used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading That evening found him with unbroken bones was a miracle to Ethel his sister, and to his great friend John, the under-gardener.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading Unsettled and excitable from the moment he awoke and remembered who was coming in the evening, he had remained in an unsafe state all day.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Unsettled and excitable from the moment he awoke and remembered who was coming in the evening, he had remained in an unsafe state all day.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Unsettled and excitable from the moment he awoke and remembered who was coming in the evening, he had remained in an unsafe state all day.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Her brother was a handful at most times; to-day he would have filled some pairs of stronger hands than Ethel's.
inflected form of “awake” — stop sleeping
From this reading Unsettled and excitable from the moment he awoke and remembered who was coming in the evening, he had remained in an unsafe state all day.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Kenyon had been more unmanageable than usual.
(used in the plural) a percussion instrument consisting of a pair of hollow pieces of wood or bone (usually held between the thumb and fingers) that are made to click together (as by Spanish dancers) in rhythm with the dance
From this reading That evening found him with unbroken bones was a miracle to Ethel his sister, and to his great friend John, the under-gardener.
a male with the same parents as someone else
From this reading Her brother was a handful at most times; to-day he would have filled some pairs of stronger hands than Ethel's.
to make a rush at or sudden attack upon, as in battle
From this reading Poor Ethel was in charge; and sole charge of Kenyon, who was eleven, was no light matter for a girl with her hair still down.
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading Unsettled and excitable from the moment he awoke and remembered who was coming in the evening, he had remained in an unsafe state all day.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading Unsettled and excitable from the moment he awoke and remembered who was coming in the evening, he had remained in an unsafe state all day.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Poor Ethel was in charge; and sole charge of Kenyon, who was eleven, was no light matter for a girl with her hair still down.
being one more than ten
From this reading Poor Ethel was in charge; and sole charge of Kenyon, who was eleven, was no light matter for a girl with her hair still down.
Ethel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That evening found him with unbroken bones was a miracle to Ethel his sister, and to his great friend John, the under-gardener.
Ethel's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her brother was a handful at most times; to-day he would have filled some pairs of stronger hands than Ethel's.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading Unsettled and excitable from the moment he awoke and remembered who was coming in the evening, he had remained in an unsafe state all day.
excitableadjectiveUS /ɪkˈsaɪtəbəl/
easily excited
From this reading Unsettled and excitable from the moment he awoke and remembered who was coming in the evening, he had remained in an unsafe state all day.
(usually followed by “with” or used as a combining form) generously supplied with
From this reading Her brother was a handful at most times; to-day he would have filled some pairs of stronger hands than Ethel's.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Poor Ethel was in charge; and sole charge of Kenyon, who was eleven, was no light matter for a girl with her hair still down.
set up or found
From this reading That evening found him with unbroken bones was a miracle to Ethel his sister, and to his great friend John, the under-gardener.
a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading That evening found him with unbroken bones was a miracle to Ethel his sister, and to his great friend John, the under-gardener.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Unsettled and excitable from the moment he awoke and remembered who was coming in the evening, he had remained in an unsafe state all day.
a young female
From this reading Poor Ethel was in charge; and sole charge of Kenyon, who was eleven, was no light matter for a girl with her hair still down.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading That evening found him with unbroken bones was a miracle to Ethel his sister, and to his great friend John, the under-gardener.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Kenyon had been more unmanageable than usual.
a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss
From this reading Poor Ethel was in charge; and sole charge of Kenyon, who was eleven, was no light matter for a girl with her hair still down.
handfulnounUS /ˈhændfʊl/
a small number or amount
From this reading Her brother was a handful at most times; to-day he would have filled some pairs of stronger hands than Ethel's.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading Her brother was a handful at most times; to-day he would have filled some pairs of stronger hands than Ethel's.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Her brother was a handful at most times; to-day he would have filled some pairs of stronger hands than Ethel's.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Unsettled and excitable from the moment he awoke and remembered who was coming in the evening, he had remained in an unsafe state all day.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Poor Ethel was in charge; and sole charge of Kenyon, who was eleven, was no light matter for a girl with her hair still down.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading That evening found him with unbroken bones was a miracle to Ethel his sister, and to his great friend John, the under-gardener.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading That evening found him with unbroken bones was a miracle to Ethel his sister, and to his great friend John, the under-gardener.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Unsettled and excitable from the moment he awoke and remembered who was coming in the evening, he had remained in an unsafe state all day.
a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading That evening found him with unbroken bones was a miracle to Ethel his sister, and to his great friend John, the under-gardener.
Kenyon
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Kenyon had been more unmanageable than usual.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading Poor Ethel was in charge; and sole charge of Kenyon, who was eleven, was no light matter for a girl with her hair still down.
