Chapter XVII · Chapter 17

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

From this reading Miss Gordon sat a trifle straighter in her stiff chair.

perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)

From this reading You say yourself that Mrs. Jarvis would have been willing to pay Eppie's expenses up here, or support her in the city, and why you should have made her the cause of such an eccentric act I cannot understand."

past form of “act” — perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)

From this reading DAWN CLOUDS "And so you see; Aunt Margaret, I could not possibly have acted otherwise.

(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 had to leave it all."

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

From this reading You say yourself that Mrs. Jarvis would have been willing to pay Eppie's expenses up here, or support her in the city, and why you should have made her the cause of such an eccentric act I cannot understand."

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

From this reading DAWN CLOUDS "And so you see; Aunt Margaret, I could not possibly have acted otherwise.

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

From this reading "I fear I must confess I cannot see it as you do at all, Elizabeth.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading "I fear I must confess I cannot see it as you do at all, Elizabeth.

the sister of your father or mother; the wife of your uncle

From this reading DAWN CLOUDS "And so you see; Aunt Margaret, I could not possibly have acted otherwise.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading You say yourself that Mrs. Jarvis would have been willing to pay Eppie's expenses up here, or support her in the city, and why you should have made her the cause of such an eccentric act I cannot understand."

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

From this reading "I fear I must confess I cannot see it as you do at all, Elizabeth.

events that provide the generative force that is the origin of something

From this reading You say yourself that Mrs. Jarvis would have been willing to pay Eppie's expenses up here, or support her in the city, and why you should have made her the cause of such an eccentric act I cannot understand."

a seat for one person, with a support for the back

From this reading Miss Gordon sat a trifle straighter in her stiff chair.

a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts

From this reading You say yourself that Mrs. Jarvis would have been willing to pay Eppie's expenses up here, or support her in the city, and why you should have made her the cause of such an eccentric act I cannot understand."

plural of “cloud” — any collection of particles (e.g., smoke or dust) or gases that is visible

From this reading DAWN CLOUDS "And so you see; Aunt Margaret, I could not possibly have acted otherwise.

confess to a punishable or reprehensible deed, usually under pressure

From this reading "I fear I must confess I cannot see it as you do at all, Elizabeth.

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

From this reading DAWN CLOUDS "And so you see; Aunt Margaret, I could not possibly have acted otherwise.

the first light of day

From this reading DAWN CLOUDS "And so you see; Aunt Margaret, I could not possibly have acted otherwise.

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading "I fear I must confess I cannot see it as you do at all, Elizabeth.

conspicuously or grossly unconventional or unusual

From this reading You say yourself that Mrs. Jarvis would have been willing to pay Eppie's expenses up here, or support her in the city, and why you should have made her the cause of such an eccentric act I cannot understand."

daughter of George VI who became the Queen of England and Northern Ireland in 1952 on the death of her father (1926-)

From this reading "I fear I must confess I cannot see it as you do at all, Elizabeth.

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

From this reading You say yourself that Mrs. Jarvis would have been willing to pay Eppie's expenses up here, or support her in the city, and why you should have made her the cause of such an eccentric act I cannot understand."

plural of “expense” — amounts paid for goods and services that may be currently tax deductible (as opposed to capital expenditures)

From this reading You say yourself that Mrs. Jarvis would have been willing to pay Eppie's expenses up here, or support her in the city, and why you should have made her the cause of such an eccentric act I cannot understand."

be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event

From this reading "I fear I must confess I cannot see it as you do at all, Elizabeth.

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

From this reading Miss Gordon sat a trifle straighter in her stiff chair.

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

From this reading I had to leave it all."

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading DAWN CLOUDS "And so you see; Aunt Margaret, I could not possibly have acted otherwise.

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

From this reading Miss Gordon sat a trifle straighter in her stiff chair.

in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is

From this reading You say yourself that Mrs. Jarvis would have been willing to pay Eppie's expenses up here, or support her in the city, and why you should have made her the cause of such an eccentric act I cannot understand."

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading DAWN CLOUDS "And so you see; Aunt Margaret, I could not possibly have acted otherwise.

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

From this reading Miss Gordon sat a trifle straighter in her stiff chair.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading I had to leave it all."

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

From this reading You say yourself that Mrs. Jarvis would have been willing to pay Eppie's expenses up here, or support her in the city, and why you should have made her the cause of such an eccentric act I cannot understand."

go away from a place

From this reading I had to leave it all."

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading You say yourself that Mrs. Jarvis would have been willing to pay Eppie's expenses up here, or support her in the city, and why you should have made her the cause of such an eccentric act I cannot understand."

