Chapter V

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading However much Dick might have been willing to drift along through a prolonged love-making and slow courtship, however much Cecily’s parents might have wished for such developments, it was soon obvious that they were impossible.

following the length of something from one end toward the other

From this reading However much Dick might have been willing to drift along through a prolonged love-making and slow courtship, however much Cecily’s parents might have wished for such developments, it was soon obvious that they were impossible.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading However much Dick might have been willing to drift along through a prolonged love-making and slow courtship, however much Cecily’s parents might have wished for such developments, it was soon obvious that they were impossible.

past form of “attract” — direct toward itself or oneself by means of some psychological power or physical attributes

From this reading The young freshness, the rarity, of Cecily attracted other men.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading However much Dick might have been willing to drift along through a prolonged love-making and slow courtship, however much Cecily’s parents might have wished for such developments, it was soon obvious that they were impossible.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But it seemed rather unimportant, except to three rather frowzy, struggling persons, what was happening to Fliss.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The important thing was what was happening to Cecily--what did happen during those next three marvelous months of her life.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading However much Dick might have been willing to drift along through a prolonged love-making and slow courtship, however much Cecily’s parents might have wished for such developments, it was soon obvious that they were impossible.

a man's courting of a woman; seeking the affections of a woman (usually with the hope of marriage)

From this reading However much Dick might have been willing to drift along through a prolonged love-making and slow courtship, however much Cecily’s parents might have wished for such developments, it was soon obvious that they were impossible.

with great urgency

From this reading There was one, one desperately in earnest older man, who even spoke to Cecily of marriage and drove her, white and trembling, to her mother.

plural of “development” — act of improving by expanding or enlarging or refining

From this reading However much Dick might have been willing to drift along through a prolonged love-making and slow courtship, however much Cecily’s parents might have wished for such developments, it was soon obvious that they were impossible.

someone who is a detective

From this reading However much Dick might have been willing to drift along through a prolonged love-making and slow courtship, however much Cecily’s parents might have wished for such developments, it was soon obvious that they were impossible.

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading The important thing was what was happening to Cecily--what did happen during those next three marvelous months of her life.

be in motion due to some air or water current

From this reading However much Dick might have been willing to drift along through a prolonged love-making and slow courtship, however much Cecily’s parents might have wished for such developments, it was soon obvious that they were impossible.

a group of animals (a herd or flock) moving together

From this reading There was one, one desperately in earnest older man, who even spoke to Cecily of marriage and drove her, white and trembling, to her mother.

all through a period, or at some point within it

From this reading The important thing was what was happening to Cecily--what did happen during those next three marvelous months of her life.

characterized by a firm and humorless belief in the validity of your opinions

From this reading There was one, one desperately in earnest older man, who even spoke to Cecily of marriage and drove her, white and trembling, to her mother.

divisible by two

From this reading There was one, one desperately in earnest older man, who even spoke to Cecily of marriage and drove her, white and trembling, to her mother.

apart from; not including

From this reading But it seemed rather unimportant, except to three rather frowzy, struggling persons, what was happening to Fliss.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading But it seemed rather unimportant, except to three rather frowzy, struggling persons, what was happening to Fliss.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading However much Dick might have been willing to drift along through a prolonged love-making and slow courtship, however much Cecily’s parents might have wished for such developments, it was soon obvious that they were impossible.

the property of being pure and fresh (as if newly made); not stale or deteriorated

From this reading The young freshness, the rarity, of Cecily attracted other men.

negligent of neatness especially in dress and person; habitually dirty and unkempt

From this reading But it seemed rather unimportant, except to three rather frowzy, struggling persons, what was happening to Fliss.

come to pass

From this reading The important thing was what was happening to Cecily--what did happen during those next three marvelous months of her life.

an event that happens

From this reading But it seemed rather unimportant, except to three rather frowzy, struggling persons, what was happening to Fliss.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading However much Dick might have been willing to drift along through a prolonged love-making and slow courtship, however much Cecily’s parents might have wished for such developments, it was soon obvious that they were impossible.

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading The important thing was what was happening to Cecily--what did happen during those next three marvelous months of her life.

used to add a contrasting statement

From this reading However much Dick might have been willing to drift along through a prolonged love-making and slow courtship, however much Cecily’s parents might have wished for such developments, it was soon obvious that they were impossible.

of great significance or value

From this reading The important thing was what was happening to Cecily--what did happen during those next three marvelous months of her life.

not capable of occurring or being accomplished or dealt with

From this reading However much Dick might have been willing to drift along through a prolonged love-making and slow courtship, however much Cecily’s parents might have wished for such developments, it was soon obvious that they were impossible.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading There was one, one desperately in earnest older man, who even spoke to Cecily of marriage and drove her, white and trembling, to her mother.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading But it seemed rather unimportant, except to three rather frowzy, struggling persons, what was happening to Fliss.

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading The important thing was what was happening to Cecily--what did happen during those next three marvelous months of her life.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading However much Dick might have been willing to drift along through a prolonged love-making and slow courtship, however much Cecily’s parents might have wished for such developments, it was soon obvious that they were impossible.

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading There was one, one desperately in earnest older man, who even spoke to Cecily of marriage and drove her, white and trembling, to her mother.

the state of being a married couple voluntarily joined for life (or until divorce)

From this reading There was one, one desperately in earnest older man, who even spoke to Cecily of marriage and drove her, white and trembling, to her mother.

extraordinarily good or great; used especially as intensifiers

From this reading The important thing was what was happening to Cecily--what did happen during those next three marvelous months of her life.

the force of workers available

From this reading The young freshness, the rarity, of Cecily attracted other men.

