used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A new life now began for Rachel Gray.
adverseadjectiveUS /ædˈvɜːrs/
contrary to your interests or welfare
From this reading Like a plant long bent by adverse winds, she slowly recovered elasticity of spirit, and lightness of heart.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading Once more Rachel was alone.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Once more solitude and the silence of the quiet street, shrouded her in.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading What she might have been, but for the gloom of her youth, Rachel never was; but as the dark cloud, which had long hung over her, rolled away, as she could move, speak, eat, and think unquestioned in her little home, a gleam of sunshine, pale but pure, shone over her life with that late-won liberty.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading What she might have been, but for the gloom of her youth, Rachel never was; but as the dark cloud, which had long hung over her, rolled away, as she could move, speak, eat, and think unquestioned in her little home, a gleam of sunshine, pale but pure, shone over her life with that late-won liberty.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading What she might have been, but for the gloom of her youth, Rachel never was; but as the dark cloud, which had long hung over her, rolled away, as she could move, speak, eat, and think unquestioned in her little home, a gleam of sunshine, pale but pure, shone over her life with that late-won liberty.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading A new life now began for Rachel Gray.
a relatively permanent inclination to react in a particular way
From this reading Like a plant long bent by adverse winds, she slowly recovered elasticity of spirit, and lightness of heart.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading What she might have been, but for the gloom of her youth, Rachel never was; but as the dark cloud, which had long hung over her, rolled away, as she could move, speak, eat, and think unquestioned in her little home, a gleam of sunshine, pale but pure, shone over her life with that late-won liberty.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Like a plant long bent by adverse winds, she slowly recovered elasticity of spirit, and lightness of heart.
make overcast or cloudy
From this reading What she might have been, but for the gloom of her youth, Rachel never was; but as the dark cloud, which had long hung over her, rolled away, as she could move, speak, eat, and think unquestioned in her little home, a gleam of sunshine, pale but pure, shone over her life with that late-won liberty.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading What she might have been, but for the gloom of her youth, Rachel never was; but as the dark cloud, which had long hung over her, rolled away, as she could move, speak, eat, and think unquestioned in her little home, a gleam of sunshine, pale but pure, shone over her life with that late-won liberty.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading What she might have been, but for the gloom of her youth, Rachel never was; but as the dark cloud, which had long hung over her, rolled away, as she could move, speak, eat, and think unquestioned in her little home, a gleam of sunshine, pale but pure, shone over her life with that late-won liberty.
take in solid food
From this reading What she might have been, but for the gloom of her youth, Rachel never was; but as the dark cloud, which had long hung over her, rolled away, as she could move, speak, eat, and think unquestioned in her little home, a gleam of sunshine, pale but pure, shone over her life with that late-won liberty.
elasticitynounUS /ˌiːlæˈstɪsəti/
the tendency of a body to return to its original shape after it has been stretched or compressed
From this reading Like a plant long bent by adverse winds, she slowly recovered elasticity of spirit, and lightness of heart.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading A new life now began for Rachel Gray.
gleamverbUS /ɡliːm/
be shiny, as if wet
From this reading What she might have been, but for the gloom of her youth, Rachel never was; but as the dark cloud, which had long hung over her, rolled away, as she could move, speak, eat, and think unquestioned in her little home, a gleam of sunshine, pale but pure, shone over her life with that late-won liberty.
a state of partial or total darkness
From this reading What she might have been, but for the gloom of her youth, Rachel never was; but as the dark cloud, which had long hung over her, rolled away, as she could move, speak, eat, and think unquestioned in her little home, a gleam of sunshine, pale but pure, shone over her life with that late-won liberty.
a neutral achromatic color midway between white and black
From this reading A new life now began for Rachel Gray.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading What she might have been, but for the gloom of her youth, Rachel never was; but as the dark cloud, which had long hung over her, rolled away, as she could move, speak, eat, and think unquestioned in her little home, a gleam of sunshine, pale but pure, shone over her life with that late-won liberty.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading What she might have been, but for the gloom of her youth, Rachel never was; but as the dark cloud, which had long hung over her, rolled away, as she could move, speak, eat, and think unquestioned in her little home, a gleam of sunshine, pale but pure, shone over her life with that late-won liberty.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading Like a plant long bent by adverse winds, she slowly recovered elasticity of spirit, and lightness of heart.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Once more solitude and the silence of the quiet street, shrouded her in.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading What she might have been, but for the gloom of her youth, Rachel never was; but as the dark cloud, which had long hung over her, rolled away, as she could move, speak, eat, and think unquestioned in her little home, a gleam of sunshine, pale but pure, shone over her life with that late-won liberty.
