used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Privacy was almost a thing unknown.
aimverbUS /eɪm/
point or cause to go (blows, weapons, or objects such as photographic equipment) towards
From this reading Her one aim and object in life was to live quietly and to be peaceably let alone; but there was never any quietness here, and much less peace.
(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 For all that, the discipline and the life were in many ways excellent, and the governesses worked so hard that they had a knack of making lazy students ashamed of themselves.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading Privacy was almost a thing unknown.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading Her one aim and object in life was to live quietly and to be peaceably let alone; but there was never any quietness here, and much less peace.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Her one aim and object in life was to live quietly and to be peaceably let alone; but there was never any quietness here, and much less peace.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading Her one aim and object in life was to live quietly and to be peaceably let alone; but there was never any quietness here, and much less peace.
feeling shame or guilt or embarrassment or remorse
From this reading For all that, the discipline and the life were in many ways excellent, and the governesses worked so hard that they had a knack of making lazy students ashamed of themselves.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Her one aim and object in life was to live quietly and to be peaceably let alone; but there was never any quietness here, and much less peace.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Her one aim and object in life was to live quietly and to be peaceably let alone; but there was never any quietness here, and much less peace.
clock-like
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were never any slovenly-prepared lessons, and everything was done with clock-like precision.
the body of faculty and students of a college
From this reading College was very distasteful.
disciplinenounUS /ˈdɪsəplən/
a branch of knowledge
From this reading For all that, the discipline and the life were in many ways excellent, and the governesses worked so hard that they had a knack of making lazy students ashamed of themselves.
distastefuladjectiveUS /dɪˈsteɪstfəl/
not pleasing in odor or taste
From this reading College was very distasteful.
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading There were never any slovenly-prepared lessons, and everything was done with clock-like precision.
all things; all of a situation
From this reading There were never any slovenly-prepared lessons, and everything was done with clock-like precision.
very good; of the highest quality
From this reading For all that, the discipline and the life were in many ways excellent, and the governesses worked so hard that they had a knack of making lazy students ashamed of themselves.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For all that, the discipline and the life were in many ways excellent, and the governesses worked so hard that they had a knack of making lazy students ashamed of themselves.
governesses
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For all that, the discipline and the life were in many ways excellent, and the governesses worked so hard that they had a knack of making lazy students ashamed of themselves.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading For all that, the discipline and the life were in many ways excellent, and the governesses worked so hard that they had a knack of making lazy students ashamed of themselves.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading For all that, the discipline and the life were in many ways excellent, and the governesses worked so hard that they had a knack of making lazy students ashamed of themselves.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Her one aim and object in life was to live quietly and to be peaceably let alone; but there was never any quietness here, and much less peace.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading Her one aim and object in life was to live quietly and to be peaceably let alone; but there was never any quietness here, and much less peace.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Her one aim and object in life was to live quietly and to be peaceably let alone; but there was never any quietness here, and much less peace.
knacknounUS /næk/
a special way of doing something
From this reading For all that, the discipline and the life were in many ways excellent, and the governesses worked so hard that they had a knack of making lazy students ashamed of themselves.
lazyadjectiveUS /ˈleɪzi/
moving slowly and gently
From this reading For all that, the discipline and the life were in many ways excellent, and the governesses worked so hard that they had a knack of making lazy students ashamed of themselves.
used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs
From this reading Her one aim and object in life was to live quietly and to be peaceably let alone; but there was never any quietness here, and much less peace.
lessonsnounUS /ˈlesənz/
plural of “lesson” — a unit of instruction
From this reading There were never any slovenly-prepared lessons, and everything was done with clock-like precision.
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading Her one aim and object in life was to live quietly and to be peaceably let alone; but there was never any quietness here, and much less peace.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading Her one aim and object in life was to live quietly and to be peaceably let alone; but there was never any quietness here, and much less peace.
be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading Her one aim and object in life was to live quietly and to be peaceably let alone; but there was never any quietness here, and much less peace.
the act that results in something coming to be
From this reading For all that, the discipline and the life were in many ways excellent, and the governesses worked so hard that they had a knack of making lazy students ashamed of themselves.
