used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Louise returned to London in a strange state of mind.
alteringnounUS /ˈɔːltərɪŋ/
the sterilization of an animal
From this reading She had found her sister, an enthusiastic gardener, preoccupied and full of plans for altering the gardens of Mistley; her mother too engrossed with Theosophy to listen to earthly troubles, and her father too much upset over the budget.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading She had found her sister, an enthusiastic gardener, preoccupied and full of plans for altering the gardens of Mistley; her mother too engrossed with Theosophy to listen to earthly troubles, and her father too much upset over the budget.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She had found her sister, an enthusiastic gardener, preoccupied and full of plans for altering the gardens of Mistley; her mother too engrossed with Theosophy to listen to earthly troubles, and her father too much upset over the budget.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading She had made up her mind to stay until Eric expressed a desire for her return, but as he did no such thing, and she felt she couldn't stand another hour of boredom, she returned to town.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading She had made up her mind to stay until Eric expressed a desire for her return, but as he did no such thing, and she felt she couldn't stand another hour of boredom, she returned to town.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading In the first place, her family, who liked Eric, had not been disposed to listen sympathetically to her rather vague complaints.
boredomnounUS /ˈbɔːrdəm/
the feeling of being bored by something tedious
From this reading She had made up her mind to stay until Eric expressed a desire for her return, but as he did no such thing, and she felt she couldn't stand another hour of boredom, she returned to town.
budgetnounUS /ˈbʌdʒɪt/
a sum of money allocated for a particular purpose
From this reading She had found her sister, an enthusiastic gardener, preoccupied and full of plans for altering the gardens of Mistley; her mother too engrossed with Theosophy to listen to earthly troubles, and her father too much upset over the budget.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading She had made up her mind to stay until Eric expressed a desire for her return, but as he did no such thing, and she felt she couldn't stand another hour of boredom, she returned to town.
complaintsnounUS /kəmˈpleɪnts/
plural of “complaint” — an often persistent bodily disorder or disease; a cause for complaining
From this reading In the first place, her family, who liked Eric, had not been disposed to listen sympathetically to her rather vague complaints.
couldn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had made up her mind to stay until Eric expressed a desire for her return, but as he did no such thing, and she felt she couldn't stand another hour of boredom, she returned to town.
the feeling that accompanies an unsatisfied state
From this reading She had made up her mind to stay until Eric expressed a desire for her return, but as he did no such thing, and she felt she couldn't stand another hour of boredom, she returned to town.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading She had made up her mind to stay until Eric expressed a desire for her return, but as he did no such thing, and she felt she couldn't stand another hour of boredom, she returned to town.
having made preparations
From this reading In the first place, her family, who liked Eric, had not been disposed to listen sympathetically to her rather vague complaints.
earthlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrθli/
of or belonging to or characteristic of this earth as distinguished from heaven
From this reading She had found her sister, an enthusiastic gardener, preoccupied and full of plans for altering the gardens of Mistley; her mother too engrossed with Theosophy to listen to earthly troubles, and her father too much upset over the budget.
engrossedadjectiveUS /ɪnˈɡroʊst/
giving or marked by complete attention to
From this reading She had found her sister, an enthusiastic gardener, preoccupied and full of plans for altering the gardens of Mistley; her mother too engrossed with Theosophy to listen to earthly troubles, and her father too much upset over the budget.
enthusiasticadjectiveUS /ɪnˌθuːziˈæstɪk/
having or showing great excitement and interest
From this reading She had found her sister, an enthusiastic gardener, preoccupied and full of plans for altering the gardens of Mistley; her mother too engrossed with Theosophy to listen to earthly troubles, and her father too much upset over the budget.
Eric
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the first place, her family, who liked Eric, had not been disposed to listen sympathetically to her rather vague complaints.
communicated in words
From this reading She had made up her mind to stay until Eric expressed a desire for her return, but as he did no such thing, and she felt she couldn't stand another hour of boredom, she returned to town.
