used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A RAY OF SUNSHINE.
(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 AS I have before said, Mr. Allen was naturally mirthful; and the change in his temperament would have cast a gloom over all the family, had it not been for Lizzie, whose merry face and sunny smiles chased away many an hour of despondence.
AllennounUS /ˈælən/
United States comedienne remembered as the confused but imperturbable partner of her husband, George Burns (1906-1964)
From this reading AS I have before said, Mr. Allen was naturally mirthful; and the change in his temperament would have cast a gloom over all the family, had it not been for Lizzie, whose merry face and sunny smiles chased away many an hour of despondence.
amendverbUS /əˈmend/
make amendments to
From this reading As she had before talked in the plainest terms to her nephew of the sin of pursuing a course which was not only ruining his own soul, but the peace of his family, so, now that she saw he was striving to amend, in her own frank way she strove to encourage him.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading AS I have before said, Mr. Allen was naturally mirthful; and the change in his temperament would have cast a gloom over all the family, had it not been for Lizzie, whose merry face and sunny smiles chased away many an hour of despondence.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading AS I have before said, Mr. Allen was naturally mirthful; and the change in his temperament would have cast a gloom over all the family, had it not been for Lizzie, whose merry face and sunny smiles chased away many an hour of despondence.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading AS I have before said, Mr. Allen was naturally mirthful; and the change in his temperament would have cast a gloom over all the family, had it not been for Lizzie, whose merry face and sunny smiles chased away many an hour of despondence.
the sister of your father or mother; the wife of your uncle
From this reading Aunt Mercy was a shrewd observer of character.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading AS I have before said, Mr. Allen was naturally mirthful; and the change in his temperament would have cast a gloom over all the family, had it not been for Lizzie, whose merry face and sunny smiles chased away many an hour of despondence.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading AS I have before said, Mr. Allen was naturally mirthful; and the change in his temperament would have cast a gloom over all the family, had it not been for Lizzie, whose merry face and sunny smiles chased away many an hour of despondence.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading AS I have before said, Mr. Allen was naturally mirthful; and the change in his temperament would have cast a gloom over all the family, had it not been for Lizzie, whose merry face and sunny smiles chased away many an hour of despondence.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading As she had before talked in the plainest terms to her nephew of the sin of pursuing a course which was not only ruining his own soul, but the peace of his family, so, now that she saw he was striving to amend, in her own frank way she strove to encourage him.
put or send forth
From this reading AS I have before said, Mr. Allen was naturally mirthful; and the change in his temperament would have cast a gloom over all the family, had it not been for Lizzie, whose merry face and sunny smiles chased away many an hour of despondence.
cause to change; make different; cause a transformation
From this reading AS I have before said, Mr. Allen was naturally mirthful; and the change in his temperament would have cast a gloom over all the family, had it not been for Lizzie, whose merry face and sunny smiles chased away many an hour of despondence.
an imaginary person represented in a work of fiction (play or film or story)
From this reading Aunt Mercy was a shrewd observer of character.
chasednounUS /tʃeɪst/
a person who is being chased
From this reading AS I have before said, Mr. Allen was naturally mirthful; and the change in his temperament would have cast a gloom over all the family, had it not been for Lizzie, whose merry face and sunny smiles chased away many an hour of despondence.
plural of “child” — a young person of either sex
From this reading Entirely ignoring his silence on all such occasions, she persevered in consulting him regarding the children.
consultingverbUS /kənˈsʌltɪŋ/
-ing form of “consult” — get or ask advice from
From this reading Entirely ignoring his silence on all such occasions, she persevered in consulting him regarding the children.
education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading As she had before talked in the plainest terms to her nephew of the sin of pursuing a course which was not only ruining his own soul, but the peace of his family, so, now that she saw he was striving to amend, in her own frank way she strove to encourage him.
despondencenoun
feeling downcast and disheartened and hopeless
From this reading AS I have before said, Mr. Allen was naturally mirthful; and the change in his temperament would have cast a gloom over all the family, had it not been for Lizzie, whose merry face and sunny smiles chased away many an hour of despondence.
encourageverbUS /enˈkɜːrɪdʒ/
contribute to the progress or growth of
From this reading As she had before talked in the plainest terms to her nephew of the sin of pursuing a course which was not only ruining his own soul, but the peace of his family, so, now that she saw he was striving to amend, in her own frank way she strove to encourage him.
to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)
From this reading Entirely ignoring his silence on all such occasions, she persevered in consulting him regarding the children.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading AS I have before said, Mr. Allen was naturally mirthful; and the change in his temperament would have cast a gloom over all the family, had it not been for Lizzie, whose merry face and sunny smiles chased away many an hour of despondence.
