used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Sally's emotions, as she sat in her apartment on the morning of her return to New York, resembled somewhat those of a swimmer who, after wavering on a raw morning at the brink of a chill pool, nerves himself to the plunge.
achingadjectiveUS /ˈeɪkɪŋ/
causing a dull and steady pain
From this reading She was aching, but she knew that she had done well.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading Sally's emotions, as she sat in her apartment on the morning of her return to New York, resembled somewhat those of a swimmer who, after wavering on a raw morning at the brink of a chill pool, nerves himself to the plunge.
(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 If she wanted happiness, she must fight for it, and for all these months she had been shirking the fight.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading If she wanted happiness, she must fight for it, and for all these months she had been shirking the fight.
a suite of rooms usually on one floor of an apartment house
From this reading Sally's emotions, as she sat in her apartment on the morning of her return to New York, resembled somewhat those of a swimmer who, after wavering on a raw morning at the brink of a chill pool, nerves himself to the plunge.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Sally's emotions, as she sat in her apartment on the morning of her return to New York, resembled somewhat those of a swimmer who, after wavering on a raw morning at the brink of a chill pool, nerves himself to the plunge.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Sally's emotions, as she sat in her apartment on the morning of her return to New York, resembled somewhat those of a swimmer who, after wavering on a raw morning at the brink of a chill pool, nerves himself to the plunge.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading If she wanted happiness, she must fight for it, and for all these months she had been shirking the fight.
befallverbUS /bɪˈfɔːl/
become of; happen to
From this reading She had done with wavering on the brink, and here she was, in mid-stream, ready for whatever might befall.
brinknounUS /brɪŋk/
a region marking a boundary
From this reading Sally's emotions, as she sat in her apartment on the morning of her return to New York, resembled somewhat those of a swimmer who, after wavering on a raw morning at the brink of a chill pool, nerves himself to the plunge.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading She was aching, but she knew that she had done well.
chillnounUS /tʃɪl/
coldness due to a cold environment
From this reading Sally's emotions, as she sat in her apartment on the morning of her return to New York, resembled somewhat those of a swimmer who, after wavering on a raw morning at the brink of a chill pool, nerves himself to the plunge.
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading It hurt, this coming to grips.
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading She was aching, but she knew that she had done well.
plural of “emotion” — any strong feeling
From this reading Sally's emotions, as she sat in her apartment on the morning of her return to New York, resembled somewhat those of a swimmer who, after wavering on a raw morning at the brink of a chill pool, nerves himself to the plunge.
be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight
From this reading If she wanted happiness, she must fight for it, and for all these months she had been shirking the fight.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading If she wanted happiness, she must fight for it, and for all these months she had been shirking the fight.
gripsnounUS /ɡrɪps/
plural of “grip” — the act of grasping
From this reading It hurt, this coming to grips.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading She was aching, but she knew that she had done well.
state of well-being characterized by emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy
From this reading If she wanted happiness, she must fight for it, and for all these months she had been shirking the fight.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Sally's emotions, as she sat in her apartment on the morning of her return to New York, resembled somewhat those of a swimmer who, after wavering on a raw morning at the brink of a chill pool, nerves himself to the plunge.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading She had done with wavering on the brink, and here she was, in mid-stream, ready for whatever might befall.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading Sally's emotions, as she sat in her apartment on the morning of her return to New York, resembled somewhat those of a swimmer who, after wavering on a raw morning at the brink of a chill pool, nerves himself to the plunge.
be the source of pain
From this reading It hurt, this coming to grips.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If she wanted happiness, she must fight for it, and for all these months she had been shirking the fight.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Sally's emotions, as she sat in her apartment on the morning of her return to New York, resembled somewhat those of a swimmer who, after wavering on a raw morning at the brink of a chill pool, nerves himself to the plunge.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading If she wanted happiness, she must fight for it, and for all these months she had been shirking the fight.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading She was aching, but she knew that she had done well.
mid-stream
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had done with wavering on the brink, and here she was, in mid-stream, ready for whatever might befall.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading She had done with wavering on the brink, and here she was, in mid-stream, ready for whatever might befall.
plural of “month” — one of the twelve divisions of the calendar year
From this reading If she wanted happiness, she must fight for it, and for all these months she had been shirking the fight.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading Sally's emotions, as she sat in her apartment on the morning of her return to New York, resembled somewhat those of a swimmer who, after wavering on a raw morning at the brink of a chill pool, nerves himself to the plunge.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading If she wanted happiness, she must fight for it, and for all these months she had been shirking the fight.
an uneasy psychological state
From this reading Sally's emotions, as she sat in her apartment on the morning of her return to New York, resembled somewhat those of a swimmer who, after wavering on a raw morning at the brink of a chill pool, nerves himself to the plunge.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading Sally's emotions, as she sat in her apartment on the morning of her return to New York, resembled somewhat those of a swimmer who, after wavering on a raw morning at the brink of a chill pool, nerves himself to the plunge.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Sally's emotions, as she sat in her apartment on the morning of her return to New York, resembled somewhat those of a swimmer who, after wavering on a raw morning at the brink of a chill pool, nerves himself to the plunge.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Sally's emotions, as she sat in her apartment on the morning of her return to New York, resembled somewhat those of a swimmer who, after wavering on a raw morning at the brink of a chill pool, nerves himself to the plunge.
