used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The Countess Hélène had taken her maid and gone to New York on business for a day or two, leaving Valerie to amuse herself until her return.
amuseverbUS /əˈmjuːz/
occupy in an agreeable, entertaining or pleasant fashion
From this reading The Countess Hélène had taken her maid and gone to New York on business for a day or two, leaving Valerie to amuse herself until her return.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The Countess Hélène had taken her maid and gone to New York on business for a day or two, leaving Valerie to amuse herself until her return.
barnyardnounUS /ˈbɑːrnjɑːrd/
a yard adjoining a barn
From this reading She had to collect the newly laid eggs, hunt up stolen nests, inspect and feed the clucking, quacking, gobbling personnel of the barnyard which came crowding to her clear-voiced call.
enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading In the first place she had become excellent friends with the farmer and had persuaded him to delegate to her a number of his duties.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading The only difficulty lay in there being too much to do.
a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it
From this reading The Countess Hélène had taken her maid and gone to New York on business for a day or two, leaving Valerie to amuse herself until her return.
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading She had to collect the newly laid eggs, hunt up stolen nests, inspect and feed the clucking, quacking, gobbling personnel of the barnyard which came crowding to her clear-voiced call.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading She had to collect the newly laid eggs, hunt up stolen nests, inspect and feed the clucking, quacking, gobbling personnel of the barnyard which came crowding to her clear-voiced call.
clear-voiced
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had to collect the newly laid eggs, hunt up stolen nests, inspect and feed the clucking, quacking, gobbling personnel of the barnyard which came crowding to her clear-voiced call.
cluckingnounUS /ˈklʌkɪŋ/
the sound made by a hen (as in calling her chicks)
From this reading She had to collect the newly laid eggs, hunt up stolen nests, inspect and feed the clucking, quacking, gobbling personnel of the barnyard which came crowding to her clear-voiced call.
collectverbUS /kəˈlekt/
get or gather together
From this reading She had to collect the newly laid eggs, hunt up stolen nests, inspect and feed the clucking, quacking, gobbling personnel of the barnyard which came crowding to her clear-voiced call.
female equivalent of a count or earl
From this reading The Countess Hélène had taken her maid and gone to New York on business for a day or two, leaving Valerie to amuse herself until her return.
crowdingnounUS /ˈkraʊdɪŋ/
a situation in which people or things are crowded together
From this reading She had to collect the newly laid eggs, hunt up stolen nests, inspect and feed the clucking, quacking, gobbling personnel of the barnyard which came crowding to her clear-voiced call.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading The Countess Hélène had taken her maid and gone to New York on business for a day or two, leaving Valerie to amuse herself until her return.
delegateverbUS /ˈdeləɡeɪt/
transfer power to someone
From this reading In the first place she had become excellent friends with the farmer and had persuaded him to delegate to her a number of his duties.
an effort that is inconvenient
From this reading The only difficulty lay in there being too much to do.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading The only difficulty lay in there being too much to do.
plural of “duty” — the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force
From this reading In the first place she had become excellent friends with the farmer and had persuaded him to delegate to her a number of his duties.
eggsnounUS /eɡz/
oval reproductive body of a fowl (especially a hen) used as food
From this reading She had to collect the newly laid eggs, hunt up stolen nests, inspect and feed the clucking, quacking, gobbling personnel of the barnyard which came crowding to her clear-voiced call.
very good; of the highest quality
From this reading In the first place she had become excellent friends with the farmer and had persuaded him to delegate to her a number of his duties.
a person who operates a farm
From this reading In the first place she had become excellent friends with the farmer and had persuaded him to delegate to her a number of his duties.
provide as food
From this reading She had to collect the newly laid eggs, hunt up stolen nests, inspect and feed the clucking, quacking, gobbling personnel of the barnyard which came crowding to her clear-voiced call.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading In the first place she had become excellent friends with the farmer and had persuaded him to delegate to her a number of his duties.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The Countess Hélène had taken her maid and gone to New York on business for a day or two, leaving Valerie to amuse herself until her return.
plural of “friend” — a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading In the first place she had become excellent friends with the farmer and had persuaded him to delegate to her a number of his duties.
gobblingverbUS /ˈɡɑːbəlɪŋ/
-ing form of “gobble” — eat hastily without proper chewing
From this reading She had to collect the newly laid eggs, hunt up stolen nests, inspect and feed the clucking, quacking, gobbling personnel of the barnyard which came crowding to her clear-voiced call.
destroyed or killed
From this reading The Countess Hélène had taken her maid and gone to New York on business for a day or two, leaving Valerie to amuse herself until her return.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The Countess Hélène had taken her maid and gone to New York on business for a day or two, leaving Valerie to amuse herself until her return.
hardshipnounUS /ˈhɑːrdʃɪp/
a state of misfortune or affliction
From this reading Which was no hardship for Valerie.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The Countess Hélène had taken her maid and gone to New York on business for a day or two, leaving Valerie to amuse herself until her return.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading The Countess Hélène had taken her maid and gone to New York on business for a day or two, leaving Valerie to amuse herself until her return.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading In the first place she had become excellent friends with the farmer and had persuaded him to delegate to her a number of his duties.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading In the first place she had become excellent friends with the farmer and had persuaded him to delegate to her a number of his duties.
pursue for food or sport (as of wild animals)
From this reading She had to collect the newly laid eggs, hunt up stolen nests, inspect and feed the clucking, quacking, gobbling personnel of the barnyard which came crowding to her clear-voiced call.
