Chapter IX · Chapter 9

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading THE VISION It was growing very dark in the little church, almost too dark to see the carving of the choir-stalls, and Avery gave a short sigh of weariness.

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

From this reading THE VISION It was growing very dark in the little church, almost too dark to see the carving of the choir-stalls, and Avery gave a short sigh of weariness.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading THE VISION It was growing very dark in the little church, almost too dark to see the carving of the choir-stalls, and Avery gave a short sigh of weariness.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading She had so nearly finished her task that she had sent the children in to prepare for tea, declaring that she would follow them in five minutes, and then just at the last a whole mass of ivy and holly, upon which the boys had been at work, had slipped and strewn the chancel-floor.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE VISION It was growing very dark in the little church, almost too dark to see the carving of the choir-stalls, and Avery gave a short sigh of weariness.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading She had so nearly finished her task that she had sent the children in to prepare for tea, declaring that she would follow them in five minutes, and then just at the last a whole mass of ivy and holly, upon which the boys had been at work, had slipped and strewn the chancel-floor.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading She was the only one left in the church, and it behooved her to remove the litter.

plural of “boy” — a youthful male person

From this reading She had so nearly finished her task that she had sent the children in to prepare for tea, declaring that she would follow them in five minutes, and then just at the last a whole mass of ivy and holly, upon which the boys had been at work, had slipped and strewn the chancel-floor.

a sculpture created by removing material (as wood or ivory or stone) in order to create a desired shape

From this reading THE VISION It was growing very dark in the little church, almost too dark to see the carving of the choir-stalls, and Avery gave a short sigh of weariness.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading She had so nearly finished her task that she had sent the children in to prepare for tea, declaring that she would follow them in five minutes, and then just at the last a whole mass of ivy and holly, upon which the boys had been at work, had slipped and strewn the chancel-floor.

plural of “child” — a young person of either sex

From this reading She had so nearly finished her task that she had sent the children in to prepare for tea, declaring that she would follow them in five minutes, and then just at the last a whole mass of ivy and holly, upon which the boys had been at work, had slipped and strewn the chancel-floor.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE VISION It was growing very dark in the little church, almost too dark to see the carving of the choir-stalls, and Avery gave a short sigh of weariness.

one of the groups of Christians who have their own beliefs and forms of worship

From this reading THE VISION It was growing very dark in the little church, almost too dark to see the carving of the choir-stalls, and Avery gave a short sigh of weariness.

absence of light or illumination

From this reading THE VISION It was growing very dark in the little church, almost too dark to see the carving of the choir-stalls, and Avery gave a short sigh of weariness.

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading It had been a hard day, and she was frankly tired of the very sight and smell of the evergreens.

-ing form of “declare” — state emphatically and authoritatively

From this reading She had so nearly finished her task that she had sent the children in to prepare for tea, declaring that she would follow them in five minutes, and then just at the last a whole mass of ivy and holly, upon which the boys had been at work, had slipped and strewn the chancel-floor.

plural of “evergreen” — a plant having foliage that persists and remains green throughout the year

From this reading It had been a hard day, and she was frankly tired of the very sight and smell of the evergreens.

(of materials or goods) brought to the desired final state

From this reading She had so nearly finished her task that she had sent the children in to prepare for tea, declaring that she would follow them in five minutes, and then just at the last a whole mass of ivy and holly, upon which the boys had been at work, had slipped and strewn the chancel-floor.

the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one

From this reading She had so nearly finished her task that she had sent the children in to prepare for tea, declaring that she would follow them in five minutes, and then just at the last a whole mass of ivy and holly, upon which the boys had been at work, had slipped and strewn the chancel-floor.

to travel behind, go after, come after

From this reading She had so nearly finished her task that she had sent the children in to prepare for tea, declaring that she would follow them in five minutes, and then just at the last a whole mass of ivy and holly, upon which the boys had been at work, had slipped and strewn the chancel-floor.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading She had so nearly finished her task that she had sent the children in to prepare for tea, declaring that she would follow them in five minutes, and then just at the last a whole mass of ivy and holly, upon which the boys had been at work, had slipped and strewn the chancel-floor.

(used as intensives reflecting the speaker's attitude) it is sincerely the case that

From this reading It had been a hard day, and she was frankly tired of the very sight and smell of the evergreens.

inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading THE VISION It was growing very dark in the little church, almost too dark to see the carving of the choir-stalls, and Avery gave a short sigh of weariness.

(biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level

From this reading THE VISION It was growing very dark in the little church, almost too dark to see the carving of the choir-stalls, and Avery gave a short sigh of weariness.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading She had so nearly finished her task that she had sent the children in to prepare for tea, declaring that she would follow them in five minutes, and then just at the last a whole mass of ivy and holly, upon which the boys had been at work, had slipped and strewn the chancel-floor.

not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure

From this reading It had been a hard day, and she was frankly tired of the very sight and smell of the evergreens.

give help or assistance; be of service

From this reading There was no help for it, however.

