used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading She felt that he was old enough, big enough and strong enough to take care of himself, even when out of her sight, while here upon her lap lay a lovely babe, a gift of the Heavenly Father to her, a soft little creature whose helplessness solicited her tenderness, whose innocence deserved it, and whose love will certainly return it.
a positive feeling of liking
From this reading In the sunshine of affection and happiness Drusilla grew beautiful and blooming.
AlexandernounUS /ˌæləɡˈzændər/
European herb somewhat resembling celery widely naturalized in Britain coastal regions and often cultivated as a potherb
From this reading She loved her truant Alexander as faithfully as ever, but she loved him in hope and trust, and not in fear and sorrow.
alighted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The boy alighted at the gate, But scarce upheld his fainting weight; His swarthy visage spake distress, But this might be from weariness.—BYRON.
(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 Her baby gave her love for love, and the very faintness and feebleness of its little signs of love, made these sweet infant efforts all the more touching and pathetic.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading In the sunshine of affection and happiness Drusilla grew beautiful and blooming.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading She loved her truant Alexander as faithfully as ever, but she loved him in hope and trust, and not in fear and sorrow.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The boy alighted at the gate, But scarce upheld his fainting weight; His swarthy visage spake distress, But this might be from weariness.—BYRON.
babenounUS /beɪb/
a very young child (birth to 1 year) who has not yet begun to walk or talk
From this reading She felt that he was old enough, big enough and strong enough to take care of himself, even when out of her sight, while here upon her lap lay a lovely babe, a gift of the Heavenly Father to her, a soft little creature whose helplessness solicited her tenderness, whose innocence deserved it, and whose love will certainly return it.
a very young child (birth to 1 year) who has not yet begun to walk or talk
From this reading Her baby gave her love for love, and the very faintness and feebleness of its little signs of love, made these sweet infant efforts all the more touching and pathetic.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The boy alighted at the gate, But scarce upheld his fainting weight; His swarthy visage spake distress, But this might be from weariness.—BYRON.
delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration
From this reading In the sunshine of affection and happiness Drusilla grew beautiful and blooming.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading She felt that he was old enough, big enough and strong enough to take care of himself, even when out of her sight, while here upon her lap lay a lovely babe, a gift of the Heavenly Father to her, a soft little creature whose helplessness solicited her tenderness, whose innocence deserved it, and whose love will certainly return it.
bloomingnounUS /ˈbluːmɪŋ/
the organic process of bearing flowers
From this reading In the sunshine of affection and happiness Drusilla grew beautiful and blooming.
a youthful male person
From this reading The boy alighted at the gate, But scarce upheld his fainting weight; His swarthy visage spake distress, But this might be from weariness.—BYRON.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The boy alighted at the gate, But scarce upheld his fainting weight; His swarthy visage spake distress, But this might be from weariness.—BYRON.
BYRONnounUS /ˈbaɪrən/
English romantic poet notorious for his rebellious and unconventional lifestyle (1788-1824)
From this reading The boy alighted at the gate, But scarce upheld his fainting weight; His swarthy visage spake distress, But this might be from weariness.—BYRON.
the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something
From this reading She felt that he was old enough, big enough and strong enough to take care of himself, even when out of her sight, while here upon her lap lay a lovely babe, a gift of the Heavenly Father to her, a soft little creature whose helplessness solicited her tenderness, whose innocence deserved it, and whose love will certainly return it.
definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)
From this reading She felt that he was old enough, big enough and strong enough to take care of himself, even when out of her sight, while here upon her lap lay a lovely babe, a gift of the Heavenly Father to her, a soft little creature whose helplessness solicited her tenderness, whose innocence deserved it, and whose love will certainly return it.
a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading She felt that he was old enough, big enough and strong enough to take care of himself, even when out of her sight, while here upon her lap lay a lovely babe, a gift of the Heavenly Father to her, a soft little creature whose helplessness solicited her tenderness, whose innocence deserved it, and whose love will certainly return it.
deservedadjectiveUS /dɪˈzɜːrvd/
properly deserved
From this reading She felt that he was old enough, big enough and strong enough to take care of himself, even when out of her sight, while here upon her lap lay a lovely babe, a gift of the Heavenly Father to her, a soft little creature whose helplessness solicited her tenderness, whose innocence deserved it, and whose love will certainly return it.
psychological suffering
From this reading The boy alighted at the gate, But scarce upheld his fainting weight; His swarthy visage spake distress, But this might be from weariness.—BYRON.
