used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading CLEAR SKY--AND A THUNDERBOLT.
personal knowledge or information about someone or something
From this reading 'Has any one,' asks George Eliot, in 'Middlemarch,' 'ever pinched into its pilulous smallness the cobweb of pre-matrimonial acquaintance?'
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading Mark was anxious that his engagement should be as short as possible, chiefly from an uneasy fear that his great happiness might elude him after all.
(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 And, to press the metaphor, the cobweb, as far as Mark and Mabel were concerned, brilliantly as it shone in all its silken iridescence, would have rolled up into a particularly small pill.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Mark was anxious that his engagement should be as short as possible, chiefly from an uneasy fear that his great happiness might elude him after all.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading CLEAR SKY--AND A THUNDERBOLT.
eagerly desirous
From this reading Mark was anxious that his engagement should be as short as possible, chiefly from an uneasy fear that his great happiness might elude him after all.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading 'Has any one,' asks George Eliot, in 'Middlemarch,' 'ever pinched into its pilulous smallness the cobweb of pre-matrimonial acquaintance?'
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading And, to press the metaphor, the cobweb, as far as Mark and Mabel were concerned, brilliantly as it shone in all its silken iridescence, would have rolled up into a particularly small pill.
asksverbUS /æsks/
third-person singular of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading 'Has any one,' asks George Eliot, in 'Middlemarch,' 'ever pinched into its pilulous smallness the cobweb of pre-matrimonial acquaintance?'
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The idea of losing Mabel became day by day, as he knew her better, a more intolerable torture, and he could not rest until all danger of that was at an end.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Mark was anxious that his engagement should be as short as possible, chiefly from an uneasy fear that his great happiness might elude him after all.
inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading The idea of losing Mabel became day by day, as he knew her better, a more intolerable torture, and he could not rest until all danger of that was at an end.
(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another
From this reading The idea of losing Mabel became day by day, as he knew her better, a more intolerable torture, and he could not rest until all danger of that was at an end.
brilliantlyadverbUS /ˈbrɪljəntli/
with brightness
From this reading And, to press the metaphor, the cobweb, as far as Mark and Mabel were concerned, brilliantly as it shone in all its silken iridescence, would have rolled up into a particularly small pill.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The idea of losing Mabel became day by day, as he knew her better, a more intolerable torture, and he could not rest until all danger of that was at an end.
for the most part
From this reading Mark was anxious that his engagement should be as short as possible, chiefly from an uneasy fear that his great happiness might elude him after all.
rid of obstructions
From this reading CLEAR SKY--AND A THUNDERBOLT.
cobwebnounUS /ˈkɑːbweb/
a fabric so delicate and transparent as to resemble a web of a spider
From this reading 'Has any one,' asks George Eliot, in 'Middlemarch,' 'ever pinched into its pilulous smallness the cobweb of pre-matrimonial acquaintance?'
feeling or showing worry or solicitude
From this reading And, to press the metaphor, the cobweb, as far as Mark and Mabel were concerned, brilliantly as it shone in all its silken iridescence, would have rolled up into a particularly small pill.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading The idea of losing Mabel became day by day, as he knew her better, a more intolerable torture, and he could not rest until all danger of that was at an end.
the condition of being susceptible to harm or injury
From this reading The idea of losing Mabel became day by day, as he knew her better, a more intolerable torture, and he could not rest until all danger of that was at an end.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading The idea of losing Mabel became day by day, as he knew her better, a more intolerable torture, and he could not rest until all danger of that was at an end.
EliotnounUS /ˈeliət/
British poet (born in the United States) who won the Nobel prize for literature; his plays are outstanding examples of modern verse drama (1888-1965)
From this reading 'Has any one,' asks George Eliot, in 'Middlemarch,' 'ever pinched into its pilulous smallness the cobweb of pre-matrimonial acquaintance?'
eludeverbUS /ɪˈluːd/
escape, either physically or mentally
From this reading Mark was anxious that his engagement should be as short as possible, chiefly from an uneasy fear that his great happiness might elude him after all.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading The idea of losing Mabel became day by day, as he knew her better, a more intolerable torture, and he could not rest until all danger of that was at an end.
a hostile meeting of opposing military forces in the course of a war
From this reading Mark was anxious that his engagement should be as short as possible, chiefly from an uneasy fear that his great happiness might elude him after all.
at any time
From this reading 'Has any one,' asks George Eliot, in 'Middlemarch,' 'ever pinched into its pilulous smallness the cobweb of pre-matrimonial acquaintance?'
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading And, to press the metaphor, the cobweb, as far as Mark and Mabel were concerned, brilliantly as it shone in all its silken iridescence, would have rolled up into a particularly small pill.
be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
From this reading Mark was anxious that his engagement should be as short as possible, chiefly from an uneasy fear that his great happiness might elude him after all.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Mark was anxious that his engagement should be as short as possible, chiefly from an uneasy fear that his great happiness might elude him after all.
