used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A CATASTROPHE.
the state of being absent
From this reading However, Madge's ill-temper was never of long duration; and at this particular time, instead of sinking farther into sulks over the absence of her lover, she grew day by day more joyous and generous and affectionate.
affectionateadjectiveUS /əˈfekʃənət/
having or displaying warmth or affection
From this reading However, Madge's ill-temper was never of long duration; and at this particular time, instead of sinking farther into sulks over the absence of her lover, she grew day by day more joyous and generous and affectionate.
(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 The change was most marked; and Nan, who was her sister's chief confidant, could not make it out at all.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading Her gaiety became almost hysterical; and her kindness to everybody in the house ran to extravagance.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading However, Madge's ill-temper was never of long duration; and at this particular time, instead of sinking farther into sulks over the absence of her lover, she grew day by day more joyous and generous and affectionate.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading However, Madge's ill-temper was never of long duration; and at this particular time, instead of sinking farther into sulks over the absence of her lover, she grew day by day more joyous and generous and affectionate.
inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading Her gaiety became almost hysterical; and her kindness to everybody in the house ran to extravagance.
inflected form of “buy” — obtain by purchase; acquire by means of a financial transaction
From this reading She bought trinkets for the servants.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading However, Madge's ill-temper was never of long duration; and at this particular time, instead of sinking farther into sulks over the absence of her lover, she grew day by day more joyous and generous and affectionate.
CATASTROPHEnounUS /kəˈtæstrəfi/
an event resulting in great loss and misfortune
From this reading A CATASTROPHE.
cause to change; make different; cause a transformation
From this reading The change was most marked; and Nan, who was her sister's chief confidant, could not make it out at all.
a person who is in charge
From this reading The change was most marked; and Nan, who was her sister's chief confidant, could not make it out at all.
confidantnounUS /ˈkɑːnfədɑːnt/
someone to whom private matters are confided
From this reading The change was most marked; and Nan, who was her sister's chief confidant, could not make it out at all.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading The change was most marked; and Nan, who was her sister's chief confidant, could not make it out at all.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading However, Madge's ill-temper was never of long duration; and at this particular time, instead of sinking farther into sulks over the absence of her lover, she grew day by day more joyous and generous and affectionate.
durationnounUS /ˈdʊˈreɪʃən/
the period of time during which something continues
From this reading However, Madge's ill-temper was never of long duration; and at this particular time, instead of sinking farther into sulks over the absence of her lover, she grew day by day more joyous and generous and affectionate.
every person
From this reading Her gaiety became almost hysterical; and her kindness to everybody in the house ran to extravagance.
extravagancenounUS /ekˈstrævəɡəns/
the quality of exceeding the appropriate limits of decorum or probability or truth
From this reading Her gaiety became almost hysterical; and her kindness to everybody in the house ran to extravagance.
more distant in especially space or time
From this reading However, Madge's ill-temper was never of long duration; and at this particular time, instead of sinking farther into sulks over the absence of her lover, she grew day by day more joyous and generous and affectionate.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading She bought trinkets for the servants.
gaietynoun
a gay feeling
From this reading Her gaiety became almost hysterical; and her kindness to everybody in the house ran to extravagance.
willing to give and share unstintingly
From this reading However, Madge's ill-temper was never of long duration; and at this particular time, instead of sinking farther into sulks over the absence of her lover, she grew day by day more joyous and generous and affectionate.
inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading However, Madge's ill-temper was never of long duration; and at this particular time, instead of sinking farther into sulks over the absence of her lover, she grew day by day more joyous and generous and affectionate.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading However, Madge's ill-temper was never of long duration; and at this particular time, instead of sinking farther into sulks over the absence of her lover, she grew day by day more joyous and generous and affectionate.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading Her gaiety became almost hysterical; and her kindness to everybody in the house ran to extravagance.
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading However, Madge's ill-temper was never of long duration; and at this particular time, instead of sinking farther into sulks over the absence of her lover, she grew day by day more joyous and generous and affectionate.
hystericaladjectiveUS /hɪˈsterɪkəl/
characterized by or arising from psychoneurotic hysteria
From this reading Her gaiety became almost hysterical; and her kindness to everybody in the house ran to extravagance.
ill-temper
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading However, Madge's ill-temper was never of long duration; and at this particular time, instead of sinking farther into sulks over the absence of her lover, she grew day by day more joyous and generous and affectionate.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Her gaiety became almost hysterical; and her kindness to everybody in the house ran to extravagance.
in place of, or as an alternative to
From this reading However, Madge's ill-temper was never of long duration; and at this particular time, instead of sinking farther into sulks over the absence of her lover, she grew day by day more joyous and generous and affectionate.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading However, Madge's ill-temper was never of long duration; and at this particular time, instead of sinking farther into sulks over the absence of her lover, she grew day by day more joyous and generous and affectionate.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The change was most marked; and Nan, who was her sister's chief confidant, could not make it out at all.
