used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading True, the school dragged her down like a prison chain each day, for she had grown to hate teaching, almost to loathe it.
absorbedadjectiveUS /əbˈzɔːrbd/
giving or marked by complete attention to
From this reading Never before had she written with such an absorbed interest, nor been so utterly unconscious of everything around.
AfterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading After the first few chapters of her book had been written a new light suddenly burst upon it.
anew
From this reading She watched the clock from hour to hour as it crawled slowly round, and longed with feverish impatience for the time when the trivial lessons should be over and she free to write again.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading True, the school dragged her down like a prison chain each day, for she had grown to hate teaching, almost to loathe it.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Never before had she written with such an absorbed interest, nor been so utterly unconscious of everything around.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading From that time forward the village, its inmates, and the school became blanks to her.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading Never before had she written with such an absorbed interest, nor been so utterly unconscious of everything around.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading She watched the clock from hour to hour as it crawled slowly round, and longed with feverish impatience for the time when the trivial lessons should be over and she free to write again.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading She watched the clock from hour to hour as it crawled slowly round, and longed with feverish impatience for the time when the trivial lessons should be over and she free to write again.
inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading From that time forward the village, its inmates, and the school became blanks to her.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Never before had she written with such an absorbed interest, nor been so utterly unconscious of everything around.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Never before had she written with such an absorbed interest, nor been so utterly unconscious of everything around.
blanksnounUS /blæŋks/
plural of “blank” — a blank character used to separate successive words in writing or printing
From this reading From that time forward the village, its inmates, and the school became blanks to her.
a written work or composition that has been published (printed on pages bound together)
From this reading After the first few chapters of her book had been written a new light suddenly burst upon it.
come open suddenly and violently, as if from internal pressure
From this reading After the first few chapters of her book had been written a new light suddenly burst upon it.
a series of things depending on each other as if linked together
From this reading True, the school dragged her down like a prison chain each day, for she had grown to hate teaching, almost to loathe it.
chaptersnounUS /ˈtʃæptərz/
plural of “chapter” — a subdivision of a written work; usually numbered and titled
From this reading After the first few chapters of her book had been written a new light suddenly burst upon it.
a timepiece that shows the time of day
From this reading She watched the clock from hour to hour as it crawled slowly round, and longed with feverish impatience for the time when the trivial lessons should be over and she free to write again.
crawledverbUS /krɔːld/
past form of “crawl” — move slowly; in the case of people or animals with the body near the ground
From this reading She watched the clock from hour to hour as it crawled slowly round, and longed with feverish impatience for the time when the trivial lessons should be over and she free to write again.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading True, the school dragged her down like a prison chain each day, for she had grown to hate teaching, almost to loathe it.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading True, the school dragged her down like a prison chain each day, for she had grown to hate teaching, almost to loathe it.
inflected form of “drag” — pull, as against a resistance
From this reading True, the school dragged her down like a prison chain each day, for she had grown to hate teaching, almost to loathe it.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading True, the school dragged her down like a prison chain each day, for she had grown to hate teaching, almost to loathe it.
all things; all of a situation
From this reading Never before had she written with such an absorbed interest, nor been so utterly unconscious of everything around.
feverishadjectiveUS /ˈfiːvərɪʃ/
marked by intense agitation or emotion
From this reading She watched the clock from hour to hour as it crawled slowly round, and longed with feverish impatience for the time when the trivial lessons should be over and she free to write again.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading After the first few chapters of her book had been written a new light suddenly burst upon it.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading After the first few chapters of her book had been written a new light suddenly burst upon it.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading True, the school dragged her down like a prison chain each day, for she had grown to hate teaching, almost to loathe it.
at or to or toward the front
From this reading From that time forward the village, its inmates, and the school became blanks to her.
grant freedom to; free from confinement
From this reading She watched the clock from hour to hour as it crawled slowly round, and longed with feverish impatience for the time when the trivial lessons should be over and she free to write again.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading From that time forward the village, its inmates, and the school became blanks to her.
(of animals) fully developed
From this reading True, the school dragged her down like a prison chain each day, for she had grown to hate teaching, almost to loathe it.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading True, the school dragged her down like a prison chain each day, for she had grown to hate teaching, almost to loathe it.
the emotion of intense dislike; a feeling of dislike so strong that it demands action
From this reading True, the school dragged her down like a prison chain each day, for she had grown to hate teaching, almost to loathe it.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading From that time forward the village, its inmates, and the school became blanks to her.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading She watched the clock from hour to hour as it crawled slowly round, and longed with feverish impatience for the time when the trivial lessons should be over and she free to write again.
impatiencenounUS /ˌɪmˈpeɪʃəns/
a lack of patience; irritation with anything that causes delay
From this reading She watched the clock from hour to hour as it crawled slowly round, and longed with feverish impatience for the time when the trivial lessons should be over and she free to write again.
