used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A thought of Tristram here, of his kisses and strong arms about her, made her heart beat.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading A thought of Tristram here, of his kisses and strong arms about her, made her heart beat.
generally approved or compelling recognition
From this reading Formerly, if she had felt this, she had accepted it; but now—well, it had to be blinked.
perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)
From this reading The wild joy of being possessed by so fine a creature was not to be denied, once you blinked the truth that in the very act of taking possession he would despise you for suffering it.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A thought of Tristram here, of his kisses and strong arms about her, made her heart beat.
weapons considered collectively
From this reading A thought of Tristram here, of his kisses and strong arms about her, made her heart beat.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The wild joy of being possessed by so fine a creature was not to be denied, once you blinked the truth that in the very act of taking possession he would despise you for suffering it.
come out better in a competition, race, or conflict
From this reading A thought of Tristram here, of his kisses and strong arms about her, made her heart beat.
enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading Whatever she might have become by right of marriage, by intercourse with Tristram’s own world, by familiarity with its ways—to Tristram she was still a little governess, sent into this world to be kissed and fondled—but no possible companion for a gentleman, or man of parts.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading The wild joy of being possessed by so fine a creature was not to be denied, once you blinked the truth that in the very act of taking possession he would despise you for suffering it.
blinkedverbUS /blɪŋkt/
past form of “blink” — briefly shut the eyes
From this reading The wild joy of being possessed by so fine a creature was not to be denied, once you blinked the truth that in the very act of taking possession he would despise you for suffering it.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Whatever she might have become by right of marriage, by intercourse with Tristram’s own world, by familiarity with its ways—to Tristram she was still a little governess, sent into this world to be kissed and fondled—but no possible companion for a gentleman, or man of parts.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The wild joy of being possessed by so fine a creature was not to be denied, once you blinked the truth that in the very act of taking possession he would despise you for suffering it.
a friend who is frequently in the company of another
From this reading Whatever she might have become by right of marriage, by intercourse with Tristram’s own world, by familiarity with its ways—to Tristram she was still a little governess, sent into this world to be kissed and fondled—but no possible companion for a gentleman, or man of parts.
a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading The wild joy of being possessed by so fine a creature was not to be denied, once you blinked the truth that in the very act of taking possession he would despise you for suffering it.
deniedverbUS /dɪˈnaɪd/
inflected form of “deny” — declare untrue; contradict
From this reading The wild joy of being possessed by so fine a creature was not to be denied, once you blinked the truth that in the very act of taking possession he would despise you for suffering it.
despiseverbUS /dɪˈspaɪz/
look down on with disdain
From this reading The wild joy of being possessed by so fine a creature was not to be denied, once you blinked the truth that in the very act of taking possession he would despise you for suffering it.
familiaritynounUS /fəˌmɪˈljerəti/
personal knowledge or information about someone or something
From this reading Whatever she might have become by right of marriage, by intercourse with Tristram’s own world, by familiarity with its ways—to Tristram she was still a little governess, sent into this world to be kissed and fondled—but no possible companion for a gentleman, or man of parts.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading Formerly, if she had felt this, she had accepted it; but now—well, it had to be blinked.
being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition
From this reading The wild joy of being possessed by so fine a creature was not to be denied, once you blinked the truth that in the very act of taking possession he would despise you for suffering it.
fondledverbUS /ˈfɔːndəld/
past form of “fondle” — touch or stroke lightly in a loving or endearing manner
From this reading Whatever she might have become by right of marriage, by intercourse with Tristram’s own world, by familiarity with its ways—to Tristram she was still a little governess, sent into this world to be kissed and fondled—but no possible companion for a gentleman, or man of parts.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The wild joy of being possessed by so fine a creature was not to be denied, once you blinked the truth that in the very act of taking possession he would despise you for suffering it.
FormerlyadverbUS /ˈfɔːrmərli/
at a previous time
From this reading Formerly, if she had felt this, she had accepted it; but now—well, it had to be blinked.
a man of refinement
From this reading Whatever she might have become by right of marriage, by intercourse with Tristram’s own world, by familiarity with its ways—to Tristram she was still a little governess, sent into this world to be kissed and fondled—but no possible companion for a gentleman, or man of parts.
governessnounUS /ˈɡʌvərnəs/
a woman entrusted with the care and supervision of a child (especially in a private home)
From this reading Whatever she might have become by right of marriage, by intercourse with Tristram’s own world, by familiarity with its ways—to Tristram she was still a little governess, sent into this world to be kissed and fondled—but no possible companion for a gentleman, or man of parts.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading That had to be blinked, though.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Whatever she might have become by right of marriage, by intercourse with Tristram’s own world, by familiarity with its ways—to Tristram she was still a little governess, sent into this world to be kissed and fondled—but no possible companion for a gentleman, or man of parts.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The wild joy of being possessed by so fine a creature was not to be denied, once you blinked the truth that in the very act of taking possession he would despise you for suffering it.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading A thought of Tristram here, of his kisses and strong arms about her, made her heart beat.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading A thought of Tristram here, of his kisses and strong arms about her, made her heart beat.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading A thought of Tristram here, of his kisses and strong arms about her, made her heart beat.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading A thought of Tristram here, of his kisses and strong arms about her, made her heart beat.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Formerly, if she had felt this, she had accepted it; but now—well, it had to be blinked.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The wild joy of being possessed by so fine a creature was not to be denied, once you blinked the truth that in the very act of taking possession he would despise you for suffering it.
