used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Presently, when her trouble had lightened a little, and Emmie was slowly advancing towards convalescence, she remembered her hardness with some compunction; and her heart grew soft and pitiful over the thought of that lonely sick-room.
advancingadjectiveUS /ədˈvænsɪŋ/
moving forward
From this reading Presently, when her trouble had lightened a little, and Emmie was slowly advancing towards convalescence, she remembered her hardness with some compunction; and her heart grew soft and pitiful over the thought of that lonely sick-room.
agedadjectiveUS /eɪdʒd/
advanced in years; (“aged” is pronounced as two syllables)
From this reading "Speak gently to the aged one; Grieve not the careworn heart: The sands of life are nearly run, Let such in peace depart."
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading AN ERRAND OF MERCY.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Presently, when her trouble had lightened a little, and Emmie was slowly advancing towards convalescence, she remembered her hardness with some compunction; and her heart grew soft and pitiful over the thought of that lonely sick-room.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "Speak gently to the aged one; Grieve not the careworn heart: The sands of life are nearly run, Let such in peace depart."
bitternessnounUS /ˈbɪtərnəs/
a feeling of deep and bitter anger and ill-will
From this reading "What was his life--his useless, loveless life--in comparison with Emmie's?" she thought with bitterness.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading _Christian Lyrics._ Caleb Runciman had told Queenie that Mr. Calcott was seriously ill; but the girl had received the news with indifference, making no comments.
Calcott
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _Christian Lyrics._ Caleb Runciman had told Queenie that Mr. Calcott was seriously ill; but the girl had received the news with indifference, making no comments.
Caleb
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _Christian Lyrics._ Caleb Runciman had told Queenie that Mr. Calcott was seriously ill; but the girl had received the news with indifference, making no comments.
carewornadjective
showing the wearing effects of overwork or care or suffering
From this reading "Speak gently to the aged one; Grieve not the careworn heart: The sands of life are nearly run, Let such in peace depart."
relating to or characteristic of Christianity
From this reading _Christian Lyrics._ Caleb Runciman had told Queenie that Mr. Calcott was seriously ill; but the girl had received the news with indifference, making no comments.
commentsnounUS /ˈkɑːments/
plural of “comment” — a statement that expresses a personal opinion or belief or adds information
From this reading _Christian Lyrics._ Caleb Runciman had told Queenie that Mr. Calcott was seriously ill; but the girl had received the news with indifference, making no comments.
comparisonnounUS /kəmˈperəsən/
the act of examining resemblances
From this reading "What was his life--his useless, loveless life--in comparison with Emmie's?" she thought with bitterness.
compunctionnounUS /kəmˈpʌŋkʃən/
a feeling of deep regret (usually for some misdeed)
From this reading Presently, when her trouble had lightened a little, and Emmie was slowly advancing towards convalescence, she remembered her hardness with some compunction; and her heart grew soft and pitiful over the thought of that lonely sick-room.
convalescencenounUS /ˌkɑːnvəˈlesəns/
gradual healing (through rest) after sickness or injury
From this reading Presently, when her trouble had lightened a little, and Emmie was slowly advancing towards convalescence, she remembered her hardness with some compunction; and her heart grew soft and pitiful over the thought of that lonely sick-room.
departverbUS /dɪˈpɑːrt/
move away from a place into another direction
From this reading "Speak gently to the aged one; Grieve not the careworn heart: The sands of life are nearly run, Let such in peace depart."
Emmie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Presently, when her trouble had lightened a little, and Emmie was slowly advancing towards convalescence, she remembered her hardness with some compunction; and her heart grew soft and pitiful over the thought of that lonely sick-room.
Emmie's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "What was his life--his useless, loveless life--in comparison with Emmie's?" she thought with bitterness.
ERRANDnounUS /ˈerənd/
a short trip that is taken in the performance of a necessary task or mission
From this reading AN ERRAND OF MERCY.
in a gradual manner
From this reading "Speak gently to the aged one; Grieve not the careworn heart: The sands of life are nearly run, Let such in peace depart."
a young female
From this reading _Christian Lyrics._ Caleb Runciman had told Queenie that Mr. Calcott was seriously ill; but the girl had received the news with indifference, making no comments.
inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading Presently, when her trouble had lightened a little, and Emmie was slowly advancing towards convalescence, she remembered her hardness with some compunction; and her heart grew soft and pitiful over the thought of that lonely sick-room.
GrieveverbUS /ɡriːv/
feel grief
From this reading "Speak gently to the aged one; Grieve not the careworn heart: The sands of life are nearly run, Let such in peace depart."
