Chapter XVI · Chapter 16

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

From this reading SOME YEARS DURING WHICH NOTHING HAPPENS Judith had said to the family, taking no especial pains that her sister should not hear her, "Well, folks, now that Sylvia's got through with that horrid Fiske fellow, I do hope we'll all have some peace!" a remark which proved to be a prophecy.

quickly and without warning

From this reading It began abruptly, like opening a door into a new room.

(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 SOME YEARS DURING WHICH NOTHING HAPPENS Judith had said to the family, taking no especial pains that her sister should not hear her, "Well, folks, now that Sylvia's got through with that horrid Fiske fellow, I do hope we'll all have some peace!" a remark which proved to be a prophecy.

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading They all, including Sylvia herself, knew the tranquillity of an extended period of peace.

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

From this reading Sylvia had dreaded the beginning of the winter term and the inevitable sight of Jerry, the enforced crossings of their paths.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading But Jerry never returned to his classes at all.

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading SOME YEARS DURING WHICH NOTHING HAPPENS Judith had said to the family, taking no especial pains that her sister should not hear her, "Well, folks, now that Sylvia's got through with that horrid Fiske fellow, I do hope we'll all have some peace!" a remark which proved to be a prophecy.

inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading It began abruptly, like opening a door into a new room.

the event consisting of the start of something

From this reading Sylvia had dreaded the beginning of the winter term and the inevitable sight of Jerry, the enforced crossings of their paths.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But Jerry never returned to his classes at all.

plural of “class” — a collection of things sharing a common attribute

From this reading But Jerry never returned to his classes at all.

plural of “crossing” — traveling across

From this reading Sylvia had dreaded the beginning of the winter term and the inevitable sight of Jerry, the enforced crossings of their paths.

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading SOME YEARS DURING WHICH NOTHING HAPPENS Judith had said to the family, taking no especial pains that her sister should not hear her, "Well, folks, now that Sylvia's got through with that horrid Fiske fellow, I do hope we'll all have some peace!" a remark which proved to be a prophecy.

a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle

From this reading It began abruptly, like opening a door into a new room.

causing fear or dread or terror

From this reading Sylvia had dreaded the beginning of the winter term and the inevitable sight of Jerry, the enforced crossings of their paths.

all through a period, or at some point within it

From this reading SOME YEARS DURING WHICH NOTHING HAPPENS Judith had said to the family, taking no especial pains that her sister should not hear her, "Well, folks, now that Sylvia's got through with that horrid Fiske fellow, I do hope we'll all have some peace!" a remark which proved to be a prophecy.

forced or compelled or put in force

From this reading Sylvia had dreaded the beginning of the winter term and the inevitable sight of Jerry, the enforced crossings of their paths.

surpassing what is common or usual or expected

From this reading SOME YEARS DURING WHICH NOTHING HAPPENS Judith had said to the family, taking no especial pains that her sister should not hear her, "Well, folks, now that Sylvia's got through with that horrid Fiske fellow, I do hope we'll all have some peace!" a remark which proved to be a prophecy.

relatively long in duration; tediously protracted

From this reading They all, including Sylvia herself, knew the tranquillity of an extended period of peace.

a social unit living together

From this reading SOME YEARS DURING WHICH NOTHING HAPPENS Judith had said to the family, taking no especial pains that her sister should not hear her, "Well, folks, now that Sylvia's got through with that horrid Fiske fellow, I do hope we'll all have some peace!" a remark which proved to be a prophecy.

a boy or man

From this reading SOME YEARS DURING WHICH NOTHING HAPPENS Judith had said to the family, taking no especial pains that her sister should not hear her, "Well, folks, now that Sylvia's got through with that horrid Fiske fellow, I do hope we'll all have some peace!" a remark which proved to be a prophecy.

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

From this reading SOME YEARS DURING WHICH NOTHING HAPPENS Judith had said to the family, taking no especial pains that her sister should not hear her, "Well, folks, now that Sylvia's got through with that horrid Fiske fellow, I do hope we'll all have some peace!" a remark which proved to be a prophecy.

your parents

From this reading SOME YEARS DURING WHICH NOTHING HAPPENS Judith had said to the family, taking no especial pains that her sister should not hear her, "Well, folks, now that Sylvia's got through with that horrid Fiske fellow, I do hope we'll all have some peace!" a remark which proved to be a prophecy.

inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading SOME YEARS DURING WHICH NOTHING HAPPENS Judith had said to the family, taking no especial pains that her sister should not hear her, "Well, folks, now that Sylvia's got through with that horrid Fiske fellow, I do hope we'll all have some peace!" a remark which proved to be a prophecy.

