used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE HOUSE OF THE RUNNING WATER A week later, on a sunlit afternoon, Sylvia and her father drove northward out of Weymouth between the marshes and the bay.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Sylvia was silent and looked about her with expectant eyes.
the part of the day between noon and evening
From this reading THE HOUSE OF THE RUNNING WATER A week later, on a sunlit afternoon, Sylvia and her father drove northward out of Weymouth between the marshes and the bay.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading It cost me some trouble, but I was determined to get it if I could, for I had an idea that you would be pleased.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE HOUSE OF THE RUNNING WATER A week later, on a sunlit afternoon, Sylvia and her father drove northward out of Weymouth between the marshes and the bay.
an indentation of a shoreline larger than a cove but smaller than a gulf
From this reading THE HOUSE OF THE RUNNING WATER A week later, on a sunlit afternoon, Sylvia and her father drove northward out of Weymouth between the marshes and the bay.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading It cost me some trouble, but I was determined to get it if I could, for I had an idea that you would be pleased.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading "I have been lucky, Sylvia," her father had said to her.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading THE HOUSE OF THE RUNNING WATER A week later, on a sunlit afternoon, Sylvia and her father drove northward out of Weymouth between the marshes and the bay.
brought into existence
From this reading "I have secured for our summer holiday the very house in which you were born.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading It cost me some trouble, but I was determined to get it if I could, for I had an idea that you would be pleased.
the total spent for goods or services including money and time and labor
From this reading It cost me some trouble, but I was determined to get it if I could, for I had an idea that you would be pleased.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading It cost me some trouble, but I was determined to get it if I could, for I had an idea that you would be pleased.
characterized by great determination
From this reading It cost me some trouble, but I was determined to get it if I could, for I had an idea that you would be pleased.
a group of animals (a herd or flock) moving together
From this reading THE HOUSE OF THE RUNNING WATER A week later, on a sunlit afternoon, Sylvia and her father drove northward out of Weymouth between the marshes and the bay.
expectantadjectiveUS /ɪkˈspektənt/
marked by eager anticipation
From this reading Sylvia was silent and looked about her with expectant eyes.
opinion or judgment
From this reading Sylvia was silent and looked about her with expectant eyes.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading THE HOUSE OF THE RUNNING WATER A week later, on a sunlit afternoon, Sylvia and her father drove northward out of Weymouth between the marshes and the bay.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading "I have secured for our summer holiday the very house in which you were born.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading It cost me some trouble, but I was determined to get it if I could, for I had an idea that you would be pleased.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading "I have been lucky, Sylvia," her father had said to her.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading "I have been lucky, Sylvia," her father had said to her.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading THE HOUSE OF THE RUNNING WATER A week later, on a sunlit afternoon, Sylvia and her father drove northward out of Weymouth between the marshes and the bay.
holidaynounUS /ˈhɑːlədeɪ/
leisure time away from work devoted to rest or pleasure
From this reading "I have secured for our summer holiday the very house in which you were born.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading THE HOUSE OF THE RUNNING WATER A week later, on a sunlit afternoon, Sylvia and her father drove northward out of Weymouth between the marshes and the bay.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I have been lucky, Sylvia," her father had said to her.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading It cost me some trouble, but I was determined to get it if I could, for I had an idea that you would be pleased.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading It cost me some trouble, but I was determined to get it if I could, for I had an idea that you would be pleased.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "I have secured for our summer holiday the very house in which you were born.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It cost me some trouble, but I was determined to get it if I could, for I had an idea that you would be pleased.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading THE HOUSE OF THE RUNNING WATER A week later, on a sunlit afternoon, Sylvia and her father drove northward out of Weymouth between the marshes and the bay.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading Sylvia was silent and looked about her with expectant eyes.
occurring by chance
From this reading "I have been lucky, Sylvia," her father had said to her.
marshesnounUS /ˈmɑːrʃəz/
plural of “marsh” — low-lying wet land with grassy vegetation; usually is a transition zone between land and water
From this reading THE HOUSE OF THE RUNNING WATER A week later, on a sunlit afternoon, Sylvia and her father drove northward out of Weymouth between the marshes and the bay.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading It cost me some trouble, but I was determined to get it if I could, for I had an idea that you would be pleased.
northwardadverbUS /ˈnɔːrθwərd/
in a northern direction
From this reading THE HOUSE OF THE RUNNING WATER A week later, on a sunlit afternoon, Sylvia and her father drove northward out of Weymouth between the marshes and the bay.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE HOUSE OF THE RUNNING WATER A week later, on a sunlit afternoon, Sylvia and her father drove northward out of Weymouth between the marshes and the bay.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading THE HOUSE OF THE RUNNING WATER A week later, on a sunlit afternoon, Sylvia and her father drove northward out of Weymouth between the marshes and the bay.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading "I have secured for our summer holiday the very house in which you were born.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading THE HOUSE OF THE RUNNING WATER A week later, on a sunlit afternoon, Sylvia and her father drove northward out of Weymouth between the marshes and the bay.
experiencing or manifesting pleasure
From this reading It cost me some trouble, but I was determined to get it if I could, for I had an idea that you would be pleased.
(of fluids) moving or issuing in a stream
From this reading THE HOUSE OF THE RUNNING WATER A week later, on a sunlit afternoon, Sylvia and her father drove northward out of Weymouth between the marshes and the bay.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "I have been lucky, Sylvia," her father had said to her.
securedverbUS /sɪˈkjʊrd/
past form of “secure” — get by special effort
From this reading "I have secured for our summer holiday the very house in which you were born.
marked by absence of sound
From this reading Sylvia was silent and looked about her with expectant eyes.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading It cost me some trouble, but I was determined to get it if I could, for I had an idea that you would be pleased.
the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox
From this reading "I have secured for our summer holiday the very house in which you were born.
sunlitadjectiveUS /ˈsʌnlɪt/
lighted by sunlight
From this reading THE HOUSE OF THE RUNNING WATER A week later, on a sunlit afternoon, Sylvia and her father drove northward out of Weymouth between the marshes and the bay.
Sylvia
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE HOUSE OF THE RUNNING WATER A week later, on a sunlit afternoon, Sylvia and her father drove northward out of Weymouth between the marshes and the bay.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It cost me some trouble, but I was determined to get it if I could, for I had an idea that you would be pleased.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE HOUSE OF THE RUNNING WATER A week later, on a sunlit afternoon, Sylvia and her father drove northward out of Weymouth between the marshes and the bay.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "I have been lucky, Sylvia," her father had said to her.
a source of difficulty
From this reading It cost me some trouble, but I was determined to get it if I could, for I had an idea that you would be pleased.
precisely as stated
From this reading "I have secured for our summer holiday the very house in which you were born.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Sylvia was silent and looked about her with expectant eyes.
binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent
From this reading THE HOUSE OF THE RUNNING WATER A week later, on a sunlit afternoon, Sylvia and her father drove northward out of Weymouth between the marshes and the bay.
any period of seven consecutive days
From this reading THE HOUSE OF THE RUNNING WATER A week later, on a sunlit afternoon, Sylvia and her father drove northward out of Weymouth between the marshes and the bay.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "I have secured for our summer holiday the very house in which you were born.
Weymouth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE HOUSE OF THE RUNNING WATER A week later, on a sunlit afternoon, Sylvia and her father drove northward out of Weymouth between the marshes and the bay.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading "I have secured for our summer holiday the very house in which you were born.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Sylvia was silent and looked about her with expectant eyes.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading It cost me some trouble, but I was determined to get it if I could, for I had an idea that you would be pleased.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "I have secured for our summer holiday the very house in which you were born.
