used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE ESCAPE WHEN Lady Talbot leaned over the side of the big bed to awaken Dickie Harding she wished with all her heart that she had just such a little boy of her own; and when Dickie awoke and looked in her kind eyes he felt quite sure that if he had had a mother she would have been like this lady.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading "Only about the face," he told himself, "not the way she's got up; nor yet her hair nor nuffink of that sort."
(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 ESCAPE WHEN Lady Talbot leaned over the side of the big bed to awaken Dickie Harding she wished with all her heart that she had just such a little boy of her own; and when Dickie awoke and looked in her kind eyes he felt quite sure that if he had had a mother she would have been like this lady.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE ESCAPE WHEN Lady Talbot leaned over the side of the big bed to awaken Dickie Harding she wished with all her heart that she had just such a little boy of her own; and when Dickie awoke and looked in her kind eyes he felt quite sure that if he had had a mother she would have been like this lady.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading "Did you sleep well?" she asked him, stroking his hair with extraordinary gentleness.
awakenverbUS /əˈweɪkən/
cause to become awake or conscious
From this reading THE ESCAPE WHEN Lady Talbot leaned over the side of the big bed to awaken Dickie Harding she wished with all her heart that she had just such a little boy of her own; and when Dickie awoke and looked in her kind eyes he felt quite sure that if he had had a mother she would have been like this lady.
inflected form of “awake” — stop sleeping
From this reading THE ESCAPE WHEN Lady Talbot leaned over the side of the big bed to awaken Dickie Harding she wished with all her heart that she had just such a little boy of her own; and when Dickie awoke and looked in her kind eyes he felt quite sure that if he had had a mother she would have been like this lady.
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading THE ESCAPE WHEN Lady Talbot leaned over the side of the big bed to awaken Dickie Harding she wished with all her heart that she had just such a little boy of her own; and when Dickie awoke and looked in her kind eyes he felt quite sure that if he had had a mother she would have been like this lady.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading THE ESCAPE WHEN Lady Talbot leaned over the side of the big bed to awaken Dickie Harding she wished with all her heart that she had just such a little boy of her own; and when Dickie awoke and looked in her kind eyes he felt quite sure that if he had had a mother she would have been like this lady.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading THE ESCAPE WHEN Lady Talbot leaned over the side of the big bed to awaken Dickie Harding she wished with all her heart that she had just such a little boy of her own; and when Dickie awoke and looked in her kind eyes he felt quite sure that if he had had a mother she would have been like this lady.
a youthful male person
From this reading THE ESCAPE WHEN Lady Talbot leaned over the side of the big bed to awaken Dickie Harding she wished with all her heart that she had just such a little boy of her own; and when Dickie awoke and looked in her kind eyes he felt quite sure that if he had had a mother she would have been like this lady.
providing or experiencing physical well-being or relief (“comfy” is informal)
From this reading "Was your bed comfortable?"
DickienounUS /ˈdɪki/
a small third seat in the back of an old-fashioned two-seater
From this reading THE ESCAPE WHEN Lady Talbot leaned over the side of the big bed to awaken Dickie Harding she wished with all her heart that she had just such a little boy of her own; and when Dickie awoke and looked in her kind eyes he felt quite sure that if he had had a mother she would have been like this lady.
Didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading "Did you sleep well?" she asked him, stroking his hair with extraordinary gentleness.
the act of escaping physically
From this reading THE ESCAPE WHEN Lady Talbot leaned over the side of the big bed to awaken Dickie Harding she wished with all her heart that she had just such a little boy of her own; and when Dickie awoke and looked in her kind eyes he felt quite sure that if he had had a mother she would have been like this lady.
beyond what is ordinary or usual; highly unusual or exceptional or remarkable
From this reading "Did you sleep well?" she asked him, stroking his hair with extraordinary gentleness.
opinion or judgment
From this reading THE ESCAPE WHEN Lady Talbot leaned over the side of the big bed to awaken Dickie Harding she wished with all her heart that she had just such a little boy of her own; and when Dickie awoke and looked in her kind eyes he felt quite sure that if he had had a mother she would have been like this lady.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading "Only about the face," he told himself, "not the way she's got up; nor yet her hair nor nuffink of that sort."
