used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading For a long moment she sat upright and still, her hands clutching the arms of her chair, her gaze fixed steadily on the tiny, darting flames.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading And I had begun to think you had forgotten all about your guardian," and as she spoke she held out her arms so that the girls came rushing.
(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 And I had begun to think you had forgotten all about your guardian," and as she spoke she held out her arms so that the girls came rushing.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE MAGIC CITY The last sweet note hesitated, sighed, and softly merged in the crackling of the fire, and still their guardian did not move.
weapons considered collectively
From this reading For a long moment she sat upright and still, her hands clutching the arms of her chair, her gaze fixed steadily on the tiny, darting flames.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading And I had begun to think you had forgotten all about your guardian," and as she spoke she held out her arms so that the girls came rushing.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading And I had begun to think you had forgotten all about your guardian," and as she spoke she held out her arms so that the girls came rushing.
emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts
From this reading Perhaps she saw there even more than the girls sensed, for when she turned to them, her eyes were bright with unshed tears.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading And I had begun to think you had forgotten all about your guardian," and as she spoke she held out her arms so that the girls came rushing.
a seat for one person, with a support for the back
From this reading For a long moment she sat upright and still, her hands clutching the arms of her chair, her gaze fixed steadily on the tiny, darting flames.
a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts
From this reading THE MAGIC CITY The last sweet note hesitated, sighed, and softly merged in the crackling of the fire, and still their guardian did not move.
clutchingverbUS /ˈklʌtʃɪŋ/
-ing form of “clutch” — take hold of; grab
From this reading For a long moment she sat upright and still, her hands clutching the arms of her chair, her gaze fixed steadily on the tiny, darting flames.
cracklingnounUS /ˈkræklɪŋ/
the residue that remains after animal fat has been rendered
From this reading THE MAGIC CITY The last sweet note hesitated, sighed, and softly merged in the crackling of the fire, and still their guardian did not move.
inflected form of “cry” — utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading "Girls, dear girls," she cried, unsteadily, "what a welcome you have given me!
dartingverbUS /ˈdɑːrtɪŋ/
-ing form of “dart” — move along rapidly and lightly; skim or dart
From this reading For a long moment she sat upright and still, her hands clutching the arms of her chair, her gaze fixed steadily on the tiny, darting flames.
dearly loved
From this reading "Girls, dear girls," she cried, unsteadily, "what a welcome you have given me!
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading THE MAGIC CITY The last sweet note hesitated, sighed, and softly merged in the crackling of the fire, and still their guardian did not move.
divisible by two
From this reading Perhaps she saw there even more than the girls sensed, for when she turned to them, her eyes were bright with unshed tears.
opinion or judgment
From this reading Perhaps she saw there even more than the girls sensed, for when she turned to them, her eyes were bright with unshed tears.
start firing a weapon
From this reading THE MAGIC CITY The last sweet note hesitated, sighed, and softly merged in the crackling of the fire, and still their guardian did not move.
(of a number) having a fixed and unchanging value
From this reading For a long moment she sat upright and still, her hands clutching the arms of her chair, her gaze fixed steadily on the tiny, darting flames.
flamesnounUS /fleɪmz/
plural of “flame” — the process of combustion of inflammable materials producing heat and light and (often) smoke
From this reading For a long moment she sat upright and still, her hands clutching the arms of her chair, her gaze fixed steadily on the tiny, darting flames.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For a long moment she sat upright and still, her hands clutching the arms of her chair, her gaze fixed steadily on the tiny, darting flames.
Not remembered; lapsed from memory.
