Chapter XXI

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading A vague report, indeed, ran through the house, of some trouble that had befallen its master, but what was the nature of it they could not well define.

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading All that day Hettie went about with an energy beyond what was usual, taking from Mrs. Rutherford all her cares and duties immediately domestic, and exerting every effort to put as bright a face upon the family as if nothing had happened.

(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 All that day Hettie went about with an energy beyond what was usual, taking from Mrs. Rutherford all her cares and duties immediately domestic, and exerting every effort to put as bright a face upon the family as if nothing had happened.

Having no one else present.

From this reading To Hettie alone had Mrs. Rutherford confided the secret; for she felt that her strong attachment, her faithful disposition, and her discreet behaviour, entitled her to confidence.

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading All that day Hettie went about with an energy beyond what was usual, taking from Mrs. Rutherford all her cares and duties immediately domestic, and exerting every effort to put as bright a face upon the family as if nothing had happened.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading The trial which had fallen upon the family of Mr. Rutherford was one so new and unexpected, that, with the exception of himself and wife, but little effect was made upon the members of it.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading All that day Hettie went about with an energy beyond what was usual, taking from Mrs. Rutherford all her cares and duties immediately domestic, and exerting every effort to put as bright a face upon the family as if nothing had happened.

a feeling of affection for a person or an institution

From this reading To Hettie alone had Mrs. Rutherford confided the secret; for she felt that her strong attachment, her faithful disposition, and her discreet behaviour, entitled her to confidence.

inflected form of “befall” — become of; happen to

From this reading A vague report, indeed, ran through the house, of some trouble that had befallen its master, but what was the nature of it they could not well define.

the action or reaction of something (as a machine or substance) under specified circumstances

From this reading To Hettie alone had Mrs. Rutherford confided the secret; for she felt that her strong attachment, her faithful disposition, and her discreet behaviour, entitled her to confidence.

on the far side of; further than

From this reading All that day Hettie went about with an energy beyond what was usual, taking from Mrs. Rutherford all her cares and duties immediately domestic, and exerting every effort to put as bright a face upon the family as if nothing had happened.

the flow of blood from a ruptured blood vessel

From this reading She received the information with a heart bleeding in sympathy, but manifested so much good sense, had so many encouraging things to say, and put on such a calm, peaceful look, that Mrs. Rutherford felt that she had indeed a prop to lean upon in this faithful girl.

emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts

From this reading All that day Hettie went about with an energy beyond what was usual, taking from Mrs. Rutherford all her cares and duties immediately domestic, and exerting every effort to put as bright a face upon the family as if nothing had happened.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading The trial which had fallen upon the family of Mr. Rutherford was one so new and unexpected, that, with the exception of himself and wife, but little effect was made upon the members of it.

make calm or still

From this reading She received the information with a heart bleeding in sympathy, but manifested so much good sense, had so many encouraging things to say, and put on such a calm, peaceful look, that Mrs. Rutherford felt that she had indeed a prop to lean upon in this faithful girl.

plural of “care” — the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something

From this reading All that day Hettie went about with an energy beyond what was usual, taking from Mrs. Rutherford all her cares and duties immediately domestic, and exerting every effort to put as bright a face upon the family as if nothing had happened.

past form of “confide” — reveal in private; tell confidentially

From this reading To Hettie alone had Mrs. Rutherford confided the secret; for she felt that her strong attachment, her faithful disposition, and her discreet behaviour, entitled her to confidence.

freedom from doubt; belief in yourself and your abilities

From this reading To Hettie alone had Mrs. Rutherford confided the secret; for she felt that her strong attachment, her faithful disposition, and her discreet behaviour, entitled her to confidence.

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading A vague report, indeed, ran through the house, of some trouble that had befallen its master, but what was the nature of it they could not well define.

