used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE WEAKNESS IN STRENGTH At breakfast Alice did not appear, and when he went upstairs to her room, she returned an answer in a sullen voice through her closed door.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading But while she hung upon his neck, with her cheek pressed to his, it was impossible that he should speak any word that would revive her anger against him.
Alice
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE WEAKNESS IN STRENGTH At breakfast Alice did not appear, and when he went upstairs to her room, she returned an answer in a sullen voice through her closed door.
(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 All day his heart was oppressed by the thought of her, but to his surprise, when he came home to luncheon, she met him on the steps with a smiling face.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading THE WEAKNESS IN STRENGTH At breakfast Alice did not appear, and when he went upstairs to her room, she returned an answer in a sullen voice through her closed door.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE WEAKNESS IN STRENGTH At breakfast Alice did not appear, and when he went upstairs to her room, she returned an answer in a sullen voice through her closed door.
a strong emotion; a feeling that is oriented toward some real or supposed grievance
From this reading But while she hung upon his neck, with her cheek pressed to his, it was impossible that he should speak any word that would revive her anger against him.
react verbally
From this reading THE WEAKNESS IN STRENGTH At breakfast Alice did not appear, and when he went upstairs to her room, she returned an answer in a sullen voice through her closed door.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading But while she hung upon his neck, with her cheek pressed to his, it was impossible that he should speak any word that would revive her anger against him.
any thing at all
From this reading Anything was better than the violence with which she had parted from him the evening before.
give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading THE WEAKNESS IN STRENGTH At breakfast Alice did not appear, and when he went upstairs to her room, she returned an answer in a sullen voice through her closed door.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading THE WEAKNESS IN STRENGTH At breakfast Alice did not appear, and when he went upstairs to her room, she returned an answer in a sullen voice through her closed door.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading It was evident to him at the first glance that she meant to ignore both the cause and the occasion of last evening's outburst; and he found himself yielding to her determination before he realised all that his evasion of the subject must imply.
(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 Anything was better than the violence with which she had parted from him the evening before.
the two together, not just one
From this reading It was evident to him at the first glance that she meant to ignore both the cause and the occasion of last evening's outburst; and he found himself yielding to her determination before he realised all that his evasion of the subject must imply.
eat an early morning meal
From this reading THE WEAKNESS IN STRENGTH At breakfast Alice did not appear, and when he went upstairs to her room, she returned an answer in a sullen voice through her closed door.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading All day his heart was oppressed by the thought of her, but to his surprise, when he came home to luncheon, she met him on the steps with a smiling face.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading All day his heart was oppressed by the thought of her, but to his surprise, when he came home to luncheon, she met him on the steps with a smiling face.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading All day his heart was oppressed by the thought of her, but to his surprise, when he came home to luncheon, she met him on the steps with a smiling face.
events that provide the generative force that is the origin of something
From this reading It was evident to him at the first glance that she meant to ignore both the cause and the occasion of last evening's outburst; and he found himself yielding to her determination before he realised all that his evasion of the subject must imply.
either side of the face below the eyes
From this reading But while she hung upon his neck, with her cheek pressed to his, it was impossible that he should speak any word that would revive her anger against him.
not open or affording passage or access
From this reading THE WEAKNESS IN STRENGTH At breakfast Alice did not appear, and when he went upstairs to her room, she returned an answer in a sullen voice through her closed door.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading All day his heart was oppressed by the thought of her, but to his surprise, when he came home to luncheon, she met him on the steps with a smiling face.
determinationnounUS /dɪˌtɜːrməˈneɪʃən/
the act of determining the properties of something, usually by research or calculation
From this reading It was evident to him at the first glance that she meant to ignore both the cause and the occasion of last evening's outburst; and he found himself yielding to her determination before he realised all that his evasion of the subject must imply.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading THE WEAKNESS IN STRENGTH At breakfast Alice did not appear, and when he went upstairs to her room, she returned an answer in a sullen voice through her closed door.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading THE WEAKNESS IN STRENGTH At breakfast Alice did not appear, and when he went upstairs to her room, she returned an answer in a sullen voice through her closed door.
