Chapter IV · Mrs. Ilam

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

From this reading The aged Mrs. Ilam, who was very thin and not in the least tall--her son would have made a dozen of her--sat tremendously upright in her chair, while Josephus lolled his great bulk in angry attitudes on a sofa, near which the tea-table had been placed.

the part of the day between noon and evening

From this reading Somewhat later on the same afternoon, in the drawing-room of the house opposite, Josephus Ilam was drinking tea with his mother.

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

From this reading The aged Mrs. Ilam, who was very thin and not in the least tall--her son would have made a dozen of her--sat tremendously upright in her chair, while Josephus lolled his great bulk in angry attitudes on a sofa, near which the tea-table had been placed.

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

From this reading The aged Mrs. Ilam, who was very thin and not in the least tall--her son would have made a dozen of her--sat tremendously upright in her chair, while Josephus lolled his great bulk in angry attitudes on a sofa, near which the tea-table had been placed.

feeling or showing anger

From this reading The aged Mrs. Ilam, who was very thin and not in the least tall--her son would have made a dozen of her--sat tremendously upright in her chair, while Josephus lolled his great bulk in angry attitudes on a sofa, near which the tea-table had been placed.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading She had a narrow, hard face, with intensely black eyes, and intensely white hair, and when she directed those eyes upon her son, it became instantly plain that her son was at once her idol and her slave.

plural of “attitude” — a complex mental state involving beliefs and feelings and values and dispositions to act in certain ways

From this reading The aged Mrs. Ilam, who was very thin and not in the least tall--her son would have made a dozen of her--sat tremendously upright in her chair, while Josephus lolled his great bulk in angry attitudes on a sofa, near which the tea-table had been placed.

inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition

From this reading She had a narrow, hard face, with intensely black eyes, and intensely white hair, and when she directed those eyes upon her son, it became instantly plain that her son was at once her idol and her slave.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading The aged Mrs. Ilam, who was very thin and not in the least tall--her son would have made a dozen of her--sat tremendously upright in her chair, while Josephus lolled his great bulk in angry attitudes on a sofa, near which the tea-table had been placed.

being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light

From this reading She had a narrow, hard face, with intensely black eyes, and intensely white hair, and when she directed those eyes upon her son, it became instantly plain that her son was at once her idol and her slave.

the property resulting from being or relating to the greater in number of two parts; the main part

From this reading The aged Mrs. Ilam, who was very thin and not in the least tall--her son would have made a dozen of her--sat tremendously upright in her chair, while Josephus lolled his great bulk in angry attitudes on a sofa, near which the tea-table had been placed.

a seat for one person, with a support for the back

From this reading The aged Mrs. Ilam, who was very thin and not in the least tall--her son would have made a dozen of her--sat tremendously upright in her chair, while Josephus lolled his great bulk in angry attitudes on a sofa, near which the tea-table had been placed.

the time during which someone's life continues

From this reading Mrs. Ilam wore widow’s weeds, though it was many years since she had lost her husband, a man who had made a vast fortune out of soda-water--in the days when soda-water _was_ soda-water.

(often used in combination) having a specified direction

From this reading She had a narrow, hard face, with intensely black eyes, and intensely white hair, and when she directed those eyes upon her son, it became instantly plain that her son was at once her idol and her slave.

the cardinal number that is the sum of eleven and one

From this reading The aged Mrs. Ilam, who was very thin and not in the least tall--her son would have made a dozen of her--sat tremendously upright in her chair, while Josephus lolled his great bulk in angry attitudes on a sofa, near which the tea-table had been placed.

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

From this reading Somewhat later on the same afternoon, in the drawing-room of the house opposite, Josephus Ilam was drinking tea with his mother.

the act of consuming liquids

From this reading Somewhat later on the same afternoon, in the drawing-room of the house opposite, Josephus Ilam was drinking tea with his mother.

at any time

From this reading She lived solely for this man of fifty, who had scarcely ever left her side.

opinion or judgment

From this reading She had a narrow, hard face, with intensely black eyes, and intensely white hair, and when she directed those eyes upon her son, it became instantly plain that her son was at once her idol and her slave.

the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear

From this reading She had a narrow, hard face, with intensely black eyes, and intensely white hair, and when she directed those eyes upon her son, it became instantly plain that her son was at once her idol and her slave.

the cardinal number that is the product of ten and five

From this reading She lived solely for this man of fifty, who had scarcely ever left her side.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading She lived solely for this man of fifty, who had scarcely ever left her side.

an unknown and unpredictable phenomenon that causes an event to result one way rather than another

From this reading Mrs. Ilam wore widow’s weeds, though it was many years since she had lost her husband, a man who had made a vast fortune out of soda-water--in the days when soda-water _was_ soda-water.

