used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading For more than an hour after his brother’s departure Mr. George Eldon was very busy in his office, buying and selling; then came a lull for a short space, giving him time to think again of Ethel’s letter and what might be done to secure a kindly welcome for the little orphans at his own house and that of his brother.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading For more than an hour after his brother’s departure Mr. George Eldon was very busy in his office, buying and selling; then came a lull for a short space, giving him time to think again of Ethel’s letter and what might be done to secure a kindly welcome for the little orphans at his own house and that of his brother.
anew
From this reading For more than an hour after his brother’s departure Mr. George Eldon was very busy in his office, buying and selling; then came a lull for a short space, giving him time to think again of Ethel’s letter and what might be done to secure a kindly welcome for the little orphans at his own house and that of his brother.
AlbertnounUS /ˈælbərt/
prince consort of Queen Victoria of England (1819-1861)
From this reading “Albert will be back with them before night, and our wives ought to have warning that they are coming.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading For more than an hour after his brother’s departure Mr. George Eldon was very busy in his office, buying and selling; then came a lull for a short space, giving him time to think again of Ethel’s letter and what might be done to secure a kindly welcome for the little orphans at his own house and that of his brother.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading For more than an hour after his brother’s departure Mr. George Eldon was very busy in his office, buying and selling; then came a lull for a short space, giving him time to think again of Ethel’s letter and what might be done to secure a kindly welcome for the little orphans at his own house and that of his brother.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading “Albert will be back with them before night, and our wives ought to have warning that they are coming.
accomplishment of an objective
From this reading I promised my brother too, that I would endeavor to prepare them for the unexpected arrival,” he mused.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading “Well, I think I can spare the time now as easily as later.”
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading For more than an hour after his brother’s departure Mr. George Eldon was very busy in his office, buying and selling; then came a lull for a short space, giving him time to think again of Ethel’s letter and what might be done to secure a kindly welcome for the little orphans at his own house and that of his brother.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading “Albert will be back with them before night, and our wives ought to have warning that they are coming.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading For more than an hour after his brother’s departure Mr. George Eldon was very busy in his office, buying and selling; then came a lull for a short space, giving him time to think again of Ethel’s letter and what might be done to secure a kindly welcome for the little orphans at his own house and that of his brother.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading “Albert will be back with them before night, and our wives ought to have warning that they are coming.
a male with the same parents as someone else
From this reading For more than an hour after his brother’s departure Mr. George Eldon was very busy in his office, buying and selling; then came a lull for a short space, giving him time to think again of Ethel’s letter and what might be done to secure a kindly welcome for the little orphans at his own house and that of his brother.
brother'snounUS /ˈbrʌðərz/
possessive form of “brother” — a male with the same parents as someone else
From this reading For more than an hour after his brother’s departure Mr. George Eldon was very busy in his office, buying and selling; then came a lull for a short space, giving him time to think again of Ethel’s letter and what might be done to secure a kindly welcome for the little orphans at his own house and that of his brother.
actively or fully engaged or occupied
From this reading For more than an hour after his brother’s departure Mr. George Eldon was very busy in his office, buying and selling; then came a lull for a short space, giving him time to think again of Ethel’s letter and what might be done to secure a kindly welcome for the little orphans at his own house and that of his brother.
buyingnounUS /ˈbaɪɪŋ/
the act of buying
From this reading For more than an hour after his brother’s departure Mr. George Eldon was very busy in his office, buying and selling; then came a lull for a short space, giving him time to think again of Ethel’s letter and what might be done to secure a kindly welcome for the little orphans at his own house and that of his brother.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading It would be hardly fair to take them entirely by surprise.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading For more than an hour after his brother’s departure Mr. George Eldon was very busy in his office, buying and selling; then came a lull for a short space, giving him time to think again of Ethel’s letter and what might be done to secure a kindly welcome for the little orphans at his own house and that of his brother.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading “Well, I think I can spare the time now as easily as later.”
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading “Albert will be back with them before night, and our wives ought to have warning that they are coming.
the act of departing
From this reading For more than an hour after his brother’s departure Mr. George Eldon was very busy in his office, buying and selling; then came a lull for a short space, giving him time to think again of Ethel’s letter and what might be done to secure a kindly welcome for the little orphans at his own house and that of his brother.
