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adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading She had lived alone so long and her habits were so fixed that she dreaded the thought of a young person singing and whistling and banging doors and slatting her things round.
againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading She had tried to guard against some of these habits in her letter to Roger, but there was no knowing what a girl would do, and Lucy Potter’s girl, too.
almost
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I shall use her well, of course,” she said many times, and as often as she dusted her mantel in the front room where Elithe’s picture was standing she stopped and looked at the face and talked to it until she almost felt that it was the real Elithe whose dark eyes met hers so seriously.
alonenounUS /alone/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She had lived alone so long and her habits were so fixed that she dreaded the thought of a young person singing and whistling and banging doors and slatting her things round.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She had lived alone so long and her habits were so fixed that she dreaded the thought of a young person singing and whistling and banging doors and slatting her things round.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading “I shall use her well, of course,” she said many times, and as often as she dusted her mantel in the front room where Elithe’s picture was standing she stopped and looked at the face and talked to it until she almost felt that it was the real Elithe whose dark eyes met hers so seriously.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading “I shall use her well, of course,” she said many times, and as often as she dusted her mantel in the front room where Elithe’s picture was standing she stopped and looked at the face and talked to it until she almost felt that it was the real Elithe whose dark eyes met hers so seriously.
banging
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From this reading She had lived alone so long and her habits were so fixed that she dreaded the thought of a young person singing and whistling and banging doors and slatting her things round.
best
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From this reading Still she had committed herself and must make the best of it.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading She had tried to guard against some of these habits in her letter to Roger, but there was no knowing what a girl would do, and Lucy Potter’s girl, too.
committed
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From this reading Still she had committed herself and must make the best of it.
coursenounUS /course/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “I shall use her well, of course,” she said many times, and as often as she dusted her mantel in the front room where Elithe’s picture was standing she stopped and looked at the face and talked to it until she almost felt that it was the real Elithe whose dark eyes met hers so seriously.
dark
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I shall use her well, of course,” she said many times, and as often as she dusted her mantel in the front room where Elithe’s picture was standing she stopped and looked at the face and talked to it until she almost felt that it was the real Elithe whose dark eyes met hers so seriously.
doauxiliary verbUS /duː/
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading She had tried to guard against some of these habits in her letter to Roger, but there was no knowing what a girl would do, and Lucy Potter’s girl, too.
doors
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had lived alone so long and her habits were so fixed that she dreaded the thought of a young person singing and whistling and banging doors and slatting her things round.
dreaded
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had lived alone so long and her habits were so fixed that she dreaded the thought of a young person singing and whistling and banging doors and slatting her things round.
dusted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I shall use her well, of course,” she said many times, and as often as she dusted her mantel in the front room where Elithe’s picture was standing she stopped and looked at the face and talked to it until she almost felt that it was the real Elithe whose dark eyes met hers so seriously.
Elithe
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I shall use her well, of course,” she said many times, and as often as she dusted her mantel in the front room where Elithe’s picture was standing she stopped and looked at the face and talked to it until she almost felt that it was the real Elithe whose dark eyes met hers so seriously.
Elithe's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I shall use her well, of course,” she said many times, and as often as she dusted her mantel in the front room where Elithe’s picture was standing she stopped and looked at the face and talked to it until she almost felt that it was the real Elithe whose dark eyes met hers so seriously.
eyes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I shall use her well, of course,” she said many times, and as often as she dusted her mantel in the front room where Elithe’s picture was standing she stopped and looked at the face and talked to it until she almost felt that it was the real Elithe whose dark eyes met hers so seriously.
face
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I shall use her well, of course,” she said many times, and as often as she dusted her mantel in the front room where Elithe’s picture was standing she stopped and looked at the face and talked to it until she almost felt that it was the real Elithe whose dark eyes met hers so seriously.
felt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I shall use her well, of course,” she said many times, and as often as she dusted her mantel in the front room where Elithe’s picture was standing she stopped and looked at the face and talked to it until she almost felt that it was the real Elithe whose dark eyes met hers so seriously.
