Chapter VI

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading The Boyar Demidof, though not by profession a diplomat, had procured for himself an appointment as Attaché to the Embassy in Paris, in order to be near his daughter as well as his married sister.

a usually secretive or illicit sexual relationship

From this reading He called upon the Demidofs once or twice, but was obviously but little attracted by Vera, whom he treated as a child, and from whom he did not attempt to conceal the fact that he had on hand more than one _affaire de coeur_ and that he thought but little, if anything, of the contract entered into by their respective fathers when both of the principal parties were too young to understand the nature of the proceedings.

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading The Boyar Demidof, though not by profession a diplomat, had procured for himself an appointment as Attaché to the Embassy in Paris, in order to be near his daughter as well as his married sister.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading He called upon the Demidofs once or twice, but was obviously but little attracted by Vera, whom he treated as a child, and from whom he did not attempt to conceal the fact that he had on hand more than one _affaire de coeur_ and that he thought but little, if anything, of the contract entered into by their respective fathers when both of the principal parties were too young to understand the nature of the proceedings.

any thing at all

From this reading He called upon the Demidofs once or twice, but was obviously but little attracted by Vera, whom he treated as a child, and from whom he did not attempt to conceal the fact that he had on hand more than one _affaire de coeur_ and that he thought but little, if anything, of the contract entered into by their respective fathers when both of the principal parties were too young to understand the nature of the proceedings.

the act of putting a person into a non-elective position

From this reading The Boyar Demidof, though not by profession a diplomat, had procured for himself an appointment as Attaché to the Embassy in Paris, in order to be near his daughter as well as his married sister.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading The Boyar Demidof, though not by profession a diplomat, had procured for himself an appointment as Attaché to the Embassy in Paris, in order to be near his daughter as well as his married sister.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The Boyar Demidof, though not by profession a diplomat, had procured for himself an appointment as Attaché to the Embassy in Paris, in order to be near his daughter as well as his married sister.

earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something

From this reading He called upon the Demidofs once or twice, but was obviously but little attracted by Vera, whom he treated as a child, and from whom he did not attempt to conceal the fact that he had on hand more than one _affaire de coeur_ and that he thought but little, if anything, of the contract entered into by their respective fathers when both of the principal parties were too young to understand the nature of the proceedings.

past form of “attract” — direct toward itself or oneself by means of some psychological power or physical attributes

From this reading He called upon the Demidofs once or twice, but was obviously but little attracted by Vera, whom he treated as a child, and from whom he did not attempt to conceal the fact that he had on hand more than one _affaire de coeur_ and that he thought but little, if anything, of the contract entered into by their respective fathers when both of the principal parties were too young to understand the nature of the proceedings.

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading The Boyar Demidof, though not by profession a diplomat, had procured for himself an appointment as Attaché to the Embassy in Paris, in order to be near his daughter as well as his married sister.

the two together, not just one

From this reading He called upon the Demidofs once or twice, but was obviously but little attracted by Vera, whom he treated as a child, and from whom he did not attempt to conceal the fact that he had on hand more than one _affaire de coeur_ and that he thought but little, if anything, of the contract entered into by their respective fathers when both of the principal parties were too young to understand the nature of the proceedings.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The Boyar Demidof, though not by profession a diplomat, had procured for himself an appointment as Attaché to the Embassy in Paris, in order to be near his daughter as well as his married sister.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading He called upon the Demidofs once or twice, but was obviously but little attracted by Vera, whom he treated as a child, and from whom he did not attempt to conceal the fact that he had on hand more than one _affaire de coeur_ and that he thought but little, if anything, of the contract entered into by their respective fathers when both of the principal parties were too young to understand the nature of the proceedings.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading The Boyar Demidof, though not by profession a diplomat, had procured for himself an appointment as Attaché to the Embassy in Paris, in order to be near his daughter as well as his married sister.

past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading He called upon the Demidofs once or twice, but was obviously but little attracted by Vera, whom he treated as a child, and from whom he did not attempt to conceal the fact that he had on hand more than one _affaire de coeur_ and that he thought but little, if anything, of the contract entered into by their respective fathers when both of the principal parties were too young to understand the nature of the proceedings.

a young person of either sex

From this reading He called upon the Demidofs once or twice, but was obviously but little attracted by Vera, whom he treated as a child, and from whom he did not attempt to conceal the fact that he had on hand more than one _affaire de coeur_ and that he thought but little, if anything, of the contract entered into by their respective fathers when both of the principal parties were too young to understand the nature of the proceedings.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He called upon the Demidofs once or twice, but was obviously but little attracted by Vera, whom he treated as a child, and from whom he did not attempt to conceal the fact that he had on hand more than one _affaire de coeur_ and that he thought but little, if anything, of the contract entered into by their respective fathers when both of the principal parties were too young to understand the nature of the proceedings.