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading She had so nearly finished her task that she had sent the children in to prepare for tea, declaring that she would follow them in five minutes, and then just at the last a whole mass of ivy and holly, upon which the boys had been at work, had slipped and strewn the chancel-floor.

any tree or shrub of the genus Ilex having red berries and shiny evergreen leaves with prickly edges

From this reading She had so nearly finished her task that she had sent the children in to prepare for tea, declaring that she would follow them in five minutes, and then just at the last a whole mass of ivy and holly, upon which the boys had been at work, had slipped and strewn the chancel-floor.

used to add a contrasting statement

From this reading There was no help for it, however.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading THE VISION It was growing very dark in the little church, almost too dark to see the carving of the choir-stalls, and Avery gave a short sigh of weariness.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading THE VISION It was growing very dark in the little church, almost too dark to see the carving of the choir-stalls, and Avery gave a short sigh of weariness.

Old World vine with lobed evergreen leaves and black berrylike fruits

From this reading She had so nearly finished her task that she had sent the children in to prepare for tea, declaring that she would follow them in five minutes, and then just at the last a whole mass of ivy and holly, upon which the boys had been at work, had slipped and strewn the chancel-floor.

and nothing more

From this reading She had so nearly finished her task that she had sent the children in to prepare for tea, declaring that she would follow them in five minutes, and then just at the last a whole mass of ivy and holly, upon which the boys had been at work, had slipped and strewn the chancel-floor.

immediately past

From this reading She had so nearly finished her task that she had sent the children in to prepare for tea, declaring that she would follow them in five minutes, and then just at the last a whole mass of ivy and holly, upon which the boys had been at work, had slipped and strewn the chancel-floor.

location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east

From this reading She was the only one left in the church, and it behooved her to remove the litter.

the offspring at one birth of a multiparous mammal

From this reading She was the only one left in the church, and it behooved her to remove the litter.

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading THE VISION It was growing very dark in the little church, almost too dark to see the carving of the choir-stalls, and Avery gave a short sigh of weariness.

the property of a body that causes it to have weight in a gravitational field

From this reading She had so nearly finished her task that she had sent the children in to prepare for tea, declaring that she would follow them in five minutes, and then just at the last a whole mass of ivy and holly, upon which the boys had been at work, had slipped and strewn the chancel-floor.

a written account of what transpired at a meeting

From this reading She had so nearly finished her task that she had sent the children in to prepare for tea, declaring that she would follow them in five minutes, and then just at the last a whole mass of ivy and holly, upon which the boys had been at work, had slipped and strewn the chancel-floor.

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

From this reading She had so nearly finished her task that she had sent the children in to prepare for tea, declaring that she would follow them in five minutes, and then just at the last a whole mass of ivy and holly, upon which the boys had been at work, had slipped and strewn the chancel-floor.

not any; not one

From this reading There was no help for it, however.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading THE VISION It was growing very dark in the little church, almost too dark to see the carving of the choir-stalls, and Avery gave a short sigh of weariness.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading She was the only one left in the church, and it behooved her to remove the litter.

and nothing more

From this reading She was the only one left in the church, and it behooved her to remove the litter.

make ready or suitable or equip in advance for a particular purpose or for some use, event, etc

From this reading She had so nearly finished her task that she had sent the children in to prepare for tea, declaring that she would follow them in five minutes, and then just at the last a whole mass of ivy and holly, upon which the boys had been at work, had slipped and strewn the chancel-floor.

remove something concrete, as by lifting, pushing, or taking off, or remove something abstract

From this reading She was the only one left in the church, and it behooved her to remove the litter.

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading THE VISION It was growing very dark in the little church, almost too dark to see the carving of the choir-stalls, and Avery gave a short sigh of weariness.

100 senti equal 1 kroon in Estonia

From this reading She had so nearly finished her task that she had sent the children in to prepare for tea, declaring that she would follow them in five minutes, and then just at the last a whole mass of ivy and holly, upon which the boys had been at work, had slipped and strewn the chancel-floor.

