used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The old lady came toward Norma with her soft old wavering footsteps, and gave the girl a warm kiss even with her initial rebuke:
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading "Well, I don't know whether I am speaking to this bad runaway or not!" she quavered, releasing Norma from her bejewelled and lace-draped embrace, and shaking her fluffed and scanty gray hair.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The old lady came toward Norma with her soft old wavering footsteps, and gave the girl a warm kiss even with her initial rebuke:
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "Oh, yes, you are, Aunt Marianna," the girl said, confidently, with her happy laugh.
the sister of your father or mother; the wife of your uncle
From this reading "Oh, yes, you are, Aunt Marianna," the girl said, confidently, with her happy laugh.
having undesirable or negative qualities
From this reading "Well, I don't know whether I am speaking to this bad runaway or not!" she quavered, releasing Norma from her bejewelled and lace-draped embrace, and shaking her fluffed and scanty gray hair.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Before she had been married ten days Norma dutifully went to call upon old Mrs. Melrose, being fortunate enough to find Leslie there.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Before she had been married ten days Norma dutifully went to call upon old Mrs. Melrose, being fortunate enough to find Leslie there.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading Before she had been married ten days Norma dutifully went to call upon old Mrs. Melrose, being fortunate enough to find Leslie there.
bejewelled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Well, I don't know whether I am speaking to this bad runaway or not!" she quavered, releasing Norma from her bejewelled and lace-draped embrace, and shaking her fluffed and scanty gray hair.
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading Before she had been married ten days Norma dutifully went to call upon old Mrs. Melrose, being fortunate enough to find Leslie there.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading The old lady came toward Norma with her soft old wavering footsteps, and gave the girl a warm kiss even with her initial rebuke:
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading Leslie, coming more slowly forward, laughed and kissed her, too.
confidentlyadverbUS /ˈkɑːnfədəntli/
with confidence; in a confident manner
From this reading "Oh, yes, you are, Aunt Marianna," the girl said, confidently, with her happy laugh.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading Before she had been married ten days Norma dutifully went to call upon old Mrs. Melrose, being fortunate enough to find Leslie there.
don't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Well, I don't know whether I am speaking to this bad runaway or not!" she quavered, releasing Norma from her bejewelled and lace-draped embrace, and shaking her fluffed and scanty gray hair.
dutifullyadverbUS /ˈduːtifəli/
out of a sense of duty; in a dutiful manner
From this reading Before she had been married ten days Norma dutifully went to call upon old Mrs. Melrose, being fortunate enough to find Leslie there.
embraceverbUS /emˈbreɪs/
include in scope; include as part of something broader; have as one's sphere or territory
From this reading "Well, I don't know whether I am speaking to this bad runaway or not!" she quavered, releasing Norma from her bejewelled and lace-draped embrace, and shaking her fluffed and scanty gray hair.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading Before she had been married ten days Norma dutifully went to call upon old Mrs. Melrose, being fortunate enough to find Leslie there.
divisible by two
From this reading The old lady came toward Norma with her soft old wavering footsteps, and gave the girl a warm kiss even with her initial rebuke:
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading Before she had been married ten days Norma dutifully went to call upon old Mrs. Melrose, being fortunate enough to find Leslie there.
fluffedverbUS /flʌft/
past form of “fluff” — make a mess of, destroy or ruin
From this reading "Well, I don't know whether I am speaking to this bad runaway or not!" she quavered, releasing Norma from her bejewelled and lace-draped embrace, and shaking her fluffed and scanty gray hair.
plural of “footstep” — the sound of a step of someone walking
From this reading The old lady came toward Norma with her soft old wavering footsteps, and gave the girl a warm kiss even with her initial rebuke:
having unexpected good fortune
From this reading Before she had been married ten days Norma dutifully went to call upon old Mrs. Melrose, being fortunate enough to find Leslie there.
