used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading At Thornwick, Tom had been descried in the yard, by the spying organs of one of the servants--a woman not very young, and not altogether innocent of nightly interviews.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading Through the small window of her closet she had seen, and having seen she watched--not without hope she might be herself the object of the male presence, which she recognized as that of Tom Helmer, whom almost everybody knew.
to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)
From this reading At Thornwick, Tom had been descried in the yard, by the spying organs of one of the servants--a woman not very young, and not altogether innocent of nightly interviews.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading At Thornwick, Tom had been descried in the yard, by the spying organs of one of the servants--a woman not very young, and not altogether innocent of nightly interviews.
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading In a few minutes, however, Letty appeared behind him, and therewith a throb of evil joy shot through her bosom: what a chance! what a good joke! what a thing for her to find out Miss Letty; to surprise her naughty secret! to have her in her power!
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Through the small window of her closet she had seen, and having seen she watched--not without hope she might be herself the object of the male presence, which she recognized as that of Tom Helmer, whom almost everybody knew.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At Thornwick, Tom had been descried in the yard, by the spying organs of one of the servants--a woman not very young, and not altogether innocent of nightly interviews.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Through the small window of her closet she had seen, and having seen she watched--not without hope she might be herself the object of the male presence, which she recognized as that of Tom Helmer, whom almost everybody knew.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading At Thornwick, Tom had been descried in the yard, by the spying organs of one of the servants--a woman not very young, and not altogether innocent of nightly interviews.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading In a few minutes, however, Letty appeared behind him, and therewith a throb of evil joy shot through her bosom: what a chance! what a good joke! what a thing for her to find out Miss Letty; to surprise her naughty secret! to have her in her power!
the chest considered as the place where secret thoughts are kept
From this reading In a few minutes, however, Letty appeared behind him, and therewith a throb of evil joy shot through her bosom: what a chance! what a good joke! what a thing for her to find out Miss Letty; to surprise her naughty secret! to have her in her power!
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading She would have no choice but tell her everything--and then what privileges would be hers! and what larks they two would have together, helping each other!
showing who or what does the action
From this reading At Thornwick, Tom had been descried in the yard, by the spying organs of one of the servants--a woman not very young, and not altogether innocent of nightly interviews.
a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances
From this reading In a few minutes, however, Letty appeared behind him, and therewith a throb of evil joy shot through her bosom: what a chance! what a good joke! what a thing for her to find out Miss Letty; to surprise her naughty secret! to have her in her power!
the person or thing chosen or selected
From this reading She would have no choice but tell her everything--and then what privileges would be hers! and what larks they two would have together, helping each other!
closetnounUS /ˈklɑːzət/
a small room (or recess) or cabinet used for storage space
From this reading Through the small window of her closet she had seen, and having seen she watched--not without hope she might be herself the object of the male presence, which she recognized as that of Tom Helmer, whom almost everybody knew.
descried
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At Thornwick, Tom had been descried in the yard, by the spying organs of one of the servants--a woman not very young, and not altogether innocent of nightly interviews.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading She would have no choice but tell her everything--and then what privileges would be hers! and what larks they two would have together, helping each other!
every person
From this reading Through the small window of her closet she had seen, and having seen she watched--not without hope she might be herself the object of the male presence, which she recognized as that of Tom Helmer, whom almost everybody knew.
all things; all of a situation
From this reading She would have no choice but tell her everything--and then what privileges would be hers! and what larks they two would have together, helping each other!
morally objectionable behavior
From this reading In a few minutes, however, Letty appeared behind him, and therewith a throb of evil joy shot through her bosom: what a chance! what a good joke! what a thing for her to find out Miss Letty; to surprise her naughty secret! to have her in her power!
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading In a few minutes, however, Letty appeared behind him, and therewith a throb of evil joy shot through her bosom: what a chance! what a good joke! what a thing for her to find out Miss Letty; to surprise her naughty secret! to have her in her power!
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading In a few minutes, however, Letty appeared behind him, and therewith a throb of evil joy shot through her bosom: what a chance! what a good joke! what a thing for her to find out Miss Letty; to surprise her naughty secret! to have her in her power!
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading In a few minutes, however, Letty appeared behind him, and therewith a throb of evil joy shot through her bosom: what a chance! what a good joke! what a thing for her to find out Miss Letty; to surprise her naughty secret! to have her in her power!
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading In a few minutes, however, Letty appeared behind him, and therewith a throb of evil joy shot through her bosom: what a chance! what a good joke! what a thing for her to find out Miss Letty; to surprise her naughty secret! to have her in her power!
