used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A Ray of Light 'I don't suppose she'll come at all, guardian.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading That Mrs. Arderne will keep her indoors, or she'll be afraid to walk in the rain, or she'll forget all about me, or those--those extraordinary children will coax her to stay with them.'
filled with fear or apprehension
From this reading That Mrs. Arderne will keep her indoors, or she'll be afraid to walk in the rain, or she'll forget all about me, or those--those extraordinary children will coax her to stay with them.'
the part of the day between noon and evening
From this reading Agatha had been fretting all the afternoon in this fashion, until she had forced herself to believe her own dismal prophecies, and no words of her guardian availed to comfort her.
Agatha
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Agatha had been fretting all the afternoon in this fashion, until she had forced herself to believe her own dismal prophecies, and no words of her guardian availed to comfort her.
(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 A Ray of Light 'I don't suppose she'll come at all, guardian.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Agatha had been fretting all the afternoon in this fashion, until she had forced herself to believe her own dismal prophecies, and no words of her guardian availed to comfort her.
Arderne
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That Mrs. Arderne will keep her indoors, or she'll be afraid to walk in the rain, or she'll forget all about me, or those--those extraordinary children will coax her to stay with them.'
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading A Ray of Light 'I don't suppose she'll come at all, guardian.
availedverbUS /əˈveɪld/
past form of “avail” — use to one's advantage
From this reading Agatha had been fretting all the afternoon in this fashion, until she had forced herself to believe her own dismal prophecies, and no words of her guardian availed to comfort her.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading That Mrs. Arderne will keep her indoors, or she'll be afraid to walk in the rain, or she'll forget all about me, or those--those extraordinary children will coax her to stay with them.'
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Agatha had been fretting all the afternoon in this fashion, until she had forced herself to believe her own dismal prophecies, and no words of her guardian availed to comfort her.
accept as true; take to be true
From this reading Agatha had been fretting all the afternoon in this fashion, until she had forced herself to believe her own dismal prophecies, and no words of her guardian availed to comfort her.
next to; at the side of
From this reading He was standing beside her couch now, holding her thin right hand in his firm grasp, smilingly trying to persuade her to be more reasonable, and to take the tea and hot buttered toast which Harriet had prepared with so much care.
butteredverbUS /ˈbʌtərd/
past form of “butter” — spread butter on
From this reading He was standing beside her couch now, holding her thin right hand in his firm grasp, smilingly trying to persuade her to be more reasonable, and to take the tea and hot buttered toast which Harriet had prepared with so much care.
the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something
From this reading He was standing beside her couch now, holding her thin right hand in his firm grasp, smilingly trying to persuade her to be more reasonable, and to take the tea and hot buttered toast which Harriet had prepared with so much care.
plural of “child” — a young person of either sex
From this reading That Mrs. Arderne will keep her indoors, or she'll be afraid to walk in the rain, or she'll forget all about me, or those--those extraordinary children will coax her to stay with them.'
coaxverbUS /koʊks/
influence or urge by gentle urging, caressing, or flattering
From this reading That Mrs. Arderne will keep her indoors, or she'll be afraid to walk in the rain, or she'll forget all about me, or those--those extraordinary children will coax her to stay with them.'
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading A Ray of Light 'I don't suppose she'll come at all, guardian.
a state of being relaxed and feeling no pain
From this reading Agatha had been fretting all the afternoon in this fashion, until she had forced herself to believe her own dismal prophecies, and no words of her guardian availed to comfort her.
couchnounUS /kaʊtʃ/
an upholstered seat for more than one person
From this reading He was standing beside her couch now, holding her thin right hand in his firm grasp, smilingly trying to persuade her to be more reasonable, and to take the tea and hot buttered toast which Harriet had prepared with so much care.
disappointingadjectiveUS /ˌdɪsəˈpɔɪntɪŋ/
not up to expectations
From this reading Everything turns out disappointing.
dismaladjectiveUS /ˈdɪzməl/
causing dejection
From this reading Agatha had been fretting all the afternoon in this fashion, until she had forced herself to believe her own dismal prophecies, and no words of her guardian availed to comfort her.
don't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A Ray of Light 'I don't suppose she'll come at all, guardian.
all things; all of a situation
From this reading Everything turns out disappointing.
beyond what is ordinary or usual; highly unusual or exceptional or remarkable
From this reading That Mrs. Arderne will keep her indoors, or she'll be afraid to walk in the rain, or she'll forget all about me, or those--those extraordinary children will coax her to stay with them.'
