used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Mrs. Hartland did not cry out or make a scene; only her lips twitched painfully, and she laid a hand on the table to steady herself.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Then she looked at it herself, but the letters seemed only black dots which danced about and intermingled as if trying to hide from her.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Mrs. Hartland did not cry out or make a scene; only her lips twitched painfully, and she laid a hand on the table to steady herself.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Then she looked at it herself, but the letters seemed only black dots which danced about and intermingled as if trying to hide from her.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Then she looked at it herself, but the letters seemed only black dots which danced about and intermingled as if trying to hide from her.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading "Read it," she said simply; and he tried hard, but his voice broke down before the end of the first sentence.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading Then she looked at it herself, but the letters seemed only black dots which danced about and intermingled as if trying to hide from her.
a youthful male person
From this reading "Tell me the worst, Jim," she whispered bravely; and the boy drew the paper from his pocket with trembling fingers.
bravelyadverbUS /ˈbreɪvli/
in a courageous manner
From this reading "Tell me the worst, Jim," she whispered bravely; and the boy drew the paper from his pocket with trembling fingers.
lacking funds
From this reading "Read it," she said simply; and he tried hard, but his voice broke down before the end of the first sentence.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading "Read it," she said simply; and he tried hard, but his voice broke down before the end of the first sentence.
utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading Mrs. Hartland did not cry out or make a scene; only her lips twitched painfully, and she laid a hand on the table to steady herself.
past form of “dance” — move in a graceful and rhythmical way
From this reading Then she looked at it herself, but the letters seemed only black dots which danced about and intermingled as if trying to hide from her.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Mrs. Hartland did not cry out or make a scene; only her lips twitched painfully, and she laid a hand on the table to steady herself.
dotsnounUS /dɑːts/
plural of “dot” — a very small circular shape
From this reading Then she looked at it herself, but the letters seemed only black dots which danced about and intermingled as if trying to hide from her.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading "Read it," she said simply; and he tried hard, but his voice broke down before the end of the first sentence.
United States actor (born in Ireland); father of Georgiana Emma Barrymore (1827-1862)
From this reading "Tell me the worst, Jim," she whispered bravely; and the boy drew the paper from his pocket with trembling fingers.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading "Read it," she said simply; and he tried hard, but his voice broke down before the end of the first sentence.
plural of “finger” — any of the terminal members of the hand (sometimes excepting the thumb)
From this reading "Tell me the worst, Jim," she whispered bravely; and the boy drew the paper from his pocket with trembling fingers.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading "Read it," she said simply; and he tried hard, but his voice broke down before the end of the first sentence.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading "Tell me the worst, Jim," she whispered bravely; and the boy drew the paper from his pocket with trembling fingers.
cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading "Give it to me, mother," said Susie.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading Mrs. Hartland did not cry out or make a scene; only her lips twitched painfully, and she laid a hand on the table to steady herself.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading "Read it," she said simply; and he tried hard, but his voice broke down before the end of the first sentence.
Hartland
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Hartland did not cry out or make a scene; only her lips twitched painfully, and she laid a hand on the table to steady herself.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Read it," she said simply; and he tried hard, but his voice broke down before the end of the first sentence.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Mrs. Hartland did not cry out or make a scene; only her lips twitched painfully, and she laid a hand on the table to steady herself.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading Mrs. Hartland did not cry out or make a scene; only her lips twitched painfully, and she laid a hand on the table to steady herself.
prevent from being seen or discovered
From this reading Then she looked at it herself, but the letters seemed only black dots which danced about and intermingled as if trying to hide from her.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading "Tell me the worst, Jim," she whispered bravely; and the boy drew the paper from his pocket with trembling fingers.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Then she looked at it herself, but the letters seemed only black dots which danced about and intermingled as if trying to hide from her.
intermingledverbUS /ˌɪntərˈmɪŋɡəld/
past form of “intermingle” — combine into one
From this reading Then she looked at it herself, but the letters seemed only black dots which danced about and intermingled as if trying to hide from her.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "Read it," she said simply; and he tried hard, but his voice broke down before the end of the first sentence.