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading At Thornwick, Tom had been descried in the yard, by the spying organs of one of the servants--a woman not very young, and not altogether innocent of nightly interviews.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading In a few minutes, however, Letty appeared behind him, and therewith a throb of evil joy shot through her bosom: what a chance! what a good joke! what a thing for her to find out Miss Letty; to surprise her naughty secret! to have her in her power!
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading Through the small window of her closet she had seen, and having seen she watched--not without hope she might be herself the object of the male presence, which she recognized as that of Tom Helmer, whom almost everybody knew.
Helmer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Through the small window of her closet she had seen, and having seen she watched--not without hope she might be herself the object of the male presence, which she recognized as that of Tom Helmer, whom almost everybody knew.
helpingnounUS /ˈhelpɪŋ/
an individual quantity of food or drink taken as part of a meal
From this reading She would have no choice but tell her everything--and then what privileges would be hers! and what larks they two would have together, helping each other!
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Through the small window of her closet she had seen, and having seen she watched--not without hope she might be herself the object of the male presence, which she recognized as that of Tom Helmer, whom almost everybody knew.
the one or ones belonging to her
From this reading She would have no choice but tell her everything--and then what privileges would be hers! and what larks they two would have together, helping each other!
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading Through the small window of her closet she had seen, and having seen she watched--not without hope she might be herself the object of the male presence, which she recognized as that of Tom Helmer, whom almost everybody knew.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading In a few minutes, however, Letty appeared behind him, and therewith a throb of evil joy shot through her bosom: what a chance! what a good joke! what a thing for her to find out Miss Letty; to surprise her naughty secret! to have her in her power!
a specific instance of feeling hopeful
From this reading Through the small window of her closet she had seen, and having seen she watched--not without hope she might be herself the object of the male presence, which she recognized as that of Tom Helmer, whom almost everybody knew.
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading In a few minutes, however, Letty appeared behind him, and therewith a throb of evil joy shot through her bosom: what a chance! what a good joke! what a thing for her to find out Miss Letty; to surprise her naughty secret! to have her in her power!
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading At Thornwick, Tom had been descried in the yard, by the spying organs of one of the servants--a woman not very young, and not altogether innocent of nightly interviews.
free from evil or guilt
From this reading At Thornwick, Tom had been descried in the yard, by the spying organs of one of the servants--a woman not very young, and not altogether innocent of nightly interviews.
interviewsnounUS /ˈɪntərvjuːz/
plural of “interview” — the questioning of a person (or a conversation in which information is elicited); often conducted by journalists
From this reading At Thornwick, Tom had been descried in the yard, by the spying organs of one of the servants--a woman not very young, and not altogether innocent of nightly interviews.
a humorous anecdote or remark intended to provoke laughter
From this reading In a few minutes, however, Letty appeared behind him, and therewith a throb of evil joy shot through her bosom: what a chance! what a good joke! what a thing for her to find out Miss Letty; to surprise her naughty secret! to have her in her power!
the emotion of great happiness
From this reading In a few minutes, however, Letty appeared behind him, and therewith a throb of evil joy shot through her bosom: what a chance! what a good joke! what a thing for her to find out Miss Letty; to surprise her naughty secret! to have her in her power!
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading Through the small window of her closet she had seen, and having seen she watched--not without hope she might be herself the object of the male presence, which she recognized as that of Tom Helmer, whom almost everybody knew.
larksnounUS /lɑːrks/
plural of “lark” — North American songbirds having a yellow breast
From this reading She would have no choice but tell her everything--and then what privileges would be hers! and what larks they two would have together, helping each other!
Letty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In a few minutes, however, Letty appeared behind him, and therewith a throb of evil joy shot through her bosom: what a chance! what a good joke! what a thing for her to find out Miss Letty; to surprise her naughty secret! to have her in her power!
malenounUS /meɪl/
an animal that produces gametes (spermatozoa) that can fertilize female gametes
From this reading Through the small window of her closet she had seen, and having seen she watched--not without hope she might be herself the object of the male presence, which she recognized as that of Tom Helmer, whom almost everybody knew.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading Through the small window of her closet she had seen, and having seen she watched--not without hope she might be herself the object of the male presence, which she recognized as that of Tom Helmer, whom almost everybody knew.
a written account of what transpired at a meeting
From this reading In a few minutes, however, Letty appeared behind him, and therewith a throb of evil joy shot through her bosom: what a chance! what a good joke! what a thing for her to find out Miss Letty; to surprise her naughty secret! to have her in her power!