inmatesnounUS /ˈɪnmeɪts/
plural of “inmate” — one of several resident of a dwelling (especially someone confined to a prison or hospital)
From this reading From that time forward the village, its inmates, and the school became blanks to her.
a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something
From this reading Never before had she written with such an absorbed interest, nor been so utterly unconscious of everything around.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading True, the school dragged her down like a prison chain each day, for she had grown to hate teaching, almost to loathe it.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading From that time forward the village, its inmates, and the school became blanks to her.
lessonsnounUS /ˈlesənz/
plural of “lesson” — a unit of instruction
From this reading She watched the clock from hour to hour as it crawled slowly round, and longed with feverish impatience for the time when the trivial lessons should be over and she free to write again.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading After the first few chapters of her book had been written a new light suddenly burst upon it.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading True, the school dragged her down like a prison chain each day, for she had grown to hate teaching, almost to loathe it.
loatheverbUS /loʊð/
find repugnant
From this reading True, the school dragged her down like a prison chain each day, for she had grown to hate teaching, almost to loathe it.
longedverbUS /lɔːŋd/
past form of “long” — desire strongly or persistently
From this reading She watched the clock from hour to hour as it crawled slowly round, and longed with feverish impatience for the time when the trivial lessons should be over and she free to write again.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading Never before had she written with such an absorbed interest, nor been so utterly unconscious of everything around.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading After the first few chapters of her book had been written a new light suddenly burst upon it.
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading Never before had she written with such an absorbed interest, nor been so utterly unconscious of everything around.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Never before had she written with such an absorbed interest, nor been so utterly unconscious of everything around.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading She watched the clock from hour to hour as it crawled slowly round, and longed with feverish impatience for the time when the trivial lessons should be over and she free to write again.
a correctional institution where persons are confined while on trial or for punishment
From this reading True, the school dragged her down like a prison chain each day, for she had grown to hate teaching, almost to loathe it.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading She watched the clock from hour to hour as it crawled slowly round, and longed with feverish impatience for the time when the trivial lessons should be over and she free to write again.
an educational institution
From this reading From that time forward the village, its inmates, and the school became blanks to her.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading True, the school dragged her down like a prison chain each day, for she had grown to hate teaching, almost to loathe it.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading She watched the clock from hour to hour as it crawled slowly round, and longed with feverish impatience for the time when the trivial lessons should be over and she free to write again.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading She watched the clock from hour to hour as it crawled slowly round, and longed with feverish impatience for the time when the trivial lessons should be over and she free to write again.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Never before had she written with such an absorbed interest, nor been so utterly unconscious of everything around.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading Never before had she written with such an absorbed interest, nor been so utterly unconscious of everything around.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading After the first few chapters of her book had been written a new light suddenly burst upon it.
teachingnounUS /ˈtiːtʃɪŋ/
the profession of a teacher
From this reading True, the school dragged her down like a prison chain each day, for she had grown to hate teaching, almost to loathe it.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading From that time forward the village, its inmates, and the school became blanks to her.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading From that time forward the village, its inmates, and the school became blanks to her.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading From that time forward the village, its inmates, and the school became blanks to her.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading From that time forward the village, its inmates, and the school became blanks to her.
trivialadjectiveUS /ˈtrɪviəl/
(informal) small and of little importance
From this reading She watched the clock from hour to hour as it crawled slowly round, and longed with feverish impatience for the time when the trivial lessons should be over and she free to write again.
consistent with fact or reality; not false
From this reading True, the school dragged her down like a prison chain each day, for she had grown to hate teaching, almost to loathe it.
not conscious; lacking awareness and the capacity for sensory perception as if asleep or dead
From this reading Never before had she written with such an absorbed interest, nor been so utterly unconscious of everything around.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading After the first few chapters of her book had been written a new light suddenly burst upon it.
completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers
From this reading Never before had she written with such an absorbed interest, nor been so utterly unconscious of everything around.
a community of people smaller than a town
From this reading From that time forward the village, its inmates, and the school became blanks to her.
past form of “watch” — look attentively
From this reading She watched the clock from hour to hour as it crawled slowly round, and longed with feverish impatience for the time when the trivial lessons should be over and she free to write again.
at the time that
From this reading She watched the clock from hour to hour as it crawled slowly round, and longed with feverish impatience for the time when the trivial lessons should be over and she free to write again.
in the company of; together with
From this reading She watched the clock from hour to hour as it crawled slowly round, and longed with feverish impatience for the time when the trivial lessons should be over and she free to write again.
produce a literary work
From this reading She watched the clock from hour to hour as it crawled slowly round, and longed with feverish impatience for the time when the trivial lessons should be over and she free to write again.
set down in writing in any of various ways
From this reading Never before had she written with such an absorbed interest, nor been so utterly unconscious of everything around.