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

From this reading SOME YEARS DURING WHICH NOTHING HAPPENS Judith had said to the family, taking no especial pains that her sister should not hear her, "Well, folks, now that Sylvia's got through with that horrid Fiske fellow, I do hope we'll all have some peace!" a remark which proved to be a prophecy.

third-person singular of “happen” — come to pass

From this reading SOME YEARS DURING WHICH NOTHING HAPPENS Judith had said to the family, taking no especial pains that her sister should not hear her, "Well, folks, now that Sylvia's got through with that horrid Fiske fellow, I do hope we'll all have some peace!" a remark which proved to be a prophecy.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading SOME YEARS DURING WHICH NOTHING HAPPENS Judith had said to the family, taking no especial pains that her sister should not hear her, "Well, folks, now that Sylvia's got through with that horrid Fiske fellow, I do hope we'll all have some peace!" a remark which proved to be a prophecy.

perceive (sound) via the auditory sense

From this reading SOME YEARS DURING WHICH NOTHING HAPPENS Judith had said to the family, taking no especial pains that her sister should not hear her, "Well, folks, now that Sylvia's got through with that horrid Fiske fellow, I do hope we'll all have some peace!" a remark which proved to be a prophecy.

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

From this reading SOME YEARS DURING WHICH NOTHING HAPPENS Judith had said to the family, taking no especial pains that her sister should not hear her, "Well, folks, now that Sylvia's got through with that horrid Fiske fellow, I do hope we'll all have some peace!" a remark which proved to be a prophecy.

used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object

From this reading They all, including Sylvia herself, knew the tranquillity of an extended period of peace.

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading But Jerry never returned to his classes at all.

a specific instance of feeling hopeful

From this reading SOME YEARS DURING WHICH NOTHING HAPPENS Judith had said to the family, taking no especial pains that her sister should not hear her, "Well, folks, now that Sylvia's got through with that horrid Fiske fellow, I do hope we'll all have some peace!" a remark which proved to be a prophecy.

exceedingly bad

From this reading SOME YEARS DURING WHICH NOTHING HAPPENS Judith had said to the family, taking no especial pains that her sister should not hear her, "Well, folks, now that Sylvia's got through with that horrid Fiske fellow, I do hope we'll all have some peace!" a remark which proved to be a prophecy.

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading SOME YEARS DURING WHICH NOTHING HAPPENS Judith had said to the family, taking no especial pains that her sister should not hear her, "Well, folks, now that Sylvia's got through with that horrid Fiske fellow, I do hope we'll all have some peace!" a remark which proved to be a prophecy.

-ing form of “include” — have as a part, be made up out of

From this reading They all, including Sylvia herself, knew the tranquillity of an extended period of peace.

incapable of being avoided or prevented

From this reading Sylvia had dreaded the beginning of the winter term and the inevitable sight of Jerry, the enforced crossings of their paths.

moving to the inside of something

From this reading It began abruptly, like opening a door into a new room.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It began abruptly, like opening a door into a new room.

offensive term for a person of German descent

From this reading Sylvia had dreaded the beginning of the winter term and the inevitable sight of Jerry, the enforced crossings of their paths.

Jewish heroine in one of the books of the Apocrypha; she saved her people by decapitating the Assyrian general Holofernes

From this reading SOME YEARS DURING WHICH NOTHING HAPPENS Judith had said to the family, taking no especial pains that her sister should not hear her, "Well, folks, now that Sylvia's got through with that horrid Fiske fellow, I do hope we'll all have some peace!" a remark which proved to be a prophecy.

inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading They all, including Sylvia herself, knew the tranquillity of an extended period of peace.

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading It began abruptly, like opening a door into a new room.

