used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Two hours before it would have been unimaginable; one hour ago I had merely been offering aid to a young woman in distress; now she was occupying my rooms and I was hurrying along Tenth Street, careless as to my destination, and feeling as though the whole world was crumbling about my head because she wore a wedding-ring.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Two hours before it would have been unimaginable; one hour ago I had merely been offering aid to a young woman in distress; now she was occupying my rooms and I was hurrying along Tenth Street, careless as to my destination, and feeling as though the whole world was crumbling about my head because she wore a wedding-ring.
in the past
From this reading Two hours before it would have been unimaginable; one hour ago I had merely been offering aid to a young woman in distress; now she was occupying my rooms and I was hurrying along Tenth Street, careless as to my destination, and feeling as though the whole world was crumbling about my head because she wore a wedding-ring.
a person or thing that is a resource that helps make something easier or possible to do
From this reading Two hours before it would have been unimaginable; one hour ago I had merely been offering aid to a young woman in distress; now she was occupying my rooms and I was hurrying along Tenth Street, careless as to my destination, and feeling as though the whole world was crumbling about my head because she wore a wedding-ring.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading Two hours before it would have been unimaginable; one hour ago I had merely been offering aid to a young woman in distress; now she was occupying my rooms and I was hurrying along Tenth Street, careless as to my destination, and feeling as though the whole world was crumbling about my head because she wore a wedding-ring.
analyzeverbUS /ˈænəlaɪz/
consider in detail and subject to an analysis in order to discover essential features or meaning
From this reading Certainly I was not in love with her, so far as I could analyze my emotions.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Two hours before it would have been unimaginable; one hour ago I had merely been offering aid to a young woman in distress; now she was occupying my rooms and I was hurrying along Tenth Street, careless as to my destination, and feeling as though the whole world was crumbling about my head because she wore a wedding-ring.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Two hours before it would have been unimaginable; one hour ago I had merely been offering aid to a young woman in distress; now she was occupying my rooms and I was hurrying along Tenth Street, careless as to my destination, and feeling as though the whole world was crumbling about my head because she wore a wedding-ring.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading BACK IN THE ROOM The situation had become more preposterous than ever.
for the reason that
From this reading Two hours before it would have been unimaginable; one hour ago I had merely been offering aid to a young woman in distress; now she was occupying my rooms and I was hurrying along Tenth Street, careless as to my destination, and feeling as though the whole world was crumbling about my head because she wore a wedding-ring.
enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading BACK IN THE ROOM The situation had become more preposterous than ever.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Two hours before it would have been unimaginable; one hour ago I had merely been offering aid to a young woman in distress; now she was occupying my rooms and I was hurrying along Tenth Street, careless as to my destination, and feeling as though the whole world was crumbling about my head because she wore a wedding-ring.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Two hours before it would have been unimaginable; one hour ago I had merely been offering aid to a young woman in distress; now she was occupying my rooms and I was hurrying along Tenth Street, careless as to my destination, and feeling as though the whole world was crumbling about my head because she wore a wedding-ring.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading But the wedding-ring--what hopes, then, had begun to spring up in my heart?
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But the wedding-ring--what hopes, then, had begun to spring up in my heart?
showing who or what does the action
From this reading I had been conscious only of a desire to help her, merging by degrees into pity for her friendlessness.
marked by lack of attention or consideration or forethought or thoroughness; not careful
From this reading Two hours before it would have been unimaginable; one hour ago I had merely been offering aid to a young woman in distress; now she was occupying my rooms and I was hurrying along Tenth Street, careless as to my destination, and feeling as though the whole world was crumbling about my head because she wore a wedding-ring.
definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)
From this reading Certainly I was not in love with her, so far as I could analyze my emotions.
intentionally conceived
From this reading I had been conscious only of a desire to help her, merging by degrees into pity for her friendlessness.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Certainly I was not in love with her, so far as I could analyze my emotions.
crumblingverbUS /ˈkrʌmbəlɪŋ/
-ing form of “crumble” — fall apart
From this reading Two hours before it would have been unimaginable; one hour ago I had merely been offering aid to a young woman in distress; now she was occupying my rooms and I was hurrying along Tenth Street, careless as to my destination, and feeling as though the whole world was crumbling about my head because she wore a wedding-ring.
