used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It is a magical night; do you suppose it would do you any harm, Polly, if for a little while we go outdoors?
filled with fear or apprehension
From this reading I am afraid I am selfish enough to want you to myself now and then, dear, as I used to in the old days.”
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading I am afraid I am selfish enough to want you to myself now and then, dear, as I used to in the old days.”
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading I am afraid I am selfish enough to want you to myself now and then, dear, as I used to in the old days.”
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading It is a magical night; do you suppose it would do you any harm, Polly, if for a little while we go outdoors?
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading I am afraid I am selfish enough to want you to myself now and then, dear, as I used to in the old days.”
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Old Friends “Well, thank goodness our youthful guest has departed at last.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Then perhaps we shall be safe from interruption.
bedtimenounUS /ˈbedtaɪm/
the time you go to bed
From this reading I was fearful that he would stay so long we could not have our hour together before bedtime.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading I was fearful that he would stay so long we could not have our hour together before bedtime.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading I was fearful that he would stay so long we could not have our hour together before bedtime.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading I am afraid I am selfish enough to want you to myself now and then, dear, as I used to in the old days.”
dearly loved
From this reading I am afraid I am selfish enough to want you to myself now and then, dear, as I used to in the old days.”
well in the past; former
From this reading Old Friends “Well, thank goodness our youthful guest has departed at last.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading It is a magical night; do you suppose it would do you any harm, Polly, if for a little while we go outdoors?
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading I am afraid I am selfish enough to want you to myself now and then, dear, as I used to in the old days.”
experiencing or showing fear
From this reading I was fearful that he would stay so long we could not have our hour together before bedtime.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It is a magical night; do you suppose it would do you any harm, Polly, if for a little while we go outdoors?
plural of “friend” — a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading Old Friends “Well, thank goodness our youthful guest has departed at last.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Then perhaps we shall be safe from interruption.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading It is a magical night; do you suppose it would do you any harm, Polly, if for a little while we go outdoors?
that which is pleasing or valuable or useful
From this reading Old Friends “Well, thank goodness our youthful guest has departed at last.
a visitor to whom hospitality is extended
From this reading Old Friends “Well, thank goodness our youthful guest has departed at last.
any physical damage to the body caused by violence or accident or fracture etc.
From this reading It is a magical night; do you suppose it would do you any harm, Polly, if for a little while we go outdoors?
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Old Friends “Well, thank goodness our youthful guest has departed at last.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading I was fearful that he would stay so long we could not have our hour together before bedtime.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading I was fearful that he would stay so long we could not have our hour together before bedtime.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading I was fearful that he would stay so long we could not have our hour together before bedtime.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I was fearful that he would stay so long we could not have our hour together before bedtime.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading It is a magical night; do you suppose it would do you any harm, Polly, if for a little while we go outdoors?
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading I am afraid I am selfish enough to want you to myself now and then, dear, as I used to in the old days.”
interruptionnounUS /ˌɪntərˈʌpʃən/
an act of delaying or interrupting the continuity
From this reading Then perhaps we shall be safe from interruption.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It is a magical night; do you suppose it would do you any harm, Polly, if for a little while we go outdoors?
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It is a magical night; do you suppose it would do you any harm, Polly, if for a little while we go outdoors?
immediately past
From this reading Old Friends “Well, thank goodness our youthful guest has departed at last.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading It is a magical night; do you suppose it would do you any harm, Polly, if for a little while we go outdoors?
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 I was fearful that he would stay so long we could not have our hour together before bedtime.
magicaladjectiveUS /ˈmædʒɪkəl/
possessing or using or characteristic of or appropriate to supernatural powers
From this reading It is a magical night; do you suppose it would do you any harm, Polly, if for a little while we go outdoors?
used when the speaker is also the object of the action
From this reading I am afraid I am selfish enough to want you to myself now and then, dear, as I used to in the old days.”
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading It is a magical night; do you suppose it would do you any harm, Polly, if for a little while we go outdoors?
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading I was fearful that he would stay so long we could not have our hour together before bedtime.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading I am afraid I am selfish enough to want you to myself now and then, dear, as I used to in the old days.”
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading Old Friends “Well, thank goodness our youthful guest has departed at last.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading Old Friends “Well, thank goodness our youthful guest has departed at last.
outdoorsadverbUS /ˈaʊtˈdɔːrz/
outside a building
From this reading It is a magical night; do you suppose it would do you any harm, Polly, if for a little while we go outdoors?
by chance
From this reading Then perhaps we shall be safe from interruption.
Polly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It is a magical night; do you suppose it would do you any harm, Polly, if for a little while we go outdoors?
free from danger or the risk of harm
From this reading Then perhaps we shall be safe from interruption.
selfishadjectiveUS /ˈselfɪʃ/
concerned chiefly or only with yourself and your advantage to the exclusion of others
From this reading I am afraid I am selfish enough to want you to myself now and then, dear, as I used to in the old days.”
used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest
From this reading Then perhaps we shall be safe from interruption.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading I was fearful that he would stay so long we could not have our hour together before bedtime.
stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading I was fearful that he would stay so long we could not have our hour together before bedtime.
express a supposition
From this reading It is a magical night; do you suppose it would do you any harm, Polly, if for a little while we go outdoors?
express gratitude or show appreciation to
From this reading Old Friends “Well, thank goodness our youthful guest has departed at last.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading I was fearful that he would stay so long we could not have our hour together before bedtime.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading I am afraid I am selfish enough to want you to myself now and then, dear, as I used to in the old days.”
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then perhaps we shall be safe from interruption.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I am afraid I am selfish enough to want you to myself now and then, dear, as I used to in the old days.”
in contact with each other or in proximity
From this reading I was fearful that he would stay so long we could not have our hour together before bedtime.
employed in accomplishing something
From this reading I am afraid I am selfish enough to want you to myself now and then, dear, as I used to in the old days.”
feel or have a desire for; want strongly
From this reading I am afraid I am selfish enough to want you to myself now and then, dear, as I used to in the old days.”
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading I was fearful that he would stay so long we could not have our hour together before bedtime.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading I was fearful that he would stay so long we could not have our hour together before bedtime.
(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 Old Friends “Well, thank goodness our youthful guest has departed at last.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading It is a magical night; do you suppose it would do you any harm, Polly, if for a little while we go outdoors?
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading I was fearful that he would stay so long we could not have our hour together before bedtime.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading It is a magical night; do you suppose it would do you any harm, Polly, if for a little while we go outdoors?
youthfuladjectiveUS /ˈjuːθfəl/
suggestive of youth; vigorous and fresh
From this reading Old Friends “Well, thank goodness our youthful guest has departed at last.
