used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading His daughter, a sad-faced young woman, had traces of tears on her cheeks.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading She had been talking about the young husband killed in the war.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The Christmas Tree Old Mr. Sharpe insisted upon the children coming into the cottage and having some refreshment.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading But she smiled at the children's eagerness and enthusiasm for the garden.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading She had been talking about the young husband killed in the war.
beernounUS /bɪr/
a general name for alcoholic beverages made by fermenting a cereal (or mixture of cereals) flavored with hops
From this reading It was too early for tea, but he produced some home-made ginger beer, and some currant cake.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading It was too early for tea, but he produced some home-made ginger beer, and some currant cake.
cakenounUS /keɪk/
a block of solid substance (such as soap or wax)
From this reading It was too early for tea, but he produced some home-made ginger beer, and some currant cake.
plural of “cheek” — either side of the face below the eyes
From this reading His daughter, a sad-faced young woman, had traces of tears on her cheeks.
plural of “child” — a young person of either sex
From this reading The Christmas Tree Old Mr. Sharpe insisted upon the children coming into the cottage and having some refreshment.
children's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But she smiled at the children's eagerness and enthusiasm for the garden.
period extending from Dec. 24 to Jan. 6
From this reading The Christmas Tree Old Mr. Sharpe insisted upon the children coming into the cottage and having some refreshment.
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading The Christmas Tree Old Mr. Sharpe insisted upon the children coming into the cottage and having some refreshment.
a small house with a single story
From this reading The Christmas Tree Old Mr. Sharpe insisted upon the children coming into the cottage and having some refreshment.
currantnoun
any of several tart red or black berries used primarily for jellies and jams
From this reading It was too early for tea, but he produced some home-made ginger beer, and some currant cake.
a female human offspring
From this reading His daughter, a sad-faced young woman, had traces of tears on her cheeks.
eagernessnounUS /ˈiːɡərnəs/
a positive feeling of wanting to push ahead with something
From this reading But she smiled at the children's eagerness and enthusiasm for the garden.
earlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/
at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time
From this reading It was too early for tea, but he produced some home-made ginger beer, and some currant cake.
a feeling of excitement
From this reading But she smiled at the children's eagerness and enthusiasm for the garden.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It was too early for tea, but he produced some home-made ginger beer, and some currant cake.
a plot of ground where plants are cultivated
From this reading But she smiled at the children's eagerness and enthusiasm for the garden.
gingernounUS /ˈdʒɪndʒər/
perennial plants having thick branching aromatic rhizomes and leafy reedlike stems
From this reading It was too early for tea, but he produced some home-made ginger beer, and some currant cake.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading His daughter, a sad-faced young woman, had traces of tears on her cheeks.
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading The Christmas Tree Old Mr. Sharpe insisted upon the children coming into the cottage and having some refreshment.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It was too early for tea, but he produced some home-made ginger beer, and some currant cake.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading His daughter, a sad-faced young woman, had traces of tears on her cheeks.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading His daughter, a sad-faced young woman, had traces of tears on her cheeks.
home-made
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was too early for tea, but he produced some home-made ginger beer, and some currant cake.
a married man; a woman's partner in marriage
From this reading She had been talking about the young husband killed in the war.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading She had been talking about the young husband killed in the war.
past form of “insist” — be emphatic or resolute and refuse to budge
From this reading The Christmas Tree Old Mr. Sharpe insisted upon the children coming into the cottage and having some refreshment.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading The Christmas Tree Old Mr. Sharpe insisted upon the children coming into the cottage and having some refreshment.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was too early for tea, but he produced some home-made ginger beer, and some currant cake.
past form of “kill” — cause to die; put to death, usually intentionally or knowingly
From this reading She had been talking about the young husband killed in the war.
a form of address for a man
From this reading The Christmas Tree Old Mr. Sharpe insisted upon the children coming into the cottage and having some refreshment.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading His daughter, a sad-faced young woman, had traces of tears on her cheeks.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading The Christmas Tree Old Mr. Sharpe insisted upon the children coming into the cottage and having some refreshment.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading His daughter, a sad-faced young woman, had traces of tears on her cheeks.
past form of “produce” — bring forth or yield
From this reading It was too early for tea, but he produced some home-made ginger beer, and some currant cake.
refreshmentnounUS /rəˈfreʃmənt/
snacks and drinks served as a light meal
From this reading The Christmas Tree Old Mr. Sharpe insisted upon the children coming into the cottage and having some refreshment.
sad-facedadjective
having a face with a sad expression
From this reading His daughter, a sad-faced young woman, had traces of tears on her cheeks.
Sharpe
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Christmas Tree Old Mr. Sharpe insisted upon the children coming into the cottage and having some refreshment.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She had been talking about the young husband killed in the war.
past form of “smile” — change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure
From this reading But she smiled at the children's eagerness and enthusiasm for the garden.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading The Christmas Tree Old Mr. Sharpe insisted upon the children coming into the cottage and having some refreshment.
an exchange of ideas via conversation
From this reading She had been talking about the young husband killed in the war.
a beverage made by steeping tea leaves in water
From this reading It was too early for tea, but he produced some home-made ginger beer, and some currant cake.
the process of shedding tears (usually accompanied by sobs or other inarticulate sounds)
From this reading His daughter, a sad-faced young woman, had traces of tears on her cheeks.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The Christmas Tree Old Mr. Sharpe insisted upon the children coming into the cottage and having some refreshment.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading It was too early for tea, but he produced some home-made ginger beer, and some currant cake.
tracesnounUS /ˈtreɪsəz/
plural of “trace” — a just detectable amount
From this reading His daughter, a sad-faced young woman, had traces of tears on her cheeks.
a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading The Christmas Tree Old Mr. Sharpe insisted upon the children coming into the cottage and having some refreshment.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading The Christmas Tree Old Mr. Sharpe insisted upon the children coming into the cottage and having some refreshment.
the waging of armed conflict against an enemy
From this reading She had been talking about the young husband killed in the war.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was too early for tea, but he produced some home-made ginger beer, and some currant cake.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading His daughter, a sad-faced young woman, had traces of tears on her cheeks.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading His daughter, a sad-faced young woman, had traces of tears on her cheeks.
