used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Here M. P. was obliged to pause; for she had put a lock of hair between her teeth while she did something to a plait at the back.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Have you ever thought, pray, what a state of things it would be, if we all went about telling false-hoods, and saying it didn't matter, they were merely a few little fibs?--What are you laughing at?"
anew
From this reading As soon as she could speak again, she went on: "You and your few crams!
(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 Have you ever thought, pray, what a state of things it would be, if we all went about telling false-hoods, and saying it didn't matter, they were merely a few little fibs?--What are you laughing at?"
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading As soon as she could speak again, she went on: "You and your few crams!
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Have you ever thought, pray, what a state of things it would be, if we all went about telling false-hoods, and saying it didn't matter, they were merely a few little fibs?--What are you laughing at?"
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As soon as she could speak again, she went on: "You and your few crams!
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Here M. P. was obliged to pause; for she had put a lock of hair between her teeth while she did something to a plait at the back.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading Here M. P. was obliged to pause; for she had put a lock of hair between her teeth while she did something to a plait at the back.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Have you ever thought, pray, what a state of things it would be, if we all went about telling false-hoods, and saying it didn't matter, they were merely a few little fibs?--What are you laughing at?"
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading Here M. P. was obliged to pause; for she had put a lock of hair between her teeth while she did something to a plait at the back.
clingingverbUS /ˈklɪŋɪŋ/
-ing form of “cling” — come or be in close contact with; stick or hold together and resist separation
From this reading "I think it's most unfortunate, Laura, that you persist in clinging to that idea."
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading As soon as she could speak again, she went on: "You and your few crams!
cramsverbUS /kræmz/
third-person singular of “cram” — crowd or pack to capacity
From this reading As soon as she could speak again, she went on: "You and your few crams!
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Here M. P. was obliged to pause; for she had put a lock of hair between her teeth while she did something to a plait at the back.
didn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Have you ever thought, pray, what a state of things it would be, if we all went about telling false-hoods, and saying it didn't matter, they were merely a few little fibs?--What are you laughing at?"
at any time
From this reading Have you ever thought, pray, what a state of things it would be, if we all went about telling false-hoods, and saying it didn't matter, they were merely a few little fibs?--What are you laughing at?"
false-hoods
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Have you ever thought, pray, what a state of things it would be, if we all went about telling false-hoods, and saying it didn't matter, they were merely a few little fibs?--What are you laughing at?"
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading As soon as she could speak again, she went on: "You and your few crams!
fibs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Have you ever thought, pray, what a state of things it would be, if we all went about telling false-hoods, and saying it didn't matter, they were merely a few little fibs?--What are you laughing at?"
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Here M. P. was obliged to pause; for she had put a lock of hair between her teeth while she did something to a plait at the back.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Here M. P. was obliged to pause; for she had put a lock of hair between her teeth while she did something to a plait at the back.
a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss
From this reading Here M. P. was obliged to pause; for she had put a lock of hair between her teeth while she did something to a plait at the back.
Haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Have you ever thought, pray, what a state of things it would be, if we all went about telling false-hoods, and saying it didn't matter, they were merely a few little fibs?--What are you laughing at?"
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Here M. P. was obliged to pause; for she had put a lock of hair between her teeth while she did something to a plait at the back.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading Here M. P. was obliged to pause; for she had put a lock of hair between her teeth while she did something to a plait at the back.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I think it's most unfortunate, Laura, that you persist in clinging to that idea."
I'm
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I'm not laughing.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading "I think it's most unfortunate, Laura, that you persist in clinging to that idea."
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Have you ever thought, pray, what a state of things it would be, if we all went about telling false-hoods, and saying it didn't matter, they were merely a few little fibs?--What are you laughing at?"
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "I think it's most unfortunate, Laura, that you persist in clinging to that idea."
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Have you ever thought, pray, what a state of things it would be, if we all went about telling false-hoods, and saying it didn't matter, they were merely a few little fibs?--What are you laughing at?"
it's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I think it's most unfortunate, Laura, that you persist in clinging to that idea."
showing or feeling mirth or pleasure or happiness
From this reading Have you ever thought, pray, what a state of things it would be, if we all went about telling false-hoods, and saying it didn't matter, they were merely a few little fibs?--What are you laughing at?"
Laura
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I think it's most unfortunate, Laura, that you persist in clinging to that idea."
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Have you ever thought, pray, what a state of things it would be, if we all went about telling false-hoods, and saying it didn't matter, they were merely a few little fibs?--What are you laughing at?"
fasten with a lock
From this reading Here M. P. was obliged to pause; for she had put a lock of hair between her teeth while she did something to a plait at the back.
the basic unit of length adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites (approximately 1.094 yards)
From this reading Here M. P. was obliged to pause; for she had put a lock of hair between her teeth while she did something to a plait at the back.