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading But Jerry never returned to his classes at all.

not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered

From this reading It began abruptly, like opening a door into a new room.

not any; not one

From this reading SOME YEARS DURING WHICH NOTHING HAPPENS Judith had said to the family, taking no especial pains that her sister should not hear her, "Well, folks, now that Sylvia's got through with that horrid Fiske fellow, I do hope we'll all have some peace!" a remark which proved to be a prophecy.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading SOME YEARS DURING WHICH NOTHING HAPPENS Judith had said to the family, taking no especial pains that her sister should not hear her, "Well, folks, now that Sylvia's got through with that horrid Fiske fellow, I do hope we'll all have some peace!" a remark which proved to be a prophecy.

not one thing; not anything

From this reading SOME YEARS DURING WHICH NOTHING HAPPENS Judith had said to the family, taking no especial pains that her sister should not hear her, "Well, folks, now that Sylvia's got through with that horrid Fiske fellow, I do hope we'll all have some peace!" a remark which proved to be a prophecy.

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading SOME YEARS DURING WHICH NOTHING HAPPENS Judith had said to the family, taking no especial pains that her sister should not hear her, "Well, folks, now that Sylvia's got through with that horrid Fiske fellow, I do hope we'll all have some peace!" a remark which proved to be a prophecy.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading They all, including Sylvia herself, knew the tranquillity of an extended period of peace.

an open or empty space in or between things

From this reading It began abruptly, like opening a door into a new room.

an effortful attempt to attain a goal

From this reading SOME YEARS DURING WHICH NOTHING HAPPENS Judith had said to the family, taking no especial pains that her sister should not hear her, "Well, folks, now that Sylvia's got through with that horrid Fiske fellow, I do hope we'll all have some peace!" a remark which proved to be a prophecy.

plural of “path” — a course of conduct

From this reading Sylvia had dreaded the beginning of the winter term and the inevitable sight of Jerry, the enforced crossings of their paths.

the state prevailing during the absence of war

From this reading SOME YEARS DURING WHICH NOTHING HAPPENS Judith had said to the family, taking no especial pains that her sister should not hear her, "Well, folks, now that Sylvia's got through with that horrid Fiske fellow, I do hope we'll all have some peace!" a remark which proved to be a prophecy.

an amount of time

From this reading They all, including Sylvia herself, knew the tranquillity of an extended period of peace.

A prediction of what will happen in the future, often divinely or magically inspired.

From this reading SOME YEARS DURING WHICH NOTHING HAPPENS Judith had said to the family, taking no especial pains that her sister should not hear her, "Well, folks, now that Sylvia's got through with that horrid Fiske fellow, I do hope we'll all have some peace!" a remark which proved to be a prophecy.

established beyond doubt

From this reading SOME YEARS DURING WHICH NOTHING HAPPENS Judith had said to the family, taking no especial pains that her sister should not hear her, "Well, folks, now that Sylvia's got through with that horrid Fiske fellow, I do hope we'll all have some peace!" a remark which proved to be a prophecy.

a statement that expresses a personal opinion or belief or adds information

From this reading SOME YEARS DURING WHICH NOTHING HAPPENS Judith had said to the family, taking no especial pains that her sister should not hear her, "Well, folks, now that Sylvia's got through with that horrid Fiske fellow, I do hope we'll all have some peace!" a remark which proved to be a prophecy.

past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before

From this reading But Jerry never returned to his classes at all.

an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling

From this reading It began abruptly, like opening a door into a new room.

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading SOME YEARS DURING WHICH NOTHING HAPPENS Judith had said to the family, taking no especial pains that her sister should not hear her, "Well, folks, now that Sylvia's got through with that horrid Fiske fellow, I do hope we'll all have some peace!" a remark which proved to be a prophecy.

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading SOME YEARS DURING WHICH NOTHING HAPPENS Judith had said to the family, taking no especial pains that her sister should not hear her, "Well, folks, now that Sylvia's got through with that horrid Fiske fellow, I do hope we'll all have some peace!" a remark which proved to be a prophecy.

an instance of visual perception

From this reading Sylvia had dreaded the beginning of the winter term and the inevitable sight of Jerry, the enforced crossings of their paths.

a female person who has the same parents as another person

From this reading SOME YEARS DURING WHICH NOTHING HAPPENS Judith had said to the family, taking no especial pains that her sister should not hear her, "Well, folks, now that Sylvia's got through with that horrid Fiske fellow, I do hope we'll all have some peace!" a remark which proved to be a prophecy.