From this reading And I had begun to think you had forgotten all about your guardian," and as she spoke she held out her arms so that the girls came rushing.
a long fixed look
From this reading For a long moment she sat upright and still, her hands clutching the arms of her chair, her gaze fixed steadily on the tiny, darting flames.
plural of “girl” — a young female
From this reading Perhaps she saw there even more than the girls sensed, for when she turned to them, her eyes were bright with unshed tears.
givenadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪvən/
acknowledged as a supposition
From this reading "Girls, dear girls," she cried, unsteadily, "what a welcome you have given me!
guardiannounUS /ˈɡɑːrdiən/
a person who cares for persons or property
From this reading THE MAGIC CITY The last sweet note hesitated, sighed, and softly merged in the crackling of the fire, and still their guardian did not move.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading And I had begun to think you had forgotten all about your guardian," and as she spoke she held out her arms so that the girls came rushing.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading For a long moment she sat upright and still, her hands clutching the arms of her chair, her gaze fixed steadily on the tiny, darting flames.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading "Girls, dear girls," she cried, unsteadily, "what a welcome you have given me!
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading And I had begun to think you had forgotten all about your guardian," and as she spoke she held out her arms so that the girls came rushing.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading For a long moment she sat upright and still, her hands clutching the arms of her chair, her gaze fixed steadily on the tiny, darting flames.
past form of “hesitate” — pause or hold back in uncertainty or unwillingness
From this reading THE MAGIC CITY The last sweet note hesitated, sighed, and softly merged in the crackling of the fire, and still their guardian did not move.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading And I had begun to think you had forgotten all about your guardian," and as she spoke she held out her arms so that the girls came rushing.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THE MAGIC CITY The last sweet note hesitated, sighed, and softly merged in the crackling of the fire, and still their guardian did not move.
immediately past
From this reading THE MAGIC CITY The last sweet note hesitated, sighed, and softly merged in the crackling of the fire, and still their guardian did not move.
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 For a long moment she sat upright and still, her hands clutching the arms of her chair, her gaze fixed steadily on the tiny, darting flames.
any art that invokes supernatural powers
From this reading THE MAGIC CITY The last sweet note hesitated, sighed, and softly merged in the crackling of the fire, and still their guardian did not move.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "Girls, dear girls," she cried, unsteadily, "what a welcome you have given me!
mergedadjectiveUS /mɜːrdʒd/
formed or united into a whole
From this reading THE MAGIC CITY The last sweet note hesitated, sighed, and softly merged in the crackling of the fire, and still their guardian did not move.
a particular point in time
From this reading For a long moment she sat upright and still, her hands clutching the arms of her chair, her gaze fixed steadily on the tiny, darting flames.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Perhaps she saw there even more than the girls sensed, for when she turned to them, her eyes were bright with unshed tears.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading THE MAGIC CITY The last sweet note hesitated, sighed, and softly merged in the crackling of the fire, and still their guardian did not move.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading THE MAGIC CITY The last sweet note hesitated, sighed, and softly merged in the crackling of the fire, and still their guardian did not move.
a brief written record
From this reading THE MAGIC CITY The last sweet note hesitated, sighed, and softly merged in the crackling of the fire, and still their guardian did not move.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE MAGIC CITY The last sweet note hesitated, sighed, and softly merged in the crackling of the fire, and still their guardian did not move.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading For a long moment she sat upright and still, her hands clutching the arms of her chair, her gaze fixed steadily on the tiny, darting flames.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading And I had begun to think you had forgotten all about your guardian," and as she spoke she held out her arms so that the girls came rushing.
by chance
From this reading Perhaps she saw there even more than the girls sensed, for when she turned to them, her eyes were bright with unshed tears.
rushingnounUS /ˈrʌʃɪŋ/
(American football) an attempt to advance the ball by running into the line
From this reading And I had begun to think you had forgotten all about your guardian," and as she spoke she held out her arms so that the girls came rushing.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading For a long moment she sat upright and still, her hands clutching the arms of her chair, her gaze fixed steadily on the tiny, darting flames.
cut with a saw
From this reading Perhaps she saw there even more than the girls sensed, for when she turned to them, her eyes were bright with unshed tears.
