used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading “I--I--wanted to go out a few minutes, mamma, dear.
abedadverbUS /əˈbed/
in bed
From this reading I expected to find you abed,” exclaimed her mother, staring in astonishment at the shrinking girl.
perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)
From this reading Pansy, who had counted herself so sure of escaping, saw herself detected in the act of flight, forced to confession, shamed, disgraced; but after that one exclamation of alarm she hurriedly determined to brave it out, if possible; so, clutching her bundle tightly, she assumed an expression of calmness that she was very far from feeling.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading Pansy, who had counted herself so sure of escaping, saw herself detected in the act of flight, forced to confession, shamed, disgraced; but after that one exclamation of alarm she hurriedly determined to brave it out, if possible; so, clutching her bundle tightly, she assumed an expression of calmness that she was very far from feeling.
fear resulting from the awareness of danger
From this reading Pansy, who had counted herself so sure of escaping, saw herself detected in the act of flight, forced to confession, shamed, disgraced; but after that one exclamation of alarm she hurriedly determined to brave it out, if possible; so, clutching her bundle tightly, she assumed an expression of calmness that she was very far from feeling.
the feeling that accompanies something extremely surprising
From this reading At the opening of the door, mother and daughter recoiled from each other with smothered cries of amazement.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Pansy, who had counted herself so sure of escaping, saw herself detected in the act of flight, forced to confession, shamed, disgraced; but after that one exclamation of alarm she hurriedly determined to brave it out, if possible; so, clutching her bundle tightly, she assumed an expression of calmness that she was very far from feeling.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading At the opening of the door, mother and daughter recoiled from each other with smothered cries of amazement.
adopted in order to deceive
From this reading Pansy, who had counted herself so sure of escaping, saw herself detected in the act of flight, forced to confession, shamed, disgraced; but after that one exclamation of alarm she hurriedly determined to brave it out, if possible; so, clutching her bundle tightly, she assumed an expression of calmness that she was very far from feeling.
the feeling that accompanies something extremely surprising
From this reading I expected to find you abed,” exclaimed her mother, staring in astonishment at the shrinking girl.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At the opening of the door, mother and daughter recoiled from each other with smothered cries of amazement.
possessing or displaying courage; able to face and deal with danger or fear without flinching
From this reading Pansy, who had counted herself so sure of escaping, saw herself detected in the act of flight, forced to confession, shamed, disgraced; but after that one exclamation of alarm she hurriedly determined to brave it out, if possible; so, clutching her bundle tightly, she assumed an expression of calmness that she was very far from feeling.
bundlenounUS /ˈbʌndəl/
a collection of things wrapped or boxed together
From this reading Pansy, who had counted herself so sure of escaping, saw herself detected in the act of flight, forced to confession, shamed, disgraced; but after that one exclamation of alarm she hurriedly determined to brave it out, if possible; so, clutching her bundle tightly, she assumed an expression of calmness that she was very far from feeling.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Pansy, who had counted herself so sure of escaping, saw herself detected in the act of flight, forced to confession, shamed, disgraced; but after that one exclamation of alarm she hurriedly determined to brave it out, if possible; so, clutching her bundle tightly, she assumed an expression of calmness that she was very far from feeling.
calmnessnounUS /ˈkɑːmnəs/
steadiness of mind under stress
From this reading Pansy, who had counted herself so sure of escaping, saw herself detected in the act of flight, forced to confession, shamed, disgraced; but after that one exclamation of alarm she hurriedly determined to brave it out, if possible; so, clutching her bundle tightly, she assumed an expression of calmness that she was very far from feeling.
clutchingverbUS /ˈklʌtʃɪŋ/
-ing form of “clutch” — take hold of; grab
From this reading Pansy, who had counted herself so sure of escaping, saw herself detected in the act of flight, forced to confession, shamed, disgraced; but after that one exclamation of alarm she hurriedly determined to brave it out, if possible; so, clutching her bundle tightly, she assumed an expression of calmness that she was very far from feeling.
confessionnounUS /kənˈfeʃən/
an admission of misdeeds or faults
From this reading Pansy, who had counted herself so sure of escaping, saw herself detected in the act of flight, forced to confession, shamed, disgraced; but after that one exclamation of alarm she hurriedly determined to brave it out, if possible; so, clutching her bundle tightly, she assumed an expression of calmness that she was very far from feeling.
countedverbUS /ˈkaʊntɪd/
past form of “count” — determine the number or amount of
From this reading Pansy, who had counted herself so sure of escaping, saw herself detected in the act of flight, forced to confession, shamed, disgraced; but after that one exclamation of alarm she hurriedly determined to brave it out, if possible; so, clutching her bundle tightly, she assumed an expression of calmness that she was very far from feeling.