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading In a few minutes, however, Letty appeared behind him, and therewith a throb of evil joy shot through her bosom: what a chance! what a good joke! what a thing for her to find out Miss Letty; to surprise her naughty secret! to have her in her power!
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading THE MORNING.
naughtyadjectiveUS /ˈnɔːti/
suggestive of sexual impropriety
From this reading In a few minutes, however, Letty appeared behind him, and therewith a throb of evil joy shot through her bosom: what a chance! what a good joke! what a thing for her to find out Miss Letty; to surprise her naughty secret! to have her in her power!
nightlyadjectiveUS /ˈnaɪtli/
happening every night
From this reading At Thornwick, Tom had been descried in the yard, by the spying organs of one of the servants--a woman not very young, and not altogether innocent of nightly interviews.
not any; not one
From this reading She would have no choice but tell her everything--and then what privileges would be hers! and what larks they two would have together, helping each other!
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading At Thornwick, Tom had been descried in the yard, by the spying organs of one of the servants--a woman not very young, and not altogether innocent of nightly interviews.
a tangible and visible entity; an entity that can cast a shadow
From this reading Through the small window of her closet she had seen, and having seen she watched--not without hope she might be herself the object of the male presence, which she recognized as that of Tom Helmer, whom almost everybody knew.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading At Thornwick, Tom had been descried in the yard, by the spying organs of one of the servants--a woman not very young, and not altogether innocent of nightly interviews.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading At Thornwick, Tom had been descried in the yard, by the spying organs of one of the servants--a woman not very young, and not altogether innocent of nightly interviews.
organsnounUS /ˈɔːrɡənz/
edible viscera of a butchered animal
From this reading At Thornwick, Tom had been descried in the yard, by the spying organs of one of the servants--a woman not very young, and not altogether innocent of nightly interviews.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading She would have no choice but tell her everything--and then what privileges would be hers! and what larks they two would have together, helping each other!
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading In a few minutes, however, Letty appeared behind him, and therewith a throb of evil joy shot through her bosom: what a chance! what a good joke! what a thing for her to find out Miss Letty; to surprise her naughty secret! to have her in her power!
possession of controlling influence
From this reading In a few minutes, however, Letty appeared behind him, and therewith a throb of evil joy shot through her bosom: what a chance! what a good joke! what a thing for her to find out Miss Letty; to surprise her naughty secret! to have her in her power!
the state of being present; current existence
From this reading Through the small window of her closet she had seen, and having seen she watched--not without hope she might be herself the object of the male presence, which she recognized as that of Tom Helmer, whom almost everybody knew.
privilegesnounUS /ˈprɪvlədʒəz/
plural of “privilege” — a special advantage or immunity or benefit not enjoyed by all
From this reading She would have no choice but tell her everything--and then what privileges would be hers! and what larks they two would have together, helping each other!
generally approved or compelling recognition
From this reading Through the small window of her closet she had seen, and having seen she watched--not without hope she might be herself the object of the male presence, which she recognized as that of Tom Helmer, whom almost everybody knew.
Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.
From this reading In a few minutes, however, Letty appeared behind him, and therewith a throb of evil joy shot through her bosom: what a chance! what a good joke! what a thing for her to find out Miss Letty; to surprise her naughty secret! to have her in her power!
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading Through the small window of her closet she had seen, and having seen she watched--not without hope she might be herself the object of the male presence, which she recognized as that of Tom Helmer, whom almost everybody knew.
plural of “servant” — a person working in the service of another (especially in the household)
From this reading At Thornwick, Tom had been descried in the yard, by the spying organs of one of the servants--a woman not very young, and not altogether innocent of nightly interviews.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Through the small window of her closet she had seen, and having seen she watched--not without hope she might be herself the object of the male presence, which she recognized as that of Tom Helmer, whom almost everybody knew.
the act of firing a projectile
From this reading In a few minutes, however, Letty appeared behind him, and therewith a throb of evil joy shot through her bosom: what a chance! what a good joke! what a thing for her to find out Miss Letty; to surprise her naughty secret! to have her in her power!
