used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A few days' respite would be wise for both of them; they would be calmer, more self-controlled, better able to meet bravely and sensibly what must be the one crisis of their lives.
(usually followed by “to”) having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something
From this reading A few days' respite would be wise for both of them; they would be calmer, more self-controlled, better able to meet bravely and sensibly what must be the one crisis of their lives.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Whatever mystery this house contained, whatever the secrets of the Kingdons and the Lawrences, my business was not with them.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Pursuit My work at Elizabeth was done.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading I would counsel him to wait until Marcia Lawrence chose to reveal herself--I was sure it would not be long.
(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another
From this reading A few days' respite would be wise for both of them; they would be calmer, more self-controlled, better able to meet bravely and sensibly what must be the one crisis of their lives.
the two together, not just one
From this reading A few days' respite would be wise for both of them; they would be calmer, more self-controlled, better able to meet bravely and sensibly what must be the one crisis of their lives.
bravelyadverbUS /ˈbreɪvli/
in a courageous manner
From this reading A few days' respite would be wise for both of them; they would be calmer, more self-controlled, better able to meet bravely and sensibly what must be the one crisis of their lives.
BurrnounUS /bɜːr/
seed vessel having hooks or prickles
From this reading I had only to return to New York and place this message in Burr Curtiss's hands.
a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it
From this reading Whatever mystery this house contained, whatever the secrets of the Kingdons and the Lawrences, my business was not with them.
calmeradjectiveUS /ˈkɑːmər/
comparative of “calm” — not agitated; without losing self-possession
From this reading A few days' respite would be wise for both of them; they would be calmer, more self-controlled, better able to meet bravely and sensibly what must be the one crisis of their lives.
inflected form of “choose” — pick out, select, or choose from a number of alternatives
From this reading I would counsel him to wait until Marcia Lawrence chose to reveal herself--I was sure it would not be long.
gotten under control
From this reading Whatever mystery this house contained, whatever the secrets of the Kingdons and the Lawrences, my business was not with them.
a lawyer who pleads cases in court
From this reading I would counsel him to wait until Marcia Lawrence chose to reveal herself--I was sure it would not be long.
crisisnounUS /ˈkraɪsəs/
an unstable situation of extreme danger or difficulty
From this reading A few days' respite would be wise for both of them; they would be calmer, more self-controlled, better able to meet bravely and sensibly what must be the one crisis of their lives.
Curtiss's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had only to return to New York and place this message in Burr Curtiss's hands.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading A few days' respite would be wise for both of them; they would be calmer, more self-controlled, better able to meet bravely and sensibly what must be the one crisis of their lives.
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading Pursuit My work at Elizabeth was done.
daughter of George VI who became the Queen of England and Northern Ireland in 1952 on the death of her father (1926-)
From this reading Pursuit My work at Elizabeth was done.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading A few days' respite would be wise for both of them; they would be calmer, more self-controlled, better able to meet bravely and sensibly what must be the one crisis of their lives.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading A few days' respite would be wise for both of them; they would be calmer, more self-controlled, better able to meet bravely and sensibly what must be the one crisis of their lives.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading I had only to return to New York and place this message in Burr Curtiss's hands.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading I had only to return to New York and place this message in Burr Curtiss's hands.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading I would counsel him to wait until Marcia Lawrence chose to reveal herself--I was sure it would not be long.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading I would counsel him to wait until Marcia Lawrence chose to reveal herself--I was sure it would not be long.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading Whatever mystery this house contained, whatever the secrets of the Kingdons and the Lawrences, my business was not with them.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I had only to return to New York and place this message in Burr Curtiss's hands.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading I had only to return to New York and place this message in Burr Curtiss's hands.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading I would counsel him to wait until Marcia Lawrence chose to reveal herself--I was sure it would not be long.
Kingdons
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Whatever mystery this house contained, whatever the secrets of the Kingdons and the Lawrences, my business was not with them.
LawrencenounUS /ˈlɔːrəns/
Roman martyr; supposedly Lawrence was ordered by the police to give up the church's treasure and when he responded by presenting the poor people of Rome he was roasted to death on a gridiron (died in 258)
From this reading I would counsel him to wait until Marcia Lawrence chose to reveal herself--I was sure it would not be long.
Lawrences
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Whatever mystery this house contained, whatever the secrets of the Kingdons and the Lawrences, my business was not with them.
plural of “life” — a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading A few days' respite would be wise for both of them; they would be calmer, more self-controlled, better able to meet bravely and sensibly what must be the one crisis of their lives.
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 I would counsel him to wait until Marcia Lawrence chose to reveal herself--I was sure it would not be long.
