used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE MISSING GIRL They hesitated for a moment in the shrubbery, before going forward.
something done (usually as opposed to something said)
From this reading They had come upon the camp before they had quite expected to, and, truth to tell, they had formed no definite plan of action.
Alice
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Let’s go up, and pretend we want our fortunes told,” suggested Alice.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading Their chief desire had been to find the place where the wanderers had set up their tents and gaudy wagons, and, now that it lay almost at their feet, they were unprepared.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading They had come upon the camp before they had quite expected to, and, truth to tell, they had formed no definite plan of action.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading “What are we going to do?” asked Mabel.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading “What are we going to do?” asked Mabel.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Their chief desire had been to find the place where the wanderers had set up their tents and gaudy wagons, and, now that it lay almost at their feet, they were unprepared.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Their chief desire had been to find the place where the wanderers had set up their tents and gaudy wagons, and, now that it lay almost at their feet, they were unprepared.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading THE MISSING GIRL They hesitated for a moment in the shrubbery, before going forward.
temporary living quarters specially built by the army for soldiers
From this reading They had come upon the camp before they had quite expected to, and, truth to tell, they had formed no definite plan of action.
a person who is in charge
From this reading Their chief desire had been to find the place where the wanderers had set up their tents and gaudy wagons, and, now that it lay almost at their feet, they were unprepared.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading They had come upon the camp before they had quite expected to, and, truth to tell, they had formed no definite plan of action.
definiteadjectiveUS /ˈdefənət/
precise; explicit and clearly defined
From this reading They had come upon the camp before they had quite expected to, and, truth to tell, they had formed no definite plan of action.
the feeling that accompanies an unsatisfied state
From this reading Their chief desire had been to find the place where the wanderers had set up their tents and gaudy wagons, and, now that it lay almost at their feet, they were unprepared.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading “What are we going to do?” asked Mabel.
considered likely or probable to happen or arrive
From this reading They had come upon the camp before they had quite expected to, and, truth to tell, they had formed no definite plan of action.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading Their chief desire had been to find the place where the wanderers had set up their tents and gaudy wagons, and, now that it lay almost at their feet, they were unprepared.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading Their chief desire had been to find the place where the wanderers had set up their tents and gaudy wagons, and, now that it lay almost at their feet, they were unprepared.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading THE MISSING GIRL They hesitated for a moment in the shrubbery, before going forward.
having or given a form or shape
From this reading They had come upon the camp before they had quite expected to, and, truth to tell, they had formed no definite plan of action.
fortunesnounUS /ˈfɔːrtʃənz/
plural of “fortune” — an unknown and unpredictable phenomenon that causes an event to result one way rather than another
From this reading “Let’s go up, and pretend we want our fortunes told,” suggested Alice.
at or to or toward the front
From this reading THE MISSING GIRL They hesitated for a moment in the shrubbery, before going forward.
gaudyadjectiveUS /ˈɡɔːdi/
tastelessly showy
From this reading Their chief desire had been to find the place where the wanderers had set up their tents and gaudy wagons, and, now that it lay almost at their feet, they were unprepared.
a young female
From this reading THE MISSING GIRL They hesitated for a moment in the shrubbery, before going forward.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading “Let’s go up, and pretend we want our fortunes told,” suggested Alice.
the act of departing
From this reading THE MISSING GIRL They hesitated for a moment in the shrubbery, before going forward.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading They had come upon the camp before they had quite expected to, and, truth to tell, they had formed no definite plan of action.
past form of “hesitate” — pause or hold back in uncertainty or unwillingness
From this reading THE MISSING GIRL They hesitated for a moment in the shrubbery, before going forward.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THE MISSING GIRL They hesitated for a moment in the shrubbery, before going forward.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Their chief desire had been to find the place where the wanderers had set up their tents and gaudy wagons, and, now that it lay almost at their feet, they were unprepared.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Their chief desire had been to find the place where the wanderers had set up their tents and gaudy wagons, and, now that it lay almost at their feet, they were unprepared.
Let's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Let’s go up, and pretend we want our fortunes told,” suggested Alice.