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading All that day Hettie went about with an energy beyond what was usual, taking from Mrs. Rutherford all her cares and duties immediately domestic, and exerting every effort to put as bright a face upon the family as if nothing had happened.

determine the essential quality of

From this reading A vague report, indeed, ran through the house, of some trouble that had befallen its master, but what was the nature of it they could not well define.

marked by prudence or modesty and wise self-restraint

From this reading To Hettie alone had Mrs. Rutherford confided the secret; for she felt that her strong attachment, her faithful disposition, and her discreet behaviour, entitled her to confidence.

your usual mood

From this reading To Hettie alone had Mrs. Rutherford confided the secret; for she felt that her strong attachment, her faithful disposition, and her discreet behaviour, entitled her to confidence.

of concern to or concerning the internal affairs of a nation

From this reading All that day Hettie went about with an energy beyond what was usual, taking from Mrs. Rutherford all her cares and duties immediately domestic, and exerting every effort to put as bright a face upon the family as if nothing had happened.

plural of “duty” — the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force

From this reading All that day Hettie went about with an energy beyond what was usual, taking from Mrs. Rutherford all her cares and duties immediately domestic, and exerting every effort to put as bright a face upon the family as if nothing had happened.

a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon

From this reading The trial which had fallen upon the family of Mr. Rutherford was one so new and unexpected, that, with the exception of himself and wife, but little effect was made upon the members of it.

earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something

From this reading All that day Hettie went about with an energy beyond what was usual, taking from Mrs. Rutherford all her cares and duties immediately domestic, and exerting every effort to put as bright a face upon the family as if nothing had happened.

giving courage or confidence or hope

From this reading She received the information with a heart bleeding in sympathy, but manifested so much good sense, had so many encouraging things to say, and put on such a calm, peaceful look, that Mrs. Rutherford felt that she had indeed a prop to lean upon in this faithful girl.

(physics) a thermodynamic quantity equivalent to the capacity of a physical system to do work; the units of energy are joules or ergs

From this reading All that day Hettie went about with an energy beyond what was usual, taking from Mrs. Rutherford all her cares and duties immediately domestic, and exerting every effort to put as bright a face upon the family as if nothing had happened.

qualified for by right according to law

From this reading To Hettie alone had Mrs. Rutherford confided the secret; for she felt that her strong attachment, her faithful disposition, and her discreet behaviour, entitled her to confidence.

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading All that day Hettie went about with an energy beyond what was usual, taking from Mrs. Rutherford all her cares and duties immediately domestic, and exerting every effort to put as bright a face upon the family as if nothing had happened.

a deliberate act of omission

From this reading The trial which had fallen upon the family of Mr. Rutherford was one so new and unexpected, that, with the exception of himself and wife, but little effect was made upon the members of it.

-ing form of “exert” — put to use

From this reading All that day Hettie went about with an energy beyond what was usual, taking from Mrs. Rutherford all her cares and duties immediately domestic, and exerting every effort to put as bright a face upon the family as if nothing had happened.

the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear

From this reading All that day Hettie went about with an energy beyond what was usual, taking from Mrs. Rutherford all her cares and duties immediately domestic, and exerting every effort to put as bright a face upon the family as if nothing had happened.

steadfast in affection or allegiance

From this reading To Hettie alone had Mrs. Rutherford confided the secret; for she felt that her strong attachment, her faithful disposition, and her discreet behaviour, entitled her to confidence.

having dropped by the force of gravity

From this reading The trial which had fallen upon the family of Mr. Rutherford was one so new and unexpected, that, with the exception of himself and wife, but little effect was made upon the members of it.

a social unit living together

From this reading The trial which had fallen upon the family of Mr. Rutherford was one so new and unexpected, that, with the exception of himself and wife, but little effect was made upon the members of it.

mat together and make felt-like

From this reading To Hettie alone had Mrs. Rutherford confided the secret; for she felt that her strong attachment, her faithful disposition, and her discreet behaviour, entitled her to confidence.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading To Hettie alone had Mrs. Rutherford confided the secret; for she felt that her strong attachment, her faithful disposition, and her discreet behaviour, entitled her to confidence.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading All that day Hettie went about with an energy beyond what was usual, taking from Mrs. Rutherford all her cares and duties immediately domestic, and exerting every effort to put as bright a face upon the family as if nothing had happened.

a young female

From this reading She received the information with a heart bleeding in sympathy, but manifested so much good sense, had so many encouraging things to say, and put on such a calm, peaceful look, that Mrs. Rutherford felt that she had indeed a prop to lean upon in this faithful girl.

having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified

From this reading She received the information with a heart bleeding in sympathy, but manifested so much good sense, had so many encouraging things to say, and put on such a calm, peaceful look, that Mrs. Rutherford felt that she had indeed a prop to lean upon in this faithful girl.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading The trial which had fallen upon the family of Mr. Rutherford was one so new and unexpected, that, with the exception of himself and wife, but little effect was made upon the members of it.

past form of “happen” — come to pass

From this reading All that day Hettie went about with an energy beyond what was usual, taking from Mrs. Rutherford all her cares and duties immediately domestic, and exerting every effort to put as bright a face upon the family as if nothing had happened.

the locus of feelings and intuitions

From this reading She received the information with a heart bleeding in sympathy, but manifested so much good sense, had so many encouraging things to say, and put on such a calm, peaceful look, that Mrs. Rutherford felt that she had indeed a prop to lean upon in this faithful girl.

