Chapter X

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

From this reading VIOLET EYES WHEN Henry was seated alongside the carrier that fateful morning long ago--Henry, you must be more than twenty-two!--he had to pass the cottage of old Carne the sexton, and a sweet face, jewelled with a pair of violet eyes, looked out between the curtains, a girl's hand rattled on the window-pane.

plural of “age” — how long something has existed

From this reading But surely that was ages ago!

in the past

From this reading VIOLET EYES WHEN Henry was seated alongside the carrier that fateful morning long ago--Henry, you must be more than twenty-two!--he had to pass the cottage of old Carne the sexton, and a sweet face, jewelled with a pair of violet eyes, looked out between the curtains, a girl's hand rattled on the window-pane.

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

From this reading Well, here is Eunice Lyndon in proof of the fact that it was almost six years since.

side by side

From this reading VIOLET EYES WHEN Henry was seated alongside the carrier that fateful morning long ago--Henry, you must be more than twenty-two!--he had to pass the cottage of old Carne the sexton, and a sweet face, jewelled with a pair of violet eyes, looked out between the curtains, a girl's hand rattled on the window-pane.

surrounded by; in the middle of a group

From this reading The owner of these eyes had been playing with a caterpillar when Henry went round the village telling everybody he met that he was going away to Stratford--her among the rest.

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

From this reading VIOLET EYES WHEN Henry was seated alongside the carrier that fateful morning long ago--Henry, you must be more than twenty-two!--he had to pass the cottage of old Carne the sexton, and a sweet face, jewelled with a pair of violet eyes, looked out between the curtains, a girl's hand rattled on the window-pane.

make a request or demand for something to somebody

From this reading "I could never have been such a young ass," Henry would say to a certainty if you were to ask him at the mirror.

the fleshy part of the human body that you sit on

From this reading "I could never have been such a young ass," Henry would say to a certainty if you were to ask him at the mirror.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading "I could never have been such a young ass," Henry would say to a certainty if you were to ask him at the mirror.

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading The owner of these eyes had been playing with a caterpillar when Henry went round the village telling everybody he met that he was going away to Stratford--her among the rest.

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

From this reading VIOLET EYES WHEN Henry was seated alongside the carrier that fateful morning long ago--Henry, you must be more than twenty-two!--he had to pass the cottage of old Carne the sexton, and a sweet face, jewelled with a pair of violet eyes, looked out between the curtains, a girl's hand rattled on the window-pane.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading The owner of these eyes had been playing with a caterpillar when Henry went round the village telling everybody he met that he was going away to Stratford--her among the rest.

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading VIOLET EYES WHEN Henry was seated alongside the carrier that fateful morning long ago--Henry, you must be more than twenty-two!--he had to pass the cottage of old Carne the sexton, and a sweet face, jewelled with a pair of violet eyes, looked out between the curtains, a girl's hand rattled on the window-pane.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But surely that was ages ago!

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

From this reading VIOLET EYES WHEN Henry was seated alongside the carrier that fateful morning long ago--Henry, you must be more than twenty-two!--he had to pass the cottage of old Carne the sexton, and a sweet face, jewelled with a pair of violet eyes, looked out between the curtains, a girl's hand rattled on the window-pane.

someone whose employment involves carrying something

From this reading VIOLET EYES WHEN Henry was seated alongside the carrier that fateful morning long ago--Henry, you must be more than twenty-two!--he had to pass the cottage of old Carne the sexton, and a sweet face, jewelled with a pair of violet eyes, looked out between the curtains, a girl's hand rattled on the window-pane.

a wormlike and often brightly colored and hairy or spiny larva of a butterfly or moth

From this reading The owner of these eyes had been playing with a caterpillar when Henry went round the village telling everybody he met that he was going away to Stratford--her among the rest.

the state of being certain

From this reading "I could never have been such a young ass," Henry would say to a certainty if you were to ask him at the mirror.

a small house with a single story

From this reading VIOLET EYES WHEN Henry was seated alongside the carrier that fateful morning long ago--Henry, you must be more than twenty-two!--he had to pass the cottage of old Carne the sexton, and a sweet face, jewelled with a pair of violet eyes, looked out between the curtains, a girl's hand rattled on the window-pane.