prevent from being seen or discovered

From this reading He called upon the Demidofs once or twice, but was obviously but little attracted by Vera, whom he treated as a child, and from whom he did not attempt to conceal the fact that he had on hand more than one _affaire de coeur_ and that he thought but little, if anything, of the contract entered into by their respective fathers when both of the principal parties were too young to understand the nature of the proceedings.

enter into a contractual arrangement

From this reading He called upon the Demidofs once or twice, but was obviously but little attracted by Vera, whom he treated as a child, and from whom he did not attempt to conceal the fact that he had on hand more than one _affaire de coeur_ and that he thought but little, if anything, of the contract entered into by their respective fathers when both of the principal parties were too young to understand the nature of the proceedings.

a female human offspring

From this reading The Boyar Demidof, though not by profession a diplomat, had procured for himself an appointment as Attaché to the Embassy in Paris, in order to be near his daughter as well as his married sister.

a Mid-Atlantic state; one of the original 13 colonies

From this reading He called upon the Demidofs once or twice, but was obviously but little attracted by Vera, whom he treated as a child, and from whom he did not attempt to conceal the fact that he had on hand more than one _affaire de coeur_ and that he thought but little, if anything, of the contract entered into by their respective fathers when both of the principal parties were too young to understand the nature of the proceedings.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The Boyar Demidof, though not by profession a diplomat, had procured for himself an appointment as Attaché to the Embassy in Paris, in order to be near his daughter as well as his married sister.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He called upon the Demidofs once or twice, but was obviously but little attracted by Vera, whom he treated as a child, and from whom he did not attempt to conceal the fact that he had on hand more than one _affaire de coeur_ and that he thought but little, if anything, of the contract entered into by their respective fathers when both of the principal parties were too young to understand the nature of the proceedings.

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading He called upon the Demidofs once or twice, but was obviously but little attracted by Vera, whom he treated as a child, and from whom he did not attempt to conceal the fact that he had on hand more than one _affaire de coeur_ and that he thought but little, if anything, of the contract entered into by their respective fathers when both of the principal parties were too young to understand the nature of the proceedings.

an official engaged in international negotiations

From this reading The Boyar Demidof, though not by profession a diplomat, had procured for himself an appointment as Attaché to the Embassy in Paris, in order to be near his daughter as well as his married sister.

all through a period, or at some point within it

From this reading During that period she saw little of Sasha Maximof.

a diplomatic building where ambassadors live or work

From this reading The Boyar Demidof, though not by profession a diplomat, had procured for himself an appointment as Attaché to the Embassy in Paris, in order to be near his daughter as well as his married sister.

past form of “enter” — to come or go into

From this reading He called upon the Demidofs once or twice, but was obviously but little attracted by Vera, whom he treated as a child, and from whom he did not attempt to conceal the fact that he had on hand more than one _affaire de coeur_ and that he thought but little, if anything, of the contract entered into by their respective fathers when both of the principal parties were too young to understand the nature of the proceedings.

a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred

From this reading He called upon the Demidofs once or twice, but was obviously but little attracted by Vera, whom he treated as a child, and from whom he did not attempt to conceal the fact that he had on hand more than one _affaire de coeur_ and that he thought but little, if anything, of the contract entered into by their respective fathers when both of the principal parties were too young to understand the nature of the proceedings.

plural of “father” — a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)

From this reading He called upon the Demidofs once or twice, but was obviously but little attracted by Vera, whom he treated as a child, and from whom he did not attempt to conceal the fact that he had on hand more than one _affaire de coeur_ and that he thought but little, if anything, of the contract entered into by their respective fathers when both of the principal parties were too young to understand the nature of the proceedings.

moving swiftly

From this reading Vera's presence in St. Petersburg was in the nature of a flying visit.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading The Boyar Demidof, though not by profession a diplomat, had procured for himself an appointment as Attaché to the Embassy in Paris, in order to be near his daughter as well as his married sister.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading He called upon the Demidofs once or twice, but was obviously but little attracted by Vera, whom he treated as a child, and from whom he did not attempt to conceal the fact that he had on hand more than one _affaire de coeur_ and that he thought but little, if anything, of the contract entered into by their respective fathers when both of the principal parties were too young to understand the nature of the proceedings.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading The Boyar Demidof, though not by profession a diplomat, had procured for himself an appointment as Attaché to the Embassy in Paris, in order to be near his daughter as well as his married sister.

the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb

From this reading He called upon the Demidofs once or twice, but was obviously but little attracted by Vera, whom he treated as a child, and from whom he did not attempt to conceal the fact that he had on hand more than one _affaire de coeur_ and that he thought but little, if anything, of the contract entered into by their respective fathers when both of the principal parties were too young to understand the nature of the proceedings.

