used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Not a word was said to Laura when she returned as to the scene which had occurred in her absence.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading She was in the gayest of spirits, and prattled merrily about her purchases and her arrangements, wondering from time to time when Raffles Haw would come.
the state of being absent
From this reading Not a word was said to Laura when she returned as to the scene which had occurred in her absence.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She was in the gayest of spirits, and prattled merrily about her purchases and her arrangements, wondering from time to time when Raffles Haw would come.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading As night fell, however, without any word from him, she became uneasy.
arrangementsnounUS /ərˈeɪndʒmənts/
plural of “arrangement” — the thing arranged or agreed to
From this reading She was in the gayest of spirits, and prattled merrily about her purchases and her arrangements, wondering from time to time when Raffles Haw would come.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Not a word was said to Laura when she returned as to the scene which had occurred in her absence.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading “What can be the matter that he does not come?” she said.
inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading As night fell, however, without any word from him, she became uneasy.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading “What can be the matter that he does not come?” she said.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading She was in the gayest of spirits, and prattled merrily about her purchases and her arrangements, wondering from time to time when Raffles Haw would come.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading “It is the first day since our engagement that I have not seen him.”
doesauxiliary verbUS /dʌz/
the form of “do” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “What can be the matter that he does not come?” she said.
a hostile meeting of opposing military forces in the course of a war
From this reading “It is the first day since our engagement that I have not seen him.”
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading As night fell, however, without any word from him, she became uneasy.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading “It is the first day since our engagement that I have not seen him.”
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading She was in the gayest of spirits, and prattled merrily about her purchases and her arrangements, wondering from time to time when Raffles Haw would come.
gayest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was in the gayest of spirits, and prattled merrily about her purchases and her arrangements, wondering from time to time when Raffles Haw would come.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Not a word was said to Laura when she returned as to the scene which had occurred in her absence.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “It is the first day since our engagement that I have not seen him.”
HawnounUS /hɔː/
a spring-flowering shrub or small tree of the genus Crataegus
From this reading She was in the gayest of spirits, and prattled merrily about her purchases and her arrangements, wondering from time to time when Raffles Haw would come.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “What can be the matter that he does not come?” she said.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Not a word was said to Laura when she returned as to the scene which had occurred in her absence.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading As night fell, however, without any word from him, she became uneasy.
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading As night fell, however, without any word from him, she became uneasy.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “It is the first day since our engagement that I have not seen him.”
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Not a word was said to Laura when she returned as to the scene which had occurred in her absence.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “It is the first day since our engagement that I have not seen him.”
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “It is the first day since our engagement that I have not seen him.”
Laura
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Not a word was said to Laura when she returned as to the scene which had occurred in her absence.
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading “What can be the matter that he does not come?” she said.
merrilyadverbUS /ˈmerəli/
in a joyous manner
From this reading She was in the gayest of spirits, and prattled merrily about her purchases and her arrangements, wondering from time to time when Raffles Haw would come.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading As night fell, however, without any word from him, she became uneasy.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Not a word was said to Laura when she returned as to the scene which had occurred in her absence.
inflected form of “occur” — come to pass
From this reading Not a word was said to Laura when she returned as to the scene which had occurred in her absence.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading She was in the gayest of spirits, and prattled merrily about her purchases and her arrangements, wondering from time to time when Raffles Haw would come.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading “It is the first day since our engagement that I have not seen him.”
prattledverbUS /ˈprætəld/
past form of “prattle” — speak (about unimportant matters) rapidly and incessantly
From this reading She was in the gayest of spirits, and prattled merrily about her purchases and her arrangements, wondering from time to time when Raffles Haw would come.
purchasesnounUS /ˈpɜːrtʃəsəz/
plural of “purchase” — the acquisition of something for payment
From this reading She was in the gayest of spirits, and prattled merrily about her purchases and her arrangements, wondering from time to time when Raffles Haw would come.
RafflesnounUS /ˈræfəlz/
British colonial administrator who founded Singapore (1781-1826)
From this reading She was in the gayest of spirits, and prattled merrily about her purchases and her arrangements, wondering from time to time when Raffles Haw would come.
past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading Not a word was said to Laura when she returned as to the scene which had occurred in her absence.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading Not a word was said to Laura when she returned as to the scene which had occurred in her absence.
the place where some action occurs
From this reading Not a word was said to Laura when she returned as to the scene which had occurred in her absence.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading “It is the first day since our engagement that I have not seen him.”
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Not a word was said to Laura when she returned as to the scene which had occurred in her absence.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading “It is the first day since our engagement that I have not seen him.”
an alcoholic beverage that is distilled rather than fermented
From this reading She was in the gayest of spirits, and prattled merrily about her purchases and her arrangements, wondering from time to time when Raffles Haw would come.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading “What can be the matter that he does not come?” she said.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Not a word was said to Laura when she returned as to the scene which had occurred in her absence.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading She was in the gayest of spirits, and prattled merrily about her purchases and her arrangements, wondering from time to time when Raffles Haw would come.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Not a word was said to Laura when she returned as to the scene which had occurred in her absence.
lacking a sense of security or affording no ease or reassurance
From this reading As night fell, however, without any word from him, she became uneasy.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Not a word was said to Laura when she returned as to the scene which had occurred in her absence.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading “What can be the matter that he does not come?” she said.
at the time that
From this reading Not a word was said to Laura when she returned as to the scene which had occurred in her absence.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Not a word was said to Laura when she returned as to the scene which had occurred in her absence.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading As night fell, however, without any word from him, she became uneasy.
showing curiosity
From this reading She was in the gayest of spirits, and prattled merrily about her purchases and her arrangements, wondering from time to time when Raffles Haw would come.
a unit of language that native speakers can identify
From this reading Not a word was said to Laura when she returned as to the scene which had occurred in her absence.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading She was in the gayest of spirits, and prattled merrily about her purchases and her arrangements, wondering from time to time when Raffles Haw would come.