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

From this reading The aged Mrs. Ilam, who was very thin and not in the least tall--her son would have made a dozen of her--sat tremendously upright in her chair, while Josephus lolled his great bulk in angry attitudes on a sofa, near which the tea-table had been placed.

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

From this reading The aged Mrs. Ilam, who was very thin and not in the least tall--her son would have made a dozen of her--sat tremendously upright in her chair, while Josephus lolled his great bulk in angry attitudes on a sofa, near which the tea-table had been placed.

a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss

From this reading She had a narrow, hard face, with intensely black eyes, and intensely white hair, and when she directed those eyes upon her son, it became instantly plain that her son was at once her idol and her slave.

not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure

From this reading She had a narrow, hard face, with intensely black eyes, and intensely white hair, and when she directed those eyes upon her son, it became instantly plain that her son was at once her idol and her slave.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading The aged Mrs. Ilam, who was very thin and not in the least tall--her son would have made a dozen of her--sat tremendously upright in her chair, while Josephus lolled his great bulk in angry attitudes on a sofa, near which the tea-table had been placed.

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

From this reading The aged Mrs. Ilam, who was very thin and not in the least tall--her son would have made a dozen of her--sat tremendously upright in her chair, while Josephus lolled his great bulk in angry attitudes on a sofa, near which the tea-table had been placed.

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

From this reading Somewhat later on the same afternoon, in the drawing-room of the house opposite, Josephus Ilam was drinking tea with his mother.

a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading Somewhat later on the same afternoon, in the drawing-room of the house opposite, Josephus Ilam was drinking tea with his mother.

a married man; a woman's partner in marriage

From this reading Mrs. Ilam wore widow’s weeds, though it was many years since she had lost her husband, a man who had made a vast fortune out of soda-water--in the days when soda-water _was_ soda-water.

a material effigy that is worshipped

From this reading She had a narrow, hard face, with intensely black eyes, and intensely white hair, and when she directed those eyes upon her son, it became instantly plain that her son was at once her idol and her slave.

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

From this reading Somewhat later on the same afternoon, in the drawing-room of the house opposite, Josephus Ilam was drinking tea with his mother.

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

From this reading Somewhat later on the same afternoon, in the drawing-room of the house opposite, Josephus Ilam was drinking tea with his mother.

without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening

From this reading She had a narrow, hard face, with intensely black eyes, and intensely white hair, and when she directed those eyes upon her son, it became instantly plain that her son was at once her idol and her slave.

to a high degree; extremely; in high concentration or density

From this reading She had a narrow, hard face, with intensely black eyes, and intensely white hair, and when she directed those eyes upon her son, it became instantly plain that her son was at once her idol and her slave.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Mrs. Ilam wore widow’s weeds, though it was many years since she had lost her husband, a man who had made a vast fortune out of soda-water--in the days when soda-water _was_ soda-water.

Jewish general who led the revolt of the Jews against the Romans and then wrote a history of those events (37-100)

From this reading Somewhat later on the same afternoon, in the drawing-room of the house opposite, Josephus Ilam was drinking tea with his mother.

happening at a time subsequent to a reference time

From this reading Somewhat later on the same afternoon, in the drawing-room of the house opposite, Josephus Ilam was drinking tea with his mother.

the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree

From this reading The aged Mrs. Ilam, who was very thin and not in the least tall--her son would have made a dozen of her--sat tremendously upright in her chair, while Josephus lolled his great bulk in angry attitudes on a sofa, near which the tea-table had been placed.

location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east

From this reading She lived solely for this man of fifty, who had scarcely ever left her side.

past form of “live” — be an inhabitant of or reside in

From this reading She lived solely for this man of fifty, who had scarcely ever left her side.

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

From this reading The aged Mrs. Ilam, who was very thin and not in the least tall--her son would have made a dozen of her--sat tremendously upright in her chair, while Josephus lolled his great bulk in angry attitudes on a sofa, near which the tea-table had been placed.

no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered

From this reading Mrs. Ilam wore widow’s weeds, though it was many years since she had lost her husband, a man who had made a vast fortune out of soda-water--in the days when soda-water _was_ soda-water.

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading The aged Mrs. Ilam, who was very thin and not in the least tall--her son would have made a dozen of her--sat tremendously upright in her chair, while Josephus lolled his great bulk in angry attitudes on a sofa, near which the tea-table had been placed.

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading Mrs. Ilam wore widow’s weeds, though it was many years since she had lost her husband, a man who had made a vast fortune out of soda-water--in the days when soda-water _was_ soda-water.

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number

From this reading Mrs. Ilam wore widow’s weeds, though it was many years since she had lost her husband, a man who had made a vast fortune out of soda-water--in the days when soda-water _was_ soda-water.