a social unit living together
From this reading AS I have before said, Mr. Allen was naturally mirthful; and the change in his temperament would have cast a gloom over all the family, had it not been for Lizzie, whose merry face and sunny smiles chased away many an hour of despondence.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading AS I have before said, Mr. Allen was naturally mirthful; and the change in his temperament would have cast a gloom over all the family, had it not been for Lizzie, whose merry face and sunny smiles chased away many an hour of despondence.
characterized by directness in manner or speech; without subtlety or evasion
From this reading As she had before talked in the plainest terms to her nephew of the sin of pursuing a course which was not only ruining his own soul, but the peace of his family, so, now that she saw he was striving to amend, in her own frank way she strove to encourage him.
a state of partial or total darkness
From this reading AS I have before said, Mr. Allen was naturally mirthful; and the change in his temperament would have cast a gloom over all the family, had it not been for Lizzie, whose merry face and sunny smiles chased away many an hour of despondence.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading AS I have before said, Mr. Allen was naturally mirthful; and the change in his temperament would have cast a gloom over all the family, had it not been for Lizzie, whose merry face and sunny smiles chased away many an hour of despondence.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading AS I have before said, Mr. Allen was naturally mirthful; and the change in his temperament would have cast a gloom over all the family, had it not been for Lizzie, whose merry face and sunny smiles chased away many an hour of despondence.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading As she had before talked in the plainest terms to her nephew of the sin of pursuing a course which was not only ruining his own soul, but the peace of his family, so, now that she saw he was striving to amend, in her own frank way she strove to encourage him.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading As she had before talked in the plainest terms to her nephew of the sin of pursuing a course which was not only ruining his own soul, but the peace of his family, so, now that she saw he was striving to amend, in her own frank way she strove to encourage him.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading As she had before talked in the plainest terms to her nephew of the sin of pursuing a course which was not only ruining his own soul, but the peace of his family, so, now that she saw he was striving to amend, in her own frank way she strove to encourage him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading AS I have before said, Mr. Allen was naturally mirthful; and the change in his temperament would have cast a gloom over all the family, had it not been for Lizzie, whose merry face and sunny smiles chased away many an hour of despondence.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading AS I have before said, Mr. Allen was naturally mirthful; and the change in his temperament would have cast a gloom over all the family, had it not been for Lizzie, whose merry face and sunny smiles chased away many an hour of despondence.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading AS I have before said, Mr. Allen was naturally mirthful; and the change in his temperament would have cast a gloom over all the family, had it not been for Lizzie, whose merry face and sunny smiles chased away many an hour of despondence.
ignoringverbUS /ˌɪɡˈnɔːrɪŋ/
-ing form of “ignore” — refuse to acknowledge
From this reading Entirely ignoring his silence on all such occasions, she persevered in consulting him regarding the children.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading AS I have before said, Mr. Allen was naturally mirthful; and the change in his temperament would have cast a gloom over all the family, had it not been for Lizzie, whose merry face and sunny smiles chased away many an hour of despondence.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading AS I have before said, Mr. Allen was naturally mirthful; and the change in his temperament would have cast a gloom over all the family, had it not been for Lizzie, whose merry face and sunny smiles chased away many an hour of despondence.
Lizzie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AS I have before said, Mr. Allen was naturally mirthful; and the change in his temperament would have cast a gloom over all the family, had it not been for Lizzie, whose merry face and sunny smiles chased away many an hour of despondence.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading AS I have before said, Mr. Allen was naturally mirthful; and the change in his temperament would have cast a gloom over all the family, had it not been for Lizzie, whose merry face and sunny smiles chased away many an hour of despondence.
leniency and compassion shown toward offenders by a person or agency charged with administering justice
From this reading Aunt Mercy was a shrewd observer of character.
full of or showing high-spirited merriment
From this reading AS I have before said, Mr. Allen was naturally mirthful; and the change in his temperament would have cast a gloom over all the family, had it not been for Lizzie, whose merry face and sunny smiles chased away many an hour of despondence.
mirthfuladjective
full of or showing high-spirited merriment
From this reading AS I have before said, Mr. Allen was naturally mirthful; and the change in his temperament would have cast a gloom over all the family, had it not been for Lizzie, whose merry face and sunny smiles chased away many an hour of despondence.
a form of address for a man
From this reading AS I have before said, Mr. Allen was naturally mirthful; and the change in his temperament would have cast a gloom over all the family, had it not been for Lizzie, whose merry face and sunny smiles chased away many an hour of despondence.