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading Poor Ethel was in charge; and sole charge of Kenyon, who was eleven, was no light matter for a girl with her hair still down.
miraclenounUS /ˈmɪrəkəl/
any amazing or wonderful occurrence
From this reading That evening found him with unbroken bones was a miracle to Ethel his sister, and to his great friend John, the under-gardener.
a particular point in time
From this reading Unsettled and excitable from the moment he awoke and remembered who was coming in the evening, he had remained in an unsafe state all day.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Kenyon had been more unmanageable than usual.
used to form the superlative
From this reading Her brother was a handful at most times; to-day he would have filled some pairs of stronger hands than Ethel's.
not any; not one
From this reading Poor Ethel was in charge; and sole charge of Kenyon, who was eleven, was no light matter for a girl with her hair still down.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Poor Ethel was in charge; and sole charge of Kenyon, who was eleven, was no light matter for a girl with her hair still down.
pairsnounUS /perz/
plural of “pair” — a set of two similar things considered as a unit
From this reading Her brother was a handful at most times; to-day he would have filled some pairs of stronger hands than Ethel's.
deserving or inciting pity
From this reading Poor Ethel was in charge; and sole charge of Kenyon, who was eleven, was no light matter for a girl with her hair still down.
past form of “remain” — stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading Unsettled and excitable from the moment he awoke and remembered who was coming in the evening, he had remained in an unsafe state all day.
past form of “remember” — recall knowledge from memory; have a recollection
From this reading Unsettled and excitable from the moment he awoke and remembered who was coming in the evening, he had remained in an unsafe state all day.
a female person who has the same parents as another person
From this reading That evening found him with unbroken bones was a miracle to Ethel his sister, and to his great friend John, the under-gardener.
solenounUS /soʊl/
the underside of footwear or a golf club
From this reading Poor Ethel was in charge; and sole charge of Kenyon, who was eleven, was no light matter for a girl with her hair still down.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Her brother was a handful at most times; to-day he would have filled some pairs of stronger hands than Ethel's.
the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation
From this reading Unsettled and excitable from the moment he awoke and remembered who was coming in the evening, he had remained in an unsafe state all day.
not in physical motion
From this reading Poor Ethel was in charge; and sole charge of Kenyon, who was eleven, was no light matter for a girl with her hair still down.
comparative of “strong” — having strength or power greater than average or expected
From this reading Her brother was a handful at most times; to-day he would have filled some pairs of stronger hands than Ethel's.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Kenyon had been more unmanageable than usual.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading That evening found him with unbroken bones was a miracle to Ethel his sister, and to his great friend John, the under-gardener.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Unsettled and excitable from the moment he awoke and remembered who was coming in the evening, he had remained in an unsafe state all day.
a more or less definite period of time now or previously present
From this reading Her brother was a handful at most times; to-day he would have filled some pairs of stronger hands than Ethel's.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading That evening found him with unbroken bones was a miracle to Ethel his sister, and to his great friend John, the under-gardener.
to-day
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her brother was a handful at most times; to-day he would have filled some pairs of stronger hands than Ethel's.
unbrokenadjectiveUS /ənˈbroʊkən/
marked by continuous or uninterrupted extension in space or time or sequence
From this reading That evening found him with unbroken bones was a miracle to Ethel his sister, and to his great friend John, the under-gardener.
under-gardener
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That evening found him with unbroken bones was a miracle to Ethel his sister, and to his great friend John, the under-gardener.
unmanageableadjectiveUS /ənˈmænɪdʒəbəl/
difficult to use or handle or manage because of size or weight or shape
From this reading Kenyon had been more unmanageable than usual.
unsafeadjectiveUS /ənˈseɪf/
lacking in security or safety
From this reading Unsettled and excitable from the moment he awoke and remembered who was coming in the evening, he had remained in an unsafe state all day.
UnsettledadjectiveUS /ənˈsetəld/
still in doubt
From this reading Unsettled and excitable from the moment he awoke and remembered who was coming in the evening, he had remained in an unsafe state all day.
usualadjectiveUS /ˈjuːʒəwəl/
occurring or encountered or experienced or observed frequently or in accordance with regular practice or procedure
From this reading Kenyon had been more unmanageable than usual.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Unsettled and excitable from the moment he awoke and remembered who was coming in the evening, he had remained in an unsafe state all day.
which person or people
From this reading Unsettled and excitable from the moment he awoke and remembered who was coming in the evening, he had remained in an unsafe state all day.
in the company of; together with
From this reading That evening found him with unbroken bones was a miracle to Ethel his sister, and to his great friend John, the under-gardener.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Her brother was a handful at most times; to-day he would have filled some pairs of stronger hands than Ethel's.
