used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading To others she appeared busy, gay, and full of interest in all about her; to him, the industry was a preventive of forbidden thoughts; the gayety a daily endeavor to forget; the interest, an anxiety concerning the looks and words of her companions, because she must guard her own.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading To others she appeared busy, gay, and full of interest in all about her; to him, the industry was a preventive of forbidden thoughts; the gayety a daily endeavor to forget; the interest, an anxiety concerning the looks and words of her companions, because she must guard her own.
something done (usually as opposed to something said)
From this reading But he possessed the key to her variable moods; he alone knew that now painful forethought, not caprice dictated many of her seeming whims, and ruled her simplest action.
(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 To others she appeared busy, gay, and full of interest in all about her; to him, the industry was a preventive of forbidden thoughts; the gayety a daily endeavor to forget; the interest, an anxiety concerning the looks and words of her companions, because she must guard her own.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading But he possessed the key to her variable moods; he alone knew that now painful forethought, not caprice dictated many of her seeming whims, and ruled her simplest action.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading To others she appeared busy, gay, and full of interest in all about her; to him, the industry was a preventive of forbidden thoughts; the gayety a daily endeavor to forget; the interest, an anxiety concerning the looks and words of her companions, because she must guard her own.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She well knew why, and vainly endeavored to conceal from him that which she had succeeded in concealing entirely from others.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading If Sylvia needed another trial to make that hard week harder, it soon came to her in the knowledge that Warwick watched her.
(psychiatry) a relatively permanent state of worry and nervousness occurring in a variety of mental disorders, usually accompanied by compulsive behavior or attacks of panic
From this reading To others she appeared busy, gay, and full of interest in all about her; to him, the industry was a preventive of forbidden thoughts; the gayety a daily endeavor to forget; the interest, an anxiety concerning the looks and words of her companions, because she must guard her own.
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading To others she appeared busy, gay, and full of interest in all about her; to him, the industry was a preventive of forbidden thoughts; the gayety a daily endeavor to forget; the interest, an anxiety concerning the looks and words of her companions, because she must guard her own.
for the reason that
From this reading To others she appeared busy, gay, and full of interest in all about her; to him, the industry was a preventive of forbidden thoughts; the gayety a daily endeavor to forget; the interest, an anxiety concerning the looks and words of her companions, because she must guard her own.
actively or fully engaged or occupied
From this reading To others she appeared busy, gay, and full of interest in all about her; to him, the industry was a preventive of forbidden thoughts; the gayety a daily endeavor to forget; the interest, an anxiety concerning the looks and words of her companions, because she must guard her own.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But he possessed the key to her variable moods; he alone knew that now painful forethought, not caprice dictated many of her seeming whims, and ruled her simplest action.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading If Sylvia needed another trial to make that hard week harder, it soon came to her in the knowledge that Warwick watched her.
capricenounUS /kəˈpriːs/
a sudden desire
From this reading But he possessed the key to her variable moods; he alone knew that now painful forethought, not caprice dictated many of her seeming whims, and ruled her simplest action.
plural of “companion” — a friend who is frequently in the company of another
From this reading To others she appeared busy, gay, and full of interest in all about her; to him, the industry was a preventive of forbidden thoughts; the gayety a daily endeavor to forget; the interest, an anxiety concerning the looks and words of her companions, because she must guard her own.
prevent from being seen or discovered
From this reading She well knew why, and vainly endeavored to conceal from him that which she had succeeded in concealing entirely from others.
concealingnounUS /kənˈsiːlɪŋ/
the activity of keeping something secret
From this reading She well knew why, and vainly endeavored to conceal from him that which she had succeeded in concealing entirely from others.