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading For more than an hour after his brother’s departure Mr. George Eldon was very busy in his office, buying and selling; then came a lull for a short space, giving him time to think again of Ethel’s letter and what might be done to secure a kindly welcome for the little orphans at his own house and that of his brother.
with ease (“easy” is sometimes used informally for “easily”)
From this reading “Well, I think I can spare the time now as easily as later.”
Eldon
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For more than an hour after his brother’s departure Mr. George Eldon was very busy in his office, buying and selling; then came a lull for a short space, giving him time to think again of Ethel’s letter and what might be done to secure a kindly welcome for the little orphans at his own house and that of his brother.
endeavornounUS /ɪnˈdevər/
a purposeful or industrious undertaking (especially one that requires effort or boldness)
From this reading I promised my brother too, that I would endeavor to prepare them for the unexpected arrival,” he mused.
to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)
From this reading It would be hardly fair to take them entirely by surprise.
Ethel's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For more than an hour after his brother’s departure Mr. George Eldon was very busy in his office, buying and selling; then came a lull for a short space, giving him time to think again of Ethel’s letter and what might be done to secure a kindly welcome for the little orphans at his own house and that of his brother.
free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; conforming with established standards or rules
From this reading It would be hardly fair to take them entirely by surprise.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For more than an hour after his brother’s departure Mr. George Eldon was very busy in his office, buying and selling; then came a lull for a short space, giving him time to think again of Ethel’s letter and what might be done to secure a kindly welcome for the little orphans at his own house and that of his brother.
Christian martyr; patron saint of England; hero of the legend of Saint George and the Dragon in which he slew a dragon and saved a princess (?-303)
From this reading For more than an hour after his brother’s departure Mr. George Eldon was very busy in his office, buying and selling; then came a lull for a short space, giving him time to think again of Ethel’s letter and what might be done to secure a kindly welcome for the little orphans at his own house and that of his brother.
the act of giving
From this reading For more than an hour after his brother’s departure Mr. George Eldon was very busy in his office, buying and selling; then came a lull for a short space, giving him time to think again of Ethel’s letter and what might be done to secure a kindly welcome for the little orphans at his own house and that of his brother.
only a very short time before
From this reading It would be hardly fair to take them entirely by surprise.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “Albert will be back with them before night, and our wives ought to have warning that they are coming.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading I promised my brother too, that I would endeavor to prepare them for the unexpected arrival,” he mused.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading For more than an hour after his brother’s departure Mr. George Eldon was very busy in his office, buying and selling; then came a lull for a short space, giving him time to think again of Ethel’s letter and what might be done to secure a kindly welcome for the little orphans at his own house and that of his brother.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading For more than an hour after his brother’s departure Mr. George Eldon was very busy in his office, buying and selling; then came a lull for a short space, giving him time to think again of Ethel’s letter and what might be done to secure a kindly welcome for the little orphans at his own house and that of his brother.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading For more than an hour after his brother’s departure Mr. George Eldon was very busy in his office, buying and selling; then came a lull for a short space, giving him time to think again of Ethel’s letter and what might be done to secure a kindly welcome for the little orphans at his own house and that of his brother.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading For more than an hour after his brother’s departure Mr. George Eldon was very busy in his office, buying and selling; then came a lull for a short space, giving him time to think again of Ethel’s letter and what might be done to secure a kindly welcome for the little orphans at his own house and that of his brother.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I promised my brother too, that I would endeavor to prepare them for the unexpected arrival,” he mused.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading For more than an hour after his brother’s departure Mr. George Eldon was very busy in his office, buying and selling; then came a lull for a short space, giving him time to think again of Ethel’s letter and what might be done to secure a kindly welcome for the little orphans at his own house and that of his brother.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It would be hardly fair to take them entirely by surprise.
showing or motivated by sympathy and understanding and generosity
From this reading For more than an hour after his brother’s departure Mr. George Eldon was very busy in his office, buying and selling; then came a lull for a short space, giving him time to think again of Ethel’s letter and what might be done to secure a kindly welcome for the little orphans at his own house and that of his brother.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading “Well, I think I can spare the time now as easily as later.”
