used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was about this time that Philomène first began to remark a change in her father.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading It was about this time that Philomène first began to remark a change in her father.
to or in a foreign country
From this reading Once when writing to her godmother, who was abroad at the time, she put at the end of the letter; “_P.S._—I wish I had a mother.”
acutelyadverbUS /əˈkjuːtli/
in a keen or penetrating way
From this reading She suffered acutely from his altered manner, but was far too loyal to confide her trouble to either of her fairy friends, let alone to Nurse or Miss Mills.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading She suffered acutely from his altered manner, but was far too loyal to confide her trouble to either of her fairy friends, let alone to Nurse or Miss Mills.
alteredadjectiveUS /ˈɔːltərd/
changed in form or character without becoming something else
From this reading She suffered acutely from his altered manner, but was far too loyal to confide her trouble to either of her fairy friends, let alone to Nurse or Miss Mills.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He was not unkind to his little girl, but he saw less of her, and gave her only half his attention when she spoke to him.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading He was not at any time a man of many words, but he now became unusually silent even for him.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He was not at any time a man of many words, but he now became unusually silent even for him.
the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others
From this reading He was not unkind to his little girl, but he saw less of her, and gave her only half his attention when she spoke to him.
inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading He was not at any time a man of many words, but he now became unusually silent even for him.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading It was about this time that Philomène first began to remark a change in her father.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He was not at any time a man of many words, but he now became unusually silent even for him.
cause to change; make different; cause a transformation
From this reading It was about this time that Philomène first began to remark a change in her father.
confideverbUS /kənˈfaɪd/
reveal in private; tell confidentially
From this reading She suffered acutely from his altered manner, but was far too loyal to confide her trouble to either of her fairy friends, let alone to Nurse or Miss Mills.
one or the other of two
From this reading She suffered acutely from his altered manner, but was far too loyal to confide her trouble to either of her fairy friends, let alone to Nurse or Miss Mills.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading Once when writing to her godmother, who was abroad at the time, she put at the end of the letter; “_P.S._—I wish I had a mother.”
divisible by two
From this reading He was not at any time a man of many words, but he now became unusually silent even for him.
a small being, human in form, playful and having magical powers
From this reading She suffered acutely from his altered manner, but was far too loyal to confide her trouble to either of her fairy friends, let alone to Nurse or Miss Mills.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading She suffered acutely from his altered manner, but was far too loyal to confide her trouble to either of her fairy friends, let alone to Nurse or Miss Mills.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading It was about this time that Philomène first began to remark a change in her father.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading It was about this time that Philomène first began to remark a change in her father.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He was not at any time a man of many words, but he now became unusually silent even for him.
plural of “friend” — a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading She suffered acutely from his altered manner, but was far too loyal to confide her trouble to either of her fairy friends, let alone to Nurse or Miss Mills.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading She suffered acutely from his altered manner, but was far too loyal to confide her trouble to either of her fairy friends, let alone to Nurse or Miss Mills.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading He was not unkind to his little girl, but he saw less of her, and gave her only half his attention when she spoke to him.
a young female
From this reading He was not unkind to his little girl, but he saw less of her, and gave her only half his attention when she spoke to him.
godmothernounUS /ˈɡɑːdmʌðər/
any woman who serves as a sponsor for a child at baptism
From this reading Once when writing to her godmother, who was abroad at the time, she put at the end of the letter; “_P.S._—I wish I had a mother.”
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Once when writing to her godmother, who was abroad at the time, she put at the end of the letter; “_P.S._—I wish I had a mother.”
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading He was not unkind to his little girl, but he saw less of her, and gave her only half his attention when she spoke to him.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was not at any time a man of many words, but he now became unusually silent even for him.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading It was about this time that Philomène first began to remark a change in her father.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He was not at any time a man of many words, but he now became unusually silent even for him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He was not unkind to his little girl, but he saw less of her, and gave her only half his attention when she spoke to him.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Once when writing to her godmother, who was abroad at the time, she put at the end of the letter; “_P.S._—I wish I had a mother.”
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was about this time that Philomène first began to remark a change in her father.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was about this time that Philomène first began to remark a change in her father.
used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs
From this reading He was not unkind to his little girl, but he saw less of her, and gave her only half his attention when she spoke to him.
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading She suffered acutely from his altered manner, but was far too loyal to confide her trouble to either of her fairy friends, let alone to Nurse or Miss Mills.
a written message addressed to a person or organization
From this reading Once when writing to her godmother, who was abroad at the time, she put at the end of the letter; “_P.S._—I wish I had a mother.”