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading SOME YEARS DURING WHICH NOTHING HAPPENS Judith had said to the family, taking no especial pains that her sister should not hear her, "Well, folks, now that Sylvia's got through with that horrid Fiske fellow, I do hope we'll all have some peace!" a remark which proved to be a prophecy.

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

From this reading They all, including Sylvia herself, knew the tranquillity of an extended period of peace.

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

From this reading SOME YEARS DURING WHICH NOTHING HAPPENS Judith had said to the family, taking no especial pains that her sister should not hear her, "Well, folks, now that Sylvia's got through with that horrid Fiske fellow, I do hope we'll all have some peace!" a remark which proved to be a prophecy.

the act of someone who picks up or takes something

From this reading SOME YEARS DURING WHICH NOTHING HAPPENS Judith had said to the family, taking no especial pains that her sister should not hear her, "Well, folks, now that Sylvia's got through with that horrid Fiske fellow, I do hope we'll all have some peace!" a remark which proved to be a prophecy.

a word or expression used for some particular thing

From this reading Sylvia had dreaded the beginning of the winter term and the inevitable sight of Jerry, the enforced crossings of their paths.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading SOME YEARS DURING WHICH NOTHING HAPPENS Judith had said to the family, taking no especial pains that her sister should not hear her, "Well, folks, now that Sylvia's got through with that horrid Fiske fellow, I do hope we'll all have some peace!" a remark which proved to be a prophecy.

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

From this reading SOME YEARS DURING WHICH NOTHING HAPPENS Judith had said to the family, taking no especial pains that her sister should not hear her, "Well, folks, now that Sylvia's got through with that horrid Fiske fellow, I do hope we'll all have some peace!" a remark which proved to be a prophecy.

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading Sylvia had dreaded the beginning of the winter term and the inevitable sight of Jerry, the enforced crossings of their paths.

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading They all, including Sylvia herself, knew the tranquillity of an extended period of peace.

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading SOME YEARS DURING WHICH NOTHING HAPPENS Judith had said to the family, taking no especial pains that her sister should not hear her, "Well, folks, now that Sylvia's got through with that horrid Fiske fellow, I do hope we'll all have some peace!" a remark which proved to be a prophecy.

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

From this reading SOME YEARS DURING WHICH NOTHING HAPPENS Judith had said to the family, taking no especial pains that her sister should not hear her, "Well, folks, now that Sylvia's got through with that horrid Fiske fellow, I do hope we'll all have some peace!" a remark which proved to be a prophecy.

an untroubled state; free from disturbances

From this reading They all, including Sylvia herself, knew the tranquillity of an extended period of peace.

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

From this reading SOME YEARS DURING WHICH NOTHING HAPPENS Judith had said to the family, taking no especial pains that her sister should not hear her, "Well, folks, now that Sylvia's got through with that horrid Fiske fellow, I do hope we'll all have some peace!" a remark which proved to be a prophecy.

(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 SOME YEARS DURING WHICH NOTHING HAPPENS Judith had said to the family, taking no especial pains that her sister should not hear her, "Well, folks, now that Sylvia's got through with that horrid Fiske fellow, I do hope we'll all have some peace!" a remark which proved to be a prophecy.

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

From this reading SOME YEARS DURING WHICH NOTHING HAPPENS Judith had said to the family, taking no especial pains that her sister should not hear her, "Well, folks, now that Sylvia's got through with that horrid Fiske fellow, I do hope we'll all have some peace!" a remark which proved to be a prophecy.

the coldest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the winter solstice to the vernal equinox

From this reading Sylvia had dreaded the beginning of the winter term and the inevitable sight of Jerry, the enforced crossings of their paths.

in the company of; together with

From this reading SOME YEARS DURING WHICH NOTHING HAPPENS Judith had said to the family, taking no especial pains that her sister should not hear her, "Well, folks, now that Sylvia's got through with that horrid Fiske fellow, I do hope we'll all have some peace!" a remark which proved to be a prophecy.

a late time of life

From this reading SOME YEARS DURING WHICH NOTHING HAPPENS Judith had said to the family, taking no especial pains that her sister should not hear her, "Well, folks, now that Sylvia's got through with that horrid Fiske fellow, I do hope we'll all have some peace!" a remark which proved to be a prophecy.