used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading This little tragedy, as it appeared to me at the time, made a great impression on my mind.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading But still it helped, I suppose, to depress me generally and enhance the effect of the cold that had hung about me so long, and for which the elder ones, taking counsel together, decided that the desire of the younger ones should be gratified, and I should be made to go to Italy for the spring.
inconsistent with reason or logic or common sense
From this reading It did not make me ill; that would have been absurd.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading For my own part, I was not willing at all; but what can one woman, especially when she is their mother, do against so many?
(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 For my own part, I was not willing at all; but what can one woman, especially when she is their mother, do against so many?
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading But still it helped, I suppose, to depress me generally and enhance the effect of the cold that had hung about me so long, and for which the elder ones, taking counsel together, decided that the desire of the younger ones should be gratified, and I should be made to go to Italy for the spring.
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading This little tragedy, as it appeared to me at the time, made a great impression on my mind.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading This little tragedy, as it appeared to me at the time, made a great impression on my mind.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading This little tragedy, as it appeared to me at the time, made a great impression on my mind.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading But still it helped, I suppose, to depress me generally and enhance the effect of the cold that had hung about me so long, and for which the elder ones, taking counsel together, decided that the desire of the younger ones should be gratified, and I should be made to go to Italy for the spring.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading It did not make me ill; that would have been absurd.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But still it helped, I suppose, to depress me generally and enhance the effect of the cold that had hung about me so long, and for which the elder ones, taking counsel together, decided that the desire of the younger ones should be gratified, and I should be made to go to Italy for the spring.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading For my own part, I was not willing at all; but what can one woman, especially when she is their mother, do against so many?
having a low or inadequate temperature or feeling a sensation of coldness or having been made cold by e.g. ice or refrigeration
From this reading But still it helped, I suppose, to depress me generally and enhance the effect of the cold that had hung about me so long, and for which the elder ones, taking counsel together, decided that the desire of the younger ones should be gratified, and I should be made to go to Italy for the spring.
a lawyer who pleads cases in court
From this reading But still it helped, I suppose, to depress me generally and enhance the effect of the cold that had hung about me so long, and for which the elder ones, taking counsel together, decided that the desire of the younger ones should be gratified, and I should be made to go to Italy for the spring.
recognizable; marked
From this reading But still it helped, I suppose, to depress me generally and enhance the effect of the cold that had hung about me so long, and for which the elder ones, taking counsel together, decided that the desire of the younger ones should be gratified, and I should be made to go to Italy for the spring.
depressverbUS /dɪˈpres/
lower someone's spirits; make downhearted
From this reading But still it helped, I suppose, to depress me generally and enhance the effect of the cold that had hung about me so long, and for which the elder ones, taking counsel together, decided that the desire of the younger ones should be gratified, and I should be made to go to Italy for the spring.
the feeling that accompanies an unsatisfied state
From this reading But still it helped, I suppose, to depress me generally and enhance the effect of the cold that had hung about me so long, and for which the elder ones, taking counsel together, decided that the desire of the younger ones should be gratified, and I should be made to go to Italy for the spring.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading It did not make me ill; that would have been absurd.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading For my own part, I was not willing at all; but what can one woman, especially when she is their mother, do against so many?
a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon
From this reading But still it helped, I suppose, to depress me generally and enhance the effect of the cold that had hung about me so long, and for which the elder ones, taking counsel together, decided that the desire of the younger ones should be gratified, and I should be made to go to Italy for the spring.
a person who is older than you are
From this reading But still it helped, I suppose, to depress me generally and enhance the effect of the cold that had hung about me so long, and for which the elder ones, taking counsel together, decided that the desire of the younger ones should be gratified, and I should be made to go to Italy for the spring.
enhanceverbUS /enˈhæns/
increase
From this reading But still it helped, I suppose, to depress me generally and enhance the effect of the cold that had hung about me so long, and for which the elder ones, taking counsel together, decided that the desire of the younger ones should be gratified, and I should be made to go to Italy for the spring.
to a distinctly greater extent or degree than is common
From this reading For my own part, I was not willing at all; but what can one woman, especially when she is their mother, do against so many?
accept an excuse for
From this reading The girls were wild to go, and my long-continued lingering cold was such a good excuse.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading But still it helped, I suppose, to depress me generally and enhance the effect of the cold that had hung about me so long, and for which the elder ones, taking counsel together, decided that the desire of the younger ones should be gratified, and I should be made to go to Italy for the spring.
