shut away the light.
dollnounUS /dɑːl/
a small replica of a person; used as a toy
From this reading The outward circumstances of Nan Esterleigh’s life had never been too bright, but all the same she had been a happy little girl; she had been petted and fussed about and loved, and her battered doll, Sophia Maria, had been the greatest imaginable comfort to her.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading But she only went as far as the landing; there she crouched down in a corner and waited.
Esterleigh's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The outward circumstances of Nan Esterleigh’s life had never been too bright, but all the same she had been a happy little girl; she had been petted and fussed about and loved, and her battered doll, Sophia Maria, had been the greatest imaginable comfort to her.
at any time
From this reading “I WON’T EVER GO TO YOU.”
to or in any or all places
From this reading She did not know what she feared, nor exactly what was going to happen; it seemed to her that there was a great darkness everywhere, and that it pressed her round and shut away the light.
indicating exactness or preciseness
From this reading She did not know what she feared, nor exactly what was going to happen; it seemed to her that there was a great darkness everywhere, and that it pressed her round and shut away the light.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading But she only went as far as the landing; there she crouched down in a corner and waited.
past form of “fear” — be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
From this reading She did not know what she feared, nor exactly what was going to happen; it seemed to her that there was a great darkness everywhere, and that it pressed her round and shut away the light.
fussedverbUS /fʌst/
past form of “fuss” — worry unnecessarily or excessively
From this reading The outward circumstances of Nan Esterleigh’s life had never been too bright, but all the same she had been a happy little girl; she had been petted and fussed about and loved, and her battered doll, Sophia Maria, had been the greatest imaginable comfort to her.
a young female
From this reading The outward circumstances of Nan Esterleigh’s life had never been too bright, but all the same she had been a happy little girl; she had been petted and fussed about and loved, and her battered doll, Sophia Maria, had been the greatest imaginable comfort to her.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading “I WON’T EVER GO TO YOU.”
the act of departing
From this reading She did not know what she feared, nor exactly what was going to happen; it seemed to her that there was a great darkness everywhere, and that it pressed her round and shut away the light.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading She did not know what she feared, nor exactly what was going to happen; it seemed to her that there was a great darkness everywhere, and that it pressed her round and shut away the light.
highest in quality
From this reading The outward circumstances of Nan Esterleigh’s life had never been too bright, but all the same she had been a happy little girl; she had been petted and fussed about and loved, and her battered doll, Sophia Maria, had been the greatest imaginable comfort to her.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The outward circumstances of Nan Esterleigh’s life had never been too bright, but all the same she had been a happy little girl; she had been petted and fussed about and loved, and her battered doll, Sophia Maria, had been the greatest imaginable comfort to her.
come to pass
From this reading She did not know what she feared, nor exactly what was going to happen; it seemed to her that there was a great darkness everywhere, and that it pressed her round and shut away the light.
enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure
From this reading The outward circumstances of Nan Esterleigh’s life had never been too bright, but all the same she had been a happy little girl; she had been petted and fussed about and loved, and her battered doll, Sophia Maria, had been the greatest imaginable comfort to her.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She did not know what she feared, nor exactly what was going to happen; it seemed to her that there was a great darkness everywhere, and that it pressed her round and shut away the light.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “I WON’T EVER GO TO YOU.”
imaginableadjectiveUS /ˌɪˈmædʒənəbəl/
capable of being imagined
From this reading The outward circumstances of Nan Esterleigh’s life had never been too bright, but all the same she had been a happy little girl; she had been petted and fussed about and loved, and her battered doll, Sophia Maria, had been the greatest imaginable comfort to her.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading But she only went as far as the landing; there she crouched down in a corner and waited.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading She did not know what she feared, nor exactly what was going to happen; it seemed to her that there was a great darkness everywhere, and that it pressed her round and shut away the light.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading She did not know what she feared, nor exactly what was going to happen; it seemed to her that there was a great darkness everywhere, and that it pressed her round and shut away the light.
an intermediate platform in a staircase
From this reading But she only went as far as the landing; there she crouched down in a corner and waited.
landladies
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was quite accustomed to scanty meals and poor rooms and cross landladies.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading The outward circumstances of Nan Esterleigh’s life had never been too bright, but all the same she had been a happy little girl; she had been petted and fussed about and loved, and her battered doll, Sophia Maria, had been the greatest imaginable comfort to her.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading She did not know what she feared, nor exactly what was going to happen; it seemed to her that there was a great darkness everywhere, and that it pressed her round and shut away the light.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The outward circumstances of Nan Esterleigh’s life had never been too bright, but all the same she had been a happy little girl; she had been petted and fussed about and loved, and her battered doll, Sophia Maria, had been the greatest imaginable comfort to her.
held dear
From this reading The outward circumstances of Nan Esterleigh’s life had never been too bright, but all the same she had been a happy little girl; she had been petted and fussed about and loved, and her battered doll, Sophia Maria, had been the greatest imaginable comfort to her.
a dark region of considerable extent on the surface of the moon
From this reading The outward circumstances of Nan Esterleigh’s life had never been too bright, but all the same she had been a happy little girl; she had been petted and fussed about and loved, and her battered doll, Sophia Maria, had been the greatest imaginable comfort to her.
mealsnounUS /miːlz/
plural of “meal” — the food served and eaten at one time
From this reading She was quite accustomed to scanty meals and poor rooms and cross landladies.
