used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Helen had been long and anxiously considering in what manner she could employ herself so as to earn a sufficient amount to defray the expenses of living.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading They lived very frugally, but there was the rent, and two persons cannot live on air.
(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 So the little hoard diminished, and five dollars were now all that remained to Helen.
a quantity of money
From this reading Helen had been long and anxiously considering in what manner she could employ herself so as to earn a sufficient amount to defray the expenses of living.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Helen had been long and anxiously considering in what manner she could employ herself so as to earn a sufficient amount to defray the expenses of living.
with anxiety or apprehension
From this reading Helen had been long and anxiously considering in what manner she could employ herself so as to earn a sufficient amount to defray the expenses of living.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Helen had been long and anxiously considering in what manner she could employ herself so as to earn a sufficient amount to defray the expenses of living.
inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading Every day the little stock of money remaining in her purse became less.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Helen had been long and anxiously considering in what manner she could employ herself so as to earn a sufficient amount to defray the expenses of living.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading They lived very frugally, but there was the rent, and two persons cannot live on air.
cannot
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They lived very frugally, but there was the rent, and two persons cannot live on air.
definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)
From this reading Five dollars! it might keep them ten days, but certainly would not last longer, economize as they might.
-ing form of “consider” — deem to be
From this reading Helen had been long and anxiously considering in what manner she could employ herself so as to earn a sufficient amount to defray the expenses of living.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Helen had been long and anxiously considering in what manner she could employ herself so as to earn a sufficient amount to defray the expenses of living.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading Every day the little stock of money remaining in her purse became less.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading Five dollars! it might keep them ten days, but certainly would not last longer, economize as they might.
defrayverbUS /dɪˈfreɪ/
bear the expenses of
From this reading Helen had been long and anxiously considering in what manner she could employ herself so as to earn a sufficient amount to defray the expenses of living.
diminishedadjectiveUS /dɪˈmɪnɪʃt/
impaired by diminution
From this reading So the little hoard diminished, and five dollars were now all that remained to Helen.
plural of “dollar” — the basic monetary unit in many countries; equal to 100 cents
From this reading So the little hoard diminished, and five dollars were now all that remained to Helen.
earnverbUS /ɜːrn/
earn on some commercial or business transaction; earn as salary or wages
From this reading Helen had been long and anxiously considering in what manner she could employ herself so as to earn a sufficient amount to defray the expenses of living.
economizeverbUS /ɪˈkɑːnəmaɪz/
use cautiously and frugally
From this reading Five dollars! it might keep them ten days, but certainly would not last longer, economize as they might.
employverbUS /emˈplɔɪ/
put into service; make work or employ for a particular purpose or for its inherent or natural purpose
From this reading Helen had been long and anxiously considering in what manner she could employ herself so as to earn a sufficient amount to defray the expenses of living.
EverydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading Every day the little stock of money remaining in her purse became less.
expensesnounUS /ɪkˈspensəz/
plural of “expense” — amounts paid for goods and services that may be currently tax deductible (as opposed to capital expenditures)
From this reading Helen had been long and anxiously considering in what manner she could employ herself so as to earn a sufficient amount to defray the expenses of living.
the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one
From this reading So the little hoard diminished, and five dollars were now all that remained to Helen.
frugallyadverbUS /ˈfruːɡəli/
in a frugal manner
From this reading They lived very frugally, but there was the rent, and two persons cannot live on air.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Helen had been long and anxiously considering in what manner she could employ herself so as to earn a sufficient amount to defray the expenses of living.
