Chapter IV

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

From this reading Being with the children all day and every day, sharing their meals, their games and scrambles, had gradually detached his thoughts from Mrs. Sellars, reducing her once more to the lovely shadow she had so long been; with the difference that she was now a shadow irrevocably, whereas before he had always believed she might become substantial.

later than; following

From this reading She did not do so; and after two days he decided that he could no longer put off sending some kind of answer.

anew

From this reading Finally he girt himself to the task; and at once his irritation, his impatience, seemed to materialise her again, as if she were fated to grow real only when she thwarted or opposed him.

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading Being with the children all day and every day, sharing their meals, their games and scrambles, had gradually detached his thoughts from Mrs. Sellars, reducing her once more to the lovely shadow she had so long been; with the difference that she was now a shadow irrevocably, whereas before he had always believed she might become substantial.

at all times; all the time and on every occasion

From this reading Being with the children all day and every day, sharing their meals, their games and scrambles, had gradually detached his thoughts from Mrs. Sellars, reducing her once more to the lovely shadow she had so long been; with the difference that she was now a shadow irrevocably, whereas before he had always believed she might become substantial.

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

From this reading She did not do so; and after two days he decided that he could no longer put off sending some kind of answer.

react verbally

From this reading She did not do so; and after two days he decided that he could no longer put off sending some kind of answer.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading Finally he girt himself to the task; and at once his irritation, his impatience, seemed to materialise her again, as if she were fated to grow real only when she thwarted or opposed him.

make certain of

From this reading XXV Boyne had been wrong in imagining that Mrs. Sellars might come back unannounced to assure herself of the effect of her letter.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Finally he girt himself to the task; and at once his irritation, his impatience, seemed to materialise her again, as if she were fated to grow real only when she thwarted or opposed him.

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading XXV Boyne had been wrong in imagining that Mrs. Sellars might come back unannounced to assure herself of the effect of her letter.

enter or assume a certain state or condition

From this reading Being with the children all day and every day, sharing their meals, their games and scrambles, had gradually detached his thoughts from Mrs. Sellars, reducing her once more to the lovely shadow she had so long been; with the difference that she was now a shadow irrevocably, whereas before he had always believed she might become substantial.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading XXV Boyne had been wrong in imagining that Mrs. Sellars might come back unannounced to assure herself of the effect of her letter.

earlier than; in front of

From this reading Being with the children all day and every day, sharing their meals, their games and scrambles, had gradually detached his thoughts from Mrs. Sellars, reducing her once more to the lovely shadow she had so long been; with the difference that she was now a shadow irrevocably, whereas before he had always believed she might become substantial.

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading Being with the children all day and every day, sharing their meals, their games and scrambles, had gradually detached his thoughts from Mrs. Sellars, reducing her once more to the lovely shadow she had so long been; with the difference that she was now a shadow irrevocably, whereas before he had always believed she might become substantial.

past form of “believe” — accept as true; take to be true

From this reading Being with the children all day and every day, sharing their meals, their games and scrambles, had gradually detached his thoughts from Mrs. Sellars, reducing her once more to the lovely shadow she had so long been; with the difference that she was now a shadow irrevocably, whereas before he had always believed she might become substantial.

a battle in the War of the Grand Alliance in Ireland in 1690; William III defeated the deposed James II and so ended the Catholicism that had been reintroduced in England by the Stuarts

From this reading XXV Boyne had been wrong in imagining that Mrs. Sellars might come back unannounced to assure herself of the effect of her letter.

plural of “child” — a young person of either sex

From this reading Being with the children all day and every day, sharing their meals, their games and scrambles, had gradually detached his thoughts from Mrs. Sellars, reducing her once more to the lovely shadow she had so long been; with the difference that she was now a shadow irrevocably, whereas before he had always believed she might become substantial.

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading XXV Boyne had been wrong in imagining that Mrs. Sellars might come back unannounced to assure herself of the effect of her letter.

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

From this reading She did not do so; and after two days he decided that he could no longer put off sending some kind of answer.

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading Being with the children all day and every day, sharing their meals, their games and scrambles, had gradually detached his thoughts from Mrs. Sellars, reducing her once more to the lovely shadow she had so long been; with the difference that she was now a shadow irrevocably, whereas before he had always believed she might become substantial.

the time during which someone's life continues

From this reading She did not do so; and after two days he decided that he could no longer put off sending some kind of answer.

recognizable; marked

From this reading She did not do so; and after two days he decided that he could no longer put off sending some kind of answer.

showing lack of emotional involvement

From this reading Being with the children all day and every day, sharing their meals, their games and scrambles, had gradually detached his thoughts from Mrs. Sellars, reducing her once more to the lovely shadow she had so long been; with the difference that she was now a shadow irrevocably, whereas before he had always believed she might become substantial.

