used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading [_Aside._] Louisa, if you'll wait here a moment I'll step to the next gate, and see if they are there;--they cannot escape us then.
(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 _Lady._ Ridiculous! can't you protect yourself for an instant? must you be all your life watch'd like a baby in leading-strings?
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading _Lady._ Ridiculous! can't you protect yourself for an instant? must you be all your life watch'd like a baby in leading-strings?
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading [_Aside._] Louisa, if you'll wait here a moment I'll step to the next gate, and see if they are there;--they cannot escape us then.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading [_Aside._] Louisa, if you'll wait here a moment I'll step to the next gate, and see if they are there;--they cannot escape us then.
on or to one side
From this reading [_Aside._] Louisa, if you'll wait here a moment I'll step to the next gate, and see if they are there;--they cannot escape us then.
a very young child (birth to 1 year) who has not yet begun to walk or talk
From this reading _Lady._ Ridiculous! can't you protect yourself for an instant? must you be all your life watch'd like a baby in leading-strings?
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading _Lady._ Ridiculous! can't you protect yourself for an instant? must you be all your life watch'd like a baby in leading-strings?
showing who or what does the action
From this reading _Louisa._ No, no, don't leave me;--I wouldn't stay by myself for the world.
can't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _Lady._ Ridiculous! can't you protect yourself for an instant? must you be all your life watch'd like a baby in leading-strings?
cannot
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading [_Aside._] Louisa, if you'll wait here a moment I'll step to the next gate, and see if they are there;--they cannot escape us then.
the act of working out the form of something (as by making a sketch or outline or plan)
From this reading _Lady._ Well, well, never fear; [_Looking out._] Oh, yonder's Willoughby! now for the grand design!
don't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _Louisa._ No, no, don't leave me;--I wouldn't stay by myself for the world.
the act of escaping physically
From this reading [_Aside._] Louisa, if you'll wait here a moment I'll step to the next gate, and see if they are there;--they cannot escape us then.
be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
From this reading _Lady._ Well, well, never fear; [_Looking out._] Oh, yonder's Willoughby! now for the grand design!
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading _Lady._ Well, well, never fear; [_Looking out._] Oh, yonder's Willoughby! now for the grand design!
a movable barrier in a fence or wall
From this reading [_Aside._] Louisa, if you'll wait here a moment I'll step to the next gate, and see if they are there;--they cannot escape us then.
of behavior that is impressive and ambitious in scale or scope
From this reading _Lady._ Well, well, never fear; [_Looking out._] Oh, yonder's Willoughby! now for the grand design!
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading [_Aside._] Louisa, if you'll wait here a moment I'll step to the next gate, and see if they are there;--they cannot escape us then.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading _Louisa._ No, no, don't leave me;--I wouldn't stay by myself for the world.
I'll
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading [_Aside._] Louisa, if you'll wait here a moment I'll step to the next gate, and see if they are there;--they cannot escape us then.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading [_Aside._] Louisa, if you'll wait here a moment I'll step to the next gate, and see if they are there;--they cannot escape us then.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading _Lady._ Ridiculous! can't you protect yourself for an instant? must you be all your life watch'd like a baby in leading-strings?
a very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat)
From this reading _Lady._ Ridiculous! can't you protect yourself for an instant? must you be all your life watch'd like a baby in leading-strings?
a polite name for any woman
From this reading _Lady._ Well, well, never fear; [_Looking out._] Oh, yonder's Willoughby! now for the grand design!
leading-strings
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _Lady._ Ridiculous! can't you protect yourself for an instant? must you be all your life watch'd like a baby in leading-strings?
go away from a place
From this reading _Louisa._ No, no, don't leave me;--I wouldn't stay by myself for the world.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading _Lady._ Ridiculous! can't you protect yourself for an instant? must you be all your life watch'd like a baby in leading-strings?
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading _Lady._ Ridiculous! can't you protect yourself for an instant? must you be all your life watch'd like a baby in leading-strings?
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading _Lady._ Well, well, never fear; [_Looking out._] Oh, yonder's Willoughby! now for the grand design!
