used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The short day had drawn to a close, and the lamps in the narrow little thorough-fares of Shinglesea were already lit.
prior to a specified or implied time
From this reading The short day had drawn to a close, and the lamps in the narrow little thorough-fares of Shinglesea were already lit.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The short day had drawn to a close, and the lamps in the narrow little thorough-fares of Shinglesea were already lit.
apronnounUS /ˈeɪprən/
a garment of cloth or leather or plastic that is tied about the waist and worn to protect your clothing
From this reading Mrs. John Boxer stood at the door of the shop with her hands clasped on her apron.
assistverbUS /əˈsɪst/
give help or assistance; be of service
From this reading Until her marriage she had known no other home, and when her husband was lost with the _North Star_ some three years before, she gave up her home in Poplar and returned to assist her mother in the little shop.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Mrs. John Boxer stood at the door of the shop with her hands clasped on her apron.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading For a time she stood listening to the regular beat of the sea on the beach some half-mile distant, and then with a slight shiver stepped back into the shop and closed the door.
an area of sand sloping down to the water of a sea or lake
From this reading For a time she stood listening to the regular beat of the sea on the beach some half-mile distant, and then with a slight shiver stepped back into the shop and closed the door.
come out better in a competition, race, or conflict
From this reading For a time she stood listening to the regular beat of the sea on the beach some half-mile distant, and then with a slight shiver stepped back into the shop and closed the door.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Until her marriage she had known no other home, and when her husband was lost with the _North Star_ some three years before, she gave up her home in Poplar and returned to assist her mother in the little shop.
bottlesnounUS /ˈbɑːtəlz/
plural of “bottle” — a glass or plastic vessel used for storing drinks or other liquids; typically cylindrical without handles and with a narrow neck that can be plugged or capped
From this reading The little shop with its wide-mouthed bottles of sweets was one of her earliest memories.
BoxernounUS /ˈbɑːksər/
someone who fights with his fists for sport
From this reading Mrs. John Boxer stood at the door of the shop with her hands clasped on her apron.
past form of “clasp” — hold firmly and tightly
From this reading Mrs. John Boxer stood at the door of the shop with her hands clasped on her apron.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading The short day had drawn to a close, and the lamps in the narrow little thorough-fares of Shinglesea were already lit.
not open or affording passage or access
From this reading For a time she stood listening to the regular beat of the sea on the beach some half-mile distant, and then with a slight shiver stepped back into the shop and closed the door.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading The short day had drawn to a close, and the lamps in the narrow little thorough-fares of Shinglesea were already lit.
separated in space or coming from or going to a distance
From this reading For a time she stood listening to the regular beat of the sea on the beach some half-mile distant, and then with a slight shiver stepped back into the shop and closed the door.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading Mrs. John Boxer stood at the door of the shop with her hands clasped on her apron.
showing the wearing effects of overwork or care or suffering
From this reading The short day had drawn to a close, and the lamps in the narrow little thorough-fares of Shinglesea were already lit.
earliestadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrliəst/
(comparative and superlative of “early”) more early than; most early
From this reading The little shop with its wide-mouthed bottles of sweets was one of her earliest memories.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For a time she stood listening to the regular beat of the sea on the beach some half-mile distant, and then with a slight shiver stepped back into the shop and closed the door.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading Until her marriage she had known no other home, and when her husband was lost with the _North Star_ some three years before, she gave up her home in Poplar and returned to assist her mother in the little shop.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The short day had drawn to a close, and the lamps in the narrow little thorough-fares of Shinglesea were already lit.
half-mile
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a time she stood listening to the regular beat of the sea on the beach some half-mile distant, and then with a slight shiver stepped back into the shop and closed the door.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading Mrs. John Boxer stood at the door of the shop with her hands clasped on her apron.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Mrs. John Boxer stood at the door of the shop with her hands clasped on her apron.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading Until her marriage she had known no other home, and when her husband was lost with the _North Star_ some three years before, she gave up her home in Poplar and returned to assist her mother in the little shop.
a married man; a woman's partner in marriage
From this reading Until her marriage she had known no other home, and when her husband was lost with the _North Star_ some three years before, she gave up her home in Poplar and returned to assist her mother in the little shop.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The short day had drawn to a close, and the lamps in the narrow little thorough-fares of Shinglesea were already lit.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading For a time she stood listening to the regular beat of the sea on the beach some half-mile distant, and then with a slight shiver stepped back into the shop and closed the door.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The little shop with its wide-mouthed bottles of sweets was one of her earliest memories.
a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading Mrs. John Boxer stood at the door of the shop with her hands clasped on her apron.
apprehended with certainty
From this reading Until her marriage she had known no other home, and when her husband was lost with the _North Star_ some three years before, she gave up her home in Poplar and returned to assist her mother in the little shop.
lampsnounUS /læmps/
plural of “lamp” — an artificial source of visible illumination
From this reading The short day had drawn to a close, and the lamps in the narrow little thorough-fares of Shinglesea were already lit.
the act of hearing attentively
From this reading For a time she stood listening to the regular beat of the sea on the beach some half-mile distant, and then with a slight shiver stepped back into the shop and closed the door.
provided with artificial light
From this reading The short day had drawn to a close, and the lamps in the narrow little thorough-fares of Shinglesea were already lit.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The short day had drawn to a close, and the lamps in the narrow little thorough-fares of Shinglesea were already lit.
no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered
From this reading Until her marriage she had known no other home, and when her husband was lost with the _North Star_ some three years before, she gave up her home in Poplar and returned to assist her mother in the little shop.
the state of being a married couple voluntarily joined for life (or until divorce)
From this reading Until her marriage she had known no other home, and when her husband was lost with the _North Star_ some three years before, she gave up her home in Poplar and returned to assist her mother in the little shop.
memoriesnounUS /ˈmɛm.ə.riz/
Recollections of past events.