usually; as a rule
From this reading But still it helped, I suppose, to depress me generally and enhance the effect of the cold that had hung about me so long, and for which the elder ones, taking counsel together, decided that the desire of the younger ones should be gratified, and I should be made to go to Italy for the spring.
plural of “girl” — a young female
From this reading The girls were wild to go, and my long-continued lingering cold was such a good excuse.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading But still it helped, I suppose, to depress me generally and enhance the effect of the cold that had hung about me so long, and for which the elder ones, taking counsel together, decided that the desire of the younger ones should be gratified, and I should be made to go to Italy for the spring.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading The girls were wild to go, and my long-continued lingering cold was such a good excuse.
gratifiedadjectiveUS /ˈɡrætəfaɪd/
having received what was desired
From this reading But still it helped, I suppose, to depress me generally and enhance the effect of the cold that had hung about me so long, and for which the elder ones, taking counsel together, decided that the desire of the younger ones should be gratified, and I should be made to go to Italy for the spring.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading This little tragedy, as it appeared to me at the time, made a great impression on my mind.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading But still it helped, I suppose, to depress me generally and enhance the effect of the cold that had hung about me so long, and for which the elder ones, taking counsel together, decided that the desire of the younger ones should be gratified, and I should be made to go to Italy for the spring.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading It did not make me ill; that would have been absurd.
past form of “help” — give help or assistance; be of service
From this reading But still it helped, I suppose, to depress me generally and enhance the effect of the cold that had hung about me so long, and for which the elder ones, taking counsel together, decided that the desire of the younger ones should be gratified, and I should be made to go to Italy for the spring.
inflected form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging
From this reading But still it helped, I suppose, to depress me generally and enhance the effect of the cold that had hung about me so long, and for which the elder ones, taking counsel together, decided that the desire of the younger ones should be gratified, and I should be made to go to Italy for the spring.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading But still it helped, I suppose, to depress me generally and enhance the effect of the cold that had hung about me so long, and for which the elder ones, taking counsel together, decided that the desire of the younger ones should be gratified, and I should be made to go to Italy for the spring.
affected by an impairment of normal physical or mental function
From this reading It did not make me ill; that would have been absurd.
a vague idea in which some confidence is placed
From this reading This little tragedy, as it appeared to me at the time, made a great impression on my mind.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading For my own part, I was not willing at all; but what can one woman, especially when she is their mother, do against so many?
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading This little tragedy, as it appeared to me at the time, made a great impression on my mind.
a republic in southern Europe on the Italian Peninsula; was the core of the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire between the 4th century BC and the 5th century AD
From this reading But still it helped, I suppose, to depress me generally and enhance the effect of the cold that had hung about me so long, and for which the elder ones, taking counsel together, decided that the desire of the younger ones should be gratified, and I should be made to go to Italy for the spring.
lingeringnounUS /ˈlɪŋɡərɪŋ/
the act of tarrying
From this reading The girls were wild to go, and my long-continued lingering cold was such a good excuse.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading This little tragedy, as it appeared to me at the time, made a great impression on my mind.
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 But still it helped, I suppose, to depress me generally and enhance the effect of the cold that had hung about me so long, and for which the elder ones, taking counsel together, decided that the desire of the younger ones should be gratified, and I should be made to go to Italy for the spring.
long-continued
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The girls were wild to go, and my long-continued lingering cold was such a good excuse.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading This little tragedy, as it appeared to me at the time, made a great impression on my mind.
engage in
From this reading It did not make me ill; that would have been absurd.
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 For my own part, I was not willing at all; but what can one woman, especially when she is their mother, do against so many?
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading This little tragedy, as it appeared to me at the time, made a great impression on my mind.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading This little tragedy, as it appeared to me at the time, made a great impression on my mind.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading For my own part, I was not willing at all; but what can one woman, especially when she is their mother, do against so many?
