used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading She considered them the sign of a feeble heart and softening brain.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading She reached it soon after half-past two.
(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 RELUCTANT DUKE Tears were not at all to Pollyooly's liking.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She considered them the sign of a feeble heart and softening brain.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The Honourable John Ruffin had thrown quite a new light on them in suggesting that they could be used as a weapon; and she considered this use of them most of the way to Ricksborough House.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading THE RELUCTANT DUKE Tears were not at all to Pollyooly's liking.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The Honourable John Ruffin had thrown quite a new light on them in suggesting that they could be used as a weapon; and she considered this use of them most of the way to Ricksborough House.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading She found its gloomy nineteenth-century facade, black with the smuts of ninety years, a little daunting, and mounted its broad steps in some trepidation.
that part of the central nervous system that includes all the higher nervous centers; enclosed within the skull; continuous with the spinal cord
From this reading She considered them the sign of a feeble heart and softening brain.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading She found its gloomy nineteenth-century facade, black with the smuts of ninety years, a little daunting, and mounted its broad steps in some trepidation.
carefully weighed
From this reading She considered them the sign of a feeble heart and softening brain.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading The Honourable John Ruffin had thrown quite a new light on them in suggesting that they could be used as a weapon; and she considered this use of them most of the way to Ricksborough House.
dauntingadjectiveUS /ˈdɔːntɪŋ/
discouraging through fear
From this reading She found its gloomy nineteenth-century facade, black with the smuts of ninety years, a little daunting, and mounted its broad steps in some trepidation.
a British peer of the highest rank
From this reading THE RELUCTANT DUKE Tears were not at all to Pollyooly's liking.
facadenounUS /fəˈsɑːd/
the face or front of a building
From this reading She found its gloomy nineteenth-century facade, black with the smuts of ninety years, a little daunting, and mounted its broad steps in some trepidation.
pathetically lacking in force or effectiveness
From this reading She considered them the sign of a feeble heart and softening brain.
set up or found
From this reading She found its gloomy nineteenth-century facade, black with the smuts of ninety years, a little daunting, and mounted its broad steps in some trepidation.
depressingly dark
From this reading She found its gloomy nineteenth-century facade, black with the smuts of ninety years, a little daunting, and mounted its broad steps in some trepidation.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The Honourable John Ruffin had thrown quite a new light on them in suggesting that they could be used as a weapon; and she considered this use of them most of the way to Ricksborough House.
half-past
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She reached it soon after half-past two.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading She considered them the sign of a feeble heart and softening brain.
worthy of being honored; entitled to honor and respect
From this reading The Honourable John Ruffin had thrown quite a new light on them in suggesting that they could be used as a weapon; and she considered this use of them most of the way to Ricksborough House.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading The Honourable John Ruffin had thrown quite a new light on them in suggesting that they could be used as a weapon; and she considered this use of them most of the way to Ricksborough House.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The Honourable John Ruffin had thrown quite a new light on them in suggesting that they could be used as a weapon; and she considered this use of them most of the way to Ricksborough House.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading She reached it soon after half-past two.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading She found its gloomy nineteenth-century facade, black with the smuts of ninety years, a little daunting, and mounted its broad steps in some trepidation.
a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading The Honourable John Ruffin had thrown quite a new light on them in suggesting that they could be used as a weapon; and she considered this use of them most of the way to Ricksborough House.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading The Honourable John Ruffin had thrown quite a new light on them in suggesting that they could be used as a weapon; and she considered this use of them most of the way to Ricksborough House.
likingnounUS /ˈlaɪkɪŋ/
a feeling of pleasure and enjoyment
From this reading THE RELUCTANT DUKE Tears were not at all to Pollyooly's liking.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading She found its gloomy nineteenth-century facade, black with the smuts of ninety years, a little daunting, and mounted its broad steps in some trepidation.
used to form the superlative
From this reading The Honourable John Ruffin had thrown quite a new light on them in suggesting that they could be used as a weapon; and she considered this use of them most of the way to Ricksborough House.
assembled for use; especially by being attached to a support
From this reading She found its gloomy nineteenth-century facade, black with the smuts of ninety years, a little daunting, and mounted its broad steps in some trepidation.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading The Honourable John Ruffin had thrown quite a new light on them in suggesting that they could be used as a weapon; and she considered this use of them most of the way to Ricksborough House.
nineteenth-century
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She found its gloomy nineteenth-century facade, black with the smuts of ninety years, a little daunting, and mounted its broad steps in some trepidation.
ninetyadjectiveUS /ˈnaɪnti/
being ten more than eighty
From this reading She found its gloomy nineteenth-century facade, black with the smuts of ninety years, a little daunting, and mounted its broad steps in some trepidation.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading THE RELUCTANT DUKE Tears were not at all to Pollyooly's liking.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading She considered them the sign of a feeble heart and softening brain.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The Honourable John Ruffin had thrown quite a new light on them in suggesting that they could be used as a weapon; and she considered this use of them most of the way to Ricksborough House.
