used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading And so another element entered into the tiger-cubs' education, and one that, for so small a creature, exercised a mighty influence on them, both then and thereafter.
(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 Other sisters and brothers there had been, but all were gone save this little fairy, and they two were alone in the world.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading Other sisters and brothers there had been, but all were gone save this little fairy, and they two were alone in the world.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading Not the least of the joys of his translation to this wide new sphere was the fact that he could have her always with him.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading And so another element entered into the tiger-cubs' education, and one that, for so small a creature, exercised a mighty influence on them, both then and thereafter.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading And so another element entered into the tiger-cubs' education, and one that, for so small a creature, exercised a mighty influence on them, both then and thereafter.
auntsnounUS /ænts/
plural of “aunt” — the sister of your father or mother; the wife of your uncle
From this reading While he wrought in the dark corners of the great city he had boarded her with some maiden aunts in the suburbs, and the weekly sight of her, growing like a flower, had helped to keep his heart fresh and sweet.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Other sisters and brothers there had been, but all were gone save this little fairy, and they two were alone in the world.
boardedverbUS /ˈbɔːrdəd/
past form of “board” — get on board of (trains, buses, ships, aircraft, etc.)
From this reading While he wrought in the dark corners of the great city he had boarded her with some maiden aunts in the suburbs, and the weekly sight of her, growing like a flower, had helped to keep his heart fresh and sweet.
the two together, not just one
From this reading And so another element entered into the tiger-cubs' education, and one that, for so small a creature, exercised a mighty influence on them, both then and thereafter.
plural of “brother” — a male with the same parents as someone else
From this reading Other sisters and brothers there had been, but all were gone save this little fairy, and they two were alone in the world.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Other sisters and brothers there had been, but all were gone save this little fairy, and they two were alone in the world.
King of France from 1560 to 1574 whose reign was dominated by his mother Catherine de Medicis (1550-1574)
From this reading She was the Joy of Charles Eager's heart and the light of his eyes.
a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts
From this reading While he wrought in the dark corners of the great city he had boarded her with some maiden aunts in the suburbs, and the weekly sight of her, growing like a flower, had helped to keep his heart fresh and sweet.
cornersnounUS /ˈkɔːrnərz/
plural of “corner” — a place off to the side of an area
From this reading While he wrought in the dark corners of the great city he had boarded her with some maiden aunts in the suburbs, and the weekly sight of her, growing like a flower, had helped to keep his heart fresh and sweet.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Not the least of the joys of his translation to this wide new sphere was the fact that he could have her always with him.
a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading And so another element entered into the tiger-cubs' education, and one that, for so small a creature, exercised a mighty influence on them, both then and thereafter.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading While he wrought in the dark corners of the great city he had boarded her with some maiden aunts in the suburbs, and the weekly sight of her, growing like a flower, had helped to keep his heart fresh and sweet.
Eager's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was the Joy of Charles Eager's heart and the light of his eyes.
the activities of educating or instructing; activities that impart knowledge or skill
From this reading And so another element entered into the tiger-cubs' education, and one that, for so small a creature, exercised a mighty influence on them, both then and thereafter.
elementnounUS /ˈeləmənt/
an abstract part of something
From this reading And so another element entered into the tiger-cubs' education, and one that, for so small a creature, exercised a mighty influence on them, both then and thereafter.
past form of “enter” — to come or go into
From this reading And so another element entered into the tiger-cubs' education, and one that, for so small a creature, exercised a mighty influence on them, both then and thereafter.
exercisedverbUS /ˈeksərsaɪzd/
past form of “exercise” — put to use
From this reading And so another element entered into the tiger-cubs' education, and one that, for so small a creature, exercised a mighty influence on them, both then and thereafter.
opinion or judgment
From this reading She was the Joy of Charles Eager's heart and the light of his eyes.
a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred
From this reading Not the least of the joys of his translation to this wide new sphere was the fact that he could have her always with him.
a small being, human in form, playful and having magical powers
From this reading Other sisters and brothers there had been, but all were gone save this little fairy, and they two were alone in the world.
a plant cultivated for its blooms or blossoms
From this reading While he wrought in the dark corners of the great city he had boarded her with some maiden aunts in the suburbs, and the weekly sight of her, growing like a flower, had helped to keep his heart fresh and sweet.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading And so another element entered into the tiger-cubs' education, and one that, for so small a creature, exercised a mighty influence on them, both then and thereafter.
recently made, produced, or harvested
From this reading While he wrought in the dark corners of the great city he had boarded her with some maiden aunts in the suburbs, and the weekly sight of her, growing like a flower, had helped to keep his heart fresh and sweet.
destroyed or killed
From this reading Other sisters and brothers there had been, but all were gone save this little fairy, and they two were alone in the world.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading While he wrought in the dark corners of the great city he had boarded her with some maiden aunts in the suburbs, and the weekly sight of her, growing like a flower, had helped to keep his heart fresh and sweet.
(biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level
From this reading While he wrought in the dark corners of the great city he had boarded her with some maiden aunts in the suburbs, and the weekly sight of her, growing like a flower, had helped to keep his heart fresh and sweet.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Other sisters and brothers there had been, but all were gone save this little fairy, and they two were alone in the world.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Not the least of the joys of his translation to this wide new sphere was the fact that he could have her always with him.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading While he wrought in the dark corners of the great city he had boarded her with some maiden aunts in the suburbs, and the weekly sight of her, growing like a flower, had helped to keep his heart fresh and sweet.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading She was the Joy of Charles Eager's heart and the light of his eyes.
past form of “help” — give help or assistance; be of service
From this reading While he wrought in the dark corners of the great city he had boarded her with some maiden aunts in the suburbs, and the weekly sight of her, growing like a flower, had helped to keep his heart fresh and sweet.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading While he wrought in the dark corners of the great city he had boarded her with some maiden aunts in the suburbs, and the weekly sight of her, growing like a flower, had helped to keep his heart fresh and sweet.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Not the least of the joys of his translation to this wide new sphere was the fact that he could have her always with him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading She was the Joy of Charles Eager's heart and the light of his eyes.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Other sisters and brothers there had been, but all were gone save this little fairy, and they two were alone in the world.
a power to affect persons or events especially power based on prestige etc
From this reading And so another element entered into the tiger-cubs' education, and one that, for so small a creature, exercised a mighty influence on them, both then and thereafter.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading And so another element entered into the tiger-cubs' education, and one that, for so small a creature, exercised a mighty influence on them, both then and thereafter.
the emotion of great happiness
From this reading She was the Joy of Charles Eager's heart and the light of his eyes.
joysnounUS /dʒɔɪz/
plural of “joy” — the emotion of great happiness
From this reading Not the least of the joys of his translation to this wide new sphere was the fact that he could have her always with him.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading While he wrought in the dark corners of the great city he had boarded her with some maiden aunts in the suburbs, and the weekly sight of her, growing like a flower, had helped to keep his heart fresh and sweet.
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 Not the least of the joys of his translation to this wide new sphere was the fact that he could have her always with him.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading She was the Joy of Charles Eager's heart and the light of his eyes.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading While he wrought in the dark corners of the great city he had boarded her with some maiden aunts in the suburbs, and the weekly sight of her, growing like a flower, had helped to keep his heart fresh and sweet.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Other sisters and brothers there had been, but all were gone save this little fairy, and they two were alone in the world.
an unmarried girl (especially a virgin)
From this reading While he wrought in the dark corners of the great city he had boarded her with some maiden aunts in the suburbs, and the weekly sight of her, growing like a flower, had helped to keep his heart fresh and sweet.
having or showing great strength or force or intensity
From this reading And so another element entered into the tiger-cubs' education, and one that, for so small a creature, exercised a mighty influence on them, both then and thereafter.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading Not the least of the joys of his translation to this wide new sphere was the fact that he could have her always with him.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Not the least of the joys of his translation to this wide new sphere was the fact that he could have her always with him.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading She was the Joy of Charles Eager's heart and the light of his eyes.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading And so another element entered into the tiger-cubs' education, and one that, for so small a creature, exercised a mighty influence on them, both then and thereafter.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading And so another element entered into the tiger-cubs' education, and one that, for so small a creature, exercised a mighty influence on them, both then and thereafter.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading Other sisters and brothers there had been, but all were gone save this little fairy, and they two were alone in the world.
except for; apart from
From this reading Other sisters and brothers there had been, but all were gone save this little fairy, and they two were alone in the world.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She was the Joy of Charles Eager's heart and the light of his eyes.