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading _Christian Lyrics._ Caleb Runciman had told Queenie that Mr. Calcott was seriously ill; but the girl had received the news with indifference, making no comments.
hardnessnounUS /ˈhɑːrdnəs/
the property of being rigid and resistant to pressure; not easily scratched; measured on Mohs scale
From this reading Presently, when her trouble had lightened a little, and Emmie was slowly advancing towards convalescence, she remembered her hardness with some compunction; and her heart grew soft and pitiful over the thought of that lonely sick-room.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading "Speak gently to the aged one; Grieve not the careworn heart: The sands of life are nearly run, Let such in peace depart."
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Presently, when her trouble had lightened a little, and Emmie was slowly advancing towards convalescence, she remembered her hardness with some compunction; and her heart grew soft and pitiful over the thought of that lonely sick-room.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading "What was his life--his useless, loveless life--in comparison with Emmie's?" she thought with bitterness.
affected by an impairment of normal physical or mental function
From this reading _Christian Lyrics._ Caleb Runciman had told Queenie that Mr. Calcott was seriously ill; but the girl had received the news with indifference, making no comments.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "Speak gently to the aged one; Grieve not the careworn heart: The sands of life are nearly run, Let such in peace depart."
indifferencenounUS /ˌɪnˈdɪfərəns/
unbiased impartial unconcern
From this reading _Christian Lyrics._ Caleb Runciman had told Queenie that Mr. Calcott was seriously ill; but the girl had received the news with indifference, making no comments.
Letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading "Speak gently to the aged one; Grieve not the careworn heart: The sands of life are nearly run, Let such in peace depart."
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading "Speak gently to the aged one; Grieve not the careworn heart: The sands of life are nearly run, Let such in peace depart."
lightenedverbUS /ˈlaɪtənd/
past form of “lighten” — make more cheerful
From this reading Presently, when her trouble had lightened a little, and Emmie was slowly advancing towards convalescence, she remembered her hardness with some compunction; and her heart grew soft and pitiful over the thought of that lonely sick-room.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Presently, when her trouble had lightened a little, and Emmie was slowly advancing towards convalescence, she remembered her hardness with some compunction; and her heart grew soft and pitiful over the thought of that lonely sick-room.
lacking companions or companionship
From this reading Presently, when her trouble had lightened a little, and Emmie was slowly advancing towards convalescence, she remembered her hardness with some compunction; and her heart grew soft and pitiful over the thought of that lonely sick-room.
lovelessadjectiveUS /ˈlʌvləs/
without love
From this reading "What was his life--his useless, loveless life--in comparison with Emmie's?" she thought with bitterness.
LyricsnounUS /ˈlɪrɪks/
plural of “lyric” — the text of a popular song or musical-comedy number
From this reading _Christian Lyrics._ Caleb Runciman had told Queenie that Mr. Calcott was seriously ill; but the girl had received the news with indifference, making no comments.
the act that results in something coming to be
From this reading _Christian Lyrics._ Caleb Runciman had told Queenie that Mr. Calcott was seriously ill; but the girl had received the news with indifference, making no comments.
leniency and compassion shown toward offenders by a person or agency charged with administering justice
From this reading AN ERRAND OF MERCY.
a form of address for a man
From this reading _Christian Lyrics._ Caleb Runciman had told Queenie that Mr. Calcott was seriously ill; but the girl had received the news with indifference, making no comments.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading "Speak gently to the aged one; Grieve not the careworn heart: The sands of life are nearly run, Let such in peace depart."
information about recent and important events
From this reading _Christian Lyrics._ Caleb Runciman had told Queenie that Mr. Calcott was seriously ill; but the girl had received the news with indifference, making no comments.
not any; not one
From this reading _Christian Lyrics._ Caleb Runciman had told Queenie that Mr. Calcott was seriously ill; but the girl had received the news with indifference, making no comments.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "Speak gently to the aged one; Grieve not the careworn heart: The sands of life are nearly run, Let such in peace depart."
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading AN ERRAND OF MERCY.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading "Speak gently to the aged one; Grieve not the careworn heart: The sands of life are nearly run, Let such in peace depart."
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Presently, when her trouble had lightened a little, and Emmie was slowly advancing towards convalescence, she remembered her hardness with some compunction; and her heart grew soft and pitiful over the thought of that lonely sick-room.
the state prevailing during the absence of war
From this reading "Speak gently to the aged one; Grieve not the careworn heart: The sands of life are nearly run, Let such in peace depart."
pitifuladjectiveUS /ˈpɪtəfəl/
inspiring mixed contempt and pity
From this reading Presently, when her trouble had lightened a little, and Emmie was slowly advancing towards convalescence, she remembered her hardness with some compunction; and her heart grew soft and pitiful over the thought of that lonely sick-room.
in the near future
From this reading Presently, when her trouble had lightened a little, and Emmie was slowly advancing towards convalescence, she remembered her hardness with some compunction; and her heart grew soft and pitiful over the thought of that lonely sick-room.
