used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading She sighed as she fastened on the veil; there were a great many hard things out in the world, then, she thought.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading They had stopped to bail it out, plug its cracks, mend the old sail after a fashion, and nothing would do but that the three should sail home in it, Pedro, for whom there was no room, returning by the way they had come.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The other two came back at length, wet and triumphant, with their prize.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading She sighed as she fastened on the veil; there were a great many hard things out in the world, then, she thought.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At the dear convent it was not expected that one should be as a crane.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading The other two came back at length, wet and triumphant, with their prize.
bailverbUS /beɪl/
release after a security has been paid
From this reading They had stopped to bail it out, plug its cracks, mend the old sail after a fashion, and nothing would do but that the three should sail home in it, Pedro, for whom there was no room, returning by the way they had come.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading At the dear convent it was not expected that one should be as a crane.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading They had stopped to bail it out, plug its cracks, mend the old sail after a fashion, and nothing would do but that the three should sail home in it, Pedro, for whom there was no room, returning by the way they had come.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading They had stopped to bail it out, plug its cracks, mend the old sail after a fashion, and nothing would do but that the three should sail home in it, Pedro, for whom there was no room, returning by the way they had come.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading The other two came back at length, wet and triumphant, with their prize.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading They had stopped to bail it out, plug its cracks, mend the old sail after a fashion, and nothing would do but that the three should sail home in it, Pedro, for whom there was no room, returning by the way they had come.
conventnounUS /ˈkɑːnvənt/
a religious residence especially for nuns
From this reading At the dear convent it was not expected that one should be as a crane.
cracksnounUS /kræks/
plural of “crack” — a long narrow opening
From this reading They had stopped to bail it out, plug its cracks, mend the old sail after a fashion, and nothing would do but that the three should sail home in it, Pedro, for whom there was no room, returning by the way they had come.
craneverbUS /kreɪn/
stretch (the neck) so as to see better
From this reading At the dear convent it was not expected that one should be as a crane.
cranesnounUS /kreɪnz/
plural of “crane” — United States writer (1871-1900)
From this reading The little Sister had heard that word twice now; evidently the cranes were more sensible than she.
dearly loved
From this reading At the dear convent it was not expected that one should be as a crane.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading They had stopped to bail it out, plug its cracks, mend the old sail after a fashion, and nothing would do but that the three should sail home in it, Pedro, for whom there was no room, returning by the way they had come.
unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)
From this reading The little Sister had heard that word twice now; evidently the cranes were more sensible than she.
considered likely or probable to happen or arrive
From this reading At the dear convent it was not expected that one should be as a crane.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading They had stopped to bail it out, plug its cracks, mend the old sail after a fashion, and nothing would do but that the three should sail home in it, Pedro, for whom there was no room, returning by the way they had come.
firmly closed or secured
From this reading She sighed as she fastened on the veil; there were a great many hard things out in the world, then, she thought.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading They had stopped to bail it out, plug its cracks, mend the old sail after a fashion, and nothing would do but that the three should sail home in it, Pedro, for whom there was no room, returning by the way they had come.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading She sighed as she fastened on the veil; there were a great many hard things out in the world, then, she thought.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The little Sister had heard that word twice now; evidently the cranes were more sensible than she.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading She sighed as she fastened on the veil; there were a great many hard things out in the world, then, she thought.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading The little Sister had heard that word twice now; evidently the cranes were more sensible than she.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading They had stopped to bail it out, plug its cracks, mend the old sail after a fashion, and nothing would do but that the three should sail home in it, Pedro, for whom there was no room, returning by the way they had come.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading She sighed as she fastened on the veil; there were a great many hard things out in the world, then, she thought.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading At the dear convent it was not expected that one should be as a crane.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading They had stopped to bail it out, plug its cracks, mend the old sail after a fashion, and nothing would do but that the three should sail home in it, Pedro, for whom there was no room, returning by the way they had come.
the linear extent in space from one end to the other; the longest dimension of something that is fixed in place
From this reading The other two came back at length, wet and triumphant, with their prize.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The little Sister had heard that word twice now; evidently the cranes were more sensible than she.
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 She sighed as she fastened on the veil; there were a great many hard things out in the world, then, she thought.
mendverbUS /mend/
restore by replacing a part or putting together what is torn or broken
From this reading They had stopped to bail it out, plug its cracks, mend the old sail after a fashion, and nothing would do but that the three should sail home in it, Pedro, for whom there was no room, returning by the way they had come.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading The little Sister had heard that word twice now; evidently the cranes were more sensible than she.
not any; not one
From this reading They had stopped to bail it out, plug its cracks, mend the old sail after a fashion, and nothing would do but that the three should sail home in it, Pedro, for whom there was no room, returning by the way they had come.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading At the dear convent it was not expected that one should be as a crane.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading They had stopped to bail it out, plug its cracks, mend the old sail after a fashion, and nothing would do but that the three should sail home in it, Pedro, for whom there was no room, returning by the way they had come.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading The little Sister had heard that word twice now; evidently the cranes were more sensible than she.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading They had stopped to bail it out, plug its cracks, mend the old sail after a fashion, and nothing would do but that the three should sail home in it, Pedro, for whom there was no room, returning by the way they had come.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading She sighed as she fastened on the veil; there were a great many hard things out in the world, then, she thought.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading At the dear convent it was not expected that one should be as a crane.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading The other two came back at length, wet and triumphant, with their prize.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading She sighed as she fastened on the veil; there were a great many hard things out in the world, then, she thought.