a written message addressed to a person or organization
From this reading For more than an hour after his brother’s departure Mr. George Eldon was very busy in his office, buying and selling; then came a lull for a short space, giving him time to think again of Ethel’s letter and what might be done to secure a kindly welcome for the little orphans at his own house and that of his brother.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading For more than an hour after his brother’s departure Mr. George Eldon was very busy in his office, buying and selling; then came a lull for a short space, giving him time to think again of Ethel’s letter and what might be done to secure a kindly welcome for the little orphans at his own house and that of his brother.
lullverbUS /lʌl/
calm by deception
From this reading For more than an hour after his brother’s departure Mr. George Eldon was very busy in his office, buying and selling; then came a lull for a short space, giving him time to think again of Ethel’s letter and what might be done to secure a kindly welcome for the little orphans at his own house and that of his brother.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading For more than an hour after his brother’s departure Mr. George Eldon was very busy in his office, buying and selling; then came a lull for a short space, giving him time to think again of Ethel’s letter and what might be done to secure a kindly welcome for the little orphans at his own house and that of his brother.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading For more than an hour after his brother’s departure Mr. George Eldon was very busy in his office, buying and selling; then came a lull for a short space, giving him time to think again of Ethel’s letter and what might be done to secure a kindly welcome for the little orphans at his own house and that of his brother.
a form of address for a man
From this reading For more than an hour after his brother’s departure Mr. George Eldon was very busy in his office, buying and selling; then came a lull for a short space, giving him time to think again of Ethel’s letter and what might be done to secure a kindly welcome for the little orphans at his own house and that of his brother.
musedverbUS /mjuːzd/
past form of “muse” — reflect deeply on a subject
From this reading I promised my brother too, that I would endeavor to prepare them for the unexpected arrival,” he mused.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading I promised my brother too, that I would endeavor to prepare them for the unexpected arrival,” he mused.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading “Albert will be back with them before night, and our wives ought to have warning that they are coming.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading “Well, I think I can spare the time now as easily as later.”
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading For more than an hour after his brother’s departure Mr. George Eldon was very busy in his office, buying and selling; then came a lull for a short space, giving him time to think again of Ethel’s letter and what might be done to secure a kindly welcome for the little orphans at his own house and that of his brother.
place of business where professional or clerical duties are performed
From this reading For more than an hour after his brother’s departure Mr. George Eldon was very busy in his office, buying and selling; then came a lull for a short space, giving him time to think again of Ethel’s letter and what might be done to secure a kindly welcome for the little orphans at his own house and that of his brother.
orphansnounUS /ˈɔːrfənz/
plural of “orphan” — a child who has lost both parents
From this reading For more than an hour after his brother’s departure Mr. George Eldon was very busy in his office, buying and selling; then came a lull for a short space, giving him time to think again of Ethel’s letter and what might be done to secure a kindly welcome for the little orphans at his own house and that of his brother.
used with “to” to say what is right or advisable
From this reading “Albert will be back with them before night, and our wives ought to have warning that they are coming.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading “Albert will be back with them before night, and our wives ought to have warning that they are coming.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading For more than an hour after his brother’s departure Mr. George Eldon was very busy in his office, buying and selling; then came a lull for a short space, giving him time to think again of Ethel’s letter and what might be done to secure a kindly welcome for the little orphans at his own house and that of his brother.
prepareverbUS /priˈper/
make ready or suitable or equip in advance for a particular purpose or for some use, event, etc
From this reading I promised my brother too, that I would endeavor to prepare them for the unexpected arrival,” he mused.
past form of “promise” — make a promise or commitment
From this reading I promised my brother too, that I would endeavor to prepare them for the unexpected arrival,” he mused.
get by special effort
From this reading For more than an hour after his brother’s departure Mr. George Eldon was very busy in his office, buying and selling; then came a lull for a short space, giving him time to think again of Ethel’s letter and what might be done to secure a kindly welcome for the little orphans at his own house and that of his brother.
sellingnounUS /ˈselɪŋ/
the exchange of goods for an agreed sum of money
From this reading For more than an hour after his brother’s departure Mr. George Eldon was very busy in his office, buying and selling; then came a lull for a short space, giving him time to think again of Ethel’s letter and what might be done to secure a kindly welcome for the little orphans at his own house and that of his brother.
primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration
From this reading For more than an hour after his brother’s departure Mr. George Eldon was very busy in his office, buying and selling; then came a lull for a short space, giving him time to think again of Ethel’s letter and what might be done to secure a kindly welcome for the little orphans at his own house and that of his brother.