a social unit living together
From this reading In the first place, her family, who liked Eric, had not been disposed to listen sympathetically to her rather vague complaints.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading She had found her sister, an enthusiastic gardener, preoccupied and full of plans for altering the gardens of Mistley; her mother too engrossed with Theosophy to listen to earthly troubles, and her father too much upset over the budget.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading She had made up her mind to stay until Eric expressed a desire for her return, but as he did no such thing, and she felt she couldn't stand another hour of boredom, she returned to town.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading In the first place, her family, who liked Eric, had not been disposed to listen sympathetically to her rather vague complaints.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading She had found her sister, an enthusiastic gardener, preoccupied and full of plans for altering the gardens of Mistley; her mother too engrossed with Theosophy to listen to earthly troubles, and her father too much upset over the budget.
set up or found
From this reading She had found her sister, an enthusiastic gardener, preoccupied and full of plans for altering the gardens of Mistley; her mother too engrossed with Theosophy to listen to earthly troubles, and her father too much upset over the budget.
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading She had found her sister, an enthusiastic gardener, preoccupied and full of plans for altering the gardens of Mistley; her mother too engrossed with Theosophy to listen to earthly troubles, and her father too much upset over the budget.
gardenernounUS /ˈɡɑːrdənər/
someone who takes care of a garden
From this reading She had found her sister, an enthusiastic gardener, preoccupied and full of plans for altering the gardens of Mistley; her mother too engrossed with Theosophy to listen to earthly troubles, and her father too much upset over the budget.
plural of “garden” — a plot of ground where plants are cultivated
From this reading She had found her sister, an enthusiastic gardener, preoccupied and full of plans for altering the gardens of Mistley; her mother too engrossed with Theosophy to listen to earthly troubles, and her father too much upset over the budget.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading In the first place, her family, who liked Eric, had not been disposed to listen sympathetically to her rather vague complaints.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She had made up her mind to stay until Eric expressed a desire for her return, but as he did no such thing, and she felt she couldn't stand another hour of boredom, she returned to town.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading In the first place, her family, who liked Eric, had not been disposed to listen sympathetically to her rather vague complaints.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading So she had been left to herself more than she had liked.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading She had made up her mind to stay until Eric expressed a desire for her return, but as he did no such thing, and she felt she couldn't stand another hour of boredom, she returned to town.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Louise returned to London in a strange state of mind.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading So she had been left to herself more than she had liked.
found pleasant or attractive; often used as a combining form
From this reading In the first place, her family, who liked Eric, had not been disposed to listen sympathetically to her rather vague complaints.
hear with intention
From this reading In the first place, her family, who liked Eric, had not been disposed to listen sympathetically to her rather vague complaints.
the capital and largest city of England; located on the Thames in southeastern England; financial and industrial and cultural center
From this reading Louise returned to London in a strange state of mind.
Louise
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Louise returned to London in a strange state of mind.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading She had made up her mind to stay until Eric expressed a desire for her return, but as he did no such thing, and she felt she couldn't stand another hour of boredom, she returned to town.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading Louise returned to London in a strange state of mind.
Mistley
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had found her sister, an enthusiastic gardener, preoccupied and full of plans for altering the gardens of Mistley; her mother too engrossed with Theosophy to listen to earthly troubles, and her father too much upset over the budget.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading So she had been left to herself more than she had liked.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading She had found her sister, an enthusiastic gardener, preoccupied and full of plans for altering the gardens of Mistley; her mother too engrossed with Theosophy to listen to earthly troubles, and her father too much upset over the budget.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading She had found her sister, an enthusiastic gardener, preoccupied and full of plans for altering the gardens of Mistley; her mother too engrossed with Theosophy to listen to earthly troubles, and her father too much upset over the budget.
not any; not one
From this reading She had made up her mind to stay until Eric expressed a desire for her return, but as he did no such thing, and she felt she couldn't stand another hour of boredom, she returned to town.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading In the first place, her family, who liked Eric, had not been disposed to listen sympathetically to her rather vague complaints.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Louise returned to London in a strange state of mind.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading She had found her sister, an enthusiastic gardener, preoccupied and full of plans for altering the gardens of Mistley; her mother too engrossed with Theosophy to listen to earthly troubles, and her father too much upset over the budget.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading In the first place, her family, who liked Eric, had not been disposed to listen sympathetically to her rather vague complaints.
plural of “plan” — a series of steps to be carried out or goals to be accomplished
From this reading She had found her sister, an enthusiastic gardener, preoccupied and full of plans for altering the gardens of Mistley; her mother too engrossed with Theosophy to listen to earthly troubles, and her father too much upset over the budget.
