used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading My cousin Bessie, or Mrs. Robert Nyle, lived in a small, comfortable house, on a quiet street, in a small comfortable city, not more than a day's journey from the place of my former residence.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading I had, of course, made many conjectures about the relative merits and demerits of the new home towards which I was travelling in all haste.
accurateadjectiveUS /ˈækjərət/
conforming exactly or almost exactly to fact or to a standard or performing with total accuracy
From this reading With nothing more accurate to build upon than my cousin's reserved letters and my own vivid imagination, it could hardly be expected that I could arrive very near the truth in my speculations about my uncertain destiny.
(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 I had, of course, made many conjectures about the relative merits and demerits of the new home towards which I was travelling in all haste.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading I thought there must be lines of sadness about her mouth and a profusion of silver in her hair, I had almost heard her plaintive sighs, and had begun to invent cures for her nervous headaches.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading I had, of course, made many conjectures about the relative merits and demerits of the new home towards which I was travelling in all haste.
reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress
From this reading With nothing more accurate to build upon than my cousin's reserved letters and my own vivid imagination, it could hardly be expected that I could arrive very near the truth in my speculations about my uncertain destiny.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Nor did I. I had pictured my cousin Bessie as quite a morbid and prosy character, suspended midway between a hopeless resignation and a helpless despair.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading With nothing more accurate to build upon than my cousin's reserved letters and my own vivid imagination, it could hardly be expected that I could arrive very near the truth in my speculations about my uncertain destiny.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading I thought there must be lines of sadness about her mouth and a profusion of silver in her hair, I had almost heard her plaintive sighs, and had begun to invent cures for her nervous headaches.
Bessie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My cousin Bessie, or Mrs. Robert Nyle, lived in a small, comfortable house, on a quiet street, in a small comfortable city, not more than a day's journey from the place of my former residence.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading Nor did I. I had pictured my cousin Bessie as quite a morbid and prosy character, suspended midway between a hopeless resignation and a helpless despair.
make by combining materials and parts
From this reading With nothing more accurate to build upon than my cousin's reserved letters and my own vivid imagination, it could hardly be expected that I could arrive very near the truth in my speculations about my uncertain destiny.
an imaginary person represented in a work of fiction (play or film or story)
From this reading Nor did I. I had pictured my cousin Bessie as quite a morbid and prosy character, suspended midway between a hopeless resignation and a helpless despair.
a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts
From this reading My cousin Bessie, or Mrs. Robert Nyle, lived in a small, comfortable house, on a quiet street, in a small comfortable city, not more than a day's journey from the place of my former residence.
providing or experiencing physical well-being or relief (“comfy” is informal)
From this reading My cousin Bessie, or Mrs. Robert Nyle, lived in a small, comfortable house, on a quiet street, in a small comfortable city, not more than a day's journey from the place of my former residence.
conjecturesnounUS /kənˈdʒektʃərz/
plural of “conjecture” — a hypothesis that has been formed by speculating or conjecturing (usually with little hard evidence)
From this reading I had, of course, made many conjectures about the relative merits and demerits of the new home towards which I was travelling in all haste.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading With nothing more accurate to build upon than my cousin's reserved letters and my own vivid imagination, it could hardly be expected that I could arrive very near the truth in my speculations about my uncertain destiny.
education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading I had, of course, made many conjectures about the relative merits and demerits of the new home towards which I was travelling in all haste.
the child of your aunt or uncle
From this reading My cousin Bessie, or Mrs. Robert Nyle, lived in a small, comfortable house, on a quiet street, in a small comfortable city, not more than a day's journey from the place of my former residence.
cousin'snounUS /ˈkʌzənz/
possessive form of “cousin” — the child of your aunt or uncle
From this reading With nothing more accurate to build upon than my cousin's reserved letters and my own vivid imagination, it could hardly be expected that I could arrive very near the truth in my speculations about my uncertain destiny.
curesnounUS /kjʊrz/
plural of “cure” — a medicine or therapy that cures disease or relieve pain
From this reading I thought there must be lines of sadness about her mouth and a profusion of silver in her hair, I had almost heard her plaintive sighs, and had begun to invent cures for her nervous headaches.