plural of “cry” — a loud utterance; often in protest or opposition
From this reading At the opening of the door, mother and daughter recoiled from each other with smothered cries of amazement.
a female human offspring
From this reading At the opening of the door, mother and daughter recoiled from each other with smothered cries of amazement.
dearly loved
From this reading “I--I--wanted to go out a few minutes, mamma, dear.
detectedadjectiveUS /dɪˈtektəd/
perceived or discerned
From this reading Pansy, who had counted herself so sure of escaping, saw herself detected in the act of flight, forced to confession, shamed, disgraced; but after that one exclamation of alarm she hurriedly determined to brave it out, if possible; so, clutching her bundle tightly, she assumed an expression of calmness that she was very far from feeling.
characterized by great determination
From this reading Pansy, who had counted herself so sure of escaping, saw herself detected in the act of flight, forced to confession, shamed, disgraced; but after that one exclamation of alarm she hurriedly determined to brave it out, if possible; so, clutching her bundle tightly, she assumed an expression of calmness that she was very far from feeling.
disgracedadjectiveUS /dɪsˈɡreɪst/
suffering shame
From this reading Pansy, who had counted herself so sure of escaping, saw herself detected in the act of flight, forced to confession, shamed, disgraced; but after that one exclamation of alarm she hurriedly determined to brave it out, if possible; so, clutching her bundle tightly, she assumed an expression of calmness that she was very far from feeling.
doesauxiliary verbUS /dʌz/
the form of “do” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “Why, Pansy, what does this mean?
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading At the opening of the door, mother and daughter recoiled from each other with smothered cries of amazement.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading At the opening of the door, mother and daughter recoiled from each other with smothered cries of amazement.
escapingverbUS /ɪˈskeɪpɪŋ/
-ing form of “escape” — run away from confinement
From this reading Pansy, who had counted herself so sure of escaping, saw herself detected in the act of flight, forced to confession, shamed, disgraced; but after that one exclamation of alarm she hurriedly determined to brave it out, if possible; so, clutching her bundle tightly, she assumed an expression of calmness that she was very far from feeling.
past form of “exclaim” — utter aloud; often with surprise, horror, or joy
From this reading I expected to find you abed,” exclaimed her mother, staring in astonishment at the shrinking girl.
exclamationnounUS /ˌekskləˈmeɪʃən/
an abrupt excited utterance
From this reading Pansy, who had counted herself so sure of escaping, saw herself detected in the act of flight, forced to confession, shamed, disgraced; but after that one exclamation of alarm she hurriedly determined to brave it out, if possible; so, clutching her bundle tightly, she assumed an expression of calmness that she was very far from feeling.
considered likely or probable to happen or arrive
From this reading I expected to find you abed,” exclaimed her mother, staring in astonishment at the shrinking girl.
the feelings expressed on a person's face
From this reading Pansy, who had counted herself so sure of escaping, saw herself detected in the act of flight, forced to confession, shamed, disgraced; but after that one exclamation of alarm she hurriedly determined to brave it out, if possible; so, clutching her bundle tightly, she assumed an expression of calmness that she was very far from feeling.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading Pansy, who had counted herself so sure of escaping, saw herself detected in the act of flight, forced to confession, shamed, disgraced; but after that one exclamation of alarm she hurriedly determined to brave it out, if possible; so, clutching her bundle tightly, she assumed an expression of calmness that she was very far from feeling.
the experiencing of affective and emotional states
From this reading Pansy, who had counted herself so sure of escaping, saw herself detected in the act of flight, forced to confession, shamed, disgraced; but after that one exclamation of alarm she hurriedly determined to brave it out, if possible; so, clutching her bundle tightly, she assumed an expression of calmness that she was very far from feeling.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading “I--I--wanted to go out a few minutes, mamma, dear.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading I expected to find you abed,” exclaimed her mother, staring in astonishment at the shrinking girl.
a formation of aircraft in flight
From this reading Pansy, who had counted herself so sure of escaping, saw herself detected in the act of flight, forced to confession, shamed, disgraced; but after that one exclamation of alarm she hurriedly determined to brave it out, if possible; so, clutching her bundle tightly, she assumed an expression of calmness that she was very far from feeling.