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading To Hettie alone had Mrs. Rutherford confided the secret; for she felt that her strong attachment, her faithful disposition, and her discreet behaviour, entitled her to confidence.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading To Hettie alone had Mrs. Rutherford confided the secret; for she felt that her strong attachment, her faithful disposition, and her discreet behaviour, entitled her to confidence.

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading The trial which had fallen upon the family of Mr. Rutherford was one so new and unexpected, that, with the exception of himself and wife, but little effect was made upon the members of it.

a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading A vague report, indeed, ran through the house, of some trouble that had befallen its master, but what was the nature of it they could not well define.

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading All that day Hettie went about with an energy beyond what was usual, taking from Mrs. Rutherford all her cares and duties immediately domestic, and exerting every effort to put as bright a face upon the family as if nothing had happened.

without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening

From this reading All that day Hettie went about with an energy beyond what was usual, taking from Mrs. Rutherford all her cares and duties immediately domestic, and exerting every effort to put as bright a face upon the family as if nothing had happened.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading She received the information with a heart bleeding in sympathy, but manifested so much good sense, had so many encouraging things to say, and put on such a calm, peaceful look, that Mrs. Rutherford felt that she had indeed a prop to lean upon in this faithful girl.

in truth (often tends to intensify)

From this reading A vague report, indeed, ran through the house, of some trouble that had befallen its master, but what was the nature of it they could not well define.

a message received and understood

From this reading She received the information with a heart bleeding in sympathy, but manifested so much good sense, had so many encouraging things to say, and put on such a calm, peaceful look, that Mrs. Rutherford felt that she had indeed a prop to lean upon in this faithful girl.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading The trial which had fallen upon the family of Mr. Rutherford was one so new and unexpected, that, with the exception of himself and wife, but little effect was made upon the members of it.

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading A vague report, indeed, ran through the house, of some trouble that had befallen its master, but what was the nature of it they could not well define.

to incline or bend from a vertical position

From this reading She received the information with a heart bleeding in sympathy, but manifested so much good sense, had so many encouraging things to say, and put on such a calm, peaceful look, that Mrs. Rutherford felt that she had indeed a prop to lean upon in this faithful girl.

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading The trial which had fallen upon the family of Mr. Rutherford was one so new and unexpected, that, with the exception of himself and wife, but little effect was made upon the members of it.

perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading She received the information with a heart bleeding in sympathy, but manifested so much good sense, had so many encouraging things to say, and put on such a calm, peaceful look, that Mrs. Rutherford felt that she had indeed a prop to lean upon in this faithful girl.

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading The trial which had fallen upon the family of Mr. Rutherford was one so new and unexpected, that, with the exception of himself and wife, but little effect was made upon the members of it.

past form of “manifest” — provide evidence for; stand as proof of; show by one's behavior, attitude, or external attributes

From this reading She received the information with a heart bleeding in sympathy, but manifested so much good sense, had so many encouraging things to say, and put on such a calm, peaceful look, that Mrs. Rutherford felt that she had indeed a prop to lean upon in this faithful girl.

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number

From this reading She received the information with a heart bleeding in sympathy, but manifested so much good sense, had so many encouraging things to say, and put on such a calm, peaceful look, that Mrs. Rutherford felt that she had indeed a prop to lean upon in this faithful girl.

an artist of consummate skill

From this reading A vague report, indeed, ran through the house, of some trouble that had befallen its master, but what was the nature of it they could not well define.

plural of “member” — one of the persons who compose a social group (especially individuals who have joined and participate in a group organization)

From this reading The trial which had fallen upon the family of Mr. Rutherford was one so new and unexpected, that, with the exception of himself and wife, but little effect was made upon the members of it.

a form of address for a man

From this reading The trial which had fallen upon the family of Mr. Rutherford was one so new and unexpected, that, with the exception of himself and wife, but little effect was made upon the members of it.

