used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading ‘And we have always understood Mr. Swinford was a gentleman,’ Emily said.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading ‘However,’ said Lady William, ‘I don’t know how it came about, but it was Leo Swinford, my dear.
take a risk in the hope of a favorable outcome
From this reading For a new person in the village always looks as if there was an adventure behind him, doesn’t he, aunt?--and Mab is such a child still.’
how long something has existed
From this reading ‘But it is not at all wonderful at Mab’s age to take up such a foolish idea.
(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 ‘But it is not at all wonderful at Mab’s age to take up such a foolish idea.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading ‘And we have always understood Mr. Swinford was a gentleman,’ Emily said.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading For a new person in the village always looks as if there was an adventure behind him, doesn’t he, aunt?--and Mab is such a child still.’
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading ‘And we have always understood Mr. Swinford was a gentleman,’ Emily said.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading I knew him very well when he was a child, and he sought me out because, I suppose, he didn’t know any one else here.’
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading For a new person in the village always looks as if there was an adventure behind him, doesn’t he, aunt?--and Mab is such a child still.’
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading ‘But it is not at all wonderful at Mab’s age to take up such a foolish idea.
the sister of your father or mother; the wife of your uncle
From this reading For a new person in the village always looks as if there was an adventure behind him, doesn’t he, aunt?--and Mab is such a child still.’
for the reason that
From this reading I knew him very well when he was a child, and he sought me out because, I suppose, he didn’t know any one else here.’
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading For a new person in the village always looks as if there was an adventure behind him, doesn’t he, aunt?--and Mab is such a child still.’
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading ‘But it is not at all wonderful at Mab’s age to take up such a foolish idea.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading ‘However,’ said Lady William, ‘I don’t know how it came about, but it was Leo Swinford, my dear.
a young person of either sex
From this reading For a new person in the village always looks as if there was an adventure behind him, doesn’t he, aunt?--and Mab is such a child still.’
dearly loved
From this reading ‘However,’ said Lady William, ‘I don’t know how it came about, but it was Leo Swinford, my dear.
didn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I knew him very well when he was a child, and he sought me out because, I suppose, he didn’t know any one else here.’
doesn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a new person in the village always looks as if there was an adventure behind him, doesn’t he, aunt?--and Mab is such a child still.’
don't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ‘However,’ said Lady William, ‘I don’t know how it came about, but it was Leo Swinford, my dear.
else
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I knew him very well when he was a child, and he sought me out because, I suppose, he didn’t know any one else here.’
Emily
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ‘And we have always understood Mr. Swinford was a gentleman,’ Emily said.
devoid of good sense or judgment
From this reading ‘But it is not at all wonderful at Mab’s age to take up such a foolish idea.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For a new person in the village always looks as if there was an adventure behind him, doesn’t he, aunt?--and Mab is such a child still.’
a man of refinement
From this reading ‘And we have always understood Mr. Swinford was a gentleman,’ Emily said.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading ‘And we have always understood Mr. Swinford was a gentleman,’ Emily said.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading For a new person in the village always looks as if there was an adventure behind him, doesn’t he, aunt?--and Mab is such a child still.’
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading I knew him very well when he was a child, and he sought me out because, I suppose, he didn’t know any one else here.’
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading For a new person in the village always looks as if there was an adventure behind him, doesn’t he, aunt?--and Mab is such a child still.’
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ‘However,’ said Lady William, ‘I don’t know how it came about, but it was Leo Swinford, my dear.
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading ‘However,’ said Lady William, ‘I don’t know how it came about, but it was Leo Swinford, my dear.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading ‘However,’ said Lady William, ‘I don’t know how it came about, but it was Leo Swinford, my dear.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading ‘But it is not at all wonderful at Mab’s age to take up such a foolish idea.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading For a new person in the village always looks as if there was an adventure behind him, doesn’t he, aunt?--and Mab is such a child still.’
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading For a new person in the village always looks as if there was an adventure behind him, doesn’t he, aunt?--and Mab is such a child still.’
