used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading But Elfie was not to be seen; and with a sinking heart, Susie went back and took down the tin box, and then sat down to her work again, waiting for the door to open and Elfie to come in, for somehow she had persuaded herself that she would come in yet.
(usually followed by “to”) having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something
From this reading He called earlier than usual to-day, and the poor girl's last faint hope that Elfie would be able to earn twopence and get back before he came was cut off as she heard his halting footsteps coming up the stairs.
anew
From this reading But Elfie was not to be seen; and with a sinking heart, Susie went back and took down the tin box, and then sat down to her work again, waiting for the door to open and Elfie to come in, for somehow she had persuaded herself that she would come in yet.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading SUSIE'S suspense as to the result of the landlord's visit came to an end sooner than she expected.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He called earlier than usual to-day, and the poor girl's last faint hope that Elfie would be able to earn twopence and get back before he came was cut off as she heard his halting footsteps coming up the stairs.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading SUSIE'S suspense as to the result of the landlord's visit came to an end sooner than she expected.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He knocked at the opposite door first, and Susie hoped he would be detained there, and she crept to the top of the stairs and looked over, in the hope of seeing Elfie coming up.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading He called earlier than usual to-day, and the poor girl's last faint hope that Elfie would be able to earn twopence and get back before he came was cut off as she heard his halting footsteps coming up the stairs.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading He called earlier than usual to-day, and the poor girl's last faint hope that Elfie would be able to earn twopence and get back before he came was cut off as she heard his halting footsteps coming up the stairs.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading He called earlier than usual to-day, and the poor girl's last faint hope that Elfie would be able to earn twopence and get back before he came was cut off as she heard his halting footsteps coming up the stairs.
a (usually rectangular) container; may have a lid
From this reading But Elfie was not to be seen; and with a sinking heart, Susie went back and took down the tin box, and then sat down to her work again, waiting for the door to open and Elfie to come in, for somehow she had persuaded herself that she would come in yet.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But Elfie was not to be seen; and with a sinking heart, Susie went back and took down the tin box, and then sat down to her work again, waiting for the door to open and Elfie to come in, for somehow she had persuaded herself that she would come in yet.
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading He called earlier than usual to-day, and the poor girl's last faint hope that Elfie would be able to earn twopence and get back before he came was cut off as she heard his halting footsteps coming up the stairs.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading SUSIE'S suspense as to the result of the landlord's visit came to an end sooner than she expected.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading But Elfie was not to be seen; and with a sinking heart, Susie went back and took down the tin box, and then sat down to her work again, waiting for the door to open and Elfie to come in, for somehow she had persuaded herself that she would come in yet.
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading He called earlier than usual to-day, and the poor girl's last faint hope that Elfie would be able to earn twopence and get back before he came was cut off as she heard his halting footsteps coming up the stairs.
inflected form of “creep” — move slowly; in the case of people or animals with the body near the ground
From this reading He knocked at the opposite door first, and Susie hoped he would be detained there, and she crept to the top of the stairs and looked over, in the hope of seeing Elfie coming up.
separate with or as if with an instrument
From this reading He called earlier than usual to-day, and the poor girl's last faint hope that Elfie would be able to earn twopence and get back before he came was cut off as she heard his halting footsteps coming up the stairs.
detainedverbUS /dɪˈteɪnd/
past form of “detain” — deprive of freedom; take into confinement
From this reading He knocked at the opposite door first, and Susie hoped he would be detained there, and she crept to the top of the stairs and looked over, in the hope of seeing Elfie coming up.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading He knocked at the opposite door first, and Susie hoped he would be detained there, and she crept to the top of the stairs and looked over, in the hope of seeing Elfie coming up.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading But Elfie was not to be seen; and with a sinking heart, Susie went back and took down the tin box, and then sat down to her work again, waiting for the door to open and Elfie to come in, for somehow she had persuaded herself that she would come in yet.
earlier in time; previously
From this reading He called earlier than usual to-day, and the poor girl's last faint hope that Elfie would be able to earn twopence and get back before he came was cut off as she heard his halting footsteps coming up the stairs.
earnverbUS /ɜːrn/
earn on some commercial or business transaction; earn as salary or wages
From this reading He called earlier than usual to-day, and the poor girl's last faint hope that Elfie would be able to earn twopence and get back before he came was cut off as she heard his halting footsteps coming up the stairs.