at or to or toward the front
From this reading Leslie, coming more slowly forward, laughed and kissed her, too.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading "Well, I don't know whether I am speaking to this bad runaway or not!" she quavered, releasing Norma from her bejewelled and lace-draped embrace, and shaking her fluffed and scanty gray hair.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading The old lady came toward Norma with her soft old wavering footsteps, and gave the girl a warm kiss even with her initial rebuke:
a young female
From this reading The old lady came toward Norma with her soft old wavering footsteps, and gave the girl a warm kiss even with her initial rebuke:
a neutral achromatic color midway between white and black
From this reading "Well, I don't know whether I am speaking to this bad runaway or not!" she quavered, releasing Norma from her bejewelled and lace-draped embrace, and shaking her fluffed and scanty gray hair.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Before she had been married ten days Norma dutifully went to call upon old Mrs. Melrose, being fortunate enough to find Leslie there.
a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss
From this reading "Well, I don't know whether I am speaking to this bad runaway or not!" she quavered, releasing Norma from her bejewelled and lace-draped embrace, and shaking her fluffed and scanty gray hair.
enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure
From this reading "Oh, yes, you are, Aunt Marianna," the girl said, confidently, with her happy laugh.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The old lady came toward Norma with her soft old wavering footsteps, and gave the girl a warm kiss even with her initial rebuke:
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "Well, I don't know whether I am speaking to this bad runaway or not!" she quavered, releasing Norma from her bejewelled and lace-draped embrace, and shaking her fluffed and scanty gray hair.
initialnounUS /ˌɪˈnɪʃəl/
the first letter of a word (especially a person's name)
From this reading The old lady came toward Norma with her soft old wavering footsteps, and gave the girl a warm kiss even with her initial rebuke:
the act of caressing with the lips (or an instance thereof)
From this reading The old lady came toward Norma with her soft old wavering footsteps, and gave the girl a warm kiss even with her initial rebuke:
past form of “kiss” — touch with the lips or press the lips (against someone's mouth or other body part) as an expression of love, greeting, etc.
From this reading Leslie, coming more slowly forward, laughed and kissed her, too.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading "Well, I don't know whether I am speaking to this bad runaway or not!" she quavered, releasing Norma from her bejewelled and lace-draped embrace, and shaking her fluffed and scanty gray hair.
lace-draped
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Well, I don't know whether I am speaking to this bad runaway or not!" she quavered, releasing Norma from her bejewelled and lace-draped embrace, and shaking her fluffed and scanty gray hair.
a polite name for any woman
From this reading The old lady came toward Norma with her soft old wavering footsteps, and gave the girl a warm kiss even with her initial rebuke:
the sound of laughing
From this reading "Oh, yes, you are, Aunt Marianna," the girl said, confidently, with her happy laugh.
past form of “laugh” — produce laughter
From this reading Leslie, coming more slowly forward, laughed and kissed her, too.
Leslie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before she had been married ten days Norma dutifully went to call upon old Mrs. Melrose, being fortunate enough to find Leslie there.
Marianna
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Oh, yes, you are, Aunt Marianna," the girl said, confidently, with her happy laugh.
joined in matrimony
From this reading Before she had been married ten days Norma dutifully went to call upon old Mrs. Melrose, being fortunate enough to find Leslie there.
Melrose
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before she had been married ten days Norma dutifully went to call upon old Mrs. Melrose, being fortunate enough to find Leslie there.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Leslie, coming more slowly forward, laughed and kissed her, too.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading Before she had been married ten days Norma dutifully went to call upon old Mrs. Melrose, being fortunate enough to find Leslie there.
NormanounUS /ˈnɔːrmə/
a small constellation in the southern hemisphere near Lupus and Ara in the Milky Way
From this reading Before she had been married ten days Norma dutifully went to call upon old Mrs. Melrose, being fortunate enough to find Leslie there.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "Well, I don't know whether I am speaking to this bad runaway or not!" she quavered, releasing Norma from her bejewelled and lace-draped embrace, and shaking her fluffed and scanty gray hair.
a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region
From this reading "Oh, yes, you are, Aunt Marianna," the girl said, confidently, with her happy laugh.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading Before she had been married ten days Norma dutifully went to call upon old Mrs. Melrose, being fortunate enough to find Leslie there.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading "Well, I don't know whether I am speaking to this bad runaway or not!" she quavered, releasing Norma from her bejewelled and lace-draped embrace, and shaking her fluffed and scanty gray hair.
quaveredverbUS /ˈkweɪvərd/
past form of “quaver” — give off unsteady sounds, alternating in amplitude or frequency
From this reading "Well, I don't know whether I am speaking to this bad runaway or not!" she quavered, releasing Norma from her bejewelled and lace-draped embrace, and shaking her fluffed and scanty gray hair.