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

From this reading Somewhat later on the same afternoon, in the drawing-room of the house opposite, Josephus Ilam was drinking tea with his mother.

a form of address for a married woman

From this reading The aged Mrs. Ilam, who was very thin and not in the least tall--her son would have made a dozen of her--sat tremendously upright in her chair, while Josephus lolled his great bulk in angry attitudes on a sofa, near which the tea-table had been placed.

make or become more narrow or restricted

From this reading She had a narrow, hard face, with intensely black eyes, and intensely white hair, and when she directed those eyes upon her son, it became instantly plain that her son was at once her idol and her slave.

near in time or place or relationship

From this reading The aged Mrs. Ilam, who was very thin and not in the least tall--her son would have made a dozen of her--sat tremendously upright in her chair, while Josephus lolled his great bulk in angry attitudes on a sofa, near which the tea-table had been placed.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading The aged Mrs. Ilam, who was very thin and not in the least tall--her son would have made a dozen of her--sat tremendously upright in her chair, while Josephus lolled his great bulk in angry attitudes on a sofa, near which the tea-table had been placed.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Somewhat later on the same afternoon, in the drawing-room of the house opposite, Josephus Ilam was drinking tea with his mother.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Somewhat later on the same afternoon, in the drawing-room of the house opposite, Josephus Ilam was drinking tea with his mother.

on one occasion

From this reading She had a narrow, hard face, with intensely black eyes, and intensely white hair, and when she directed those eyes upon her son, it became instantly plain that her son was at once her idol and her slave.

being directly across from each other; facing

From this reading Somewhat later on the same afternoon, in the drawing-room of the house opposite, Josephus Ilam was drinking tea with his mother.

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading Mrs. Ilam wore widow’s weeds, though it was many years since she had lost her husband, a man who had made a vast fortune out of soda-water--in the days when soda-water _was_ soda-water.

situated in a particular spot or position

From this reading The aged Mrs. Ilam, who was very thin and not in the least tall--her son would have made a dozen of her--sat tremendously upright in her chair, while Josephus lolled his great bulk in angry attitudes on a sofa, near which the tea-table had been placed.

clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment

From this reading She had a narrow, hard face, with intensely black eyes, and intensely white hair, and when she directed those eyes upon her son, it became instantly plain that her son was at once her idol and her slave.

Identical; not different.

From this reading Somewhat later on the same afternoon, in the drawing-room of the house opposite, Josephus Ilam was drinking tea with his mother.

the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians

From this reading The aged Mrs. Ilam, who was very thin and not in the least tall--her son would have made a dozen of her--sat tremendously upright in her chair, while Josephus lolled his great bulk in angry attitudes on a sofa, near which the tea-table had been placed.

only a very short time before

From this reading She lived solely for this man of fifty, who had scarcely ever left her side.

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

From this reading Mrs. Ilam wore widow’s weeds, though it was many years since she had lost her husband, a man who had made a vast fortune out of soda-water--in the days when soda-water _was_ soda-water.

a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location

From this reading She lived solely for this man of fifty, who had scarcely ever left her side.

from a time in the past until now

From this reading Mrs. Ilam wore widow’s weeds, though it was many years since she had lost her husband, a man who had made a vast fortune out of soda-water--in the days when soda-water _was_ soda-water.

a person who is owned by someone

From this reading She had a narrow, hard face, with intensely black eyes, and intensely white hair, and when she directed those eyes upon her son, it became instantly plain that her son was at once her idol and her slave.

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

From this reading Mrs. Ilam wore widow’s weeds, though it was many years since she had lost her husband, a man who had made a vast fortune out of soda-water--in the days when soda-water _was_ soda-water.

an upholstered seat for more than one person

From this reading The aged Mrs. Ilam, who was very thin and not in the least tall--her son would have made a dozen of her--sat tremendously upright in her chair, while Josephus lolled his great bulk in angry attitudes on a sofa, near which the tea-table had been placed.

without any others being included or involved

From this reading She lived solely for this man of fifty, who had scarcely ever left her side.

to a small degree or extent

From this reading Somewhat later on the same afternoon, in the drawing-room of the house opposite, Josephus Ilam was drinking tea with his mother.

a male human offspring

From this reading The aged Mrs. Ilam, who was very thin and not in the least tall--her son would have made a dozen of her--sat tremendously upright in her chair, while Josephus lolled his great bulk in angry attitudes on a sofa, near which the tea-table had been placed.

great in vertical dimension; high in stature

From this reading The aged Mrs. Ilam, who was very thin and not in the least tall--her son would have made a dozen of her--sat tremendously upright in her chair, while Josephus lolled his great bulk in angry attitudes on a sofa, near which the tea-table had been placed.

a beverage made by steeping tea leaves in water

From this reading Somewhat later on the same afternoon, in the drawing-room of the house opposite, Josephus Ilam was drinking tea with his mother.

