used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading “Miss Crediton,” said John Mitford, drawing a long breath, “you don’t know what a very serious question that is; it has been my burden for half my life.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading I should like to tell you all about it, but you--would not care to hear.”
(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 I should like to tell you all about it, but you--would not care to hear.”
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading I have never spoken of it to any one, and you have taken me a little by surprise.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading I have never spoken of it to any one, and you have taken me a little by surprise.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading “Miss Crediton,” said John Mitford, drawing a long breath, “you don’t know what a very serious question that is; it has been my burden for half my life.
the process of taking in and expelling air during breathing
From this reading “Miss Crediton,” said John Mitford, drawing a long breath, “you don’t know what a very serious question that is; it has been my burden for half my life.
an onerous or difficult concern
From this reading “Miss Crediton,” said John Mitford, drawing a long breath, “you don’t know what a very serious question that is; it has been my burden for half my life.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading I should like to tell you all about it, but you--would not care to hear.”
showing who or what does the action
From this reading I have never spoken of it to any one, and you have taken me a little by surprise.
the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something
From this reading I should like to tell you all about it, but you--would not care to hear.”
Crediton
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Miss Crediton,” said John Mitford, drawing a long breath, “you don’t know what a very serious question that is; it has been my burden for half my life.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading “Oh, I do so hope you have not quite made up your mind.
don't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Miss Crediton,” said John Mitford, drawing a long breath, “you don’t know what a very serious question that is; it has been my burden for half my life.
an illustration that is drawn by hand and published in a book, magazine, or newspaper
From this reading “Miss Crediton,” said John Mitford, drawing a long breath, “you don’t know what a very serious question that is; it has been my burden for half my life.
with eagerness; in an eager manner
From this reading “Indeed I should,” said Kate, eagerly.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading “Miss Crediton,” said John Mitford, drawing a long breath, “you don’t know what a very serious question that is; it has been my burden for half my life.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading “Miss Crediton,” said John Mitford, drawing a long breath, “you don’t know what a very serious question that is; it has been my burden for half my life.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “Miss Crediton,” said John Mitford, drawing a long breath, “you don’t know what a very serious question that is; it has been my burden for half my life.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading I have never spoken of it to any one, and you have taken me a little by surprise.
perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
From this reading I should like to tell you all about it, but you--would not care to hear.”
a specific instance of feeling hopeful
From this reading “Oh, I do so hope you have not quite made up your mind.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I have never spoken of it to any one, and you have taken me a little by surprise.
in truth (often tends to intensify)
From this reading “Indeed I should,” said Kate, eagerly.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “Miss Crediton,” said John Mitford, drawing a long breath, “you don’t know what a very serious question that is; it has been my burden for half my life.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “Miss Crediton,” said John Mitford, drawing a long breath, “you don’t know what a very serious question that is; it has been my burden for half my life.
a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading “Miss Crediton,” said John Mitford, drawing a long breath, “you don’t know what a very serious question that is; it has been my burden for half my life.
Kate
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Indeed I should,” said Kate, eagerly.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading “Miss Crediton,” said John Mitford, drawing a long breath, “you don’t know what a very serious question that is; it has been my burden for half my life.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading “Miss Crediton,” said John Mitford, drawing a long breath, “you don’t know what a very serious question that is; it has been my burden for half my life.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading I should like to tell you all about it, but you--would not care to hear.”
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading I have never spoken of it to any one, and you have taken me a little by surprise.
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 “Miss Crediton,” said John Mitford, drawing a long breath, “you don’t know what a very serious question that is; it has been my burden for half my life.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading “Oh, I do so hope you have not quite made up your mind.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading I have never spoken of it to any one, and you have taken me a little by surprise.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading “Oh, I do so hope you have not quite made up your mind.
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading “Miss Crediton,” said John Mitford, drawing a long breath, “you don’t know what a very serious question that is; it has been my burden for half my life.
Mitfordnoun
United States writer (born in England) who wrote on American culture (1917-1996)
From this reading “Miss Crediton,” said John Mitford, drawing a long breath, “you don’t know what a very serious question that is; it has been my burden for half my life.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading “Miss Crediton,” said John Mitford, drawing a long breath, “you don’t know what a very serious question that is; it has been my burden for half my life.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading I have never spoken of it to any one, and you have taken me a little by surprise.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading I should like to tell you all about it, but you--would not care to hear.”
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading I have never spoken of it to any one, and you have taken me a little by surprise.
a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region
From this reading “Oh, I do so hope you have not quite made up your mind.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading I have never spoken of it to any one, and you have taken me a little by surprise.
challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of
From this reading “Miss Crediton,” said John Mitford, drawing a long breath, “you don’t know what a very serious question that is; it has been my burden for half my life.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading “Oh, I do so hope you have not quite made up your mind.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “Miss Crediton,” said John Mitford, drawing a long breath, “you don’t know what a very serious question that is; it has been my burden for half my life.
concerned with work or important matters rather than play or trivialities
From this reading “Miss Crediton,” said John Mitford, drawing a long breath, “you don’t know what a very serious question that is; it has been my burden for half my life.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading I should like to tell you all about it, but you--would not care to hear.”
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading “Oh, I do so hope you have not quite made up your mind.
uttered through the medium of speech or characterized by speech; sometimes used in combination
From this reading I have never spoken of it to any one, and you have taken me a little by surprise.
the astonishment you feel when something totally unexpected happens to you
From this reading I have never spoken of it to any one, and you have taken me a little by surprise.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading I have never spoken of it to any one, and you have taken me a little by surprise.
express in words
From this reading I should like to tell you all about it, but you--would not care to hear.”
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading “Miss Crediton,” said John Mitford, drawing a long breath, “you don’t know what a very serious question that is; it has been my burden for half my life.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I have never spoken of it to any one, and you have taken me a little by surprise.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading “Oh, I do so hope you have not quite made up your mind.
precisely as stated
From this reading “Miss Crediton,” said John Mitford, drawing a long breath, “you don’t know what a very serious question that is; it has been my burden for half my life.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading “Miss Crediton,” said John Mitford, drawing a long breath, “you don’t know what a very serious question that is; it has been my burden for half my life.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading I should like to tell you all about it, but you--would not care to hear.”
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “Miss Crediton,” said John Mitford, drawing a long breath, “you don’t know what a very serious question that is; it has been my burden for half my life.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “Oh, I do so hope you have not quite made up your mind.