preoccupiedadjectiveUS /priˈɑːkjəpaɪd/
deeply absorbed in thought
From this reading She had found her sister, an enthusiastic gardener, preoccupied and full of plans for altering the gardens of Mistley; her mother too engrossed with Theosophy to listen to earthly troubles, and her father too much upset over the budget.
on the contrary
From this reading In the first place, her family, who liked Eric, had not been disposed to listen sympathetically to her rather vague complaints.
go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading She had made up her mind to stay until Eric expressed a desire for her return, but as he did no such thing, and she felt she couldn't stand another hour of boredom, she returned to town.
past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading Louise returned to London in a strange state of mind.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She had found her sister, an enthusiastic gardener, preoccupied and full of plans for altering the gardens of Mistley; her mother too engrossed with Theosophy to listen to earthly troubles, and her father too much upset over the budget.
a female person who has the same parents as another person
From this reading She had found her sister, an enthusiastic gardener, preoccupied and full of plans for altering the gardens of Mistley; her mother too engrossed with Theosophy to listen to earthly troubles, and her father too much upset over the budget.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading So she had been left to herself more than she had liked.
be standing; be upright
From this reading She had made up her mind to stay until Eric expressed a desire for her return, but as he did no such thing, and she felt she couldn't stand another hour of boredom, she returned to town.
the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation
From this reading Louise returned to London in a strange state of mind.
stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading She had made up her mind to stay until Eric expressed a desire for her return, but as he did no such thing, and she felt she couldn't stand another hour of boredom, she returned to town.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading Louise returned to London in a strange state of mind.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading She had made up her mind to stay until Eric expressed a desire for her return, but as he did no such thing, and she felt she couldn't stand another hour of boredom, she returned to town.
sympatheticallyadverbUS /ˌsɪmpəˈθetɪkəli/
with respect to the sympathetic nervous system
From this reading In the first place, her family, who liked Eric, had not been disposed to listen sympathetically to her rather vague complaints.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading So she had been left to herself more than she had liked.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading In the first place, her family, who liked Eric, had not been disposed to listen sympathetically to her rather vague complaints.
Theosophynoun
a system of belief based on mystical insight into the nature of God and the soul
From this reading She had found her sister, an enthusiastic gardener, preoccupied and full of plans for altering the gardens of Mistley; her mother too engrossed with Theosophy to listen to earthly troubles, and her father too much upset over the budget.
a special situation
From this reading She had made up her mind to stay until Eric expressed a desire for her return, but as he did no such thing, and she felt she couldn't stand another hour of boredom, she returned to town.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Louise returned to London in a strange state of mind.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading She had found her sister, an enthusiastic gardener, preoccupied and full of plans for altering the gardens of Mistley; her mother too engrossed with Theosophy to listen to earthly troubles, and her father too much upset over the budget.
an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading She had made up her mind to stay until Eric expressed a desire for her return, but as he did no such thing, and she felt she couldn't stand another hour of boredom, she returned to town.
plural of “trouble” — a source of difficulty
From this reading She had found her sister, an enthusiastic gardener, preoccupied and full of plans for altering the gardens of Mistley; her mother too engrossed with Theosophy to listen to earthly troubles, and her father too much upset over the budget.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading She had made up her mind to stay until Eric expressed a desire for her return, but as he did no such thing, and she felt she couldn't stand another hour of boredom, she returned to town.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading She had made up her mind to stay until Eric expressed a desire for her return, but as he did no such thing, and she felt she couldn't stand another hour of boredom, she returned to town.
upsetverbUS /əpˈset/
disturb the balance or stability of
From this reading She had found her sister, an enthusiastic gardener, preoccupied and full of plans for altering the gardens of Mistley; her mother too engrossed with Theosophy to listen to earthly troubles, and her father too much upset over the budget.
not clearly expressed or understood
From this reading In the first place, her family, who liked Eric, had not been disposed to listen sympathetically to her rather vague complaints.
which person or people
From this reading In the first place, her family, who liked Eric, had not been disposed to listen sympathetically to her rather vague complaints.
in the company of; together with
From this reading She had found her sister, an enthusiastic gardener, preoccupied and full of plans for altering the gardens of Mistley; her mother too engrossed with Theosophy to listen to earthly troubles, and her father too much upset over the budget.