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading Agatha had been fretting all the afternoon in this fashion, until she had forced herself to believe her own dismal prophecies, and no words of her guardian availed to comfort her.
marked by firm determination or resolution; not shakable
From this reading He was standing beside her couch now, holding her thin right hand in his firm grasp, smilingly trying to persuade her to be more reasonable, and to take the tea and hot buttered toast which Harriet had prepared with so much care.
produced by or subjected to forcing
From this reading Agatha had been fretting all the afternoon in this fashion, until she had forced herself to believe her own dismal prophecies, and no words of her guardian availed to comfort her.
dismiss from the mind; stop remembering
From this reading That Mrs. Arderne will keep her indoors, or she'll be afraid to walk in the rain, or she'll forget all about me, or those--those extraordinary children will coax her to stay with them.'
frettingverbUS /ˈfretɪŋ/
inflected form of “fret” — worry unnecessarily or excessively
From this reading Agatha had been fretting all the afternoon in this fashion, until she had forced herself to believe her own dismal prophecies, and no words of her guardian availed to comfort her.
hold firmly
From this reading He was standing beside her couch now, holding her thin right hand in his firm grasp, smilingly trying to persuade her to be more reasonable, and to take the tea and hot buttered toast which Harriet had prepared with so much care.
guardiannounUS /ˈɡɑːrdiən/
a person who cares for persons or property
From this reading A Ray of Light 'I don't suppose she'll come at all, guardian.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Agatha had been fretting all the afternoon in this fashion, until she had forced herself to believe her own dismal prophecies, and no words of her guardian availed to comfort her.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading He was standing beside her couch now, holding her thin right hand in his firm grasp, smilingly trying to persuade her to be more reasonable, and to take the tea and hot buttered toast which Harriet had prepared with so much care.
Harriet
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was standing beside her couch now, holding her thin right hand in his firm grasp, smilingly trying to persuade her to be more reasonable, and to take the tea and hot buttered toast which Harriet had prepared with so much care.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was standing beside her couch now, holding her thin right hand in his firm grasp, smilingly trying to persuade her to be more reasonable, and to take the tea and hot buttered toast which Harriet had prepared with so much care.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading That Mrs. Arderne will keep her indoors, or she'll be afraid to walk in the rain, or she'll forget all about me, or those--those extraordinary children will coax her to stay with them.'
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading Agatha had been fretting all the afternoon in this fashion, until she had forced herself to believe her own dismal prophecies, and no words of her guardian availed to comfort her.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He was standing beside her couch now, holding her thin right hand in his firm grasp, smilingly trying to persuade her to be more reasonable, and to take the tea and hot buttered toast which Harriet had prepared with so much care.
the act of retaining something
From this reading He was standing beside her couch now, holding her thin right hand in his firm grasp, smilingly trying to persuade her to be more reasonable, and to take the tea and hot buttered toast which Harriet had prepared with so much care.
used of physical heat; having a high or higher than desirable temperature or giving off heat or feeling or causing a sensation of heat or burning
From this reading He was standing beside her couch now, holding her thin right hand in his firm grasp, smilingly trying to persuade her to be more reasonable, and to take the tea and hot buttered toast which Harriet had prepared with so much care.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading A Ray of Light 'I don't suppose she'll come at all, guardian.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading That Mrs. Arderne will keep her indoors, or she'll be afraid to walk in the rain, or she'll forget all about me, or those--those extraordinary children will coax her to stay with them.'
indoorsadverbUS /ˈɪndɔːrz/
within a building
From this reading That Mrs. Arderne will keep her indoors, or she'll be afraid to walk in the rain, or she'll forget all about me, or those--those extraordinary children will coax her to stay with them.'