NannounUS /næn/
your grandmother
From this reading The outward circumstances of Nan Esterleigh’s life had never been too bright, but all the same she had been a happy little girl; she had been petted and fussed about and loved, and her battered doll, Sophia Maria, had been the greatest imaginable comfort to her.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading The outward circumstances of Nan Esterleigh’s life had never been too bright, but all the same she had been a happy little girl; she had been petted and fussed about and loved, and her battered doll, Sophia Maria, had been the greatest imaginable comfort to her.
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading She did not know what she feared, nor exactly what was going to happen; it seemed to her that there was a great darkness everywhere, and that it pressed her round and shut away the light.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading She did not know what she feared, nor exactly what was going to happen; it seemed to her that there was a great darkness everywhere, and that it pressed her round and shut away the light.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The outward circumstances of Nan Esterleigh’s life had never been too bright, but all the same she had been a happy little girl; she had been petted and fussed about and loved, and her battered doll, Sophia Maria, had been the greatest imaginable comfort to her.
and nothing more
From this reading But she only went as far as the landing; there she crouched down in a corner and waited.
outwardadjectiveUS /ˈaʊtwərd/
relating to physical reality rather than with thoughts or the mind
From this reading The outward circumstances of Nan Esterleigh’s life had never been too bright, but all the same she had been a happy little girl; she had been petted and fussed about and loved, and her battered doll, Sophia Maria, had been the greatest imaginable comfort to her.
pettedverbUS /ˈpetɪd/
inflected form of “pet” — stroke or caress gently
From this reading The outward circumstances of Nan Esterleigh’s life had never been too bright, but all the same she had been a happy little girl; she had been petted and fussed about and loved, and her battered doll, Sophia Maria, had been the greatest imaginable comfort to her.
deserving or inciting pity
From this reading She was quite accustomed to scanty meals and poor rooms and cross landladies.
compacted by ironing
From this reading She did not know what she feared, nor exactly what was going to happen; it seemed to her that there was a great darkness everywhere, and that it pressed her round and shut away the light.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading She was quite accustomed to scanty meals and poor rooms and cross landladies.
apartment consisting of a series of connected rooms used as a living unit (as in a hotel)
From this reading She was quite accustomed to scanty meals and poor rooms and cross landladies.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading She did not know what she feared, nor exactly what was going to happen; it seemed to her that there was a great darkness everywhere, and that it pressed her round and shut away the light.
Identical; not different.
From this reading The outward circumstances of Nan Esterleigh’s life had never been too bright, but all the same she had been a happy little girl; she had been petted and fussed about and loved, and her battered doll, Sophia Maria, had been the greatest imaginable comfort to her.
scantyadjectiveUS /ˈskænti/
lacking in magnitude or quantity
From this reading She was quite accustomed to scanty meals and poor rooms and cross landladies.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading She did not know what she feared, nor exactly what was going to happen; it seemed to her that there was a great darkness everywhere, and that it pressed her round and shut away the light.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading But she only went as far as the landing; there she crouched down in a corner and waited.
move so that an opening or passage is obstructed; make shut
From this reading She did not know what she feared, nor exactly what was going to happen; it seemed to her that there was a great darkness everywhere, and that it pressed her round and shut away the light.
Sophia
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The outward circumstances of Nan Esterleigh’s life had never been too bright, but all the same she had been a happy little girl; she had been petted and fussed about and loved, and her battered doll, Sophia Maria, had been the greatest imaginable comfort to her.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading She did not know what she feared, nor exactly what was going to happen; it seemed to her that there was a great darkness everywhere, and that it pressed her round and shut away the light.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading But she only went as far as the landing; there she crouched down in a corner and waited.
in or at that place or location
From this reading But she only went as far as the landing; there she crouched down in a corner and waited.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “I WON’T EVER GO TO YOU.”
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading The outward circumstances of Nan Esterleigh’s life had never been too bright, but all the same she had been a happy little girl; she had been petted and fussed about and loved, and her battered doll, Sophia Maria, had been the greatest imaginable comfort to her.
past form of “wait” — stay in one place and anticipate or expect something
From this reading But she only went as far as the landing; there she crouched down in a corner and waited.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading She did not know what she feared, nor exactly what was going to happen; it seemed to her that there was a great darkness everywhere, and that it pressed her round and shut away the light.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading But she only went as far as the landing; there she crouched down in a corner and waited.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading She did not know what she feared, nor exactly what was going to happen; it seemed to her that there was a great darkness everywhere, and that it pressed her round and shut away the light.
WON'T
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I WON’T EVER GO TO YOU.”
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “I WON’T EVER GO TO YOU.”