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading "I could never have been such a young ass," Henry would say to a certainty if you were to ask him at the mirror.

plural of “curtain” — hanging cloth used as a blind (especially for a window)

From this reading VIOLET EYES WHEN Henry was seated alongside the carrier that fateful morning long ago--Henry, you must be more than twenty-two!--he had to pass the cottage of old Carne the sexton, and a sweet face, jewelled with a pair of violet eyes, looked out between the curtains, a girl's hand rattled on the window-pane.

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

From this reading Well, here is Eunice Lyndon in proof of the fact that it was almost six years since.

every person

From this reading The owner of these eyes had been playing with a caterpillar when Henry went round the village telling everybody he met that he was going away to Stratford--her among the rest.

opinion or judgment

From this reading VIOLET EYES WHEN Henry was seated alongside the carrier that fateful morning long ago--Henry, you must be more than twenty-two!--he had to pass the cottage of old Carne the sexton, and a sweet face, jewelled with a pair of violet eyes, looked out between the curtains, a girl's hand rattled on the window-pane.

the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear

From this reading VIOLET EYES WHEN Henry was seated alongside the carrier that fateful morning long ago--Henry, you must be more than twenty-two!--he had to pass the cottage of old Carne the sexton, and a sweet face, jewelled with a pair of violet eyes, looked out between the curtains, a girl's hand rattled on the window-pane.

a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred

From this reading Well, here is Eunice Lyndon in proof of the fact that it was almost six years since.

having momentous consequences; of decisive importance

From this reading VIOLET EYES WHEN Henry was seated alongside the carrier that fateful morning long ago--Henry, you must be more than twenty-two!--he had to pass the cottage of old Carne the sexton, and a sweet face, jewelled with a pair of violet eyes, looked out between the curtains, a girl's hand rattled on the window-pane.

possessive form of “girl” — a young female

From this reading VIOLET EYES WHEN Henry was seated alongside the carrier that fateful morning long ago--Henry, you must be more than twenty-two!--he had to pass the cottage of old Carne the sexton, and a sweet face, jewelled with a pair of violet eyes, looked out between the curtains, a girl's hand rattled on the window-pane.

the act of departing

From this reading The owner of these eyes had been playing with a caterpillar when Henry went round the village telling everybody he met that he was going away to Stratford--her among the rest.

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

From this reading VIOLET EYES WHEN Henry was seated alongside the carrier that fateful morning long ago--Henry, you must be more than twenty-two!--he had to pass the cottage of old Carne the sexton, and a sweet face, jewelled with a pair of violet eyes, looked out between the curtains, a girl's hand rattled on the window-pane.

the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb

From this reading VIOLET EYES WHEN Henry was seated alongside the carrier that fateful morning long ago--Henry, you must be more than twenty-two!--he had to pass the cottage of old Carne the sexton, and a sweet face, jewelled with a pair of violet eyes, looked out between the curtains, a girl's hand rattled on the window-pane.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading "I could never have been such a young ass," Henry would say to a certainty if you were to ask him at the mirror.

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading VIOLET EYES WHEN Henry was seated alongside the carrier that fateful morning long ago--Henry, you must be more than twenty-two!--he had to pass the cottage of old Carne the sexton, and a sweet face, jewelled with a pair of violet eyes, looked out between the curtains, a girl's hand rattled on the window-pane.

a unit of inductance in which an induced electromotive force of one volt is produced when the current is varied at the rate of one ampere per second

From this reading VIOLET EYES WHEN Henry was seated alongside the carrier that fateful morning long ago--Henry, you must be more than twenty-two!--he had to pass the cottage of old Carne the sexton, and a sweet face, jewelled with a pair of violet eyes, looked out between the curtains, a girl's hand rattled on the window-pane.

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

From this reading The owner of these eyes had been playing with a caterpillar when Henry went round the village telling everybody he met that he was going away to Stratford--her among the rest.

in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is

From this reading Well, here is Eunice Lyndon in proof of the fact that it was almost six years since.