rebukeverbUS /riˈbjuːk/
censure severely or angrily
From this reading The old lady came toward Norma with her soft old wavering footsteps, and gave the girl a warm kiss even with her initial rebuke:
releasingadjectiveUS /riˈliːsɪŋ/
emotionally purging (of e.g. art)
From this reading "Well, I don't know whether I am speaking to this bad runaway or not!" she quavered, releasing Norma from her bejewelled and lace-draped embrace, and shaking her fluffed and scanty gray hair.
runawaynounUS /ˈrʌnəweɪ/
an easy victory
From this reading "Well, I don't know whether I am speaking to this bad runaway or not!" she quavered, releasing Norma from her bejewelled and lace-draped embrace, and shaking her fluffed and scanty gray hair.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "Oh, yes, you are, Aunt Marianna," the girl said, confidently, with her happy laugh.
scantyadjectiveUS /ˈskænti/
lacking in magnitude or quantity
From this reading "Well, I don't know whether I am speaking to this bad runaway or not!" she quavered, releasing Norma from her bejewelled and lace-draped embrace, and shaking her fluffed and scanty gray hair.
the act of causing something to move up and down (or back and forth) with quick movements
From this reading "Well, I don't know whether I am speaking to this bad runaway or not!" she quavered, releasing Norma from her bejewelled and lace-draped embrace, and shaking her fluffed and scanty gray hair.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Before she had been married ten days Norma dutifully went to call upon old Mrs. Melrose, being fortunate enough to find Leslie there.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading Leslie, coming more slowly forward, laughed and kissed her, too.
yielding readily to pressure or weight
From this reading The old lady came toward Norma with her soft old wavering footsteps, and gave the girl a warm kiss even with her initial rebuke:
the utterance of intelligible speech
From this reading "Well, I don't know whether I am speaking to this bad runaway or not!" she quavered, releasing Norma from her bejewelled and lace-draped embrace, and shaking her fluffed and scanty gray hair.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading Before she had been married ten days Norma dutifully went to call upon old Mrs. Melrose, being fortunate enough to find Leslie there.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The old lady came toward Norma with her soft old wavering footsteps, and gave the girl a warm kiss even with her initial rebuke:
in or at that place or location
From this reading Before she had been married ten days Norma dutifully went to call upon old Mrs. Melrose, being fortunate enough to find Leslie there.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading "Well, I don't know whether I am speaking to this bad runaway or not!" she quavered, releasing Norma from her bejewelled and lace-draped embrace, and shaking her fluffed and scanty gray hair.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Before she had been married ten days Norma dutifully went to call upon old Mrs. Melrose, being fortunate enough to find Leslie there.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading Leslie, coming more slowly forward, laughed and kissed her, too.
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading The old lady came toward Norma with her soft old wavering footsteps, and gave the girl a warm kiss even with her initial rebuke:
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Before she had been married ten days Norma dutifully went to call upon old Mrs. Melrose, being fortunate enough to find Leslie there.
having or producing a comfortable and agreeable degree of heat or imparting or maintaining heat
From this reading The old lady came toward Norma with her soft old wavering footsteps, and gave the girl a warm kiss even with her initial rebuke:
waveringnounUS /ˈweɪvərɪŋ/
indecision in speech or action
From this reading The old lady came toward Norma with her soft old wavering footsteps, and gave the girl a warm kiss even with her initial rebuke:
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading "Well, I don't know whether I am speaking to this bad runaway or not!" she quavered, releasing Norma from her bejewelled and lace-draped embrace, and shaking her fluffed and scanty gray hair.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Before she had been married ten days Norma dutifully went to call upon old Mrs. Melrose, being fortunate enough to find Leslie there.
used to introduce two or more possibilities
From this reading "Well, I don't know whether I am speaking to this bad runaway or not!" she quavered, releasing Norma from her bejewelled and lace-draped embrace, and shaking her fluffed and scanty gray hair.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The old lady came toward Norma with her soft old wavering footsteps, and gave the girl a warm kiss even with her initial rebuke:
an affirmative
From this reading "Oh, yes, you are, Aunt Marianna," the girl said, confidently, with her happy laugh.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Oh, yes, you are, Aunt Marianna," the girl said, confidently, with her happy laugh.
