Chapter VII · Chapter 7

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading LOUISA M. ALCOTT: AUTHOR OF "LITTLE WOMEN" In a pleasant, shady garden in Concord, Massachusetts, under a gnarled old apple-tree, sat a very studious looking little person, bending over a sheet of paper on which she was writing.

giving or marked by complete attention to

From this reading She had made a seat out of a tree stump, and a table by laying a board across two carpenter's horses, whose owner was working in the house, and no scholar writing a treatise on some deep subject could have been more absorbed in his work than was the little girl in the garden.

from one side of something to the other

From this reading She had made a seat out of a tree stump, and a table by laying a board across two carpenter's horses, whose owner was working in the house, and no scholar writing a treatise on some deep subject could have been more absorbed in his work than was the little girl in the garden.

anew

From this reading For a whole long hour she wrote, frequently stopping to look off into the distance and bite the end of her pencil with a very learned look, then she would bend over her paper again and write hard and fast.

a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of

From this reading Finally, she laid down her pencil with an air of triumph, jumped up from the stump and rushed toward the house.

United States novelist noted for children's books (1832-1888)

From this reading LOUISA M. ALCOTT: AUTHOR OF "LITTLE WOMEN" In a pleasant, shady garden in Concord, Massachusetts, under a gnarled old apple-tree, sat a very studious looking little person, bending over a sheet of paper on which she was writing.

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading Finally, she laid down her pencil with an air of triumph, jumped up from the stump and rushed toward the house.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading "And for us, it was spring in California!"

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading LOUISA M. ALCOTT: AUTHOR OF "LITTLE WOMEN" In a pleasant, shady garden in Concord, Massachusetts, under a gnarled old apple-tree, sat a very studious looking little person, bending over a sheet of paper on which she was writing.

writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)

From this reading LOUISA M. ALCOTT: AUTHOR OF "LITTLE WOMEN" In a pleasant, shady garden in Concord, Massachusetts, under a gnarled old apple-tree, sat a very studious looking little person, bending over a sheet of paper on which she was writing.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading She had made a seat out of a tree stump, and a table by laying a board across two carpenter's horses, whose owner was working in the house, and no scholar writing a treatise on some deep subject could have been more absorbed in his work than was the little girl in the garden.

form a curve

From this reading For a whole long hour she wrote, frequently stopping to look off into the distance and bite the end of her pencil with a very learned look, then she would bend over her paper again and write hard and fast.

movement that causes the formation of a curve

From this reading LOUISA M. ALCOTT: AUTHOR OF "LITTLE WOMEN" In a pleasant, shady garden in Concord, Massachusetts, under a gnarled old apple-tree, sat a very studious looking little person, bending over a sheet of paper on which she was writing.

to grip, cut off, or tear with or as if with the teeth or jaws

From this reading For a whole long hour she wrote, frequently stopping to look off into the distance and bite the end of her pencil with a very learned look, then she would bend over her paper again and write hard and fast.

a committee having supervisory powers

From this reading She had made a seat out of a tree stump, and a table by laying a board across two carpenter's horses, whose owner was working in the house, and no scholar writing a treatise on some deep subject could have been more absorbed in his work than was the little girl in the garden.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading She had made a seat out of a tree stump, and a table by laying a board across two carpenter's horses, whose owner was working in the house, and no scholar writing a treatise on some deep subject could have been more absorbed in his work than was the little girl in the garden.

a state in the western United States on the Pacific; the 3rd largest state; known for earthquakes

From this reading "And for us, it was spring in California!"

possessive form of “carpenter” — a woodworker who makes or repairs wooden objects

From this reading She had made a seat out of a tree stump, and a table by laying a board across two carpenter's horses, whose owner was working in the house, and no scholar writing a treatise on some deep subject could have been more absorbed in his work than was the little girl in the garden.

capital of the state of New Hampshire; located in south central New Hampshire on the Merrimack river

From this reading LOUISA M. ALCOTT: AUTHOR OF "LITTLE WOMEN" In a pleasant, shady garden in Concord, Massachusetts, under a gnarled old apple-tree, sat a very studious looking little person, bending over a sheet of paper on which she was writing.

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading She had made a seat out of a tree stump, and a table by laying a board across two carpenter's horses, whose owner was working in the house, and no scholar writing a treatise on some deep subject could have been more absorbed in his work than was the little girl in the garden.

relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply

From this reading She had made a seat out of a tree stump, and a table by laying a board across two carpenter's horses, whose owner was working in the house, and no scholar writing a treatise on some deep subject could have been more absorbed in his work than was the little girl in the garden.

the property created by the space between two objects or points

From this reading For a whole long hour she wrote, frequently stopping to look off into the distance and bite the end of her pencil with a very learned look, then she would bend over her paper again and write hard and fast.