an instance of visual perception
From this reading While he wrought in the dark corners of the great city he had boarded her with some maiden aunts in the suburbs, and the weekly sight of her, growing like a flower, had helped to keep his heart fresh and sweet.
plural of “sister” — a female person who has the same parents as another person
From this reading Other sisters and brothers there had been, but all were gone save this little fairy, and they two were alone in the world.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading And so another element entered into the tiger-cubs' education, and one that, for so small a creature, exercised a mighty influence on them, both then and thereafter.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading And so another element entered into the tiger-cubs' education, and one that, for so small a creature, exercised a mighty influence on them, both then and thereafter.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading While he wrought in the dark corners of the great city he had boarded her with some maiden aunts in the suburbs, and the weekly sight of her, growing like a flower, had helped to keep his heart fresh and sweet.
spherenounUS /sfɪr/
a particular environment or walk of life
From this reading Not the least of the joys of his translation to this wide new sphere was the fact that he could have her always with him.
suburbsnounUS /ˈsʌbərbz/
plural of “suburb” — a residential district located on the outskirts of a city
From this reading While he wrought in the dark corners of the great city he had boarded her with some maiden aunts in the suburbs, and the weekly sight of her, growing like a flower, had helped to keep his heart fresh and sweet.
having or denoting the characteristic taste of sugar
From this reading While he wrought in the dark corners of the great city he had boarded her with some maiden aunts in the suburbs, and the weekly sight of her, growing like a flower, had helped to keep his heart fresh and sweet.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading And so another element entered into the tiger-cubs' education, and one that, for so small a creature, exercised a mighty influence on them, both then and thereafter.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading And so another element entered into the tiger-cubs' education, and one that, for so small a creature, exercised a mighty influence on them, both then and thereafter.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading And so another element entered into the tiger-cubs' education, and one that, for so small a creature, exercised a mighty influence on them, both then and thereafter.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading And so another element entered into the tiger-cubs' education, and one that, for so small a creature, exercised a mighty influence on them, both then and thereafter.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Other sisters and brothers there had been, but all were gone save this little fairy, and they two were alone in the world.
thereafteradverbUS /ðeˈræftər/
from that time on
From this reading And so another element entered into the tiger-cubs' education, and one that, for so small a creature, exercised a mighty influence on them, both then and thereafter.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Other sisters and brothers there had been, but all were gone save this little fairy, and they two were alone in the world.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Other sisters and brothers there had been, but all were gone save this little fairy, and they two were alone in the world.
tiger-cubs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And so another element entered into the tiger-cubs' education, and one that, for so small a creature, exercised a mighty influence on them, both then and thereafter.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading While he wrought in the dark corners of the great city he had boarded her with some maiden aunts in the suburbs, and the weekly sight of her, growing like a flower, had helped to keep his heart fresh and sweet.
translationnounUS /trænzˈleɪʃən/
a written communication in a second language having the same meaning as the written communication in a first language
From this reading Not the least of the joys of his translation to this wide new sphere was the fact that he could have her always with him.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading Other sisters and brothers there had been, but all were gone save this little fairy, and they two were alone in the world.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading She was the Joy of Charles Eager's heart and the light of his eyes.
weeklynounUS /ˈwiːkli/
a periodical that is published every week (or 52 issues per year)
From this reading While he wrought in the dark corners of the great city he had boarded her with some maiden aunts in the suburbs, and the weekly sight of her, growing like a flower, had helped to keep his heart fresh and sweet.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Other sisters and brothers there had been, but all were gone save this little fairy, and they two were alone in the world.
WhileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading While he wrought in the dark corners of the great city he had boarded her with some maiden aunts in the suburbs, and the weekly sight of her, growing like a flower, had helped to keep his heart fresh and sweet.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading Not the least of the joys of his translation to this wide new sphere was the fact that he could have her always with him.
in the company of; together with
From this reading While he wrought in the dark corners of the great city he had boarded her with some maiden aunts in the suburbs, and the weekly sight of her, growing like a flower, had helped to keep his heart fresh and sweet.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading Other sisters and brothers there had been, but all were gone save this little fairy, and they two were alone in the world.
wroughtadjectiveUS /rɔːt/
shaped to fit by or as if by altering the contours of a pliable mass (as by work or effort)
From this reading While he wrought in the dark corners of the great city he had boarded her with some maiden aunts in the suburbs, and the weekly sight of her, growing like a flower, had helped to keep his heart fresh and sweet.