Pedro
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They had stopped to bail it out, plug its cracks, mend the old sail after a fashion, and nothing would do but that the three should sail home in it, Pedro, for whom there was no room, returning by the way they had come.
plugverbUS /plʌɡ/
fill or close tightly with or as if with a plug
From this reading They had stopped to bail it out, plug its cracks, mend the old sail after a fashion, and nothing would do but that the three should sail home in it, Pedro, for whom there was no room, returning by the way they had come.
something given for victory or superiority in a contest or competition or for winning a lottery
From this reading The other two came back at length, wet and triumphant, with their prize.
tending to return to an earlier state
From this reading They had stopped to bail it out, plug its cracks, mend the old sail after a fashion, and nothing would do but that the three should sail home in it, Pedro, for whom there was no room, returning by the way they had come.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading They had stopped to bail it out, plug its cracks, mend the old sail after a fashion, and nothing would do but that the three should sail home in it, Pedro, for whom there was no room, returning by the way they had come.
traverse or travel on (a body of water)
From this reading They had stopped to bail it out, plug its cracks, mend the old sail after a fashion, and nothing would do but that the three should sail home in it, Pedro, for whom there was no room, returning by the way they had come.
showing reason or sound judgment
From this reading The little Sister had heard that word twice now; evidently the cranes were more sensible than she.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The little Sister had heard that word twice now; evidently the cranes were more sensible than she.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading At the dear convent it was not expected that one should be as a crane.
past form of “sigh” — heave or utter a sigh; breathe deeply and heavily
From this reading She sighed as she fastened on the veil; there were a great many hard things out in the world, then, she thought.
a female person who has the same parents as another person
From this reading The little Sister had heard that word twice now; evidently the cranes were more sensible than she.
(of a nose) blocked
From this reading They had stopped to bail it out, plug its cracks, mend the old sail after a fashion, and nothing would do but that the three should sail home in it, Pedro, for whom there was no room, returning by the way they had come.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading The little Sister had heard that word twice now; evidently the cranes were more sensible than she.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The little Sister had heard that word twice now; evidently the cranes were more sensible than she.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The little Sister had heard that word twice now; evidently the cranes were more sensible than she.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The other two came back at length, wet and triumphant, with their prize.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading She sighed as she fastened on the veil; there were a great many hard things out in the world, then, she thought.
in or at that place or location
From this reading She sighed as she fastened on the veil; there were a great many hard things out in the world, then, she thought.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They had stopped to bail it out, plug its cracks, mend the old sail after a fashion, and nothing would do but that the three should sail home in it, Pedro, for whom there was no room, returning by the way they had come.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading She sighed as she fastened on the veil; there were a great many hard things out in the world, then, she thought.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading She sighed as she fastened on the veil; there were a great many hard things out in the world, then, she thought.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading They had stopped to bail it out, plug its cracks, mend the old sail after a fashion, and nothing would do but that the three should sail home in it, Pedro, for whom there was no room, returning by the way they had come.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading They had stopped to bail it out, plug its cracks, mend the old sail after a fashion, and nothing would do but that the three should sail home in it, Pedro, for whom there was no room, returning by the way they had come.
triumphantadjectiveUS /traɪˈʌmfənt/
joyful and proud especially because of triumph or success
From this reading The other two came back at length, wet and triumphant, with their prize.
two times
From this reading The little Sister had heard that word twice now; evidently the cranes were more sensible than she.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading The other two came back at length, wet and triumphant, with their prize.
a garment that covers the head and face
From this reading She sighed as she fastened on the veil; there were a great many hard things out in the world, then, she thought.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading At the dear convent it was not expected that one should be as a crane.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading They had stopped to bail it out, plug its cracks, mend the old sail after a fashion, and nothing would do but that the three should sail home in it, Pedro, for whom there was no room, returning by the way they had come.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The little Sister had heard that word twice now; evidently the cranes were more sensible than she.
covered or soaked with a liquid such as water
From this reading The other two came back at length, wet and triumphant, with their prize.
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading They had stopped to bail it out, plug its cracks, mend the old sail after a fashion, and nothing would do but that the three should sail home in it, Pedro, for whom there was no room, returning by the way they had come.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The other two came back at length, wet and triumphant, with their prize.
a unit of language that native speakers can identify
From this reading The little Sister had heard that word twice now; evidently the cranes were more sensible than she.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading She sighed as she fastened on the veil; there were a great many hard things out in the world, then, she thought.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading They had stopped to bail it out, plug its cracks, mend the old sail after a fashion, and nothing would do but that the three should sail home in it, Pedro, for whom there was no room, returning by the way they had come.