Elfie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He called earlier than usual to-day, and the poor girl's last faint hope that Elfie would be able to earn twopence and get back before he came was cut off as she heard his halting footsteps coming up the stairs.
ELFIE'S
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ELFIE'S SIXPENCE.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading SUSIE'S suspense as to the result of the landlord's visit came to an end sooner than she expected.
considered likely or probable to happen or arrive
From this reading SUSIE'S suspense as to the result of the landlord's visit came to an end sooner than she expected.
deficient in magnitude; barely perceptible; lacking clarity or brightness or loudness etc
From this reading He called earlier than usual to-day, and the poor girl's last faint hope that Elfie would be able to earn twopence and get back before he came was cut off as she heard his halting footsteps coming up the stairs.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading He knocked at the opposite door first, and Susie hoped he would be detained there, and she crept to the top of the stairs and looked over, in the hope of seeing Elfie coming up.
plural of “footstep” — the sound of a step of someone walking
From this reading He called earlier than usual to-day, and the poor girl's last faint hope that Elfie would be able to earn twopence and get back before he came was cut off as she heard his halting footsteps coming up the stairs.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading But Elfie was not to be seen; and with a sinking heart, Susie went back and took down the tin box, and then sat down to her work again, waiting for the door to open and Elfie to come in, for somehow she had persuaded herself that she would come in yet.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading He called earlier than usual to-day, and the poor girl's last faint hope that Elfie would be able to earn twopence and get back before he came was cut off as she heard his halting footsteps coming up the stairs.
girl'snounUS /ɡɜːrlz/
possessive form of “girl” — a young female
From this reading He called earlier than usual to-day, and the poor girl's last faint hope that Elfie would be able to earn twopence and get back before he came was cut off as she heard his halting footsteps coming up the stairs.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading But Elfie was not to be seen; and with a sinking heart, Susie went back and took down the tin box, and then sat down to her work again, waiting for the door to open and Elfie to come in, for somehow she had persuaded herself that she would come in yet.
haltingadjectiveUS /ˈhɔːltɪŋ/
disabled in the feet or legs
From this reading He called earlier than usual to-day, and the poor girl's last faint hope that Elfie would be able to earn twopence and get back before he came was cut off as she heard his halting footsteps coming up the stairs.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He called earlier than usual to-day, and the poor girl's last faint hope that Elfie would be able to earn twopence and get back before he came was cut off as she heard his halting footsteps coming up the stairs.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading He called earlier than usual to-day, and the poor girl's last faint hope that Elfie would be able to earn twopence and get back before he came was cut off as she heard his halting footsteps coming up the stairs.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading But Elfie was not to be seen; and with a sinking heart, Susie went back and took down the tin box, and then sat down to her work again, waiting for the door to open and Elfie to come in, for somehow she had persuaded herself that she would come in yet.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading But Elfie was not to be seen; and with a sinking heart, Susie went back and took down the tin box, and then sat down to her work again, waiting for the door to open and Elfie to come in, for somehow she had persuaded herself that she would come in yet.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading But Elfie was not to be seen; and with a sinking heart, Susie went back and took down the tin box, and then sat down to her work again, waiting for the door to open and Elfie to come in, for somehow she had persuaded herself that she would come in yet.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He called earlier than usual to-day, and the poor girl's last faint hope that Elfie would be able to earn twopence and get back before he came was cut off as she heard his halting footsteps coming up the stairs.
a specific instance of feeling hopeful
From this reading He called earlier than usual to-day, and the poor girl's last faint hope that Elfie would be able to earn twopence and get back before he came was cut off as she heard his halting footsteps coming up the stairs.
past form of “hope” — expect and wish
From this reading He knocked at the opposite door first, and Susie hoped he would be detained there, and she crept to the top of the stairs and looked over, in the hope of seeing Elfie coming up.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He knocked at the opposite door first, and Susie hoped he would be detained there, and she crept to the top of the stairs and looked over, in the hope of seeing Elfie coming up.
past form of “knock” — deliver a sharp blow or push
From this reading He knocked at the opposite door first, and Susie hoped he would be detained there, and she crept to the top of the stairs and looked over, in the hope of seeing Elfie coming up.
