Chapter IV · Chapter 4

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

From this reading BELONGING TO BEULAH The Person without a Fault had been quietly working at her embroidery, raising her head now and then to look at some extraordinary Carey, when he or she made some unusually silly or fantastic remark.

(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 But I should get a maid-of-all-work at once, so that we shouldn't all be drudges as we are now; then I should not spend a single cent on the house, but just live here in hiding, as it were, till better times come and till we are old enough to go into society.

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

From this reading "I'm not so old as Gilbert and Nancy, and I'm only a niece," she said modestly, "so I ought not to have an opinion.

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

From this reading BELONGING TO BEULAH The Person without a Fault had been quietly working at her embroidery, raising her head now and then to look at some extraordinary Carey, when he or she made some unusually silly or fantastic remark.

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

From this reading But I should get a maid-of-all-work at once, so that we shouldn't all be drudges as we are now; then I should not spend a single cent on the house, but just live here in hiding, as it were, till better times come and till we are old enough to go into society.

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

From this reading "I'm not so old as Gilbert and Nancy, and I'm only a niece," she said modestly, "so I ought not to have an opinion.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading BELONGING TO BEULAH The Person without a Fault had been quietly working at her embroidery, raising her head now and then to look at some extraordinary Carey, when he or she made some unusually silly or fantastic remark.

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

From this reading But I should get a maid-of-all-work at once, so that we shouldn't all be drudges as we are now; then I should not spend a single cent on the house, but just live here in hiding, as it were, till better times come and till we are old enough to go into society.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading BELONGING TO BEULAH The Person without a Fault had been quietly working at her embroidery, raising her head now and then to look at some extraordinary Carey, when he or she made some unusually silly or fantastic remark.

earlier than; in front of

From this reading Father would certainly be well long before then, and Kathleen and I could debut together!"

happiness felt in a secure relationship

From this reading BELONGING TO BEULAH The Person without a Fault had been quietly working at her embroidery, raising her head now and then to look at some extraordinary Carey, when he or she made some unusually silly or fantastic remark.

(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another

From this reading But I should get a maid-of-all-work at once, so that we shouldn't all be drudges as we are now; then I should not spend a single cent on the house, but just live here in hiding, as it were, till better times come and till we are old enough to go into society.

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

From this reading BELONGING TO BEULAH The Person without a Fault had been quietly working at her embroidery, raising her head now and then to look at some extraordinary Carey, when he or she made some unusually silly or fantastic remark.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But I should get a maid-of-all-work at once, so that we shouldn't all be drudges as we are now; then I should not spend a single cent on the house, but just live here in hiding, as it were, till better times come and till we are old enough to go into society.

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

From this reading BELONGING TO BEULAH The Person without a Fault had been quietly working at her embroidery, raising her head now and then to look at some extraordinary Carey, when he or she made some unusually silly or fantastic remark.

a fractional monetary unit of several countries

From this reading But I should get a maid-of-all-work at once, so that we shouldn't all be drudges as we are now; then I should not spend a single cent on the house, but just live here in hiding, as it were, till better times come and till we are old enough to go into society.

definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)

From this reading Father would certainly be well long before then, and Kathleen and I could debut together!"

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading But I should get a maid-of-all-work at once, so that we shouldn't all be drudges as we are now; then I should not spend a single cent on the house, but just live here in hiding, as it were, till better times come and till we are old enough to go into society.

the act of drawing spatially closer to something

From this reading You could scrimp and save for Nancy's coming out, and then for Kathleen's.

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading You could scrimp and save for Nancy's coming out, and then for Kathleen's.

present for the first time to the public

From this reading Father would certainly be well long before then, and Kathleen and I could debut together!"

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

From this reading But I should get a maid-of-all-work at once, so that we shouldn't all be drudges as we are now; then I should not spend a single cent on the house, but just live here in hiding, as it were, till better times come and till we are old enough to go into society.

elaboration of an interpretation by the use of decorative (sometimes fictitious) detail

From this reading BELONGING TO BEULAH The Person without a Fault had been quietly working at her embroidery, raising her head now and then to look at some extraordinary Carey, when he or she made some unusually silly or fantastic remark.

an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose

From this reading But I should get a maid-of-all-work at once, so that we shouldn't all be drudges as we are now; then I should not spend a single cent on the house, but just live here in hiding, as it were, till better times come and till we are old enough to go into society.