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading He was not unkind to his little girl, but he saw less of her, and gave her only half his attention when she spoke to him.
loyaladjectiveUS /ˈlɔɪəl/
steadfast in allegiance or duty
From this reading She suffered acutely from his altered manner, but was far too loyal to confide her trouble to either of her fairy friends, let alone to Nurse or Miss Mills.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading He was not at any time a man of many words, but he now became unusually silent even for him.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading She suffered acutely from his altered manner, but was far too loyal to confide her trouble to either of her fairy friends, let alone to Nurse or Miss Mills.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading He was not at any time a man of many words, but he now became unusually silent even for him.
MillsnounUS /mɪlz/
United States architect who was the presidentially appointed architect of Washington D.C. (1781-1855)
From this reading She suffered acutely from his altered manner, but was far too loyal to confide her trouble to either of her fairy friends, let alone to Nurse or Miss Mills.
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading She suffered acutely from his altered manner, but was far too loyal to confide her trouble to either of her fairy friends, let alone to Nurse or Miss Mills.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading Once when writing to her godmother, who was abroad at the time, she put at the end of the letter; “_P.S._—I wish I had a mother.”
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He was not at any time a man of many words, but he now became unusually silent even for him.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading He was not at any time a man of many words, but he now became unusually silent even for him.
try to cure by special care of treatment, of an illness or injury
From this reading She suffered acutely from his altered manner, but was far too loyal to confide her trouble to either of her fairy friends, let alone to Nurse or Miss Mills.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He was not at any time a man of many words, but he now became unusually silent even for him.
on one occasion
From this reading Once when writing to her godmother, who was abroad at the time, she put at the end of the letter; “_P.S._—I wish I had a mother.”
and nothing more
From this reading He was not unkind to his little girl, but he saw less of her, and gave her only half his attention when she spoke to him.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading She suffered acutely from his altered manner, but was far too loyal to confide her trouble to either of her fairy friends, let alone to Nurse or Miss Mills.
a multivalent nonmetallic element of the nitrogen family that occurs commonly in inorganic phosphate rocks and as organic phosphates in all living cells; is highly reactive and occurs in several allotropic forms
From this reading Once when writing to her godmother, who was abroad at the time, she put at the end of the letter; “_P.S._—I wish I had a mother.”
Philomène
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was about this time that Philomène first began to remark a change in her father.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Once when writing to her godmother, who was abroad at the time, she put at the end of the letter; “_P.S._—I wish I had a mother.”
a statement that expresses a personal opinion or belief or adds information
From this reading It was about this time that Philomène first began to remark a change in her father.
1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading Once when writing to her godmother, who was abroad at the time, she put at the end of the letter; “_P.S._—I wish I had a mother.”
cut with a saw
From this reading He was not unkind to his little girl, but he saw less of her, and gave her only half his attention when she spoke to him.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was not unkind to his little girl, but he saw less of her, and gave her only half his attention when she spoke to him.
marked by absence of sound
From this reading He was not at any time a man of many words, but he now became unusually silent even for him.
support consisting of a radial member of a wheel joining the hub to the rim
From this reading He was not unkind to his little girl, but he saw less of her, and gave her only half his attention when she spoke to him.
past form of “suffer” — undergo or be subjected to
From this reading She suffered acutely from his altered manner, but was far too loyal to confide her trouble to either of her fairy friends, let alone to Nurse or Miss Mills.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was about this time that Philomène first began to remark a change in her father.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Once when writing to her godmother, who was abroad at the time, she put at the end of the letter; “_P.S._—I wish I had a mother.”
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading It was about this time that Philomène first began to remark a change in her father.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading It was about this time that Philomène first began to remark a change in her father.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It was about this time that Philomène first began to remark a change in her father.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading She suffered acutely from his altered manner, but was far too loyal to confide her trouble to either of her fairy friends, let alone to Nurse or Miss Mills.
a source of difficulty
From this reading She suffered acutely from his altered manner, but was far too loyal to confide her trouble to either of her fairy friends, let alone to Nurse or Miss Mills.
unkindadjectiveUS /ənˈkaɪnd/
lacking kindness
From this reading He was not unkind to his little girl, but he saw less of her, and gave her only half his attention when she spoke to him.
unusuallyadverbUS /əˈnjuːʒuːəli/
to a remarkable degree or extent
From this reading He was not at any time a man of many words, but he now became unusually silent even for him.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was about this time that Philomène first began to remark a change in her father.
at the time that
From this reading He was not unkind to his little girl, but he saw less of her, and gave her only half his attention when she spoke to him.
which person or people
From this reading Once when writing to her godmother, who was abroad at the time, she put at the end of the letter; “_P.S._—I wish I had a mother.”
hope for; have a wish
From this reading Once when writing to her godmother, who was abroad at the time, she put at the end of the letter; “_P.S._—I wish I had a mother.”
the words that are spoken
From this reading He was not at any time a man of many words, but he now became unusually silent even for him.
the act of creating written works
From this reading Once when writing to her godmother, who was abroad at the time, she put at the end of the letter; “_P.S._—I wish I had a mother.”