joyousadjectiveUS /ˈdʒɔɪəs/
full of or characterized by joy
From this reading However, Madge's ill-temper was never of long duration; and at this particular time, instead of sinking farther into sulks over the absence of her lover, she grew day by day more joyous and generous and affectionate.
the quality of being warmhearted and considerate and humane and sympathetic
From this reading Her gaiety became almost hysterical; and her kindness to everybody in the house ran to extravagance.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading However, Madge's ill-temper was never of long duration; and at this particular time, instead of sinking farther into sulks over the absence of her lover, she grew day by day more joyous and generous and affectionate.
a person who loves someone or is loved by someone
From this reading However, Madge's ill-temper was never of long duration; and at this particular time, instead of sinking farther into sulks over the absence of her lover, she grew day by day more joyous and generous and affectionate.
Madge's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading However, Madge's ill-temper was never of long duration; and at this particular time, instead of sinking farther into sulks over the absence of her lover, she grew day by day more joyous and generous and affectionate.
engage in
From this reading The change was most marked; and Nan, who was her sister's chief confidant, could not make it out at all.
strongly marked; easily noticeable
From this reading The change was most marked; and Nan, who was her sister's chief confidant, could not make it out at all.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading However, Madge's ill-temper was never of long duration; and at this particular time, instead of sinking farther into sulks over the absence of her lover, she grew day by day more joyous and generous and affectionate.
used to form the superlative
From this reading The change was most marked; and Nan, who was her sister's chief confidant, could not make it out at all.
NannounUS /næn/
your grandmother
From this reading The change was most marked; and Nan, who was her sister's chief confidant, could not make it out at all.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading However, Madge's ill-temper was never of long duration; and at this particular time, instead of sinking farther into sulks over the absence of her lover, she grew day by day more joyous and generous and affectionate.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The change was most marked; and Nan, who was her sister's chief confidant, could not make it out at all.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading However, Madge's ill-temper was never of long duration; and at this particular time, instead of sinking farther into sulks over the absence of her lover, she grew day by day more joyous and generous and affectionate.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading The change was most marked; and Nan, who was her sister's chief confidant, could not make it out at all.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading However, Madge's ill-temper was never of long duration; and at this particular time, instead of sinking farther into sulks over the absence of her lover, she grew day by day more joyous and generous and affectionate.
unique or specific to a person or thing or category
From this reading However, Madge's ill-temper was never of long duration; and at this particular time, instead of sinking farther into sulks over the absence of her lover, she grew day by day more joyous and generous and affectionate.
inflected form of “run” — move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading Her gaiety became almost hysterical; and her kindness to everybody in the house ran to extravagance.
plural of “servant” — a person working in the service of another (especially in the household)
From this reading She bought trinkets for the servants.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading However, Madge's ill-temper was never of long duration; and at this particular time, instead of sinking farther into sulks over the absence of her lover, she grew day by day more joyous and generous and affectionate.
sinkingnounUS /ˈsɪŋkɪŋ/
a descent as through liquid (especially through water)
From this reading However, Madge's ill-temper was never of long duration; and at this particular time, instead of sinking farther into sulks over the absence of her lover, she grew day by day more joyous and generous and affectionate.
sister'snounUS /ˈsɪstərz/
possessive form of “sister” — a female person who has the same parents as another person
From this reading The change was most marked; and Nan, who was her sister's chief confidant, could not make it out at all.
sulks
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading However, Madge's ill-temper was never of long duration; and at this particular time, instead of sinking farther into sulks over the absence of her lover, she grew day by day more joyous and generous and affectionate.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading However, Madge's ill-temper was never of long duration; and at this particular time, instead of sinking farther into sulks over the absence of her lover, she grew day by day more joyous and generous and affectionate.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading However, Madge's ill-temper was never of long duration; and at this particular time, instead of sinking farther into sulks over the absence of her lover, she grew day by day more joyous and generous and affectionate.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading However, Madge's ill-temper was never of long duration; and at this particular time, instead of sinking farther into sulks over the absence of her lover, she grew day by day more joyous and generous and affectionate.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Her gaiety became almost hysterical; and her kindness to everybody in the house ran to extravagance.
trinketsnounUS /ˈtrɪŋkəts/
plural of “trinket” — cheap showy jewelry or ornament on clothing
From this reading She bought trinkets for the servants.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading However, Madge's ill-temper was never of long duration; and at this particular time, instead of sinking farther into sulks over the absence of her lover, she grew day by day more joyous and generous and affectionate.
which person or people
From this reading The change was most marked; and Nan, who was her sister's chief confidant, could not make it out at all.