beyond what is ordinary or usual; highly unusual or exceptional or remarkable

From this reading BELONGING TO BEULAH The Person without a Fault had been quietly working at her embroidery, raising her head now and then to look at some extraordinary Carey, when he or she made some unusually silly or fantastic remark.

ludicrously odd

From this reading BELONGING TO BEULAH The Person without a Fault had been quietly working at her embroidery, raising her head now and then to look at some extraordinary Carey, when he or she made some unusually silly or fantastic remark.

a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)

From this reading Father would certainly be well long before then, and Kathleen and I could debut together!"

a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention

From this reading BELONGING TO BEULAH The Person without a Fault had been quietly working at her embroidery, raising her head now and then to look at some extraordinary Carey, when he or she made some unusually silly or fantastic remark.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading You could scrimp and save for Nancy's coming out, and then for Kathleen's.

come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading But I should get a maid-of-all-work at once, so that we shouldn't all be drudges as we are now; then I should not spend a single cent on the house, but just live here in hiding, as it were, till better times come and till we are old enough to go into society.

a unit of magnetomotive force equal to 0.7958 ampere-turns

From this reading "I'm not so old as Gilbert and Nancy, and I'm only a niece," she said modestly, "so I ought not to have an opinion.

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading But I should get a maid-of-all-work at once, so that we shouldn't all be drudges as we are now; then I should not spend a single cent on the house, but just live here in hiding, as it were, till better times come and till we are old enough to go into society.

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

From this reading BELONGING TO BEULAH The Person without a Fault had been quietly working at her embroidery, raising her head now and then to look at some extraordinary Carey, when he or she made some unusually silly or fantastic remark.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading "I'm not so old as Gilbert and Nancy, and I'm only a niece," she said modestly, "so I ought not to have an opinion.

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

From this reading BELONGING TO BEULAH The Person without a Fault had been quietly working at her embroidery, raising her head now and then to look at some extraordinary Carey, when he or she made some unusually silly or fantastic remark.

the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading BELONGING TO BEULAH The Person without a Fault had been quietly working at her embroidery, raising her head now and then to look at some extraordinary Carey, when he or she made some unusually silly or fantastic remark.

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

From this reading BELONGING TO BEULAH The Person without a Fault had been quietly working at her embroidery, raising her head now and then to look at some extraordinary Carey, when he or she made some unusually silly or fantastic remark.

in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is

From this reading But I should get a maid-of-all-work at once, so that we shouldn't all be drudges as we are now; then I should not spend a single cent on the house, but just live here in hiding, as it were, till better times come and till we are old enough to go into society.

the activity of keeping something secret

From this reading But I should get a maid-of-all-work at once, so that we shouldn't all be drudges as we are now; then I should not spend a single cent on the house, but just live here in hiding, as it were, till better times come and till we are old enough to go into society.

a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading But I should get a maid-of-all-work at once, so that we shouldn't all be drudges as we are now; then I should not spend a single cent on the house, but just live here in hiding, as it were, till better times come and till we are old enough to go into society.

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading "I'm not so old as Gilbert and Nancy, and I'm only a niece," she said modestly, "so I ought not to have an opinion.

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

From this reading "I'm not so old as Gilbert and Nancy, and I'm only a niece," she said modestly, "so I ought not to have an opinion.

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

From this reading But I should get a maid-of-all-work at once, so that we shouldn't all be drudges as we are now; then I should not spend a single cent on the house, but just live here in hiding, as it were, till better times come and till we are old enough to go into society.

moving to the inside of something

From this reading But I should get a maid-of-all-work at once, so that we shouldn't all be drudges as we are now; then I should not spend a single cent on the house, but just live here in hiding, as it were, till better times come and till we are old enough to go into society.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading But I should get a maid-of-all-work at once, so that we shouldn't all be drudges as we are now; then I should not spend a single cent on the house, but just live here in hiding, as it were, till better times come and till we are old enough to go into society.

and nothing more

From this reading But I should get a maid-of-all-work at once, so that we shouldn't all be drudges as we are now; then I should not spend a single cent on the house, but just live here in hiding, as it were, till better times come and till we are old enough to go into society.

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

From this reading Father would certainly be well long before then, and Kathleen and I could debut together!"

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

From this reading You could scrimp and save for Nancy's coming out, and then for Kathleen's.

be an inhabitant of or reside in

From this reading But I should get a maid-of-all-work at once, so that we shouldn't all be drudges as we are now; then I should not spend a single cent on the house, but just live here in hiding, as it were, till better times come and till we are old enough to go into society.