inflected form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging
From this reading What she might have been, but for the gloom of her youth, Rachel never was; but as the dark cloud, which had long hung over her, rolled away, as she could move, speak, eat, and think unquestioned in her little home, a gleam of sunshine, pale but pure, shone over her life with that late-won liberty.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Once more solitude and the silence of the quiet street, shrouded her in.
late-won
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What she might have been, but for the gloom of her youth, Rachel never was; but as the dark cloud, which had long hung over her, rolled away, as she could move, speak, eat, and think unquestioned in her little home, a gleam of sunshine, pale but pure, shone over her life with that late-won liberty.
The state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions on one's way of life.
From this reading What she might have been, but for the gloom of her youth, Rachel never was; but as the dark cloud, which had long hung over her, rolled away, as she could move, speak, eat, and think unquestioned in her little home, a gleam of sunshine, pale but pure, shone over her life with that late-won liberty.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading A new life now began for Rachel Gray.
lightnessnounUS /ˈlaɪtnəs/
a feeling of joy and pride
From this reading Like a plant long bent by adverse winds, she slowly recovered elasticity of spirit, and lightness of heart.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Like a plant long bent by adverse winds, she slowly recovered elasticity of spirit, and lightness of heart.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading What she might have been, but for the gloom of her youth, Rachel never was; but as the dark cloud, which had long hung over her, rolled away, as she could move, speak, eat, and think unquestioned in her little home, a gleam of sunshine, pale but pure, shone over her life with that late-won liberty.
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 Like a plant long bent by adverse winds, she slowly recovered elasticity of spirit, and lightness of heart.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading What she might have been, but for the gloom of her youth, Rachel never was; but as the dark cloud, which had long hung over her, rolled away, as she could move, speak, eat, and think unquestioned in her little home, a gleam of sunshine, pale but pure, shone over her life with that late-won liberty.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Once more Rachel was alone.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading What she might have been, but for the gloom of her youth, Rachel never was; but as the dark cloud, which had long hung over her, rolled away, as she could move, speak, eat, and think unquestioned in her little home, a gleam of sunshine, pale but pure, shone over her life with that late-won liberty.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading What she might have been, but for the gloom of her youth, Rachel never was; but as the dark cloud, which had long hung over her, rolled away, as she could move, speak, eat, and think unquestioned in her little home, a gleam of sunshine, pale but pure, shone over her life with that late-won liberty.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading A new life now began for Rachel Gray.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading A new life now began for Rachel Gray.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Once more solitude and the silence of the quiet street, shrouded her in.
on one occasion
From this reading Once more Rachel was alone.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading What she might have been, but for the gloom of her youth, Rachel never was; but as the dark cloud, which had long hung over her, rolled away, as she could move, speak, eat, and think unquestioned in her little home, a gleam of sunshine, pale but pure, shone over her life with that late-won liberty.
very light colored; highly diluted with white
From this reading What she might have been, but for the gloom of her youth, Rachel never was; but as the dark cloud, which had long hung over her, rolled away, as she could move, speak, eat, and think unquestioned in her little home, a gleam of sunshine, pale but pure, shone over her life with that late-won liberty.
plantverbUS /plænt/
put or set (seeds, seedlings, or plants) into the ground
From this reading Like a plant long bent by adverse winds, she slowly recovered elasticity of spirit, and lightness of heart.
free of extraneous elements of any kind
From this reading What she might have been, but for the gloom of her youth, Rachel never was; but as the dark cloud, which had long hung over her, rolled away, as she could move, speak, eat, and think unquestioned in her little home, a gleam of sunshine, pale but pure, shone over her life with that late-won liberty.
quietadjectiveUS /ˈkwaɪət/
characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity
From this reading Once more solitude and the silence of the quiet street, shrouded her in.