-ing form of “concern” — be relevant to
From this reading To others she appeared busy, gay, and full of interest in all about her; to him, the industry was a preventive of forbidden thoughts; the gayety a daily endeavor to forget; the interest, an anxiety concerning the looks and words of her companions, because she must guard her own.
every day; without missing a day
From this reading To others she appeared busy, gay, and full of interest in all about her; to him, the industry was a preventive of forbidden thoughts; the gayety a daily endeavor to forget; the interest, an anxiety concerning the looks and words of her companions, because she must guard her own.
dictatedadjectiveUS /dɪkˈteɪtɪd/
determined or decided upon as by an authority
From this reading But he possessed the key to her variable moods; he alone knew that now painful forethought, not caprice dictated many of her seeming whims, and ruled her simplest action.
endeavornounUS /ɪnˈdevər/
a purposeful or industrious undertaking (especially one that requires effort or boldness)
From this reading To others she appeared busy, gay, and full of interest in all about her; to him, the industry was a preventive of forbidden thoughts; the gayety a daily endeavor to forget; the interest, an anxiety concerning the looks and words of her companions, because she must guard her own.
endeavoredverbUS /ɪnˈdevərd/
past form of “endeavor” — attempt by employing effort
From this reading She well knew why, and vainly endeavored to conceal from him that which she had succeeded in concealing entirely from others.
to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)
From this reading She well knew why, and vainly endeavored to conceal from him that which she had succeeded in concealing entirely from others.
forbiddenadjectiveUS /fərˈbɪd.ən/
Not allowed; banned or prohibited by rule or law.
From this reading To others she appeared busy, gay, and full of interest in all about her; to him, the industry was a preventive of forbidden thoughts; the gayety a daily endeavor to forget; the interest, an anxiety concerning the looks and words of her companions, because she must guard her own.
forethoughtnounUS /ˈfɔːrθɔːt/
planning or plotting in advance of acting
From this reading But he possessed the key to her variable moods; he alone knew that now painful forethought, not caprice dictated many of her seeming whims, and ruled her simplest action.
dismiss from the mind; stop remembering
From this reading To others she appeared busy, gay, and full of interest in all about her; to him, the industry was a preventive of forbidden thoughts; the gayety a daily endeavor to forget; the interest, an anxiety concerning the looks and words of her companions, because she must guard her own.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading She well knew why, and vainly endeavored to conceal from him that which she had succeeded in concealing entirely from others.
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading To others she appeared busy, gay, and full of interest in all about her; to him, the industry was a preventive of forbidden thoughts; the gayety a daily endeavor to forget; the interest, an anxiety concerning the looks and words of her companions, because she must guard her own.
bright and pleasant; promoting a feeling of cheer
From this reading To others she appeared busy, gay, and full of interest in all about her; to him, the industry was a preventive of forbidden thoughts; the gayety a daily endeavor to forget; the interest, an anxiety concerning the looks and words of her companions, because she must guard her own.
gayety
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To others she appeared busy, gay, and full of interest in all about her; to him, the industry was a preventive of forbidden thoughts; the gayety a daily endeavor to forget; the interest, an anxiety concerning the looks and words of her companions, because she must guard her own.
a person who keeps watch over something or someone
From this reading To others she appeared busy, gay, and full of interest in all about her; to him, the industry was a preventive of forbidden thoughts; the gayety a daily endeavor to forget; the interest, an anxiety concerning the looks and words of her companions, because she must guard her own.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading She well knew why, and vainly endeavored to conceal from him that which she had succeeded in concealing entirely from others.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading If Sylvia needed another trial to make that hard week harder, it soon came to her in the knowledge that Warwick watched her.
harderadverbUS /ˈhɑːrdər/
comparative of “hard” — with effort or force or vigor
From this reading If Sylvia needed another trial to make that hard week harder, it soon came to her in the knowledge that Warwick watched her.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading But he possessed the key to her variable moods; he alone knew that now painful forethought, not caprice dictated many of her seeming whims, and ruled her simplest action.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading If Sylvia needed another trial to make that hard week harder, it soon came to her in the knowledge that Warwick watched her.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading She well knew why, and vainly endeavored to conceal from him that which she had succeeded in concealing entirely from others.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If Sylvia needed another trial to make that hard week harder, it soon came to her in the knowledge that Warwick watched her.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading IN THE TWILIGHT.
