used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading She appeared to be better in health; she was calmer, her nerves seemed quieter; but a strange dull veil still hung between her mind and the days immediately preceding the great catastrophe.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading To what had happened the day before her father's death she never referred; she had not asked Rendel anything more about the accusation brought against him.
to or in a foreign country
From this reading Rachel, however, even after the move abroad so strongly recommended by her doctor had been made, did not all at once regain her normal condition.
accusationnounUS /ˌækjəˈzeɪʃən/
a formal charge of wrongdoing brought against a person; the act of imputing blame or guilt
From this reading To what had happened the day before her father's death she never referred; she had not asked Rendel anything more about the accusation brought against him.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading Rachel, however, even after the move abroad so strongly recommended by her doctor had been made, did not all at once regain her normal condition.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading To what had happened the day before her father's death she never referred; she had not asked Rendel anything more about the accusation brought against him.
(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 Rachel, however, even after the move abroad so strongly recommended by her doctor had been made, did not all at once regain her normal condition.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading Was this how it was always going to be?
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She appeared to be better in health; she was calmer, her nerves seemed quieter; but a strange dull veil still hung between her mind and the days immediately preceding the great catastrophe.
any thing at all
From this reading To what had happened the day before her father's death she never referred; she had not asked Rendel anything more about the accusation brought against him.
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading She appeared to be better in health; she was calmer, her nerves seemed quieter; but a strange dull veil still hung between her mind and the days immediately preceding the great catastrophe.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Once or twice she had spoken of her father as if he were still there, then caught herself up, realising that he was gone.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading To what had happened the day before her father's death she never referred; she had not asked Rendel anything more about the accusation brought against him.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Rachel, however, even after the move abroad so strongly recommended by her doctor had been made, did not all at once regain her normal condition.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading She appeared to be better in health; she was calmer, her nerves seemed quieter; but a strange dull veil still hung between her mind and the days immediately preceding the great catastrophe.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Rachel, however, even after the move abroad so strongly recommended by her doctor had been made, did not all at once regain her normal condition.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading To what had happened the day before her father's death she never referred; she had not asked Rendel anything more about the accusation brought against him.
(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 She appeared to be better in health; she was calmer, her nerves seemed quieter; but a strange dull veil still hung between her mind and the days immediately preceding the great catastrophe.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading She appeared to be better in health; she was calmer, her nerves seemed quieter; but a strange dull veil still hung between her mind and the days immediately preceding the great catastrophe.
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading To what had happened the day before her father's death she never referred; she had not asked Rendel anything more about the accusation brought against him.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading She appeared to be better in health; she was calmer, her nerves seemed quieter; but a strange dull veil still hung between her mind and the days immediately preceding the great catastrophe.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Rachel, however, even after the move abroad so strongly recommended by her doctor had been made, did not all at once regain her normal condition.
calmeradjectiveUS /ˈkɑːmər/
comparative of “calm” — not agitated; without losing self-possession
From this reading She appeared to be better in health; she was calmer, her nerves seemed quieter; but a strange dull veil still hung between her mind and the days immediately preceding the great catastrophe.
catastrophenounUS /kəˈtæstrəfi/
an event resulting in great loss and misfortune
From this reading She appeared to be better in health; she was calmer, her nerves seemed quieter; but a strange dull veil still hung between her mind and the days immediately preceding the great catastrophe.
inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading Once or twice she had spoken of her father as if he were still there, then caught herself up, realising that he was gone.
a state at a particular time
From this reading Rachel, however, even after the move abroad so strongly recommended by her doctor had been made, did not all at once regain her normal condition.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading To what had happened the day before her father's death she never referred; she had not asked Rendel anything more about the accusation brought against him.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading She appeared to be better in health; she was calmer, her nerves seemed quieter; but a strange dull veil still hung between her mind and the days immediately preceding the great catastrophe.
the event of dying or departure from life
From this reading To what had happened the day before her father's death she never referred; she had not asked Rendel anything more about the accusation brought against him.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Rachel, however, even after the move abroad so strongly recommended by her doctor had been made, did not all at once regain her normal condition.