Christian martyr; patron saint of England; hero of the legend of Saint George and the Dragon in which he slew a dragon and saved a princess (?-303)
From this reading 'Has any one,' asks George Eliot, in 'Middlemarch,' 'ever pinched into its pilulous smallness the cobweb of pre-matrimonial acquaintance?'
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading Mark was anxious that his engagement should be as short as possible, chiefly from an uneasy fear that his great happiness might elude him after all.
state of well-being characterized by emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy
From this reading Mark was anxious that his engagement should be as short as possible, chiefly from an uneasy fear that his great happiness might elude him after all.
Hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading 'Has any one,' asks George Eliot, in 'Middlemarch,' 'ever pinched into its pilulous smallness the cobweb of pre-matrimonial acquaintance?'
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading And, to press the metaphor, the cobweb, as far as Mark and Mabel were concerned, brilliantly as it shone in all its silken iridescence, would have rolled up into a particularly small pill.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The idea of losing Mabel became day by day, as he knew her better, a more intolerable torture, and he could not rest until all danger of that was at an end.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The idea of losing Mabel became day by day, as he knew her better, a more intolerable torture, and he could not rest until all danger of that was at an end.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Mark was anxious that his engagement should be as short as possible, chiefly from an uneasy fear that his great happiness might elude him after all.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Mark was anxious that his engagement should be as short as possible, chiefly from an uneasy fear that his great happiness might elude him after all.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading The idea of losing Mabel became day by day, as he knew her better, a more intolerable torture, and he could not rest until all danger of that was at an end.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading 'Has any one,' asks George Eliot, in 'Middlemarch,' 'ever pinched into its pilulous smallness the cobweb of pre-matrimonial acquaintance?'
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading 'Has any one,' asks George Eliot, in 'Middlemarch,' 'ever pinched into its pilulous smallness the cobweb of pre-matrimonial acquaintance?'
intolerableadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈtɑːlərəbəl/
incapable of being tolerated or endured
From this reading The idea of losing Mabel became day by day, as he knew her better, a more intolerable torture, and he could not rest until all danger of that was at an end.
iridescencenoun
the visual property of something having a milky brightness and a play of colors from the surface
From this reading And, to press the metaphor, the cobweb, as far as Mark and Mabel were concerned, brilliantly as it shone in all its silken iridescence, would have rolled up into a particularly small pill.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading And, to press the metaphor, the cobweb, as far as Mark and Mabel were concerned, brilliantly as it shone in all its silken iridescence, would have rolled up into a particularly small pill.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading 'Has any one,' asks George Eliot, in 'Middlemarch,' 'ever pinched into its pilulous smallness the cobweb of pre-matrimonial acquaintance?'
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading The idea of losing Mabel became day by day, as he knew her better, a more intolerable torture, and he could not rest until all danger of that was at an end.
-ing form of “lose” — fail to keep or to maintain; cease to have, either physically or in an abstract sense
From this reading The idea of losing Mabel became day by day, as he knew her better, a more intolerable torture, and he could not rest until all danger of that was at an end.
Mabel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And, to press the metaphor, the cobweb, as far as Mark and Mabel were concerned, brilliantly as it shone in all its silken iridescence, would have rolled up into a particularly small pill.
attach a tag or label to
From this reading And, to press the metaphor, the cobweb, as far as Mark and Mabel were concerned, brilliantly as it shone in all its silken iridescence, would have rolled up into a particularly small pill.
metaphornounUS /ˈmetəfɔːr/
a figure of speech in which an expression is used to refer to something that it does not literally denote in order to suggest a similarity
From this reading And, to press the metaphor, the cobweb, as far as Mark and Mabel were concerned, brilliantly as it shone in all its silken iridescence, would have rolled up into a particularly small pill.
Middlemarch
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 'Has any one,' asks George Eliot, in 'Middlemarch,' 'ever pinched into its pilulous smallness the cobweb of pre-matrimonial acquaintance?'
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading Mark was anxious that his engagement should be as short as possible, chiefly from an uneasy fear that his great happiness might elude him after all.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading The idea of losing Mabel became day by day, as he knew her better, a more intolerable torture, and he could not rest until all danger of that was at an end.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The idea of losing Mabel became day by day, as he knew her better, a more intolerable torture, and he could not rest until all danger of that was at an end.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading 'Has any one,' asks George Eliot, in 'Middlemarch,' 'ever pinched into its pilulous smallness the cobweb of pre-matrimonial acquaintance?'
