used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading LEAVE-TAKING Early in the morning, while the earth was still a mass of gray shadow and mist, and the sky had only begun to show faint signs of the flush of dawn, Betty, awake and alert, crept softly out of bed, not to awaken Martha, who slept the sleep of utter weariness at her side.
alertadjectiveUS /əˈlɜːrt/
engaged in or accustomed to close observation
From this reading LEAVE-TAKING Early in the morning, while the earth was still a mass of gray shadow and mist, and the sky had only begun to show faint signs of the flush of dawn, Betty, awake and alert, crept softly out of bed, not to awaken Martha, who slept the sleep of utter weariness at her side.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading She had been cautioned the night before by her mother not to awaken her sister by getting up at too early an hour, for she would be called in plenty of time to drive over with the rest to see the soldiers off.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading LEAVE-TAKING Early in the morning, while the earth was still a mass of gray shadow and mist, and the sky had only begun to show faint signs of the flush of dawn, Betty, awake and alert, crept softly out of bed, not to awaken Martha, who slept the sleep of utter weariness at her side.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading LEAVE-TAKING Early in the morning, while the earth was still a mass of gray shadow and mist, and the sky had only begun to show faint signs of the flush of dawn, Betty, awake and alert, crept softly out of bed, not to awaken Martha, who slept the sleep of utter weariness at her side.
awakeadjectiveUS /əˈweɪk/
not in a state of sleep; completely conscious
From this reading LEAVE-TAKING Early in the morning, while the earth was still a mass of gray shadow and mist, and the sky had only begun to show faint signs of the flush of dawn, Betty, awake and alert, crept softly out of bed, not to awaken Martha, who slept the sleep of utter weariness at her side.
awakenverbUS /əˈweɪkən/
cause to become awake or conscious
From this reading LEAVE-TAKING Early in the morning, while the earth was still a mass of gray shadow and mist, and the sky had only begun to show faint signs of the flush of dawn, Betty, awake and alert, crept softly out of bed, not to awaken Martha, who slept the sleep of utter weariness at her side.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Martha had returned only the day before from her visit to her grandfather's, a long carriage ride away from Leauvite.
bathedverbUS /beɪðd/
past form of “bathe” — cleanse the entire body
From this reading Betty bathed hurriedly, giving a perfunctory brushing to the tangled mass of curls, and getting into her clothing swiftly and silently.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading She had been cautioned the night before by her mother not to awaken her sister by getting up at too early an hour, for she would be called in plenty of time to drive over with the rest to see the soldiers off.
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading LEAVE-TAKING Early in the morning, while the earth was still a mass of gray shadow and mist, and the sky had only begun to show faint signs of the flush of dawn, Betty, awake and alert, crept softly out of bed, not to awaken Martha, who slept the sleep of utter weariness at her side.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading She had been cautioned the night before by her mother not to awaken her sister by getting up at too early an hour, for she would be called in plenty of time to drive over with the rest to see the soldiers off.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Martha had returned only the day before from her visit to her grandfather's, a long carriage ride away from Leauvite.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading LEAVE-TAKING Early in the morning, while the earth was still a mass of gray shadow and mist, and the sky had only begun to show faint signs of the flush of dawn, Betty, awake and alert, crept softly out of bed, not to awaken Martha, who slept the sleep of utter weariness at her side.
Betty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading LEAVE-TAKING Early in the morning, while the earth was still a mass of gray shadow and mist, and the sky had only begun to show faint signs of the flush of dawn, Betty, awake and alert, crept softly out of bed, not to awaken Martha, who slept the sleep of utter weariness at her side.
brushingnounUS /ˈbrʌʃɪŋ/
the act of brushing your teeth
From this reading Betty bathed hurriedly, giving a perfunctory brushing to the tangled mass of curls, and getting into her clothing swiftly and silently.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But what if her mother should forget!
showing who or what does the action
From this reading She had been cautioned the night before by her mother not to awaken her sister by getting up at too early an hour, for she would be called in plenty of time to drive over with the rest to see the soldiers off.