intercoursenounUS /ˈɪntərkɔːrs/
communication between individuals
From this reading Whatever she might have become by right of marriage, by intercourse with Tristram’s own world, by familiarity with its ways—to Tristram she was still a little governess, sent into this world to be kissed and fondled—but no possible companion for a gentleman, or man of parts.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Whatever she might have become by right of marriage, by intercourse with Tristram’s own world, by familiarity with its ways—to Tristram she was still a little governess, sent into this world to be kissed and fondled—but no possible companion for a gentleman, or man of parts.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The wild joy of being possessed by so fine a creature was not to be denied, once you blinked the truth that in the very act of taking possession he would despise you for suffering it.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Whatever she might have become by right of marriage, by intercourse with Tristram’s own world, by familiarity with its ways—to Tristram she was still a little governess, sent into this world to be kissed and fondled—but no possible companion for a gentleman, or man of parts.
the emotion of great happiness
From this reading The wild joy of being possessed by so fine a creature was not to be denied, once you blinked the truth that in the very act of taking possession he would despise you for suffering it.
past form of “kiss” — touch with the lips or press the lips (against someone's mouth or other body part) as an expression of love, greeting, etc.
From this reading Whatever she might have become by right of marriage, by intercourse with Tristram’s own world, by familiarity with its ways—to Tristram she was still a little governess, sent into this world to be kissed and fondled—but no possible companion for a gentleman, or man of parts.
kissesnounUS /ˈkɪsəz/
plural of “kiss” — the act of caressing with the lips (or an instance thereof)
From this reading A thought of Tristram here, of his kisses and strong arms about her, made her heart beat.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Whatever she might have become by right of marriage, by intercourse with Tristram’s own world, by familiarity with its ways—to Tristram she was still a little governess, sent into this world to be kissed and fondled—but no possible companion for a gentleman, or man of parts.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading A thought of Tristram here, of his kisses and strong arms about her, made her heart beat.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading Whatever she might have become by right of marriage, by intercourse with Tristram’s own world, by familiarity with its ways—to Tristram she was still a little governess, sent into this world to be kissed and fondled—but no possible companion for a gentleman, or man of parts.
the state of being a married couple voluntarily joined for life (or until divorce)
From this reading Whatever she might have become by right of marriage, by intercourse with Tristram’s own world, by familiarity with its ways—to Tristram she was still a little governess, sent into this world to be kissed and fondled—but no possible companion for a gentleman, or man of parts.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading Whatever she might have become by right of marriage, by intercourse with Tristram’s own world, by familiarity with its ways—to Tristram she was still a little governess, sent into this world to be kissed and fondled—but no possible companion for a gentleman, or man of parts.
not any; not one
From this reading Whatever she might have become by right of marriage, by intercourse with Tristram’s own world, by familiarity with its ways—to Tristram she was still a little governess, sent into this world to be kissed and fondled—but no possible companion for a gentleman, or man of parts.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The wild joy of being possessed by so fine a creature was not to be denied, once you blinked the truth that in the very act of taking possession he would despise you for suffering it.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Formerly, if she had felt this, she had accepted it; but now—well, it had to be blinked.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A thought of Tristram here, of his kisses and strong arms about her, made her heart beat.
on one occasion
From this reading The wild joy of being possessed by so fine a creature was not to be denied, once you blinked the truth that in the very act of taking possession he would despise you for suffering it.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Whatever she might have become by right of marriage, by intercourse with Tristram’s own world, by familiarity with its ways—to Tristram she was still a little governess, sent into this world to be kissed and fondled—but no possible companion for a gentleman, or man of parts.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading Whatever she might have become by right of marriage, by intercourse with Tristram’s own world, by familiarity with its ways—to Tristram she was still a little governess, sent into this world to be kissed and fondled—but no possible companion for a gentleman, or man of parts.
the local environment
From this reading Whatever she might have become by right of marriage, by intercourse with Tristram’s own world, by familiarity with its ways—to Tristram she was still a little governess, sent into this world to be kissed and fondled—but no possible companion for a gentleman, or man of parts.
influenced or controlled by a powerful force such as a strong emotion
From this reading The wild joy of being possessed by so fine a creature was not to be denied, once you blinked the truth that in the very act of taking possession he would despise you for suffering it.
the act of having and controlling property
From this reading The wild joy of being possessed by so fine a creature was not to be denied, once you blinked the truth that in the very act of taking possession he would despise you for suffering it.
capable of happening or existing
From this reading Whatever she might have become by right of marriage, by intercourse with Tristram’s own world, by familiarity with its ways—to Tristram she was still a little governess, sent into this world to be kissed and fondled—but no possible companion for a gentleman, or man of parts.
precisely, exactly
From this reading Whatever she might have become by right of marriage, by intercourse with Tristram’s own world, by familiarity with its ways—to Tristram she was still a little governess, sent into this world to be kissed and fondled—but no possible companion for a gentleman, or man of parts.