Marcia
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I would counsel him to wait until Marcia Lawrence chose to reveal herself--I was sure it would not be long.
come together
From this reading A few days' respite would be wise for both of them; they would be calmer, more self-controlled, better able to meet bravely and sensibly what must be the one crisis of their lives.
a communication (usually brief) that is written or spoken or signaled
From this reading I had only to return to New York and place this message in Burr Curtiss's hands.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading A few days' respite would be wise for both of them; they would be calmer, more self-controlled, better able to meet bravely and sensibly what must be the one crisis of their lives.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading A few days' respite would be wise for both of them; they would be calmer, more self-controlled, better able to meet bravely and sensibly what must be the one crisis of their lives.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading Pursuit My work at Elizabeth was done.
something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained
From this reading Whatever mystery this house contained, whatever the secrets of the Kingdons and the Lawrences, my business was not with them.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading I had only to return to New York and place this message in Burr Curtiss's hands.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Whatever mystery this house contained, whatever the secrets of the Kingdons and the Lawrences, my business was not with them.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Whatever mystery this house contained, whatever the secrets of the Kingdons and the Lawrences, my business was not with them.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading A few days' respite would be wise for both of them; they would be calmer, more self-controlled, better able to meet bravely and sensibly what must be the one crisis of their lives.
and nothing more
From this reading I had only to return to New York and place this message in Burr Curtiss's hands.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading I had only to return to New York and place this message in Burr Curtiss's hands.
the act of pursuing in an effort to overtake or capture
From this reading Pursuit My work at Elizabeth was done.
respitenounUS /ˈrespɪt/
a (temporary) relief from harm or discomfort
From this reading A few days' respite would be wise for both of them; they would be calmer, more self-controlled, better able to meet bravely and sensibly what must be the one crisis of their lives.
go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading I had only to return to New York and place this message in Burr Curtiss's hands.
revealverbUS /rɪˈviːl/
make visible
From this reading I would counsel him to wait until Marcia Lawrence chose to reveal herself--I was sure it would not be long.
secretsnounUS /ˈsiːkrəts/
plural of “secret” — something that should remain hidden from others (especially information that is not to be passed on)
From this reading Whatever mystery this house contained, whatever the secrets of the Kingdons and the Lawrences, my business was not with them.
self-controlled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A few days' respite would be wise for both of them; they would be calmer, more self-controlled, better able to meet bravely and sensibly what must be the one crisis of their lives.
sensiblyadverbUS /ˈsensəbli/
with good sense or in a reasonable or intelligent manner
From this reading A few days' respite would be wise for both of them; they would be calmer, more self-controlled, better able to meet bravely and sensibly what must be the one crisis of their lives.
having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured
From this reading I would counsel him to wait until Marcia Lawrence chose to reveal herself--I was sure it would not be long.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Whatever mystery this house contained, whatever the secrets of the Kingdons and the Lawrences, my business was not with them.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading A few days' respite would be wise for both of them; they would be calmer, more self-controlled, better able to meet bravely and sensibly what must be the one crisis of their lives.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Whatever mystery this house contained, whatever the secrets of the Kingdons and the Lawrences, my business was not with them.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading A few days' respite would be wise for both of them; they would be calmer, more self-controlled, better able to meet bravely and sensibly what must be the one crisis of their lives.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Whatever mystery this house contained, whatever the secrets of the Kingdons and the Lawrences, my business was not with them.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I had only to return to New York and place this message in Burr Curtiss's hands.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading I would counsel him to wait until Marcia Lawrence chose to reveal herself--I was sure it would not be long.
stay in one place and anticipate or expect something
From this reading I would counsel him to wait until Marcia Lawrence chose to reveal herself--I was sure it would not be long.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Pursuit My work at Elizabeth was done.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading A few days' respite would be wise for both of them; they would be calmer, more self-controlled, better able to meet bravely and sensibly what must be the one crisis of their lives.
any or all of a kind, it does not matter which
From this reading Whatever mystery this house contained, whatever the secrets of the Kingdons and the Lawrences, my business was not with them.
having or prompted by wisdom or discernment
From this reading A few days' respite would be wise for both of them; they would be calmer, more self-controlled, better able to meet bravely and sensibly what must be the one crisis of their lives.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Whatever mystery this house contained, whatever the secrets of the Kingdons and the Lawrences, my business was not with them.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading Pursuit My work at Elizabeth was done.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading I would counsel him to wait until Marcia Lawrence chose to reveal herself--I was sure it would not be long.
the English royal house (a branch of the Plantagenet line) that reigned from 1461 to 1485; its emblem was a white rose
From this reading I had only to return to New York and place this message in Burr Curtiss's hands.