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading He called upon the Demidofs once or twice, but was obviously but little attracted by Vera, whom he treated as a child, and from whom he did not attempt to conceal the fact that he had on hand more than one _affaire de coeur_ and that he thought but little, if anything, of the contract entered into by their respective fathers when both of the principal parties were too young to understand the nature of the proceedings.

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading She would return with her mother to Paris in a month or two.

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading The Boyar Demidof, though not by profession a diplomat, had procured for himself an appointment as Attaché to the Embassy in Paris, in order to be near his daughter as well as his married sister.

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading The Boyar Demidof, though not by profession a diplomat, had procured for himself an appointment as Attaché to the Embassy in Paris, in order to be near his daughter as well as his married sister.

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading He called upon the Demidofs once or twice, but was obviously but little attracted by Vera, whom he treated as a child, and from whom he did not attempt to conceal the fact that he had on hand more than one _affaire de coeur_ and that he thought but little, if anything, of the contract entered into by their respective fathers when both of the principal parties were too young to understand the nature of the proceedings.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading The Boyar Demidof, though not by profession a diplomat, had procured for himself an appointment as Attaché to the Embassy in Paris, in order to be near his daughter as well as his married sister.

moving to the inside of something

From this reading He called upon the Demidofs once or twice, but was obviously but little attracted by Vera, whom he treated as a child, and from whom he did not attempt to conceal the fact that he had on hand more than one _affaire de coeur_ and that he thought but little, if anything, of the contract entered into by their respective fathers when both of the principal parties were too young to understand the nature of the proceedings.

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading During that period she saw little of Sasha Maximof.

joined in matrimony

From this reading The Boyar Demidof, though not by profession a diplomat, had procured for himself an appointment as Attaché to the Embassy in Paris, in order to be near his daughter as well as his married sister.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading During that period she saw little of Sasha Maximof.

one of the twelve divisions of the calendar year

From this reading She would return with her mother to Paris in a month or two.

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading He called upon the Demidofs once or twice, but was obviously but little attracted by Vera, whom he treated as a child, and from whom he did not attempt to conceal the fact that he had on hand more than one _affaire de coeur_ and that he thought but little, if anything, of the contract entered into by their respective fathers when both of the principal parties were too young to understand the nature of the proceedings.

a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)

From this reading She would return with her mother to Paris in a month or two.

the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized

From this reading Vera's presence in St. Petersburg was in the nature of a flying visit.

near in time or place or relationship

From this reading The Boyar Demidof, though not by profession a diplomat, had procured for himself an appointment as Attaché to the Embassy in Paris, in order to be near his daughter as well as his married sister.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading The Boyar Demidof, though not by profession a diplomat, had procured for himself an appointment as Attaché to the Embassy in Paris, in order to be near his daughter as well as his married sister.

unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)

From this reading He called upon the Demidofs once or twice, but was obviously but little attracted by Vera, whom he treated as a child, and from whom he did not attempt to conceal the fact that he had on hand more than one _affaire de coeur_ and that he thought but little, if anything, of the contract entered into by their respective fathers when both of the principal parties were too young to understand the nature of the proceedings.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Vera's presence in St. Petersburg was in the nature of a flying visit.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading He called upon the Demidofs once or twice, but was obviously but little attracted by Vera, whom he treated as a child, and from whom he did not attempt to conceal the fact that he had on hand more than one _affaire de coeur_ and that he thought but little, if anything, of the contract entered into by their respective fathers when both of the principal parties were too young to understand the nature of the proceedings.

on one occasion

From this reading He called upon the Demidofs once or twice, but was obviously but little attracted by Vera, whom he treated as a child, and from whom he did not attempt to conceal the fact that he had on hand more than one _affaire de coeur_ and that he thought but little, if anything, of the contract entered into by their respective fathers when both of the principal parties were too young to understand the nature of the proceedings.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading He called upon the Demidofs once or twice, but was obviously but little attracted by Vera, whom he treated as a child, and from whom he did not attempt to conceal the fact that he had on hand more than one _affaire de coeur_ and that he thought but little, if anything, of the contract entered into by their respective fathers when both of the principal parties were too young to understand the nature of the proceedings.