landlord'snounUS /ˈlændlɔːrdz/
possessive form of “landlord” — a landowner who leases to others
From this reading SUSIE'S suspense as to the result of the landlord's visit came to an end sooner than she expected.
immediately past
From this reading He called earlier than usual to-day, and the poor girl's last faint hope that Elfie would be able to earn twopence and get back before he came was cut off as she heard his halting footsteps coming up the stairs.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading He knocked at the opposite door first, and Susie hoped he would be detained there, and she crept to the top of the stairs and looked over, in the hope of seeing Elfie coming up.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading But Elfie was not to be seen; and with a sinking heart, Susie went back and took down the tin box, and then sat down to her work again, waiting for the door to open and Elfie to come in, for somehow she had persuaded herself that she would come in yet.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading SUSIE'S suspense as to the result of the landlord's visit came to an end sooner than she expected.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading He called earlier than usual to-day, and the poor girl's last faint hope that Elfie would be able to earn twopence and get back before he came was cut off as she heard his halting footsteps coming up the stairs.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading But Elfie was not to be seen; and with a sinking heart, Susie went back and took down the tin box, and then sat down to her work again, waiting for the door to open and Elfie to come in, for somehow she had persuaded herself that she would come in yet.
being directly across from each other; facing
From this reading He knocked at the opposite door first, and Susie hoped he would be detained there, and she crept to the top of the stairs and looked over, in the hope of seeing Elfie coming up.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading He knocked at the opposite door first, and Susie hoped he would be detained there, and she crept to the top of the stairs and looked over, in the hope of seeing Elfie coming up.
persuadedverbUS /pərˈsweɪdɪd/
past form of “persuade” — win approval or support for
From this reading But Elfie was not to be seen; and with a sinking heart, Susie went back and took down the tin box, and then sat down to her work again, waiting for the door to open and Elfie to come in, for somehow she had persuaded herself that she would come in yet.
deserving or inciting pity
From this reading He called earlier than usual to-day, and the poor girl's last faint hope that Elfie would be able to earn twopence and get back before he came was cut off as she heard his halting footsteps coming up the stairs.
a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon
From this reading SUSIE'S suspense as to the result of the landlord's visit came to an end sooner than she expected.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading But Elfie was not to be seen; and with a sinking heart, Susie went back and took down the tin box, and then sat down to her work again, waiting for the door to open and Elfie to come in, for somehow she had persuaded herself that she would come in yet.
perception by means of the eyes
From this reading He knocked at the opposite door first, and Susie hoped he would be detained there, and she crept to the top of the stairs and looked over, in the hope of seeing Elfie coming up.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading But Elfie was not to be seen; and with a sinking heart, Susie went back and took down the tin box, and then sat down to her work again, waiting for the door to open and Elfie to come in, for somehow she had persuaded herself that she would come in yet.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading SUSIE'S suspense as to the result of the landlord's visit came to an end sooner than she expected.
sinkingnounUS /ˈsɪŋkɪŋ/
a descent as through liquid (especially through water)
From this reading But Elfie was not to be seen; and with a sinking heart, Susie went back and took down the tin box, and then sat down to her work again, waiting for the door to open and Elfie to come in, for somehow she had persuaded herself that she would come in yet.
SIXPENCEnoun
a small coin of the United Kingdom worth six pennies; not minted since 1970
From this reading ELFIE'S SIXPENCE.
in some unspecified way or manner; or by some unspecified means
From this reading But Elfie was not to be seen; and with a sinking heart, Susie went back and took down the tin box, and then sat down to her work again, waiting for the door to open and Elfie to come in, for somehow she had persuaded herself that she would come in yet.
comparatives of “soon” or “early”
From this reading SUSIE'S suspense as to the result of the landlord's visit came to an end sooner than she expected.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading He called earlier than usual to-day, and the poor girl's last faint hope that Elfie would be able to earn twopence and get back before he came was cut off as she heard his halting footsteps coming up the stairs.
Susie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He knocked at the opposite door first, and Susie hoped he would be detained there, and she crept to the top of the stairs and looked over, in the hope of seeing Elfie coming up.