Drusilla
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the sunshine of affection and happiness Drusilla grew beautiful and blooming.
plural of “effort” — earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something
From this reading Her baby gave her love for love, and the very faintness and feebleness of its little signs of love, made these sweet infant efforts all the more touching and pathetic.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading She felt that he was old enough, big enough and strong enough to take care of himself, even when out of her sight, while here upon her lap lay a lovely babe, a gift of the Heavenly Father to her, a soft little creature whose helplessness solicited her tenderness, whose innocence deserved it, and whose love will certainly return it.
divisible by two
From this reading She felt that he was old enough, big enough and strong enough to take care of himself, even when out of her sight, while here upon her lap lay a lovely babe, a gift of the Heavenly Father to her, a soft little creature whose helplessness solicited her tenderness, whose innocence deserved it, and whose love will certainly return it.
at any time
From this reading She loved her truant Alexander as faithfully as ever, but she loved him in hope and trust, and not in fear and sorrow.
faintingverbUS /ˈfeɪntɪŋ/
-ing form of “faint” — pass out from weakness, physical or emotional distress due to a loss of blood supply to the brain
From this reading The boy alighted at the gate, But scarce upheld his fainting weight; His swarthy visage spake distress, But this might be from weariness.—BYRON.
faintnessnounUS /ˈfeɪntnəs/
a feeling of faintness and of being ready to swoon
From this reading Her baby gave her love for love, and the very faintness and feebleness of its little signs of love, made these sweet infant efforts all the more touching and pathetic.
faithfullyadverbUS /ˈfeɪθfəli/
in a faithful manner
From this reading She loved her truant Alexander as faithfully as ever, but she loved him in hope and trust, and not in fear and sorrow.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading She felt that he was old enough, big enough and strong enough to take care of himself, even when out of her sight, while here upon her lap lay a lovely babe, a gift of the Heavenly Father to her, a soft little creature whose helplessness solicited her tenderness, whose innocence deserved it, and whose love will certainly return it.
be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
From this reading She loved her truant Alexander as faithfully as ever, but she loved him in hope and trust, and not in fear and sorrow.
feeblenessnoun
the state of being weak in health or body (especially from old age)
From this reading Her baby gave her love for love, and the very faintness and feebleness of its little signs of love, made these sweet infant efforts all the more touching and pathetic.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading She felt that he was old enough, big enough and strong enough to take care of himself, even when out of her sight, while here upon her lap lay a lovely babe, a gift of the Heavenly Father to her, a soft little creature whose helplessness solicited her tenderness, whose innocence deserved it, and whose love will certainly return it.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Her baby gave her love for love, and the very faintness and feebleness of its little signs of love, made these sweet infant efforts all the more touching and pathetic.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The boy alighted at the gate, But scarce upheld his fainting weight; His swarthy visage spake distress, But this might be from weariness.—BYRON.
a movable barrier in a fence or wall
From this reading The boy alighted at the gate, But scarce upheld his fainting weight; His swarthy visage spake distress, But this might be from weariness.—BYRON.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading Her baby gave her love for love, and the very faintness and feebleness of its little signs of love, made these sweet infant efforts all the more touching and pathetic.
something acquired without compensation
From this reading She felt that he was old enough, big enough and strong enough to take care of himself, even when out of her sight, while here upon her lap lay a lovely babe, a gift of the Heavenly Father to her, a soft little creature whose helplessness solicited her tenderness, whose innocence deserved it, and whose love will certainly return it.
inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading In the sunshine of affection and happiness Drusilla grew beautiful and blooming.
state of well-being characterized by emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy
From this reading In the sunshine of affection and happiness Drusilla grew beautiful and blooming.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She felt that he was old enough, big enough and strong enough to take care of himself, even when out of her sight, while here upon her lap lay a lovely babe, a gift of the Heavenly Father to her, a soft little creature whose helplessness solicited her tenderness, whose innocence deserved it, and whose love will certainly return it.