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading She did not do so; and after two days he decided that he could no longer put off sending some kind of answer.

the quality of being unlike or dissimilar

From this reading Being with the children all day and every day, sharing their meals, their games and scrambles, had gradually detached his thoughts from Mrs. Sellars, reducing her once more to the lovely shadow she had so long been; with the difference that she was now a shadow irrevocably, whereas before he had always believed she might become substantial.

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading She did not do so; and after two days he decided that he could no longer put off sending some kind of answer.

a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon

From this reading XXV Boyne had been wrong in imagining that Mrs. Sellars might come back unannounced to assure herself of the effect of her letter.

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading Being with the children all day and every day, sharing their meals, their games and scrambles, had gradually detached his thoughts from Mrs. Sellars, reducing her once more to the lovely shadow she had so long been; with the difference that she was now a shadow irrevocably, whereas before he had always believed she might become substantial.

(usually followed by “to”) determined by tragic fate

From this reading Finally he girt himself to the task; and at once his irritation, his impatience, seemed to materialise her again, as if she were fated to grow real only when she thwarted or opposed him.

after an unspecified period of time or an especially long delay

From this reading Finally he girt himself to the task; and at once his irritation, his impatience, seemed to materialise her again, as if she were fated to grow real only when she thwarted or opposed him.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Being with the children all day and every day, sharing their meals, their games and scrambles, had gradually detached his thoughts from Mrs. Sellars, reducing her once more to the lovely shadow she had so long been; with the difference that she was now a shadow irrevocably, whereas before he had always believed she might become substantial.

plural of “game” — a contest with rules to determine a winner

From this reading Being with the children all day and every day, sharing their meals, their games and scrambles, had gradually detached his thoughts from Mrs. Sellars, reducing her once more to the lovely shadow she had so long been; with the difference that she was now a shadow irrevocably, whereas before he had always believed she might become substantial.

inflected form of “gird” — prepare oneself for a military confrontation

From this reading Finally he girt himself to the task; and at once his irritation, his impatience, seemed to materialise her again, as if she were fated to grow real only when she thwarted or opposed him.

in a gradual manner

From this reading Being with the children all day and every day, sharing their meals, their games and scrambles, had gradually detached his thoughts from Mrs. Sellars, reducing her once more to the lovely shadow she had so long been; with the difference that she was now a shadow irrevocably, whereas before he had always believed she might become substantial.

pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become

From this reading Finally he girt himself to the task; and at once his irritation, his impatience, seemed to materialise her again, as if she were fated to grow real only when she thwarted or opposed him.

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

From this reading XXV Boyne had been wrong in imagining that Mrs. Sellars might come back unannounced to assure herself of the effect of her letter.

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

From this reading She did not do so; and after two days he decided that he could no longer put off sending some kind of answer.

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

From this reading XXV Boyne had been wrong in imagining that Mrs. Sellars might come back unannounced to assure herself of the effect of her letter.

used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object

From this reading XXV Boyne had been wrong in imagining that Mrs. Sellars might come back unannounced to assure herself of the effect of her letter.

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

From this reading Finally he girt himself to the task; and at once his irritation, his impatience, seemed to materialise her again, as if she were fated to grow real only when she thwarted or opposed him.

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading Finally he girt himself to the task; and at once his irritation, his impatience, seemed to materialise her again, as if she were fated to grow real only when she thwarted or opposed him.

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading Being with the children all day and every day, sharing their meals, their games and scrambles, had gradually detached his thoughts from Mrs. Sellars, reducing her once more to the lovely shadow she had so long been; with the difference that she was now a shadow irrevocably, whereas before he had always believed she might become substantial.

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading Finally he girt himself to the task; and at once his irritation, his impatience, seemed to materialise her again, as if she were fated to grow real only when she thwarted or opposed him.

-ing form of “imagine” — form a mental image of something that is not present or that is not the case

From this reading XXV Boyne had been wrong in imagining that Mrs. Sellars might come back unannounced to assure herself of the effect of her letter.

a lack of patience; irritation with anything that causes delay

From this reading Finally he girt himself to the task; and at once his irritation, his impatience, seemed to materialise her again, as if she were fated to grow real only when she thwarted or opposed him.