SUSIE'S
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading SUSIE'S suspense as to the result of the landlord's visit came to an end sooner than she expected.
suspensenounUS /səˈspens/
apprehension about what is going to happen
From this reading SUSIE'S suspense as to the result of the landlord's visit came to an end sooner than she expected.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading SUSIE'S suspense as to the result of the landlord's visit came to an end sooner than she expected.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He called earlier than usual to-day, and the poor girl's last faint hope that Elfie would be able to earn twopence and get back before he came was cut off as she heard his halting footsteps coming up the stairs.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading SUSIE'S suspense as to the result of the landlord's visit came to an end sooner than she expected.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading But Elfie was not to be seen; and with a sinking heart, Susie went back and took down the tin box, and then sat down to her work again, waiting for the door to open and Elfie to come in, for somehow she had persuaded herself that she would come in yet.
in or at that place or location
From this reading He knocked at the opposite door first, and Susie hoped he would be detained there, and she crept to the top of the stairs and looked over, in the hope of seeing Elfie coming up.
tinnounUS /tɪn/
a silvery malleable metallic element that resists corrosion; used in many alloys and to coat other metals to prevent corrosion; obtained chiefly from cassiterite where it occurs as tin oxide
From this reading But Elfie was not to be seen; and with a sinking heart, Susie went back and took down the tin box, and then sat down to her work again, waiting for the door to open and Elfie to come in, for somehow she had persuaded herself that she would come in yet.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading SUSIE'S suspense as to the result of the landlord's visit came to an end sooner than she expected.
to-day
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He called earlier than usual to-day, and the poor girl's last faint hope that Elfie would be able to earn twopence and get back before he came was cut off as she heard his halting footsteps coming up the stairs.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading But Elfie was not to be seen; and with a sinking heart, Susie went back and took down the tin box, and then sat down to her work again, waiting for the door to open and Elfie to come in, for somehow she had persuaded herself that she would come in yet.
the upper part of anything
From this reading He knocked at the opposite door first, and Susie hoped he would be detained there, and she crept to the top of the stairs and looked over, in the hope of seeing Elfie coming up.
twopencenoun
a former United Kingdom silver coin; United Kingdom bronze decimal coin worth two pennies
From this reading He called earlier than usual to-day, and the poor girl's last faint hope that Elfie would be able to earn twopence and get back before he came was cut off as she heard his halting footsteps coming up the stairs.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading He called earlier than usual to-day, and the poor girl's last faint hope that Elfie would be able to earn twopence and get back before he came was cut off as she heard his halting footsteps coming up the stairs.
usualadjectiveUS /ˈjuːʒəwəl/
occurring or encountered or experienced or observed frequently or in accordance with regular practice or procedure
From this reading He called earlier than usual to-day, and the poor girl's last faint hope that Elfie would be able to earn twopence and get back before he came was cut off as she heard his halting footsteps coming up the stairs.
go to see a place, as for entertainment
From this reading SUSIE'S suspense as to the result of the landlord's visit came to an end sooner than she expected.
the act of waiting (remaining inactive in one place while expecting something)
From this reading But Elfie was not to be seen; and with a sinking heart, Susie went back and took down the tin box, and then sat down to her work again, waiting for the door to open and Elfie to come in, for somehow she had persuaded herself that she would come in yet.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He called earlier than usual to-day, and the poor girl's last faint hope that Elfie would be able to earn twopence and get back before he came was cut off as she heard his halting footsteps coming up the stairs.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading But Elfie was not to be seen; and with a sinking heart, Susie went back and took down the tin box, and then sat down to her work again, waiting for the door to open and Elfie to come in, for somehow she had persuaded herself that she would come in yet.
in the company of; together with
From this reading But Elfie was not to be seen; and with a sinking heart, Susie went back and took down the tin box, and then sat down to her work again, waiting for the door to open and Elfie to come in, for somehow she had persuaded herself that she would come in yet.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading But Elfie was not to be seen; and with a sinking heart, Susie went back and took down the tin box, and then sat down to her work again, waiting for the door to open and Elfie to come in, for somehow she had persuaded herself that she would come in yet.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading He called earlier than usual to-day, and the poor girl's last faint hope that Elfie would be able to earn twopence and get back before he came was cut off as she heard his halting footsteps coming up the stairs.
but in spite of that
From this reading But Elfie was not to be seen; and with a sinking heart, Susie went back and took down the tin box, and then sat down to her work again, waiting for the door to open and Elfie to come in, for somehow she had persuaded herself that she would come in yet.