Mabel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “What are we going to do?” asked Mabel.
not able to be found
From this reading THE MISSING GIRL They hesitated for a moment in the shrubbery, before going forward.
a particular point in time
From this reading THE MISSING GIRL They hesitated for a moment in the shrubbery, before going forward.
not any; not one
From this reading They had come upon the camp before they had quite expected to, and, truth to tell, they had formed no definite plan of action.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Their chief desire had been to find the place where the wanderers had set up their tents and gaudy wagons, and, now that it lay almost at their feet, they were unprepared.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading They had come upon the camp before they had quite expected to, and, truth to tell, they had formed no definite plan of action.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading “Let’s go up, and pretend we want our fortunes told,” suggested Alice.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading Their chief desire had been to find the place where the wanderers had set up their tents and gaudy wagons, and, now that it lay almost at their feet, they were unprepared.
have the will and intention to carry out some action
From this reading They had come upon the camp before they had quite expected to, and, truth to tell, they had formed no definite plan of action.
pretendverbUS /priˈtend/
make believe with the intent to deceive
From this reading “Let’s go up, and pretend we want our fortunes told,” suggested Alice.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading They had come upon the camp before they had quite expected to, and, truth to tell, they had formed no definite plan of action.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Their chief desire had been to find the place where the wanderers had set up their tents and gaudy wagons, and, now that it lay almost at their feet, they were unprepared.
shrubberynounUS /ˈʃrʌbəri/
an area where a number of shrubs are planted
From this reading THE MISSING GIRL They hesitated for a moment in the shrubbery, before going forward.
past form of “suggest” — make a proposal, declare a plan for something
From this reading “Let’s go up, and pretend we want our fortunes told,” suggested Alice.
express in words
From this reading They had come upon the camp before they had quite expected to, and, truth to tell, they had formed no definite plan of action.
tentsnounUS /tents/
plural of “tent” — a portable shelter (usually of canvas stretched over supporting poles and fastened to the ground with ropes and pegs)
From this reading Their chief desire had been to find the place where the wanderers had set up their tents and gaudy wagons, and, now that it lay almost at their feet, they were unprepared.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Their chief desire had been to find the place where the wanderers had set up their tents and gaudy wagons, and, now that it lay almost at their feet, they were unprepared.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE MISSING GIRL They hesitated for a moment in the shrubbery, before going forward.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Their chief desire had been to find the place where the wanderers had set up their tents and gaudy wagons, and, now that it lay almost at their feet, they were unprepared.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading THE MISSING GIRL They hesitated for a moment in the shrubbery, before going forward.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading They had come upon the camp before they had quite expected to, and, truth to tell, they had formed no definite plan of action.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading “Let’s go up, and pretend we want our fortunes told,” suggested Alice.
a fact that has been verified
From this reading They had come upon the camp before they had quite expected to, and, truth to tell, they had formed no definite plan of action.
unpreparedadjectiveUS /ˌʌnpriˈperd/
without preparation; not prepared for
From this reading Their chief desire had been to find the place where the wanderers had set up their tents and gaudy wagons, and, now that it lay almost at their feet, they were unprepared.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Their chief desire had been to find the place where the wanderers had set up their tents and gaudy wagons, and, now that it lay almost at their feet, they were unprepared.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading They had come upon the camp before they had quite expected to, and, truth to tell, they had formed no definite plan of action.
wagonsnounUS /ˈwæɡənz/
plural of “wagon” — any of various kinds of wheeled vehicles drawn by an animal or a tractor
From this reading Their chief desire had been to find the place where the wanderers had set up their tents and gaudy wagons, and, now that it lay almost at their feet, they were unprepared.
wanderersnounUS /ˈwɑːndərərz/
plural of “wanderer” — someone who leads a wandering unsettled life
From this reading Their chief desire had been to find the place where the wanderers had set up their tents and gaudy wagons, and, now that it lay almost at their feet, they were unprepared.
feel or have a desire for; want strongly
From this reading “Let’s go up, and pretend we want our fortunes told,” suggested Alice.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading “What are we going to do?” asked Mabel.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Their chief desire had been to find the place where the wanderers had set up their tents and gaudy wagons, and, now that it lay almost at their feet, they were unprepared.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading “What are we going to do?” asked Mabel.
in or at the place that
From this reading Their chief desire had been to find the place where the wanderers had set up their tents and gaudy wagons, and, now that it lay almost at their feet, they were unprepared.