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading However much Dick might have been willing to drift along through a prolonged love-making and slow courtship, however much Cecily’s parents might have wished for such developments, it was soon obvious that they were impossible.

plural of “month” — one of the twelve divisions of the calendar year

From this reading The important thing was what was happening to Cecily--what did happen during those next three marvelous months of her life.

a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)

From this reading There was one, one desperately in earnest older man, who even spoke to Cecily of marriage and drove her, white and trembling, to her mother.

to a great degree or extent

From this reading However much Dick might have been willing to drift along through a prolonged love-making and slow courtship, however much Cecily’s parents might have wished for such developments, it was soon obvious that they were impossible.

immediately following in time or order

From this reading The important thing was what was happening to Cecily--what did happen during those next three marvelous months of her life.

easily perceived by the senses or grasped by the mind

From this reading However much Dick might have been willing to drift along through a prolonged love-making and slow courtship, however much Cecily’s parents might have wished for such developments, it was soon obvious that they were impossible.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The important thing was what was happening to Cecily--what did happen during those next three marvelous months of her life.

advanced in years; (“aged” is pronounced as two syllables)

From this reading There was one, one desperately in earnest older man, who even spoke to Cecily of marriage and drove her, white and trembling, to her mother.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading There was one, one desperately in earnest older man, who even spoke to Cecily of marriage and drove her, white and trembling, to her mother.

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading The young freshness, the rarity, of Cecily attracted other men.

plural of “parent” — a father or mother; one who begets or one who gives birth to or nurtures and raises a child; a relative who plays the role of guardian

From this reading However much Dick might have been willing to drift along through a prolonged love-making and slow courtship, however much Cecily’s parents might have wished for such developments, it was soon obvious that they were impossible.

plural of “person” — a human being

From this reading But it seemed rather unimportant, except to three rather frowzy, struggling persons, what was happening to Fliss.

relatively long in duration; tediously protracted

From this reading However much Dick might have been willing to drift along through a prolonged love-making and slow courtship, however much Cecily’s parents might have wished for such developments, it was soon obvious that they were impossible.

noteworthy scarcity

From this reading The young freshness, the rarity, of Cecily attracted other men.

on the contrary

From this reading But it seemed rather unimportant, except to three rather frowzy, struggling persons, what was happening to Fliss.

past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading But it seemed rather unimportant, except to three rather frowzy, struggling persons, what was happening to Fliss.

not moving quickly; taking a comparatively long time

From this reading However much Dick might have been willing to drift along through a prolonged love-making and slow courtship, however much Cecily’s parents might have wished for such developments, it was soon obvious that they were impossible.

in the near future

From this reading However much Dick might have been willing to drift along through a prolonged love-making and slow courtship, however much Cecily’s parents might have wished for such developments, it was soon obvious that they were impossible.

support consisting of a radial member of a wheel joining the hub to the rim

From this reading There was one, one desperately in earnest older man, who even spoke to Cecily of marriage and drove her, white and trembling, to her mother.

engaged in a struggle to overcome especially poverty or obscurity

From this reading But it seemed rather unimportant, except to three rather frowzy, struggling persons, what was happening to Fliss.

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading However much Dick might have been willing to drift along through a prolonged love-making and slow courtship, however much Cecily’s parents might have wished for such developments, it was soon obvious that they were impossible.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading However much Dick might have been willing to drift along through a prolonged love-making and slow courtship, however much Cecily’s parents might have wished for such developments, it was soon obvious that they were impossible.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading The important thing was what was happening to Cecily--what did happen during those next three marvelous months of her life.

in or at that place or location

From this reading There was one, one desperately in earnest older man, who even spoke to Cecily of marriage and drove her, white and trembling, to her mother.

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading However much Dick might have been willing to drift along through a prolonged love-making and slow courtship, however much Cecily’s parents might have wished for such developments, it was soon obvious that they were impossible.

a special situation

From this reading The important thing was what was happening to Cecily--what did happen during those next three marvelous months of her life.

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading The important thing was what was happening to Cecily--what did happen during those next three marvelous months of her life.

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one

From this reading But it seemed rather unimportant, except to three rather frowzy, struggling persons, what was happening to Fliss.

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading However much Dick might have been willing to drift along through a prolonged love-making and slow courtship, however much Cecily’s parents might have wished for such developments, it was soon obvious that they were impossible.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading But it seemed rather unimportant, except to three rather frowzy, struggling persons, what was happening to Fliss.

a shaky motion

From this reading There was one, one desperately in earnest older man, who even spoke to Cecily of marriage and drove her, white and trembling, to her mother.

not important

From this reading But it seemed rather unimportant, except to three rather frowzy, struggling persons, what was happening to Fliss.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading But it seemed rather unimportant, except to three rather frowzy, struggling persons, what was happening to Fliss.

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading However much Dick might have been willing to drift along through a prolonged love-making and slow courtship, however much Cecily’s parents might have wished for such developments, it was soon obvious that they were impossible.

used to ask for information about something

From this reading But it seemed rather unimportant, except to three rather frowzy, struggling persons, what was happening to Fliss.

a Caucasian

From this reading There was one, one desperately in earnest older man, who even spoke to Cecily of marriage and drove her, white and trembling, to her mother.

which person or people

From this reading There was one, one desperately in earnest older man, who even spoke to Cecily of marriage and drove her, white and trembling, to her mother.

disposed or inclined toward

From this reading However much Dick might have been willing to drift along through a prolonged love-making and slow courtship, however much Cecily’s parents might have wished for such developments, it was soon obvious that they were impossible.

past form of “wish” — hope for; have a wish

From this reading However much Dick might have been willing to drift along through a prolonged love-making and slow courtship, however much Cecily’s parents might have wished for such developments, it was soon obvious that they were impossible.

(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

From this reading The young freshness, the rarity, of Cecily attracted other men.