a form of address for a married woman

From this reading To Hettie alone had Mrs. Rutherford confided the secret; for she felt that her strong attachment, her faithful disposition, and her discreet behaviour, entitled her to confidence.

to a great degree or extent

From this reading She received the information with a heart bleeding in sympathy, but manifested so much good sense, had so many encouraging things to say, and put on such a calm, peaceful look, that Mrs. Rutherford felt that she had indeed a prop to lean upon in this faithful girl.

the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized

From this reading A vague report, indeed, ran through the house, of some trouble that had befallen its master, but what was the nature of it they could not well define.

not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered

From this reading The trial which had fallen upon the family of Mr. Rutherford was one so new and unexpected, that, with the exception of himself and wife, but little effect was made upon the members of it.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading A vague report, indeed, ran through the house, of some trouble that had befallen its master, but what was the nature of it they could not well define.

not one thing; not anything

From this reading All that day Hettie went about with an energy beyond what was usual, taking from Mrs. Rutherford all her cares and duties immediately domestic, and exerting every effort to put as bright a face upon the family as if nothing had happened.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The trial which had fallen upon the family of Mr. Rutherford was one so new and unexpected, that, with the exception of himself and wife, but little effect was made upon the members of it.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading She received the information with a heart bleeding in sympathy, but manifested so much good sense, had so many encouraging things to say, and put on such a calm, peaceful look, that Mrs. Rutherford felt that she had indeed a prop to lean upon in this faithful girl.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading The trial which had fallen upon the family of Mr. Rutherford was one so new and unexpected, that, with the exception of himself and wife, but little effect was made upon the members of it.

not disturbed by strife or turmoil or war

From this reading She received the information with a heart bleeding in sympathy, but manifested so much good sense, had so many encouraging things to say, and put on such a calm, peaceful look, that Mrs. Rutherford felt that she had indeed a prop to lean upon in this faithful girl.

a support placed beneath or against something to keep it from shaking or falling

From this reading She received the information with a heart bleeding in sympathy, but manifested so much good sense, had so many encouraging things to say, and put on such a calm, peaceful look, that Mrs. Rutherford felt that she had indeed a prop to lean upon in this faithful girl.

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading She received the information with a heart bleeding in sympathy, but manifested so much good sense, had so many encouraging things to say, and put on such a calm, peaceful look, that Mrs. Rutherford felt that she had indeed a prop to lean upon in this faithful girl.

inflected form of “run” — move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time

From this reading A vague report, indeed, ran through the house, of some trouble that had befallen its master, but what was the nature of it they could not well define.

conforming to the established language usage of educated native speakers

From this reading She received the information with a heart bleeding in sympathy, but manifested so much good sense, had so many encouraging things to say, and put on such a calm, peaceful look, that Mrs. Rutherford felt that she had indeed a prop to lean upon in this faithful girl.

to give an account or representation of in words

From this reading A vague report, indeed, ran through the house, of some trouble that had befallen its master, but what was the nature of it they could not well define.

a unit strength of a radioactive source equal to one million disintegrations per second

From this reading The trial which had fallen upon the family of Mr. Rutherford was one so new and unexpected, that, with the exception of himself and wife, but little effect was made upon the members of it.

express in words

From this reading She received the information with a heart bleeding in sympathy, but manifested so much good sense, had so many encouraging things to say, and put on such a calm, peaceful look, that Mrs. Rutherford felt that she had indeed a prop to lean upon in this faithful girl.

Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.

From this reading To Hettie alone had Mrs. Rutherford confided the secret; for she felt that her strong attachment, her faithful disposition, and her discreet behaviour, entitled her to confidence.

a general conscious awareness

From this reading She received the information with a heart bleeding in sympathy, but manifested so much good sense, had so many encouraging things to say, and put on such a calm, peaceful look, that Mrs. Rutherford felt that she had indeed a prop to lean upon in this faithful girl.

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading To Hettie alone had Mrs. Rutherford confided the secret; for she felt that her strong attachment, her faithful disposition, and her discreet behaviour, entitled her to confidence.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading The trial which had fallen upon the family of Mr. Rutherford was one so new and unexpected, that, with the exception of himself and wife, but little effect was made upon the members of it.

