Chapter XII

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading One little girl, with whom she had spent a few hours, was in mourning, so she wore white, bound with blue.

plural of “afternoon” — the part of the day between noon and evening

From this reading SYBIL had made several friends amongst Cantonese ladies and children, and some very pleasant afternoons had she spent with them.

surrounded by; in the company of

From this reading SYBIL had made several friends amongst Cantonese ladies and children, and some very pleasant afternoons had she spent with them.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading SYBIL had made several friends amongst Cantonese ladies and children, and some very pleasant afternoons had she spent with them.

plural of “ankle” — a gliding joint between the distal ends of the tibia and fibula and the proximal end of the talus

From this reading Sybil could not help thinking that this was very pretty mourning, but her brother's was still prettier, for his trousers were of pale blue silk tied round the ankles, and he wore white shoes.

of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky

From this reading One little girl, with whom she had spent a few hours, was in mourning, so she wore white, bound with blue.

confined by bonds

From this reading One little girl, with whom she had spent a few hours, was in mourning, so she wore white, bound with blue.

possessive form of “brother” — a male with the same parents as someone else

From this reading Sybil could not help thinking that this was very pretty mourning, but her brother's was still prettier, for his trousers were of pale blue silk tied round the ankles, and he wore white shoes.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Sybil could not help thinking that this was very pretty mourning, but her brother's was still prettier, for his trousers were of pale blue silk tied round the ankles, and he wore white shoes.

the dialect of Chinese spoken in Canton and neighboring provinces and in Hong Kong and elsewhere outside China

From this reading SYBIL had made several friends amongst Cantonese ladies and children, and some very pleasant afternoons had she spent with them.

plural of “child” — a young person of either sex

From this reading SYBIL had made several friends amongst Cantonese ladies and children, and some very pleasant afternoons had she spent with them.

soft silky fibers from cotton plants in their raw state

From this reading The girls, she noticed, generally wore cotton tunics and trousers.

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading Sybil could not help thinking that this was very pretty mourning, but her brother's was still prettier, for his trousers were of pale blue silk tied round the ankles, and he wore white shoes.

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number

From this reading One little girl, with whom she had spent a few hours, was in mourning, so she wore white, bound with blue.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Sybil could not help thinking that this was very pretty mourning, but her brother's was still prettier, for his trousers were of pale blue silk tied round the ankles, and he wore white shoes.

plural of “friend” — a person you know well and regard with affection and trust

From this reading SYBIL had made several friends amongst Cantonese ladies and children, and some very pleasant afternoons had she spent with them.

usually; as a rule

From this reading The girls, she noticed, generally wore cotton tunics and trousers.

a young female

From this reading One little girl, with whom she had spent a few hours, was in mourning, so she wore white, bound with blue.

plural of “girl” — a young female

From this reading The girls, she noticed, generally wore cotton tunics and trousers.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading SYBIL had made several friends amongst Cantonese ladies and children, and some very pleasant afternoons had she spent with them.

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Sybil could not help thinking that this was very pretty mourning, but her brother's was still prettier, for his trousers were of pale blue silk tied round the ankles, and he wore white shoes.

give help or assistance; be of service

From this reading Sybil could not help thinking that this was very pretty mourning, but her brother's was still prettier, for his trousers were of pale blue silk tied round the ankles, and he wore white shoes.

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading Sybil could not help thinking that this was very pretty mourning, but her brother's was still prettier, for his trousers were of pale blue silk tied round the ankles, and he wore white shoes.

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading Sybil could not help thinking that this was very pretty mourning, but her brother's was still prettier, for his trousers were of pale blue silk tied round the ankles, and he wore white shoes.

a period of time assigned for work

From this reading One little girl, with whom she had spent a few hours, was in mourning, so she wore white, bound with blue.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading One little girl, with whom she had spent a few hours, was in mourning, so she wore white, bound with blue.

plural of “lady” — a polite name for any woman

From this reading SYBIL had made several friends amongst Cantonese ladies and children, and some very pleasant afternoons had she spent with them.

immediately past

From this reading THE LAST PEEP.

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading One little girl, with whom she had spent a few hours, was in mourning, so she wore white, bound with blue.

