used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading TURNING A NEW LEAF.
(usually followed by “to”) having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something
From this reading She scarcely knew it, and yet, instead of gloomy half-patient, half-hopeless despondency, she began to think even her poor little things might be able to be made better.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading That afternoon when she went down with softened heart to her crowded and somewhat dirty rooms, she looked round upon them with new eyes--eyes that had been lightened by a ray from above.
the part of the day between noon and evening
From this reading That afternoon when she went down with softened heart to her crowded and somewhat dirty rooms, she looked round upon them with new eyes--eyes that had been lightened by a ray from above.
(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 The rest of her children were all at school, but they would soon be home now.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading And so Mrs. Blunt began a new life.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The rest of her children were all at school, but they would soon be home now.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading She scarcely knew it, and yet, instead of gloomy half-patient, half-hopeless despondency, she began to think even her poor little things might be able to be made better.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading That afternoon when she went down with softened heart to her crowded and somewhat dirty rooms, she looked round upon them with new eyes--eyes that had been lightened by a ray from above.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading And so Mrs. Blunt began a new life.
(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 She scarcely knew it, and yet, instead of gloomy half-patient, half-hopeless despondency, she began to think even her poor little things might be able to be made better.
BluntadjectiveUS /blʌnt/
having a broad or rounded end
From this reading And so Mrs. Blunt began a new life.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The rest of her children were all at school, but they would soon be home now.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading That afternoon when she went down with softened heart to her crowded and somewhat dirty rooms, she looked round upon them with new eyes--eyes that had been lightened by a ray from above.
plural of “child” — a young person of either sex
From this reading The rest of her children were all at school, but they would soon be home now.
overfilled or compacted or concentrated
From this reading That afternoon when she went down with softened heart to her crowded and somewhat dirty rooms, she looked round upon them with new eyes--eyes that had been lightened by a ray from above.
despondencynounUS /dɪˈspɑːndənsi/
feeling downcast and disheartened and hopeless
From this reading She scarcely knew it, and yet, instead of gloomy half-patient, half-hopeless despondency, she began to think even her poor little things might be able to be made better.
dirtyadjectiveUS /ˈdɜːrti/
soiled or likely to soil with dirt or grime
From this reading That afternoon when she went down with softened heart to her crowded and somewhat dirty rooms, she looked round upon them with new eyes--eyes that had been lightened by a ray from above.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading That afternoon when she went down with softened heart to her crowded and somewhat dirty rooms, she looked round upon them with new eyes--eyes that had been lightened by a ray from above.
divisible by two
From this reading She scarcely knew it, and yet, instead of gloomy half-patient, half-hopeless despondency, she began to think even her poor little things might be able to be made better.
opinion or judgment
From this reading That afternoon when she went down with softened heart to her crowded and somewhat dirty rooms, she looked round upon them with new eyes--eyes that had been lightened by a ray from above.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading That afternoon when she went down with softened heart to her crowded and somewhat dirty rooms, she looked round upon them with new eyes--eyes that had been lightened by a ray from above.
depressingly dark
From this reading She scarcely knew it, and yet, instead of gloomy half-patient, half-hopeless despondency, she began to think even her poor little things might be able to be made better.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading That afternoon when she went down with softened heart to her crowded and somewhat dirty rooms, she looked round upon them with new eyes--eyes that had been lightened by a ray from above.
half-hopeless
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She scarcely knew it, and yet, instead of gloomy half-patient, half-hopeless despondency, she began to think even her poor little things might be able to be made better.
half-patient
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She scarcely knew it, and yet, instead of gloomy half-patient, half-hopeless despondency, she began to think even her poor little things might be able to be made better.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading That afternoon when she went down with softened heart to her crowded and somewhat dirty rooms, she looked round upon them with new eyes--eyes that had been lightened by a ray from above.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading That afternoon when she went down with softened heart to her crowded and somewhat dirty rooms, she looked round upon them with new eyes--eyes that had been lightened by a ray from above.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading The rest of her children were all at school, but they would soon be home now.
in place of, or as an alternative to
From this reading She scarcely knew it, and yet, instead of gloomy half-patient, half-hopeless despondency, she began to think even her poor little things might be able to be made better.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading She scarcely knew it, and yet, instead of gloomy half-patient, half-hopeless despondency, she began to think even her poor little things might be able to be made better.
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 scarcely knew it, and yet, instead of gloomy half-patient, half-hopeless despondency, she began to think even her poor little things might be able to be made better.