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

From this reading XXV Boyne had been wrong in imagining that Mrs. Sellars might come back unannounced to assure herself of the effect of her letter.

in an irrevocable manner

From this reading Being with the children all day and every day, sharing their meals, their games and scrambles, had gradually detached his thoughts from Mrs. Sellars, reducing her once more to the lovely shadow she had so long been; with the difference that she was now a shadow irrevocably, whereas before he had always believed she might become substantial.

the psychological state of being irritated or annoyed

From this reading Finally he girt himself to the task; and at once his irritation, his impatience, seemed to materialise her again, as if she were fated to grow real only when she thwarted or opposed him.

having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior

From this reading She did not do so; and after two days he decided that he could no longer put off sending some kind of answer.

a written message addressed to a person or organization

From this reading XXV Boyne had been wrong in imagining that Mrs. Sellars might come back unannounced to assure herself of the effect of her letter.

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 Being with the children all day and every day, sharing their meals, their games and scrambles, had gradually detached his thoughts from Mrs. Sellars, reducing her once more to the lovely shadow she had so long been; with the difference that she was now a shadow irrevocably, whereas before he had always believed she might become substantial.

for more time

From this reading She did not do so; and after two days he decided that he could no longer put off sending some kind of answer.

appealing to the emotions as well as the eye

From this reading Being with the children all day and every day, sharing their meals, their games and scrambles, had gradually detached his thoughts from Mrs. Sellars, reducing her once more to the lovely shadow she had so long been; with the difference that she was now a shadow irrevocably, whereas before he had always believed she might become substantial.

come into being; become reality

From this reading Finally he girt himself to the task; and at once his irritation, his impatience, seemed to materialise her again, as if she were fated to grow real only when she thwarted or opposed him.

plural of “meal” — the food served and eaten at one time

From this reading Being with the children all day and every day, sharing their meals, their games and scrambles, had gradually detached his thoughts from Mrs. Sellars, reducing her once more to the lovely shadow she had so long been; with the difference that she was now a shadow irrevocably, whereas before he had always believed she might become substantial.

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading XXV Boyne had been wrong in imagining that Mrs. Sellars might come back unannounced to assure herself of the effect of her letter.

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

From this reading Being with the children all day and every day, sharing their meals, their games and scrambles, had gradually detached his thoughts from Mrs. Sellars, reducing her once more to the lovely shadow she had so long been; with the difference that she was now a shadow irrevocably, whereas before he had always believed she might become substantial.

a form of address for a married woman

From this reading XXV Boyne had been wrong in imagining that Mrs. Sellars might come back unannounced to assure herself of the effect of her letter.

not any; not one

From this reading She did not do so; and after two days he decided that he could no longer put off sending some kind of answer.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading She did not do so; and after two days he decided that he could no longer put off sending some kind of answer.

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading Being with the children all day and every day, sharing their meals, their games and scrambles, had gradually detached his thoughts from Mrs. Sellars, reducing her once more to the lovely shadow she had so long been; with the difference that she was now a shadow irrevocably, whereas before he had always believed she might become substantial.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading XXV Boyne had been wrong in imagining that Mrs. Sellars might come back unannounced to assure herself of the effect of her letter.

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

From this reading She did not do so; and after two days he decided that he could no longer put off sending some kind of answer.

on one occasion

From this reading Being with the children all day and every day, sharing their meals, their games and scrambles, had gradually detached his thoughts from Mrs. Sellars, reducing her once more to the lovely shadow she had so long been; with the difference that she was now a shadow irrevocably, whereas before he had always believed she might become substantial.

and nothing more

From this reading Only, what could he say?

being in opposition or having an opponent

From this reading Finally he girt himself to the task; and at once his irritation, his impatience, seemed to materialise her again, as if she were fated to grow real only when she thwarted or opposed him.

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Finally he girt himself to the task; and at once his irritation, his impatience, seemed to materialise her again, as if she were fated to grow real only when she thwarted or opposed him.

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading She did not do so; and after two days he decided that he could no longer put off sending some kind of answer.

being or occurring in fact or actuality; having verified existence; not illusory

From this reading Finally he girt himself to the task; and at once his irritation, his impatience, seemed to materialise her again, as if she were fated to grow real only when she thwarted or opposed him.

any process in which electrons are added to an atom or ion (as by removing oxygen or adding hydrogen); always occurs accompanied by oxidation of the reducing agent

From this reading Being with the children all day and every day, sharing their meals, their games and scrambles, had gradually detached his thoughts from Mrs. Sellars, reducing her once more to the lovely shadow she had so long been; with the difference that she was now a shadow irrevocably, whereas before he had always believed she might become substantial.

express in words

From this reading Only, what could he say?

plural of “scramble” — an unceremonious and disorganized struggle

From this reading Being with the children all day and every day, sharing their meals, their games and scrambles, had gradually detached his thoughts from Mrs. Sellars, reducing her once more to the lovely shadow she had so long been; with the difference that she was now a shadow irrevocably, whereas before he had always believed she might become substantial.

past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading Finally he girt himself to the task; and at once his irritation, his impatience, seemed to materialise her again, as if she were fated to grow real only when she thwarted or opposed him.