From this reading The little shop with its wide-mouthed bottles of sweets was one of her earliest memories.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading Until her marriage she had known no other home, and when her husband was lost with the _North Star_ some three years before, she gave up her home in Poplar and returned to assist her mother in the little shop.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading Mrs. John Boxer stood at the door of the shop with her hands clasped on her apron.
make or become more narrow or restricted
From this reading The short day had drawn to a close, and the lamps in the narrow little thorough-fares of Shinglesea were already lit.
not any; not one
From this reading Until her marriage she had known no other home, and when her husband was lost with the _North Star_ some three years before, she gave up her home in Poplar and returned to assist her mother in the little shop.
the region of the United States lying to the north of the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading Until her marriage she had known no other home, and when her husband was lost with the _North Star_ some three years before, she gave up her home in Poplar and returned to assist her mother in the little shop.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Mrs. John Boxer stood at the door of the shop with her hands clasped on her apron.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Mrs. John Boxer stood at the door of the shop with her hands clasped on her apron.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The little shop with its wide-mouthed bottles of sweets was one of her earliest memories.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading Until her marriage she had known no other home, and when her husband was lost with the _North Star_ some three years before, she gave up her home in Poplar and returned to assist her mother in the little shop.
PoplarnounUS /ˈpɑːplər/
soft light-colored non-durable wood of the poplar
From this reading Until her marriage she had known no other home, and when her husband was lost with the _North Star_ some three years before, she gave up her home in Poplar and returned to assist her mother in the little shop.
in accordance with fixed order or procedure or principle
From this reading For a time she stood listening to the regular beat of the sea on the beach some half-mile distant, and then with a slight shiver stepped back into the shop and closed the door.
past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading Until her marriage she had known no other home, and when her husband was lost with the _North Star_ some three years before, she gave up her home in Poplar and returned to assist her mother in the little shop.
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading For a time she stood listening to the regular beat of the sea on the beach some half-mile distant, and then with a slight shiver stepped back into the shop and closed the door.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading For a time she stood listening to the regular beat of the sea on the beach some half-mile distant, and then with a slight shiver stepped back into the shop and closed the door.
Shinglesea
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The short day had drawn to a close, and the lamps in the narrow little thorough-fares of Shinglesea were already lit.
shiververbUS /ˈʃɪvər/
tremble convulsively, as from fear or excitement
From this reading For a time she stood listening to the regular beat of the sea on the beach some half-mile distant, and then with a slight shiver stepped back into the shop and closed the door.
do one's shopping
From this reading Mrs. John Boxer stood at the door of the shop with her hands clasped on her apron.
primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration
From this reading The short day had drawn to a close, and the lamps in the narrow little thorough-fares of Shinglesea were already lit.
a deliberate discourteous act (usually as an expression of anger or disapproval)
From this reading For a time she stood listening to the regular beat of the sea on the beach some half-mile distant, and then with a slight shiver stepped back into the shop and closed the door.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading For a time she stood listening to the regular beat of the sea on the beach some half-mile distant, and then with a slight shiver stepped back into the shop and closed the door.
(astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior
From this reading Until her marriage she had known no other home, and when her husband was lost with the _North Star_ some three years before, she gave up her home in Poplar and returned to assist her mother in the little shop.
inflected form of “step” — shift or move by taking a step
From this reading For a time she stood listening to the regular beat of the sea on the beach some half-mile distant, and then with a slight shiver stepped back into the shop and closed the door.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading Mrs. John Boxer stood at the door of the shop with her hands clasped on her apron.
sweetsnounUS /swiːts/
plural of “sweet” — English phonetician; one of the founders of modern phonetics (1845-1912)
From this reading The little shop with its wide-mouthed bottles of sweets was one of her earliest memories.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Mrs. John Boxer stood at the door of the shop with her hands clasped on her apron.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading For a time she stood listening to the regular beat of the sea on the beach some half-mile distant, and then with a slight shiver stepped back into the shop and closed the door.
thorough-fares
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The short day had drawn to a close, and the lamps in the narrow little thorough-fares of Shinglesea were already lit.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading Until her marriage she had known no other home, and when her husband was lost with the _North Star_ some three years before, she gave up her home in Poplar and returned to assist her mother in the little shop.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading For a time she stood listening to the regular beat of the sea on the beach some half-mile distant, and then with a slight shiver stepped back into the shop and closed the door.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The short day had drawn to a close, and the lamps in the narrow little thorough-fares of Shinglesea were already lit.
UntilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading Until her marriage she had known no other home, and when her husband was lost with the _North Star_ some three years before, she gave up her home in Poplar and returned to assist her mother in the little shop.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Until her marriage she had known no other home, and when her husband was lost with the _North Star_ some three years before, she gave up her home in Poplar and returned to assist her mother in the little shop.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The little shop with its wide-mouthed bottles of sweets was one of her earliest memories.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The short day had drawn to a close, and the lamps in the narrow little thorough-fares of Shinglesea were already lit.
at the time that
From this reading Until her marriage she had known no other home, and when her husband was lost with the _North Star_ some three years before, she gave up her home in Poplar and returned to assist her mother in the little shop.
wide-mouthed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The little shop with its wide-mouthed bottles of sweets was one of her earliest memories.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Mrs. John Boxer stood at the door of the shop with her hands clasped on her apron.
a late time of life
From this reading Until her marriage she had known no other home, and when her husband was lost with the _North Star_ some three years before, she gave up her home in Poplar and returned to assist her mother in the little shop.