plural of “degree” — a position on a scale of intensity or amount or quality
From this reading I had been conscious only of a desire to help her, merging by degrees into pity for her friendlessness.
the feeling that accompanies an unsatisfied state
From this reading I had been conscious only of a desire to help her, merging by degrees into pity for her friendlessness.
destinationnounUS /ˌdestəˈneɪʃən/
the place designated as the end (as of a race or journey)
From this reading Two hours before it would have been unimaginable; one hour ago I had merely been offering aid to a young woman in distress; now she was occupying my rooms and I was hurrying along Tenth Street, careless as to my destination, and feeling as though the whole world was crumbling about my head because she wore a wedding-ring.
psychological suffering
From this reading Two hours before it would have been unimaginable; one hour ago I had merely been offering aid to a young woman in distress; now she was occupying my rooms and I was hurrying along Tenth Street, careless as to my destination, and feeling as though the whole world was crumbling about my head because she wore a wedding-ring.
plural of “emotion” — any strong feeling
From this reading Certainly I was not in love with her, so far as I could analyze my emotions.
at any time
From this reading BACK IN THE ROOM The situation had become more preposterous than ever.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading Certainly I was not in love with her, so far as I could analyze my emotions.
the experiencing of affective and emotional states
From this reading Two hours before it would have been unimaginable; one hour ago I had merely been offering aid to a young woman in distress; now she was occupying my rooms and I was hurrying along Tenth Street, careless as to my destination, and feeling as though the whole world was crumbling about my head because she wore a wedding-ring.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading I had been conscious only of a desire to help her, merging by degrees into pity for her friendlessness.
friendlessnessnoun
being without friends
From this reading I had been conscious only of a desire to help her, merging by degrees into pity for her friendlessness.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading BACK IN THE ROOM The situation had become more preposterous than ever.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Two hours before it would have been unimaginable; one hour ago I had merely been offering aid to a young woman in distress; now she was occupying my rooms and I was hurrying along Tenth Street, careless as to my destination, and feeling as though the whole world was crumbling about my head because she wore a wedding-ring.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading Two hours before it would have been unimaginable; one hour ago I had merely been offering aid to a young woman in distress; now she was occupying my rooms and I was hurrying along Tenth Street, careless as to my destination, and feeling as though the whole world was crumbling about my head because she wore a wedding-ring.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading But the wedding-ring--what hopes, then, had begun to spring up in my heart?
give help or assistance; be of service
From this reading I had been conscious only of a desire to help her, merging by degrees into pity for her friendlessness.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Certainly I was not in love with her, so far as I could analyze my emotions.
plural of “hope” — a specific instance of feeling hopeful
From this reading But the wedding-ring--what hopes, then, had begun to spring up in my heart?
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading Two hours before it would have been unimaginable; one hour ago I had merely been offering aid to a young woman in distress; now she was occupying my rooms and I was hurrying along Tenth Street, careless as to my destination, and feeling as though the whole world was crumbling about my head because she wore a wedding-ring.
a period of time assigned for work
From this reading Two hours before it would have been unimaginable; one hour ago I had merely been offering aid to a young woman in distress; now she was occupying my rooms and I was hurrying along Tenth Street, careless as to my destination, and feeling as though the whole world was crumbling about my head because she wore a wedding-ring.
hurryingadjectiveUS /ˈhɜːriɪŋ/
moving with great haste
From this reading Two hours before it would have been unimaginable; one hour ago I had merely been offering aid to a young woman in distress; now she was occupying my rooms and I was hurrying along Tenth Street, careless as to my destination, and feeling as though the whole world was crumbling about my head because she wore a wedding-ring.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Two hours before it would have been unimaginable; one hour ago I had merely been offering aid to a young woman in distress; now she was occupying my rooms and I was hurrying along Tenth Street, careless as to my destination, and feeling as though the whole world was crumbling about my head because she wore a wedding-ring.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading BACK IN THE ROOM The situation had become more preposterous than ever.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading I had been conscious only of a desire to help her, merging by degrees into pity for her friendlessness.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Two hours before it would have been unimaginable; one hour ago I had merely been offering aid to a young woman in distress; now she was occupying my rooms and I was hurrying along Tenth Street, careless as to my destination, and feeling as though the whole world was crumbling about my head because she wore a wedding-ring.