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

From this reading XXV Boyne had been wrong in imagining that Mrs. Sellars might come back unannounced to assure herself of the effect of her letter.

the act of causing something to go (especially messages)

From this reading She did not do so; and after two days he decided that he could no longer put off sending some kind of answer.

A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.

From this reading Being with the children all day and every day, sharing their meals, their games and scrambles, had gradually detached his thoughts from Mrs. Sellars, reducing her once more to the lovely shadow she had so long been; with the difference that she was now a shadow irrevocably, whereas before he had always believed she might become substantial.

using or enjoying something jointly with others

From this reading Being with the children all day and every day, sharing their meals, their games and scrambles, had gradually detached his thoughts from Mrs. Sellars, reducing her once more to the lovely shadow she had so long been; with the difference that she was now a shadow irrevocably, whereas before he had always believed she might become substantial.

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

From this reading She did not do so; and after two days he decided that he could no longer put off sending some kind of answer.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading She did not do so; and after two days he decided that he could no longer put off sending some kind of answer.

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading She did not do so; and after two days he decided that he could no longer put off sending some kind of answer.

of considerable importance, size, or worth

From this reading Being with the children all day and every day, sharing their meals, their games and scrambles, had gradually detached his thoughts from Mrs. Sellars, reducing her once more to the lovely shadow she had so long been; with the difference that she was now a shadow irrevocably, whereas before he had always believed she might become substantial.

any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted

From this reading Finally he girt himself to the task; and at once his irritation, his impatience, seemed to materialise her again, as if she were fated to grow real only when she thwarted or opposed him.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading XXV Boyne had been wrong in imagining that Mrs. Sellars might come back unannounced to assure herself of the effect of her letter.

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

From this reading XXV Boyne had been wrong in imagining that Mrs. Sellars might come back unannounced to assure herself of the effect of her letter.

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading Being with the children all day and every day, sharing their meals, their games and scrambles, had gradually detached his thoughts from Mrs. Sellars, reducing her once more to the lovely shadow she had so long been; with the difference that she was now a shadow irrevocably, whereas before he had always believed she might become substantial.

plural of “thought” — the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading Being with the children all day and every day, sharing their meals, their games and scrambles, had gradually detached his thoughts from Mrs. Sellars, reducing her once more to the lovely shadow she had so long been; with the difference that she was now a shadow irrevocably, whereas before he had always believed she might become substantial.

disappointingly unsuccessful

From this reading Finally he girt himself to the task; and at once his irritation, his impatience, seemed to materialise her again, as if she were fated to grow real only when she thwarted or opposed him.

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

From this reading XXV Boyne had been wrong in imagining that Mrs. Sellars might come back unannounced to assure herself of the effect of her letter.

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading She did not do so; and after two days he decided that he could no longer put off sending some kind of answer.

without warning or announcement

From this reading XXV Boyne had been wrong in imagining that Mrs. Sellars might come back unannounced to assure herself of the effect of her letter.

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

From this reading Being with the children all day and every day, sharing their meals, their games and scrambles, had gradually detached his thoughts from Mrs. Sellars, reducing her once more to the lovely shadow she had so long been; with the difference that she was now a shadow irrevocably, whereas before he had always believed she might become substantial.

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

From this reading Finally he girt himself to the task; and at once his irritation, his impatience, seemed to materialise her again, as if she were fated to grow real only when she thwarted or opposed him.

used to ask for information about something

From this reading Only, what could he say?

at the time that

From this reading Finally he girt himself to the task; and at once his irritation, his impatience, seemed to materialise her again, as if she were fated to grow real only when she thwarted or opposed him.

in contrast with the fact that

From this reading Being with the children all day and every day, sharing their meals, their games and scrambles, had gradually detached his thoughts from Mrs. Sellars, reducing her once more to the lovely shadow she had so long been; with the difference that she was now a shadow irrevocably, whereas before he had always believed she might become substantial.

in the company of; together with

From this reading Being with the children all day and every day, sharing their meals, their games and scrambles, had gradually detached his thoughts from Mrs. Sellars, reducing her once more to the lovely shadow she had so long been; with the difference that she was now a shadow irrevocably, whereas before he had always believed she might become substantial.

not correct; not in conformity with fact or truth

From this reading XXV Boyne had been wrong in imagining that Mrs. Sellars might come back unannounced to assure herself of the effect of her letter.

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

From this reading XXV Boyne had been wrong in imagining that Mrs. Sellars might come back unannounced to assure herself of the effect of her letter.