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading She had been cautioned the night before by her mother not to awaken her sister by getting up at too early an hour, for she would be called in plenty of time to drive over with the rest to see the soldiers off.
a railcar where passengers ride
From this reading Martha had returned only the day before from her visit to her grandfather's, a long carriage ride away from Leauvite.
cautionedverbUS /ˈkɑːʃənd/
past form of “caution” — warn strongly; put on guard
From this reading She had been cautioned the night before by her mother not to awaken her sister by getting up at too early an hour, for she would be called in plenty of time to drive over with the rest to see the soldiers off.
clothingnounUS /ˈkloʊðɪŋ/
a covering designed to be worn on a person's body
From this reading Betty bathed hurriedly, giving a perfunctory brushing to the tangled mass of curls, and getting into her clothing swiftly and silently.
inflected form of “creep” — move slowly; in the case of people or animals with the body near the ground
From this reading LEAVE-TAKING Early in the morning, while the earth was still a mass of gray shadow and mist, and the sky had only begun to show faint signs of the flush of dawn, Betty, awake and alert, crept softly out of bed, not to awaken Martha, who slept the sleep of utter weariness at her side.
curlsnounUS /kɜːrlz/
plural of “curl” — a round shape formed by a series of concentric circles (as formed by leaves or flower petals)
From this reading Betty bathed hurriedly, giving a perfunctory brushing to the tangled mass of curls, and getting into her clothing swiftly and silently.
the first light of day
From this reading LEAVE-TAKING Early in the morning, while the earth was still a mass of gray shadow and mist, and the sky had only begun to show faint signs of the flush of dawn, Betty, awake and alert, crept softly out of bed, not to awaken Martha, who slept the sleep of utter weariness at her side.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading Martha had returned only the day before from her visit to her grandfather's, a long carriage ride away from Leauvite.
operate or control a vehicle
From this reading She had been cautioned the night before by her mother not to awaken her sister by getting up at too early an hour, for she would be called in plenty of time to drive over with the rest to see the soldiers off.
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 LEAVE-TAKING Early in the morning, while the earth was still a mass of gray shadow and mist, and the sky had only begun to show faint signs of the flush of dawn, Betty, awake and alert, crept softly out of bed, not to awaken Martha, who slept the sleep of utter weariness at her side.
the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on
From this reading LEAVE-TAKING Early in the morning, while the earth was still a mass of gray shadow and mist, and the sky had only begun to show faint signs of the flush of dawn, Betty, awake and alert, crept softly out of bed, not to awaken Martha, who slept the sleep of utter weariness at her side.
deficient in magnitude; barely perceptible; lacking clarity or brightness or loudness etc
From this reading LEAVE-TAKING Early in the morning, while the earth was still a mass of gray shadow and mist, and the sky had only begun to show faint signs of the flush of dawn, Betty, awake and alert, crept softly out of bed, not to awaken Martha, who slept the sleep of utter weariness at her side.
flushnounUS /flʌʃ/
the period of greatest prosperity or productivity
From this reading LEAVE-TAKING Early in the morning, while the earth was still a mass of gray shadow and mist, and the sky had only begun to show faint signs of the flush of dawn, Betty, awake and alert, crept softly out of bed, not to awaken Martha, who slept the sleep of utter weariness at her side.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading She had been cautioned the night before by her mother not to awaken her sister by getting up at too early an hour, for she would be called in plenty of time to drive over with the rest to see the soldiers off.
dismiss from the mind; stop remembering
From this reading But what if her mother should forget!
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Martha had returned only the day before from her visit to her grandfather's, a long carriage ride away from Leauvite.
the act of acquiring something
From this reading Betty bathed hurriedly, giving a perfunctory brushing to the tangled mass of curls, and getting into her clothing swiftly and silently.
the act of giving
From this reading Betty bathed hurriedly, giving a perfunctory brushing to the tangled mass of curls, and getting into her clothing swiftly and silently.
grandfather'snounUS /ˈɡrændfɑːðərz/
possessive form of “grandfather” — the father of your father or mother
From this reading Martha had returned only the day before from her visit to her grandfather's, a long carriage ride away from Leauvite.