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading 'Has any one,' asks George Eliot, in 'Middlemarch,' 'ever pinched into its pilulous smallness the cobweb of pre-matrimonial acquaintance?'
to a distinctly greater extent or degree than is common
From this reading And, to press the metaphor, the cobweb, as far as Mark and Mabel were concerned, brilliantly as it shone in all its silken iridescence, would have rolled up into a particularly small pill.
pillnounUS /pɪl/
something that resembles a tablet of medicine in shape or size
From this reading And, to press the metaphor, the cobweb, as far as Mark and Mabel were concerned, brilliantly as it shone in all its silken iridescence, would have rolled up into a particularly small pill.
pilulous
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 'Has any one,' asks George Eliot, in 'Middlemarch,' 'ever pinched into its pilulous smallness the cobweb of pre-matrimonial acquaintance?'
pinchedadjectiveUS /pɪntʃt/
sounding as if the nose were pinched
From this reading 'Has any one,' asks George Eliot, in 'Middlemarch,' 'ever pinched into its pilulous smallness the cobweb of pre-matrimonial acquaintance?'
capable of happening or existing
From this reading Mark was anxious that his engagement should be as short as possible, chiefly from an uneasy fear that his great happiness might elude him after all.
pre-matrimonial
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 'Has any one,' asks George Eliot, in 'Middlemarch,' 'ever pinched into its pilulous smallness the cobweb of pre-matrimonial acquaintance?'
exert pressure or force to or upon
From this reading And, to press the metaphor, the cobweb, as far as Mark and Mabel were concerned, brilliantly as it shone in all its silken iridescence, would have rolled up into a particularly small pill.
not move; be in a resting position
From this reading The idea of losing Mabel became day by day, as he knew her better, a more intolerable torture, and he could not rest until all danger of that was at an end.
especially of petals or leaves in bud; having margins rolled inward
From this reading And, to press the metaphor, the cobweb, as far as Mark and Mabel were concerned, brilliantly as it shone in all its silken iridescence, would have rolled up into a particularly small pill.
inflected form of “shine” — be bright by reflecting or casting light
From this reading And, to press the metaphor, the cobweb, as far as Mark and Mabel were concerned, brilliantly as it shone in all its silken iridescence, would have rolled up into a particularly small pill.
primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration
From this reading Mark was anxious that his engagement should be as short as possible, chiefly from an uneasy fear that his great happiness might elude him after all.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading Mark was anxious that his engagement should be as short as possible, chiefly from an uneasy fear that his great happiness might elude him after all.
silkenadjectiveUS /ˈsɪlkən/
having a smooth, gleaming surface reflecting light
From this reading And, to press the metaphor, the cobweb, as far as Mark and Mabel were concerned, brilliantly as it shone in all its silken iridescence, would have rolled up into a particularly small pill.
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading CLEAR SKY--AND A THUNDERBOLT.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading And, to press the metaphor, the cobweb, as far as Mark and Mabel were concerned, brilliantly as it shone in all its silken iridescence, would have rolled up into a particularly small pill.
smallnessnounUS /ˈsmɔːlnəs/
the property of having a relatively small size
From this reading 'Has any one,' asks George Eliot, in 'Middlemarch,' 'ever pinched into its pilulous smallness the cobweb of pre-matrimonial acquaintance?'
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Mark was anxious that his engagement should be as short as possible, chiefly from an uneasy fear that his great happiness might elude him after all.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading 'Has any one,' asks George Eliot, in 'Middlemarch,' 'ever pinched into its pilulous smallness the cobweb of pre-matrimonial acquaintance?'
THUNDERBOLTnounUS /ˈθʌndərbɔːlt/
a discharge of lightning accompanied by thunder
From this reading CLEAR SKY--AND A THUNDERBOLT.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading And, to press the metaphor, the cobweb, as far as Mark and Mabel were concerned, brilliantly as it shone in all its silken iridescence, would have rolled up into a particularly small pill.
tortureverbUS /ˈtɔːrtʃər/
torment emotionally or mentally
From this reading The idea of losing Mabel became day by day, as he knew her better, a more intolerable torture, and he could not rest until all danger of that was at an end.
lacking a sense of security or affording no ease or reassurance
From this reading Mark was anxious that his engagement should be as short as possible, chiefly from an uneasy fear that his great happiness might elude him after all.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading The idea of losing Mabel became day by day, as he knew her better, a more intolerable torture, and he could not rest until all danger of that was at an end.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading And, to press the metaphor, the cobweb, as far as Mark and Mabel were concerned, brilliantly as it shone in all its silken iridescence, would have rolled up into a particularly small pill.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Mark was anxious that his engagement should be as short as possible, chiefly from an uneasy fear that his great happiness might elude him after all.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading And, to press the metaphor, the cobweb, as far as Mark and Mabel were concerned, brilliantly as it shone in all its silken iridescence, would have rolled up into a particularly small pill.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading And, to press the metaphor, the cobweb, as far as Mark and Mabel were concerned, brilliantly as it shone in all its silken iridescence, would have rolled up into a particularly small pill.
