used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading COSTUMES Tante was going to have a birthday.
perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)
From this reading In view of her relation to the person in question, Nancy declined to act as chairman.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading But it is easy to understand how, while it is hard enough for _one_ person to keep a secret, it must be twice as hard when you are _two_!
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading But it is easy to understand how, while it is hard enough for _one_ person to keep a secret, it must be twice as hard when you are _two_!
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading “What shall we do to celebrate Tante’s birthday?” asked Beverly, consulting the Club.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading But it is easy to understand how, while it is hard enough for _one_ person to keep a secret, it must be twice as hard when you are _two_!
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading It was the Twins who let out the secret which they had been charged to keep.
Beverly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “What shall we do to celebrate Tante’s birthday?” asked Beverly, consulting the Club.
birthdaynounUS /ˈbɜːrθdeɪ/
an anniversary of the day on which a person was born (or the celebration of it)
From this reading COSTUMES Tante was going to have a birthday.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But it is easy to understand how, while it is hard enough for _one_ person to keep a secret, it must be twice as hard when you are _two_!
celebrateverbUS /ˈseləbreɪt/
behave as expected during of holidays or rites
From this reading “What shall we do to celebrate Tante’s birthday?” asked Beverly, consulting the Club.
chairmannounUS /ˈtʃermən/
the officer who presides at the meetings of an organization
From this reading In view of her relation to the person in question, Nancy declined to act as chairman.
chargedadjectiveUS /tʃɑːrdʒd/
of a particle or body or system; having a net amount of positive or negative electric charge
From this reading It was the Twins who let out the secret which they had been charged to keep.
a team of professional baseball players who play and travel together
From this reading “What shall we do to celebrate Tante’s birthday?” asked Beverly, consulting the Club.
consultingverbUS /kənˈsʌltɪŋ/
-ing form of “consult” — get or ask advice from
From this reading “What shall we do to celebrate Tante’s birthday?” asked Beverly, consulting the Club.
COSTUMESnounUS /kɑːˈstuːmz/
plural of “costume” — the attire worn in a play or at a fancy dress ball
From this reading COSTUMES Tante was going to have a birthday.
declinedverbUS /dɪˈklaɪnd/
past form of “decline” — grow worse
From this reading In view of her relation to the person in question, Nancy declined to act as chairman.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading “What shall we do to celebrate Tante’s birthday?” asked Beverly, consulting the Club.
posing no difficulty; requiring little effort
From this reading But it is easy to understand how, while it is hard enough for _one_ person to keep a secret, it must be twice as hard when you are _two_!
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading But it is easy to understand how, while it is hard enough for _one_ person to keep a secret, it must be twice as hard when you are _two_!
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading But it is easy to understand how, while it is hard enough for _one_ person to keep a secret, it must be twice as hard when you are _two_!
the act of departing
From this reading COSTUMES Tante was going to have a birthday.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It was the Twins who let out the secret which they had been charged to keep.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading But it is easy to understand how, while it is hard enough for _one_ person to keep a secret, it must be twice as hard when you are _two_!
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading COSTUMES Tante was going to have a birthday.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading In view of her relation to the person in question, Nancy declined to act as chairman.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But it is easy to understand how, while it is hard enough for _one_ person to keep a secret, it must be twice as hard when you are _two_!
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In view of her relation to the person in question, Nancy declined to act as chairman.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading But it is easy to understand how, while it is hard enough for _one_ person to keep a secret, it must be twice as hard when you are _two_!
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was the Twins who let out the secret which they had been charged to keep.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading It was the Twins who let out the secret which they had been charged to keep.
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading It was the Twins who let out the secret which they had been charged to keep.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading But it is easy to understand how, while it is hard enough for _one_ person to keep a secret, it must be twice as hard when you are _two_!
NancynounUS /ˈnænsi/
a city in northeastern France in Lorraine
From this reading In view of her relation to the person in question, Nancy declined to act as chairman.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading In view of her relation to the person in question, Nancy declined to act as chairman.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading But it is easy to understand how, while it is hard enough for _one_ person to keep a secret, it must be twice as hard when you are _two_!
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading It was the Twins who let out the secret which they had been charged to keep.
a human being
From this reading But it is easy to understand how, while it is hard enough for _one_ person to keep a secret, it must be twice as hard when you are _two_!
challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of
From this reading In view of her relation to the person in question, Nancy declined to act as chairman.
an abstraction belonging to or characteristic of two entities or parts together
From this reading In view of her relation to the person in question, Nancy declined to act as chairman.
Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.
From this reading It was the Twins who let out the secret which they had been charged to keep.
used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest
From this reading “What shall we do to celebrate Tante’s birthday?” asked Beverly, consulting the Club.
Tante
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading COSTUMES Tante was going to have a birthday.
Tante's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “What shall we do to celebrate Tante’s birthday?” asked Beverly, consulting the Club.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It was the Twins who let out the secret which they had been charged to keep.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It was the Twins who let out the secret which they had been charged to keep.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading COSTUMES Tante was going to have a birthday.
two times
From this reading But it is easy to understand how, while it is hard enough for _one_ person to keep a secret, it must be twice as hard when you are _two_!
TwinsnounUS /twɪnz/
(mineralogy) two interwoven crystals that are mirror images on each other
From this reading It was the Twins who let out the secret which they had been charged to keep.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading But it is easy to understand how, while it is hard enough for _one_ person to keep a secret, it must be twice as hard when you are _two_!
know and comprehend the nature or meaning of
From this reading But it is easy to understand how, while it is hard enough for _one_ person to keep a secret, it must be twice as hard when you are _two_!
a way of regarding situations or topics etc.
From this reading In view of her relation to the person in question, Nancy declined to act as chairman.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading COSTUMES Tante was going to have a birthday.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading “What shall we do to celebrate Tante’s birthday?” asked Beverly, consulting the Club.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading “What shall we do to celebrate Tante’s birthday?” asked Beverly, consulting the Club.
at the time that
From this reading But it is easy to understand how, while it is hard enough for _one_ person to keep a secret, it must be twice as hard when you are _two_!
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading It was the Twins who let out the secret which they had been charged to keep.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading But it is easy to understand how, while it is hard enough for _one_ person to keep a secret, it must be twice as hard when you are _two_!
which person or people
From this reading It was the Twins who let out the secret which they had been charged to keep.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading But it is easy to understand how, while it is hard enough for _one_ person to keep a secret, it must be twice as hard when you are _two_!