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 For all that, the discipline and the life were in many ways excellent, and the governesses worked so hard that they had a knack of making lazy students ashamed of themselves.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading Her one aim and object in life was to live quietly and to be peaceably let alone; but there was never any quietness here, and much less peace.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading Her one aim and object in life was to live quietly and to be peaceably let alone; but there was never any quietness here, and much less peace.
a tangible and visible entity; an entity that can cast a shadow
From this reading Her one aim and object in life was to live quietly and to be peaceably let alone; but there was never any quietness here, and much less peace.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading For all that, the discipline and the life were in many ways excellent, and the governesses worked so hard that they had a knack of making lazy students ashamed of themselves.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Her one aim and object in life was to live quietly and to be peaceably let alone; but there was never any quietness here, and much less peace.
the state prevailing during the absence of war
From this reading Her one aim and object in life was to live quietly and to be peaceably let alone; but there was never any quietness here, and much less peace.
peaceablyadverbUS /ˈpiːsəbli/
in a peaceable manner
From this reading Her one aim and object in life was to live quietly and to be peaceably let alone; but there was never any quietness here, and much less peace.
precisionnounUS /priˈsɪʒən/
the quality of being reproducible in amount or performance
From this reading There were never any slovenly-prepared lessons, and everything was done with clock-like precision.
PrivacynounUS /ˈpraɪvəsi/
the quality of being secluded from the presence or view of others
From this reading Privacy was almost a thing unknown.
with low volume
From this reading Her one aim and object in life was to live quietly and to be peaceably let alone; but there was never any quietness here, and much less peace.
quietnessnounUS /ˈkwaɪətnəs/
the property of making no sound
From this reading Her one aim and object in life was to live quietly and to be peaceably let alone; but there was never any quietness here, and much less peace.
slovenly-prepared
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were never any slovenly-prepared lessons, and everything was done with clock-like precision.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading For all that, the discipline and the life were in many ways excellent, and the governesses worked so hard that they had a knack of making lazy students ashamed of themselves.
studentsnounUS /ˈstuːdənts/
plural of “student” — a learner who is enrolled in an educational institution
From this reading For all that, the discipline and the life were in many ways excellent, and the governesses worked so hard that they had a knack of making lazy students ashamed of themselves.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading For all that, the discipline and the life were in many ways excellent, and the governesses worked so hard that they had a knack of making lazy students ashamed of themselves.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading For all that, the discipline and the life were in many ways excellent, and the governesses worked so hard that they had a knack of making lazy students ashamed of themselves.
used when the people doing the action are also its object
From this reading For all that, the discipline and the life were in many ways excellent, and the governesses worked so hard that they had a knack of making lazy students ashamed of themselves.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Her one aim and object in life was to live quietly and to be peaceably let alone; but there was never any quietness here, and much less peace.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading For all that, the discipline and the life were in many ways excellent, and the governesses worked so hard that they had a knack of making lazy students ashamed of themselves.
a special situation
From this reading Privacy was almost a thing unknown.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Her one aim and object in life was to live quietly and to be peaceably let alone; but there was never any quietness here, and much less peace.
not known
From this reading Privacy was almost a thing unknown.
precisely as stated
From this reading College was very distasteful.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading College was very distasteful.
structure consisting of a sloping way down to the water from the place where ships are built or repaired
From this reading For all that, the discipline and the life were in many ways excellent, and the governesses worked so hard that they had a knack of making lazy students ashamed of themselves.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading For all that, the discipline and the life were in many ways excellent, and the governesses worked so hard that they had a knack of making lazy students ashamed of themselves.
in the company of; together with
From this reading There were never any slovenly-prepared lessons, and everything was done with clock-like precision.
past form of “work” — exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading For all that, the discipline and the life were in many ways excellent, and the governesses worked so hard that they had a knack of making lazy students ashamed of themselves.