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading "I could never have been such a young ass," Henry would say to a certainty if you were to ask him at the mirror.

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

From this reading "I could never have been such a young ass," Henry would say to a certainty if you were to ask him at the mirror.

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading "I could never have been such a young ass," Henry would say to a certainty if you were to ask him at the mirror.

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

From this reading Well, here is Eunice Lyndon in proof of the fact that it was almost six years since.

the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading Well, here is Eunice Lyndon in proof of the fact that it was almost six years since.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Well, here is Eunice Lyndon in proof of the fact that it was almost six years since.

covered with beads or jewels or sequins

From this reading VIOLET EYES WHEN Henry was seated alongside the carrier that fateful morning long ago--Henry, you must be more than twenty-two!--he had to pass the cottage of old Carne the sexton, and a sweet face, jewelled with a pair of violet eyes, looked out between the curtains, a girl's hand rattled on the window-pane.

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 VIOLET EYES WHEN Henry was seated alongside the carrier that fateful morning long ago--Henry, you must be more than twenty-two!--he had to pass the cottage of old Carne the sexton, and a sweet face, jewelled with a pair of violet eyes, looked out between the curtains, a girl's hand rattled on the window-pane.

past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading VIOLET EYES WHEN Henry was seated alongside the carrier that fateful morning long ago--Henry, you must be more than twenty-two!--he had to pass the cottage of old Carne the sexton, and a sweet face, jewelled with a pair of violet eyes, looked out between the curtains, a girl's hand rattled on the window-pane.

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

From this reading Well, here is Eunice Lyndon in proof of the fact that it was almost six years since.

inflected form of “meet” — come together

From this reading The owner of these eyes had been playing with a caterpillar when Henry went round the village telling everybody he met that he was going away to Stratford--her among the rest.

polished surface that forms images by reflecting light

From this reading "I could never have been such a young ass," Henry would say to a certainty if you were to ask him at the mirror.

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading VIOLET EYES WHEN Henry was seated alongside the carrier that fateful morning long ago--Henry, you must be more than twenty-two!--he had to pass the cottage of old Carne the sexton, and a sweet face, jewelled with a pair of violet eyes, looked out between the curtains, a girl's hand rattled on the window-pane.

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading VIOLET EYES WHEN Henry was seated alongside the carrier that fateful morning long ago--Henry, you must be more than twenty-two!--he had to pass the cottage of old Carne the sexton, and a sweet face, jewelled with a pair of violet eyes, looked out between the curtains, a girl's hand rattled on the window-pane.

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading VIOLET EYES WHEN Henry was seated alongside the carrier that fateful morning long ago--Henry, you must be more than twenty-two!--he had to pass the cottage of old Carne the sexton, and a sweet face, jewelled with a pair of violet eyes, looked out between the curtains, a girl's hand rattled on the window-pane.

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading "I could never have been such a young ass," Henry would say to a certainty if you were to ask him at the mirror.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading VIOLET EYES WHEN Henry was seated alongside the carrier that fateful morning long ago--Henry, you must be more than twenty-two!--he had to pass the cottage of old Carne the sexton, and a sweet face, jewelled with a pair of violet eyes, looked out between the curtains, a girl's hand rattled on the window-pane.

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading VIOLET EYES WHEN Henry was seated alongside the carrier that fateful morning long ago--Henry, you must be more than twenty-two!--he had to pass the cottage of old Carne the sexton, and a sweet face, jewelled with a pair of violet eyes, looked out between the curtains, a girl's hand rattled on the window-pane.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading VIOLET EYES WHEN Henry was seated alongside the carrier that fateful morning long ago--Henry, you must be more than twenty-two!--he had to pass the cottage of old Carne the sexton, and a sweet face, jewelled with a pair of violet eyes, looked out between the curtains, a girl's hand rattled on the window-pane.

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading VIOLET EYES WHEN Henry was seated alongside the carrier that fateful morning long ago--Henry, you must be more than twenty-two!--he had to pass the cottage of old Carne the sexton, and a sweet face, jewelled with a pair of violet eyes, looked out between the curtains, a girl's hand rattled on the window-pane.