as might be expected
From this reading AS I have before said, Mr. Allen was naturally mirthful; and the change in his temperament would have cast a gloom over all the family, had it not been for Lizzie, whose merry face and sunny smiles chased away many an hour of despondence.
nephewnounUS /ˈnefjuː/
a son of your brother or sister
From this reading As she had before talked in the plainest terms to her nephew of the sin of pursuing a course which was not only ruining his own soul, but the peace of his family, so, now that she saw he was striving to amend, in her own frank way she strove to encourage him.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading AS I have before said, Mr. Allen was naturally mirthful; and the change in his temperament would have cast a gloom over all the family, had it not been for Lizzie, whose merry face and sunny smiles chased away many an hour of despondence.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading As she had before talked in the plainest terms to her nephew of the sin of pursuing a course which was not only ruining his own soul, but the peace of his family, so, now that she saw he was striving to amend, in her own frank way she strove to encourage him.
observernounUS /əbˈzɜːrvər/
a person who becomes aware (of things or events) through the senses
From this reading Aunt Mercy was a shrewd observer of character.
something you have to do
From this reading Entirely ignoring his silence on all such occasions, she persevered in consulting him regarding the children.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A RAY OF SUNSHINE.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Entirely ignoring his silence on all such occasions, she persevered in consulting him regarding the children.
and nothing more
From this reading As she had before talked in the plainest terms to her nephew of the sin of pursuing a course which was not only ruining his own soul, but the peace of his family, so, now that she saw he was striving to amend, in her own frank way she strove to encourage him.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading AS I have before said, Mr. Allen was naturally mirthful; and the change in his temperament would have cast a gloom over all the family, had it not been for Lizzie, whose merry face and sunny smiles chased away many an hour of despondence.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading As she had before talked in the plainest terms to her nephew of the sin of pursuing a course which was not only ruining his own soul, but the peace of his family, so, now that she saw he was striving to amend, in her own frank way she strove to encourage him.
the state prevailing during the absence of war
From this reading As she had before talked in the plainest terms to her nephew of the sin of pursuing a course which was not only ruining his own soul, but the peace of his family, so, now that she saw he was striving to amend, in her own frank way she strove to encourage him.
perseveredverbUS /ˌpɜːrsəˈvɪrd/
past form of “persevere” — be persistent, refuse to stop
From this reading Entirely ignoring his silence on all such occasions, she persevered in consulting him regarding the children.
plainest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As she had before talked in the plainest terms to her nephew of the sin of pursuing a course which was not only ruining his own soul, but the peace of his family, so, now that she saw he was striving to amend, in her own frank way she strove to encourage him.
pursuingadjectiveUS /pərˈsuːɪŋ/
following in order to overtake or capture or as accompaniment to such pursuit
From this reading As she had before talked in the plainest terms to her nephew of the sin of pursuing a course which was not only ruining his own soul, but the peace of his family, so, now that she saw he was striving to amend, in her own frank way she strove to encourage him.
RAYnounUS /reɪ/
a column of light (as from a beacon)
From this reading A RAY OF SUNSHINE.
-ing form of “regard” — deem to be
From this reading Entirely ignoring his silence on all such occasions, she persevered in consulting him regarding the children.
ruiningnounUS /ˈruːɪnɪŋ/
destruction achieved by causing something to be wrecked or ruined
From this reading As she had before talked in the plainest terms to her nephew of the sin of pursuing a course which was not only ruining his own soul, but the peace of his family, so, now that she saw he was striving to amend, in her own frank way she strove to encourage him.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading AS I have before said, Mr. Allen was naturally mirthful; and the change in his temperament would have cast a gloom over all the family, had it not been for Lizzie, whose merry face and sunny smiles chased away many an hour of despondence.
cut with a saw
From this reading As she had before talked in the plainest terms to her nephew of the sin of pursuing a course which was not only ruining his own soul, but the peace of his family, so, now that she saw he was striving to amend, in her own frank way she strove to encourage him.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading As she had before talked in the plainest terms to her nephew of the sin of pursuing a course which was not only ruining his own soul, but the peace of his family, so, now that she saw he was striving to amend, in her own frank way she strove to encourage him.
shrewdadjectiveUS /ʃruːd/
marked by practical hardheaded intelligence
From this reading Aunt Mercy was a shrewd observer of character.