Pollyooly's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE RELUCTANT DUKE Tears were not at all to Pollyooly's liking.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading The Honourable John Ruffin had thrown quite a new light on them in suggesting that they could be used as a weapon; and she considered this use of them most of the way to Ricksborough House.
past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading She reached it soon after half-past two.
RELUCTANTadjectiveUS /rɪˈlʌktənt/
unwillingness to do something contrary to your custom
From this reading THE RELUCTANT DUKE Tears were not at all to Pollyooly's liking.
Ricksborough
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Honourable John Ruffin had thrown quite a new light on them in suggesting that they could be used as a weapon; and she considered this use of them most of the way to Ricksborough House.
Ruffin
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Honourable John Ruffin had thrown quite a new light on them in suggesting that they could be used as a weapon; and she considered this use of them most of the way to Ricksborough House.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She considered them the sign of a feeble heart and softening brain.
a perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that something has happened)
From this reading She considered them the sign of a feeble heart and softening brain.
smutsnoun
South African statesman and soldier (1870-1950)
From this reading She found its gloomy nineteenth-century facade, black with the smuts of ninety years, a little daunting, and mounted its broad steps in some trepidation.
softeningnounUS /ˈsɔːfənɪŋ/
the process of becoming softer
From this reading She considered them the sign of a feeble heart and softening brain.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading She found its gloomy nineteenth-century facade, black with the smuts of ninety years, a little daunting, and mounted its broad steps in some trepidation.
in the near future
From this reading She reached it soon after half-past two.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading She found its gloomy nineteenth-century facade, black with the smuts of ninety years, a little daunting, and mounted its broad steps in some trepidation.
suggestingverbUS /səˈdʒestɪŋ/
-ing form of “suggest” — make a proposal, declare a plan for something
From this reading The Honourable John Ruffin had thrown quite a new light on them in suggesting that they could be used as a weapon; and she considered this use of them most of the way to Ricksborough House.
the process of shedding tears (usually accompanied by sobs or other inarticulate sounds)
From this reading THE RELUCTANT DUKE Tears were not at all to Pollyooly's liking.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The Honourable John Ruffin had thrown quite a new light on them in suggesting that they could be used as a weapon; and she considered this use of them most of the way to Ricksborough House.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE RELUCTANT DUKE Tears were not at all to Pollyooly's liking.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading She considered them the sign of a feeble heart and softening brain.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The Honourable John Ruffin had thrown quite a new light on them in suggesting that they could be used as a weapon; and she considered this use of them most of the way to Ricksborough House.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading The Honourable John Ruffin had thrown quite a new light on them in suggesting that they could be used as a weapon; and she considered this use of them most of the way to Ricksborough House.
caused to fall to the ground
From this reading The Honourable John Ruffin had thrown quite a new light on them in suggesting that they could be used as a weapon; and she considered this use of them most of the way to Ricksborough House.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE RELUCTANT DUKE Tears were not at all to Pollyooly's liking.
trepidationnounUS /ˌtrepɪˈdeɪʃən/
a feeling of alarm or dread
From this reading She found its gloomy nineteenth-century facade, black with the smuts of ninety years, a little daunting, and mounted its broad steps in some trepidation.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading She reached it soon after half-past two.
the act of using
From this reading The Honourable John Ruffin had thrown quite a new light on them in suggesting that they could be used as a weapon; and she considered this use of them most of the way to Ricksborough House.
employed in accomplishing something
From this reading The Honourable John Ruffin had thrown quite a new light on them in suggesting that they could be used as a weapon; and she considered this use of them most of the way to Ricksborough House.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading The Honourable John Ruffin had thrown quite a new light on them in suggesting that they could be used as a weapon; and she considered this use of them most of the way to Ricksborough House.
any instrument or instrumentality used in fighting or hunting
From this reading The Honourable John Ruffin had thrown quite a new light on them in suggesting that they could be used as a weapon; and she considered this use of them most of the way to Ricksborough House.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading THE RELUCTANT DUKE Tears were not at all to Pollyooly's liking.
in the company of; together with
From this reading She found its gloomy nineteenth-century facade, black with the smuts of ninety years, a little daunting, and mounted its broad steps in some trepidation.
a late time of life
From this reading She found its gloomy nineteenth-century facade, black with the smuts of ninety years, a little daunting, and mounted its broad steps in some trepidation.