(Greek mythology) the beautiful daughter of Zeus and Leda who was abducted by Paris; the Greek army sailed to Troy to get her back which resulted in the Trojan War
From this reading Helen had been long and anxiously considering in what manner she could employ herself so as to earn a sufficient amount to defray the expenses of living.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Every day the little stock of money remaining in her purse became less.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading Helen had been long and anxiously considering in what manner she could employ herself so as to earn a sufficient amount to defray the expenses of living.
hoardverbUS /hɔːrd/
save up as for future use
From this reading So the little hoard diminished, and five dollars were now all that remained to Helen.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Helen had been long and anxiously considering in what manner she could employ herself so as to earn a sufficient amount to defray the expenses of living.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Five dollars! it might keep them ten days, but certainly would not last longer, economize as they might.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading Five dollars! it might keep them ten days, but certainly would not last longer, economize as they might.
immediately past
From this reading Five dollars! it might keep them ten days, but certainly would not last longer, economize as they might.
used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs
From this reading Every day the little stock of money remaining in her purse became less.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Every day the little stock of money remaining in her purse became less.
be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading They lived very frugally, but there was the rent, and two persons cannot live on air.
past form of “live” — be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading They lived very frugally, but there was the rent, and two persons cannot live on air.
the experience of being alive; the course of human events and activities
From this reading Helen had been long and anxiously considering in what manner she could employ herself so as to earn a sufficient amount to defray the expenses of living.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading Helen had been long and anxiously considering in what manner she could employ herself so as to earn a sufficient amount to defray the expenses of living.
for more time
From this reading Five dollars! it might keep them ten days, but certainly would not last longer, economize as they might.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading Helen had been long and anxiously considering in what manner she could employ herself so as to earn a sufficient amount to defray the expenses of living.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading Five dollars! it might keep them ten days, but certainly would not last longer, economize as they might.
the most common medium of exchange; functions as legal tender
From this reading Every day the little stock of money remaining in her purse became less.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Five dollars! it might keep them ten days, but certainly would not last longer, economize as they might.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading So the little hoard diminished, and five dollars were now all that remained to Helen.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Helen had been long and anxiously considering in what manner she could employ herself so as to earn a sufficient amount to defray the expenses of living.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading They lived very frugally, but there was the rent, and two persons cannot live on air.
plural of “person” — a human being
From this reading They lived very frugally, but there was the rent, and two persons cannot live on air.
pursenounUS /pɜːrs/
a container used for carrying money and small personal items or accessories (especially by women)
From this reading Every day the little stock of money remaining in her purse became less.
past form of “remain” — stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading So the little hoard diminished, and five dollars were now all that remained to Helen.
not used up
From this reading Every day the little stock of money remaining in her purse became less.
rentverbUS /rent/
let for money
From this reading They lived very frugally, but there was the rent, and two persons cannot live on air.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Helen had been long and anxiously considering in what manner she could employ herself so as to earn a sufficient amount to defray the expenses of living.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Helen had been long and anxiously considering in what manner she could employ herself so as to earn a sufficient amount to defray the expenses of living.
the capital raised by a corporation through the issue of shares entitling holders to an ownership interest
From this reading Every day the little stock of money remaining in her purse became less.
of a quantity that can fulfill a need or requirement but without being abundant
From this reading Helen had been long and anxiously considering in what manner she could employ herself so as to earn a sufficient amount to defray the expenses of living.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading Five dollars! it might keep them ten days, but certainly would not last longer, economize as they might.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading So the little hoard diminished, and five dollars were now all that remained to Helen.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Helen had been long and anxiously considering in what manner she could employ herself so as to earn a sufficient amount to defray the expenses of living.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Five dollars! it might keep them ten days, but certainly would not last longer, economize as they might.
in or at that place or location
From this reading They lived very frugally, but there was the rent, and two persons cannot live on air.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They lived very frugally, but there was the rent, and two persons cannot live on air.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Helen had been long and anxiously considering in what manner she could employ herself so as to earn a sufficient amount to defray the expenses of living.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading They lived very frugally, but there was the rent, and two persons cannot live on air.
precisely as stated
From this reading They lived very frugally, but there was the rent, and two persons cannot live on air.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading They lived very frugally, but there was the rent, and two persons cannot live on air.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading So the little hoard diminished, and five dollars were now all that remained to Helen.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading Helen had been long and anxiously considering in what manner she could employ herself so as to earn a sufficient amount to defray the expenses of living.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Five dollars! it might keep them ten days, but certainly would not last longer, economize as they might.