RachelnounUS /ˈreɪtʃəl/
(Old Testament) the second wife of Jacob and mother of Joseph and Benjamin
From this reading Once more Rachel was alone.
freed from illness or injury
From this reading Like a plant long bent by adverse winds, she slowly recovered elasticity of spirit, and lightness of heart.
especially of petals or leaves in bud; having margins rolled inward
From this reading What she might have been, but for the gloom of her youth, Rachel never was; but as the dark cloud, which had long hung over her, rolled away, as she could move, speak, eat, and think unquestioned in her little home, a gleam of sunshine, pale but pure, shone over her life with that late-won liberty.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Like a plant long bent by adverse winds, she slowly recovered elasticity of spirit, and lightness of heart.
inflected form of “shine” — be bright by reflecting or casting light
From this reading What she might have been, but for the gloom of her youth, Rachel never was; but as the dark cloud, which had long hung over her, rolled away, as she could move, speak, eat, and think unquestioned in her little home, a gleam of sunshine, pale but pure, shone over her life with that late-won liberty.
shroudedverbUS /ˈʃraʊdɪd/
past form of “shroud” — cover as if with a shroud
From this reading Once more solitude and the silence of the quiet street, shrouded her in.
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading Once more solitude and the silence of the quiet street, shrouded her in.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading Like a plant long bent by adverse winds, she slowly recovered elasticity of spirit, and lightness of heart.
solitudenounUS /ˈsɑːlətuːd/
a state of social isolation
From this reading Once more solitude and the silence of the quiet street, shrouded her in.
express in speech
From this reading What she might have been, but for the gloom of her youth, Rachel never was; but as the dark cloud, which had long hung over her, rolled away, as she could move, speak, eat, and think unquestioned in her little home, a gleam of sunshine, pale but pure, shone over her life with that late-won liberty.
the vital principle or animating force within living things
From this reading Like a plant long bent by adverse winds, she slowly recovered elasticity of spirit, and lightness of heart.
a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading Once more solitude and the silence of the quiet street, shrouded her in.
the rays of the sun
From this reading What she might have been, but for the gloom of her youth, Rachel never was; but as the dark cloud, which had long hung over her, rolled away, as she could move, speak, eat, and think unquestioned in her little home, a gleam of sunshine, pale but pure, shone over her life with that late-won liberty.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading What she might have been, but for the gloom of her youth, Rachel never was; but as the dark cloud, which had long hung over her, rolled away, as she could move, speak, eat, and think unquestioned in her little home, a gleam of sunshine, pale but pure, shone over her life with that late-won liberty.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Once more solitude and the silence of the quiet street, shrouded her in.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading What she might have been, but for the gloom of her youth, Rachel never was; but as the dark cloud, which had long hung over her, rolled away, as she could move, speak, eat, and think unquestioned in her little home, a gleam of sunshine, pale but pure, shone over her life with that late-won liberty.
unquestionedadjectiveUS /ənˈkwestʃənd/
generally agreed upon; not subject to dispute
From this reading What she might have been, but for the gloom of her youth, Rachel never was; but as the dark cloud, which had long hung over her, rolled away, as she could move, speak, eat, and think unquestioned in her little home, a gleam of sunshine, pale but pure, shone over her life with that late-won liberty.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Once more Rachel was alone.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading What she might have been, but for the gloom of her youth, Rachel never was; but as the dark cloud, which had long hung over her, rolled away, as she could move, speak, eat, and think unquestioned in her little home, a gleam of sunshine, pale but pure, shone over her life with that late-won liberty.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading What she might have been, but for the gloom of her youth, Rachel never was; but as the dark cloud, which had long hung over her, rolled away, as she could move, speak, eat, and think unquestioned in her little home, a gleam of sunshine, pale but pure, shone over her life with that late-won liberty.
plural of “wind” — air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading Like a plant long bent by adverse winds, she slowly recovered elasticity of spirit, and lightness of heart.
in the company of; together with
From this reading What she might have been, but for the gloom of her youth, Rachel never was; but as the dark cloud, which had long hung over her, rolled away, as she could move, speak, eat, and think unquestioned in her little home, a gleam of sunshine, pale but pure, shone over her life with that late-won liberty.
a young person (especially a young man or boy)
From this reading What she might have been, but for the gloom of her youth, Rachel never was; but as the dark cloud, which had long hung over her, rolled away, as she could move, speak, eat, and think unquestioned in her little home, a gleam of sunshine, pale but pure, shone over her life with that late-won liberty.