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading Finally, she laid down her pencil with an air of triumph, jumped up from the stump and rushed toward the house.

either extremity of something that has length

From this reading For a whole long hour she wrote, frequently stopping to look off into the distance and bite the end of her pencil with a very learned look, then she would bend over her paper again and write hard and fast.

quickly or rapidly (often used as a combining form)

From this reading For a whole long hour she wrote, frequently stopping to look off into the distance and bite the end of her pencil with a very learned look, then she would bend over her paper again and write hard and fast.

after an unspecified period of time or an especially long delay

From this reading Finally, she laid down her pencil with an air of triumph, jumped up from the stump and rushed toward the house.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading "And for us, it was spring in California!"

many times at short intervals

From this reading For a whole long hour she wrote, frequently stopping to look off into the distance and bite the end of her pencil with a very learned look, then she would bend over her paper again and write hard and fast.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Finally, she laid down her pencil with an air of triumph, jumped up from the stump and rushed toward the house.

a plot of ground where plants are cultivated

From this reading LOUISA M. ALCOTT: AUTHOR OF "LITTLE WOMEN" In a pleasant, shady garden in Concord, Massachusetts, under a gnarled old apple-tree, sat a very studious looking little person, bending over a sheet of paper on which she was writing.

a young female

From this reading She had made a seat out of a tree stump, and a table by laying a board across two carpenter's horses, whose owner was working in the house, and no scholar writing a treatise on some deep subject could have been more absorbed in his work than was the little girl in the garden.

used of old persons or old trees; covered with knobs or knots

From this reading LOUISA M. ALCOTT: AUTHOR OF "LITTLE WOMEN" In a pleasant, shady garden in Concord, Massachusetts, under a gnarled old apple-tree, sat a very studious looking little person, bending over a sheet of paper on which she was writing.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading She had made a seat out of a tree stump, and a table by laying a board across two carpenter's horses, whose owner was working in the house, and no scholar writing a treatise on some deep subject could have been more absorbed in his work than was the little girl in the garden.

not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure

From this reading For a whole long hour she wrote, frequently stopping to look off into the distance and bite the end of her pencil with a very learned look, then she would bend over her paper again and write hard and fast.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading She had made a seat out of a tree stump, and a table by laying a board across two carpenter's horses, whose owner was working in the house, and no scholar writing a treatise on some deep subject could have been more absorbed in his work than was the little girl in the garden.

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading For a whole long hour she wrote, frequently stopping to look off into the distance and bite the end of her pencil with a very learned look, then she would bend over her paper again and write hard and fast.

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading She had made a seat out of a tree stump, and a table by laying a board across two carpenter's horses, whose owner was working in the house, and no scholar writing a treatise on some deep subject could have been more absorbed in his work than was the little girl in the garden.

plural of “horse” — solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times

From this reading She had made a seat out of a tree stump, and a table by laying a board across two carpenter's horses, whose owner was working in the house, and no scholar writing a treatise on some deep subject could have been more absorbed in his work than was the little girl in the garden.

a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day

From this reading For a whole long hour she wrote, frequently stopping to look off into the distance and bite the end of her pencil with a very learned look, then she would bend over her paper again and write hard and fast.

a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading She had made a seat out of a tree stump, and a table by laying a board across two carpenter's horses, whose owner was working in the house, and no scholar writing a treatise on some deep subject could have been more absorbed in his work than was the little girl in the garden.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading "And for us, it was spring in California!"

moving to the inside of something

From this reading For a whole long hour she wrote, frequently stopping to look off into the distance and bite the end of her pencil with a very learned look, then she would bend over her paper again and write hard and fast.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading "And for us, it was spring in California!"

past form of “jump” — move forward by leaps and bounds

From this reading Finally, she laid down her pencil with an air of triumph, jumped up from the stump and rushed toward the house.

set down according to a plan

From this reading Finally, she laid down her pencil with an air of triumph, jumped up from the stump and rushed toward the house.

the production of eggs (especially in birds)

From this reading She had made a seat out of a tree stump, and a table by laying a board across two carpenter's horses, whose owner was working in the house, and no scholar writing a treatise on some deep subject could have been more absorbed in his work than was the little girl in the garden.

having or showing profound knowledge

From this reading For a whole long hour she wrote, frequently stopping to look off into the distance and bite the end of her pencil with a very learned look, then she would bend over her paper again and write hard and fast.