evasionnounUS /ɪˈveɪʒən/
a statement that is not literally false but that cleverly avoids an unpleasant truth
From this reading It was evident to him at the first glance that she meant to ignore both the cause and the occasion of last evening's outburst; and he found himself yielding to her determination before he realised all that his evasion of the subject must imply.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading Anything was better than the violence with which she had parted from him the evening before.
evening'snounUS /ˈiːvnɪŋz/
possessive form of “evening” — the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading It was evident to him at the first glance that she meant to ignore both the cause and the occasion of last evening's outburst; and he found himself yielding to her determination before he realised all that his evasion of the subject must imply.
clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment
From this reading It was evident to him at the first glance that she meant to ignore both the cause and the occasion of last evening's outburst; and he found himself yielding to her determination before he realised all that his evasion of the subject must imply.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading All day his heart was oppressed by the thought of her, but to his surprise, when he came home to luncheon, she met him on the steps with a smiling face.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading It was evident to him at the first glance that she meant to ignore both the cause and the occasion of last evening's outburst; and he found himself yielding to her determination before he realised all that his evasion of the subject must imply.
set up or found
From this reading It was evident to him at the first glance that she meant to ignore both the cause and the occasion of last evening's outburst; and he found himself yielding to her determination before he realised all that his evasion of the subject must imply.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Anything was better than the violence with which she had parted from him the evening before.
throw a glance at; take a brief look at
From this reading It was evident to him at the first glance that she meant to ignore both the cause and the occasion of last evening's outburst; and he found himself yielding to her determination before he realised all that his evasion of the subject must imply.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Anything was better than the violence with which she had parted from him the evening before.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading THE WEAKNESS IN STRENGTH At breakfast Alice did not appear, and when he went upstairs to her room, she returned an answer in a sullen voice through her closed door.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading All day his heart was oppressed by the thought of her, but to his surprise, when he came home to luncheon, she met him on the steps with a smiling face.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading THE WEAKNESS IN STRENGTH At breakfast Alice did not appear, and when he went upstairs to her room, she returned an answer in a sullen voice through her closed door.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading All day his heart was oppressed by the thought of her, but to his surprise, when he came home to luncheon, she met him on the steps with a smiling face.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading It was evident to him at the first glance that she meant to ignore both the cause and the occasion of last evening's outburst; and he found himself yielding to her determination before he realised all that his evasion of the subject must imply.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading All day his heart was oppressed by the thought of her, but to his surprise, when he came home to luncheon, she met him on the steps with a smiling face.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading All day his heart was oppressed by the thought of her, but to his surprise, when he came home to luncheon, she met him on the steps with a smiling face.
inflected form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging
From this reading But while she hung upon his neck, with her cheek pressed to his, it was impossible that he should speak any word that would revive her anger against him.
ignoreverbUS /ˌɪɡˈnɔːr/
refuse to acknowledge
From this reading It was evident to him at the first glance that she meant to ignore both the cause and the occasion of last evening's outburst; and he found himself yielding to her determination before he realised all that his evasion of the subject must imply.
implyverbUS /ˌɪmˈplaɪ/
express or state indirectly
From this reading It was evident to him at the first glance that she meant to ignore both the cause and the occasion of last evening's outburst; and he found himself yielding to her determination before he realised all that his evasion of the subject must imply.
not capable of occurring or being accomplished or dealt with
From this reading But while she hung upon his neck, with her cheek pressed to his, it was impossible that he should speak any word that would revive her anger against him.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THE WEAKNESS IN STRENGTH At breakfast Alice did not appear, and when he went upstairs to her room, she returned an answer in a sullen voice through her closed door.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was evident to him at the first glance that she meant to ignore both the cause and the occasion of last evening's outburst; and he found himself yielding to her determination before he realised all that his evasion of the subject must imply.