HeavenlyadjectiveUS /ˈhevənli/
relating to or inhabiting a divine heaven
From this reading She felt that he was old enough, big enough and strong enough to take care of himself, even when out of her sight, while here upon her lap lay a lovely babe, a gift of the Heavenly Father to her, a soft little creature whose helplessness solicited her tenderness, whose innocence deserved it, and whose love will certainly return it.
helplessnessnounUS /ˈhelpləsnəs/
powerlessness revealed by an inability to act
From this reading She felt that he was old enough, big enough and strong enough to take care of himself, even when out of her sight, while here upon her lap lay a lovely babe, a gift of the Heavenly Father to her, a soft little creature whose helplessness solicited her tenderness, whose innocence deserved it, and whose love will certainly return it.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She loved her truant Alexander as faithfully as ever, but she loved him in hope and trust, and not in fear and sorrow.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading She felt that he was old enough, big enough and strong enough to take care of himself, even when out of her sight, while here upon her lap lay a lovely babe, a gift of the Heavenly Father to her, a soft little creature whose helplessness solicited her tenderness, whose innocence deserved it, and whose love will certainly return it.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading She loved her truant Alexander as faithfully as ever, but she loved him in hope and trust, and not in fear and sorrow.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading She felt that he was old enough, big enough and strong enough to take care of himself, even when out of her sight, while here upon her lap lay a lovely babe, a gift of the Heavenly Father to her, a soft little creature whose helplessness solicited her tenderness, whose innocence deserved it, and whose love will certainly return it.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The boy alighted at the gate, But scarce upheld his fainting weight; His swarthy visage spake distress, But this might be from weariness.—BYRON.
a specific instance of feeling hopeful
From this reading She loved her truant Alexander as faithfully as ever, but she loved him in hope and trust, and not in fear and sorrow.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In the sunshine of affection and happiness Drusilla grew beautiful and blooming.
infantnounUS /ˈɪnfənt/
a very young child (birth to 1 year) who has not yet begun to walk or talk
From this reading Her baby gave her love for love, and the very faintness and feebleness of its little signs of love, made these sweet infant efforts all the more touching and pathetic.
innocencenounUS /ˈɪnəsəns/
the quality of innocent naivete
From this reading She felt that he was old enough, big enough and strong enough to take care of himself, even when out of her sight, while here upon her lap lay a lovely babe, a gift of the Heavenly Father to her, a soft little creature whose helplessness solicited her tenderness, whose innocence deserved it, and whose love will certainly return it.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading She felt that he was old enough, big enough and strong enough to take care of himself, even when out of her sight, while here upon her lap lay a lovely babe, a gift of the Heavenly Father to her, a soft little creature whose helplessness solicited her tenderness, whose innocence deserved it, and whose love will certainly return it.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Her baby gave her love for love, and the very faintness and feebleness of its little signs of love, made these sweet infant efforts all the more touching and pathetic.
lapverbUS /læp/
lie partly over or alongside of something or of one another
From this reading She felt that he was old enough, big enough and strong enough to take care of himself, even when out of her sight, while here upon her lap lay a lovely babe, a gift of the Heavenly Father to her, a soft little creature whose helplessness solicited her tenderness, whose innocence deserved it, and whose love will certainly return it.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading She felt that he was old enough, big enough and strong enough to take care of himself, even when out of her sight, while here upon her lap lay a lovely babe, a gift of the Heavenly Father to her, a soft little creature whose helplessness solicited her tenderness, whose innocence deserved it, and whose love will certainly return it.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading She felt that he was old enough, big enough and strong enough to take care of himself, even when out of her sight, while here upon her lap lay a lovely babe, a gift of the Heavenly Father to her, a soft little creature whose helplessness solicited her tenderness, whose innocence deserved it, and whose love will certainly return it.
a strong positive emotion of regard and affection
From this reading She felt that he was old enough, big enough and strong enough to take care of himself, even when out of her sight, while here upon her lap lay a lovely babe, a gift of the Heavenly Father to her, a soft little creature whose helplessness solicited her tenderness, whose innocence deserved it, and whose love will certainly return it.
held dear
From this reading She loved her truant Alexander as faithfully as ever, but she loved him in hope and trust, and not in fear and sorrow.
