adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The great desire in a child is to become a man.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading This first breeching is an event that papa desires and mamma dreads.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading This first breeching is an event that papa desires and mamma dreads.
asideadverbUS /əˈsaɪd/
on or to one side
From this reading She looks with tearful eyes at the petticoat laid aside for ever, and murmurs to herself, “Infancy is over then?
assumptionnounUS /əˈsʌmpʃən/
a statement that is assumed to be true and from which a conclusion can be drawn
From this reading But the first symptom of virility, the first serious step taken in life, is marked by the assumption of breeches.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading She looks with tearful eyes at the petticoat laid aside for ever, and murmurs to herself, “Infancy is over then?
becomeverbUS /bɪˈkʌm/
enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading The great desire in a child is to become a man.
beginningnounUS /bɪˈɡɪnɪŋ/
the event consisting of the start of something
From this reading It seems to the mother that it is the beginning of her being forsaken.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading It seems to the mother that it is the beginning of her being forsaken.
breechesnounUS /ˈbriːtʃɪz/
(used in the plural) trousers ending above the knee
From this reading But the first symptom of virility, the first serious step taken in life, is marked by the assumption of breeches.
breeching
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This first breeching is an event that papa desires and mamma dreads.
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But the first symptom of virility, the first serious step taken in life, is marked by the assumption of breeches.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading But the first symptom of virility, the first serious step taken in life, is marked by the assumption of breeches.
childnounUS /tʃaɪld/
a young person of either sex
From this reading The great desire in a child is to become a man.
desirenounUS /dɪˈzaɪər/
the feeling that accompanies an unsatisfied state
From this reading The great desire in a child is to become a man.
desiresnounUS /dɪˈzaɪərz/
plural of “desire” — the feeling that accompanies an unsatisfied state
From this reading This first breeching is an event that papa desires and mamma dreads.
dreadsnounUS /dredz/
plural of “dread” — fearful expectation or anticipation
From this reading This first breeching is an event that papa desires and mamma dreads.
eventnounUS /ɪˈvent/
something that happens at a given place and time
From this reading This first breeching is an event that papa desires and mamma dreads.
everadverbUS /ˈevər/
at any time
From this reading She looks with tearful eyes at the petticoat laid aside for ever, and murmurs to herself, “Infancy is over then?
eyesnounUS /aɪz/
opinion or judgment
From this reading She looks with tearful eyes at the petticoat laid aside for ever, and murmurs to herself, “Infancy is over then?
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading But the first symptom of virility, the first serious step taken in life, is marked by the assumption of breeches.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading She looks with tearful eyes at the petticoat laid aside for ever, and murmurs to herself, “Infancy is over then?
forsakenverbUS /fɔːrˈseɪkən/
inflected form of “forsake” — leave someone who needs or counts on you; leave in the lurch
From this reading It seems to the mother that it is the beginning of her being forsaken.
greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading The great desire in a child is to become a man.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading It seems to the mother that it is the beginning of her being forsaken.
herselfpronounUS /hərˈself/
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading She looks with tearful eyes at the petticoat laid aside for ever, and murmurs to herself, “Infancy is over then?
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The great desire in a child is to become a man.
InfancynounUS /ˈɪnfənsi/
the early stage of growth or development
From this reading She looks with tearful eyes at the petticoat laid aside for ever, and murmurs to herself, “Infancy is over then?
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The great desire in a child is to become a man.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It seems to the mother that it is the beginning of her being forsaken.
laidadjectiveUS /leɪd/
set down according to a plan
From this reading She looks with tearful eyes at the petticoat laid aside for ever, and murmurs to herself, “Infancy is over then?
lifenounUS /laɪf/
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading But the first symptom of virility, the first serious step taken in life, is marked by the assumption of breeches.
looksnounUS /lʊks/
plural of “look” — the feelings expressed on a person's face
From this reading She looks with tearful eyes at the petticoat laid aside for ever, and murmurs to herself, “Infancy is over then?
mammanounUS /ˈmɑːmə/
informal terms for a mother
From this reading This first breeching is an event that papa desires and mamma dreads.
mannounUS /mæn/
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading The great desire in a child is to become a man.
markedadjectiveUS /mɑːrkt/
strongly marked; easily noticeable
From this reading But the first symptom of virility, the first serious step taken in life, is marked by the assumption of breeches.
mothernounUS /ˈmʌðər/
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading It seems to the mother that it is the beginning of her being forsaken.
murmursnounUS /ˈmɜːrmərz/
plural of “murmur” — a low continuous indistinct sound; often accompanied by movement of the lips without the production of articulate speech
From this reading She looks with tearful eyes at the petticoat laid aside for ever, and murmurs to herself, “Infancy is over then?
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading But the first symptom of virility, the first serious step taken in life, is marked by the assumption of breeches.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading She looks with tearful eyes at the petticoat laid aside for ever, and murmurs to herself, “Infancy is over then?
papanounUS /ˈpɑːpʌ/
an informal term for a father; probably derived from baby talk
From this reading This first breeching is an event that papa desires and mamma dreads.
petticoatnounUS /ˈpetikoʊt/
undergarment worn under a skirt
From this reading She looks with tearful eyes at the petticoat laid aside for ever, and murmurs to herself, “Infancy is over then?
seemsverbUS /siːmz/
third-person singular of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading It seems to the mother that it is the beginning of her being forsaken.
seriousadjectiveUS /ˈsɪriəs/
concerned with work or important matters rather than play or trivialities
From this reading But the first symptom of virility, the first serious step taken in life, is marked by the assumption of breeches.
ShepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She looks with tearful eyes at the petticoat laid aside for ever, and murmurs to herself, “Infancy is over then?
stepnounUS /step/
any maneuver made as part of progress toward a goal
From this reading But the first symptom of virility, the first serious step taken in life, is marked by the assumption of breeches.
symptomnounUS /ˈsɪmptəm/
(medicine) any sensation or change in bodily function that is experienced by a patient and is associated with a particular disease
From this reading But the first symptom of virility, the first serious step taken in life, is marked by the assumption of breeches.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading But the first symptom of virility, the first serious step taken in life, is marked by the assumption of breeches.
tearfuladjectiveUS /ˈtɪrfəl/
filled with or marked by tears
From this reading She looks with tearful eyes at the petticoat laid aside for ever, and murmurs to herself, “Infancy is over then?
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading This first breeching is an event that papa desires and mamma dreads.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The great desire in a child is to become a man.
thenadverbUS /ðen/
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading She looks with tearful eyes at the petticoat laid aside for ever, and murmurs to herself, “Infancy is over then?
ThisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This first breeching is an event that papa desires and mamma dreads.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The great desire in a child is to become a man.
virilitynounUS /vərˈɪləti/
the masculine property of being capable of copulation and procreation
From this reading But the first symptom of virility, the first serious step taken in life, is marked by the assumption of breeches.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading She looks with tearful eyes at the petticoat laid aside for ever, and murmurs to herself, “Infancy is over then?