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading A vague report, indeed, ran through the house, of some trouble that had befallen its master, but what was the nature of it they could not well define.

having strength or power greater than average or expected

From this reading To Hettie alone had Mrs. Rutherford confided the secret; for she felt that her strong attachment, her faithful disposition, and her discreet behaviour, entitled her to confidence.

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading She received the information with a heart bleeding in sympathy, but manifested so much good sense, had so many encouraging things to say, and put on such a calm, peaceful look, that Mrs. Rutherford felt that she had indeed a prop to lean upon in this faithful girl.

an inclination to support or be loyal to or to agree with an opinion

From this reading She received the information with a heart bleeding in sympathy, but manifested so much good sense, had so many encouraging things to say, and put on such a calm, peaceful look, that Mrs. Rutherford felt that she had indeed a prop to lean upon in this faithful girl.

the act of someone who picks up or takes something

From this reading All that day Hettie went about with an energy beyond what was usual, taking from Mrs. Rutherford all her cares and duties immediately domestic, and exerting every effort to put as bright a face upon the family as if nothing had happened.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading The trial which had fallen upon the family of Mr. Rutherford was one so new and unexpected, that, with the exception of himself and wife, but little effect was made upon the members of it.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading The trial which had fallen upon the family of Mr. Rutherford was one so new and unexpected, that, with the exception of himself and wife, but little effect was made upon the members of it.

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading A vague report, indeed, ran through the house, of some trouble that had befallen its master, but what was the nature of it they could not well define.

any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)

From this reading She received the information with a heart bleeding in sympathy, but manifested so much good sense, had so many encouraging things to say, and put on such a calm, peaceful look, that Mrs. Rutherford felt that she had indeed a prop to lean upon in this faithful girl.

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading She received the information with a heart bleeding in sympathy, but manifested so much good sense, had so many encouraging things to say, and put on such a calm, peaceful look, that Mrs. Rutherford felt that she had indeed a prop to lean upon in this faithful girl.

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading A vague report, indeed, ran through the house, of some trouble that had befallen its master, but what was the nature of it they could not well define.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading To Hettie alone had Mrs. Rutherford confided the secret; for she felt that her strong attachment, her faithful disposition, and her discreet behaviour, entitled her to confidence.

the act of testing something

From this reading The trial which had fallen upon the family of Mr. Rutherford was one so new and unexpected, that, with the exception of himself and wife, but little effect was made upon the members of it.

a source of difficulty

From this reading A vague report, indeed, ran through the house, of some trouble that had befallen its master, but what was the nature of it they could not well define.

not expected or anticipated

From this reading The trial which had fallen upon the family of Mr. Rutherford was one so new and unexpected, that, with the exception of himself and wife, but little effect was made upon the members of it.

a formal word for “on”

From this reading The trial which had fallen upon the family of Mr. Rutherford was one so new and unexpected, that, with the exception of himself and wife, but little effect was made upon the members of it.

occurring or encountered or experienced or observed frequently or in accordance with regular practice or procedure

From this reading All that day Hettie went about with an energy beyond what was usual, taking from Mrs. Rutherford all her cares and duties immediately domestic, and exerting every effort to put as bright a face upon the family as if nothing had happened.

not clearly expressed or understood

From this reading A vague report, indeed, ran through the house, of some trouble that had befallen its master, but what was the nature of it they could not well define.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading The trial which had fallen upon the family of Mr. Rutherford was one so new and unexpected, that, with the exception of himself and wife, but little effect was made upon the members of it.

(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 A vague report, indeed, ran through the house, of some trouble that had befallen its master, but what was the nature of it they could not well define.

inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading All that day Hettie went about with an energy beyond what was usual, taking from Mrs. Rutherford all her cares and duties immediately domestic, and exerting every effort to put as bright a face upon the family as if nothing had happened.

used to ask for information about something

From this reading A vague report, indeed, ran through the house, of some trouble that had befallen its master, but what was the nature of it they could not well define.

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading The trial which had fallen upon the family of Mr. Rutherford was one so new and unexpected, that, with the exception of himself and wife, but little effect was made upon the members of it.

a married woman; a man's partner in marriage

From this reading The trial which had fallen upon the family of Mr. Rutherford was one so new and unexpected, that, with the exception of himself and wife, but little effect was made upon the members of it.

in the company of; together with

From this reading The trial which had fallen upon the family of Mr. Rutherford was one so new and unexpected, that, with the exception of himself and wife, but little effect was made upon the members of it.