(law) someone who owns (is legal possessor of) a business

From this reading The owner of these eyes had been playing with a caterpillar when Henry went round the village telling everybody he met that he was going away to Stratford--her among the rest.

a set of two similar things considered as a unit

From this reading VIOLET EYES WHEN Henry was seated alongside the carrier that fateful morning long ago--Henry, you must be more than twenty-two!--he had to pass the cottage of old Carne the sexton, and a sweet face, jewelled with a pair of violet eyes, looked out between the curtains, a girl's hand rattled on the window-pane.

go across or through

From this reading VIOLET EYES WHEN Henry was seated alongside the carrier that fateful morning long ago--Henry, you must be more than twenty-two!--he had to pass the cottage of old Carne the sexton, and a sweet face, jewelled with a pair of violet eyes, looked out between the curtains, a girl's hand rattled on the window-pane.

the act of playing a musical instrument

From this reading The owner of these eyes had been playing with a caterpillar when Henry went round the village telling everybody he met that he was going away to Stratford--her among the rest.

any factual evidence that helps to establish the truth of something

From this reading Well, here is Eunice Lyndon in proof of the fact that it was almost six years since.

thrown into a state of agitated confusion; (“rattled” is an informal term)

From this reading VIOLET EYES WHEN Henry was seated alongside the carrier that fateful morning long ago--Henry, you must be more than twenty-two!--he had to pass the cottage of old Carne the sexton, and a sweet face, jewelled with a pair of violet eyes, looked out between the curtains, a girl's hand rattled on the window-pane.

not move; be in a resting position

From this reading The owner of these eyes had been playing with a caterpillar when Henry went round the village telling everybody he met that he was going away to Stratford--her among the rest.

a charge of ammunition for a single shot

From this reading The owner of these eyes had been playing with a caterpillar when Henry went round the village telling everybody he met that he was going away to Stratford--her among the rest.

express in words

From this reading "I could never have been such a young ass," Henry would say to a certainty if you were to ask him at the mirror.

(of persons) having the torso erect and legs bent with the body supported on the buttocks

From this reading VIOLET EYES WHEN Henry was seated alongside the carrier that fateful morning long ago--Henry, you must be more than twenty-two!--he had to pass the cottage of old Carne the sexton, and a sweet face, jewelled with a pair of violet eyes, looked out between the curtains, a girl's hand rattled on the window-pane.

United States poet (1928-1974)

From this reading VIOLET EYES WHEN Henry was seated alongside the carrier that fateful morning long ago--Henry, you must be more than twenty-two!--he had to pass the cottage of old Carne the sexton, and a sweet face, jewelled with a pair of violet eyes, looked out between the curtains, a girl's hand rattled on the window-pane.

from a time in the past until now

From this reading Well, here is Eunice Lyndon in proof of the fact that it was almost six years since.

the cardinal number that is the sum of five and one

From this reading Well, here is Eunice Lyndon in proof of the fact that it was almost six years since.

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

From this reading The owner of these eyes had been playing with a caterpillar when Henry went round the village telling everybody he met that he was going away to Stratford--her among the rest.

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading "I could never have been such a young ass," Henry would say to a certainty if you were to ask him at the mirror.

definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)

From this reading But surely that was ages ago!

having or denoting the characteristic taste of sugar

From this reading VIOLET EYES WHEN Henry was seated alongside the carrier that fateful morning long ago--Henry, you must be more than twenty-two!--he had to pass the cottage of old Carne the sexton, and a sweet face, jewelled with a pair of violet eyes, looked out between the curtains, a girl's hand rattled on the window-pane.

disclosing unintentionally something concealed

From this reading The owner of these eyes had been playing with a caterpillar when Henry went round the village telling everybody he met that he was going away to Stratford--her among the rest.

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading VIOLET EYES WHEN Henry was seated alongside the carrier that fateful morning long ago--Henry, you must be more than twenty-two!--he had to pass the cottage of old Carne the sexton, and a sweet face, jewelled with a pair of violet eyes, looked out between the curtains, a girl's hand rattled on the window-pane.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading VIOLET EYES WHEN Henry was seated alongside the carrier that fateful morning long ago--Henry, you must be more than twenty-two!--he had to pass the cottage of old Carne the sexton, and a sweet face, jewelled with a pair of violet eyes, looked out between the curtains, a girl's hand rattled on the window-pane.