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading She had so nearly finished her task that she had sent the children in to prepare for tea, declaring that she would follow them in five minutes, and then just at the last a whole mass of ivy and holly, upon which the boys had been at work, had slipped and strewn the chancel-floor.

primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration

From this reading THE VISION It was growing very dark in the little church, almost too dark to see the carving of the choir-stalls, and Avery gave a short sigh of weariness.

heave or utter a sigh; breathe deeply and heavily

From this reading THE VISION It was growing very dark in the little church, almost too dark to see the carving of the choir-stalls, and Avery gave a short sigh of weariness.

an instance of visual perception

From this reading It had been a hard day, and she was frankly tired of the very sight and smell of the evergreens.

inflected form of “slip” — move stealthily

From this reading She had so nearly finished her task that she had sent the children in to prepare for tea, declaring that she would follow them in five minutes, and then just at the last a whole mass of ivy and holly, upon which the boys had been at work, had slipped and strewn the chancel-floor.

the sensation that results when olfactory receptors in the nose are stimulated by particular chemicals in gaseous form

From this reading It had been a hard day, and she was frankly tired of the very sight and smell of the evergreens.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading She had so nearly finished her task that she had sent the children in to prepare for tea, declaring that she would follow them in five minutes, and then just at the last a whole mass of ivy and holly, upon which the boys had been at work, had slipped and strewn the chancel-floor.

inflected form of “strew” — spread by scattering ("straw" is archaic)

From this reading She had so nearly finished her task that she had sent the children in to prepare for tea, declaring that she would follow them in five minutes, and then just at the last a whole mass of ivy and holly, upon which the boys had been at work, had slipped and strewn the chancel-floor.

any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted

From this reading She had so nearly finished her task that she had sent the children in to prepare for tea, declaring that she would follow them in five minutes, and then just at the last a whole mass of ivy and holly, upon which the boys had been at work, had slipped and strewn the chancel-floor.

a beverage made by steeping tea leaves in water

From this reading She had so nearly finished her task that she had sent the children in to prepare for tea, declaring that she would follow them in five minutes, and then just at the last a whole mass of ivy and holly, upon which the boys had been at work, had slipped and strewn the chancel-floor.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading She had so nearly finished her task that she had sent the children in to prepare for tea, declaring that she would follow them in five minutes, and then just at the last a whole mass of ivy and holly, upon which the boys had been at work, had slipped and strewn the chancel-floor.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading THE VISION It was growing very dark in the little church, almost too dark to see the carving of the choir-stalls, and Avery gave a short sigh of weariness.

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading She had so nearly finished her task that she had sent the children in to prepare for tea, declaring that she would follow them in five minutes, and then just at the last a whole mass of ivy and holly, upon which the boys had been at work, had slipped and strewn the chancel-floor.

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading She had so nearly finished her task that she had sent the children in to prepare for tea, declaring that she would follow them in five minutes, and then just at the last a whole mass of ivy and holly, upon which the boys had been at work, had slipped and strewn the chancel-floor.

in or at that place or location

From this reading There was no help for it, however.

depleted of strength or energy

From this reading It had been a hard day, and she was frankly tired of the very sight and smell of the evergreens.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading THE VISION It was growing very dark in the little church, almost too dark to see the carving of the choir-stalls, and Avery gave a short sigh of weariness.

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading THE VISION It was growing very dark in the little church, almost too dark to see the carving of the choir-stalls, and Avery gave a short sigh of weariness.

a formal word for “on”

From this reading She had so nearly finished her task that she had sent the children in to prepare for tea, declaring that she would follow them in five minutes, and then just at the last a whole mass of ivy and holly, upon which the boys had been at work, had slipped and strewn the chancel-floor.

precisely as stated

From this reading THE VISION It was growing very dark in the little church, almost too dark to see the carving of the choir-stalls, and Avery gave a short sigh of weariness.

a vivid mental image

From this reading THE VISION It was growing very dark in the little church, almost too dark to see the carving of the choir-stalls, and Avery gave a short sigh of weariness.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading THE VISION It was growing very dark in the little church, almost too dark to see the carving of the choir-stalls, and Avery gave a short sigh of weariness.

temporary loss of strength and energy resulting from hard physical or mental work

From this reading THE VISION It was growing very dark in the little church, almost too dark to see the carving of the choir-stalls, and Avery gave a short sigh of weariness.

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading She had so nearly finished her task that she had sent the children in to prepare for tea, declaring that she would follow them in five minutes, and then just at the last a whole mass of ivy and holly, upon which the boys had been at work, had slipped and strewn the chancel-floor.

including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete

From this reading She had so nearly finished her task that she had sent the children in to prepare for tea, declaring that she would follow them in five minutes, and then just at the last a whole mass of ivy and holly, upon which the boys had been at work, had slipped and strewn the chancel-floor.

exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity

From this reading She had so nearly finished her task that she had sent the children in to prepare for tea, declaring that she would follow them in five minutes, and then just at the last a whole mass of ivy and holly, upon which the boys had been at work, had slipped and strewn the chancel-floor.

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading She had so nearly finished her task that she had sent the children in to prepare for tea, declaring that she would follow them in five minutes, and then just at the last a whole mass of ivy and holly, upon which the boys had been at work, had slipped and strewn the chancel-floor.