a licensed medical practitioner
From this reading Rachel, however, even after the move abroad so strongly recommended by her doctor had been made, did not all at once regain her normal condition.
lacking in liveliness or animation
From this reading She appeared to be better in health; she was calmer, her nerves seemed quieter; but a strange dull veil still hung between her mind and the days immediately preceding the great catastrophe.
divisible by two
From this reading Rachel, however, even after the move abroad so strongly recommended by her doctor had been made, did not all at once regain her normal condition.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading Once or twice she had spoken of her father as if he were still there, then caught herself up, realising that he was gone.
father'snounUS /ˈfɑːðərz/
possessive form of “father” — a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading To what had happened the day before her father's death she never referred; she had not asked Rendel anything more about the accusation brought against him.
the act of departing
From this reading Was this how it was always going to be?
destroyed or killed
From this reading Once or twice she had spoken of her father as if he were still there, then caught herself up, realising that he was gone.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading She appeared to be better in health; she was calmer, her nerves seemed quieter; but a strange dull veil still hung between her mind and the days immediately preceding the great catastrophe.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Rachel, however, even after the move abroad so strongly recommended by her doctor had been made, did not all at once regain her normal condition.
past form of “happen” — come to pass
From this reading To what had happened the day before her father's death she never referred; she had not asked Rendel anything more about the accusation brought against him.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Once or twice she had spoken of her father as if he were still there, then caught herself up, realising that he was gone.
a healthy state of wellbeing free from disease
From this reading She appeared to be better in health; she was calmer, her nerves seemed quieter; but a strange dull veil still hung between her mind and the days immediately preceding the great catastrophe.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Rachel, however, even after the move abroad so strongly recommended by her doctor had been made, did not all at once regain her normal condition.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading Once or twice she had spoken of her father as if he were still there, then caught herself up, realising that he was gone.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading To what had happened the day before her father's death she never referred; she had not asked Rendel anything more about the accusation brought against him.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Was this how it was always going to be?
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading Rachel, however, even after the move abroad so strongly recommended by her doctor had been made, did not all at once regain her normal condition.
inflected form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging
From this reading She appeared to be better in health; she was calmer, her nerves seemed quieter; but a strange dull veil still hung between her mind and the days immediately preceding the great catastrophe.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Once or twice she had spoken of her father as if he were still there, then caught herself up, realising that he was gone.
without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening
From this reading She appeared to be better in health; she was calmer, her nerves seemed quieter; but a strange dull veil still hung between her mind and the days immediately preceding the great catastrophe.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading She appeared to be better in health; she was calmer, her nerves seemed quieter; but a strange dull veil still hung between her mind and the days immediately preceding the great catastrophe.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Was this how it was always going to be?
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading Rachel, however, even after the move abroad so strongly recommended by her doctor had been made, did not all at once regain her normal condition.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading She appeared to be better in health; she was calmer, her nerves seemed quieter; but a strange dull veil still hung between her mind and the days immediately preceding the great catastrophe.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading To what had happened the day before her father's death she never referred; she had not asked Rendel anything more about the accusation brought against him.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Rachel, however, even after the move abroad so strongly recommended by her doctor had been made, did not all at once regain her normal condition.
an uneasy psychological state
From this reading She appeared to be better in health; she was calmer, her nerves seemed quieter; but a strange dull veil still hung between her mind and the days immediately preceding the great catastrophe.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading To what had happened the day before her father's death she never referred; she had not asked Rendel anything more about the accusation brought against him.
normaladjectiveUS /ˈnɔːrməl/
conforming with or constituting a norm or standard or level or type or social norm; not abnormal
From this reading Rachel, however, even after the move abroad so strongly recommended by her doctor had been made, did not all at once regain her normal condition.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Rachel, however, even after the move abroad so strongly recommended by her doctor had been made, did not all at once regain her normal condition.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Once or twice she had spoken of her father as if he were still there, then caught herself up, realising that he was gone.