free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; conforming with established standards or rules
From this reading "A fair treat," said he.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading THE ESCAPE WHEN Lady Talbot leaned over the side of the big bed to awaken Dickie Harding she wished with all her heart that she had just such a little boy of her own; and when Dickie awoke and looked in her kind eyes he felt quite sure that if he had had a mother she would have been like this lady.
gentlenessnounUS /ˈdʒentəlnəs/
the property possessed by a slope that is very gradual
From this reading "Did you sleep well?" she asked him, stroking his hair with extraordinary gentleness.
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading "Only about the face," he told himself, "not the way she's got up; nor yet her hair nor nuffink of that sort."
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading THE ESCAPE WHEN Lady Talbot leaned over the side of the big bed to awaken Dickie Harding she wished with all her heart that she had just such a little boy of her own; and when Dickie awoke and looked in her kind eyes he felt quite sure that if he had had a mother she would have been like this lady.
a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss
From this reading "Only about the face," he told himself, "not the way she's got up; nor yet her hair nor nuffink of that sort."
HardingnounUS /ˈhɑːrdɪŋ/
29th President of the United States; two of his appointees were involved in the Teapot Dome scandal (1865-1823)
From this reading THE ESCAPE WHEN Lady Talbot leaned over the side of the big bed to awaken Dickie Harding she wished with all her heart that she had just such a little boy of her own; and when Dickie awoke and looked in her kind eyes he felt quite sure that if he had had a mother she would have been like this lady.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading THE ESCAPE WHEN Lady Talbot leaned over the side of the big bed to awaken Dickie Harding she wished with all her heart that she had just such a little boy of her own; and when Dickie awoke and looked in her kind eyes he felt quite sure that if he had had a mother she would have been like this lady.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading THE ESCAPE WHEN Lady Talbot leaned over the side of the big bed to awaken Dickie Harding she wished with all her heart that she had just such a little boy of her own; and when Dickie awoke and looked in her kind eyes he felt quite sure that if he had had a mother she would have been like this lady.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading THE ESCAPE WHEN Lady Talbot leaned over the side of the big bed to awaken Dickie Harding she wished with all her heart that she had just such a little boy of her own; and when Dickie awoke and looked in her kind eyes he felt quite sure that if he had had a mother she would have been like this lady.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading THE ESCAPE WHEN Lady Talbot leaned over the side of the big bed to awaken Dickie Harding she wished with all her heart that she had just such a little boy of her own; and when Dickie awoke and looked in her kind eyes he felt quite sure that if he had had a mother she would have been like this lady.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "Did you sleep well?" she asked him, stroking his hair with extraordinary gentleness.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading "Only about the face," he told himself, "not the way she's got up; nor yet her hair nor nuffink of that sort."
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading "Did you sleep well?" she asked him, stroking his hair with extraordinary gentleness.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading THE ESCAPE WHEN Lady Talbot leaned over the side of the big bed to awaken Dickie Harding she wished with all her heart that she had just such a little boy of her own; and when Dickie awoke and looked in her kind eyes he felt quite sure that if he had had a mother she would have been like this lady.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THE ESCAPE WHEN Lady Talbot leaned over the side of the big bed to awaken Dickie Harding she wished with all her heart that she had just such a little boy of her own; and when Dickie awoke and looked in her kind eyes he felt quite sure that if he had had a mother she would have been like this lady.
and nothing more
From this reading THE ESCAPE WHEN Lady Talbot leaned over the side of the big bed to awaken Dickie Harding she wished with all her heart that she had just such a little boy of her own; and when Dickie awoke and looked in her kind eyes he felt quite sure that if he had had a mother she would have been like this lady.
having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior
From this reading THE ESCAPE WHEN Lady Talbot leaned over the side of the big bed to awaken Dickie Harding she wished with all her heart that she had just such a little boy of her own; and when Dickie awoke and looked in her kind eyes he felt quite sure that if he had had a mother she would have been like this lady.
