used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading On returning from the churchyard she had shut herself up in her bedroom, after a sobbing description to Mrs. Perage and Vane of what had taken place.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading On returning from the churchyard she had shut herself up in her bedroom, after a sobbing description to Mrs. Perage and Vane of what had taken place.
prior to a specified or implied time
From this reading The trouble Gwen was now undergoing seemed ever so much worse than that which she had already undergone.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading On returning from the churchyard she had shut herself up in her bedroom, after a sobbing description to Mrs. Perage and Vane of what had taken place.
a room used primarily for sleeping
From this reading On returning from the churchyard she had shut herself up in her bedroom, after a sobbing description to Mrs. Perage and Vane of what had taken place.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The death of her father had been dreadful, but he had been such a tyrant that--to speak plainly--his loss had not broken her heart.
physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split
From this reading The death of her father had been dreadful, but he had been such a tyrant that--to speak plainly--his loss had not broken her heart.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The death of her father had been dreadful, but he had been such a tyrant that--to speak plainly--his loss had not broken her heart.
churchyardnounUS /ˈtʃɜːrtʃjɑːrd/
the yard associated with a church
From this reading On returning from the churchyard she had shut herself up in her bedroom, after a sobbing description to Mrs. Perage and Vane of what had taken place.
the event of dying or departure from life
From this reading The death of her father had been dreadful, but he had been such a tyrant that--to speak plainly--his loss had not broken her heart.
a statement that represents something in words
From this reading On returning from the churchyard she had shut herself up in her bedroom, after a sobbing description to Mrs. Perage and Vane of what had taken place.
causing fear or dread or terror
From this reading The death of her father had been dreadful, but he had been such a tyrant that--to speak plainly--his loss had not broken her heart.
the act of consuming food
From this reading In this seclusion she remained, speaking little, eating less, and only sleeping occasionally when exhausted Nature insisted upon having her own sensible way.
at any time
From this reading The trouble Gwen was now undergoing seemed ever so much worse than that which she had already undergone.
drained of energy or effectiveness; extremely tired; completely exhausted
From this reading In this seclusion she remained, speaking little, eating less, and only sleeping occasionally when exhausted Nature insisted upon having her own sensible way.
EXPLANATIONSnounUS /ˌekspləˈneɪʃənz/
plural of “explanation” — a statement that makes something comprehensible by describing the relevant structure or operation or circumstances etc.
From this reading EXPLANATIONS Gwen was thoroughly miserable.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading The death of her father had been dreadful, but he had been such a tyrant that--to speak plainly--his loss had not broken her heart.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading On returning from the churchyard she had shut herself up in her bedroom, after a sobbing description to Mrs. Perage and Vane of what had taken place.
Gwen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading EXPLANATIONS Gwen was thoroughly miserable.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading On returning from the churchyard she had shut herself up in her bedroom, after a sobbing description to Mrs. Perage and Vane of what had taken place.
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading In this seclusion she remained, speaking little, eating less, and only sleeping occasionally when exhausted Nature insisted upon having her own sensible way.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The death of her father had been dreadful, but he had been such a tyrant that--to speak plainly--his loss had not broken her heart.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading The death of her father had been dreadful, but he had been such a tyrant that--to speak plainly--his loss had not broken her heart.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading On returning from the churchyard she had shut herself up in her bedroom, after a sobbing description to Mrs. Perage and Vane of what had taken place.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading On returning from the churchyard she had shut herself up in her bedroom, after a sobbing description to Mrs. Perage and Vane of what had taken place.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The death of her father had been dreadful, but he had been such a tyrant that--to speak plainly--his loss had not broken her heart.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading On returning from the churchyard she had shut herself up in her bedroom, after a sobbing description to Mrs. Perage and Vane of what had taken place.
past form of “insist” — be emphatic or resolute and refuse to budge
From this reading In this seclusion she remained, speaking little, eating less, and only sleeping occasionally when exhausted Nature insisted upon having her own sensible way.
used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs
From this reading In this seclusion she remained, speaking little, eating less, and only sleeping occasionally when exhausted Nature insisted upon having her own sensible way.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading In this seclusion she remained, speaking little, eating less, and only sleeping occasionally when exhausted Nature insisted upon having her own sensible way.
something that is lost
From this reading The death of her father had been dreadful, but he had been such a tyrant that--to speak plainly--his loss had not broken her heart.
very unhappy; full of misery
From this reading EXPLANATIONS Gwen was thoroughly miserable.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading On returning from the churchyard she had shut herself up in her bedroom, after a sobbing description to Mrs. Perage and Vane of what had taken place.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading The trouble Gwen was now undergoing seemed ever so much worse than that which she had already undergone.
the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized
From this reading In this seclusion she remained, speaking little, eating less, and only sleeping occasionally when exhausted Nature insisted upon having her own sensible way.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The death of her father had been dreadful, but he had been such a tyrant that--to speak plainly--his loss had not broken her heart.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading The trouble Gwen was now undergoing seemed ever so much worse than that which she had already undergone.
sporadically and infrequently
From this reading In this seclusion she remained, speaking little, eating less, and only sleeping occasionally when exhausted Nature insisted upon having her own sensible way.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading On returning from the churchyard she had shut herself up in her bedroom, after a sobbing description to Mrs. Perage and Vane of what had taken place.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading On returning from the churchyard she had shut herself up in her bedroom, after a sobbing description to Mrs. Perage and Vane of what had taken place.
and nothing more
From this reading In this seclusion she remained, speaking little, eating less, and only sleeping occasionally when exhausted Nature insisted upon having her own sensible way.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading In this seclusion she remained, speaking little, eating less, and only sleeping occasionally when exhausted Nature insisted upon having her own sensible way.
