used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Now that the thing was done and they were actually moved into a barn she began to have all sorts of fears and compunctions concerning it.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading She longed to rush into her mother's room, tell her all about it, and get the dreaded episode over.
in actual fact
From this reading Now that the thing was done and they were actually moved into a barn she began to have all sorts of fears and compunctions concerning it.
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading Try as she would to bring back all the sensible philosophy that had caused her to enter into this affair in the first place, she simply could not feel anything but trouble.
(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 Now that the thing was done and they were actually moved into a barn she began to have all sorts of fears and compunctions concerning it.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading Shirley was awake early that morning, almost too excited to sleep but fitfully even through the night.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Now that the thing was done and they were actually moved into a barn she began to have all sorts of fears and compunctions concerning it.
any thing at all
From this reading Try as she would to bring back all the sensible philosophy that had caused her to enter into this affair in the first place, she simply could not feel anything but trouble.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading She seemed to see her delicate mother shrink as from a blow when she first learned that they had come to this.
awakeadjectiveUS /əˈweɪk/
not in a state of sleep; completely conscious
From this reading Shirley was awake early that morning, almost too excited to sleep but fitfully even through the night.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading Try as she would to bring back all the sensible philosophy that had caused her to enter into this affair in the first place, she simply could not feel anything but trouble.
barnnounUS /bɑːrn/
an outlying farm building for storing grain or animal feed and housing farm animals
From this reading Now that the thing was done and they were actually moved into a barn she began to have all sorts of fears and compunctions concerning it.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading Now that the thing was done and they were actually moved into a barn she began to have all sorts of fears and compunctions concerning it.
exhale hard
From this reading She seemed to see her delicate mother shrink as from a blow when she first learned that they had come to this.
take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading Try as she would to bring back all the sensible philosophy that had caused her to enter into this affair in the first place, she simply could not feel anything but trouble.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Shirley was awake early that morning, almost too excited to sleep but fitfully even through the night.
past form of “cause” — give rise to; cause to happen or occur, not always intentionally
From this reading Try as she would to bring back all the sensible philosophy that had caused her to enter into this affair in the first place, she simply could not feel anything but trouble.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading She seemed to see her delicate mother shrink as from a blow when she first learned that they had come to this.
compunctions
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now that the thing was done and they were actually moved into a barn she began to have all sorts of fears and compunctions concerning it.
-ing form of “concern” — be relevant to
From this reading Now that the thing was done and they were actually moved into a barn she began to have all sorts of fears and compunctions concerning it.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Try as she would to bring back all the sensible philosophy that had caused her to enter into this affair in the first place, she simply could not feel anything but trouble.
exquisitely fine and subtle and pleasing; susceptible to injury
From this reading She seemed to see her delicate mother shrink as from a blow when she first learned that they had come to this.
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading Now that the thing was done and they were actually moved into a barn she began to have all sorts of fears and compunctions concerning it.
dreadedadjectiveUS /ˈdredɪd/
causing fear or dread or terror
From this reading She longed to rush into her mother's room, tell her all about it, and get the dreaded episode over.
earlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/
at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time
From this reading Shirley was awake early that morning, almost too excited to sleep but fitfully even through the night.
to come or go into
From this reading Try as she would to bring back all the sensible philosophy that had caused her to enter into this affair in the first place, she simply could not feel anything but trouble.
episodenounUS /ˈepəsoʊd/
a happening that is distinctive in a series of related events
From this reading She longed to rush into her mother's room, tell her all about it, and get the dreaded episode over.
divisible by two
From this reading Shirley was awake early that morning, almost too excited to sleep but fitfully even through the night.
(of persons) excessively affected by emotion
From this reading Shirley was awake early that morning, almost too excited to sleep but fitfully even through the night.
plural of “fear” — an emotion experienced in anticipation of some specific pain or danger (usually accompanied by a desire to flee or fight)
From this reading Now that the thing was done and they were actually moved into a barn she began to have all sorts of fears and compunctions concerning it.
undergo an emotional sensation or be in a particular state of mind
From this reading Try as she would to bring back all the sensible philosophy that had caused her to enter into this affair in the first place, she simply could not feel anything but trouble.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading She seemed to see her delicate mother shrink as from a blow when she first learned that they had come to this.
fitfullyadverbUS /ˈfɪtfəli/
in a fitful manner
From this reading Shirley was awake early that morning, almost too excited to sleep but fitfully even through the night.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading She seemed to see her delicate mother shrink as from a blow when she first learned that they had come to this.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading She longed to rush into her mother's room, tell her all about it, and get the dreaded episode over.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading She seemed to see her delicate mother shrink as from a blow when she first learned that they had come to this.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Now that the thing was done and they were actually moved into a barn she began to have all sorts of fears and compunctions concerning it.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She seemed to see her delicate mother shrink as from a blow when she first learned that they had come to this.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Try as she would to bring back all the sensible philosophy that had caused her to enter into this affair in the first place, she simply could not feel anything but trouble.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Now that the thing was done and they were actually moved into a barn she began to have all sorts of fears and compunctions concerning it.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Now that the thing was done and they were actually moved into a barn she began to have all sorts of fears and compunctions concerning it.