day'snounUS /deɪz/
possessive form of “day” — time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading My cousin Bessie, or Mrs. Robert Nyle, lived in a small, comfortable house, on a quiet street, in a small comfortable city, not more than a day's journey from the place of my former residence.
demeritsnounUS /diˈmerəts/
plural of “demerit” — a mark against a person for misconduct or failure; usually given in school or armed forces
From this reading I had, of course, made many conjectures about the relative merits and demerits of the new home towards which I was travelling in all haste.
a state in which all hope is lost or absent
From this reading Nor did I. I had pictured my cousin Bessie as quite a morbid and prosy character, suspended midway between a hopeless resignation and a helpless despair.
destinynounUS /ˈdestəni/
an event (or a course of events) that will inevitably happen in the future
From this reading With nothing more accurate to build upon than my cousin's reserved letters and my own vivid imagination, it could hardly be expected that I could arrive very near the truth in my speculations about my uncertain destiny.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Nor did I. I had pictured my cousin Bessie as quite a morbid and prosy character, suspended midway between a hopeless resignation and a helpless despair.
considered likely or probable to happen or arrive
From this reading With nothing more accurate to build upon than my cousin's reserved letters and my own vivid imagination, it could hardly be expected that I could arrive very near the truth in my speculations about my uncertain destiny.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading I thought there must be lines of sadness about her mouth and a profusion of silver in her hair, I had almost heard her plaintive sighs, and had begun to invent cures for her nervous headaches.
referring to the first of two things or persons mentioned (or the earlier one or ones of several)
From this reading My cousin Bessie, or Mrs. Robert Nyle, lived in a small, comfortable house, on a quiet street, in a small comfortable city, not more than a day's journey from the place of my former residence.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading My cousin Bessie, or Mrs. Robert Nyle, lived in a small, comfortable house, on a quiet street, in a small comfortable city, not more than a day's journey from the place of my former residence.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading I had, of course, made many conjectures about the relative merits and demerits of the new home towards which I was travelling in all haste.
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 I thought there must be lines of sadness about her mouth and a profusion of silver in her hair, I had almost heard her plaintive sighs, and had begun to invent cures for her nervous headaches.
only a very short time before
From this reading With nothing more accurate to build upon than my cousin's reserved letters and my own vivid imagination, it could hardly be expected that I could arrive very near the truth in my speculations about my uncertain destiny.
overly eager speed (and possible carelessness)
From this reading I had, of course, made many conjectures about the relative merits and demerits of the new home towards which I was travelling in all haste.
headachesnounUS /ˈhedeɪks/
plural of “headache” — something or someone that causes anxiety; a source of unhappiness
From this reading I thought there must be lines of sadness about her mouth and a profusion of silver in her hair, I had almost heard her plaintive sighs, and had begun to invent cures for her nervous headaches.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading I thought there must be lines of sadness about her mouth and a profusion of silver in her hair, I had almost heard her plaintive sighs, and had begun to invent cures for her nervous headaches.
lacking in or deprived of strength or power
From this reading Nor did I. I had pictured my cousin Bessie as quite a morbid and prosy character, suspended midway between a hopeless resignation and a helpless despair.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading I thought there must be lines of sadness about her mouth and a profusion of silver in her hair, I had almost heard her plaintive sighs, and had begun to invent cures for her nervous headaches.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading I had, of course, made many conjectures about the relative merits and demerits of the new home towards which I was travelling in all haste.
hopelessadjectiveUS /ˈhoʊpləs/
without hope because there seems to be no possibility of comfort or success
From this reading Nor did I. I had pictured my cousin Bessie as quite a morbid and prosy character, suspended midway between a hopeless resignation and a helpless despair.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading My cousin Bessie, or Mrs. Robert Nyle, lived in a small, comfortable house, on a quiet street, in a small comfortable city, not more than a day's journey from the place of my former residence.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I had, of course, made many conjectures about the relative merits and demerits of the new home towards which I was travelling in all haste.
the formation of a mental image of something that is not perceived as real and is not present to the senses
From this reading With nothing more accurate to build upon than my cousin's reserved letters and my own vivid imagination, it could hardly be expected that I could arrive very near the truth in my speculations about my uncertain destiny.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading My cousin Bessie, or Mrs. Robert Nyle, lived in a small, comfortable house, on a quiet street, in a small comfortable city, not more than a day's journey from the place of my former residence.