plungeverbUS /plʌndʒ/
thrust or throw into
From this reading Sally's emotions, as she sat in her apartment on the morning of her return to New York, resembled somewhat those of a swimmer who, after wavering on a raw morning at the brink of a chill pool, nerves himself to the plunge.
poolnounUS /puːl/
an excavation that is (usually) filled with water
From this reading Sally's emotions, as she sat in her apartment on the morning of her return to New York, resembled somewhat those of a swimmer who, after wavering on a raw morning at the brink of a chill pool, nerves himself to the plunge.
rawadjectiveUS /rɑː/
(used especially of commodities) being unprocessed or manufactured using only simple or minimal processes
From this reading Sally's emotions, as she sat in her apartment on the morning of her return to New York, resembled somewhat those of a swimmer who, after wavering on a raw morning at the brink of a chill pool, nerves himself to the plunge.
completely prepared or in condition for immediate action or use or progress
From this reading She had done with wavering on the brink, and here she was, in mid-stream, ready for whatever might befall.
resembledverbUS /rɪˈzembəld/
past form of “resemble” — appear like; be similar or bear a likeness to
From this reading Sally's emotions, as she sat in her apartment on the morning of her return to New York, resembled somewhat those of a swimmer who, after wavering on a raw morning at the brink of a chill pool, nerves himself to the plunge.
go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading Sally's emotions, as she sat in her apartment on the morning of her return to New York, resembled somewhat those of a swimmer who, after wavering on a raw morning at the brink of a chill pool, nerves himself to the plunge.
Sally'snounUS /ˈsæliz/
possessive form of “sally” — witty remark
From this reading Sally's emotions, as she sat in her apartment on the morning of her return to New York, resembled somewhat those of a swimmer who, after wavering on a raw morning at the brink of a chill pool, nerves himself to the plunge.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading Sally's emotions, as she sat in her apartment on the morning of her return to New York, resembled somewhat those of a swimmer who, after wavering on a raw morning at the brink of a chill pool, nerves himself to the plunge.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Sally's emotions, as she sat in her apartment on the morning of her return to New York, resembled somewhat those of a swimmer who, after wavering on a raw morning at the brink of a chill pool, nerves himself to the plunge.
shirkingnounUS /ˈʃɜːrkɪŋ/
the evasion of work or duty
From this reading If she wanted happiness, she must fight for it, and for all these months she had been shirking the fight.
to a small degree or extent
From this reading Sally's emotions, as she sat in her apartment on the morning of her return to New York, resembled somewhat those of a swimmer who, after wavering on a raw morning at the brink of a chill pool, nerves himself to the plunge.
swimmernounUS /ˈswɪmər/
a trained athlete who participates in swimming meets
From this reading Sally's emotions, as she sat in her apartment on the morning of her return to New York, resembled somewhat those of a swimmer who, after wavering on a raw morning at the brink of a chill pool, nerves himself to the plunge.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading She was aching, but she knew that she had done well.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Sally's emotions, as she sat in her apartment on the morning of her return to New York, resembled somewhat those of a swimmer who, after wavering on a raw morning at the brink of a chill pool, nerves himself to the plunge.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading If she wanted happiness, she must fight for it, and for all these months she had been shirking the fight.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading It hurt, this coming to grips.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading Sally's emotions, as she sat in her apartment on the morning of her return to New York, resembled somewhat those of a swimmer who, after wavering on a raw morning at the brink of a chill pool, nerves himself to the plunge.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Sally's emotions, as she sat in her apartment on the morning of her return to New York, resembled somewhat those of a swimmer who, after wavering on a raw morning at the brink of a chill pool, nerves himself to the plunge.
desired or wished for or sought
From this reading If she wanted happiness, she must fight for it, and for all these months she had been shirking the fight.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading She was aching, but she knew that she had done well.
waveringnounUS /ˈweɪvərɪŋ/
indecision in speech or action
From this reading Sally's emotions, as she sat in her apartment on the morning of her return to New York, resembled somewhat those of a swimmer who, after wavering on a raw morning at the brink of a chill pool, nerves himself to the plunge.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading She was aching, but she knew that she had done well.
any or all of a kind, it does not matter which
From this reading She had done with wavering on the brink, and here she was, in mid-stream, ready for whatever might befall.
which person or people
From this reading Sally's emotions, as she sat in her apartment on the morning of her return to New York, resembled somewhat those of a swimmer who, after wavering on a raw morning at the brink of a chill pool, nerves himself to the plunge.
in the company of; together with
From this reading She had done with wavering on the brink, and here she was, in mid-stream, ready for whatever might befall.
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 Sally's emotions, as she sat in her apartment on the morning of her return to New York, resembled somewhat those of a swimmer who, after wavering on a raw morning at the brink of a chill pool, nerves himself to the plunge.