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading She would return with her mother to Paris in a month or two.

(often plural) a command given by a superior (e.g., a military or law enforcement officer) that must be obeyed

From this reading The Boyar Demidof, though not by profession a diplomat, had procured for himself an appointment as Attaché to the Embassy in Paris, in order to be near his daughter as well as his married sister.

the capital and largest city of France; and international center of culture and commerce

From this reading The Boyar Demidof, though not by profession a diplomat, had procured for himself an appointment as Attaché to the Embassy in Paris, in order to be near his daughter as well as his married sister.

plural of “party” — an organization to gain political power

From this reading He called upon the Demidofs once or twice, but was obviously but little attracted by Vera, whom he treated as a child, and from whom he did not attempt to conceal the fact that he had on hand more than one _affaire de coeur_ and that he thought but little, if anything, of the contract entered into by their respective fathers when both of the principal parties were too young to understand the nature of the proceedings.

an amount of time

From this reading During that period she saw little of Sasha Maximof.

a town in southeastern Virginia (south of Richmond); scene of heavy fighting during the American Civil War

From this reading Vera's presence in St. Petersburg was in the nature of a flying visit.

the state of being present; current existence

From this reading Vera's presence in St. Petersburg was in the nature of a flying visit.

the original amount of a debt on which interest is calculated

From this reading He called upon the Demidofs once or twice, but was obviously but little attracted by Vera, whom he treated as a child, and from whom he did not attempt to conceal the fact that he had on hand more than one _affaire de coeur_ and that he thought but little, if anything, of the contract entered into by their respective fathers when both of the principal parties were too young to understand the nature of the proceedings.

(law) the institution of a sequence of steps by which legal judgments are invoked

From this reading He called upon the Demidofs once or twice, but was obviously but little attracted by Vera, whom he treated as a child, and from whom he did not attempt to conceal the fact that he had on hand more than one _affaire de coeur_ and that he thought but little, if anything, of the contract entered into by their respective fathers when both of the principal parties were too young to understand the nature of the proceedings.

past form of “procure” — get by special effort

From this reading The Boyar Demidof, though not by profession a diplomat, had procured for himself an appointment as Attaché to the Embassy in Paris, in order to be near his daughter as well as his married sister.

the body of people in a learned occupation

From this reading The Boyar Demidof, though not by profession a diplomat, had procured for himself an appointment as Attaché to the Embassy in Paris, in order to be near his daughter as well as his married sister.

considered individually

From this reading He called upon the Demidofs once or twice, but was obviously but little attracted by Vera, whom he treated as a child, and from whom he did not attempt to conceal the fact that he had on hand more than one _affaire de coeur_ and that he thought but little, if anything, of the contract entered into by their respective fathers when both of the principal parties were too young to understand the nature of the proceedings.

go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before

From this reading She would return with her mother to Paris in a month or two.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading During that period she saw little of Sasha Maximof.

cut with a saw

From this reading During that period she saw little of Sasha Maximof.

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading She would return with her mother to Paris in a month or two.

a female person who has the same parents as another person

From this reading The Boyar Demidof, though not by profession a diplomat, had procured for himself an appointment as Attaché to the Embassy in Paris, in order to be near his daughter as well as his married sister.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Vera's presence in St. Petersburg was in the nature of a flying visit.

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading He called upon the Demidofs once or twice, but was obviously but little attracted by Vera, whom he treated as a child, and from whom he did not attempt to conceal the fact that he had on hand more than one _affaire de coeur_ and that he thought but little, if anything, of the contract entered into by their respective fathers when both of the principal parties were too young to understand the nature of the proceedings.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading During that period she saw little of Sasha Maximof.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading The Boyar Demidof, though not by profession a diplomat, had procured for himself an appointment as Attaché to the Embassy in Paris, in order to be near his daughter as well as his married sister.