a neutral achromatic color midway between white and black
From this reading LEAVE-TAKING Early in the morning, while the earth was still a mass of gray shadow and mist, and the sky had only begun to show faint signs of the flush of dawn, Betty, awake and alert, crept softly out of bed, not to awaken Martha, who slept the sleep of utter weariness at her side.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading LEAVE-TAKING Early in the morning, while the earth was still a mass of gray shadow and mist, and the sky had only begun to show faint signs of the flush of dawn, Betty, awake and alert, crept softly out of bed, not to awaken Martha, who slept the sleep of utter weariness at her side.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading LEAVE-TAKING Early in the morning, while the earth was still a mass of gray shadow and mist, and the sky had only begun to show faint signs of the flush of dawn, Betty, awake and alert, crept softly out of bed, not to awaken Martha, who slept the sleep of utter weariness at her side.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading She had been cautioned the night before by her mother not to awaken her sister by getting up at too early an hour, for she would be called in plenty of time to drive over with the rest to see the soldiers off.
hurriedlyadverbUS /ˈhɜːridli/
in a hurried or hasty manner
From this reading Betty bathed hurriedly, giving a perfunctory brushing to the tangled mass of curls, and getting into her clothing swiftly and silently.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading But what if her mother should forget!
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading LEAVE-TAKING Early in the morning, while the earth was still a mass of gray shadow and mist, and the sky had only begun to show faint signs of the flush of dawn, Betty, awake and alert, crept softly out of bed, not to awaken Martha, who slept the sleep of utter weariness at her side.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Betty bathed hurriedly, giving a perfunctory brushing to the tangled mass of curls, and getting into her clothing swiftly and silently.
Leauvite
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Martha had returned only the day before from her visit to her grandfather's, a long carriage ride away from Leauvite.
LEAVE-TAKINGnoun
the act of departing politely
From this reading LEAVE-TAKING Early in the morning, while the earth was still a mass of gray shadow and mist, and the sky had only begun to show faint signs of the flush of dawn, Betty, awake and alert, crept softly out of bed, not to awaken Martha, who slept the sleep of utter weariness at her side.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading Martha had returned only the day before from her visit to her grandfather's, a long carriage ride away from Leauvite.
Martha
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading LEAVE-TAKING Early in the morning, while the earth was still a mass of gray shadow and mist, and the sky had only begun to show faint signs of the flush of dawn, Betty, awake and alert, crept softly out of bed, not to awaken Martha, who slept the sleep of utter weariness at her side.
the property of a body that causes it to have weight in a gravitational field
From this reading LEAVE-TAKING Early in the morning, while the earth was still a mass of gray shadow and mist, and the sky had only begun to show faint signs of the flush of dawn, Betty, awake and alert, crept softly out of bed, not to awaken Martha, who slept the sleep of utter weariness at her side.
become covered with mist
From this reading LEAVE-TAKING Early in the morning, while the earth was still a mass of gray shadow and mist, and the sky had only begun to show faint signs of the flush of dawn, Betty, awake and alert, crept softly out of bed, not to awaken Martha, who slept the sleep of utter weariness at her side.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading LEAVE-TAKING Early in the morning, while the earth was still a mass of gray shadow and mist, and the sky had only begun to show faint signs of the flush of dawn, Betty, awake and alert, crept softly out of bed, not to awaken Martha, who slept the sleep of utter weariness at her side.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading She had been cautioned the night before by her mother not to awaken her sister by getting up at too early an hour, for she would be called in plenty of time to drive over with the rest to see the soldiers off.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading She had been cautioned the night before by her mother not to awaken her sister by getting up at too early an hour, for she would be called in plenty of time to drive over with the rest to see the soldiers off.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading LEAVE-TAKING Early in the morning, while the earth was still a mass of gray shadow and mist, and the sky had only begun to show faint signs of the flush of dawn, Betty, awake and alert, crept softly out of bed, not to awaken Martha, who slept the sleep of utter weariness at her side.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading LEAVE-TAKING Early in the morning, while the earth was still a mass of gray shadow and mist, and the sky had only begun to show faint signs of the flush of dawn, Betty, awake and alert, crept softly out of bed, not to awaken Martha, who slept the sleep of utter weariness at her side.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading She had been cautioned the night before by her mother not to awaken her sister by getting up at too early an hour, for she would be called in plenty of time to drive over with the rest to see the soldiers off.
