used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading She was a woman of about sixty, with very dark eyes and very white hair--a tall woman, quite unbent by the weight of her years, and unshaken by anything she could have met with in them; and yet she did not look as if she had encountered little, or found life an easy passage from the one unknown to the skirts of the other.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading She was a woman of about sixty, with very dark eyes and very white hair--a tall woman, quite unbent by the weight of her years, and unshaken by anything she could have met with in them; and yet she did not look as if she had encountered little, or found life an easy passage from the one unknown to the skirts of the other.
how long something has existed
From this reading She did not look younger than her age, and yet there was no sentiment of age about her.
(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 She had perhaps never been either one or the other; but all that she had ever been, or more, she was now.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading She was a woman of about sixty, with very dark eyes and very white hair--a tall woman, quite unbent by the weight of her years, and unshaken by anything she could have met with in them; and yet she did not look as if she had encountered little, or found life an easy passage from the one unknown to the skirts of the other.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She was a woman of about sixty, with very dark eyes and very white hair--a tall woman, quite unbent by the weight of her years, and unshaken by anything she could have met with in them; and yet she did not look as if she had encountered little, or found life an easy passage from the one unknown to the skirts of the other.
any thing at all
From this reading She was a woman of about sixty, with very dark eyes and very white hair--a tall woman, quite unbent by the weight of her years, and unshaken by anything she could have met with in them; and yet she did not look as if she had encountered little, or found life an easy passage from the one unknown to the skirts of the other.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading She was a woman of about sixty, with very dark eyes and very white hair--a tall woman, quite unbent by the weight of her years, and unshaken by anything she could have met with in them; and yet she did not look as if she had encountered little, or found life an easy passage from the one unknown to the skirts of the other.
delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration
From this reading She was not the kind of woman of whom one says that they have been beautiful, or have been pretty.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading She was not the kind of woman of whom one says that they have been beautiful, or have been pretty.
past form of “belong” — be owned by; be in the possession of
From this reading Her eyes were still perfectly clear and bright, and they had depths in them which could never have belonged to them in youth.
emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts
From this reading Her eyes were still perfectly clear and bright, and they had depths in them which could never have belonged to them in youth.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading She had perhaps never been either one or the other; but all that she had ever been, or more, she was now.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading She was a woman of about sixty, with very dark eyes and very white hair--a tall woman, quite unbent by the weight of her years, and unshaken by anything she could have met with in them; and yet she did not look as if she had encountered little, or found life an easy passage from the one unknown to the skirts of the other.
rid of obstructions
From this reading Her eyes were still perfectly clear and bright, and they had depths in them which could never have belonged to them in youth.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading She was a woman of about sixty, with very dark eyes and very white hair--a tall woman, quite unbent by the weight of her years, and unshaken by anything she could have met with in them; and yet she did not look as if she had encountered little, or found life an easy passage from the one unknown to the skirts of the other.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading She was a woman of about sixty, with very dark eyes and very white hair--a tall woman, quite unbent by the weight of her years, and unshaken by anything she could have met with in them; and yet she did not look as if she had encountered little, or found life an easy passage from the one unknown to the skirts of the other.
(plural) the deepest and most remote part
From this reading Her eyes were still perfectly clear and bright, and they had depths in them which could never have belonged to them in youth.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading She was a woman of about sixty, with very dark eyes and very white hair--a tall woman, quite unbent by the weight of her years, and unshaken by anything she could have met with in them; and yet she did not look as if she had encountered little, or found life an easy passage from the one unknown to the skirts of the other.
posing no difficulty; requiring little effort
From this reading She was a woman of about sixty, with very dark eyes and very white hair--a tall woman, quite unbent by the weight of her years, and unshaken by anything she could have met with in them; and yet she did not look as if she had encountered little, or found life an easy passage from the one unknown to the skirts of the other.
one or the other of two
From this reading She had perhaps never been either one or the other; but all that she had ever been, or more, she was now.
encounteredverbUS /ɪnˈkaʊntərd/
past form of “encounter” — come together
From this reading She was a woman of about sixty, with very dark eyes and very white hair--a tall woman, quite unbent by the weight of her years, and unshaken by anything she could have met with in them; and yet she did not look as if she had encountered little, or found life an easy passage from the one unknown to the skirts of the other.