a polite name for any woman
From this reading THE ESCAPE WHEN Lady Talbot leaned over the side of the big bed to awaken Dickie Harding she wished with all her heart that she had just such a little boy of her own; and when Dickie awoke and looked in her kind eyes he felt quite sure that if he had had a mother she would have been like this lady.
past form of “lean” — to incline or bend from a vertical position
From this reading THE ESCAPE WHEN Lady Talbot leaned over the side of the big bed to awaken Dickie Harding she wished with all her heart that she had just such a little boy of her own; and when Dickie awoke and looked in her kind eyes he felt quite sure that if he had had a mother she would have been like this lady.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading THE ESCAPE WHEN Lady Talbot leaned over the side of the big bed to awaken Dickie Harding she wished with all her heart that she had just such a little boy of her own; and when Dickie awoke and looked in her kind eyes he felt quite sure that if he had had a mother she would have been like this lady.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading THE ESCAPE WHEN Lady Talbot leaned over the side of the big bed to awaken Dickie Harding she wished with all her heart that she had just such a little boy of her own; and when Dickie awoke and looked in her kind eyes he felt quite sure that if he had had a mother she would have been like this lady.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading THE ESCAPE WHEN Lady Talbot leaned over the side of the big bed to awaken Dickie Harding she wished with all her heart that she had just such a little boy of her own; and when Dickie awoke and looked in her kind eyes he felt quite sure that if he had had a mother she would have been like this lady.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading THE ESCAPE WHEN Lady Talbot leaned over the side of the big bed to awaken Dickie Harding she wished with all her heart that she had just such a little boy of her own; and when Dickie awoke and looked in her kind eyes he felt quite sure that if he had had a mother she would have been like this lady.
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading "Only about the face," he told himself, "not the way she's got up; nor yet her hair nor nuffink of that sort."
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "Only about the face," he told himself, "not the way she's got up; nor yet her hair nor nuffink of that sort."
nuffink
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Only about the face," he told himself, "not the way she's got up; nor yet her hair nor nuffink of that sort."
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE ESCAPE WHEN Lady Talbot leaned over the side of the big bed to awaken Dickie Harding she wished with all her heart that she had just such a little boy of her own; and when Dickie awoke and looked in her kind eyes he felt quite sure that if he had had a mother she would have been like this lady.
and nothing more
From this reading "Only about the face," he told himself, "not the way she's got up; nor yet her hair nor nuffink of that sort."
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading THE ESCAPE WHEN Lady Talbot leaned over the side of the big bed to awaken Dickie Harding she wished with all her heart that she had just such a little boy of her own; and when Dickie awoke and looked in her kind eyes he felt quite sure that if he had had a mother she would have been like this lady.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading THE ESCAPE WHEN Lady Talbot leaned over the side of the big bed to awaken Dickie Harding she wished with all her heart that she had just such a little boy of her own; and when Dickie awoke and looked in her kind eyes he felt quite sure that if he had had a mother she would have been like this lady.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading THE ESCAPE WHEN Lady Talbot leaned over the side of the big bed to awaken Dickie Harding she wished with all her heart that she had just such a little boy of her own; and when Dickie awoke and looked in her kind eyes he felt quite sure that if he had had a mother she would have been like this lady.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "A fair treat," said he.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading THE ESCAPE WHEN Lady Talbot leaned over the side of the big bed to awaken Dickie Harding she wished with all her heart that she had just such a little boy of her own; and when Dickie awoke and looked in her kind eyes he felt quite sure that if he had had a mother she would have been like this lady.
she's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Only about the face," he told himself, "not the way she's got up; nor yet her hair nor nuffink of that sort."
