used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading I am about to ask you a favor, and I must confide something to you that has been a secret with us now for three generations.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading I am about to ask you a favor, and I must confide something to you that has been a secret with us now for three generations.
filled with fear or apprehension
From this reading “Bab,” he said, “I am afraid you are not done with your day’s work yet for the Ten Eyck family.
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading “Bab,” he said, “I am afraid you are not done with your day’s work yet for the Ten Eyck family.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Bab had hardly reached her room before she was summoned to the door by Stephen, looking so serious and unhappy that she felt at once something had happened.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading “Bab,” he said, “I am afraid you are not done with your day’s work yet for the Ten Eyck family.
make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading I am about to ask you a favor, and I must confide something to you that has been a secret with us now for three generations.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Bab had hardly reached her room before she was summoned to the door by Stephen, looking so serious and unhappy that she felt at once something had happened.
Bab
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Bab had hardly reached her room before she was summoned to the door by Stephen, looking so serious and unhappy that she felt at once something had happened.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading I am about to ask you a favor, and I must confide something to you that has been a secret with us now for three generations.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Bab had hardly reached her room before she was summoned to the door by Stephen, looking so serious and unhappy that she felt at once something had happened.
a small piece or quantity of something
From this reading John and Mary will go, too, and you need really have nothing to fear, but the dread——” he paused and bit his lip.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading John and Mary will go, too, and you need really have nothing to fear, but the dread——” he paused and bit his lip.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Bab had hardly reached her room before she was summoned to the door by Stephen, looking so serious and unhappy that she felt at once something had happened.
confideverbUS /kənˈfaɪd/
reveal in private; tell confidentially
From this reading I am about to ask you a favor, and I must confide something to you that has been a secret with us now for three generations.
day'snounUS /deɪz/
possessive form of “day” — time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading “Bab,” he said, “I am afraid you are not done with your day’s work yet for the Ten Eyck family.
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading “Bab,” he said, “I am afraid you are not done with your day’s work yet for the Ten Eyck family.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading Bab had hardly reached her room before she was summoned to the door by Stephen, looking so serious and unhappy that she felt at once something had happened.
fearful expectation or anticipation
From this reading John and Mary will go, too, and you need really have nothing to fear, but the dread——” he paused and bit his lip.
Eycknoun
Flemish painter who was a founder of the Flemish school of painting and who pioneered modern techniques of oil painting (1390-1441)
From this reading “Bab,” he said, “I am afraid you are not done with your day’s work yet for the Ten Eyck family.
a social unit living together
From this reading “Bab,” he said, “I am afraid you are not done with your day’s work yet for the Ten Eyck family.
promote over another
From this reading I am about to ask you a favor, and I must confide something to you that has been a secret with us now for three generations.
be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
From this reading John and Mary will go, too, and you need really have nothing to fear, but the dread——” he paused and bit his lip.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading Bab had hardly reached her room before she was summoned to the door by Stephen, looking so serious and unhappy that she felt at once something had happened.
FirstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading First, are you afraid to go with me over to the right wing?
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading “Bab,” he said, “I am afraid you are not done with your day’s work yet for the Ten Eyck family.
generationsnounUS /ˌdʒenərˈeɪʃənz/
plural of “generation” — all the people living at the same time or of approximately the same age
From this reading I am about to ask you a favor, and I must confide something to you that has been a secret with us now for three generations.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading First, are you afraid to go with me over to the right wing?
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Bab had hardly reached her room before she was summoned to the door by Stephen, looking so serious and unhappy that she felt at once something had happened.
past form of “happen” — come to pass
From this reading Bab had hardly reached her room before she was summoned to the door by Stephen, looking so serious and unhappy that she felt at once something had happened.
only a very short time before
From this reading Bab had hardly reached her room before she was summoned to the door by Stephen, looking so serious and unhappy that she felt at once something had happened.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading I am about to ask you a favor, and I must confide something to you that has been a secret with us now for three generations.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading John and Mary will go, too, and you need really have nothing to fear, but the dread——” he paused and bit his lip.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “Bab,” he said, “I am afraid you are not done with your day’s work yet for the Ten Eyck family.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Bab had hardly reached her room before she was summoned to the door by Stephen, looking so serious and unhappy that she felt at once something had happened.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading John and Mary will go, too, and you need really have nothing to fear, but the dread——” he paused and bit his lip.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “Bab,” he said, “I am afraid you are not done with your day’s work yet for the Ten Eyck family.
a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading John and Mary will go, too, and you need really have nothing to fear, but the dread——” he paused and bit his lip.
either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking
From this reading John and Mary will go, too, and you need really have nothing to fear, but the dread——” he paused and bit his lip.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading Bab had hardly reached her room before she was summoned to the door by Stephen, looking so serious and unhappy that she felt at once something had happened.
the mother of Jesus; Christians refer to her as the Virgin Mary; she is especially honored by Roman Catholics
From this reading John and Mary will go, too, and you need really have nothing to fear, but the dread——” he paused and bit his lip.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading First, are you afraid to go with me over to the right wing?