having or showing profound knowledge
From this reading She seemed to see her delicate mother shrink as from a blow when she first learned that they had come to this.
longedverbUS /lɔːŋd/
past form of “long” — desire strongly or persistently
From this reading She longed to rush into her mother's room, tell her all about it, and get the dreaded episode over.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading Shirley was awake early that morning, almost too excited to sleep but fitfully even through the night.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading She seemed to see her delicate mother shrink as from a blow when she first learned that they had come to this.
mother'snounUS /ˈmʌðərz/
possessive form of “mother” — a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading She longed to rush into her mother's room, tell her all about it, and get the dreaded episode over.
being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion
From this reading Now that the thing was done and they were actually moved into a barn she began to have all sorts of fears and compunctions concerning it.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading Shirley was awake early that morning, almost too excited to sleep but fitfully even through the night.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Try as she would to bring back all the sensible philosophy that had caused her to enter into this affair in the first place, she simply could not feel anything but trouble.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Now that the thing was done and they were actually moved into a barn she began to have all sorts of fears and compunctions concerning it.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Now that the thing was done and they were actually moved into a barn she began to have all sorts of fears and compunctions concerning it.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading She longed to rush into her mother's room, tell her all about it, and get the dreaded episode over.
philosophynounUS /fɪˈlɑː.sə.fi/
The study of the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality, and existence. (Triết học, đạo lý nhân sinh.)
From this reading Try as she would to bring back all the sensible philosophy that had caused her to enter into this affair in the first place, she simply could not feel anything but trouble.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading Try as she would to bring back all the sensible philosophy that had caused her to enter into this affair in the first place, she simply could not feel anything but trouble.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading She longed to rush into her mother's room, tell her all about it, and get the dreaded episode over.
move hurridly
From this reading She longed to rush into her mother's room, tell her all about it, and get the dreaded episode over.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading She seemed to see her delicate mother shrink as from a blow when she first learned that they had come to this.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading She seemed to see her delicate mother shrink as from a blow when she first learned that they had come to this.
showing reason or sound judgment
From this reading Try as she would to bring back all the sensible philosophy that had caused her to enter into this affair in the first place, she simply could not feel anything but trouble.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Now that the thing was done and they were actually moved into a barn she began to have all sorts of fears and compunctions concerning it.
Shirley
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Shirley was awake early that morning, almost too excited to sleep but fitfully even through the night.
shrinkverbUS /ʃrɪŋk/
wither, as with a loss of moisture
From this reading She seemed to see her delicate mother shrink as from a blow when she first learned that they had come to this.
and nothing more
From this reading Try as she would to bring back all the sensible philosophy that had caused her to enter into this affair in the first place, she simply could not feel anything but trouble.
a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended
From this reading Shirley was awake early that morning, almost too excited to sleep but fitfully even through the night.
plural of “sort” — a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
From this reading Now that the thing was done and they were actually moved into a barn she began to have all sorts of fears and compunctions concerning it.
express in words
From this reading She longed to rush into her mother's room, tell her all about it, and get the dreaded episode over.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Shirley was awake early that morning, almost too excited to sleep but fitfully even through the night.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Shirley was awake early that morning, almost too excited to sleep but fitfully even through the night.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Now that the thing was done and they were actually moved into a barn she began to have all sorts of fears and compunctions concerning it.
a special situation
From this reading Now that the thing was done and they were actually moved into a barn she began to have all sorts of fears and compunctions concerning it.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading She seemed to see her delicate mother shrink as from a blow when she first learned that they had come to this.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading Shirley was awake early that morning, almost too excited to sleep but fitfully even through the night.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Shirley was awake early that morning, almost too excited to sleep but fitfully even through the night.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading Shirley was awake early that morning, almost too excited to sleep but fitfully even through the night.
a source of difficulty
From this reading Try as she would to bring back all the sensible philosophy that had caused her to enter into this affair in the first place, she simply could not feel anything but trouble.
make an effort or attempt
From this reading Try as she would to bring back all the sensible philosophy that had caused her to enter into this affair in the first place, she simply could not feel anything but trouble.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Shirley was awake early that morning, almost too excited to sleep but fitfully even through the night.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Now that the thing was done and they were actually moved into a barn she began to have all sorts of fears and compunctions concerning it.
at the time that
From this reading She seemed to see her delicate mother shrink as from a blow when she first learned that they had come to this.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Try as she would to bring back all the sensible philosophy that had caused her to enter into this affair in the first place, she simply could not feel anything but trouble.