a strong positive emotion of regard and affection
From this reading Certainly I was not in love with her, so far as I could analyze my emotions.
and nothing more
From this reading Two hours before it would have been unimaginable; one hour ago I had merely been offering aid to a young woman in distress; now she was occupying my rooms and I was hurrying along Tenth Street, careless as to my destination, and feeling as though the whole world was crumbling about my head because she wore a wedding-ring.
mergingnounUS /ˈmɜːrdʒɪŋ/
the act of joining together as one
From this reading I had been conscious only of a desire to help her, merging by degrees into pity for her friendlessness.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading BACK IN THE ROOM The situation had become more preposterous than ever.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading Two hours before it would have been unimaginable; one hour ago I had merely been offering aid to a young woman in distress; now she was occupying my rooms and I was hurrying along Tenth Street, careless as to my destination, and feeling as though the whole world was crumbling about my head because she wore a wedding-ring.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Certainly I was not in love with her, so far as I could analyze my emotions.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Two hours before it would have been unimaginable; one hour ago I had merely been offering aid to a young woman in distress; now she was occupying my rooms and I was hurrying along Tenth Street, careless as to my destination, and feeling as though the whole world was crumbling about my head because she wore a wedding-ring.
occupyingverbUS /ˈɑːkjəpaɪɪŋ/
-ing form of “occupy” — keep busy with
From this reading Two hours before it would have been unimaginable; one hour ago I had merely been offering aid to a young woman in distress; now she was occupying my rooms and I was hurrying along Tenth Street, careless as to my destination, and feeling as though the whole world was crumbling about my head because she wore a wedding-ring.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading I had been conscious only of a desire to help her, merging by degrees into pity for her friendlessness.
offeringnounUS /ˈɔːfərɪŋ/
something offered (as a proposal or bid)
From this reading Two hours before it would have been unimaginable; one hour ago I had merely been offering aid to a young woman in distress; now she was occupying my rooms and I was hurrying along Tenth Street, careless as to my destination, and feeling as though the whole world was crumbling about my head because she wore a wedding-ring.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Two hours before it would have been unimaginable; one hour ago I had merely been offering aid to a young woman in distress; now she was occupying my rooms and I was hurrying along Tenth Street, careless as to my destination, and feeling as though the whole world was crumbling about my head because she wore a wedding-ring.
and nothing more
From this reading I had been conscious only of a desire to help her, merging by degrees into pity for her friendlessness.
a feeling of sympathy and sorrow for the misfortunes of others
From this reading I had been conscious only of a desire to help her, merging by degrees into pity for her friendlessness.
preposterousadjectiveUS /prɪˈpɑːstərəs/
so unreasonable as to invite derision
From this reading BACK IN THE ROOM The situation had become more preposterous than ever.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading BACK IN THE ROOM The situation had become more preposterous than ever.
apartment consisting of a series of connected rooms used as a living unit (as in a hotel)
From this reading Two hours before it would have been unimaginable; one hour ago I had merely been offering aid to a young woman in distress; now she was occupying my rooms and I was hurrying along Tenth Street, careless as to my destination, and feeling as though the whole world was crumbling about my head because she wore a wedding-ring.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Two hours before it would have been unimaginable; one hour ago I had merely been offering aid to a young woman in distress; now she was occupying my rooms and I was hurrying along Tenth Street, careless as to my destination, and feeling as though the whole world was crumbling about my head because she wore a wedding-ring.
the general state of things; the combination of circumstances at a given time
From this reading BACK IN THE ROOM The situation had become more preposterous than ever.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Certainly I was not in love with her, so far as I could analyze my emotions.
the season of growth
From this reading But the wedding-ring--what hopes, then, had begun to spring up in my heart?
a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading Two hours before it would have been unimaginable; one hour ago I had merely been offering aid to a young woman in distress; now she was occupying my rooms and I was hurrying along Tenth Street, careless as to my destination, and feeling as though the whole world was crumbling about my head because she wore a wedding-ring.
