Chapter I

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

From this reading If it had not rained on a certain May morning Valancy Stirling’s whole life would have been entirely different.

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

From this reading She would have gone, with the rest of her clan, to Aunt Wellington’s engagement picnic and Dr. Trent would have gone to Montreal.

the sister of your father or mother; the wife of your uncle

From this reading She would have gone, with the rest of her clan, to Aunt Wellington’s engagement picnic and Dr. Trent would have gone to Montreal.

for the reason that

From this reading But it did rain and you shall hear what happened to her because of it.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading If it had not rained on a certain May morning Valancy Stirling’s whole life would have been entirely different.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But it did rain and you shall hear what happened to her because of it.

definite but not specified or identified

From this reading If it had not rained on a certain May morning Valancy Stirling’s whole life would have been entirely different.

group of people related by blood or marriage

From this reading She would have gone, with the rest of her clan, to Aunt Wellington’s engagement picnic and Dr. Trent would have gone to Montreal.

the first light of day

From this reading Valancy wakened early, in the lifeless, hopeless hour just preceding dawn.

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading But it did rain and you shall hear what happened to her because of it.

unlike in nature or quality or form or degree

From this reading If it had not rained on a certain May morning Valancy Stirling’s whole life would have been entirely different.

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

From this reading She would have gone, with the rest of her clan, to Aunt Wellington’s engagement picnic and Dr. Trent would have gone to Montreal.

at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time

From this reading Valancy wakened early, in the lifeless, hopeless hour just preceding dawn.

a hostile meeting of opposing military forces in the course of a war

From this reading She would have gone, with the rest of her clan, to Aunt Wellington’s engagement picnic and Dr. Trent would have gone to Montreal.

to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)

From this reading If it had not rained on a certain May morning Valancy Stirling’s whole life would have been entirely different.

destroyed or killed

From this reading She would have gone, with the rest of her clan, to Aunt Wellington’s engagement picnic and Dr. Trent would have gone to Montreal.

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

From this reading If it had not rained on a certain May morning Valancy Stirling’s whole life would have been entirely different.

past form of “happen” — come to pass

From this reading But it did rain and you shall hear what happened to her because of it.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading If it had not rained on a certain May morning Valancy Stirling’s whole life would have been entirely different.

perceive (sound) via the auditory sense

From this reading But it did rain and you shall hear what happened to her because of it.

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

From this reading She would have gone, with the rest of her clan, to Aunt Wellington’s engagement picnic and Dr. Trent would have gone to Montreal.

without hope because there seems to be no possibility of comfort or success

From this reading Valancy wakened early, in the lifeless, hopeless hour just preceding dawn.

a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day

From this reading Valancy wakened early, in the lifeless, hopeless hour just preceding dawn.

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading If it had not rained on a certain May morning Valancy Stirling’s whole life would have been entirely different.

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

From this reading Valancy wakened early, in the lifeless, hopeless hour just preceding dawn.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading If it had not rained on a certain May morning Valancy Stirling’s whole life would have been entirely different.

and nothing more

From this reading Valancy wakened early, in the lifeless, hopeless hour just preceding dawn.

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading If it had not rained on a certain May morning Valancy Stirling’s whole life would have been entirely different.

deprived of life; no longer living

From this reading Valancy wakened early, in the lifeless, hopeless hour just preceding dawn.

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading If it had not rained on a certain May morning Valancy Stirling’s whole life would have been entirely different.

a city in southern Quebec province on the Saint Lawrence River; the largest city in Quebec and 2nd largest in Canada; the 2nd largest French-speaking city in the world

From this reading She would have gone, with the rest of her clan, to Aunt Wellington’s engagement picnic and Dr. Trent would have gone to Montreal.

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading If it had not rained on a certain May morning Valancy Stirling’s whole life would have been entirely different.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading If it had not rained on a certain May morning Valancy Stirling’s whole life would have been entirely different.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading She would have gone, with the rest of her clan, to Aunt Wellington’s engagement picnic and Dr. Trent would have gone to Montreal.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading If it had not rained on a certain May morning Valancy Stirling’s whole life would have been entirely different.

a day devoted to an outdoor social gathering

From this reading She would have gone, with the rest of her clan, to Aunt Wellington’s engagement picnic and Dr. Trent would have gone to Montreal.

existing or coming before

From this reading Valancy wakened early, in the lifeless, hopeless hour just preceding dawn.

water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere

From this reading But it did rain and you shall hear what happened to her because of it.

past form of “rain” — precipitate as rain

From this reading If it had not rained on a certain May morning Valancy Stirling’s whole life would have been entirely different.

not move; be in a resting position

From this reading She would have gone, with the rest of her clan, to Aunt Wellington’s engagement picnic and Dr. Trent would have gone to Montreal.

used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest

From this reading But it did rain and you shall hear what happened to her because of it.

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

From this reading She would have gone, with the rest of her clan, to Aunt Wellington’s engagement picnic and Dr. Trent would have gone to Montreal.

inflected form of “sleep” — be asleep

From this reading She had not slept very well.

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

From this reading If it had not rained on a certain May morning Valancy Stirling’s whole life would have been entirely different.

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

From this reading She would have gone, with the rest of her clan, to Aunt Wellington’s engagement picnic and Dr. Trent would have gone to Montreal.

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

From this reading She would have gone, with the rest of her clan, to Aunt Wellington’s engagement picnic and Dr. Trent would have gone to Montreal.

a river in central England that flows generally northeastward to join with the Ouse River and form the Humber

From this reading She would have gone, with the rest of her clan, to Aunt Wellington’s engagement picnic and Dr. Trent would have gone to Montreal.

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

From this reading If it had not rained on a certain May morning Valancy Stirling’s whole life would have been entirely different.

precisely as stated

From this reading She had not slept very well.

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

From this reading Valancy wakened early, in the lifeless, hopeless hour just preceding dawn.

(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 She had not slept very well.

possessive form of “wellington” — British general and statesman; he defeated Napoleon at Waterloo; subsequently served as Prime Minister (1769-1852)

From this reading She would have gone, with the rest of her clan, to Aunt Wellington’s engagement picnic and Dr. Trent would have gone to Montreal.

used to ask for information about something

From this reading But it did rain and you shall hear what happened to her because of it.

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

From this reading If it had not rained on a certain May morning Valancy Stirling’s whole life would have been entirely different.

in the company of; together with

From this reading She would have gone, with the rest of her clan, to Aunt Wellington’s engagement picnic and Dr. Trent would have gone to Montreal.

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

From this reading If it had not rained on a certain May morning Valancy Stirling’s whole life would have been entirely different.

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading But it did rain and you shall hear what happened to her because of it.