immediately past
From this reading It was evident to him at the first glance that she meant to ignore both the cause and the occasion of last evening's outburst; and he found himself yielding to her determination before he realised all that his evasion of the subject must imply.
luncheonnounUS /ˈlʌntʃən/
a midday meal
From this reading All day his heart was oppressed by the thought of her, but to his surprise, when he came home to luncheon, she met him on the steps with a smiling face.
inflected form of “mean” — mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading It was evident to him at the first glance that she meant to ignore both the cause and the occasion of last evening's outburst; and he found himself yielding to her determination before he realised all that his evasion of the subject must imply.
inflected form of “meet” — come together
From this reading All day his heart was oppressed by the thought of her, but to his surprise, when he came home to luncheon, she met him on the steps with a smiling face.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading It was evident to him at the first glance that she meant to ignore both the cause and the occasion of last evening's outburst; and he found himself yielding to her determination before he realised all that his evasion of the subject must imply.
the part of an organism (human or animal) that connects the head to the rest of the body
From this reading But while she hung upon his neck, with her cheek pressed to his, it was impossible that he should speak any word that would revive her anger against him.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading THE WEAKNESS IN STRENGTH At breakfast Alice did not appear, and when he went upstairs to her room, she returned an answer in a sullen voice through her closed door.
an event that occurs at a critical time
From this reading It was evident to him at the first glance that she meant to ignore both the cause and the occasion of last evening's outburst; and he found himself yielding to her determination before he realised all that his evasion of the subject must imply.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading All day his heart was oppressed by the thought of her, but to his surprise, when he came home to luncheon, she met him on the steps with a smiling face.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading All day his heart was oppressed by the thought of her, but to his surprise, when he came home to luncheon, she met him on the steps with a smiling face.
oppressedadjectiveUS /əˈprest/
burdened psychologically or mentally
From this reading All day his heart was oppressed by the thought of her, but to his surprise, when he came home to luncheon, she met him on the steps with a smiling face.
outburstnounUS /ˈaʊtbɜːrst/
an unrestrained expression of emotion
From this reading It was evident to him at the first glance that she meant to ignore both the cause and the occasion of last evening's outburst; and he found himself yielding to her determination before he realised all that his evasion of the subject must imply.
having a margin incised almost to the base so as to create distinct divisions or lobes
From this reading Anything was better than the violence with which she had parted from him the evening before.
compacted by ironing
From this reading But while she hung upon his neck, with her cheek pressed to his, it was impossible that he should speak any word that would revive her anger against him.
realisedadjectiveUS /ˈriːəlaɪzd/
successfully completed or brought to an end
From this reading It was evident to him at the first glance that she meant to ignore both the cause and the occasion of last evening's outburst; and he found himself yielding to her determination before he realised all that his evasion of the subject must imply.
past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading THE WEAKNESS IN STRENGTH At breakfast Alice did not appear, and when he went upstairs to her room, she returned an answer in a sullen voice through her closed door.
reviveverbUS /rɪˈvaɪv/
cause to regain consciousness
From this reading But while she hung upon his neck, with her cheek pressed to his, it was impossible that he should speak any word that would revive her anger against him.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading THE WEAKNESS IN STRENGTH At breakfast Alice did not appear, and when he went upstairs to her room, she returned an answer in a sullen voice through her closed door.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading THE WEAKNESS IN STRENGTH At breakfast Alice did not appear, and when he went upstairs to her room, she returned an answer in a sullen voice through her closed door.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading But while she hung upon his neck, with her cheek pressed to his, it was impossible that he should speak any word that would revive her anger against him.
a facial expression characterized by turning up the corners of the mouth; usually shows pleasure or amusement
From this reading All day his heart was oppressed by the thought of her, but to his surprise, when he came home to luncheon, she met him on the steps with a smiling face.