Perage
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On returning from the churchyard she had shut herself up in her bedroom, after a sobbing description to Mrs. Perage and Vane of what had taken place.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading On returning from the churchyard she had shut herself up in her bedroom, after a sobbing description to Mrs. Perage and Vane of what had taken place.
unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)
From this reading The death of her father had been dreadful, but he had been such a tyrant that--to speak plainly--his loss had not broken her heart.
past form of “remain” — stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading In this seclusion she remained, speaking little, eating less, and only sleeping occasionally when exhausted Nature insisted upon having her own sensible way.
tending to return to an earlier state
From this reading On returning from the churchyard she had shut herself up in her bedroom, after a sobbing description to Mrs. Perage and Vane of what had taken place.
seclusionnounUS /sɪˈkluːʒən/
the quality of being secluded from the presence or view of others
From this reading In this seclusion she remained, speaking little, eating less, and only sleeping occasionally when exhausted Nature insisted upon having her own sensible way.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading The trouble Gwen was now undergoing seemed ever so much worse than that which she had already undergone.
showing reason or sound judgment
From this reading In this seclusion she remained, speaking little, eating less, and only sleeping occasionally when exhausted Nature insisted upon having her own sensible way.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading On returning from the churchyard she had shut herself up in her bedroom, after a sobbing description to Mrs. Perage and Vane of what had taken place.
move so that an opening or passage is obstructed; make shut
From this reading On returning from the churchyard she had shut herself up in her bedroom, after a sobbing description to Mrs. Perage and Vane of what had taken place.
the state of being asleep
From this reading In this seclusion she remained, speaking little, eating less, and only sleeping occasionally when exhausted Nature insisted upon having her own sensible way.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The trouble Gwen was now undergoing seemed ever so much worse than that which she had already undergone.
sobbingnounUS /ˈsɑːbɪŋ/
convulsive gasp made while weeping
From this reading On returning from the churchyard she had shut herself up in her bedroom, after a sobbing description to Mrs. Perage and Vane of what had taken place.
express in speech
From this reading The death of her father had been dreadful, but he had been such a tyrant that--to speak plainly--his loss had not broken her heart.
the utterance of intelligible speech
From this reading In this seclusion she remained, speaking little, eating less, and only sleeping occasionally when exhausted Nature insisted upon having her own sensible way.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading The death of her father had been dreadful, but he had been such a tyrant that--to speak plainly--his loss had not broken her heart.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading On returning from the churchyard she had shut herself up in her bedroom, after a sobbing description to Mrs. Perage and Vane of what had taken place.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading The trouble Gwen was now undergoing seemed ever so much worse than that which she had already undergone.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The trouble Gwen was now undergoing seemed ever so much worse than that which she had already undergone.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading On returning from the churchyard she had shut herself up in her bedroom, after a sobbing description to Mrs. Perage and Vane of what had taken place.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading In this seclusion she remained, speaking little, eating less, and only sleeping occasionally when exhausted Nature insisted upon having her own sensible way.
in an exhaustive manner
From this reading EXPLANATIONS Gwen was thoroughly miserable.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading On returning from the churchyard she had shut herself up in her bedroom, after a sobbing description to Mrs. Perage and Vane of what had taken place.
a source of difficulty
From this reading The trouble Gwen was now undergoing seemed ever so much worse than that which she had already undergone.
tyrantnounUS /ˈtaɪrənt/
a cruel and oppressive dictator
From this reading The death of her father had been dreadful, but he had been such a tyrant that--to speak plainly--his loss had not broken her heart.
undergoingverbUS /ˌʌndərˈɡoʊɪŋ/
-ing form of “undergo” — pass through
From this reading The trouble Gwen was now undergoing seemed ever so much worse than that which she had already undergone.
undergoneverbUS /ˌʌndərˈɡɔːn/
inflected form of “undergo” — pass through
From this reading The trouble Gwen was now undergoing seemed ever so much worse than that which she had already undergone.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading On returning from the churchyard she had shut herself up in her bedroom, after a sobbing description to Mrs. Perage and Vane of what had taken place.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading In this seclusion she remained, speaking little, eating less, and only sleeping occasionally when exhausted Nature insisted upon having her own sensible way.
VanenounUS /veɪn/
mechanical device attached to an elevated structure; rotates freely to show the direction of the wind
From this reading On returning from the churchyard she had shut herself up in her bedroom, after a sobbing description to Mrs. Perage and Vane of what had taken place.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading EXPLANATIONS Gwen was thoroughly miserable.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading In this seclusion she remained, speaking little, eating less, and only sleeping occasionally when exhausted Nature insisted upon having her own sensible way.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading On returning from the churchyard she had shut herself up in her bedroom, after a sobbing description to Mrs. Perage and Vane of what had taken place.
at the time that
From this reading In this seclusion she remained, speaking little, eating less, and only sleeping occasionally when exhausted Nature insisted upon having her own sensible way.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The trouble Gwen was now undergoing seemed ever so much worse than that which she had already undergone.
(comparative of “bad”) inferior to another in quality or condition or desirability
From this reading The trouble Gwen was now undergoing seemed ever so much worse than that which she had already undergone.