industrynounUS /ˈɪndəstri/
the people or companies engaged in a particular kind of commercial enterprise
From this reading To others she appeared busy, gay, and full of interest in all about her; to him, the industry was a preventive of forbidden thoughts; the gayety a daily endeavor to forget; the interest, an anxiety concerning the looks and words of her companions, because she must guard her own.
a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something
From this reading To others she appeared busy, gay, and full of interest in all about her; to him, the industry was a preventive of forbidden thoughts; the gayety a daily endeavor to forget; the interest, an anxiety concerning the looks and words of her companions, because she must guard her own.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading If Sylvia needed another trial to make that hard week harder, it soon came to her in the knowledge that Warwick watched her.
metal device shaped in such a way that when it is inserted into the appropriate lock the lock's mechanism can be rotated
From this reading But he possessed the key to her variable moods; he alone knew that now painful forethought, not caprice dictated many of her seeming whims, and ruled her simplest action.
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 She well knew why, and vainly endeavored to conceal from him that which she had succeeded in concealing entirely from others.
the psychological result of perception and learning and reasoning
From this reading If Sylvia needed another trial to make that hard week harder, it soon came to her in the knowledge that Warwick watched her.
plural of “look” — the feelings expressed on a person's face
From this reading To others she appeared busy, gay, and full of interest in all about her; to him, the industry was a preventive of forbidden thoughts; the gayety a daily endeavor to forget; the interest, an anxiety concerning the looks and words of her companions, because she must guard her own.
engage in
From this reading If Sylvia needed another trial to make that hard week harder, it soon came to her in the knowledge that Warwick watched her.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading But he possessed the key to her variable moods; he alone knew that now painful forethought, not caprice dictated many of her seeming whims, and ruled her simplest action.
moodsnounUS /muːdz/
plural of “mood” — a characteristic (habitual or relatively temporary) state of feeling
From this reading But he possessed the key to her variable moods; he alone knew that now painful forethought, not caprice dictated many of her seeming whims, and ruled her simplest action.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading To others she appeared busy, gay, and full of interest in all about her; to him, the industry was a preventive of forbidden thoughts; the gayety a daily endeavor to forget; the interest, an anxiety concerning the looks and words of her companions, because she must guard her own.
necessary for relief or supply
From this reading If Sylvia needed another trial to make that hard week harder, it soon came to her in the knowledge that Warwick watched her.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading But he possessed the key to her variable moods; he alone knew that now painful forethought, not caprice dictated many of her seeming whims, and ruled her simplest action.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading But he possessed the key to her variable moods; he alone knew that now painful forethought, not caprice dictated many of her seeming whims, and ruled her simplest action.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading But he possessed the key to her variable moods; he alone knew that now painful forethought, not caprice dictated many of her seeming whims, and ruled her simplest action.
others
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She well knew why, and vainly endeavored to conceal from him that which she had succeeded in concealing entirely from others.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading To others she appeared busy, gay, and full of interest in all about her; to him, the industry was a preventive of forbidden thoughts; the gayety a daily endeavor to forget; the interest, an anxiety concerning the looks and words of her companions, because she must guard her own.
causing physical or psychological pain
From this reading But he possessed the key to her variable moods; he alone knew that now painful forethought, not caprice dictated many of her seeming whims, and ruled her simplest action.
influenced or controlled by a powerful force such as a strong emotion
From this reading But he possessed the key to her variable moods; he alone knew that now painful forethought, not caprice dictated many of her seeming whims, and ruled her simplest action.
preventiveadjectiveUS /prɪˈventɪv/
preventing or contributing to the prevention of disease
From this reading To others she appeared busy, gay, and full of interest in all about her; to him, the industry was a preventive of forbidden thoughts; the gayety a daily endeavor to forget; the interest, an anxiety concerning the looks and words of her companions, because she must guard her own.