express in speech
From this reading But while she hung upon his neck, with her cheek pressed to his, it was impossible that he should speak any word that would revive her anger against him.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading All day his heart was oppressed by the thought of her, but to his surprise, when he came home to luncheon, she met him on the steps with a smiling face.
the property of being physically or mentally strong
From this reading THE WEAKNESS IN STRENGTH At breakfast Alice did not appear, and when he went upstairs to her room, she returned an answer in a sullen voice through her closed door.
the subject matter of a conversation or discussion
From this reading It was evident to him at the first glance that she meant to ignore both the cause and the occasion of last evening's outburst; and he found himself yielding to her determination before he realised all that his evasion of the subject must imply.
sullenadjectiveUS /ˈsʌlən/
showing a brooding ill humor
From this reading THE WEAKNESS IN STRENGTH At breakfast Alice did not appear, and when he went upstairs to her room, she returned an answer in a sullen voice through her closed door.
the astonishment you feel when something totally unexpected happens to you
From this reading All day his heart was oppressed by the thought of her, but to his surprise, when he came home to luncheon, she met him on the steps with a smiling face.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Anything was better than the violence with which she had parted from him the evening before.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was evident to him at the first glance that she meant to ignore both the cause and the occasion of last evening's outburst; and he found himself yielding to her determination before he realised all that his evasion of the subject must imply.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE WEAKNESS IN STRENGTH At breakfast Alice did not appear, and when he went upstairs to her room, she returned an answer in a sullen voice through her closed door.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading All day his heart was oppressed by the thought of her, but to his surprise, when he came home to luncheon, she met him on the steps with a smiling face.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading THE WEAKNESS IN STRENGTH At breakfast Alice did not appear, and when he went upstairs to her room, she returned an answer in a sullen voice through her closed door.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE WEAKNESS IN STRENGTH At breakfast Alice did not appear, and when he went upstairs to her room, she returned an answer in a sullen voice through her closed door.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading But while she hung upon his neck, with her cheek pressed to his, it was impossible that he should speak any word that would revive her anger against him.
on a floor above
From this reading THE WEAKNESS IN STRENGTH At breakfast Alice did not appear, and when he went upstairs to her room, she returned an answer in a sullen voice through her closed door.
an act of aggression (as one against a person who resists)
From this reading Anything was better than the violence with which she had parted from him the evening before.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading THE WEAKNESS IN STRENGTH At breakfast Alice did not appear, and when he went upstairs to her room, she returned an answer in a sullen voice through her closed door.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading All day his heart was oppressed by the thought of her, but to his surprise, when he came home to luncheon, she met him on the steps with a smiling face.
a flaw or weak point
From this reading THE WEAKNESS IN STRENGTH At breakfast Alice did not appear, and when he went upstairs to her room, she returned an answer in a sullen voice through her closed door.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading THE WEAKNESS IN STRENGTH At breakfast Alice did not appear, and when he went upstairs to her room, she returned an answer in a sullen voice through her closed door.
at the time that
From this reading THE WEAKNESS IN STRENGTH At breakfast Alice did not appear, and when he went upstairs to her room, she returned an answer in a sullen voice through her closed door.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Anything was better than the violence with which she had parted from him the evening before.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading But while she hung upon his neck, with her cheek pressed to his, it was impossible that he should speak any word that would revive her anger against him.
in the company of; together with
From this reading All day his heart was oppressed by the thought of her, but to his surprise, when he came home to luncheon, she met him on the steps with a smiling face.
a unit of language that native speakers can identify
From this reading But while she hung upon his neck, with her cheek pressed to his, it was impossible that he should speak any word that would revive her anger against him.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading But while she hung upon his neck, with her cheek pressed to his, it was impossible that he should speak any word that would revive her anger against him.
yieldingadjectiveUS /ˈjiːldɪŋ/
inclined to yield to argument or influence or control
From this reading It was evident to him at the first glance that she meant to ignore both the cause and the occasion of last evening's outburst; and he found himself yielding to her determination before he realised all that his evasion of the subject must imply.