and nothing more
From this reading LEAVE-TAKING Early in the morning, while the earth was still a mass of gray shadow and mist, and the sky had only begun to show faint signs of the flush of dawn, Betty, awake and alert, crept softly out of bed, not to awaken Martha, who slept the sleep of utter weariness at her side.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading LEAVE-TAKING Early in the morning, while the earth was still a mass of gray shadow and mist, and the sky had only begun to show faint signs of the flush of dawn, Betty, awake and alert, crept softly out of bed, not to awaken Martha, who slept the sleep of utter weariness at her side.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading She had been cautioned the night before by her mother not to awaken her sister by getting up at too early an hour, for she would be called in plenty of time to drive over with the rest to see the soldiers off.
perfunctoryadjectiveUS /pərˈfʌŋktəri/
hasty and without attention to detail; not thorough
From this reading Betty bathed hurriedly, giving a perfunctory brushing to the tangled mass of curls, and getting into her clothing swiftly and silently.
a full supply
From this reading She had been cautioned the night before by her mother not to awaken her sister by getting up at too early an hour, for she would be called in plenty of time to drive over with the rest to see the soldiers off.
not move; be in a resting position
From this reading She had been cautioned the night before by her mother not to awaken her sister by getting up at too early an hour, for she would be called in plenty of time to drive over with the rest to see the soldiers off.
past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading Martha had returned only the day before from her visit to her grandfather's, a long carriage ride away from Leauvite.
sit and travel on the back of animal, usually while controlling its motions
From this reading Martha had returned only the day before from her visit to her grandfather's, a long carriage ride away from Leauvite.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading She had been cautioned the night before by her mother not to awaken her sister by getting up at too early an hour, for she would be called in plenty of time to drive over with the rest to see the soldiers off.
A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.
From this reading LEAVE-TAKING Early in the morning, while the earth was still a mass of gray shadow and mist, and the sky had only begun to show faint signs of the flush of dawn, Betty, awake and alert, crept softly out of bed, not to awaken Martha, who slept the sleep of utter weariness at her side.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She had been cautioned the night before by her mother not to awaken her sister by getting up at too early an hour, for she would be called in plenty of time to drive over with the rest to see the soldiers off.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading But what if her mother should forget!
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading LEAVE-TAKING Early in the morning, while the earth was still a mass of gray shadow and mist, and the sky had only begun to show faint signs of the flush of dawn, Betty, awake and alert, crept softly out of bed, not to awaken Martha, who slept the sleep of utter weariness at her side.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading LEAVE-TAKING Early in the morning, while the earth was still a mass of gray shadow and mist, and the sky had only begun to show faint signs of the flush of dawn, Betty, awake and alert, crept softly out of bed, not to awaken Martha, who slept the sleep of utter weariness at her side.
plural of “sign” — a perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that something has happened)
From this reading LEAVE-TAKING Early in the morning, while the earth was still a mass of gray shadow and mist, and the sky had only begun to show faint signs of the flush of dawn, Betty, awake and alert, crept softly out of bed, not to awaken Martha, who slept the sleep of utter weariness at her side.
without speaking
From this reading Betty bathed hurriedly, giving a perfunctory brushing to the tangled mass of curls, and getting into her clothing swiftly and silently.
a female person who has the same parents as another person
From this reading She had been cautioned the night before by her mother not to awaken her sister by getting up at too early an hour, for she would be called in plenty of time to drive over with the rest to see the soldiers off.
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading LEAVE-TAKING Early in the morning, while the earth was still a mass of gray shadow and mist, and the sky had only begun to show faint signs of the flush of dawn, Betty, awake and alert, crept softly out of bed, not to awaken Martha, who slept the sleep of utter weariness at her side.
a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended
From this reading LEAVE-TAKING Early in the morning, while the earth was still a mass of gray shadow and mist, and the sky had only begun to show faint signs of the flush of dawn, Betty, awake and alert, crept softly out of bed, not to awaken Martha, who slept the sleep of utter weariness at her side.
inflected form of “sleep” — be asleep
From this reading LEAVE-TAKING Early in the morning, while the earth was still a mass of gray shadow and mist, and the sky had only begun to show faint signs of the flush of dawn, Betty, awake and alert, crept softly out of bed, not to awaken Martha, who slept the sleep of utter weariness at her side.