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

From this reading DAWN CLOUDS "And so you see; Aunt Margaret, I could not possibly have acted otherwise.

fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind

From this reading Miss Gordon sat a trifle straighter in her stiff chair.

a form of address for a married woman

From this reading You say yourself that Mrs. Jarvis would have been willing to pay Eppie's expenses up here, or support her in the city, and why you should have made her the cause of such an eccentric act I cannot understand."

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading "I fear I must confess I cannot see it as you do at all, Elizabeth.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading DAWN CLOUDS "And so you see; Aunt Margaret, I could not possibly have acted otherwise.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading You say yourself that Mrs. Jarvis would have been willing to pay Eppie's expenses up here, or support her in the city, and why you should have made her the cause of such an eccentric act I cannot understand."

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading You say yourself that Mrs. Jarvis would have been willing to pay Eppie's expenses up here, or support her in the city, and why you should have made her the cause of such an eccentric act I cannot understand."

in other respects or ways

From this reading DAWN CLOUDS "And so you see; Aunt Margaret, I could not possibly have acted otherwise.

give money, usually in exchange for goods or services

From this reading You say yourself that Mrs. Jarvis would have been willing to pay Eppie's expenses up here, or support her in the city, and why you should have made her the cause of such an eccentric act I cannot understand."

by chance

From this reading DAWN CLOUDS "And so you see; Aunt Margaret, I could not possibly have acted otherwise.

the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians

From this reading Miss Gordon sat a trifle straighter in her stiff chair.

express in words

From this reading You say yourself that Mrs. Jarvis would have been willing to pay Eppie's expenses up here, or support her in the city, and why you should have made her the cause of such an eccentric act I cannot understand."

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading DAWN CLOUDS "And so you see; Aunt Margaret, I could not possibly have acted otherwise.

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading You say yourself that Mrs. Jarvis would have been willing to pay Eppie's expenses up here, or support her in the city, and why you should have made her the cause of such an eccentric act I cannot understand."

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading DAWN CLOUDS "And so you see; Aunt Margaret, I could not possibly have acted otherwise.

not moving or operating freely

From this reading Miss Gordon sat a trifle straighter in her stiff chair.

comparative of “straight” — successive (without a break)

From this reading Miss Gordon sat a trifle straighter in her stiff chair.

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading You say yourself that Mrs. Jarvis would have been willing to pay Eppie's expenses up here, or support her in the city, and why you should have made her the cause of such an eccentric act I cannot understand."

the activity of providing for or maintaining by supplying with money or necessities

From this reading You say yourself that Mrs. Jarvis would have been willing to pay Eppie's expenses up here, or support her in the city, and why you should have made her the cause of such an eccentric act I cannot understand."

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading You say yourself that Mrs. Jarvis would have been willing to pay Eppie's expenses up here, or support her in the city, and why you should have made her the cause of such an eccentric act I cannot understand."

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

From this reading You say yourself that Mrs. Jarvis would have been willing to pay Eppie's expenses up here, or support her in the city, and why you should have made her the cause of such an eccentric act I cannot understand."

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

From this reading I had to leave it all."

a cold pudding made of layers of sponge cake spread with fruit or jelly; may be decorated with nuts, cream, or chocolate

From this reading Miss Gordon sat a trifle straighter in her stiff chair.

know and comprehend the nature or meaning of

From this reading You say yourself that Mrs. Jarvis would have been willing to pay Eppie's expenses up here, or support her in the city, and why you should have made her the cause of such an eccentric act I cannot understand."

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading You say yourself that Mrs. Jarvis would have been willing to pay Eppie's expenses up here, or support her in the city, and why you should have made her the cause of such an eccentric act I cannot understand."

the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”

From this reading You say yourself that Mrs. Jarvis would have been willing to pay Eppie's expenses up here, or support her in the city, and why you should have made her the cause of such an eccentric act I cannot understand."

disposed or inclined toward

From this reading You say yourself that Mrs. Jarvis would have been willing to pay Eppie's expenses up here, or support her in the city, and why you should have made her the cause of such an eccentric act I cannot understand."

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading You say yourself that Mrs. Jarvis would have been willing to pay Eppie's expenses up here, or support her in the city, and why you should have made her the cause of such an eccentric act I cannot understand."

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading DAWN CLOUDS "And so you see; Aunt Margaret, I could not possibly have acted otherwise.

used when the person spoken to is also the object of the action

From this reading You say yourself that Mrs. Jarvis would have been willing to pay Eppie's expenses up here, or support her in the city, and why you should have made her the cause of such an eccentric act I cannot understand."