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading That Mrs. Arderne will keep her indoors, or she'll be afraid to walk in the rain, or she'll forget all about me, or those--those extraordinary children will coax her to stay with them.'
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading A Ray of Light 'I don't suppose she'll come at all, guardian.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading That Mrs. Arderne will keep her indoors, or she'll be afraid to walk in the rain, or she'll forget all about me, or those--those extraordinary children will coax her to stay with them.'
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading He was standing beside her couch now, holding her thin right hand in his firm grasp, smilingly trying to persuade her to be more reasonable, and to take the tea and hot buttered toast which Harriet had prepared with so much care.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading That Mrs. Arderne will keep her indoors, or she'll be afraid to walk in the rain, or she'll forget all about me, or those--those extraordinary children will coax her to stay with them.'
to a great degree or extent
From this reading He was standing beside her couch now, holding her thin right hand in his firm grasp, smilingly trying to persuade her to be more reasonable, and to take the tea and hot buttered toast which Harriet had prepared with so much care.
not any; not one
From this reading Agatha had been fretting all the afternoon in this fashion, until she had forced herself to believe her own dismal prophecies, and no words of her guardian availed to comfort her.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading He was standing beside her couch now, holding her thin right hand in his firm grasp, smilingly trying to persuade her to be more reasonable, and to take the tea and hot buttered toast which Harriet had prepared with so much care.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A Ray of Light 'I don't suppose she'll come at all, guardian.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading That Mrs. Arderne will keep her indoors, or she'll be afraid to walk in the rain, or she'll forget all about me, or those--those extraordinary children will coax her to stay with them.'
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Everything turns out disappointing.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading Agatha had been fretting all the afternoon in this fashion, until she had forced herself to believe her own dismal prophecies, and no words of her guardian availed to comfort her.
persuadeverbUS /pərˈsweɪd/
win approval or support for
From this reading He was standing beside her couch now, holding her thin right hand in his firm grasp, smilingly trying to persuade her to be more reasonable, and to take the tea and hot buttered toast which Harriet had prepared with so much care.
made ready or fit or suitable beforehand
From this reading He was standing beside her couch now, holding her thin right hand in his firm grasp, smilingly trying to persuade her to be more reasonable, and to take the tea and hot buttered toast which Harriet had prepared with so much care.
propheciesnounUS /ˈprɑːfəsiz/
plural of “prophecy” — knowledge of the future (usually said to be obtained from a divine source)
From this reading Agatha had been fretting all the afternoon in this fashion, until she had forced herself to believe her own dismal prophecies, and no words of her guardian availed to comfort her.
water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere
From this reading That Mrs. Arderne will keep her indoors, or she'll be afraid to walk in the rain, or she'll forget all about me, or those--those extraordinary children will coax her to stay with them.'
RaynounUS /reɪ/
a column of light (as from a beacon)
From this reading A Ray of Light 'I don't suppose she'll come at all, guardian.
reasonableadjectiveUS /ˈriːzənəbəl/
showing reason or sound judgment
From this reading He was standing beside her couch now, holding her thin right hand in his firm grasp, smilingly trying to persuade her to be more reasonable, and to take the tea and hot buttered toast which Harriet had prepared with so much care.
precisely, exactly
From this reading He was standing beside her couch now, holding her thin right hand in his firm grasp, smilingly trying to persuade her to be more reasonable, and to take the tea and hot buttered toast which Harriet had prepared with so much care.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Agatha had been fretting all the afternoon in this fashion, until she had forced herself to believe her own dismal prophecies, and no words of her guardian availed to comfort her.
she'll
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A Ray of Light 'I don't suppose she'll come at all, guardian.
smilinglyadverbUS /ˈsmaɪlɪŋli/
with smiles; in a smiling manner
From this reading He was standing beside her couch now, holding her thin right hand in his firm grasp, smilingly trying to persuade her to be more reasonable, and to take the tea and hot buttered toast which Harriet had prepared with so much care.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading He was standing beside her couch now, holding her thin right hand in his firm grasp, smilingly trying to persuade her to be more reasonable, and to take the tea and hot buttered toast which Harriet had prepared with so much care.