inventverbUS /ˌɪnˈvent/
come up with (an idea, plan, explanation, theory, or principle) after a mental effort
From this reading I thought there must be lines of sadness about her mouth and a profusion of silver in her hair, I had almost heard her plaintive sighs, and had begun to invent cures for her nervous headaches.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading With nothing more accurate to build upon than my cousin's reserved letters and my own vivid imagination, it could hardly be expected that I could arrive very near the truth in my speculations about my uncertain destiny.
undertake a journey or trip
From this reading My cousin Bessie, or Mrs. Robert Nyle, lived in a small, comfortable house, on a quiet street, in a small comfortable city, not more than a day's journey from the place of my former residence.
the literary culture
From this reading With nothing more accurate to build upon than my cousin's reserved letters and my own vivid imagination, it could hardly be expected that I could arrive very near the truth in my speculations about my uncertain destiny.
plural of “line” — a formation of people or things one beside another
From this reading I thought there must be lines of sadness about her mouth and a profusion of silver in her hair, I had almost heard her plaintive sighs, and had begun to invent cures for her nervous headaches.
past form of “live” — be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading My cousin Bessie, or Mrs. Robert Nyle, lived in a small, comfortable house, on a quiet street, in a small comfortable city, not more than a day's journey from the place of my former residence.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading I had, of course, made many conjectures about the relative merits and demerits of the new home towards which I was travelling in all haste.
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 I had, of course, made many conjectures about the relative merits and demerits of the new home towards which I was travelling in all haste.
meritsnounUS /ˈmerəts/
plural of “merit” — any admirable quality or attribute
From this reading I had, of course, made many conjectures about the relative merits and demerits of the new home towards which I was travelling in all haste.
midwayadjectiveUS /ˈmɪdweɪ/
equally distant from the extremes
From this reading Nor did I. I had pictured my cousin Bessie as quite a morbid and prosy character, suspended midway between a hopeless resignation and a helpless despair.
morbidadjectiveUS /ˈmɔːrbəd/
suggesting an unhealthy mental state
From this reading Nor did I. I had pictured my cousin Bessie as quite a morbid and prosy character, suspended midway between a hopeless resignation and a helpless despair.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading My cousin Bessie, or Mrs. Robert Nyle, lived in a small, comfortable house, on a quiet street, in a small comfortable city, not more than a day's journey from the place of my former residence.
the opening through which food is taken in and vocalizations emerge
From this reading I thought there must be lines of sadness about her mouth and a profusion of silver in her hair, I had almost heard her plaintive sighs, and had begun to invent cures for her nervous headaches.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading My cousin Bessie, or Mrs. Robert Nyle, lived in a small, comfortable house, on a quiet street, in a small comfortable city, not more than a day's journey from the place of my former residence.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading I thought there must be lines of sadness about her mouth and a profusion of silver in her hair, I had almost heard her plaintive sighs, and had begun to invent cures for her nervous headaches.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading My cousin Bessie, or Mrs. Robert Nyle, lived in a small, comfortable house, on a quiet street, in a small comfortable city, not more than a day's journey from the place of my former residence.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading With nothing more accurate to build upon than my cousin's reserved letters and my own vivid imagination, it could hardly be expected that I could arrive very near the truth in my speculations about my uncertain destiny.
easily agitated
From this reading I thought there must be lines of sadness about her mouth and a profusion of silver in her hair, I had almost heard her plaintive sighs, and had begun to invent cures for her nervous headaches.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading I had, of course, made many conjectures about the relative merits and demerits of the new home towards which I was travelling in all haste.
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading Nor did I. I had pictured my cousin Bessie as quite a morbid and prosy character, suspended midway between a hopeless resignation and a helpless despair.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading My cousin Bessie, or Mrs. Robert Nyle, lived in a small, comfortable house, on a quiet street, in a small comfortable city, not more than a day's journey from the place of my former residence.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading With nothing more accurate to build upon than my cousin's reserved letters and my own vivid imagination, it could hardly be expected that I could arrive very near the truth in my speculations about my uncertain destiny.