produced by or subjected to forcing
From this reading Pansy, who had counted herself so sure of escaping, saw herself detected in the act of flight, forced to confession, shamed, disgraced; but after that one exclamation of alarm she hurriedly determined to brave it out, if possible; so, clutching her bundle tightly, she assumed an expression of calmness that she was very far from feeling.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading At the opening of the door, mother and daughter recoiled from each other with smothered cries of amazement.
a young female
From this reading I expected to find you abed,” exclaimed her mother, staring in astonishment at the shrinking girl.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading “I--I--wanted to go out a few minutes, mamma, dear.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Pansy, who had counted herself so sure of escaping, saw herself detected in the act of flight, forced to confession, shamed, disgraced; but after that one exclamation of alarm she hurriedly determined to brave it out, if possible; so, clutching her bundle tightly, she assumed an expression of calmness that she was very far from feeling.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Pansy, who had counted herself so sure of escaping, saw herself detected in the act of flight, forced to confession, shamed, disgraced; but after that one exclamation of alarm she hurriedly determined to brave it out, if possible; so, clutching her bundle tightly, she assumed an expression of calmness that she was very far from feeling.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading Pansy, who had counted herself so sure of escaping, saw herself detected in the act of flight, forced to confession, shamed, disgraced; but after that one exclamation of alarm she hurriedly determined to brave it out, if possible; so, clutching her bundle tightly, she assumed an expression of calmness that she was very far from feeling.
hurriedlyadverbUS /ˈhɜːridli/
in a hurried or hasty manner
From this reading Pansy, who had counted herself so sure of escaping, saw herself detected in the act of flight, forced to confession, shamed, disgraced; but after that one exclamation of alarm she hurriedly determined to brave it out, if possible; so, clutching her bundle tightly, she assumed an expression of calmness that she was very far from feeling.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I expected to find you abed,” exclaimed her mother, staring in astonishment at the shrinking girl.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Pansy, who had counted herself so sure of escaping, saw herself detected in the act of flight, forced to confession, shamed, disgraced; but after that one exclamation of alarm she hurriedly determined to brave it out, if possible; so, clutching her bundle tightly, she assumed an expression of calmness that she was very far from feeling.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Pansy, who had counted herself so sure of escaping, saw herself detected in the act of flight, forced to confession, shamed, disgraced; but after that one exclamation of alarm she hurriedly determined to brave it out, if possible; so, clutching her bundle tightly, she assumed an expression of calmness that she was very far from feeling.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Pansy, who had counted herself so sure of escaping, saw herself detected in the act of flight, forced to confession, shamed, disgraced; but after that one exclamation of alarm she hurriedly determined to brave it out, if possible; so, clutching her bundle tightly, she assumed an expression of calmness that she was very far from feeling.
informal terms for a mother
From this reading “I--I--wanted to go out a few minutes, mamma, dear.
mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading “Why, Pansy, what does this mean?
a written account of what transpired at a meeting
From this reading “I--I--wanted to go out a few minutes, mamma, dear.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading At the opening of the door, mother and daughter recoiled from each other with smothered cries of amazement.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading At the opening of the door, mother and daughter recoiled from each other with smothered cries of amazement.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Pansy, who had counted herself so sure of escaping, saw herself detected in the act of flight, forced to confession, shamed, disgraced; but after that one exclamation of alarm she hurriedly determined to brave it out, if possible; so, clutching her bundle tightly, she assumed an expression of calmness that she was very far from feeling.
an open or empty space in or between things
From this reading At the opening of the door, mother and daughter recoiled from each other with smothered cries of amazement.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading At the opening of the door, mother and daughter recoiled from each other with smothered cries of amazement.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Pansy, who had counted herself so sure of escaping, saw herself detected in the act of flight, forced to confession, shamed, disgraced; but after that one exclamation of alarm she hurriedly determined to brave it out, if possible; so, clutching her bundle tightly, she assumed an expression of calmness that she was very far from feeling.
PansynounUS /ˈpænzi/
large-flowered garden plant derived chiefly from the wild pansy of Europe and having velvety petals of various colors
From this reading Pansy, who had counted herself so sure of escaping, saw herself detected in the act of flight, forced to confession, shamed, disgraced; but after that one exclamation of alarm she hurriedly determined to brave it out, if possible; so, clutching her bundle tightly, she assumed an expression of calmness that she was very far from feeling.
capable of happening or existing
From this reading Pansy, who had counted herself so sure of escaping, saw herself detected in the act of flight, forced to confession, shamed, disgraced; but after that one exclamation of alarm she hurriedly determined to brave it out, if possible; so, clutching her bundle tightly, she assumed an expression of calmness that she was very far from feeling.
