used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A few days later the Judge stood at the foot of the staircase leading up to the children’s rooms and inwardly wondered.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading “O, Lord, forgive me for what I am about to do,” she prayed, piously; then she unclasped her hands and took in them a crumpled handkerchief.
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading “O, Lord, forgive me for what I am about to do,” she prayed, piously; then she unclasped her hands and took in them a crumpled handkerchief.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A few days later the Judge stood at the foot of the staircase leading up to the children’s rooms and inwardly wondered.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading A few days later the Judge stood at the foot of the staircase leading up to the children’s rooms and inwardly wondered.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading She had her dress pinned up, a towel fastened round her waist, sleeves rolled back, and beside her on the step a little tin can and a cake of Hittaker’s soap.
next to; at the side of
From this reading She had her dress pinned up, a towel fastened round her waist, sleeves rolled back, and beside her on the step a little tin can and a cake of Hittaker’s soap.
Bethany
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Bethany was kneeling down on the top step.
cakenounUS /keɪk/
a block of solid substance (such as soap or wax)
From this reading She had her dress pinned up, a towel fastened round her waist, sleeves rolled back, and beside her on the step a little tin can and a cake of Hittaker’s soap.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading She had her dress pinned up, a towel fastened round her waist, sleeves rolled back, and beside her on the step a little tin can and a cake of Hittaker’s soap.
children's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A few days later the Judge stood at the foot of the staircase leading up to the children’s rooms and inwardly wondered.
crumpledadjectiveUS /ˈkrʌmpəld/
of metal e.g.
From this reading “O, Lord, forgive me for what I am about to do,” she prayed, piously; then she unclasped her hands and took in them a crumpled handkerchief.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading A few days later the Judge stood at the foot of the staircase leading up to the children’s rooms and inwardly wondered.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading “O, Lord, forgive me for what I am about to do,” she prayed, piously; then she unclasped her hands and took in them a crumpled handkerchief.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Bethany was kneeling down on the top step.
put on clothes
From this reading She had her dress pinned up, a towel fastened round her waist, sleeves rolled back, and beside her on the step a little tin can and a cake of Hittaker’s soap.
firmly closed or secured
From this reading She had her dress pinned up, a towel fastened round her waist, sleeves rolled back, and beside her on the step a little tin can and a cake of Hittaker’s soap.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading A few days later the Judge stood at the foot of the staircase leading up to the children’s rooms and inwardly wondered.
the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading A few days later the Judge stood at the foot of the staircase leading up to the children’s rooms and inwardly wondered.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading “O, Lord, forgive me for what I am about to do,” she prayed, piously; then she unclasped her hands and took in them a crumpled handkerchief.
stop blaming or grant forgiveness
From this reading “O, Lord, forgive me for what I am about to do,” she prayed, piously; then she unclasped her hands and took in them a crumpled handkerchief.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading She had her dress pinned up, a towel fastened round her waist, sleeves rolled back, and beside her on the step a little tin can and a cake of Hittaker’s soap.
a square piece of cloth used for wiping the eyes or nose or as a costume accessory
From this reading “O, Lord, forgive me for what I am about to do,” she prayed, piously; then she unclasped her hands and took in them a crumpled handkerchief.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading “O, Lord, forgive me for what I am about to do,” she prayed, piously; then she unclasped her hands and took in them a crumpled handkerchief.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading “O, Lord, forgive me for what I am about to do,” she prayed, piously; then she unclasped her hands and took in them a crumpled handkerchief.
Hittaker's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had her dress pinned up, a towel fastened round her waist, sleeves rolled back, and beside her on the step a little tin can and a cake of Hittaker’s soap.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “O, Lord, forgive me for what I am about to do,” she prayed, piously; then she unclasped her hands and took in them a crumpled handkerchief.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading “O, Lord, forgive me for what I am about to do,” she prayed, piously; then she unclasped her hands and took in them a crumpled handkerchief.
inwardlyadverbUS /ˈɪnwərdli/
with respect to private feelings
From this reading A few days later the Judge stood at the foot of the staircase leading up to the children’s rooms and inwardly wondered.
determine the result of (a competition)
From this reading A few days later the Judge stood at the foot of the staircase leading up to the children’s rooms and inwardly wondered.
kneelingnounUS /ˈniːlɪŋ/
supporting yourself on your knees
From this reading Bethany was kneeling down on the top step.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading A few days later the Judge stood at the foot of the staircase leading up to the children’s rooms and inwardly wondered.
indicating the most important performer or role
From this reading A few days later the Judge stood at the foot of the staircase leading up to the children’s rooms and inwardly wondered.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading She had her dress pinned up, a towel fastened round her waist, sleeves rolled back, and beside her on the step a little tin can and a cake of Hittaker’s soap.
terms referring to the Judeo-Christian God
From this reading “O, Lord, forgive me for what I am about to do,” she prayed, piously; then she unclasped her hands and took in them a crumpled handkerchief.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “O, Lord, forgive me for what I am about to do,” she prayed, piously; then she unclasped her hands and took in them a crumpled handkerchief.
