Chapter I · Chapter 1

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

From this reading You don't know what it is to be a mother.

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading If you had brought two children into the world--" So then, it had come about, during the years between their childhood and their youth, that Aunt Sophy received the burden of their confidences, their griefs, their perplexities.

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

From this reading If you had brought two children into the world--" So then, it had come about, during the years between their childhood and their youth, that Aunt Sophy received the burden of their confidences, their griefs, their perplexities.

the sister of your father or mother; the wife of your uncle

From this reading If you had brought two children into the world--" So then, it had come about, during the years between their childhood and their youth, that Aunt Sophy received the burden of their confidences, their griefs, their perplexities.

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading You don't know what it is to be a mother.

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading If you had brought two children into the world--" So then, it had come about, during the years between their childhood and their youth, that Aunt Sophy received the burden of their confidences, their griefs, their perplexities.

inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere

From this reading If you had brought two children into the world--" So then, it had come about, during the years between their childhood and their youth, that Aunt Sophy received the burden of their confidences, their griefs, their perplexities.

an onerous or difficult concern

From this reading If you had brought two children into the world--" So then, it had come about, during the years between their childhood and their youth, that Aunt Sophy received the burden of their confidences, their griefs, their perplexities.

the time of person's life when they are a child

From this reading If you had brought two children into the world--" So then, it had come about, during the years between their childhood and their youth, that Aunt Sophy received the burden of their confidences, their griefs, their perplexities.

plural of “child” — a young person of either sex

From this reading If you had brought two children into the world--" So then, it had come about, during the years between their childhood and their youth, that Aunt Sophy received the burden of their confidences, their griefs, their perplexities.

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading If you had brought two children into the world--" So then, it had come about, during the years between their childhood and their youth, that Aunt Sophy received the burden of their confidences, their griefs, their perplexities.

plural of “confidence” — freedom from doubt; belief in yourself and your abilities

From this reading If you had brought two children into the world--" So then, it had come about, during the years between their childhood and their youth, that Aunt Sophy received the burden of their confidences, their griefs, their perplexities.

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

From this reading You don't know what it is to be a mother.

all through a period, or at some point within it

From this reading If you had brought two children into the world--" So then, it had come about, during the years between their childhood and their youth, that Aunt Sophy received the burden of their confidences, their griefs, their perplexities.

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

From this reading If you had brought two children into the world--" So then, it had come about, during the years between their childhood and their youth, that Aunt Sophy received the burden of their confidences, their griefs, their perplexities.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading If you had brought two children into the world--" So then, it had come about, during the years between their childhood and their youth, that Aunt Sophy received the burden of their confidences, their griefs, their perplexities.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Now understand, I won't have it!

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading Now understand, I won't have it!

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading If you had brought two children into the world--" So then, it had come about, during the years between their childhood and their youth, that Aunt Sophy received the burden of their confidences, their griefs, their perplexities.

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

From this reading She seemed, somehow, to understand in some miraculous way, and to make the burden a welcome one.

moving to the inside of something

From this reading If you had brought two children into the world--" So then, it had come about, during the years between their childhood and their youth, that Aunt Sophy received the burden of their confidences, their griefs, their perplexities.

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

From this reading You don't know what it is to be a mother.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Now understand, I won't have it!

be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading You don't know what it is to be a mother.

engage in

From this reading She seemed, somehow, to understand in some miraculous way, and to make the burden a welcome one.

being or having the character of a miracle

From this reading She seemed, somehow, to understand in some miraculous way, and to make the burden a welcome one.

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

From this reading You don't know what it is to be a mother.

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading Now understand, I won't have it!

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading If you had brought two children into the world--" So then, it had come about, during the years between their childhood and their youth, that Aunt Sophy received the burden of their confidences, their griefs, their perplexities.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading She seemed, somehow, to understand in some miraculous way, and to make the burden a welcome one.

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

From this reading If you had brought two children into the world--" So then, it had come about, during the years between their childhood and their youth, that Aunt Sophy received the burden of their confidences, their griefs, their perplexities.

conforming to the established language usage of educated native speakers

From this reading If you had brought two children into the world--" So then, it had come about, during the years between their childhood and their youth, that Aunt Sophy received the burden of their confidences, their griefs, their perplexities.

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

From this reading She seemed, somehow, to understand in some miraculous way, and to make the burden a welcome one.

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading She seemed, somehow, to understand in some miraculous way, and to make the burden a welcome one.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading If you had brought two children into the world--" So then, it had come about, during the years between their childhood and their youth, that Aunt Sophy received the burden of their confidences, their griefs, their perplexities.

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading She seemed, somehow, to understand in some miraculous way, and to make the burden a welcome one.

in some unspecified way or manner; or by some unspecified means

From this reading She seemed, somehow, to understand in some miraculous way, and to make the burden a welcome one.

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

From this reading If you had brought two children into the world--" So then, it had come about, during the years between their childhood and their youth, that Aunt Sophy received the burden of their confidences, their griefs, their perplexities.

past form of “suffer” — undergo or be subjected to

From this reading You don't know what it is to have suffered.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading If you had brought two children into the world--" So then, it had come about, during the years between their childhood and their youth, that Aunt Sophy received the burden of their confidences, their griefs, their perplexities.

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

From this reading If you had brought two children into the world--" So then, it had come about, during the years between their childhood and their youth, that Aunt Sophy received the burden of their confidences, their griefs, their perplexities.

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading If you had brought two children into the world--" So then, it had come about, during the years between their childhood and their youth, that Aunt Sophy received the burden of their confidences, their griefs, their perplexities.

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading If you had brought two children into the world--" So then, it had come about, during the years between their childhood and their youth, that Aunt Sophy received the burden of their confidences, their griefs, their perplexities.

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

From this reading You don't know what it is to be a mother.

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading If you had brought two children into the world--" So then, it had come about, during the years between their childhood and their youth, that Aunt Sophy received the burden of their confidences, their griefs, their perplexities.

know and comprehend the nature or meaning of

From this reading Now understand, I won't have it!

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading She seemed, somehow, to understand in some miraculous way, and to make the burden a welcome one.

accept gladly

From this reading She seemed, somehow, to understand in some miraculous way, and to make the burden a welcome one.

used to ask for information about something

From this reading You don't know what it is to be a mother.

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

From this reading Now understand, I won't have it!

everything that exists anywhere

From this reading If you had brought two children into the world--" So then, it had come about, during the years between their childhood and their youth, that Aunt Sophy received the burden of their confidences, their griefs, their perplexities.

a late time of life

From this reading If you had brought two children into the world--" So then, it had come about, during the years between their childhood and their youth, that Aunt Sophy received the burden of their confidences, their griefs, their perplexities.

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading You don't know what it is to be a mother.

a young person (especially a young man or boy)

From this reading If you had brought two children into the world--" So then, it had come about, during the years between their childhood and their youth, that Aunt Sophy received the burden of their confidences, their griefs, their perplexities.