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading THE ESCAPE WHEN Lady Talbot leaned over the side of the big bed to awaken Dickie Harding she wished with all her heart that she had just such a little boy of her own; and when Dickie awoke and looked in her kind eyes he felt quite sure that if he had had a mother she would have been like this lady.
a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended
From this reading "Did you sleep well?" she asked him, stroking his hair with extraordinary gentleness.
a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
From this reading "Only about the face," he told himself, "not the way she's got up; nor yet her hair nor nuffink of that sort."
strokingnounUS /ˈstroʊkɪŋ/
a light touch with the hands
From this reading "Did you sleep well?" she asked him, stroking his hair with extraordinary gentleness.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading THE ESCAPE WHEN Lady Talbot leaned over the side of the big bed to awaken Dickie Harding she wished with all her heart that she had just such a little boy of her own; and when Dickie awoke and looked in her kind eyes he felt quite sure that if he had had a mother she would have been like this lady.
having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured
From this reading THE ESCAPE WHEN Lady Talbot leaned over the side of the big bed to awaken Dickie Harding she wished with all her heart that she had just such a little boy of her own; and when Dickie awoke and looked in her kind eyes he felt quite sure that if he had had a mother she would have been like this lady.
TalbotnounUS /ˈtælbət/
English inventor and pioneer in photography who published the first book illustrated with photographs (1800-1877)
From this reading THE ESCAPE WHEN Lady Talbot leaned over the side of the big bed to awaken Dickie Harding she wished with all her heart that she had just such a little boy of her own; and when Dickie awoke and looked in her kind eyes he felt quite sure that if he had had a mother she would have been like this lady.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading THE ESCAPE WHEN Lady Talbot leaned over the side of the big bed to awaken Dickie Harding she wished with all her heart that she had just such a little boy of her own; and when Dickie awoke and looked in her kind eyes he felt quite sure that if he had had a mother she would have been like this lady.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE ESCAPE WHEN Lady Talbot leaned over the side of the big bed to awaken Dickie Harding she wished with all her heart that she had just such a little boy of her own; and when Dickie awoke and looked in her kind eyes he felt quite sure that if he had had a mother she would have been like this lady.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading THE ESCAPE WHEN Lady Talbot leaned over the side of the big bed to awaken Dickie Harding she wished with all her heart that she had just such a little boy of her own; and when Dickie awoke and looked in her kind eyes he felt quite sure that if he had had a mother she would have been like this lady.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE ESCAPE WHEN Lady Talbot leaned over the side of the big bed to awaken Dickie Harding she wished with all her heart that she had just such a little boy of her own; and when Dickie awoke and looked in her kind eyes he felt quite sure that if he had had a mother she would have been like this lady.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading "Only about the face," he told himself, "not the way she's got up; nor yet her hair nor nuffink of that sort."
interact in a certain way
From this reading "A fair treat," said he.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading "Only about the face," he told himself, "not the way she's got up; nor yet her hair nor nuffink of that sort."
Wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "Was your bed comfortable?"
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading "Only about the face," he told himself, "not the way she's got up; nor yet her hair nor nuffink of that sort."
(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 "Did you sleep well?" she asked him, stroking his hair with extraordinary gentleness.
at the time that
From this reading THE ESCAPE WHEN Lady Talbot leaned over the side of the big bed to awaken Dickie Harding she wished with all her heart that she had just such a little boy of her own; and when Dickie awoke and looked in her kind eyes he felt quite sure that if he had had a mother she would have been like this lady.
past form of “wish” — hope for; have a wish
From this reading THE ESCAPE WHEN Lady Talbot leaned over the side of the big bed to awaken Dickie Harding she wished with all her heart that she had just such a little boy of her own; and when Dickie awoke and looked in her kind eyes he felt quite sure that if he had had a mother she would have been like this lady.
in the company of; together with
From this reading THE ESCAPE WHEN Lady Talbot leaned over the side of the big bed to awaken Dickie Harding she wished with all her heart that she had just such a little boy of her own; and when Dickie awoke and looked in her kind eyes he felt quite sure that if he had had a mother she would have been like this lady.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading THE ESCAPE WHEN Lady Talbot leaned over the side of the big bed to awaken Dickie Harding she wished with all her heart that she had just such a little boy of her own; and when Dickie awoke and looked in her kind eyes he felt quite sure that if he had had a mother she would have been like this lady.
but in spite of that
From this reading "Only about the face," he told himself, "not the way she's got up; nor yet her hair nor nuffink of that sort."
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Did you sleep well?" she asked him, stroking his hair with extraordinary gentleness.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Was your bed comfortable?"