100 senti equal 1 kroon in Estonia
From this reading Whatever she might have become by right of marriage, by intercourse with Tristram’s own world, by familiarity with its ways—to Tristram she was still a little governess, sent into this world to be kissed and fondled—but no possible companion for a gentleman, or man of parts.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Whatever she might have become by right of marriage, by intercourse with Tristram’s own world, by familiarity with its ways—to Tristram she was still a little governess, sent into this world to be kissed and fondled—but no possible companion for a gentleman, or man of parts.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The wild joy of being possessed by so fine a creature was not to be denied, once you blinked the truth that in the very act of taking possession he would despise you for suffering it.
not in physical motion
From this reading Whatever she might have become by right of marriage, by intercourse with Tristram’s own world, by familiarity with its ways—to Tristram she was still a little governess, sent into this world to be kissed and fondled—but no possible companion for a gentleman, or man of parts.
having strength or power greater than average or expected
From this reading A thought of Tristram here, of his kisses and strong arms about her, made her heart beat.
a state of acute pain
From this reading The wild joy of being possessed by so fine a creature was not to be denied, once you blinked the truth that in the very act of taking possession he would despise you for suffering it.
the act of someone who picks up or takes something
From this reading The wild joy of being possessed by so fine a creature was not to be denied, once you blinked the truth that in the very act of taking possession he would despise you for suffering it.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The wild joy of being possessed by so fine a creature was not to be denied, once you blinked the truth that in the very act of taking possession he would despise you for suffering it.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The wild joy of being possessed by so fine a creature was not to be denied, once you blinked the truth that in the very act of taking possession he would despise you for suffering it.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Whatever she might have become by right of marriage, by intercourse with Tristram’s own world, by familiarity with its ways—to Tristram she was still a little governess, sent into this world to be kissed and fondled—but no possible companion for a gentleman, or man of parts.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading That had to be blinked, though.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading A thought of Tristram here, of his kisses and strong arms about her, made her heart beat.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The wild joy of being possessed by so fine a creature was not to be denied, once you blinked the truth that in the very act of taking possession he would despise you for suffering it.
TristramnounUS /ˈtrɪstrəm/
(Middle Ages) the nephew of the king of Cornwall who (according to legend) fell in love with his uncle's bride (Iseult) after they mistakenly drank a love potion that left them eternally in love with each other
From this reading A thought of Tristram here, of his kisses and strong arms about her, made her heart beat.
Tristram's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Whatever she might have become by right of marriage, by intercourse with Tristram’s own world, by familiarity with its ways—to Tristram she was still a little governess, sent into this world to be kissed and fondled—but no possible companion for a gentleman, or man of parts.
a fact that has been verified
From this reading The wild joy of being possessed by so fine a creature was not to be denied, once you blinked the truth that in the very act of taking possession he would despise you for suffering it.
precisely as stated
From this reading The wild joy of being possessed by so fine a creature was not to be denied, once you blinked the truth that in the very act of taking possession he would despise you for suffering it.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The wild joy of being possessed by so fine a creature was not to be denied, once you blinked the truth that in the very act of taking possession he would despise you for suffering it.
structure consisting of a sloping way down to the water from the place where ships are built or repaired
From this reading Whatever she might have become by right of marriage, by intercourse with Tristram’s own world, by familiarity with its ways—to Tristram she was still a little governess, sent into this world to be kissed and fondled—but no possible companion for a gentleman, or man of parts.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading Formerly, if she had felt this, she had accepted it; but now—well, it had to be blinked.
any or all of a kind, it does not matter which
From this reading Whatever she might have become by right of marriage, by intercourse with Tristram’s own world, by familiarity with its ways—to Tristram she was still a little governess, sent into this world to be kissed and fondled—but no possible companion for a gentleman, or man of parts.
marked by extreme lack of restraint or control
From this reading The wild joy of being possessed by so fine a creature was not to be denied, once you blinked the truth that in the very act of taking possession he would despise you for suffering it.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Whatever she might have become by right of marriage, by intercourse with Tristram’s own world, by familiarity with its ways—to Tristram she was still a little governess, sent into this world to be kissed and fondled—but no possible companion for a gentleman, or man of parts.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading Whatever she might have become by right of marriage, by intercourse with Tristram’s own world, by familiarity with its ways—to Tristram she was still a little governess, sent into this world to be kissed and fondled—but no possible companion for a gentleman, or man of parts.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading The wild joy of being possessed by so fine a creature was not to be denied, once you blinked the truth that in the very act of taking possession he would despise you for suffering it.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading The wild joy of being possessed by so fine a creature was not to be denied, once you blinked the truth that in the very act of taking possession he would despise you for suffering it.