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading LOUISA M. ALCOTT: AUTHOR OF "LITTLE WOMEN" In a pleasant, shady garden in Concord, Massachusetts, under a gnarled old apple-tree, sat a very studious looking little person, bending over a sheet of paper on which she was writing.

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading For a whole long hour she wrote, frequently stopping to look off into the distance and bite the end of her pencil with a very learned look, then she would bend over her paper again and write hard and fast.

perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading For a whole long hour she wrote, frequently stopping to look off into the distance and bite the end of her pencil with a very learned look, then she would bend over her paper again and write hard and fast.

the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually

From this reading LOUISA M. ALCOTT: AUTHOR OF "LITTLE WOMEN" In a pleasant, shady garden in Concord, Massachusetts, under a gnarled old apple-tree, sat a very studious looking little person, bending over a sheet of paper on which she was writing.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading LOUISA M. ALCOTT: AUTHOR OF "LITTLE WOMEN" In a pleasant, shady garden in Concord, Massachusetts, under a gnarled old apple-tree, sat a very studious looking little person, bending over a sheet of paper on which she was writing.

the basic unit of length adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites (approximately 1.094 yards)

From this reading LOUISA M. ALCOTT: AUTHOR OF "LITTLE WOMEN" In a pleasant, shady garden in Concord, Massachusetts, under a gnarled old apple-tree, sat a very studious looking little person, bending over a sheet of paper on which she was writing.

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading She had made a seat out of a tree stump, and a table by laying a board across two carpenter's horses, whose owner was working in the house, and no scholar writing a treatise on some deep subject could have been more absorbed in his work than was the little girl in the garden.

a state in New England; one of the original 13 colonies

From this reading LOUISA M. ALCOTT: AUTHOR OF "LITTLE WOMEN" In a pleasant, shady garden in Concord, Massachusetts, under a gnarled old apple-tree, sat a very studious looking little person, bending over a sheet of paper on which she was writing.

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading She had made a seat out of a tree stump, and a table by laying a board across two carpenter's horses, whose owner was working in the house, and no scholar writing a treatise on some deep subject could have been more absorbed in his work than was the little girl in the garden.

not any; not one

From this reading She had made a seat out of a tree stump, and a table by laying a board across two carpenter's horses, whose owner was working in the house, and no scholar writing a treatise on some deep subject could have been more absorbed in his work than was the little girl in the garden.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading LOUISA M. ALCOTT: AUTHOR OF "LITTLE WOMEN" In a pleasant, shady garden in Concord, Massachusetts, under a gnarled old apple-tree, sat a very studious looking little person, bending over a sheet of paper on which she was writing.

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading For a whole long hour she wrote, frequently stopping to look off into the distance and bite the end of her pencil with a very learned look, then she would bend over her paper again and write hard and fast.

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading LOUISA M. ALCOTT: AUTHOR OF "LITTLE WOMEN" In a pleasant, shady garden in Concord, Massachusetts, under a gnarled old apple-tree, sat a very studious looking little person, bending over a sheet of paper on which she was writing.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading LOUISA M. ALCOTT: AUTHOR OF "LITTLE WOMEN" In a pleasant, shady garden in Concord, Massachusetts, under a gnarled old apple-tree, sat a very studious looking little person, bending over a sheet of paper on which she was writing.

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading She had made a seat out of a tree stump, and a table by laying a board across two carpenter's horses, whose owner was working in the house, and no scholar writing a treatise on some deep subject could have been more absorbed in his work than was the little girl in the garden.

above and across; more than

From this reading LOUISA M. ALCOTT: AUTHOR OF "LITTLE WOMEN" In a pleasant, shady garden in Concord, Massachusetts, under a gnarled old apple-tree, sat a very studious looking little person, bending over a sheet of paper on which she was writing.