a nonmetallic bivalent element that is normally a colorless odorless tasteless nonflammable diatomic gas; constitutes 21 percent of the atmosphere by volume; the most abundant element in the earth's crust
From this reading “O, Lord, forgive me for what I am about to do,” she prayed, piously; then she unclasped her hands and took in them a crumpled handkerchief.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A few days later the Judge stood at the foot of the staircase leading up to the children’s rooms and inwardly wondered.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Bethany was kneeling down on the top step.
pinnedverbUS /pɪnd/
inflected form of “pin” — to hold fast or prevent from moving
From this reading She had her dress pinned up, a towel fastened round her waist, sleeves rolled back, and beside her on the step a little tin can and a cake of Hittaker’s soap.
piouslyadverbUS /ˈpaɪəsli/
in a devout and pious manner
From this reading “O, Lord, forgive me for what I am about to do,” she prayed, piously; then she unclasped her hands and took in them a crumpled handkerchief.
prayedverbUS /preɪd/
past form of “pray” — address a deity, a prophet, a saint or an object of worship; say a prayer
From this reading “O, Lord, forgive me for what I am about to do,” she prayed, piously; then she unclasped her hands and took in them a crumpled handkerchief.
especially of petals or leaves in bud; having margins rolled inward
From this reading She had her dress pinned up, a towel fastened round her waist, sleeves rolled back, and beside her on the step a little tin can and a cake of Hittaker’s soap.
apartment consisting of a series of connected rooms used as a living unit (as in a hotel)
From this reading A few days later the Judge stood at the foot of the staircase leading up to the children’s rooms and inwardly wondered.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading She had her dress pinned up, a towel fastened round her waist, sleeves rolled back, and beside her on the step a little tin can and a cake of Hittaker’s soap.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “O, Lord, forgive me for what I am about to do,” she prayed, piously; then she unclasped her hands and took in them a crumpled handkerchief.
sleevesnounUS /sliːvz/
plural of “sleeve” — the part of a garment that is attached at the armhole and that provides a cloth covering for the arm
From this reading She had her dress pinned up, a towel fastened round her waist, sleeves rolled back, and beside her on the step a little tin can and a cake of Hittaker’s soap.
soapnounUS /soʊp/
a cleansing agent made from the salts of vegetable or animal fats
From this reading She had her dress pinned up, a towel fastened round her waist, sleeves rolled back, and beside her on the step a little tin can and a cake of Hittaker’s soap.
staircasenounUS /ˈsterkeɪs/
a way of access (upward and downward) consisting of a set of steps
From this reading A few days later the Judge stood at the foot of the staircase leading up to the children’s rooms and inwardly wondered.
past form of “stare” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading The Judge still stared.
any maneuver made as part of progress toward a goal
From this reading Bethany was kneeling down on the top step.
not in physical motion
From this reading The Judge still stared.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading A few days later the Judge stood at the foot of the staircase leading up to the children’s rooms and inwardly wondered.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A few days later the Judge stood at the foot of the staircase leading up to the children’s rooms and inwardly wondered.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading “O, Lord, forgive me for what I am about to do,” she prayed, piously; then she unclasped her hands and took in them a crumpled handkerchief.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading “O, Lord, forgive me for what I am about to do,” she prayed, piously; then she unclasped her hands and took in them a crumpled handkerchief.
tinnounUS /tɪn/
a silvery malleable metallic element that resists corrosion; used in many alloys and to coat other metals to prevent corrosion; obtained chiefly from cassiterite where it occurs as tin oxide
From this reading She had her dress pinned up, a towel fastened round her waist, sleeves rolled back, and beside her on the step a little tin can and a cake of Hittaker’s soap.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A few days later the Judge stood at the foot of the staircase leading up to the children’s rooms and inwardly wondered.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading “O, Lord, forgive me for what I am about to do,” she prayed, piously; then she unclasped her hands and took in them a crumpled handkerchief.
the upper part of anything
From this reading Bethany was kneeling down on the top step.
towelnounUS /ˈtaʊəl/
a rectangular piece of absorbent cloth (or paper) for drying or wiping
From this reading She had her dress pinned up, a towel fastened round her waist, sleeves rolled back, and beside her on the step a little tin can and a cake of Hittaker’s soap.
unclasped
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “O, Lord, forgive me for what I am about to do,” she prayed, piously; then she unclasped her hands and took in them a crumpled handkerchief.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading A few days later the Judge stood at the foot of the staircase leading up to the children’s rooms and inwardly wondered.
the narrowing of the body between the ribs and hips
From this reading She had her dress pinned up, a towel fastened round her waist, sleeves rolled back, and beside her on the step a little tin can and a cake of Hittaker’s soap.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Bethany was kneeling down on the top step.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading “O, Lord, forgive me for what I am about to do,” she prayed, piously; then she unclasped her hands and took in them a crumpled handkerchief.
past form of “wonder” — have a wish or desire to know something
From this reading A few days later the Judge stood at the foot of the staircase leading up to the children’s rooms and inwardly wondered.
