used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Nothing more had passed between him and Dawtie, but he knew that anxious eyes were often watching him, and the thought worried him not a little.
Alexa
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The laird had been poorly for some weeks, and Alexa began to fear that he was failing.
(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 If he would but take a start, thought Dawtie, and not lose all the good of this life!
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The laird had been poorly for some weeks, and Alexa began to fear that he was failing.
eagerly desirous
From this reading Nothing more had passed between him and Dawtie, but he knew that anxious eyes were often watching him, and the thought worried him not a little.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading It was too late for him to rise very high; he could not now be a saint, but he might at least set a foot on the eternal stair that leads to the fullness of bliss!
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading It was too late for him to rise very high; he could not now be a saint, but he might at least set a foot on the eternal stair that leads to the fullness of bliss!
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The laird had been poorly for some weeks, and Alexa began to fear that he was failing.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading The laird had been poorly for some weeks, and Alexa began to fear that he was failing.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading Nothing more had passed between him and Dawtie, but he knew that anxious eyes were often watching him, and the thought worried him not a little.
blissnounUS /blɪs/
a state of extreme happiness
From this reading It was too late for him to rise very high; he could not now be a saint, but he might at least set a foot on the eternal stair that leads to the fullness of bliss!
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Nothing more had passed between him and Dawtie, but he knew that anxious eyes were often watching him, and the thought worried him not a little.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading It was too late for him to rise very high; he could not now be a saint, but he might at least set a foot on the eternal stair that leads to the fullness of bliss!
Dawtie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nothing more had passed between him and Dawtie, but he knew that anxious eyes were often watching him, and the thought worried him not a little.
continuing forever or indefinitely
From this reading It was too late for him to rise very high; he could not now be a saint, but he might at least set a foot on the eternal stair that leads to the fullness of bliss!
opinion or judgment
From this reading Nothing more had passed between him and Dawtie, but he knew that anxious eyes were often watching him, and the thought worried him not a little.
failingnounUS /ˈfeɪlɪŋ/
a flaw or weak point
From this reading The laird had been poorly for some weeks, and Alexa began to fear that he was failing.
be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
From this reading The laird had been poorly for some weeks, and Alexa began to fear that he was failing.
the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading It was too late for him to rise very high; he could not now be a saint, but he might at least set a foot on the eternal stair that leads to the fullness of bliss!
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The laird had been poorly for some weeks, and Alexa began to fear that he was failing.
fullnessnounUS /ˈfʊlnəs/
completeness over a broad scope
From this reading It was too late for him to rise very high; he could not now be a saint, but he might at least set a foot on the eternal stair that leads to the fullness of bliss!
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading If he would but take a start, thought Dawtie, and not lose all the good of this life!
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The laird had been poorly for some weeks, and Alexa began to fear that he was failing.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The laird had been poorly for some weeks, and Alexa began to fear that he was failing.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading THE HEART OF THE HEART.
greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading It was too late for him to rise very high; he could not now be a saint, but he might at least set a foot on the eternal stair that leads to the fullness of bliss!
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Nothing more had passed between him and Dawtie, but he knew that anxious eyes were often watching him, and the thought worried him not a little.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If he would but take a start, thought Dawtie, and not lose all the good of this life!
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was too late for him to rise very high; he could not now be a saint, but he might at least set a foot on the eternal stair that leads to the fullness of bliss!
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading Nothing more had passed between him and Dawtie, but he knew that anxious eyes were often watching him, and the thought worried him not a little.
lairdnounUS /lerd/
a landowner
From this reading The laird had been poorly for some weeks, and Alexa began to fear that he was failing.
being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time
From this reading It was too late for him to rise very high; he could not now be a saint, but he might at least set a foot on the eternal stair that leads to the fullness of bliss!
leadsnounUS /liːdz/
plural of “lead” — an advantage held by a competitor in a race
From this reading It was too late for him to rise very high; he could not now be a saint, but he might at least set a foot on the eternal stair that leads to the fullness of bliss!
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 It was too late for him to rise very high; he could not now be a saint, but he might at least set a foot on the eternal stair that leads to the fullness of bliss!