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading He called upon the Demidofs once or twice, but was obviously but little attracted by Vera, whom he treated as a child, and from whom he did not attempt to conceal the fact that he had on hand more than one _affaire de coeur_ and that he thought but little, if anything, of the contract entered into by their respective fathers when both of the principal parties were too young to understand the nature of the proceedings.

in spite of the fact that

From this reading The Boyar Demidof, though not by profession a diplomat, had procured for himself an appointment as Attaché to the Embassy in Paris, in order to be near his daughter as well as his married sister.

the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading He called upon the Demidofs once or twice, but was obviously but little attracted by Vera, whom he treated as a child, and from whom he did not attempt to conceal the fact that he had on hand more than one _affaire de coeur_ and that he thought but little, if anything, of the contract entered into by their respective fathers when both of the principal parties were too young to understand the nature of the proceedings.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading The Boyar Demidof, though not by profession a diplomat, had procured for himself an appointment as Attaché to the Embassy in Paris, in order to be near his daughter as well as his married sister.

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading He called upon the Demidofs once or twice, but was obviously but little attracted by Vera, whom he treated as a child, and from whom he did not attempt to conceal the fact that he had on hand more than one _affaire de coeur_ and that he thought but little, if anything, of the contract entered into by their respective fathers when both of the principal parties were too young to understand the nature of the proceedings.

subjected to a physical (or chemical) treatment or action or agent

From this reading He called upon the Demidofs once or twice, but was obviously but little attracted by Vera, whom he treated as a child, and from whom he did not attempt to conceal the fact that he had on hand more than one _affaire de coeur_ and that he thought but little, if anything, of the contract entered into by their respective fathers when both of the principal parties were too young to understand the nature of the proceedings.

two times

From this reading He called upon the Demidofs once or twice, but was obviously but little attracted by Vera, whom he treated as a child, and from whom he did not attempt to conceal the fact that he had on hand more than one _affaire de coeur_ and that he thought but little, if anything, of the contract entered into by their respective fathers when both of the principal parties were too young to understand the nature of the proceedings.

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading She would return with her mother to Paris in a month or two.

know and comprehend the nature or meaning of

From this reading He called upon the Demidofs once or twice, but was obviously but little attracted by Vera, whom he treated as a child, and from whom he did not attempt to conceal the fact that he had on hand more than one _affaire de coeur_ and that he thought but little, if anything, of the contract entered into by their respective fathers when both of the principal parties were too young to understand the nature of the proceedings.

a formal word for “on”

From this reading He called upon the Demidofs once or twice, but was obviously but little attracted by Vera, whom he treated as a child, and from whom he did not attempt to conceal the fact that he had on hand more than one _affaire de coeur_ and that he thought but little, if anything, of the contract entered into by their respective fathers when both of the principal parties were too young to understand the nature of the proceedings.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He called upon the Demidofs once or twice, but was obviously but little attracted by Vera, whom he treated as a child, and from whom he did not attempt to conceal the fact that he had on hand more than one _affaire de coeur_ and that he thought but little, if anything, of the contract entered into by their respective fathers when both of the principal parties were too young to understand the nature of the proceedings.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Vera's presence in St. Petersburg was in the nature of a flying visit.

go to see a place, as for entertainment

From this reading Vera's presence in St. Petersburg was in the nature of a flying visit.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading Vera's presence in St. Petersburg was in the nature of a flying visit.

(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 The Boyar Demidof, though not by profession a diplomat, had procured for himself an appointment as Attaché to the Embassy in Paris, in order to be near his daughter as well as his married sister.

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading He called upon the Demidofs once or twice, but was obviously but little attracted by Vera, whom he treated as a child, and from whom he did not attempt to conceal the fact that he had on hand more than one _affaire de coeur_ and that he thought but little, if anything, of the contract entered into by their respective fathers when both of the principal parties were too young to understand the nature of the proceedings.

at the time that

From this reading He called upon the Demidofs once or twice, but was obviously but little attracted by Vera, whom he treated as a child, and from whom he did not attempt to conceal the fact that he had on hand more than one _affaire de coeur_ and that he thought but little, if anything, of the contract entered into by their respective fathers when both of the principal parties were too young to understand the nature of the proceedings.

the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading He called upon the Demidofs once or twice, but was obviously but little attracted by Vera, whom he treated as a child, and from whom he did not attempt to conceal the fact that he had on hand more than one _affaire de coeur_ and that he thought but little, if anything, of the contract entered into by their respective fathers when both of the principal parties were too young to understand the nature of the proceedings.

in the company of; together with

From this reading She would return with her mother to Paris in a month or two.

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading She would return with her mother to Paris in a month or two.

(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

From this reading He called upon the Demidofs once or twice, but was obviously but little attracted by Vera, whom he treated as a child, and from whom he did not attempt to conceal the fact that he had on hand more than one _affaire de coeur_ and that he thought but little, if anything, of the contract entered into by their respective fathers when both of the principal parties were too young to understand the nature of the proceedings.