used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading * * * * * Sophy found a letter from Mrs. Loring awaiting her in New York.
acuteadjectiveUS /əˈkjuːt/
having or experiencing a rapid onset and short but severe course
From this reading The poor lady was at Nahant suffering from an acute attack of arthritis, with a trained nurse in attendance.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading As always, Loring was very restless and ill-at-ease in the presence of sickness.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The poor lady was at Nahant suffering from an acute attack of arthritis, with a trained nurse in attendance.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading As always, Loring was very restless and ill-at-ease in the presence of sickness.
arthritisnounUS /ɑːrˈθraɪtəs/
inflammation of a joint or joints
From this reading The poor lady was at Nahant suffering from an acute attack of arthritis, with a trained nurse in attendance.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As always, Loring was very restless and ill-at-ease in the presence of sickness.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The poor lady was at Nahant suffering from an acute attack of arthritis, with a trained nurse in attendance.
(military) an offensive against an enemy (using weapons)
From this reading The poor lady was at Nahant suffering from an acute attack of arthritis, with a trained nurse in attendance.
attendancenounUS /əˈtendəns/
the act of being present (at a meeting or event etc.)
From this reading The poor lady was at Nahant suffering from an acute attack of arthritis, with a trained nurse in attendance.
awaitingverbUS /əˈweɪtɪŋ/
-ing form of “await” — look forward to the probable occurrence of
From this reading * * * * * Sophy found a letter from Mrs. Loring awaiting her in New York.
dartedverbUS /ˈdɑːrtɪd/
past form of “dart” — move along rapidly and lightly; skim or dart
From this reading He darted gingerly in and out of the sick-room twice a day, like a nervous terrier investigating a thorny hedge-row.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading He darted gingerly in and out of the sick-room twice a day, like a nervous terrier investigating a thorny hedge-row.
flittingverbUS /ˈflɪtɪŋ/
inflected form of “flit” — move along rapidly and lightly; skim or dart
From this reading Mrs. Loring was sweetly grateful for these flitting visits.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Mrs. Loring was sweetly grateful for these flitting visits.
set up or found
From this reading * * * * * Sophy found a letter from Mrs. Loring awaiting her in New York.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading * * * * * Sophy found a letter from Mrs. Loring awaiting her in New York.
gingerlyadjectiveUS /ˈdʒɪndʒərli/
with extreme care or delicacy
From this reading He darted gingerly in and out of the sick-room twice a day, like a nervous terrier investigating a thorny hedge-row.
feeling or showing gratitude
From this reading Mrs. Loring was sweetly grateful for these flitting visits.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He darted gingerly in and out of the sick-room twice a day, like a nervous terrier investigating a thorny hedge-row.
hedge-row
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He darted gingerly in and out of the sick-room twice a day, like a nervous terrier investigating a thorny hedge-row.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading * * * * * Sophy found a letter from Mrs. Loring awaiting her in New York.
ill-at-ease
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As always, Loring was very restless and ill-at-ease in the presence of sickness.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading * * * * * Sophy found a letter from Mrs. Loring awaiting her in New York.
investigatingnounUS /ˌɪnˈvestəɡeɪtɪŋ/
the work of inquiring into something thoroughly and systematically
From this reading He darted gingerly in and out of the sick-room twice a day, like a nervous terrier investigating a thorny hedge-row.
a polite name for any woman
From this reading The poor lady was at Nahant suffering from an acute attack of arthritis, with a trained nurse in attendance.
a written message addressed to a person or organization
From this reading * * * * * Sophy found a letter from Mrs. Loring awaiting her in New York.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading He darted gingerly in and out of the sick-room twice a day, like a nervous terrier investigating a thorny hedge-row.
Loring
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading * * * * * Sophy found a letter from Mrs. Loring awaiting her in New York.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading * * * * * Sophy found a letter from Mrs. Loring awaiting her in New York.
Nahant
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The poor lady was at Nahant suffering from an acute attack of arthritis, with a trained nurse in attendance.
easily agitated
From this reading He darted gingerly in and out of the sick-room twice a day, like a nervous terrier investigating a thorny hedge-row.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading * * * * * Sophy found a letter from Mrs. Loring awaiting her in New York.
try to cure by special care of treatment, of an illness or injury
From this reading The poor lady was at Nahant suffering from an acute attack of arthritis, with a trained nurse in attendance.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The poor lady was at Nahant suffering from an acute attack of arthritis, with a trained nurse in attendance.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading He darted gingerly in and out of the sick-room twice a day, like a nervous terrier investigating a thorny hedge-row.
deserving or inciting pity
From this reading The poor lady was at Nahant suffering from an acute attack of arthritis, with a trained nurse in attendance.
the state of being present; current existence
From this reading As always, Loring was very restless and ill-at-ease in the presence of sickness.
restlessadjectiveUS /ˈrestləs/
worried and uneasy
From this reading As always, Loring was very restless and ill-at-ease in the presence of sickness.
sick-room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He darted gingerly in and out of the sick-room twice a day, like a nervous terrier investigating a thorny hedge-row.
sicknessnounUS /ˈsɪknəs/
impairment of normal physiological function affecting part or all of an organism
From this reading As always, Loring was very restless and ill-at-ease in the presence of sickness.
Sophy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading * * * * * Sophy found a letter from Mrs. Loring awaiting her in New York.
a state of acute pain
From this reading The poor lady was at Nahant suffering from an acute attack of arthritis, with a trained nurse in attendance.
sweetlyadverbUS /ˈswiːtli/
in an affectionate or loving manner (“sweet” is sometimes a poetic or informal variant of “sweetly”)
From this reading Mrs. Loring was sweetly grateful for these flitting visits.
terriernounUS /ˈteriər/
any of several usually small short-bodied breeds originally trained to hunt animals living underground
From this reading He darted gingerly in and out of the sick-room twice a day, like a nervous terrier investigating a thorny hedge-row.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The poor lady was at Nahant suffering from an acute attack of arthritis, with a trained nurse in attendance.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading Mrs. Loring was sweetly grateful for these flitting visits.
thornyadjectiveUS /ˈθɔːrni/
bristling with perplexities
From this reading He darted gingerly in and out of the sick-room twice a day, like a nervous terrier investigating a thorny hedge-row.
trainedadjectiveUS /treɪnd/
shaped or conditioned or disciplined by training; often used as a combining form
From this reading The poor lady was at Nahant suffering from an acute attack of arthritis, with a trained nurse in attendance.
two times
From this reading He darted gingerly in and out of the sick-room twice a day, like a nervous terrier investigating a thorny hedge-row.
precisely as stated
From this reading As always, Loring was very restless and ill-at-ease in the presence of sickness.
visitsnounUS /ˈvɪzɪts/
plural of “visit” — the act of going to see some person or place or thing for a short time
From this reading Mrs. Loring was sweetly grateful for these flitting visits.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The poor lady was at Nahant suffering from an acute attack of arthritis, with a trained nurse in attendance.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The poor lady was at Nahant suffering from an acute attack of arthritis, with a trained nurse in attendance.
the English royal house (a branch of the Plantagenet line) that reigned from 1461 to 1485; its emblem was a white rose
From this reading * * * * * Sophy found a letter from Mrs. Loring awaiting her in New York.