fixed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had lived alone so long and her habits were so fixed that she dreaded the thought of a young person singing and whistling and banging doors and slatting her things round.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Miss Hansford had had many misgivings with regard to the wisdom of having sent for her niece.
front
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I shall use her well, of course,” she said many times, and as often as she dusted her mantel in the front room where Elithe’s picture was standing she stopped and looked at the face and talked to it until she almost felt that it was the real Elithe whose dark eyes met hers so seriously.
girl
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had tried to guard against some of these habits in her letter to Roger, but there was no knowing what a girl would do, and Lucy Potter’s girl, too.
guard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had tried to guard against some of these habits in her letter to Roger, but there was no knowing what a girl would do, and Lucy Potter’s girl, too.
habits
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had lived alone so long and her habits were so fixed that she dreaded the thought of a young person singing and whistling and banging doors and slatting her things round.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Miss Hansford had had many misgivings with regard to the wisdom of having sent for her niece.
Hansford
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From this reading Miss Hansford had had many misgivings with regard to the wisdom of having sent for her niece.
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading Miss Hansford had had many misgivings with regard to the wisdom of having sent for her niece.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Miss Hansford had had many misgivings with regard to the wisdom of having sent for her niece.
herspronounUS /hərz/
the one or ones belonging to her
From this reading “I shall use her well, of course,” she said many times, and as often as she dusted her mantel in the front room where Elithe’s picture was standing she stopped and looked at the face and talked to it until she almost felt that it was the real Elithe whose dark eyes met hers so seriously.
herselfpronounUS /hərˈself/
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading Still she had committed herself and must make the best of it.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “I shall use her well, of course,” she said many times, and as often as she dusted her mantel in the front room where Elithe’s picture was standing she stopped and looked at the face and talked to it until she almost felt that it was the real Elithe whose dark eyes met hers so seriously.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading She had tried to guard against some of these habits in her letter to Roger, but there was no knowing what a girl would do, and Lucy Potter’s girl, too.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Still she had committed herself and must make the best of it.
knowing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had tried to guard against some of these habits in her letter to Roger, but there was no knowing what a girl would do, and Lucy Potter’s girl, too.
letter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had tried to guard against some of these habits in her letter to Roger, but there was no knowing what a girl would do, and Lucy Potter’s girl, too.
lived
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had lived alone so long and her habits were so fixed that she dreaded the thought of a young person singing and whistling and banging doors and slatting her things round.
longnounUS /long/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She had lived alone so long and her habits were so fixed that she dreaded the thought of a young person singing and whistling and banging doors and slatting her things round.
lookednounUS /looked/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “I shall use her well, of course,” she said many times, and as often as she dusted her mantel in the front room where Elithe’s picture was standing she stopped and looked at the face and talked to it until she almost felt that it was the real Elithe whose dark eyes met hers so seriously.
Lucy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had tried to guard against some of these habits in her letter to Roger, but there was no knowing what a girl would do, and Lucy Potter’s girl, too.
makenounUS /make/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Still she had committed herself and must make the best of it.
mantel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I shall use her well, of course,” she said many times, and as often as she dusted her mantel in the front room where Elithe’s picture was standing she stopped and looked at the face and talked to it until she almost felt that it was the real Elithe whose dark eyes met hers so seriously.
many
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Miss Hansford had had many misgivings with regard to the wisdom of having sent for her niece.
met
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I shall use her well, of course,” she said many times, and as often as she dusted her mantel in the front room where Elithe’s picture was standing she stopped and looked at the face and talked to it until she almost felt that it was the real Elithe whose dark eyes met hers so seriously.
misgivings
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Miss Hansford had had many misgivings with regard to the wisdom of having sent for her niece.