recoiledverbUS /riˈkɔɪld/
past form of “recoil” — draw back, as with fear or pain
From this reading At the opening of the door, mother and daughter recoiled from each other with smothered cries of amazement.
cut with a saw
From this reading Pansy, who had counted herself so sure of escaping, saw herself detected in the act of flight, forced to confession, shamed, disgraced; but after that one exclamation of alarm she hurriedly determined to brave it out, if possible; so, clutching her bundle tightly, she assumed an expression of calmness that she was very far from feeling.
shamedadjectiveUS /ʃeɪmd/
showing a sense of guilt
From this reading Pansy, who had counted herself so sure of escaping, saw herself detected in the act of flight, forced to confession, shamed, disgraced; but after that one exclamation of alarm she hurriedly determined to brave it out, if possible; so, clutching her bundle tightly, she assumed an expression of calmness that she was very far from feeling.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Pansy, who had counted herself so sure of escaping, saw herself detected in the act of flight, forced to confession, shamed, disgraced; but after that one exclamation of alarm she hurriedly determined to brave it out, if possible; so, clutching her bundle tightly, she assumed an expression of calmness that she was very far from feeling.
shrinkingnounUS /ˈʃrɪŋkɪŋ/
process or result of becoming less or smaller
From this reading I expected to find you abed,” exclaimed her mother, staring in astonishment at the shrinking girl.
smotheredadjectiveUS /ˈsmʌðərd/
held in check with difficulty
From this reading At the opening of the door, mother and daughter recoiled from each other with smothered cries of amazement.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Pansy, who had counted herself so sure of escaping, saw herself detected in the act of flight, forced to confession, shamed, disgraced; but after that one exclamation of alarm she hurriedly determined to brave it out, if possible; so, clutching her bundle tightly, she assumed an expression of calmness that she was very far from feeling.
(used of eyes) open and fixed as if in fear or wonder
From this reading I expected to find you abed,” exclaimed her mother, staring in astonishment at the shrinking girl.
having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured
From this reading Pansy, who had counted herself so sure of escaping, saw herself detected in the act of flight, forced to confession, shamed, disgraced; but after that one exclamation of alarm she hurriedly determined to brave it out, if possible; so, clutching her bundle tightly, she assumed an expression of calmness that she was very far from feeling.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Pansy, who had counted herself so sure of escaping, saw herself detected in the act of flight, forced to confession, shamed, disgraced; but after that one exclamation of alarm she hurriedly determined to brave it out, if possible; so, clutching her bundle tightly, she assumed an expression of calmness that she was very far from feeling.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading At the opening of the door, mother and daughter recoiled from each other with smothered cries of amazement.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading “Why, Pansy, what does this mean?
tightlyadverbUS /ˈtaɪtli/
in a tight or constricted manner
From this reading Pansy, who had counted herself so sure of escaping, saw herself detected in the act of flight, forced to confession, shamed, disgraced; but after that one exclamation of alarm she hurriedly determined to brave it out, if possible; so, clutching her bundle tightly, she assumed an expression of calmness that she was very far from feeling.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Pansy, who had counted herself so sure of escaping, saw herself detected in the act of flight, forced to confession, shamed, disgraced; but after that one exclamation of alarm she hurriedly determined to brave it out, if possible; so, clutching her bundle tightly, she assumed an expression of calmness that she was very far from feeling.
precisely as stated
From this reading Pansy, who had counted herself so sure of escaping, saw herself detected in the act of flight, forced to confession, shamed, disgraced; but after that one exclamation of alarm she hurriedly determined to brave it out, if possible; so, clutching her bundle tightly, she assumed an expression of calmness that she was very far from feeling.
desired or wished for or sought
From this reading “I--I--wanted to go out a few minutes, mamma, dear.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Pansy, who had counted herself so sure of escaping, saw herself detected in the act of flight, forced to confession, shamed, disgraced; but after that one exclamation of alarm she hurriedly determined to brave it out, if possible; so, clutching her bundle tightly, she assumed an expression of calmness that she was very far from feeling.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading “Why, Pansy, what does this mean?
which person or people
From this reading Pansy, who had counted herself so sure of escaping, saw herself detected in the act of flight, forced to confession, shamed, disgraced; but after that one exclamation of alarm she hurriedly determined to brave it out, if possible; so, clutching her bundle tightly, she assumed an expression of calmness that she was very far from feeling.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading “Why, Pansy, what does this mean?
in the company of; together with
From this reading At the opening of the door, mother and daughter recoiled from each other with smothered cries of amazement.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading I expected to find you abed,” exclaimed her mother, staring in astonishment at the shrinking girl.