sensedadjectiveUS /senst/
detected by instinct or inference rather than by recognized perceptual cues
From this reading Perhaps she saw there even more than the girls sensed, for when she turned to them, her eyes were bright with unshed tears.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading For a long moment she sat upright and still, her hands clutching the arms of her chair, her gaze fixed steadily on the tiny, darting flames.
past form of “sigh” — heave or utter a sigh; breathe deeply and heavily
From this reading THE MAGIC CITY The last sweet note hesitated, sighed, and softly merged in the crackling of the fire, and still their guardian did not move.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading And I had begun to think you had forgotten all about your guardian," and as she spoke she held out her arms so that the girls came rushing.
with low volume
From this reading THE MAGIC CITY The last sweet note hesitated, sighed, and softly merged in the crackling of the fire, and still their guardian did not move.
support consisting of a radial member of a wheel joining the hub to the rim
From this reading And I had begun to think you had forgotten all about your guardian," and as she spoke she held out her arms so that the girls came rushing.
at a steady rate or pace
From this reading For a long moment she sat upright and still, her hands clutching the arms of her chair, her gaze fixed steadily on the tiny, darting flames.
not in physical motion
From this reading THE MAGIC CITY The last sweet note hesitated, sighed, and softly merged in the crackling of the fire, and still their guardian did not move.
having or denoting the characteristic taste of sugar
From this reading THE MAGIC CITY The last sweet note hesitated, sighed, and softly merged in the crackling of the fire, and still their guardian did not move.
the process of shedding tears (usually accompanied by sobs or other inarticulate sounds)
From this reading Perhaps she saw there even more than the girls sensed, for when she turned to them, her eyes were bright with unshed tears.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Perhaps she saw there even more than the girls sensed, for when she turned to them, her eyes were bright with unshed tears.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading And I had begun to think you had forgotten all about your guardian," and as she spoke she held out her arms so that the girls came rushing.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE MAGIC CITY The last sweet note hesitated, sighed, and softly merged in the crackling of the fire, and still their guardian did not move.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading THE MAGIC CITY The last sweet note hesitated, sighed, and softly merged in the crackling of the fire, and still their guardian did not move.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Perhaps she saw there even more than the girls sensed, for when she turned to them, her eyes were bright with unshed tears.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Perhaps she saw there even more than the girls sensed, for when she turned to them, her eyes were bright with unshed tears.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading And I had begun to think you had forgotten all about your guardian," and as she spoke she held out her arms so that the girls came rushing.
very small
From this reading For a long moment she sat upright and still, her hands clutching the arms of her chair, her gaze fixed steadily on the tiny, darting flames.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Perhaps she saw there even more than the girls sensed, for when she turned to them, her eyes were bright with unshed tears.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading Perhaps she saw there even more than the girls sensed, for when she turned to them, her eyes were bright with unshed tears.
unshed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Perhaps she saw there even more than the girls sensed, for when she turned to them, her eyes were bright with unshed tears.
unsteadilyadverb
in an unsteady manner
From this reading "Girls, dear girls," she cried, unsteadily, "what a welcome you have given me!
uprightadjectiveUS /əˈpraɪt/
in a vertical position; not sloping
From this reading For a long moment she sat upright and still, her hands clutching the arms of her chair, her gaze fixed steadily on the tiny, darting flames.
accept gladly
From this reading "Girls, dear girls," she cried, unsteadily, "what a welcome you have given me!
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Perhaps she saw there even more than the girls sensed, for when she turned to them, her eyes were bright with unshed tears.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "Girls, dear girls," she cried, unsteadily, "what a welcome you have given me!
at the time that
From this reading Perhaps she saw there even more than the girls sensed, for when she turned to them, her eyes were bright with unshed tears.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Perhaps she saw there even more than the girls sensed, for when she turned to them, her eyes were bright with unshed tears.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Girls, dear girls," she cried, unsteadily, "what a welcome you have given me!
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading And I had begun to think you had forgotten all about your guardian," and as she spoke she held out her arms so that the girls came rushing.