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading Entirely ignoring his silence on all such occasions, she persevered in consulting him regarding the children.
estrangement from god
From this reading As she had before talked in the plainest terms to her nephew of the sin of pursuing a course which was not only ruining his own soul, but the peace of his family, so, now that she saw he was striving to amend, in her own frank way she strove to encourage him.
smilesnounUS /smaɪlz/
plural of “smile” — a facial expression characterized by turning up the corners of the mouth; usually shows pleasure or amusement
From this reading AS I have before said, Mr. Allen was naturally mirthful; and the change in his temperament would have cast a gloom over all the family, had it not been for Lizzie, whose merry face and sunny smiles chased away many an hour of despondence.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading As she had before talked in the plainest terms to her nephew of the sin of pursuing a course which was not only ruining his own soul, but the peace of his family, so, now that she saw he was striving to amend, in her own frank way she strove to encourage him.
the immaterial part of a person; the actuating cause of an individual life
From this reading As she had before talked in the plainest terms to her nephew of the sin of pursuing a course which was not only ruining his own soul, but the peace of his family, so, now that she saw he was striving to amend, in her own frank way she strove to encourage him.
strivingnounUS /ˈstraɪvɪŋ/
an effortful attempt to attain a goal
From this reading As she had before talked in the plainest terms to her nephew of the sin of pursuing a course which was not only ruining his own soul, but the peace of his family, so, now that she saw he was striving to amend, in her own frank way she strove to encourage him.
stroveverbUS /stroʊv/
inflected form of “strive” — attempt by employing effort
From this reading As she had before talked in the plainest terms to her nephew of the sin of pursuing a course which was not only ruining his own soul, but the peace of his family, so, now that she saw he was striving to amend, in her own frank way she strove to encourage him.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading Entirely ignoring his silence on all such occasions, she persevered in consulting him regarding the children.
sunnyadjectiveUS /ˈsʌni/
bright and pleasant; promoting a feeling of cheer
From this reading AS I have before said, Mr. Allen was naturally mirthful; and the change in his temperament would have cast a gloom over all the family, had it not been for Lizzie, whose merry face and sunny smiles chased away many an hour of despondence.
the rays of the sun
From this reading A RAY OF SUNSHINE.
past form of “talk” — exchange thoughts; talk with
From this reading As she had before talked in the plainest terms to her nephew of the sin of pursuing a course which was not only ruining his own soul, but the peace of his family, so, now that she saw he was striving to amend, in her own frank way she strove to encourage him.
temperamentnounUS /ˈtemprəmənt/
your usual mood
From this reading AS I have before said, Mr. Allen was naturally mirthful; and the change in his temperament would have cast a gloom over all the family, had it not been for Lizzie, whose merry face and sunny smiles chased away many an hour of despondence.
status with respect to the relations between people or groups
From this reading As she had before talked in the plainest terms to her nephew of the sin of pursuing a course which was not only ruining his own soul, but the peace of his family, so, now that she saw he was striving to amend, in her own frank way she strove to encourage him.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading As she had before talked in the plainest terms to her nephew of the sin of pursuing a course which was not only ruining his own soul, but the peace of his family, so, now that she saw he was striving to amend, in her own frank way she strove to encourage him.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading AS I have before said, Mr. Allen was naturally mirthful; and the change in his temperament would have cast a gloom over all the family, had it not been for Lizzie, whose merry face and sunny smiles chased away many an hour of despondence.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading As she had before talked in the plainest terms to her nephew of the sin of pursuing a course which was not only ruining his own soul, but the peace of his family, so, now that she saw he was striving to amend, in her own frank way she strove to encourage him.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading AS I have before said, Mr. Allen was naturally mirthful; and the change in his temperament would have cast a gloom over all the family, had it not been for Lizzie, whose merry face and sunny smiles chased away many an hour of despondence.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading As she had before talked in the plainest terms to her nephew of the sin of pursuing a course which was not only ruining his own soul, but the peace of his family, so, now that she saw he was striving to amend, in her own frank way she strove to encourage him.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading As she had before talked in the plainest terms to her nephew of the sin of pursuing a course which was not only ruining his own soul, but the peace of his family, so, now that she saw he was striving to amend, in her own frank way she strove to encourage him.
belonging to which person
From this reading AS I have before said, Mr. Allen was naturally mirthful; and the change in his temperament would have cast a gloom over all the family, had it not been for Lizzie, whose merry face and sunny smiles chased away many an hour of despondence.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading AS I have before said, Mr. Allen was naturally mirthful; and the change in his temperament would have cast a gloom over all the family, had it not been for Lizzie, whose merry face and sunny smiles chased away many an hour of despondence.