the unlimited expanse in which everything is located
From this reading For more than an hour after his brother’s departure Mr. George Eldon was very busy in his office, buying and selling; then came a lull for a short space, giving him time to think again of Ethel’s letter and what might be done to secure a kindly welcome for the little orphans at his own house and that of his brother.
refrain from harming
From this reading “Well, I think I can spare the time now as easily as later.”
the astonishment you feel when something totally unexpected happens to you
From this reading It would be hardly fair to take them entirely by surprise.
carry out
From this reading It would be hardly fair to take them entirely by surprise.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading For more than an hour after his brother’s departure Mr. George Eldon was very busy in his office, buying and selling; then came a lull for a short space, giving him time to think again of Ethel’s letter and what might be done to secure a kindly welcome for the little orphans at his own house and that of his brother.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading For more than an hour after his brother’s departure Mr. George Eldon was very busy in his office, buying and selling; then came a lull for a short space, giving him time to think again of Ethel’s letter and what might be done to secure a kindly welcome for the little orphans at his own house and that of his brother.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading For more than an hour after his brother’s departure Mr. George Eldon was very busy in his office, buying and selling; then came a lull for a short space, giving him time to think again of Ethel’s letter and what might be done to secure a kindly welcome for the little orphans at his own house and that of his brother.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading “Albert will be back with them before night, and our wives ought to have warning that they are coming.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading For more than an hour after his brother’s departure Mr. George Eldon was very busy in his office, buying and selling; then came a lull for a short space, giving him time to think again of Ethel’s letter and what might be done to secure a kindly welcome for the little orphans at his own house and that of his brother.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “Albert will be back with them before night, and our wives ought to have warning that they are coming.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading For more than an hour after his brother’s departure Mr. George Eldon was very busy in his office, buying and selling; then came a lull for a short space, giving him time to think again of Ethel’s letter and what might be done to secure a kindly welcome for the little orphans at his own house and that of his brother.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading For more than an hour after his brother’s departure Mr. George Eldon was very busy in his office, buying and selling; then came a lull for a short space, giving him time to think again of Ethel’s letter and what might be done to secure a kindly welcome for the little orphans at his own house and that of his brother.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading For more than an hour after his brother’s departure Mr. George Eldon was very busy in his office, buying and selling; then came a lull for a short space, giving him time to think again of Ethel’s letter and what might be done to secure a kindly welcome for the little orphans at his own house and that of his brother.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading I promised my brother too, that I would endeavor to prepare them for the unexpected arrival,” he mused.
not expected or anticipated
From this reading I promised my brother too, that I would endeavor to prepare them for the unexpected arrival,” he mused.
precisely as stated
From this reading For more than an hour after his brother’s departure Mr. George Eldon was very busy in his office, buying and selling; then came a lull for a short space, giving him time to think again of Ethel’s letter and what might be done to secure a kindly welcome for the little orphans at his own house and that of his brother.
a message informing of danger
From this reading “Albert will be back with them before night, and our wives ought to have warning that they are coming.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading For more than an hour after his brother’s departure Mr. George Eldon was very busy in his office, buying and selling; then came a lull for a short space, giving him time to think again of Ethel’s letter and what might be done to secure a kindly welcome for the little orphans at his own house and that of his brother.
accept gladly
From this reading For more than an hour after his brother’s departure Mr. George Eldon was very busy in his office, buying and selling; then came a lull for a short space, giving him time to think again of Ethel’s letter and what might be done to secure a kindly welcome for the little orphans at his own house and that of his brother.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading “Well, I think I can spare the time now as easily as later.”
used to ask for information about something
From this reading For more than an hour after his brother’s departure Mr. George Eldon was very busy in his office, buying and selling; then came a lull for a short space, giving him time to think again of Ethel’s letter and what might be done to secure a kindly welcome for the little orphans at his own house and that of his brother.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading “Albert will be back with them before night, and our wives ought to have warning that they are coming.
in the company of; together with
From this reading “Albert will be back with them before night, and our wives ought to have warning that they are coming.
wivesnounUS /waɪvz/
plural of “wife” — a married woman; a man's partner in marriage
From this reading “Albert will be back with them before night, and our wives ought to have warning that they are coming.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading It would be hardly fair to take them entirely by surprise.