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading This little tragedy, as it appeared to me at the time, made a great impression on my mind.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading It did not make me ill; that would have been absurd.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading But still it helped, I suppose, to depress me generally and enhance the effect of the cold that had hung about me so long, and for which the elder ones, taking counsel together, decided that the desire of the younger ones should be gratified, and I should be made to go to Italy for the spring.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading This little tragedy, as it appeared to me at the time, made a great impression on my mind.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading For my own part, I was not willing at all; but what can one woman, especially when she is their mother, do against so many?
plural of “one” — the smallest whole number or a numeral representing this number
From this reading But still it helped, I suppose, to depress me generally and enhance the effect of the cold that had hung about me so long, and for which the elder ones, taking counsel together, decided that the desire of the younger ones should be gratified, and I should be made to go to Italy for the spring.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading For my own part, I was not willing at all; but what can one woman, especially when she is their mother, do against so many?
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading For my own part, I was not willing at all; but what can one woman, especially when she is their mother, do against so many?
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading For my own part, I was not willing at all; but what can one woman, especially when she is their mother, do against so many?
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading But still it helped, I suppose, to depress me generally and enhance the effect of the cold that had hung about me so long, and for which the elder ones, taking counsel together, decided that the desire of the younger ones should be gratified, and I should be made to go to Italy for the spring.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading But still it helped, I suppose, to depress me generally and enhance the effect of the cold that had hung about me so long, and for which the elder ones, taking counsel together, decided that the desire of the younger ones should be gratified, and I should be made to go to Italy for the spring.
the season of growth
From this reading But still it helped, I suppose, to depress me generally and enhance the effect of the cold that had hung about me so long, and for which the elder ones, taking counsel together, decided that the desire of the younger ones should be gratified, and I should be made to go to Italy for the spring.
not in physical motion
From this reading But still it helped, I suppose, to depress me generally and enhance the effect of the cold that had hung about me so long, and for which the elder ones, taking counsel together, decided that the desire of the younger ones should be gratified, and I should be made to go to Italy for the spring.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading The girls were wild to go, and my long-continued lingering cold was such a good excuse.
express a supposition
From this reading But still it helped, I suppose, to depress me generally and enhance the effect of the cold that had hung about me so long, and for which the elder ones, taking counsel together, decided that the desire of the younger ones should be gratified, and I should be made to go to Italy for the spring.
the act of someone who picks up or takes something
From this reading But still it helped, I suppose, to depress me generally and enhance the effect of the cold that had hung about me so long, and for which the elder ones, taking counsel together, decided that the desire of the younger ones should be gratified, and I should be made to go to Italy for the spring.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It did not make me ill; that would have been absurd.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading This little tragedy, as it appeared to me at the time, made a great impression on my mind.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading For my own part, I was not willing at all; but what can one woman, especially when she is their mother, do against so many?
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This little tragedy, as it appeared to me at the time, made a great impression on my mind.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading This little tragedy, as it appeared to me at the time, made a great impression on my mind.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading This little tragedy, as it appeared to me at the time, made a great impression on my mind.
in contact with each other or in proximity
From this reading But still it helped, I suppose, to depress me generally and enhance the effect of the cold that had hung about me so long, and for which the elder ones, taking counsel together, decided that the desire of the younger ones should be gratified, and I should be made to go to Italy for the spring.
an event resulting in great loss and misfortune
From this reading This little tragedy, as it appeared to me at the time, made a great impression on my mind.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The girls were wild to go, and my long-continued lingering cold was such a good excuse.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The girls were wild to go, and my long-continued lingering cold was such a good excuse.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading For my own part, I was not willing at all; but what can one woman, especially when she is their mother, do against so many?
at the time that
From this reading For my own part, I was not willing at all; but what can one woman, especially when she is their mother, do against so many?
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading But still it helped, I suppose, to depress me generally and enhance the effect of the cold that had hung about me so long, and for which the elder ones, taking counsel together, decided that the desire of the younger ones should be gratified, and I should be made to go to Italy for the spring.
marked by extreme lack of restraint or control
From this reading The girls were wild to go, and my long-continued lingering cold was such a good excuse.
disposed or inclined toward
From this reading For my own part, I was not willing at all; but what can one woman, especially when she is their mother, do against so many?
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading For my own part, I was not willing at all; but what can one woman, especially when she is their mother, do against so many?
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading It did not make me ill; that would have been absurd.
used of the younger of two persons of the same name especially used to distinguish a son from his father
From this reading But still it helped, I suppose, to depress me generally and enhance the effect of the cold that had hung about me so long, and for which the elder ones, taking counsel together, decided that the desire of the younger ones should be gratified, and I should be made to go to Italy for the spring.