LEAFnounUS /liːf/
the main organ of photosynthesis and transpiration in higher plants
From this reading TURNING A NEW LEAF.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading And so Mrs. Blunt began a new life.
lightenedverbUS /ˈlaɪtənd/
past form of “lighten” — make more cheerful
From this reading That afternoon when she went down with softened heart to her crowded and somewhat dirty rooms, she looked round upon them with new eyes--eyes that had been lightened by a ray from above.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading She scarcely knew it, and yet, instead of gloomy half-patient, half-hopeless despondency, she began to think even her poor little things might be able to be made better.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading That afternoon when she went down with softened heart to her crowded and somewhat dirty rooms, she looked round upon them with new eyes--eyes that had been lightened by a ray from above.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading She scarcely knew it, and yet, instead of gloomy half-patient, half-hopeless despondency, she began to think even her poor little things might be able to be made better.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading She scarcely knew it, and yet, instead of gloomy half-patient, half-hopeless despondency, she began to think even her poor little things might be able to be made better.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading And so Mrs. Blunt began a new life.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading TURNING A NEW LEAF.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading The rest of her children were all at school, but they would soon be home now.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading She scarcely knew it, and yet, instead of gloomy half-patient, half-hopeless despondency, she began to think even her poor little things might be able to be made better.
deserving or inciting pity
From this reading She scarcely knew it, and yet, instead of gloomy half-patient, half-hopeless despondency, she began to think even her poor little things might be able to be made better.
raynounUS /reɪ/
a column of light (as from a beacon)
From this reading That afternoon when she went down with softened heart to her crowded and somewhat dirty rooms, she looked round upon them with new eyes--eyes that had been lightened by a ray from above.
not move; be in a resting position
From this reading The rest of her children were all at school, but they would soon be home now.
apartment consisting of a series of connected rooms used as a living unit (as in a hotel)
From this reading That afternoon when she went down with softened heart to her crowded and somewhat dirty rooms, she looked round upon them with new eyes--eyes that had been lightened by a ray from above.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading That afternoon when she went down with softened heart to her crowded and somewhat dirty rooms, she looked round upon them with new eyes--eyes that had been lightened by a ray from above.
only a very short time before
From this reading She scarcely knew it, and yet, instead of gloomy half-patient, half-hopeless despondency, she began to think even her poor little things might be able to be made better.
an educational institution
From this reading The rest of her children were all at school, but they would soon be home now.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading That afternoon when she went down with softened heart to her crowded and somewhat dirty rooms, she looked round upon them with new eyes--eyes that had been lightened by a ray from above.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading And so Mrs. Blunt began a new life.
softenedadjectiveUS /ˈsɔːfənd/
toned down
From this reading That afternoon when she went down with softened heart to her crowded and somewhat dirty rooms, she looked round upon them with new eyes--eyes that had been lightened by a ray from above.
to a small degree or extent
From this reading That afternoon when she went down with softened heart to her crowded and somewhat dirty rooms, she looked round upon them with new eyes--eyes that had been lightened by a ray from above.
in the near future
From this reading The rest of her children were all at school, but they would soon be home now.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading That afternoon when she went down with softened heart to her crowded and somewhat dirty rooms, she looked round upon them with new eyes--eyes that had been lightened by a ray from above.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The rest of her children were all at school, but they would soon be home now.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading That afternoon when she went down with softened heart to her crowded and somewhat dirty rooms, she looked round upon them with new eyes--eyes that had been lightened by a ray from above.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The rest of her children were all at school, but they would soon be home now.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading She scarcely knew it, and yet, instead of gloomy half-patient, half-hopeless despondency, she began to think even her poor little things might be able to be made better.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading She scarcely knew it, and yet, instead of gloomy half-patient, half-hopeless despondency, she began to think even her poor little things might be able to be made better.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading That afternoon when she went down with softened heart to her crowded and somewhat dirty rooms, she looked round upon them with new eyes--eyes that had been lightened by a ray from above.
the act of changing or reversing the direction of the course
From this reading TURNING A NEW LEAF.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading That afternoon when she went down with softened heart to her crowded and somewhat dirty rooms, she looked round upon them with new eyes--eyes that had been lightened by a ray from above.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading That afternoon when she went down with softened heart to her crowded and somewhat dirty rooms, she looked round upon them with new eyes--eyes that had been lightened by a ray from above.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The rest of her children were all at school, but they would soon be home now.
at the time that
From this reading That afternoon when she went down with softened heart to her crowded and somewhat dirty rooms, she looked round upon them with new eyes--eyes that had been lightened by a ray from above.
in the company of; together with
From this reading That afternoon when she went down with softened heart to her crowded and somewhat dirty rooms, she looked round upon them with new eyes--eyes that had been lightened by a ray from above.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading The rest of her children were all at school, but they would soon be home now.
but in spite of that
From this reading She scarcely knew it, and yet, instead of gloomy half-patient, half-hopeless despondency, she began to think even her poor little things might be able to be made better.