(law) someone who owns (is legal possessor of) a business

From this reading She had made a seat out of a tree stump, and a table by laying a board across two carpenter's horses, whose owner was working in the house, and no scholar writing a treatise on some deep subject could have been more absorbed in his work than was the little girl in the garden.

a material made of cellulose pulp derived mainly from wood or rags or certain grasses

From this reading LOUISA M. ALCOTT: AUTHOR OF "LITTLE WOMEN" In a pleasant, shady garden in Concord, Massachusetts, under a gnarled old apple-tree, sat a very studious looking little person, bending over a sheet of paper on which she was writing.

a thin cylindrical pointed writing implement; a rod of marking substance encased in wood

From this reading For a whole long hour she wrote, frequently stopping to look off into the distance and bite the end of her pencil with a very learned look, then she would bend over her paper again and write hard and fast.

a human being

From this reading LOUISA M. ALCOTT: AUTHOR OF "LITTLE WOMEN" In a pleasant, shady garden in Concord, Massachusetts, under a gnarled old apple-tree, sat a very studious looking little person, bending over a sheet of paper on which she was writing.

affording pleasure; being in harmony with your taste or likings

From this reading LOUISA M. ALCOTT: AUTHOR OF "LITTLE WOMEN" In a pleasant, shady garden in Concord, Massachusetts, under a gnarled old apple-tree, sat a very studious looking little person, bending over a sheet of paper on which she was writing.

done under pressure

From this reading Finally, she laid down her pencil with an air of triumph, jumped up from the stump and rushed toward the house.

the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians

From this reading LOUISA M. ALCOTT: AUTHOR OF "LITTLE WOMEN" In a pleasant, shady garden in Concord, Massachusetts, under a gnarled old apple-tree, sat a very studious looking little person, bending over a sheet of paper on which she was writing.

A specialist in a particular branch of study; a distinguished student.

From this reading She had made a seat out of a tree stump, and a table by laying a board across two carpenter's horses, whose owner was working in the house, and no scholar writing a treatise on some deep subject could have been more absorbed in his work than was the little girl in the garden.

a space reserved for sitting (as in a theater or on a train or airplane)

From this reading She had made a seat out of a tree stump, and a table by laying a board across two carpenter's horses, whose owner was working in the house, and no scholar writing a treatise on some deep subject could have been more absorbed in his work than was the little girl in the garden.

quiet, dark, or concealed

From this reading LOUISA M. ALCOTT: AUTHOR OF "LITTLE WOMEN" In a pleasant, shady garden in Concord, Massachusetts, under a gnarled old apple-tree, sat a very studious looking little person, bending over a sheet of paper on which she was writing.

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading LOUISA M. ALCOTT: AUTHOR OF "LITTLE WOMEN" In a pleasant, shady garden in Concord, Massachusetts, under a gnarled old apple-tree, sat a very studious looking little person, bending over a sheet of paper on which she was writing.

any broad thin expanse or surface

From this reading LOUISA M. ALCOTT: AUTHOR OF "LITTLE WOMEN" In a pleasant, shady garden in Concord, Massachusetts, under a gnarled old apple-tree, sat a very studious looking little person, bending over a sheet of paper on which she was writing.

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading She had made a seat out of a tree stump, and a table by laying a board across two carpenter's horses, whose owner was working in the house, and no scholar writing a treatise on some deep subject could have been more absorbed in his work than was the little girl in the garden.

the season of growth

From this reading "And for us, it was spring in California!"

fastener consisting of a narrow strip of welded metal used to join steel members

From this reading For a whole long hour she wrote, frequently stopping to look off into the distance and bite the end of her pencil with a very learned look, then she would bend over her paper again and write hard and fast.

marked by care and effort

From this reading LOUISA M. ALCOTT: AUTHOR OF "LITTLE WOMEN" In a pleasant, shady garden in Concord, Massachusetts, under a gnarled old apple-tree, sat a very studious looking little person, bending over a sheet of paper on which she was writing.

the base part of a tree that remains standing after the tree has been felled

From this reading She had made a seat out of a tree stump, and a table by laying a board across two carpenter's horses, whose owner was working in the house, and no scholar writing a treatise on some deep subject could have been more absorbed in his work than was the little girl in the garden.

the subject matter of a conversation or discussion

From this reading She had made a seat out of a tree stump, and a table by laying a board across two carpenter's horses, whose owner was working in the house, and no scholar writing a treatise on some deep subject could have been more absorbed in his work than was the little girl in the garden.

a set of data arranged in rows and columns

From this reading She had made a seat out of a tree stump, and a table by laying a board across two carpenter's horses, whose owner was working in the house, and no scholar writing a treatise on some deep subject could have been more absorbed in his work than was the little girl in the garden.

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading She had made a seat out of a tree stump, and a table by laying a board across two carpenter's horses, whose owner was working in the house, and no scholar writing a treatise on some deep subject could have been more absorbed in his work than was the little girl in the garden.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading She had made a seat out of a tree stump, and a table by laying a board across two carpenter's horses, whose owner was working in the house, and no scholar writing a treatise on some deep subject could have been more absorbed in his work than was the little girl in the garden.