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading ‘But it is not at all wonderful at Mab’s age to take up such a foolish idea.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading ‘But it is not at all wonderful at Mab’s age to take up such a foolish idea.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading I knew him very well when he was a child, and he sought me out because, I suppose, he didn’t know any one else here.’
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading ‘However,’ said Lady William, ‘I don’t know how it came about, but it was Leo Swinford, my dear.
a polite name for any woman
From this reading ‘However,’ said Lady William, ‘I don’t know how it came about, but it was Leo Swinford, my dear.
LeonounUS /ˈliːoʊ/
(astrology) a person who is born while the sun is in Leo
From this reading ‘However,’ said Lady William, ‘I don’t know how it came about, but it was Leo Swinford, my dear.
plural of “look” — the feelings expressed on a person's face
From this reading For a new person in the village always looks as if there was an adventure behind him, doesn’t he, aunt?--and Mab is such a child still.’
Mab
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a new person in the village always looks as if there was an adventure behind him, doesn’t he, aunt?--and Mab is such a child still.’
Mab's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ‘But it is not at all wonderful at Mab’s age to take up such a foolish idea.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading I knew him very well when he was a child, and he sought me out because, I suppose, he didn’t know any one else here.’
a form of address for a man
From this reading ‘And we have always understood Mr. Swinford was a gentleman,’ Emily said.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading ‘However,’ said Lady William, ‘I don’t know how it came about, but it was Leo Swinford, my dear.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading For a new person in the village always looks as if there was an adventure behind him, doesn’t he, aunt?--and Mab is such a child still.’
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading ‘But it is not at all wonderful at Mab’s age to take up such a foolish idea.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading I knew him very well when he was a child, and he sought me out because, I suppose, he didn’t know any one else here.’
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading I knew him very well when he was a child, and he sought me out because, I suppose, he didn’t know any one else here.’
a human being
From this reading For a new person in the village always looks as if there was an adventure behind him, doesn’t he, aunt?--and Mab is such a child still.’
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading ‘And we have always understood Mr. Swinford was a gentleman,’ Emily said.
that is looked for
From this reading I knew him very well when he was a child, and he sought me out because, I suppose, he didn’t know any one else here.’
not in physical motion
From this reading For a new person in the village always looks as if there was an adventure behind him, doesn’t he, aunt?--and Mab is such a child still.’
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading ‘But it is not at all wonderful at Mab’s age to take up such a foolish idea.
express a supposition
From this reading I knew him very well when he was a child, and he sought me out because, I suppose, he didn’t know any one else here.’
Swinford
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ‘And we have always understood Mr. Swinford was a gentleman,’ Emily said.
carry out
From this reading ‘But it is not at all wonderful at Mab’s age to take up such a foolish idea.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading For a new person in the village always looks as if there was an adventure behind him, doesn’t he, aunt?--and Mab is such a child still.’
in or at that place or location
From this reading For a new person in the village always looks as if there was an adventure behind him, doesn’t he, aunt?--and Mab is such a child still.’
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading ‘But it is not at all wonderful at Mab’s age to take up such a foolish idea.
fully apprehended as to purport or meaning or explanation
From this reading ‘And we have always understood Mr. Swinford was a gentleman,’ Emily said.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading ‘But it is not at all wonderful at Mab’s age to take up such a foolish idea.
precisely as stated
From this reading I knew him very well when he was a child, and he sought me out because, I suppose, he didn’t know any one else here.’
a community of people smaller than a town
From this reading For a new person in the village always looks as if there was an adventure behind him, doesn’t he, aunt?--and Mab is such a child still.’
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading ‘And we have always understood Mr. Swinford was a gentleman,’ Emily said.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading ‘And we have always understood Mr. Swinford was a gentleman,’ Emily said.
(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 I knew him very well when he was a child, and he sought me out because, I suppose, he didn’t know any one else here.’
at the time that
From this reading I knew him very well when he was a child, and he sought me out because, I suppose, he didn’t know any one else here.’
William
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ‘However,’ said Lady William, ‘I don’t know how it came about, but it was Leo Swinford, my dear.
extraordinarily good or great; used especially as intensifiers
From this reading ‘But it is not at all wonderful at Mab’s age to take up such a foolish idea.