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

From this reading The aged Mrs. Ilam, who was very thin and not in the least tall--her son would have made a dozen of her--sat tremendously upright in her chair, while Josephus lolled his great bulk in angry attitudes on a sofa, near which the tea-table had been placed.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading She had a narrow, hard face, with intensely black eyes, and intensely white hair, and when she directed those eyes upon her son, it became instantly plain that her son was at once her idol and her slave.

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

From this reading Somewhat later on the same afternoon, in the drawing-room of the house opposite, Josephus Ilam was drinking tea with his mother.

Having little thickness or extent.

From this reading The aged Mrs. Ilam, who was very thin and not in the least tall--her son would have made a dozen of her--sat tremendously upright in her chair, while Josephus lolled his great bulk in angry attitudes on a sofa, near which the tea-table had been placed.

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading She lived solely for this man of fifty, who had scarcely ever left her side.

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading She had a narrow, hard face, with intensely black eyes, and intensely white hair, and when she directed those eyes upon her son, it became instantly plain that her son was at once her idol and her slave.

in spite of the fact that

From this reading Mrs. Ilam wore widow’s weeds, though it was many years since she had lost her husband, a man who had made a vast fortune out of soda-water--in the days when soda-water _was_ soda-water.

extremely

From this reading The aged Mrs. Ilam, who was very thin and not in the least tall--her son would have made a dozen of her--sat tremendously upright in her chair, while Josephus lolled his great bulk in angry attitudes on a sofa, near which the tea-table had been placed.

a formal word for “on”

From this reading She had a narrow, hard face, with intensely black eyes, and intensely white hair, and when she directed those eyes upon her son, it became instantly plain that her son was at once her idol and her slave.

in a vertical position; not sloping

From this reading The aged Mrs. Ilam, who was very thin and not in the least tall--her son would have made a dozen of her--sat tremendously upright in her chair, while Josephus lolled his great bulk in angry attitudes on a sofa, near which the tea-table had been placed.

unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope

From this reading Mrs. Ilam wore widow’s weeds, though it was many years since she had lost her husband, a man who had made a vast fortune out of soda-water--in the days when soda-water _was_ soda-water.

precisely as stated

From this reading The aged Mrs. Ilam, who was very thin and not in the least tall--her son would have made a dozen of her--sat tremendously upright in her chair, while Josephus lolled his great bulk in angry attitudes on a sofa, near which the tea-table had been placed.

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

From this reading Somewhat later on the same afternoon, in the drawing-room of the house opposite, Josephus Ilam was drinking tea with his mother.

a black garment (dress) worn by a widow as a sign of mourning

From this reading Mrs. Ilam wore widow’s weeds, though it was many years since she had lost her husband, a man who had made a vast fortune out of soda-water--in the days when soda-water _was_ soda-water.

at the time that

From this reading Mrs. Ilam wore widow’s weeds, though it was many years since she had lost her husband, a man who had made a vast fortune out of soda-water--in the days when soda-water _was_ soda-water.

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading The aged Mrs. Ilam, who was very thin and not in the least tall--her son would have made a dozen of her--sat tremendously upright in her chair, while Josephus lolled his great bulk in angry attitudes on a sofa, near which the tea-table had been placed.

during the time that

From this reading The aged Mrs. Ilam, who was very thin and not in the least tall--her son would have made a dozen of her--sat tremendously upright in her chair, while Josephus lolled his great bulk in angry attitudes on a sofa, near which the tea-table had been placed.

a Caucasian

From this reading She had a narrow, hard face, with intensely black eyes, and intensely white hair, and when she directed those eyes upon her son, it became instantly plain that her son was at once her idol and her slave.

which person or people

From this reading The aged Mrs. Ilam, who was very thin and not in the least tall--her son would have made a dozen of her--sat tremendously upright in her chair, while Josephus lolled his great bulk in angry attitudes on a sofa, near which the tea-table had been placed.

possessive form of “widow” — a woman whose husband is dead especially one who has not remarried

From this reading Mrs. Ilam wore widow’s weeds, though it was many years since she had lost her husband, a man who had made a vast fortune out of soda-water--in the days when soda-water _was_ soda-water.

in the company of; together with

From this reading Somewhat later on the same afternoon, in the drawing-room of the house opposite, Josephus Ilam was drinking tea with his mother.

inflected form of “wear” — be dressed in

From this reading Mrs. Ilam wore widow’s weeds, though it was many years since she had lost her husband, a man who had made a vast fortune out of soda-water--in the days when soda-water _was_ soda-water.

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading The aged Mrs. Ilam, who was very thin and not in the least tall--her son would have made a dozen of her--sat tremendously upright in her chair, while Josephus lolled his great bulk in angry attitudes on a sofa, near which the tea-table had been placed.

a late time of life

From this reading Mrs. Ilam wore widow’s weeds, though it was many years since she had lost her husband, a man who had made a vast fortune out of soda-water--in the days when soda-water _was_ soda-water.