TenthnounUS /tenθ/
a tenth part; one part in ten equal parts
From this reading Two hours before it would have been unimaginable; one hour ago I had merely been offering aid to a young woman in distress; now she was occupying my rooms and I was hurrying along Tenth Street, careless as to my destination, and feeling as though the whole world was crumbling about my head because she wore a wedding-ring.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading BACK IN THE ROOM The situation had become more preposterous than ever.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading BACK IN THE ROOM The situation had become more preposterous than ever.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading But the wedding-ring--what hopes, then, had begun to spring up in my heart?
in spite of the fact that
From this reading Two hours before it would have been unimaginable; one hour ago I had merely been offering aid to a young woman in distress; now she was occupying my rooms and I was hurrying along Tenth Street, careless as to my destination, and feeling as though the whole world was crumbling about my head because she wore a wedding-ring.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Two hours before it would have been unimaginable; one hour ago I had merely been offering aid to a young woman in distress; now she was occupying my rooms and I was hurrying along Tenth Street, careless as to my destination, and feeling as though the whole world was crumbling about my head because she wore a wedding-ring.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading Two hours before it would have been unimaginable; one hour ago I had merely been offering aid to a young woman in distress; now she was occupying my rooms and I was hurrying along Tenth Street, careless as to my destination, and feeling as though the whole world was crumbling about my head because she wore a wedding-ring.
unimaginableadjectiveUS /ˌʌnɪˈmædʒɪnəbəl/
totally unlikely
From this reading Two hours before it would have been unimaginable; one hour ago I had merely been offering aid to a young woman in distress; now she was occupying my rooms and I was hurrying along Tenth Street, careless as to my destination, and feeling as though the whole world was crumbling about my head because she wore a wedding-ring.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading But the wedding-ring--what hopes, then, had begun to spring up in my heart?
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Two hours before it would have been unimaginable; one hour ago I had merely been offering aid to a young woman in distress; now she was occupying my rooms and I was hurrying along Tenth Street, careless as to my destination, and feeling as though the whole world was crumbling about my head because she wore a wedding-ring.
wedding-ring
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Two hours before it would have been unimaginable; one hour ago I had merely been offering aid to a young woman in distress; now she was occupying my rooms and I was hurrying along Tenth Street, careless as to my destination, and feeling as though the whole world was crumbling about my head because she wore a wedding-ring.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading But the wedding-ring--what hopes, then, had begun to spring up in my heart?
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading Two hours before it would have been unimaginable; one hour ago I had merely been offering aid to a young woman in distress; now she was occupying my rooms and I was hurrying along Tenth Street, careless as to my destination, and feeling as though the whole world was crumbling about my head because she wore a wedding-ring.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Certainly I was not in love with her, so far as I could analyze my emotions.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading Two hours before it would have been unimaginable; one hour ago I had merely been offering aid to a young woman in distress; now she was occupying my rooms and I was hurrying along Tenth Street, careless as to my destination, and feeling as though the whole world was crumbling about my head because she wore a wedding-ring.
inflected form of “wear” — be dressed in
From this reading Two hours before it would have been unimaginable; one hour ago I had merely been offering aid to a young woman in distress; now she was occupying my rooms and I was hurrying along Tenth Street, careless as to my destination, and feeling as though the whole world was crumbling about my head because she wore a wedding-ring.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading Two hours before it would have been unimaginable; one hour ago I had merely been offering aid to a young woman in distress; now she was occupying my rooms and I was hurrying along Tenth Street, careless as to my destination, and feeling as though the whole world was crumbling about my head because she wore a wedding-ring.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Two hours before it would have been unimaginable; one hour ago I had merely been offering aid to a young woman in distress; now she was occupying my rooms and I was hurrying along Tenth Street, careless as to my destination, and feeling as though the whole world was crumbling about my head because she wore a wedding-ring.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading Two hours before it would have been unimaginable; one hour ago I had merely been offering aid to a young woman in distress; now she was occupying my rooms and I was hurrying along Tenth Street, careless as to my destination, and feeling as though the whole world was crumbling about my head because she wore a wedding-ring.