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading For a whole long hour she wrote, frequently stopping to look off into the distance and bite the end of her pencil with a very learned look, then she would bend over her paper again and write hard and fast.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading For a whole long hour she wrote, frequently stopping to look off into the distance and bite the end of her pencil with a very learned look, then she would bend over her paper again and write hard and fast.

in the direction of

From this reading Finally, she laid down her pencil with an air of triumph, jumped up from the stump and rushed toward the house.

a formal exposition

From this reading She had made a seat out of a tree stump, and a table by laying a board across two carpenter's horses, whose owner was working in the house, and no scholar writing a treatise on some deep subject could have been more absorbed in his work than was the little girl in the garden.

a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms

From this reading She had made a seat out of a tree stump, and a table by laying a board across two carpenter's horses, whose owner was working in the house, and no scholar writing a treatise on some deep subject could have been more absorbed in his work than was the little girl in the garden.

a successful ending of a struggle or contest

From this reading Finally, she laid down her pencil with an air of triumph, jumped up from the stump and rushed toward the house.

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading She had made a seat out of a tree stump, and a table by laying a board across two carpenter's horses, whose owner was working in the house, and no scholar writing a treatise on some deep subject could have been more absorbed in his work than was the little girl in the garden.

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading LOUISA M. ALCOTT: AUTHOR OF "LITTLE WOMEN" In a pleasant, shady garden in Concord, Massachusetts, under a gnarled old apple-tree, sat a very studious looking little person, bending over a sheet of paper on which she was writing.

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading Finally, she laid down her pencil with an air of triumph, jumped up from the stump and rushed toward the house.

the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading "And for us, it was spring in California!"

precisely as stated

From this reading LOUISA M. ALCOTT: AUTHOR OF "LITTLE WOMEN" In a pleasant, shady garden in Concord, Massachusetts, under a gnarled old apple-tree, sat a very studious looking little person, bending over a sheet of paper on which she was writing.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading "And for us, it was spring in California!"

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading LOUISA M. ALCOTT: AUTHOR OF "LITTLE WOMEN" In a pleasant, shady garden in Concord, Massachusetts, under a gnarled old apple-tree, sat a very studious looking little person, bending over a sheet of paper on which she was writing.

including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete

From this reading For a whole long hour she wrote, frequently stopping to look off into the distance and bite the end of her pencil with a very learned look, then she would bend over her paper again and write hard and fast.

belonging to which person

From this reading She had made a seat out of a tree stump, and a table by laying a board across two carpenter's horses, whose owner was working in the house, and no scholar writing a treatise on some deep subject could have been more absorbed in his work than was the little girl in the garden.

in the company of; together with

From this reading For a whole long hour she wrote, frequently stopping to look off into the distance and bite the end of her pencil with a very learned look, then she would bend over her paper again and write hard and fast.

plural of “woman” — an adult female person (as opposed to a man)

From this reading LOUISA M. ALCOTT: AUTHOR OF "LITTLE WOMEN" In a pleasant, shady garden in Concord, Massachusetts, under a gnarled old apple-tree, sat a very studious looking little person, bending over a sheet of paper on which she was writing.

exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity

From this reading She had made a seat out of a tree stump, and a table by laying a board across two carpenter's horses, whose owner was working in the house, and no scholar writing a treatise on some deep subject could have been more absorbed in his work than was the little girl in the garden.

actively engaged in paid work

From this reading She had made a seat out of a tree stump, and a table by laying a board across two carpenter's horses, whose owner was working in the house, and no scholar writing a treatise on some deep subject could have been more absorbed in his work than was the little girl in the garden.

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading For a whole long hour she wrote, frequently stopping to look off into the distance and bite the end of her pencil with a very learned look, then she would bend over her paper again and write hard and fast.

produce a literary work

From this reading For a whole long hour she wrote, frequently stopping to look off into the distance and bite the end of her pencil with a very learned look, then she would bend over her paper again and write hard and fast.

the act of creating written works

From this reading LOUISA M. ALCOTT: AUTHOR OF "LITTLE WOMEN" In a pleasant, shady garden in Concord, Massachusetts, under a gnarled old apple-tree, sat a very studious looking little person, bending over a sheet of paper on which she was writing.

inflected form of “write” — produce a literary work

From this reading For a whole long hour she wrote, frequently stopping to look off into the distance and bite the end of her pencil with a very learned look, then she would bend over her paper again and write hard and fast.