Miss
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Miss Hansford had had many misgivings with regard to the wisdom of having sent for her niece.
mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading Still she had committed herself and must make the best of it.
niece
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Miss Hansford had had many misgivings with regard to the wisdom of having sent for her niece.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading She had tried to guard against some of these habits in her letter to Roger, but there was no knowing what a girl would do, and Lucy Potter’s girl, too.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Miss Hansford had had many misgivings with regard to the wisdom of having sent for her niece.
often
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I shall use her well, of course,” she said many times, and as often as she dusted her mantel in the front room where Elithe’s picture was standing she stopped and looked at the face and talked to it until she almost felt that it was the real Elithe whose dark eyes met hers so seriously.
person
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had lived alone so long and her habits were so fixed that she dreaded the thought of a young person singing and whistling and banging doors and slatting her things round.
picture
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I shall use her well, of course,” she said many times, and as often as she dusted her mantel in the front room where Elithe’s picture was standing she stopped and looked at the face and talked to it until she almost felt that it was the real Elithe whose dark eyes met hers so seriously.
Potter's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had tried to guard against some of these habits in her letter to Roger, but there was no knowing what a girl would do, and Lucy Potter’s girl, too.
real
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I shall use her well, of course,” she said many times, and as often as she dusted her mantel in the front room where Elithe’s picture was standing she stopped and looked at the face and talked to it until she almost felt that it was the real Elithe whose dark eyes met hers so seriously.
regard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Miss Hansford had had many misgivings with regard to the wisdom of having sent for her niece.
Roger
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had tried to guard against some of these habits in her letter to Roger, but there was no knowing what a girl would do, and Lucy Potter’s girl, too.
room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I shall use her well, of course,” she said many times, and as often as she dusted her mantel in the front room where Elithe’s picture was standing she stopped and looked at the face and talked to it until she almost felt that it was the real Elithe whose dark eyes met hers so seriously.
round
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had lived alone so long and her habits were so fixed that she dreaded the thought of a young person singing and whistling and banging doors and slatting her things round.
said
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I shall use her well, of course,” she said many times, and as often as she dusted her mantel in the front room where Elithe’s picture was standing she stopped and looked at the face and talked to it until she almost felt that it was the real Elithe whose dark eyes met hers so seriously.
sent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Miss Hansford had had many misgivings with regard to the wisdom of having sent for her niece.
seriously
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I shall use her well, of course,” she said many times, and as often as she dusted her mantel in the front room where Elithe’s picture was standing she stopped and looked at the face and talked to it until she almost felt that it was the real Elithe whose dark eyes met hers so seriously.
shallmodal verbUS /ʃæl/
used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest
From this reading “I shall use her well, of course,” she said many times, and as often as she dusted her mantel in the front room where Elithe’s picture was standing she stopped and looked at the face and talked to it until she almost felt that it was the real Elithe whose dark eyes met hers so seriously.
ShepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She had lived alone so long and her habits were so fixed that she dreaded the thought of a young person singing and whistling and banging doors and slatting her things round.
singing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had lived alone so long and her habits were so fixed that she dreaded the thought of a young person singing and whistling and banging doors and slatting her things round.
slatting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had lived alone so long and her habits were so fixed that she dreaded the thought of a young person singing and whistling and banging doors and slatting her things round.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading She had lived alone so long and her habits were so fixed that she dreaded the thought of a young person singing and whistling and banging doors and slatting her things round.
some
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had tried to guard against some of these habits in her letter to Roger, but there was no knowing what a girl would do, and Lucy Potter’s girl, too.
standingnounUS /ˈstanding/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading “I shall use her well, of course,” she said many times, and as often as she dusted her mantel in the front room where Elithe’s picture was standing she stopped and looked at the face and talked to it until she almost felt that it was the real Elithe whose dark eyes met hers so seriously.