appealing to the emotions as well as the eye
From this reading She felt that he was old enough, big enough and strong enough to take care of himself, even when out of her sight, while here upon her lap lay a lovely babe, a gift of the Heavenly Father to her, a soft little creature whose helplessness solicited her tenderness, whose innocence deserved it, and whose love will certainly return it.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading Her baby gave her love for love, and the very faintness and feebleness of its little signs of love, made these sweet infant efforts all the more touching and pathetic.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading The boy alighted at the gate, But scarce upheld his fainting weight; His swarthy visage spake distress, But this might be from weariness.—BYRON.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Her baby gave her love for love, and the very faintness and feebleness of its little signs of love, made these sweet infant efforts all the more touching and pathetic.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading She loved her truant Alexander as faithfully as ever, but she loved him in hope and trust, and not in fear and sorrow.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading In the sunshine of affection and happiness Drusilla grew beautiful and blooming.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading She felt that he was old enough, big enough and strong enough to take care of himself, even when out of her sight, while here upon her lap lay a lovely babe, a gift of the Heavenly Father to her, a soft little creature whose helplessness solicited her tenderness, whose innocence deserved it, and whose love will certainly return it.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading She felt that he was old enough, big enough and strong enough to take care of himself, even when out of her sight, while here upon her lap lay a lovely babe, a gift of the Heavenly Father to her, a soft little creature whose helplessness solicited her tenderness, whose innocence deserved it, and whose love will certainly return it.
patheticadjectiveUS /pəˈθetɪk/
deserving or inciting pity
From this reading Her baby gave her love for love, and the very faintness and feebleness of its little signs of love, made these sweet infant efforts all the more touching and pathetic.
go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading She felt that he was old enough, big enough and strong enough to take care of himself, even when out of her sight, while here upon her lap lay a lovely babe, a gift of the Heavenly Father to her, a soft little creature whose helplessness solicited her tenderness, whose innocence deserved it, and whose love will certainly return it.
only a very short time before
From this reading The boy alighted at the gate, But scarce upheld his fainting weight; His swarthy visage spake distress, But this might be from weariness.—BYRON.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She loved her truant Alexander as faithfully as ever, but she loved him in hope and trust, and not in fear and sorrow.
an instance of visual perception
From this reading She felt that he was old enough, big enough and strong enough to take care of himself, even when out of her sight, while here upon her lap lay a lovely babe, a gift of the Heavenly Father to her, a soft little creature whose helplessness solicited her tenderness, whose innocence deserved it, and whose love will certainly return it.
plural of “sign” — a perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that something has happened)
From this reading Her baby gave her love for love, and the very faintness and feebleness of its little signs of love, made these sweet infant efforts all the more touching and pathetic.
yielding readily to pressure or weight
From this reading She felt that he was old enough, big enough and strong enough to take care of himself, even when out of her sight, while here upon her lap lay a lovely babe, a gift of the Heavenly Father to her, a soft little creature whose helplessness solicited her tenderness, whose innocence deserved it, and whose love will certainly return it.
solicitedverbUS /səˈlɪsɪtɪd/
past form of “solicit” — make a solicitation or entreaty for something; request urgently or persistently
From this reading She felt that he was old enough, big enough and strong enough to take care of himself, even when out of her sight, while here upon her lap lay a lovely babe, a gift of the Heavenly Father to her, a soft little creature whose helplessness solicited her tenderness, whose innocence deserved it, and whose love will certainly return it.
an emotion of great sadness associated with loss or bereavement
From this reading She loved her truant Alexander as faithfully as ever, but she loved him in hope and trust, and not in fear and sorrow.
spake
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The boy alighted at the gate, But scarce upheld his fainting weight; His swarthy visage spake distress, But this might be from weariness.—BYRON.
having strength or power greater than average or expected
From this reading She felt that he was old enough, big enough and strong enough to take care of himself, even when out of her sight, while here upon her lap lay a lovely babe, a gift of the Heavenly Father to her, a soft little creature whose helplessness solicited her tenderness, whose innocence deserved it, and whose love will certainly return it.
the rays of the sun
From this reading In the sunshine of affection and happiness Drusilla grew beautiful and blooming.
swarthyadjectiveUS /ˈswɔːrði/
naturally having skin of a dark color
From this reading The boy alighted at the gate, But scarce upheld his fainting weight; His swarthy visage spake distress, But this might be from weariness.—BYRON.
having or denoting the characteristic taste of sugar
From this reading Her baby gave her love for love, and the very faintness and feebleness of its little signs of love, made these sweet infant efforts all the more touching and pathetic.
carry out
From this reading She felt that he was old enough, big enough and strong enough to take care of himself, even when out of her sight, while here upon her lap lay a lovely babe, a gift of the Heavenly Father to her, a soft little creature whose helplessness solicited her tenderness, whose innocence deserved it, and whose love will certainly return it.