at any time
From this reading She had perhaps never been either one or the other; but all that she had ever been, or more, she was now.
opinion or judgment
From this reading She was a woman of about sixty, with very dark eyes and very white hair--a tall woman, quite unbent by the weight of her years, and unshaken by anything she could have met with in them; and yet she did not look as if she had encountered little, or found life an easy passage from the one unknown to the skirts of the other.
set up or found
From this reading She was a woman of about sixty, with very dark eyes and very white hair--a tall woman, quite unbent by the weight of her years, and unshaken by anything she could have met with in them; and yet she did not look as if she had encountered little, or found life an easy passage from the one unknown to the skirts of the other.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading She was a woman of about sixty, with very dark eyes and very white hair--a tall woman, quite unbent by the weight of her years, and unshaken by anything she could have met with in them; and yet she did not look as if she had encountered little, or found life an easy passage from the one unknown to the skirts of the other.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading She was a woman of about sixty, with very dark eyes and very white hair--a tall woman, quite unbent by the weight of her years, and unshaken by anything she could have met with in them; and yet she did not look as if she had encountered little, or found life an easy passage from the one unknown to the skirts of the other.
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 She was a woman of about sixty, with very dark eyes and very white hair--a tall woman, quite unbent by the weight of her years, and unshaken by anything she could have met with in them; and yet she did not look as if she had encountered little, or found life an easy passage from the one unknown to the skirts of the other.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading She was a woman of about sixty, with very dark eyes and very white hair--a tall woman, quite unbent by the weight of her years, and unshaken by anything she could have met with in them; and yet she did not look as if she had encountered little, or found life an easy passage from the one unknown to the skirts of the other.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She was a woman of about sixty, with very dark eyes and very white hair--a tall woman, quite unbent by the weight of her years, and unshaken by anything she could have met with in them; and yet she did not look as if she had encountered little, or found life an easy passage from the one unknown to the skirts of the other.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading She was a woman of about sixty, with very dark eyes and very white hair--a tall woman, quite unbent by the weight of her years, and unshaken by anything she could have met with in them; and yet she did not look as if she had encountered little, or found life an easy passage from the one unknown to the skirts of the other.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading She was a woman of about sixty, with very dark eyes and very white hair--a tall woman, quite unbent by the weight of her years, and unshaken by anything she could have met with in them; and yet she did not look as if she had encountered little, or found life an easy passage from the one unknown to the skirts of the other.
having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior
From this reading She was not the kind of woman of whom one says that they have been beautiful, or have been pretty.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading She was a woman of about sixty, with very dark eyes and very white hair--a tall woman, quite unbent by the weight of her years, and unshaken by anything she could have met with in them; and yet she did not look as if she had encountered little, or found life an easy passage from the one unknown to the skirts of the other.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading She was a woman of about sixty, with very dark eyes and very white hair--a tall woman, quite unbent by the weight of her years, and unshaken by anything she could have met with in them; and yet she did not look as if she had encountered little, or found life an easy passage from the one unknown to the skirts of the other.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading She was a woman of about sixty, with very dark eyes and very white hair--a tall woman, quite unbent by the weight of her years, and unshaken by anything she could have met with in them; and yet she did not look as if she had encountered little, or found life an easy passage from the one unknown to the skirts of the other.
inflected form of “meet” — come together
From this reading She was a woman of about sixty, with very dark eyes and very white hair--a tall woman, quite unbent by the weight of her years, and unshaken by anything she could have met with in them; and yet she did not look as if she had encountered little, or found life an easy passage from the one unknown to the skirts of the other.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading She had perhaps never been either one or the other; but all that she had ever been, or more, she was now.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading She had perhaps never been either one or the other; but all that she had ever been, or more, she was now.