Hélène
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Countess Hélène had taken her maid and gone to New York on business for a day or two, leaving Valerie to amuse herself until her return.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The only difficulty lay in there being too much to do.
inspectverbUS /ˌɪnˈspekt/
look over carefully
From this reading She had to collect the newly laid eggs, hunt up stolen nests, inspect and feed the clucking, quacking, gobbling personnel of the barnyard which came crowding to her clear-voiced call.
set down according to a plan
From this reading She had to collect the newly laid eggs, hunt up stolen nests, inspect and feed the clucking, quacking, gobbling personnel of the barnyard which came crowding to her clear-voiced call.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading The only difficulty lay in there being too much to do.
the act of departing
From this reading The Countess Hélène had taken her maid and gone to New York on business for a day or two, leaving Valerie to amuse herself until her return.
a female domestic
From this reading The Countess Hélène had taken her maid and gone to New York on business for a day or two, leaving Valerie to amuse herself until her return.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading The only difficulty lay in there being too much to do.
nestsnounUS /nests/
plural of “nest” — a structure in which animals lay eggs or give birth to their young
From this reading She had to collect the newly laid eggs, hunt up stolen nests, inspect and feed the clucking, quacking, gobbling personnel of the barnyard which came crowding to her clear-voiced call.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading The Countess Hélène had taken her maid and gone to New York on business for a day or two, leaving Valerie to amuse herself until her return.
newlyadverbUS /ˈnuːli/
very recently
From this reading She had to collect the newly laid eggs, hunt up stolen nests, inspect and feed the clucking, quacking, gobbling personnel of the barnyard which came crowding to her clear-voiced call.
not any; not one
From this reading Which was no hardship for Valerie.
the property possessed by a sum or total or indefinite quantity of units or individuals
From this reading In the first place she had become excellent friends with the farmer and had persuaded him to delegate to her a number of his duties.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading In the first place she had become excellent friends with the farmer and had persuaded him to delegate to her a number of his duties.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The Countess Hélène had taken her maid and gone to New York on business for a day or two, leaving Valerie to amuse herself until her return.
and nothing more
From this reading The only difficulty lay in there being too much to do.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading The Countess Hélène had taken her maid and gone to New York on business for a day or two, leaving Valerie to amuse herself until her return.
personnelnounUS /ˌpɜːrsəˈnel/
group of people willing to obey orders
From this reading She had to collect the newly laid eggs, hunt up stolen nests, inspect and feed the clucking, quacking, gobbling personnel of the barnyard which came crowding to her clear-voiced call.
past form of “persuade” — win approval or support for
From this reading In the first place she had become excellent friends with the farmer and had persuaded him to delegate to her a number of his duties.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading In the first place she had become excellent friends with the farmer and had persuaded him to delegate to her a number of his duties.
quacking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had to collect the newly laid eggs, hunt up stolen nests, inspect and feed the clucking, quacking, gobbling personnel of the barnyard which came crowding to her clear-voiced call.
go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading The Countess Hélène had taken her maid and gone to New York on business for a day or two, leaving Valerie to amuse herself until her return.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading In the first place she had become excellent friends with the farmer and had persuaded him to delegate to her a number of his duties.
inflected form of “steal” — take without the owner's consent
From this reading She had to collect the newly laid eggs, hunt up stolen nests, inspect and feed the clucking, quacking, gobbling personnel of the barnyard which came crowding to her clear-voiced call.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading The Countess Hélène had taken her maid and gone to New York on business for a day or two, leaving Valerie to amuse herself until her return.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The Countess Hélène had taken her maid and gone to New York on business for a day or two, leaving Valerie to amuse herself until her return.
in or at that place or location
From this reading The only difficulty lay in there being too much to do.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The Countess Hélène had taken her maid and gone to New York on business for a day or two, leaving Valerie to amuse herself until her return.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading The only difficulty lay in there being too much to do.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading The Countess Hélène had taken her maid and gone to New York on business for a day or two, leaving Valerie to amuse herself until her return.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading The Countess Hélène had taken her maid and gone to New York on business for a day or two, leaving Valerie to amuse herself until her return.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading She had to collect the newly laid eggs, hunt up stolen nests, inspect and feed the clucking, quacking, gobbling personnel of the barnyard which came crowding to her clear-voiced call.
Valerie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Countess Hélène had taken her maid and gone to New York on business for a day or two, leaving Valerie to amuse herself until her return.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Which was no hardship for Valerie.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Which was no hardship for Valerie.
in the company of; together with
From this reading In the first place she had become excellent friends with the farmer and had persuaded him to delegate to her a number of his duties.
the English royal house (a branch of the Plantagenet line) that reigned from 1461 to 1485; its emblem was a white rose
From this reading The Countess Hélène had taken her maid and gone to New York on business for a day or two, leaving Valerie to amuse herself until her return.