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

From this reading VIOLET EYES WHEN Henry was seated alongside the carrier that fateful morning long ago--Henry, you must be more than twenty-two!--he had to pass the cottage of old Carne the sexton, and a sweet face, jewelled with a pair of violet eyes, looked out between the curtains, a girl's hand rattled on the window-pane.

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading The owner of these eyes had been playing with a caterpillar when Henry went round the village telling everybody he met that he was going away to Stratford--her among the rest.

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

From this reading VIOLET EYES WHEN Henry was seated alongside the carrier that fateful morning long ago--Henry, you must be more than twenty-two!--he had to pass the cottage of old Carne the sexton, and a sweet face, jewelled with a pair of violet eyes, looked out between the curtains, a girl's hand rattled on the window-pane.

the cardinal number that is the sum of twenty-one and one

From this reading VIOLET EYES WHEN Henry was seated alongside the carrier that fateful morning long ago--Henry, you must be more than twenty-two!--he had to pass the cottage of old Carne the sexton, and a sweet face, jewelled with a pair of violet eyes, looked out between the curtains, a girl's hand rattled on the window-pane.

a community of people smaller than a town

From this reading The owner of these eyes had been playing with a caterpillar when Henry went round the village telling everybody he met that he was going away to Stratford--her among the rest.

any of numerous low-growing violas with small flowers

From this reading VIOLET EYES WHEN Henry was seated alongside the carrier that fateful morning long ago--Henry, you must be more than twenty-two!--he had to pass the cottage of old Carne the sexton, and a sweet face, jewelled with a pair of violet eyes, looked out between the curtains, a girl's hand rattled on the window-pane.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading VIOLET EYES WHEN Henry was seated alongside the carrier that fateful morning long ago--Henry, you must be more than twenty-two!--he had to pass the cottage of old Carne the sexton, and a sweet face, jewelled with a pair of violet eyes, looked out between the curtains, a girl's hand rattled on the window-pane.

(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, here is Eunice Lyndon in proof of the fact that it was almost six years since.

inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading The owner of these eyes had been playing with a caterpillar when Henry went round the village telling everybody he met that he was going away to Stratford--her among the rest.

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading "I could never have been such a young ass," Henry would say to a certainty if you were to ask him at the mirror.

at the time that

From this reading VIOLET EYES WHEN Henry was seated alongside the carrier that fateful morning long ago--Henry, you must be more than twenty-two!--he had to pass the cottage of old Carne the sexton, and a sweet face, jewelled with a pair of violet eyes, looked out between the curtains, a girl's hand rattled on the window-pane.

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

From this reading VIOLET EYES WHEN Henry was seated alongside the carrier that fateful morning long ago--Henry, you must be more than twenty-two!--he had to pass the cottage of old Carne the sexton, and a sweet face, jewelled with a pair of violet eyes, looked out between the curtains, a girl's hand rattled on the window-pane.

in the company of; together with

From this reading VIOLET EYES WHEN Henry was seated alongside the carrier that fateful morning long ago--Henry, you must be more than twenty-two!--he had to pass the cottage of old Carne the sexton, and a sweet face, jewelled with a pair of violet eyes, looked out between the curtains, a girl's hand rattled on the window-pane.

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

From this reading "I could never have been such a young ass," Henry would say to a certainty if you were to ask him at the mirror.

a late time of life

From this reading Well, here is Eunice Lyndon in proof of the fact that it was almost six years since.

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading VIOLET EYES WHEN Henry was seated alongside the carrier that fateful morning long ago--Henry, you must be more than twenty-two!--he had to pass the cottage of old Carne the sexton, and a sweet face, jewelled with a pair of violet eyes, looked out between the curtains, a girl's hand rattled on the window-pane.

(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

From this reading "I could never have been such a young ass," Henry would say to a certainty if you were to ask him at the mirror.