not any; not one
From this reading She did not look younger than her age, and yet there was no sentiment of age about her.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading She was a woman of about sixty, with very dark eyes and very white hair--a tall woman, quite unbent by the weight of her years, and unshaken by anything she could have met with in them; and yet she did not look as if she had encountered little, or found life an easy passage from the one unknown to the skirts of the other.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading She had perhaps never been either one or the other; but all that she had ever been, or more, she was now.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading She was a woman of about sixty, with very dark eyes and very white hair--a tall woman, quite unbent by the weight of her years, and unshaken by anything she could have met with in them; and yet she did not look as if she had encountered little, or found life an easy passage from the one unknown to the skirts of the other.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading She was a woman of about sixty, with very dark eyes and very white hair--a tall woman, quite unbent by the weight of her years, and unshaken by anything she could have met with in them; and yet she did not look as if she had encountered little, or found life an easy passage from the one unknown to the skirts of the other.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading She was a woman of about sixty, with very dark eyes and very white hair--a tall woman, quite unbent by the weight of her years, and unshaken by anything she could have met with in them; and yet she did not look as if she had encountered little, or found life an easy passage from the one unknown to the skirts of the other.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading She was a woman of about sixty, with very dark eyes and very white hair--a tall woman, quite unbent by the weight of her years, and unshaken by anything she could have met with in them; and yet she did not look as if she had encountered little, or found life an easy passage from the one unknown to the skirts of the other.
the act of passing from one state or place to the next
From this reading She was a woman of about sixty, with very dark eyes and very white hair--a tall woman, quite unbent by the weight of her years, and unshaken by anything she could have met with in them; and yet she did not look as if she had encountered little, or found life an easy passage from the one unknown to the skirts of the other.
completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers
From this reading Her eyes were still perfectly clear and bright, and they had depths in them which could never have belonged to them in youth.
by chance
From this reading She had perhaps never been either one or the other; but all that she had ever been, or more, she was now.
pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing
From this reading She was not the kind of woman of whom one says that they have been beautiful, or have been pretty.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading She was a woman of about sixty, with very dark eyes and very white hair--a tall woman, quite unbent by the weight of her years, and unshaken by anything she could have met with in them; and yet she did not look as if she had encountered little, or found life an easy passage from the one unknown to the skirts of the other.
plural of “say” — the chance to speak
From this reading She was not the kind of woman of whom one says that they have been beautiful, or have been pretty.
tender, romantic, or nostalgic feeling or emotion
From this reading She did not look younger than her age, and yet there was no sentiment of age about her.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She was a woman of about sixty, with very dark eyes and very white hair--a tall woman, quite unbent by the weight of her years, and unshaken by anything she could have met with in them; and yet she did not look as if she had encountered little, or found life an easy passage from the one unknown to the skirts of the other.
sixtyadjectiveUS /ˈsɪksti/
being ten more than fifty
From this reading She was a woman of about sixty, with very dark eyes and very white hair--a tall woman, quite unbent by the weight of her years, and unshaken by anything she could have met with in them; and yet she did not look as if she had encountered little, or found life an easy passage from the one unknown to the skirts of the other.
skirtsnounUS /skɜːrts/
plural of “skirt” — cloth covering that forms the part of a garment below the waist
From this reading She was a woman of about sixty, with very dark eyes and very white hair--a tall woman, quite unbent by the weight of her years, and unshaken by anything she could have met with in them; and yet she did not look as if she had encountered little, or found life an easy passage from the one unknown to the skirts of the other.
not in physical motion
From this reading Her eyes were still perfectly clear and bright, and they had depths in them which could never have belonged to them in youth.
great in vertical dimension; high in stature
From this reading She was a woman of about sixty, with very dark eyes and very white hair--a tall woman, quite unbent by the weight of her years, and unshaken by anything she could have met with in them; and yet she did not look as if she had encountered little, or found life an easy passage from the one unknown to the skirts of the other.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading She did not look younger than her age, and yet there was no sentiment of age about her.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading She was not the kind of woman of whom one says that they have been beautiful, or have been pretty.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading She was a woman of about sixty, with very dark eyes and very white hair--a tall woman, quite unbent by the weight of her years, and unshaken by anything she could have met with in them; and yet she did not look as if she had encountered little, or found life an easy passage from the one unknown to the skirts of the other.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading She was a woman of about sixty, with very dark eyes and very white hair--a tall woman, quite unbent by the weight of her years, and unshaken by anything she could have met with in them; and yet she did not look as if she had encountered little, or found life an easy passage from the one unknown to the skirts of the other.