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading Have you ever thought, pray, what a state of things it would be, if we all went about telling false-hoods, and saying it didn't matter, they were merely a few little fibs?--What are you laughing at?"
and nothing more
From this reading Have you ever thought, pray, what a state of things it would be, if we all went about telling false-hoods, and saying it didn't matter, they were merely a few little fibs?--What are you laughing at?"
used to form the superlative
From this reading "I think it's most unfortunate, Laura, that you persist in clinging to that idea."
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "I'm not laughing.
under a moral obligation to do something
From this reading Here M. P. was obliged to pause; for she had put a lock of hair between her teeth while she did something to a plait at the back.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Here M. P. was obliged to pause; for she had put a lock of hair between her teeth while she did something to a plait at the back.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading As soon as she could speak again, she went on: "You and your few crams!
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 Here M. P. was obliged to pause; for she had put a lock of hair between her teeth while she did something to a plait at the back.
a time interval during which there is a temporary cessation of something
From this reading Here M. P. was obliged to pause; for she had put a lock of hair between her teeth while she did something to a plait at the back.
persistverbUS /pərˈsɪst/
continue to exist
From this reading "I think it's most unfortunate, Laura, that you persist in clinging to that idea."
plaitnounUS /pleɪt/
a hairdo formed by braiding or twisting the hair
From this reading Here M. P. was obliged to pause; for she had put a lock of hair between her teeth while she did something to a plait at the back.
address a deity, a prophet, a saint or an object of worship; say a prayer
From this reading Have you ever thought, pray, what a state of things it would be, if we all went about telling false-hoods, and saying it didn't matter, they were merely a few little fibs?--What are you laughing at?"
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Here M. P. was obliged to pause; for she had put a lock of hair between her teeth while she did something to a plait at the back.
a word or phrase that particular people use in particular situations
From this reading Have you ever thought, pray, what a state of things it would be, if we all went about telling false-hoods, and saying it didn't matter, they were merely a few little fibs?--What are you laughing at?"
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Here M. P. was obliged to pause; for she had put a lock of hair between her teeth while she did something to a plait at the back.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading Here M. P. was obliged to pause; for she had put a lock of hair between her teeth while she did something to a plait at the back.
in the near future
From this reading As soon as she could speak again, she went on: "You and your few crams!
express in speech
From this reading As soon as she could speak again, she went on: "You and your few crams!
the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation
From this reading Have you ever thought, pray, what a state of things it would be, if we all went about telling false-hoods, and saying it didn't matter, they were merely a few little fibs?--What are you laughing at?"
the kind and number and arrangement of teeth (collectively) in a person or animal
From this reading Here M. P. was obliged to pause; for she had put a lock of hair between her teeth while she did something to a plait at the back.
disclosing unintentionally something concealed
From this reading Have you ever thought, pray, what a state of things it would be, if we all went about telling false-hoods, and saying it didn't matter, they were merely a few little fibs?--What are you laughing at?"
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "I think it's most unfortunate, Laura, that you persist in clinging to that idea."
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Here M. P. was obliged to pause; for she had put a lock of hair between her teeth while she did something to a plait at the back.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Have you ever thought, pray, what a state of things it would be, if we all went about telling false-hoods, and saying it didn't matter, they were merely a few little fibs?--What are you laughing at?"
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading Have you ever thought, pray, what a state of things it would be, if we all went about telling false-hoods, and saying it didn't matter, they were merely a few little fibs?--What are you laughing at?"
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading "I think it's most unfortunate, Laura, that you persist in clinging to that idea."
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading Have you ever thought, pray, what a state of things it would be, if we all went about telling false-hoods, and saying it didn't matter, they were merely a few little fibs?--What are you laughing at?"
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "I think it's most unfortunate, Laura, that you persist in clinging to that idea."
not favored by fortune; marked or accompanied by or resulting in ill fortune
From this reading "I think it's most unfortunate, Laura, that you persist in clinging to that idea."
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Here M. P. was obliged to pause; for she had put a lock of hair between her teeth while she did something to a plait at the back.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading Have you ever thought, pray, what a state of things it would be, if we all went about telling false-hoods, and saying it didn't matter, they were merely a few little fibs?--What are you laughing at?"
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading As soon as she could speak again, she went on: "You and your few crams!
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Have you ever thought, pray, what a state of things it would be, if we all went about telling false-hoods, and saying it didn't matter, they were merely a few little fibs?--What are you laughing at?"
used to ask for information about something
From this reading Have you ever thought, pray, what a state of things it would be, if we all went about telling false-hoods, and saying it didn't matter, they were merely a few little fibs?--What are you laughing at?"
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading Here M. P. was obliged to pause; for she had put a lock of hair between her teeth while she did something to a plait at the back.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Have you ever thought, pray, what a state of things it would be, if we all went about telling false-hoods, and saying it didn't matter, they were merely a few little fibs?--What are you laughing at?"
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "I think it's most unfortunate, Laura, that you persist in clinging to that idea."
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading As soon as she could speak again, she went on: "You and your few crams!