Louisa
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading [_Aside._] Louisa, if you'll wait here a moment I'll step to the next gate, and see if they are there;--they cannot escape us then.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading _Louisa._ No, no, don't leave me;--I wouldn't stay by myself for the world.
a particular point in time
From this reading [_Aside._] Louisa, if you'll wait here a moment I'll step to the next gate, and see if they are there;--they cannot escape us then.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading _Lady._ Ridiculous! can't you protect yourself for an instant? must you be all your life watch'd like a baby in leading-strings?
used when the speaker is also the object of the action
From this reading _Louisa._ No, no, don't leave me;--I wouldn't stay by myself for the world.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading _Lady._ Well, well, never fear; [_Looking out._] Oh, yonder's Willoughby! now for the grand design!
immediately following in time or order
From this reading [_Aside._] Louisa, if you'll wait here a moment I'll step to the next gate, and see if they are there;--they cannot escape us then.
not any; not one
From this reading _Louisa._ No, no, don't leave me;--I wouldn't stay by myself for the world.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading _Lady._ Well, well, never fear; [_Looking out._] Oh, yonder's Willoughby! now for the grand design!
a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region
From this reading _Lady._ Well, well, never fear; [_Looking out._] Oh, yonder's Willoughby! now for the grand design!
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading _Lady._ Well, well, never fear; [_Looking out._] Oh, yonder's Willoughby! now for the grand design!
shield from danger, injury, destruction, or damage
From this reading _Lady._ Ridiculous! can't you protect yourself for an instant? must you be all your life watch'd like a baby in leading-strings?
inspiring scornful pity
From this reading _Lady._ Ridiculous! can't you protect yourself for an instant? must you be all your life watch'd like a baby in leading-strings?
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading [_Aside._] Louisa, if you'll wait here a moment I'll step to the next gate, and see if they are there;--they cannot escape us then.
stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading _Louisa._ No, no, don't leave me;--I wouldn't stay by myself for the world.
any maneuver made as part of progress toward a goal
From this reading [_Aside._] Louisa, if you'll wait here a moment I'll step to the next gate, and see if they are there;--they cannot escape us then.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading _Lady._ Well, well, never fear; [_Looking out._] Oh, yonder's Willoughby! now for the grand design!
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading [_Aside._] Louisa, if you'll wait here a moment I'll step to the next gate, and see if they are there;--they cannot escape us then.
in or at that place or location
From this reading [_Aside._] Louisa, if you'll wait here a moment I'll step to the next gate, and see if they are there;--they cannot escape us then.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading [_Aside._] Louisa, if you'll wait here a moment I'll step to the next gate, and see if they are there;--they cannot escape us then.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading [_Aside._] Louisa, if you'll wait here a moment I'll step to the next gate, and see if they are there;--they cannot escape us then.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading [_Aside._] Louisa, if you'll wait here a moment I'll step to the next gate, and see if they are there;--they cannot escape us then.
stay in one place and anticipate or expect something
From this reading [_Aside._] Louisa, if you'll wait here a moment I'll step to the next gate, and see if they are there;--they cannot escape us then.
watch'd
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _Lady._ Ridiculous! can't you protect yourself for an instant? must you be all your life watch'd like a baby in leading-strings?
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading _Lady._ Well, well, never fear; [_Looking out._] Oh, yonder's Willoughby! now for the grand design!
Willoughby
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _Lady._ Well, well, never fear; [_Looking out._] Oh, yonder's Willoughby! now for the grand design!
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading _Louisa._ No, no, don't leave me;--I wouldn't stay by myself for the world.
wouldn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _Louisa._ No, no, don't leave me;--I wouldn't stay by myself for the world.
yonder's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _Lady._ Well, well, never fear; [_Looking out._] Oh, yonder's Willoughby! now for the grand design!
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading _Lady._ Ridiculous! can't you protect yourself for an instant? must you be all your life watch'd like a baby in leading-strings?
you'll
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading [_Aside._] Louisa, if you'll wait here a moment I'll step to the next gate, and see if they are there;--they cannot escape us then.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading _Lady._ Ridiculous! can't you protect yourself for an instant? must you be all your life watch'd like a baby in leading-strings?
used when the person spoken to is also the object of the action
From this reading _Lady._ Ridiculous! can't you protect yourself for an instant? must you be all your life watch'd like a baby in leading-strings?