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading Father would certainly be well long before then, and Kathleen and I could debut together!"

perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading BELONGING TO BEULAH The Person without a Fault had been quietly working at her embroidery, raising her head now and then to look at some extraordinary Carey, when he or she made some unusually silly or fantastic remark.

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading BELONGING TO BEULAH The Person without a Fault had been quietly working at her embroidery, raising her head now and then to look at some extraordinary Carey, when he or she made some unusually silly or fantastic remark.

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

From this reading But I should get a maid-of-all-work at once, so that we shouldn't all be drudges as we are now; then I should not spend a single cent on the house, but just live here in hiding, as it were, till better times come and till we are old enough to go into society.

with modesty; in a modest manner

From this reading "I'm not so old as Gilbert and Nancy, and I'm only a niece," she said modestly, "so I ought not to have an opinion.

a city in northeastern France in Lorraine

From this reading "I'm not so old as Gilbert and Nancy, and I'm only a niece," she said modestly, "so I ought not to have an opinion.

possessive form of “nancy” — a city in northeastern France in Lorraine

From this reading You could scrimp and save for Nancy's coming out, and then for Kathleen's.

a daughter of your brother or sister

From this reading "I'm not so old as Gilbert and Nancy, and I'm only a niece," she said modestly, "so I ought not to have an opinion.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading "I'm not so old as Gilbert and Nancy, and I'm only a niece," she said modestly, "so I ought not to have an opinion.

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading BELONGING TO BEULAH The Person without a Fault had been quietly working at her embroidery, raising her head now and then to look at some extraordinary Carey, when he or she made some unusually silly or fantastic remark.

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading "I'm not so old as Gilbert and Nancy, and I'm only a niece," she said modestly, "so I ought not to have an opinion.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading But I should get a maid-of-all-work at once, so that we shouldn't all be drudges as we are now; then I should not spend a single cent on the house, but just live here in hiding, as it were, till better times come and till we are old enough to go into society.

on one occasion

From this reading But I should get a maid-of-all-work at once, so that we shouldn't all be drudges as we are now; then I should not spend a single cent on the house, but just live here in hiding, as it were, till better times come and till we are old enough to go into society.

and nothing more

From this reading "I'm not so old as Gilbert and Nancy, and I'm only a niece," she said modestly, "so I ought not to have an opinion.

a personal belief or judgment that is not founded on proof or certainty

From this reading "I'm not so old as Gilbert and Nancy, and I'm only a niece," she said modestly, "so I ought not to have an opinion.

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading BELONGING TO BEULAH The Person without a Fault had been quietly working at her embroidery, raising her head now and then to look at some extraordinary Carey, when he or she made some unusually silly or fantastic remark.

used with “to” to say what is right or advisable

From this reading "I'm not so old as Gilbert and Nancy, and I'm only a niece," she said modestly, "so I ought not to have an opinion.

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading You could scrimp and save for Nancy's coming out, and then for Kathleen's.

a human being

From this reading BELONGING TO BEULAH The Person without a Fault had been quietly working at her embroidery, raising her head now and then to look at some extraordinary Carey, when he or she made some unusually silly or fantastic remark.

with low volume

From this reading BELONGING TO BEULAH The Person without a Fault had been quietly working at her embroidery, raising her head now and then to look at some extraordinary Carey, when he or she made some unusually silly or fantastic remark.

the event of something being raised upward

From this reading BELONGING TO BEULAH The Person without a Fault had been quietly working at her embroidery, raising her head now and then to look at some extraordinary Carey, when he or she made some unusually silly or fantastic remark.

a statement that expresses a personal opinion or belief or adds information

From this reading BELONGING TO BEULAH The Person without a Fault had been quietly working at her embroidery, raising her head now and then to look at some extraordinary Carey, when he or she made some unusually silly or fantastic remark.

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading "I'm not so old as Gilbert and Nancy, and I'm only a niece," she said modestly, "so I ought not to have an opinion.

except for; apart from

From this reading You could scrimp and save for Nancy's coming out, and then for Kathleen's.

subsist on a meager allowance

From this reading You could scrimp and save for Nancy's coming out, and then for Kathleen's.

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

From this reading BELONGING TO BEULAH The Person without a Fault had been quietly working at her embroidery, raising her head now and then to look at some extraordinary Carey, when he or she made some unusually silly or fantastic remark.