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading SYBIL had made several friends amongst Cantonese ladies and children, and some very pleasant afternoons had she spent with them.

state of sorrow over the death or departure of a loved one

From this reading One little girl, with whom she had spent a few hours, was in mourning, so she wore white, bound with blue.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Sybil could not help thinking that this was very pretty mourning, but her brother's was still prettier, for his trousers were of pale blue silk tied round the ankles, and he wore white shoes.

being perceived or observed

From this reading The girls, she noticed, generally wore cotton tunics and trousers.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Sybil could not help thinking that this was very pretty mourning, but her brother's was still prettier, for his trousers were of pale blue silk tied round the ankles, and he wore white shoes.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading One little girl, with whom she had spent a few hours, was in mourning, so she wore white, bound with blue.

very light colored; highly diluted with white

From this reading Sybil could not help thinking that this was very pretty mourning, but her brother's was still prettier, for his trousers were of pale blue silk tied round the ankles, and he wore white shoes.

look furtively

From this reading THE LAST PEEP.

affording pleasure; being in harmony with your taste or likings

From this reading SYBIL had made several friends amongst Cantonese ladies and children, and some very pleasant afternoons had she spent with them.

comparative of “pretty” — pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing

From this reading Sybil could not help thinking that this was very pretty mourning, but her brother's was still prettier, for his trousers were of pale blue silk tied round the ankles, and he wore white shoes.

pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing

From this reading Sybil could not help thinking that this was very pretty mourning, but her brother's was still prettier, for his trousers were of pale blue silk tied round the ankles, and he wore white shoes.

a charge of ammunition for a single shot

From this reading Sybil could not help thinking that this was very pretty mourning, but her brother's was still prettier, for his trousers were of pale blue silk tied round the ankles, and he wore white shoes.

(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many

From this reading SYBIL had made several friends amongst Cantonese ladies and children, and some very pleasant afternoons had she spent with them.

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading SYBIL had made several friends amongst Cantonese ladies and children, and some very pleasant afternoons had she spent with them.

a particular situation

From this reading Sybil could not help thinking that this was very pretty mourning, but her brother's was still prettier, for his trousers were of pale blue silk tied round the ankles, and he wore white shoes.

a fabric made from the fine threads produced by certain insect larvae

From this reading Sybil could not help thinking that this was very pretty mourning, but her brother's was still prettier, for his trousers were of pale blue silk tied round the ankles, and he wore white shoes.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading One little girl, with whom she had spent a few hours, was in mourning, so she wore white, bound with blue.

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

From this reading SYBIL had made several friends amongst Cantonese ladies and children, and some very pleasant afternoons had she spent with them.

depleted of energy, force, or strength

From this reading SYBIL had made several friends amongst Cantonese ladies and children, and some very pleasant afternoons had she spent with them.

not in physical motion

From this reading Sybil could not help thinking that this was very pretty mourning, but her brother's was still prettier, for his trousers were of pale blue silk tied round the ankles, and he wore white shoes.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading SYBIL had made several friends amongst Cantonese ladies and children, and some very pleasant afternoons had she spent with them.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Sybil could not help thinking that this was very pretty mourning, but her brother's was still prettier, for his trousers were of pale blue silk tied round the ankles, and he wore white shoes.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading THE LAST PEEP.

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading SYBIL had made several friends amongst Cantonese ladies and children, and some very pleasant afternoons had she spent with them.

the process of using your mind to consider something carefully

From this reading Sybil could not help thinking that this was very pretty mourning, but her brother's was still prettier, for his trousers were of pale blue silk tied round the ankles, and he wore white shoes.

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading Sybil could not help thinking that this was very pretty mourning, but her brother's was still prettier, for his trousers were of pale blue silk tied round the ankles, and he wore white shoes.

bound or secured closely

From this reading Sybil could not help thinking that this was very pretty mourning, but her brother's was still prettier, for his trousers were of pale blue silk tied round the ankles, and he wore white shoes.

(usually in the plural) a garment extending from the waist to the knee or ankle, covering each leg separately

From this reading The girls, she noticed, generally wore cotton tunics and trousers.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The girls, she noticed, generally wore cotton tunics and trousers.

precisely as stated

From this reading SYBIL had made several friends amongst Cantonese ladies and children, and some very pleasant afternoons had she spent with them.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading One little girl, with whom she had spent a few hours, was in mourning, so she wore white, bound with blue.

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading Sybil could not help thinking that this was very pretty mourning, but her brother's was still prettier, for his trousers were of pale blue silk tied round the ankles, and he wore white shoes.

a Caucasian

From this reading One little girl, with whom she had spent a few hours, was in mourning, so she wore white, bound with blue.

the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading One little girl, with whom she had spent a few hours, was in mourning, so she wore white, bound with blue.

in the company of; together with

From this reading SYBIL had made several friends amongst Cantonese ladies and children, and some very pleasant afternoons had she spent with them.

inflected form of “wear” — be dressed in

From this reading The girls, she noticed, generally wore cotton tunics and trousers.