Chapter XIV · Miss Hansford and Elithe

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.

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.

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

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.

Having no one else present.

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.

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.

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.

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.

a continuing very loud noise

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.

the supreme effort one can make

From this reading Still she had committed herself and must make the best of it.

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.

bound or obligated, as under a pledge to a particular cause, action, or attitude

From this reading Still she had committed herself and must make the best of it.

education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings

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.

absence of light or illumination

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.

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.

plural of “door” — a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle

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.

causing fear or dread or terror

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.

past form of “dust” — remove the dust from

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.

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.

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.

opinion or judgment

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.

the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear

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.

mat together and make felt-like

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.

(of a number) having a fixed and unchanging value

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.

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.

the side that is forward or prominent

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.

a young female

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.

a person who keeps watch over something or someone

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.

plural of “habit” — an established custom

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Still she had committed herself and must make the best of it.

evidencing the possession of inside information

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.

a written message addressed to a person or organization

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.

past form of “live” — be an inhabitant of or reside in

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.

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 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.

past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

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.

incomplete skeleton of female found in eastern Ethiopia in 1974

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.

engage in

From this reading Still she had committed herself and must make the best of it.

shelf that projects from wall above fireplace

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.

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 Miss Hansford had had many misgivings with regard to the wisdom of having sent for her niece.

inflected form of “meet” — come together

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.

plural of “misgiving” — uneasiness about the fitness of an action

From this reading Miss Hansford had had many misgivings with regard to the wisdom of having sent for her niece.

fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind

From this reading Miss Hansford had had many misgivings with regard to the wisdom of having sent for her niece.

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.

a daughter of your brother or sister

From this reading Miss Hansford had had many misgivings with regard to the wisdom of having sent for her niece.

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.

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.

many times at short intervals

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.

a human being

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.

a visual representation (of an object or scene or person or abstraction) produced on a surface

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.

possessive form of “potter” — a craftsman who shapes pottery on a potter's wheel and bakes them it a kiln

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.

being or occurring in fact or actuality; having verified existence; not illusory

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.

(usually preceded by “in”) a detail or point

From this reading Miss Hansford had had many misgivings with regard to the wisdom of having sent for her niece.

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.

an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling

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.

a charge of ammunition for a single shot

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.

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

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.

100 senti equal 1 kroon in Estonia

From this reading Miss Hansford had had many misgivings with regard to the wisdom of having sent for her niece.

in a serious manner

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.

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.

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.

the act of singing vocal music

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.

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.

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.

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

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.

having a supporting base

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.

not in physical motion

From this reading Still she had committed herself and must make the best of it.

(of a nose) blocked

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.

past form of “talk” — exchange thoughts; talk with

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.

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.

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.

in or at that place or location

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.

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.

any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)

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.

the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

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.

a more or less definite period of time now or previously present

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.

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.

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

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.

tested and proved useful or correct

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.

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.

the act of using

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.

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.

(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)

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.

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.

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.

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.

the sound made by something moving rapidly or by steam coming out of a small aperture

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.

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.

accumulated knowledge or erudition or enlightenment

From this reading Miss Hansford had had many misgivings with regard to the wisdom of having sent for her niece.

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.

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.

(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

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.