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Through the small window of her closet she had seen, and having seen she watched--not without hope she might be herself the object of the male presence, which she recognized as that of Tom Helmer, whom almost everybody knew.
spyingnounUS /ˈspaɪɪŋ/
keeping a secret or furtive watch
From this reading At Thornwick, Tom had been descried in the yard, by the spying organs of one of the servants--a woman not very young, and not altogether innocent of nightly interviews.
the astonishment you feel when something totally unexpected happens to you
From this reading In a few minutes, however, Letty appeared behind him, and therewith a throb of evil joy shot through her bosom: what a chance! what a good joke! what a thing for her to find out Miss Letty; to surprise her naughty secret! to have her in her power!
express in words
From this reading She would have no choice but tell her everything--and then what privileges would be hers! and what larks they two would have together, helping each other!
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Through the small window of her closet she had seen, and having seen she watched--not without hope she might be herself the object of the male presence, which she recognized as that of Tom Helmer, whom almost everybody knew.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE MORNING.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading She would have no choice but tell her everything--and then what privileges would be hers! and what larks they two would have together, helping each other!
therewithadverb
with that or this or it
From this reading In a few minutes, however, Letty appeared behind him, and therewith a throb of evil joy shot through her bosom: what a chance! what a good joke! what a thing for her to find out Miss Letty; to surprise her naughty secret! to have her in her power!
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She would have no choice but tell her everything--and then what privileges would be hers! and what larks they two would have together, helping each other!
a special situation
From this reading In a few minutes, however, Letty appeared behind him, and therewith a throb of evil joy shot through her bosom: what a chance! what a good joke! what a thing for her to find out Miss Letty; to surprise her naughty secret! to have her in her power!
Thornwick
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At Thornwick, Tom had been descried in the yard, by the spying organs of one of the servants--a woman not very young, and not altogether innocent of nightly interviews.
throbverbUS /θrɑːb/
pulsate or pound with abnormal force
From this reading In a few minutes, however, Letty appeared behind him, and therewith a throb of evil joy shot through her bosom: what a chance! what a good joke! what a thing for her to find out Miss Letty; to surprise her naughty secret! to have her in her power!
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading Through the small window of her closet she had seen, and having seen she watched--not without hope she might be herself the object of the male presence, which she recognized as that of Tom Helmer, whom almost everybody knew.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading In a few minutes, however, Letty appeared behind him, and therewith a throb of evil joy shot through her bosom: what a chance! what a good joke! what a thing for her to find out Miss Letty; to surprise her naughty secret! to have her in her power!
in contact with each other or in proximity
From this reading She would have no choice but tell her everything--and then what privileges would be hers! and what larks they two would have together, helping each other!
male cat
From this reading At Thornwick, Tom had been descried in the yard, by the spying organs of one of the servants--a woman not very young, and not altogether innocent of nightly interviews.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading She would have no choice but tell her everything--and then what privileges would be hers! and what larks they two would have together, helping each other!
precisely as stated
From this reading At Thornwick, Tom had been descried in the yard, by the spying organs of one of the servants--a woman not very young, and not altogether innocent of nightly interviews.
past form of “watch” — look attentively
From this reading Through the small window of her closet she had seen, and having seen she watched--not without hope she might be herself the object of the male presence, which she recognized as that of Tom Helmer, whom almost everybody knew.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading In a few minutes, however, Letty appeared behind him, and therewith a throb of evil joy shot through her bosom: what a chance! what a good joke! what a thing for her to find out Miss Letty; to surprise her naughty secret! to have her in her power!
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Through the small window of her closet she had seen, and having seen she watched--not without hope she might be herself the object of the male presence, which she recognized as that of Tom Helmer, whom almost everybody knew.
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Through the small window of her closet she had seen, and having seen she watched--not without hope she might be herself the object of the male presence, which she recognized as that of Tom Helmer, whom almost everybody knew.
a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air
From this reading Through the small window of her closet she had seen, and having seen she watched--not without hope she might be herself the object of the male presence, which she recognized as that of Tom Helmer, whom almost everybody knew.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading Through the small window of her closet she had seen, and having seen she watched--not without hope she might be herself the object of the male presence, which she recognized as that of Tom Helmer, whom almost everybody knew.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading At Thornwick, Tom had been descried in the yard, by the spying organs of one of the servants--a woman not very young, and not altogether innocent of nightly interviews.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading She would have no choice but tell her everything--and then what privileges would be hers! and what larks they two would have together, helping each other!
a unit of length equal to 3 feet; defined as 91.44 centimeters; originally taken to be the average length of a stride
From this reading At Thornwick, Tom had been descried in the yard, by the spying organs of one of the servants--a woman not very young, and not altogether innocent of nightly interviews.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading At Thornwick, Tom had been descried in the yard, by the spying organs of one of the servants--a woman not very young, and not altogether innocent of nightly interviews.
