used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was the following morning that Vane received a second letter from Margaret.
(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 It was the letter of a girl obsessed with her work to the exclusion of all outside things.
allusionnounUS /əˈluːʒən/
passing reference or indirect mention
From this reading He had written her once--a letter in which he had made no allusion to their last meeting--and she had answered it.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He had written her once--a letter in which he had made no allusion to their last meeting--and she had answered it.
past form of “answer” — react verbally
From this reading He had written her once--a letter in which he had made no allusion to their last meeting--and she had answered it.
actively or fully engaged or occupied
From this reading Cases were still pouring in and she was very busy.
plural of “case” — an occurrence of something
From this reading Cases were still pouring in and she was very busy.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading When she did have a moment to herself she was generally so tired that she lay down and went to sleep.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading When she did have a moment to herself she was generally so tired that she lay down and went to sleep.
exclusionnounUS /ɪkˈskluːʒən/
the state of being excluded
From this reading It was the letter of a girl obsessed with her work to the exclusion of all outside things.
about to be mentioned or specified
From this reading It was the following morning that Vane received a second letter from Margaret.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading It was the following morning that Vane received a second letter from Margaret.
usually; as a rule
From this reading When she did have a moment to herself she was generally so tired that she lay down and went to sleep.
a young female
From this reading It was the letter of a girl obsessed with her work to the exclusion of all outside things.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had written her once--a letter in which he had made no allusion to their last meeting--and she had answered it.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading When she did have a moment to herself she was generally so tired that she lay down and went to sleep.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had written her once--a letter in which he had made no allusion to their last meeting--and she had answered it.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading He had written her once--a letter in which he had made no allusion to their last meeting--and she had answered it.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading When she did have a moment to herself she was generally so tired that she lay down and went to sleep.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He had written her once--a letter in which he had made no allusion to their last meeting--and she had answered it.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was the following morning that Vane received a second letter from Margaret.
immediately past
From this reading He had written her once--a letter in which he had made no allusion to their last meeting--and she had answered it.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading When she did have a moment to herself she was generally so tired that she lay down and went to sleep.
a written message addressed to a person or organization
From this reading It was the following morning that Vane received a second letter from Margaret.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading He had written her once--a letter in which he had made no allusion to their last meeting--and she had answered it.
Margaret
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was the following morning that Vane received a second letter from Margaret.
a formally arranged gathering
From this reading He had written her once--a letter in which he had made no allusion to their last meeting--and she had answered it.
a particular point in time
From this reading When she did have a moment to herself she was generally so tired that she lay down and went to sleep.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading It was the following morning that Vane received a second letter from Margaret.
not any; not one
From this reading He had written her once--a letter in which he had made no allusion to their last meeting--and she had answered it.
obsessedadjectiveUS /əbˈsest/
having or showing excessive or compulsive concern with something
From this reading It was the letter of a girl obsessed with her work to the exclusion of all outside things.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It was the letter of a girl obsessed with her work to the exclusion of all outside things.
on one occasion
From this reading He had written her once--a letter in which he had made no allusion to their last meeting--and she had answered it.
relating to or being on or near the outer side or limit
From this reading It was the letter of a girl obsessed with her work to the exclusion of all outside things.
pouringadjectiveUS /ˈpɔːrɪŋ/
flowing profusely
From this reading Cases were still pouring in and she was very busy.
conforming to the established language usage of educated native speakers
From this reading It was the following morning that Vane received a second letter from Margaret.
1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading It was the following morning that Vane received a second letter from Margaret.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had written her once--a letter in which he had made no allusion to their last meeting--and she had answered it.
a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended
From this reading When she did have a moment to herself she was generally so tired that she lay down and went to sleep.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading When she did have a moment to herself she was generally so tired that she lay down and went to sleep.
not in physical motion
From this reading Cases were still pouring in and she was very busy.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was the following morning that Vane received a second letter from Margaret.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It was the following morning that Vane received a second letter from Margaret.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading He had written her once--a letter in which he had made no allusion to their last meeting--and she had answered it.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading It was the letter of a girl obsessed with her work to the exclusion of all outside things.
tiredadjectiveUS /ˈtaɪərd/
depleted of strength or energy
From this reading When she did have a moment to herself she was generally so tired that she lay down and went to sleep.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He had written her once--a letter in which he had made no allusion to their last meeting--and she had answered it.
VanenounUS /veɪn/
mechanical device attached to an elevated structure; rotates freely to show the direction of the wind
From this reading It was the following morning that Vane received a second letter from Margaret.
precisely as stated
From this reading Cases were still pouring in and she was very busy.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was the following morning that Vane received a second letter from Margaret.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading When she did have a moment to herself she was generally so tired that she lay down and went to sleep.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Cases were still pouring in and she was very busy.
at the time that
From this reading When she did have a moment to herself she was generally so tired that she lay down and went to sleep.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading He had written her once--a letter in which he had made no allusion to their last meeting--and she had answered it.
in the company of; together with
From this reading It was the letter of a girl obsessed with her work to the exclusion of all outside things.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading It was the letter of a girl obsessed with her work to the exclusion of all outside things.
set down in writing in any of various ways
From this reading He had written her once--a letter in which he had made no allusion to their last meeting--and she had answered it.
