used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Poor Nettie! she tried to turn comforter; tried to think of one cheering word to say; but what was there to cheer the wife of a drunkard?
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading AND then the poor woman who thought she had no more tears to shed, buried her face in her hands and shed some of the bitterest ones she ever did in her life.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Could it be possible that she, Nettie Decker, was that!
bitterestadjectiveUS /ˈbɪtərəst/
superlative of “bitter” — marked by strong resentment or cynicism
From this reading AND then the poor woman who thought she had no more tears to shed, buried her face in her hands and shed some of the bitterest ones she ever did in her life.
placed in a grave
From this reading AND then the poor woman who thought she had no more tears to shed, buried her face in her hands and shed some of the bitterest ones she ever did in her life.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Poor Nettie! she tried to turn comforter; tried to think of one cheering word to say; but what was there to cheer the wife of a drunkard?
give encouragement to
From this reading Poor Nettie! she tried to turn comforter; tried to think of one cheering word to say; but what was there to cheer the wife of a drunkard?
cheeringnounUS /ˈtʃɪrɪŋ/
encouragement in the form of cheers from spectators
From this reading Poor Nettie! she tried to turn comforter; tried to think of one cheering word to say; but what was there to cheer the wife of a drunkard?
comforternounUS /ˈkʌmfərtər/
a person who commiserates with someone who has had misfortune
From this reading Poor Nettie! she tried to turn comforter; tried to think of one cheering word to say; but what was there to cheer the wife of a drunkard?
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Could it be possible that she, Nettie Decker, was that!
a female human offspring
From this reading Or the daughter of a drunkard?
DeckernounUS /ˈdekər/
English dramatist and pamphleteer (1572-1632)
From this reading Could it be possible that she, Nettie Decker, was that!
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading AND then the poor woman who thought she had no more tears to shed, buried her face in her hands and shed some of the bitterest ones she ever did in her life.
drunkardnounUS /ˈdrʌŋkərd/
a chronic drinker
From this reading Poor Nettie! she tried to turn comforter; tried to think of one cheering word to say; but what was there to cheer the wife of a drunkard?
at any time
From this reading AND then the poor woman who thought she had no more tears to shed, buried her face in her hands and shed some of the bitterest ones she ever did in her life.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading AND then the poor woman who thought she had no more tears to shed, buried her face in her hands and shed some of the bitterest ones she ever did in her life.
plural of “friend” — a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading NEW FRIENDS.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading AND then the poor woman who thought she had no more tears to shed, buried her face in her hands and shed some of the bitterest ones she ever did in her life.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading AND then the poor woman who thought she had no more tears to shed, buried her face in her hands and shed some of the bitterest ones she ever did in her life.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading AND then the poor woman who thought she had no more tears to shed, buried her face in her hands and shed some of the bitterest ones she ever did in her life.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading AND then the poor woman who thought she had no more tears to shed, buried her face in her hands and shed some of the bitterest ones she ever did in her life.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Could it be possible that she, Nettie Decker, was that!
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading AND then the poor woman who thought she had no more tears to shed, buried her face in her hands and shed some of the bitterest ones she ever did in her life.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading AND then the poor woman who thought she had no more tears to shed, buried her face in her hands and shed some of the bitterest ones she ever did in her life.
Nettie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Poor Nettie! she tried to turn comforter; tried to think of one cheering word to say; but what was there to cheer the wife of a drunkard?
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading NEW FRIENDS.
not any; not one
From this reading AND then the poor woman who thought she had no more tears to shed, buried her face in her hands and shed some of the bitterest ones she ever did in her life.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading AND then the poor woman who thought she had no more tears to shed, buried her face in her hands and shed some of the bitterest ones she ever did in her life.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Poor Nettie! she tried to turn comforter; tried to think of one cheering word to say; but what was there to cheer the wife of a drunkard?
plural of “one” — the smallest whole number or a numeral representing this number
From this reading AND then the poor woman who thought she had no more tears to shed, buried her face in her hands and shed some of the bitterest ones she ever did in her life.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Or the daughter of a drunkard?
deserving or inciting pity
From this reading AND then the poor woman who thought she had no more tears to shed, buried her face in her hands and shed some of the bitterest ones she ever did in her life.
capable of happening or existing
From this reading Could it be possible that she, Nettie Decker, was that!
express in words
From this reading Poor Nettie! she tried to turn comforter; tried to think of one cheering word to say; but what was there to cheer the wife of a drunkard?
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading AND then the poor woman who thought she had no more tears to shed, buried her face in her hands and shed some of the bitterest ones she ever did in her life.
get rid of
From this reading AND then the poor woman who thought she had no more tears to shed, buried her face in her hands and shed some of the bitterest ones she ever did in her life.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading AND then the poor woman who thought she had no more tears to shed, buried her face in her hands and shed some of the bitterest ones she ever did in her life.
the process of shedding tears (usually accompanied by sobs or other inarticulate sounds)
From this reading AND then the poor woman who thought she had no more tears to shed, buried her face in her hands and shed some of the bitterest ones she ever did in her life.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Could it be possible that she, Nettie Decker, was that!
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading AND then the poor woman who thought she had no more tears to shed, buried her face in her hands and shed some of the bitterest ones she ever did in her life.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading AND then the poor woman who thought she had no more tears to shed, buried her face in her hands and shed some of the bitterest ones she ever did in her life.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Poor Nettie! she tried to turn comforter; tried to think of one cheering word to say; but what was there to cheer the wife of a drunkard?
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading Poor Nettie! she tried to turn comforter; tried to think of one cheering word to say; but what was there to cheer the wife of a drunkard?
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading AND then the poor woman who thought she had no more tears to shed, buried her face in her hands and shed some of the bitterest ones she ever did in her life.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading AND then the poor woman who thought she had no more tears to shed, buried her face in her hands and shed some of the bitterest ones she ever did in her life.
tested and proved useful or correct
From this reading Poor Nettie! she tried to turn comforter; tried to think of one cheering word to say; but what was there to cheer the wife of a drunkard?
change orientation or direction, also in the abstract sense
From this reading Poor Nettie! she tried to turn comforter; tried to think of one cheering word to say; but what was there to cheer the wife of a drunkard?
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Poor Nettie! she tried to turn comforter; tried to think of one cheering word to say; but what was there to cheer the wife of a drunkard?
used to ask for information about something
From this reading Poor Nettie! she tried to turn comforter; tried to think of one cheering word to say; but what was there to cheer the wife of a drunkard?
which person or people
From this reading AND then the poor woman who thought she had no more tears to shed, buried her face in her hands and shed some of the bitterest ones she ever did in her life.
a married woman; a man's partner in marriage
From this reading Poor Nettie! she tried to turn comforter; tried to think of one cheering word to say; but what was there to cheer the wife of a drunkard?
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading AND then the poor woman who thought she had no more tears to shed, buried her face in her hands and shed some of the bitterest ones she ever did in her life.
a unit of language that native speakers can identify
From this reading Poor Nettie! she tried to turn comforter; tried to think of one cheering word to say; but what was there to cheer the wife of a drunkard?