with low volume
From this reading LEAVE-TAKING Early in the morning, while the earth was still a mass of gray shadow and mist, and the sky had only begun to show faint signs of the flush of dawn, Betty, awake and alert, crept softly out of bed, not to awaken Martha, who slept the sleep of utter weariness at her side.
plural of “soldier” — an enlisted man or woman who serves in an army
From this reading She had been cautioned the night before by her mother not to awaken her sister by getting up at too early an hour, for she would be called in plenty of time to drive over with the rest to see the soldiers off.
not in physical motion
From this reading LEAVE-TAKING Early in the morning, while the earth was still a mass of gray shadow and mist, and the sky had only begun to show faint signs of the flush of dawn, Betty, awake and alert, crept softly out of bed, not to awaken Martha, who slept the sleep of utter weariness at her side.
in a swift manner
From this reading Betty bathed hurriedly, giving a perfunctory brushing to the tangled mass of curls, and getting into her clothing swiftly and silently.
tangledadjectiveUS /ˈtæŋɡəld/
in a confused mass
From this reading Betty bathed hurriedly, giving a perfunctory brushing to the tangled mass of curls, and getting into her clothing swiftly and silently.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading LEAVE-TAKING Early in the morning, while the earth was still a mass of gray shadow and mist, and the sky had only begun to show faint signs of the flush of dawn, Betty, awake and alert, crept softly out of bed, not to awaken Martha, who slept the sleep of utter weariness at her side.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading She had been cautioned the night before by her mother not to awaken her sister by getting up at too early an hour, for she would be called in plenty of time to drive over with the rest to see the soldiers off.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading LEAVE-TAKING Early in the morning, while the earth was still a mass of gray shadow and mist, and the sky had only begun to show faint signs of the flush of dawn, Betty, awake and alert, crept softly out of bed, not to awaken Martha, who slept the sleep of utter weariness at her side.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading She had been cautioned the night before by her mother not to awaken her sister by getting up at too early an hour, for she would be called in plenty of time to drive over with the rest to see the soldiers off.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading She had been cautioned the night before by her mother not to awaken her sister by getting up at too early an hour, for she would be called in plenty of time to drive over with the rest to see the soldiers off.
articulate; either verbally or with a cry, shout, or noise
From this reading LEAVE-TAKING Early in the morning, while the earth was still a mass of gray shadow and mist, and the sky had only begun to show faint signs of the flush of dawn, Betty, awake and alert, crept softly out of bed, not to awaken Martha, who slept the sleep of utter weariness at her side.
go to see a place, as for entertainment
From this reading Martha had returned only the day before from her visit to her grandfather's, a long carriage ride away from Leauvite.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading LEAVE-TAKING Early in the morning, while the earth was still a mass of gray shadow and mist, and the sky had only begun to show faint signs of the flush of dawn, Betty, awake and alert, crept softly out of bed, not to awaken Martha, who slept the sleep of utter weariness at her side.
wearinessnounUS /ˈwɪrinəs/
temporary loss of strength and energy resulting from hard physical or mental work
From this reading LEAVE-TAKING Early in the morning, while the earth was still a mass of gray shadow and mist, and the sky had only begun to show faint signs of the flush of dawn, Betty, awake and alert, crept softly out of bed, not to awaken Martha, who slept the sleep of utter weariness at her side.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading But what if her mother should forget!
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading LEAVE-TAKING Early in the morning, while the earth was still a mass of gray shadow and mist, and the sky had only begun to show faint signs of the flush of dawn, Betty, awake and alert, crept softly out of bed, not to awaken Martha, who slept the sleep of utter weariness at her side.
which person or people
From this reading LEAVE-TAKING Early in the morning, while the earth was still a mass of gray shadow and mist, and the sky had only begun to show faint signs of the flush of dawn, Betty, awake and alert, crept softly out of bed, not to awaken Martha, who slept the sleep of utter weariness at her side.
in the company of; together with
From this reading She had been cautioned the night before by her mother not to awaken her sister by getting up at too early an hour, for she would be called in plenty of time to drive over with the rest to see the soldiers off.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading She had been cautioned the night before by her mother not to awaken her sister by getting up at too early an hour, for she would be called in plenty of time to drive over with the rest to see the soldiers off.