on one occasion
From this reading Rachel, however, even after the move abroad so strongly recommended by her doctor had been made, did not all at once regain her normal condition.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Once or twice she had spoken of her father as if he were still there, then caught herself up, realising that he was gone.
precedingadjectiveUS /priˈsiːdɪŋ/
existing or coming before
From this reading She appeared to be better in health; she was calmer, her nerves seemed quieter; but a strange dull veil still hung between her mind and the days immediately preceding the great catastrophe.
quieteradjectiveUS /ˈkwaɪətər/
comparative of “quiet” — characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity
From this reading She appeared to be better in health; she was calmer, her nerves seemed quieter; but a strange dull veil still hung between her mind and the days immediately preceding the great catastrophe.
RachelnounUS /ˈreɪtʃəl/
(Old Testament) the second wife of Jacob and mother of Joseph and Benjamin
From this reading Rachel, however, even after the move abroad so strongly recommended by her doctor had been made, did not all at once regain her normal condition.
realising
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Once or twice she had spoken of her father as if he were still there, then caught herself up, realising that he was gone.
recommendedverbUS /ˌrekəˈmendɪd/
past form of “recommend” — push for something
From this reading Rachel, however, even after the move abroad so strongly recommended by her doctor had been made, did not all at once regain her normal condition.
referredverbUS /rəˈfɜːrd/
inflected form of “refer” — make reference to
From this reading To what had happened the day before her father's death she never referred; she had not asked Rendel anything more about the accusation brought against him.
regainverbUS /rɪˈɡeɪn/
get or find back; recover the use of
From this reading Rachel, however, even after the move abroad so strongly recommended by her doctor had been made, did not all at once regain her normal condition.
Rendel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To what had happened the day before her father's death she never referred; she had not asked Rendel anything more about the accusation brought against him.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading She appeared to be better in health; she was calmer, her nerves seemed quieter; but a strange dull veil still hung between her mind and the days immediately preceding the great catastrophe.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She appeared to be better in health; she was calmer, her nerves seemed quieter; but a strange dull veil still hung between her mind and the days immediately preceding the great catastrophe.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Rachel, however, even after the move abroad so strongly recommended by her doctor had been made, did not all at once regain her normal condition.
uttered through the medium of speech or characterized by speech; sometimes used in combination
From this reading Once or twice she had spoken of her father as if he were still there, then caught herself up, realising that he was gone.
not in physical motion
From this reading She appeared to be better in health; she was calmer, her nerves seemed quieter; but a strange dull veil still hung between her mind and the days immediately preceding the great catastrophe.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading She appeared to be better in health; she was calmer, her nerves seemed quieter; but a strange dull veil still hung between her mind and the days immediately preceding the great catastrophe.
with strength or in a strong manner
From this reading Rachel, however, even after the move abroad so strongly recommended by her doctor had been made, did not all at once regain her normal condition.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Once or twice she had spoken of her father as if he were still there, then caught herself up, realising that he was gone.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Rachel, however, even after the move abroad so strongly recommended by her doctor had been made, did not all at once regain her normal condition.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Once or twice she had spoken of her father as if he were still there, then caught herself up, realising that he was gone.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Once or twice she had spoken of her father as if he were still there, then caught herself up, realising that he was gone.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Was this how it was always going to be?
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading She appeared to be better in health; she was calmer, her nerves seemed quieter; but a strange dull veil still hung between her mind and the days immediately preceding the great catastrophe.
two times
From this reading Once or twice she had spoken of her father as if he were still there, then caught herself up, realising that he was gone.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Once or twice she had spoken of her father as if he were still there, then caught herself up, realising that he was gone.
a garment that covers the head and face
From this reading She appeared to be better in health; she was calmer, her nerves seemed quieter; but a strange dull veil still hung between her mind and the days immediately preceding the great catastrophe.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading She appeared to be better in health; she was calmer, her nerves seemed quieter; but a strange dull veil still hung between her mind and the days immediately preceding the great catastrophe.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Once or twice she had spoken of her father as if he were still there, then caught herself up, realising that he was gone.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading To what had happened the day before her father's death she never referred; she had not asked Rendel anything more about the accusation brought against him.