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading If he would but take a start, thought Dawtie, and not lose all the good of this life!
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Nothing more had passed between him and Dawtie, but he knew that anxious eyes were often watching him, and the thought worried him not a little.
fail to keep or to maintain; cease to have, either physically or in an abstract sense
From this reading If he would but take a start, thought Dawtie, and not lose all the good of this life!
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading It was too late for him to rise very high; he could not now be a saint, but he might at least set a foot on the eternal stair that leads to the fullness of bliss!
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Nothing more had passed between him and Dawtie, but he knew that anxious eyes were often watching him, and the thought worried him not a little.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Nothing more had passed between him and Dawtie, but he knew that anxious eyes were often watching him, and the thought worried him not a little.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading Nothing more had passed between him and Dawtie, but he knew that anxious eyes were often watching him, and the thought worried him not a little.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading It was too late for him to rise very high; he could not now be a saint, but he might at least set a foot on the eternal stair that leads to the fullness of bliss!
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE HEART OF THE HEART.
many times at short intervals
From this reading Nothing more had passed between him and Dawtie, but he knew that anxious eyes were often watching him, and the thought worried him not a little.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading It was too late for him to rise very high; he could not now be a saint, but he might at least set a foot on the eternal stair that leads to the fullness of bliss!
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading Nothing more had passed between him and Dawtie, but he knew that anxious eyes were often watching him, and the thought worried him not a little.
poorlyadverbUS /ˈpuːrli/
(“ill” is often used as a combining form) in a poor or improper or unsatisfactory manner; not well
From this reading The laird had been poorly for some weeks, and Alexa began to fear that he was failing.
move upward
From this reading It was too late for him to rise very high; he could not now be a saint, but he might at least set a foot on the eternal stair that leads to the fullness of bliss!
a person who has died and has been declared a saint by canonization
From this reading It was too late for him to rise very high; he could not now be a saint, but he might at least set a foot on the eternal stair that leads to the fullness of bliss!
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading It was too late for him to rise very high; he could not now be a saint, but he might at least set a foot on the eternal stair that leads to the fullness of bliss!
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading The laird had been poorly for some weeks, and Alexa began to fear that he was failing.
stairnounUS /ster/
support consisting of a place to rest the foot while ascending or descending a stairway
From this reading It was too late for him to rise very high; he could not now be a saint, but he might at least set a foot on the eternal stair that leads to the fullness of bliss!
take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading If he would but take a start, thought Dawtie, and not lose all the good of this life!
carry out
From this reading If he would but take a start, thought Dawtie, and not lose all the good of this life!
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The laird had been poorly for some weeks, and Alexa began to fear that he was failing.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE HEART OF THE HEART.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading If he would but take a start, thought Dawtie, and not lose all the good of this life!
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading Nothing more had passed between him and Dawtie, but he knew that anxious eyes were often watching him, and the thought worried him not a little.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The laird had been poorly for some weeks, and Alexa began to fear that he was failing.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading It was too late for him to rise very high; he could not now be a saint, but he might at least set a foot on the eternal stair that leads to the fullness of bliss!
precisely as stated
From this reading It was too late for him to rise very high; he could not now be a saint, but he might at least set a foot on the eternal stair that leads to the fullness of bliss!
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The laird had been poorly for some weeks, and Alexa began to fear that he was failing.
the act of observing; taking a patient look
From this reading Nothing more had passed between him and Dawtie, but he knew that anxious eyes were often watching him, and the thought worried him not a little.
plural of “week” — any period of seven consecutive days
From this reading The laird had been poorly for some weeks, and Alexa began to fear that he was failing.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Nothing more had passed between him and Dawtie, but he knew that anxious eyes were often watching him, and the thought worried him not a little.
worriedadjectiveUS /ˈwɜːrid/
afflicted with or marked by anxious uneasiness or trouble or grief
From this reading Nothing more had passed between him and Dawtie, but he knew that anxious eyes were often watching him, and the thought worried him not a little.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading If he would but take a start, thought Dawtie, and not lose all the good of this life!