Queenie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _Christian Lyrics._ Caleb Runciman had told Queenie that Mr. Calcott was seriously ill; but the girl had received the news with indifference, making no comments.
conforming to the established language usage of educated native speakers
From this reading _Christian Lyrics._ Caleb Runciman had told Queenie that Mr. Calcott was seriously ill; but the girl had received the news with indifference, making no comments.
past form of “remember” — recall knowledge from memory; have a recollection
From this reading Presently, when her trouble had lightened a little, and Emmie was slowly advancing towards convalescence, she remembered her hardness with some compunction; and her heart grew soft and pitiful over the thought of that lonely sick-room.
move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading "Speak gently to the aged one; Grieve not the careworn heart: The sands of life are nearly run, Let such in peace depart."
Runciman
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _Christian Lyrics._ Caleb Runciman had told Queenie that Mr. Calcott was seriously ill; but the girl had received the news with indifference, making no comments.
sandsnounUS /sændz/
the region of the shore of a lake or sea or ocean
From this reading "Speak gently to the aged one; Grieve not the careworn heart: The sands of life are nearly run, Let such in peace depart."
in a serious manner
From this reading _Christian Lyrics._ Caleb Runciman had told Queenie that Mr. Calcott was seriously ill; but the girl had received the news with indifference, making no comments.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "What was his life--his useless, loveless life--in comparison with Emmie's?" she thought with bitterness.
sick-room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Presently, when her trouble had lightened a little, and Emmie was slowly advancing towards convalescence, she remembered her hardness with some compunction; and her heart grew soft and pitiful over the thought of that lonely sick-room.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading Presently, when her trouble had lightened a little, and Emmie was slowly advancing towards convalescence, she remembered her hardness with some compunction; and her heart grew soft and pitiful over the thought of that lonely sick-room.
yielding readily to pressure or weight
From this reading Presently, when her trouble had lightened a little, and Emmie was slowly advancing towards convalescence, she remembered her hardness with some compunction; and her heart grew soft and pitiful over the thought of that lonely sick-room.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Presently, when her trouble had lightened a little, and Emmie was slowly advancing towards convalescence, she remembered her hardness with some compunction; and her heart grew soft and pitiful over the thought of that lonely sick-room.
express in speech
From this reading "Speak gently to the aged one; Grieve not the careworn heart: The sands of life are nearly run, Let such in peace depart."
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading "Speak gently to the aged one; Grieve not the careworn heart: The sands of life are nearly run, Let such in peace depart."
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading _Christian Lyrics._ Caleb Runciman had told Queenie that Mr. Calcott was seriously ill; but the girl had received the news with indifference, making no comments.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "Speak gently to the aged one; Grieve not the careworn heart: The sands of life are nearly run, Let such in peace depart."
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading "What was his life--his useless, loveless life--in comparison with Emmie's?" she thought with bitterness.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "Speak gently to the aged one; Grieve not the careworn heart: The sands of life are nearly run, Let such in peace depart."
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading _Christian Lyrics._ Caleb Runciman had told Queenie that Mr. Calcott was seriously ill; but the girl had received the news with indifference, making no comments.
in the direction of
From this reading Presently, when her trouble had lightened a little, and Emmie was slowly advancing towards convalescence, she remembered her hardness with some compunction; and her heart grew soft and pitiful over the thought of that lonely sick-room.
a source of difficulty
From this reading Presently, when her trouble had lightened a little, and Emmie was slowly advancing towards convalescence, she remembered her hardness with some compunction; and her heart grew soft and pitiful over the thought of that lonely sick-room.
having no beneficial use or incapable of functioning usefully
From this reading "What was his life--his useless, loveless life--in comparison with Emmie's?" she thought with bitterness.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading _Christian Lyrics._ Caleb Runciman had told Queenie that Mr. Calcott was seriously ill; but the girl had received the news with indifference, making no comments.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "What was his life--his useless, loveless life--in comparison with Emmie's?" she thought with bitterness.
at the time that
From this reading Presently, when her trouble had lightened a little, and Emmie was slowly advancing towards convalescence, she remembered her hardness with some compunction; and her heart grew soft and pitiful over the thought of that lonely sick-room.
in the company of; together with
From this reading _Christian Lyrics._ Caleb Runciman had told Queenie that Mr. Calcott was seriously ill; but the girl had received the news with indifference, making no comments.
