Chapter V · The Next Few Years

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

From this reading The little girl grew to be a great favorite with the old lady; first, for her beloved and only son’s sake.

happening at a time subsequent to a reference time

From this reading Afterwards she loved the little one for its own sake.

advanced in years; (“aged” is pronounced as two syllables)

From this reading “Poor Alick was so fond of the child,” she said; though why she called the gay and prosperous young collegian “poor,” only aged mothers can tell.

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

From this reading “Poor Alick was so fond of the child,” she said; though why she called the gay and prosperous young collegian “poor,” only aged mothers can tell.

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

From this reading The little girl grew to be a great favorite with the old lady; first, for her beloved and only son’s sake.

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

From this reading The little girl grew to be a great favorite with the old lady; first, for her beloved and only son’s sake.

inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading When she commenced to love she could not say, Ere she began to tire of childish play.—WORDSWORTH.

dearly loved

From this reading The little girl grew to be a great favorite with the old lady; first, for her beloved and only son’s sake.

past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading “Poor Alick was so fond of the child,” she said; though why she called the gay and prosperous young collegian “poor,” only aged mothers can tell.

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading “Poor Alick was so fond of the child,” she said; though why she called the gay and prosperous young collegian “poor,” only aged mothers can tell.

a young person of either sex

From this reading “Poor Alick was so fond of the child,” she said; though why she called the gay and prosperous young collegian “poor,” only aged mothers can tell.

indicating a lack of maturity

From this reading When she commenced to love she could not say, Ere she began to tire of childish play.—WORDSWORTH.

a student (or former student) at a college or university

From this reading “Poor Alick was so fond of the child,” she said; though why she called the gay and prosperous young collegian “poor,” only aged mothers can tell.

past form of “commence” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading When she commenced to love she could not say, Ere she began to tire of childish play.—WORDSWORTH.

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

From this reading When she commenced to love she could not say, Ere she began to tire of childish play.—WORDSWORTH.

a living organism characterized by voluntary movement

From this reading “The child is such a quiet little creature,” she said, “and so intelligent and obliging.”

an old word for “before”

From this reading When she commenced to love she could not say, Ere she began to tire of childish play.—WORDSWORTH.

something regarded with special favor or liking

From this reading The little girl grew to be a great favorite with the old lady; first, for her beloved and only son’s sake.

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading The little girl grew to be a great favorite with the old lady; first, for her beloved and only son’s sake.

having or displaying warmth or affection

From this reading “Poor Alick was so fond of the child,” she said; though why she called the gay and prosperous young collegian “poor,” only aged mothers can tell.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading The little girl grew to be a great favorite with the old lady; first, for her beloved and only son’s sake.

bright and pleasant; promoting a feeling of cheer

From this reading “Poor Alick was so fond of the child,” she said; though why she called the gay and prosperous young collegian “poor,” only aged mothers can tell.

a young female

From this reading The little girl grew to be a great favorite with the old lady; first, for her beloved and only son’s sake.

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading The little girl grew to be a great favorite with the old lady; first, for her beloved and only son’s sake.

inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become

From this reading The little girl grew to be a great favorite with the old lady; first, for her beloved and only son’s sake.

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

From this reading The little girl grew to be a great favorite with the old lady; first, for her beloved and only son’s sake.

having the capacity for thought and reason especially to a high degree

From this reading “The child is such a quiet little creature,” she said, “and so intelligent and obliging.”

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

From this reading “The child is such a quiet little creature,” she said, “and so intelligent and obliging.”

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading Afterwards she loved the little one for its own sake.

a polite name for any woman

From this reading The little girl grew to be a great favorite with the old lady; first, for her beloved and only son’s sake.

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading The little girl grew to be a great favorite with the old lady; first, for her beloved and only son’s sake.

a strong positive emotion of regard and affection

From this reading When she commenced to love she could not say, Ere she began to tire of childish play.—WORDSWORTH.

held dear

From this reading Afterwards she loved the little one for its own sake.

plural of “mother” — a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)

From this reading “Poor Alick was so fond of the child,” she said; though why she called the gay and prosperous young collegian “poor,” only aged mothers can tell.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading When she commenced to love she could not say, Ere she began to tire of childish play.—WORDSWORTH.

showing a cheerful willingness to do favors for others

From this reading “The child is such a quiet little creature,” she said, “and so intelligent and obliging.”

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading When she commenced to love she could not say, Ere she began to tire of childish play.—WORDSWORTH.

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

From this reading The little girl grew to be a great favorite with the old lady; first, for her beloved and only son’s sake.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Afterwards she loved the little one for its own sake.

and nothing more

From this reading The little girl grew to be a great favorite with the old lady; first, for her beloved and only son’s sake.

have ownership or possession of

From this reading Afterwards she loved the little one for its own sake.

participate in games or sport

From this reading When she commenced to love she could not say, Ere she began to tire of childish play.—WORDSWORTH.

deserving or inciting pity

From this reading “Poor Alick was so fond of the child,” she said; though why she called the gay and prosperous young collegian “poor,” only aged mothers can tell.

in fortunate circumstances financially; moderately rich

From this reading “Poor Alick was so fond of the child,” she said; though why she called the gay and prosperous young collegian “poor,” only aged mothers can tell.

characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity

From this reading “The child is such a quiet little creature,” she said, “and so intelligent and obliging.”

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading “Poor Alick was so fond of the child,” she said; though why she called the gay and prosperous young collegian “poor,” only aged mothers can tell.

a reason for wanting something done

From this reading The little girl grew to be a great favorite with the old lady; first, for her beloved and only son’s sake.

express in words

From this reading When she commenced to love she could not say, Ere she began to tire of childish play.—WORDSWORTH.

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading When she commenced to love she could not say, Ere she began to tire of childish play.—WORDSWORTH.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading “Poor Alick was so fond of the child,” she said; though why she called the gay and prosperous young collegian “poor,” only aged mothers can tell.

possessive form of “son” — a male human offspring

From this reading The little girl grew to be a great favorite with the old lady; first, for her beloved and only son’s sake.

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading “The child is such a quiet little creature,” she said, “and so intelligent and obliging.”

express in words

From this reading “Poor Alick was so fond of the child,” she said; though why she called the gay and prosperous young collegian “poor,” only aged mothers can tell.

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

From this reading The little girl grew to be a great favorite with the old lady; first, for her beloved and only son’s sake.

in spite of the fact that

From this reading “Poor Alick was so fond of the child,” she said; though why she called the gay and prosperous young collegian “poor,” only aged mothers can tell.

lose interest or become bored with something or somebody

From this reading When she commenced to love she could not say, Ere she began to tire of childish play.—WORDSWORTH.

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

From this reading When she commenced to love she could not say, Ere she began to tire of childish play.—WORDSWORTH.

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

From this reading “Poor Alick was so fond of the child,” she said; though why she called the gay and prosperous young collegian “poor,” only aged mothers can tell.

at the time that

From this reading When she commenced to love she could not say, Ere she began to tire of childish play.—WORDSWORTH.

the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”

From this reading “Poor Alick was so fond of the child,” she said; though why she called the gay and prosperous young collegian “poor,” only aged mothers can tell.

in the company of; together with

From this reading The little girl grew to be a great favorite with the old lady; first, for her beloved and only son’s sake.

a romantic English poet whose work was inspired by the Lake District where he spent most of his life (1770-1850)

From this reading When she commenced to love she could not say, Ere she began to tire of childish play.—WORDSWORTH.

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

From this reading “Poor Alick was so fond of the child,” she said; though why she called the gay and prosperous young collegian “poor,” only aged mothers can tell.