in or at that place or location
From this reading She did not look younger than her age, and yet there was no sentiment of age about her.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She was not the kind of woman of whom one says that they have been beautiful, or have been pretty.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading She was a woman of about sixty, with very dark eyes and very white hair--a tall woman, quite unbent by the weight of her years, and unshaken by anything she could have met with in them; and yet she did not look as if she had encountered little, or found life an easy passage from the one unknown to the skirts of the other.
unbentadjective
not bent
From this reading She was a woman of about sixty, with very dark eyes and very white hair--a tall woman, quite unbent by the weight of her years, and unshaken by anything she could have met with in them; and yet she did not look as if she had encountered little, or found life an easy passage from the one unknown to the skirts of the other.
not known
From this reading She was a woman of about sixty, with very dark eyes and very white hair--a tall woman, quite unbent by the weight of her years, and unshaken by anything she could have met with in them; and yet she did not look as if she had encountered little, or found life an easy passage from the one unknown to the skirts of the other.
unshakenadjectiveUS /ənˈʃeɪkən/
unshaken in purpose
From this reading She was a woman of about sixty, with very dark eyes and very white hair--a tall woman, quite unbent by the weight of her years, and unshaken by anything she could have met with in them; and yet she did not look as if she had encountered little, or found life an easy passage from the one unknown to the skirts of the other.
precisely as stated
From this reading She was a woman of about sixty, with very dark eyes and very white hair--a tall woman, quite unbent by the weight of her years, and unshaken by anything she could have met with in them; and yet she did not look as if she had encountered little, or found life an easy passage from the one unknown to the skirts of the other.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading She was a woman of about sixty, with very dark eyes and very white hair--a tall woman, quite unbent by the weight of her years, and unshaken by anything she could have met with in them; and yet she did not look as if she had encountered little, or found life an easy passage from the one unknown to the skirts of the other.
the vertical force exerted by a mass as a result of gravity
From this reading She was a woman of about sixty, with very dark eyes and very white hair--a tall woman, quite unbent by the weight of her years, and unshaken by anything she could have met with in them; and yet she did not look as if she had encountered little, or found life an easy passage from the one unknown to the skirts of the other.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Her eyes were still perfectly clear and bright, and they had depths in them which could never have belonged to them in youth.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Her eyes were still perfectly clear and bright, and they had depths in them which could never have belonged to them in youth.
a Caucasian
From this reading She was a woman of about sixty, with very dark eyes and very white hair--a tall woman, quite unbent by the weight of her years, and unshaken by anything she could have met with in them; and yet she did not look as if she had encountered little, or found life an easy passage from the one unknown to the skirts of the other.
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading She was not the kind of woman of whom one says that they have been beautiful, or have been pretty.
in the company of; together with
From this reading She was a woman of about sixty, with very dark eyes and very white hair--a tall woman, quite unbent by the weight of her years, and unshaken by anything she could have met with in them; and yet she did not look as if she had encountered little, or found life an easy passage from the one unknown to the skirts of the other.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading She was a woman of about sixty, with very dark eyes and very white hair--a tall woman, quite unbent by the weight of her years, and unshaken by anything she could have met with in them; and yet she did not look as if she had encountered little, or found life an easy passage from the one unknown to the skirts of the other.
a late time of life
From this reading She was a woman of about sixty, with very dark eyes and very white hair--a tall woman, quite unbent by the weight of her years, and unshaken by anything she could have met with in them; and yet she did not look as if she had encountered little, or found life an easy passage from the one unknown to the skirts of the other.
but in spite of that
From this reading She was a woman of about sixty, with very dark eyes and very white hair--a tall woman, quite unbent by the weight of her years, and unshaken by anything she could have met with in them; and yet she did not look as if she had encountered little, or found life an easy passage from the one unknown to the skirts of the other.
used of the younger of two persons of the same name especially used to distinguish a son from his father
From this reading She did not look younger than her age, and yet there was no sentiment of age about her.
a young person (especially a young man or boy)
From this reading Her eyes were still perfectly clear and bright, and they had depths in them which could never have belonged to them in youth.