having a supporting base
From this reading He was standing beside her couch now, holding her thin right hand in his firm grasp, smilingly trying to persuade her to be more reasonable, and to take the tea and hot buttered toast which Harriet had prepared with so much care.
stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading That Mrs. Arderne will keep her indoors, or she'll be afraid to walk in the rain, or she'll forget all about me, or those--those extraordinary children will coax her to stay with them.'
express a supposition
From this reading A Ray of Light 'I don't suppose she'll come at all, guardian.
carry out
From this reading He was standing beside her couch now, holding her thin right hand in his firm grasp, smilingly trying to persuade her to be more reasonable, and to take the tea and hot buttered toast which Harriet had prepared with so much care.
a beverage made by steeping tea leaves in water
From this reading He was standing beside her couch now, holding her thin right hand in his firm grasp, smilingly trying to persuade her to be more reasonable, and to take the tea and hot buttered toast which Harriet had prepared with so much care.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading That Mrs. Arderne will keep her indoors, or she'll be afraid to walk in the rain, or she'll forget all about me, or those--those extraordinary children will coax her to stay with them.'
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading That Mrs. Arderne will keep her indoors, or she'll be afraid to walk in the rain, or she'll forget all about me, or those--those extraordinary children will coax her to stay with them.'
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading That Mrs. Arderne will keep her indoors, or she'll be afraid to walk in the rain, or she'll forget all about me, or those--those extraordinary children will coax her to stay with them.'
Having little thickness or extent.
From this reading He was standing beside her couch now, holding her thin right hand in his firm grasp, smilingly trying to persuade her to be more reasonable, and to take the tea and hot buttered toast which Harriet had prepared with so much care.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Agatha had been fretting all the afternoon in this fashion, until she had forced herself to believe her own dismal prophecies, and no words of her guardian availed to comfort her.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading That Mrs. Arderne will keep her indoors, or she'll be afraid to walk in the rain, or she'll forget all about me, or those--those extraordinary children will coax her to stay with them.'
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading That Mrs. Arderne will keep her indoors, or she'll be afraid to walk in the rain, or she'll forget all about me, or those--those extraordinary children will coax her to stay with them.'
toastverbUS /toʊst/
make brown and crisp by heating
From this reading He was standing beside her couch now, holding her thin right hand in his firm grasp, smilingly trying to persuade her to be more reasonable, and to take the tea and hot buttered toast which Harriet had prepared with so much care.
hard to endure
From this reading He was standing beside her couch now, holding her thin right hand in his firm grasp, smilingly trying to persuade her to be more reasonable, and to take the tea and hot buttered toast which Harriet had prepared with so much care.
plural of “turn” — a circular segment of a curve
From this reading Everything turns out disappointing.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading Agatha had been fretting all the afternoon in this fashion, until she had forced herself to believe her own dismal prophecies, and no words of her guardian availed to comfort her.
the act of traveling by foot
From this reading That Mrs. Arderne will keep her indoors, or she'll be afraid to walk in the rain, or she'll forget all about me, or those--those extraordinary children will coax her to stay with them.'
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He was standing beside her couch now, holding her thin right hand in his firm grasp, smilingly trying to persuade her to be more reasonable, and to take the tea and hot buttered toast which Harriet had prepared with so much care.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading He was standing beside her couch now, holding her thin right hand in his firm grasp, smilingly trying to persuade her to be more reasonable, and to take the tea and hot buttered toast which Harriet had prepared with so much care.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading That Mrs. Arderne will keep her indoors, or she'll be afraid to walk in the rain, or she'll forget all about me, or those--those extraordinary children will coax her to stay with them.'
in the company of; together with
From this reading That Mrs. Arderne will keep her indoors, or she'll be afraid to walk in the rain, or she'll forget all about me, or those--those extraordinary children will coax her to stay with them.'
the words that are spoken
From this reading Agatha had been fretting all the afternoon in this fashion, until she had forced herself to believe her own dismal prophecies, and no words of her guardian availed to comfort her.