Nyle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My cousin Bessie, or Mrs. Robert Nyle, lived in a small, comfortable house, on a quiet street, in a small comfortable city, not more than a day's journey from the place of my former residence.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading My cousin Bessie, or Mrs. Robert Nyle, lived in a small, comfortable house, on a quiet street, in a small comfortable city, not more than a day's journey from the place of my former residence.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading My cousin Bessie, or Mrs. Robert Nyle, lived in a small, comfortable house, on a quiet street, in a small comfortable city, not more than a day's journey from the place of my former residence.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading My cousin Bessie, or Mrs. Robert Nyle, lived in a small, comfortable house, on a quiet street, in a small comfortable city, not more than a day's journey from the place of my former residence.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading With nothing more accurate to build upon than my cousin's reserved letters and my own vivid imagination, it could hardly be expected that I could arrive very near the truth in my speculations about my uncertain destiny.
picturedadjectiveUS /ˈpɪktʃərd/
seen in the mind as a mental image
From this reading Nor did I. I had pictured my cousin Bessie as quite a morbid and prosy character, suspended midway between a hopeless resignation and a helpless despair.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading My cousin Bessie, or Mrs. Robert Nyle, lived in a small, comfortable house, on a quiet street, in a small comfortable city, not more than a day's journey from the place of my former residence.
plaintiveadjectiveUS /ˈpleɪntɪv/
expressing sorrow
From this reading I thought there must be lines of sadness about her mouth and a profusion of silver in her hair, I had almost heard her plaintive sighs, and had begun to invent cures for her nervous headaches.
profusionnounUS /prəˈfjuːʒən/
the property of being extremely abundant
From this reading I thought there must be lines of sadness about her mouth and a profusion of silver in her hair, I had almost heard her plaintive sighs, and had begun to invent cures for her nervous headaches.
prosyadjective
lacking wit or imagination
From this reading Nor did I. I had pictured my cousin Bessie as quite a morbid and prosy character, suspended midway between a hopeless resignation and a helpless despair.
quietadjectiveUS /ˈkwaɪət/
characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity
From this reading My cousin Bessie, or Mrs. Robert Nyle, lived in a small, comfortable house, on a quiet street, in a small comfortable city, not more than a day's journey from the place of my former residence.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading Nor did I. I had pictured my cousin Bessie as quite a morbid and prosy character, suspended midway between a hopeless resignation and a helpless despair.
relativenounUS /ˈrelətɪv/
a person related by blood or marriage
From this reading I had, of course, made many conjectures about the relative merits and demerits of the new home towards which I was travelling in all haste.
reservedadjectiveUS /rɪˈzɜːrvd/
set aside for the use of a particular person or party
From this reading With nothing more accurate to build upon than my cousin's reserved letters and my own vivid imagination, it could hardly be expected that I could arrive very near the truth in my speculations about my uncertain destiny.
residencenounUS /ˈrezɪdəns/
any address at which you dwell more than temporarily
From this reading My cousin Bessie, or Mrs. Robert Nyle, lived in a small, comfortable house, on a quiet street, in a small comfortable city, not more than a day's journey from the place of my former residence.
resignationnounUS /ˌrezəɡˈneɪʃən/
acceptance of despair
From this reading Nor did I. I had pictured my cousin Bessie as quite a morbid and prosy character, suspended midway between a hopeless resignation and a helpless despair.
United States parliamentary authority and author (in 1876) of Robert's Rules of Order (1837-1923)
From this reading My cousin Bessie, or Mrs. Robert Nyle, lived in a small, comfortable house, on a quiet street, in a small comfortable city, not more than a day's journey from the place of my former residence.
sadnessnounUS /ˈsædnəs/
emotions experienced when not in a state of well-being
From this reading I thought there must be lines of sadness about her mouth and a profusion of silver in her hair, I had almost heard her plaintive sighs, and had begun to invent cures for her nervous headaches.
sighsnounUS /saɪz/
plural of “sigh” — an utterance made by exhaling audibly
From this reading I thought there must be lines of sadness about her mouth and a profusion of silver in her hair, I had almost heard her plaintive sighs, and had begun to invent cures for her nervous headaches.