a tendency to express warm and affectionate feeling
From this reading She felt that he was old enough, big enough and strong enough to take care of himself, even when out of her sight, while here upon her lap lay a lovely babe, a gift of the Heavenly Father to her, a soft little creature whose helplessness solicited her tenderness, whose innocence deserved it, and whose love will certainly return it.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading She felt that he was old enough, big enough and strong enough to take care of himself, even when out of her sight, while here upon her lap lay a lovely babe, a gift of the Heavenly Father to her, a soft little creature whose helplessness solicited her tenderness, whose innocence deserved it, and whose love will certainly return it.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The boy alighted at the gate, But scarce upheld his fainting weight; His swarthy visage spake distress, But this might be from weariness.—BYRON.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading Her baby gave her love for love, and the very faintness and feebleness of its little signs of love, made these sweet infant efforts all the more touching and pathetic.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading The boy alighted at the gate, But scarce upheld his fainting weight; His swarthy visage spake distress, But this might be from weariness.—BYRON.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading She felt that he was old enough, big enough and strong enough to take care of himself, even when out of her sight, while here upon her lap lay a lovely babe, a gift of the Heavenly Father to her, a soft little creature whose helplessness solicited her tenderness, whose innocence deserved it, and whose love will certainly return it.
arousing affect
From this reading Her baby gave her love for love, and the very faintness and feebleness of its little signs of love, made these sweet infant efforts all the more touching and pathetic.
truantnounUS /ˈtruːənt/
one who is absent from school without permission
From this reading She loved her truant Alexander as faithfully as ever, but she loved him in hope and trust, and not in fear and sorrow.
something (as property) held by one party (the trustee) for the benefit of another (the beneficiary)
From this reading She loved her truant Alexander as faithfully as ever, but she loved him in hope and trust, and not in fear and sorrow.
upheldverbUS /əpˈheld/
inflected form of “uphold” — keep or maintain in unaltered condition; cause to remain or last
From this reading The boy alighted at the gate, But scarce upheld his fainting weight; His swarthy visage spake distress, But this might be from weariness.—BYRON.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading She felt that he was old enough, big enough and strong enough to take care of himself, even when out of her sight, while here upon her lap lay a lovely babe, a gift of the Heavenly Father to her, a soft little creature whose helplessness solicited her tenderness, whose innocence deserved it, and whose love will certainly return it.
precisely as stated
From this reading Her baby gave her love for love, and the very faintness and feebleness of its little signs of love, made these sweet infant efforts all the more touching and pathetic.
visagenounUS /ˈvɪzədʒ/
the human face (“kisser” and “smiler” and “mug” are informal terms for “face” and “phiz” is British)
From this reading The boy alighted at the gate, But scarce upheld his fainting weight; His swarthy visage spake distress, But this might be from weariness.—BYRON.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading She felt that he was old enough, big enough and strong enough to take care of himself, even when out of her sight, while here upon her lap lay a lovely babe, a gift of the Heavenly Father to her, a soft little creature whose helplessness solicited her tenderness, whose innocence deserved it, and whose love will certainly return it.
wearinessnounUS /ˈwɪrinəs/
temporary loss of strength and energy resulting from hard physical or mental work
From this reading The boy alighted at the gate, But scarce upheld his fainting weight; His swarthy visage spake distress, But this might be from weariness.—BYRON.
the vertical force exerted by a mass as a result of gravity
From this reading The boy alighted at the gate, But scarce upheld his fainting weight; His swarthy visage spake distress, But this might be from weariness.—BYRON.
at the time that
From this reading She felt that he was old enough, big enough and strong enough to take care of himself, even when out of her sight, while here upon her lap lay a lovely babe, a gift of the Heavenly Father to her, a soft little creature whose helplessness solicited her tenderness, whose innocence deserved it, and whose love will certainly return it.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading She felt that he was old enough, big enough and strong enough to take care of himself, even when out of her sight, while here upon her lap lay a lovely babe, a gift of the Heavenly Father to her, a soft little creature whose helplessness solicited her tenderness, whose innocence deserved it, and whose love will certainly return it.
belonging to which person
From this reading She felt that he was old enough, big enough and strong enough to take care of himself, even when out of her sight, while here upon her lap lay a lovely babe, a gift of the Heavenly Father to her, a soft little creature whose helplessness solicited her tenderness, whose innocence deserved it, and whose love will certainly return it.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading She felt that he was old enough, big enough and strong enough to take care of himself, even when out of her sight, while here upon her lap lay a lovely babe, a gift of the Heavenly Father to her, a soft little creature whose helplessness solicited her tenderness, whose innocence deserved it, and whose love will certainly return it.