ruledadjectiveUS /ruːld/
subject to a ruling authority
From this reading But he possessed the key to her variable moods; he alone knew that now painful forethought, not caprice dictated many of her seeming whims, and ruled her simplest action.
seemingadjectiveUS /ˈsiːmɪŋ/
appearing as such but not necessarily so
From this reading But he possessed the key to her variable moods; he alone knew that now painful forethought, not caprice dictated many of her seeming whims, and ruled her simplest action.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She well knew why, and vainly endeavored to conceal from him that which she had succeeded in concealing entirely from others.
simplestadjectiveUS /ˈsɪmpləst/
superlative of “simple” — having few parts; not complex or complicated or involved
From this reading But he possessed the key to her variable moods; he alone knew that now painful forethought, not caprice dictated many of her seeming whims, and ruled her simplest action.
in the near future
From this reading If Sylvia needed another trial to make that hard week harder, it soon came to her in the knowledge that Warwick watched her.
past form of “succeed” — attain success or reach a desired goal
From this reading She well knew why, and vainly endeavored to conceal from him that which she had succeeded in concealing entirely from others.
Sylvia
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If Sylvia needed another trial to make that hard week harder, it soon came to her in the knowledge that Warwick watched her.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading If Sylvia needed another trial to make that hard week harder, it soon came to her in the knowledge that Warwick watched her.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading IN THE TWILIGHT.
plural of “thought” — the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading To others she appeared busy, gay, and full of interest in all about her; to him, the industry was a preventive of forbidden thoughts; the gayety a daily endeavor to forget; the interest, an anxiety concerning the looks and words of her companions, because she must guard her own.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading If Sylvia needed another trial to make that hard week harder, it soon came to her in the knowledge that Warwick watched her.
the act of testing something
From this reading If Sylvia needed another trial to make that hard week harder, it soon came to her in the knowledge that Warwick watched her.
the time of day immediately following sunset
From this reading IN THE TWILIGHT.
vainlyadverbUS /ˈveɪnli/
to no avail
From this reading She well knew why, and vainly endeavored to conceal from him that which she had succeeded in concealing entirely from others.
variableadjectiveUS /ˈveriəbəl/
liable to or capable of change
From this reading But he possessed the key to her variable moods; he alone knew that now painful forethought, not caprice dictated many of her seeming whims, and ruled her simplest action.
WarwicknounUS /ˈwɔːrwɪk/
English statesman; during the War of the Roses he fought first for the house of York and secured the throne for Edward IV and then changed sides to fight for the house of Lancaster and secured the throne for Henry VI (1428-1471)
From this reading If Sylvia needed another trial to make that hard week harder, it soon came to her in the knowledge that Warwick watched her.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading To others she appeared busy, gay, and full of interest in all about her; to him, the industry was a preventive of forbidden thoughts; the gayety a daily endeavor to forget; the interest, an anxiety concerning the looks and words of her companions, because she must guard her own.
past form of “watch” — look attentively
From this reading If Sylvia needed another trial to make that hard week harder, it soon came to her in the knowledge that Warwick watched her.
any period of seven consecutive days
From this reading If Sylvia needed another trial to make that hard week harder, it soon came to her in the knowledge that Warwick watched her.
(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 She well knew why, and vainly endeavored to conceal from him that which she had succeeded in concealing entirely from others.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading She well knew why, and vainly endeavored to conceal from him that which she had succeeded in concealing entirely from others.
whimsnounUS /wɪmz/
plural of “whim” — a sudden desire
From this reading But he possessed the key to her variable moods; he alone knew that now painful forethought, not caprice dictated many of her seeming whims, and ruled her simplest action.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading She well knew why, and vainly endeavored to conceal from him that which she had succeeded in concealing entirely from others.
the words that are spoken
From this reading To others she appeared busy, gay, and full of interest in all about her; to him, the industry was a preventive of forbidden thoughts; the gayety a daily endeavor to forget; the interest, an anxiety concerning the looks and words of her companions, because she must guard her own.