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading But I should get a maid-of-all-work at once, so that we shouldn't all be drudges as we are now; then I should not spend a single cent on the house, but just live here in hiding, as it were, till better times come and till we are old enough to go into society.

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

From this reading But I should get a maid-of-all-work at once, so that we shouldn't all be drudges as we are now; then I should not spend a single cent on the house, but just live here in hiding, as it were, till better times come and till we are old enough to go into society.

ludicrous, foolish

From this reading BELONGING TO BEULAH The Person without a Fault had been quietly working at her embroidery, raising her head now and then to look at some extraordinary Carey, when he or she made some unusually silly or fantastic remark.

being or characteristic of a single thing or person

From this reading But I should get a maid-of-all-work at once, so that we shouldn't all be drudges as we are now; then I should not spend a single cent on the house, but just live here in hiding, as it were, till better times come and till we are old enough to go into society.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading "I'm not so old as Gilbert and Nancy, and I'm only a niece," she said modestly, "so I ought not to have an opinion.

an extended social group having a distinctive cultural and economic organization

From this reading But I should get a maid-of-all-work at once, so that we shouldn't all be drudges as we are now; then I should not spend a single cent on the house, but just live here in hiding, as it were, till better times come and till we are old enough to go into society.

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading BELONGING TO BEULAH The Person without a Fault had been quietly working at her embroidery, raising her head now and then to look at some extraordinary Carey, when he or she made some unusually silly or fantastic remark.

use up a period of time in a specific way

From this reading But I should get a maid-of-all-work at once, so that we shouldn't all be drudges as we are now; then I should not spend a single cent on the house, but just live here in hiding, as it were, till better times come and till we are old enough to go into society.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading But I should get a maid-of-all-work at once, so that we shouldn't all be drudges as we are now; then I should not spend a single cent on the house, but just live here in hiding, as it were, till better times come and till we are old enough to go into society.

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

From this reading BELONGING TO BEULAH The Person without a Fault had been quietly working at her embroidery, raising her head now and then to look at some extraordinary Carey, when he or she made some unusually silly or fantastic remark.

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading BELONGING TO BEULAH The Person without a Fault had been quietly working at her embroidery, raising her head now and then to look at some extraordinary Carey, when he or she made some unusually silly or fantastic remark.

up to a particular time

From this reading But I should get a maid-of-all-work at once, so that we shouldn't all be drudges as we are now; then I should not spend a single cent on the house, but just live here in hiding, as it were, till better times come and till we are old enough to go into society.

a more or less definite period of time now or previously present

From this reading But I should get a maid-of-all-work at once, so that we shouldn't all be drudges as we are now; then I should not spend a single cent on the house, but just live here in hiding, as it were, till better times come and till we are old enough to go into society.

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

From this reading BELONGING TO BEULAH The Person without a Fault had been quietly working at her embroidery, raising her head now and then to look at some extraordinary Carey, when he or she made some unusually silly or fantastic remark.

in contact with each other or in proximity

From this reading Father would certainly be well long before then, and Kathleen and I could debut together!"

to a remarkable degree or extent

From this reading BELONGING TO BEULAH The Person without a Fault had been quietly working at her embroidery, raising her head now and then to look at some extraordinary Carey, when he or she made some unusually silly or fantastic remark.

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading But I should get a maid-of-all-work at once, so that we shouldn't all be drudges as we are now; then I should not spend a single cent on the house, but just live here in hiding, as it were, till better times come and till we are old enough to go into society.

(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 Father would certainly be well long before then, and Kathleen and I could debut together!"

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

From this reading But I should get a maid-of-all-work at once, so that we shouldn't all be drudges as we are now; then I should not spend a single cent on the house, but just live here in hiding, as it were, till better times come and till we are old enough to go into society.

at the time that

From this reading BELONGING TO BEULAH The Person without a Fault had been quietly working at her embroidery, raising her head now and then to look at some extraordinary Carey, when he or she made some unusually silly or fantastic remark.

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading BELONGING TO BEULAH The Person without a Fault had been quietly working at her embroidery, raising her head now and then to look at some extraordinary Carey, when he or she made some unusually silly or fantastic remark.

actively engaged in paid work

From this reading BELONGING TO BEULAH The Person without a Fault had been quietly working at her embroidery, raising her head now and then to look at some extraordinary Carey, when he or she made some unusually silly or fantastic remark.

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

From this reading Father would certainly be well long before then, and Kathleen and I could debut together!"

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading You could scrimp and save for Nancy's coming out, and then for Kathleen's.