StillnounUS /still/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Still she had committed herself and must make the best of it.
stoppednounUS /stopped/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “I shall use her well, of course,” she said many times, and as often as she dusted her mantel in the front room where Elithe’s picture was standing she stopped and looked at the face and talked to it until she almost felt that it was the real Elithe whose dark eyes met hers so seriously.
talked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I shall use her well, of course,” she said many times, and as often as she dusted her mantel in the front room where Elithe’s picture was standing she stopped and looked at the face and talked to it until she almost felt that it was the real Elithe whose dark eyes met hers so seriously.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading She had lived alone so long and her habits were so fixed that she dreaded the thought of a young person singing and whistling and banging doors and slatting her things round.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Miss Hansford had had many misgivings with regard to the wisdom of having sent for her niece.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had tried to guard against some of these habits in her letter to Roger, but there was no knowing what a girl would do, and Lucy Potter’s girl, too.
thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading She had tried to guard against some of these habits in her letter to Roger, but there was no knowing what a girl would do, and Lucy Potter’s girl, too.
things
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had lived alone so long and her habits were so fixed that she dreaded the thought of a young person singing and whistling and banging doors and slatting her things round.
thoughtnounUS /thought/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She had lived alone so long and her habits were so fixed that she dreaded the thought of a young person singing and whistling and banging doors and slatting her things round.
times
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I shall use her well, of course,” she said many times, and as often as she dusted her mantel in the front room where Elithe’s picture was standing she stopped and looked at the face and talked to it until she almost felt that it was the real Elithe whose dark eyes met hers so seriously.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Miss Hansford had had many misgivings with regard to the wisdom of having sent for her niece.
too
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had tried to guard against some of these habits in her letter to Roger, but there was no knowing what a girl would do, and Lucy Potter’s girl, too.
tried
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had tried to guard against some of these habits in her letter to Roger, but there was no knowing what a girl would do, and Lucy Potter’s girl, too.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading “I shall use her well, of course,” she said many times, and as often as she dusted her mantel in the front room where Elithe’s picture was standing she stopped and looked at the face and talked to it until she almost felt that it was the real Elithe whose dark eyes met hers so seriously.
use
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I shall use her well, of course,” she said many times, and as often as she dusted her mantel in the front room where Elithe’s picture was standing she stopped and looked at the face and talked to it until she almost felt that it was the real Elithe whose dark eyes met hers so seriously.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading She had tried to guard against some of these habits in her letter to Roger, but there was no knowing what a girl would do, and Lucy Potter’s girl, too.
well
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I shall use her well, of course,” she said many times, and as often as she dusted her mantel in the front room where Elithe’s picture was standing she stopped and looked at the face and talked to it until she almost felt that it was the real Elithe whose dark eyes met hers so seriously.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading She had lived alone so long and her habits were so fixed that she dreaded the thought of a young person singing and whistling and banging doors and slatting her things round.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading She had tried to guard against some of these habits in her letter to Roger, but there was no knowing what a girl would do, and Lucy Potter’s girl, too.
whereconjunctionUS /wer/
in or at the place that
From this reading “I shall use her well, of course,” she said many times, and as often as she dusted her mantel in the front room where Elithe’s picture was standing she stopped and looked at the face and talked to it until she almost felt that it was the real Elithe whose dark eyes met hers so seriously.
whistling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had lived alone so long and her habits were so fixed that she dreaded the thought of a young person singing and whistling and banging doors and slatting her things round.
whosedeterminerUS /huːz/
belonging to which person
From this reading “I shall use her well, of course,” she said many times, and as often as she dusted her mantel in the front room where Elithe’s picture was standing she stopped and looked at the face and talked to it until she almost felt that it was the real Elithe whose dark eyes met hers so seriously.
wisdom
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Miss Hansford had had many misgivings with regard to the wisdom of having sent for her niece.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Miss Hansford had had many misgivings with regard to the wisdom of having sent for her niece.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading She had tried to guard against some of these habits in her letter to Roger, but there was no knowing what a girl would do, and Lucy Potter’s girl, too.
young
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had lived alone so long and her habits were so fixed that she dreaded the thought of a young person singing and whistling and banging doors and slatting her things round.