Jim
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Tell me the worst, Jim," she whispered bravely; and the boy drew the paper from his pocket with trembling fingers.
set down according to a plan
From this reading Mrs. Hartland did not cry out or make a scene; only her lips twitched painfully, and she laid a hand on the table to steady herself.
the literary culture
From this reading Then she looked at it herself, but the letters seemed only black dots which danced about and intermingled as if trying to hide from her.
plural of “lip” — either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking
From this reading Mrs. Hartland did not cry out or make a scene; only her lips twitched painfully, and she laid a hand on the table to steady herself.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading Then she looked at it herself, but the letters seemed only black dots which danced about and intermingled as if trying to hide from her.
engage in
From this reading Mrs. Hartland did not cry out or make a scene; only her lips twitched painfully, and she laid a hand on the table to steady herself.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "Tell me the worst, Jim," she whispered bravely; and the boy drew the paper from his pocket with trembling fingers.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading "Give it to me, mother," said Susie.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading Mrs. Hartland did not cry out or make a scene; only her lips twitched painfully, and she laid a hand on the table to steady herself.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Mrs. Hartland did not cry out or make a scene; only her lips twitched painfully, and she laid a hand on the table to steady herself.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "Read it," she said simply; and he tried hard, but his voice broke down before the end of the first sentence.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Mrs. Hartland did not cry out or make a scene; only her lips twitched painfully, and she laid a hand on the table to steady herself.
and nothing more
From this reading Mrs. Hartland did not cry out or make a scene; only her lips twitched painfully, and she laid a hand on the table to steady herself.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Mrs. Hartland did not cry out or make a scene; only her lips twitched painfully, and she laid a hand on the table to steady herself.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Mrs. Hartland did not cry out or make a scene; only her lips twitched painfully, and she laid a hand on the table to steady herself.
painfullyadverbUS /ˈpeɪnfəli/
unpleasantly
From this reading Mrs. Hartland did not cry out or make a scene; only her lips twitched painfully, and she laid a hand on the table to steady herself.
a material made of cellulose pulp derived mainly from wood or rags or certain grasses
From this reading "Tell me the worst, Jim," she whispered bravely; and the boy drew the paper from his pocket with trembling fingers.
a small pouch inside a garment for carrying small articles
From this reading "Tell me the worst, Jim," she whispered bravely; and the boy drew the paper from his pocket with trembling fingers.
interpret something that is written or printed
From this reading "Read it," she said simply; and he tried hard, but his voice broke down before the end of the first sentence.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "Read it," she said simply; and he tried hard, but his voice broke down before the end of the first sentence.
the place where some action occurs
From this reading Mrs. Hartland did not cry out or make a scene; only her lips twitched painfully, and she laid a hand on the table to steady herself.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Then she looked at it herself, but the letters seemed only black dots which danced about and intermingled as if trying to hide from her.
a string of words satisfying the grammatical rules of a language
From this reading "Read it," she said simply; and he tried hard, but his voice broke down before the end of the first sentence.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Mrs. Hartland did not cry out or make a scene; only her lips twitched painfully, and she laid a hand on the table to steady herself.
and nothing more
From this reading "Read it," she said simply; and he tried hard, but his voice broke down before the end of the first sentence.
make steady
From this reading Mrs. Hartland did not cry out or make a scene; only her lips twitched painfully, and she laid a hand on the table to steady herself.
Susie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Give it to me, mother," said Susie.
a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading Mrs. Hartland did not cry out or make a scene; only her lips twitched painfully, and she laid a hand on the table to steady herself.
express in words
From this reading "Tell me the worst, Jim," she whispered bravely; and the boy drew the paper from his pocket with trembling fingers.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Mrs. Hartland did not cry out or make a scene; only her lips twitched painfully, and she laid a hand on the table to steady herself.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then she looked at it herself, but the letters seemed only black dots which danced about and intermingled as if trying to hide from her.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Mrs. Hartland did not cry out or make a scene; only her lips twitched painfully, and she laid a hand on the table to steady herself.
a shaky motion
From this reading "Tell me the worst, Jim," she whispered bravely; and the boy drew the paper from his pocket with trembling fingers.
tested and proved useful or correct
From this reading "Read it," she said simply; and he tried hard, but his voice broke down before the end of the first sentence.
hard to endure
From this reading Then she looked at it herself, but the letters seemed only black dots which danced about and intermingled as if trying to hide from her.
twitchedverbUS /twɪtʃt/
past form of “twitch” — make an uncontrolled, short, jerky motion
From this reading Mrs. Hartland did not cry out or make a scene; only her lips twitched painfully, and she laid a hand on the table to steady herself.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading "Read it," she said simply; and he tried hard, but his voice broke down before the end of the first sentence.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Then she looked at it herself, but the letters seemed only black dots which danced about and intermingled as if trying to hide from her.
spoken in soft hushed tones without vibrations of the vocal cords
From this reading "Tell me the worst, Jim," she whispered bravely; and the boy drew the paper from his pocket with trembling fingers.
in the company of; together with
From this reading "Tell me the worst, Jim," she whispered bravely; and the boy drew the paper from his pocket with trembling fingers.
the least favorable outcome
From this reading "Tell me the worst, Jim," she whispered bravely; and the boy drew the paper from his pocket with trembling fingers.