a soft white precious univalent metallic element having the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of any metal; occurs in argentite and in free form; used in coins and jewelry and tableware and photography
From this reading I thought there must be lines of sadness about her mouth and a profusion of silver in her hair, I had almost heard her plaintive sighs, and had begun to invent cures for her nervous headaches.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading My cousin Bessie, or Mrs. Robert Nyle, lived in a small, comfortable house, on a quiet street, in a small comfortable city, not more than a day's journey from the place of my former residence.
speculationsnounUS /ˌspekjəˈleɪʃənz/
plural of “speculation” — a message expressing an opinion based on incomplete evidence
From this reading With nothing more accurate to build upon than my cousin's reserved letters and my own vivid imagination, it could hardly be expected that I could arrive very near the truth in my speculations about my uncertain destiny.
a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading My cousin Bessie, or Mrs. Robert Nyle, lived in a small, comfortable house, on a quiet street, in a small comfortable city, not more than a day's journey from the place of my former residence.
suspendedadjectiveUS /səˈspendɪd/
(of undissolved particles in a fluid) supported or kept from sinking or falling by buoyancy and without apparent attachment
From this reading Nor did I. I had pictured my cousin Bessie as quite a morbid and prosy character, suspended midway between a hopeless resignation and a helpless despair.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading My cousin Bessie, or Mrs. Robert Nyle, lived in a small, comfortable house, on a quiet street, in a small comfortable city, not more than a day's journey from the place of my former residence.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading With nothing more accurate to build upon than my cousin's reserved letters and my own vivid imagination, it could hardly be expected that I could arrive very near the truth in my speculations about my uncertain destiny.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading My cousin Bessie, or Mrs. Robert Nyle, lived in a small, comfortable house, on a quiet street, in a small comfortable city, not more than a day's journey from the place of my former residence.
in or at that place or location
From this reading I thought there must be lines of sadness about her mouth and a profusion of silver in her hair, I had almost heard her plaintive sighs, and had begun to invent cures for her nervous headaches.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading I thought there must be lines of sadness about her mouth and a profusion of silver in her hair, I had almost heard her plaintive sighs, and had begun to invent cures for her nervous headaches.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading With nothing more accurate to build upon than my cousin's reserved letters and my own vivid imagination, it could hardly be expected that I could arrive very near the truth in my speculations about my uncertain destiny.
in the direction of
From this reading I had, of course, made many conjectures about the relative merits and demerits of the new home towards which I was travelling in all haste.
the act of going from one place to another
From this reading I had, of course, made many conjectures about the relative merits and demerits of the new home towards which I was travelling in all haste.
a fact that has been verified
From this reading With nothing more accurate to build upon than my cousin's reserved letters and my own vivid imagination, it could hardly be expected that I could arrive very near the truth in my speculations about my uncertain destiny.
uncertainadjectiveUS /ənˈsɜːrtən/
lacking or indicating lack of confidence or assurance
From this reading With nothing more accurate to build upon than my cousin's reserved letters and my own vivid imagination, it could hardly be expected that I could arrive very near the truth in my speculations about my uncertain destiny.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading With nothing more accurate to build upon than my cousin's reserved letters and my own vivid imagination, it could hardly be expected that I could arrive very near the truth in my speculations about my uncertain destiny.
precisely as stated
From this reading With nothing more accurate to build upon than my cousin's reserved letters and my own vivid imagination, it could hardly be expected that I could arrive very near the truth in my speculations about my uncertain destiny.
vividadjectiveUS /ˈvɪvəd/
evoking lifelike images within the mind
From this reading With nothing more accurate to build upon than my cousin's reserved letters and my own vivid imagination, it could hardly be expected that I could arrive very near the truth in my speculations about my uncertain destiny.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading I had, of course, made many conjectures about the relative merits and demerits of the new home towards which I was travelling in all haste.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading I had, of course, made many conjectures about the relative merits and demerits of the new home towards which I was travelling in all haste.
in the company of; together with
From this reading With nothing more accurate to build upon than my cousin's reserved letters and my own vivid imagination, it could hardly be expected that I could arrive very near the truth in my speculations about my uncertain destiny.