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading I am about to ask you a favor, and I must confide something to you that has been a secret with us now for three generations.
a condition requiring relief
From this reading John and Mary will go, too, and you need really have nothing to fear, but the dread——” he paused and bit his lip.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading “Bab,” he said, “I am afraid you are not done with your day’s work yet for the Ten Eyck family.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading John and Mary will go, too, and you need really have nothing to fear, but the dread——” he paused and bit his lip.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading I am about to ask you a favor, and I must confide something to you that has been a secret with us now for three generations.
on one occasion
From this reading Bab had hardly reached her room before she was summoned to the door by Stephen, looking so serious and unhappy that she felt at once something had happened.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading First, are you afraid to go with me over to the right wing?
past form of “pause” — interrupt temporarily an activity before continuing
From this reading John and Mary will go, too, and you need really have nothing to fear, but the dread——” he paused and bit his lip.
past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading Bab had hardly reached her room before she was summoned to the door by Stephen, looking so serious and unhappy that she felt at once something had happened.
in accordance with truth or fact or reality
From this reading John and Mary will go, too, and you need really have nothing to fear, but the dread——” he paused and bit his lip.
precisely, exactly
From this reading First, are you afraid to go with me over to the right wing?
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading Bab had hardly reached her room before she was summoned to the door by Stephen, looking so serious and unhappy that she felt at once something had happened.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “Bab,” he said, “I am afraid you are not done with your day’s work yet for the Ten Eyck family.
Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.
From this reading I am about to ask you a favor, and I must confide something to you that has been a secret with us now for three generations.
concerned with work or important matters rather than play or trivialities
From this reading Bab had hardly reached her room before she was summoned to the door by Stephen, looking so serious and unhappy that she felt at once something had happened.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Bab had hardly reached her room before she was summoned to the door by Stephen, looking so serious and unhappy that she felt at once something had happened.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Bab had hardly reached her room before she was summoned to the door by Stephen, looking so serious and unhappy that she felt at once something had happened.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading Bab had hardly reached her room before she was summoned to the door by Stephen, looking so serious and unhappy that she felt at once something had happened.
StephennounUS /ˈstiːvən/
English writer (1832-1904)
From this reading Bab had hardly reached her room before she was summoned to the door by Stephen, looking so serious and unhappy that she felt at once something had happened.
summonedverbUS /ˈsʌmənd/
past form of “summon” — call in an official matter, such as to attend court
From this reading Bab had hardly reached her room before she was summoned to the door by Stephen, looking so serious and unhappy that she felt at once something had happened.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading “Bab,” he said, “I am afraid you are not done with your day’s work yet for the Ten Eyck family.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Bab had hardly reached her room before she was summoned to the door by Stephen, looking so serious and unhappy that she felt at once something had happened.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Bab had hardly reached her room before she was summoned to the door by Stephen, looking so serious and unhappy that she felt at once something had happened.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading I am about to ask you a favor, and I must confide something to you that has been a secret with us now for three generations.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Bab had hardly reached her room before she was summoned to the door by Stephen, looking so serious and unhappy that she felt at once something had happened.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading John and Mary will go, too, and you need really have nothing to fear, but the dread——” he paused and bit his lip.
experiencing or marked by or causing sadness or sorrow or discontent
From this reading Bab had hardly reached her room before she was summoned to the door by Stephen, looking so serious and unhappy that she felt at once something had happened.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading I am about to ask you a favor, and I must confide something to you that has been a secret with us now for three generations.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Bab had hardly reached her room before she was summoned to the door by Stephen, looking so serious and unhappy that she felt at once something had happened.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading John and Mary will go, too, and you need really have nothing to fear, but the dread——” he paused and bit his lip.
a movable organ for flying (one of a pair)
From this reading First, are you afraid to go with me over to the right wing?
in the company of; together with
From this reading “Bab,” he said, “I am afraid you are not done with your day’s work yet for the Ten Eyck family.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading “Bab,” he said, “I am afraid you are not done with your day’s work yet for the Ten Eyck family.
but in spite of that
From this reading “Bab,” he said, “I am afraid you are not done with your day’s work yet for the Ten Eyck family.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “Bab,” he said, “I am afraid you are not done with your day’s work yet for the Ten Eyck family.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “Bab,” he said, “I am afraid you are not done with your day’s work yet for the Ten Eyck family.
