aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Marcia had decided to tell her aunt all about it.
adjustingverbUS /əˈdʒʌstɪŋ/
-ing form of “adjust” — alter or regulate so as to achieve accuracy or conform to a standard
From this reading Well--I--never!" she exclaimed, adjusting them all awry.
anew
From this reading THE FILIGREE BRACELET Aunt Minerva took off her silver-rimmed spectacles, wiped them excitedly, and put them on again.
united by being of the same opinion
From this reading And Janet had agreed with her that since Miss Benedict had spoken as she did, there could be no further occasion for secrecy.
(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 Well--I--never!" she exclaimed, adjusting them all awry.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE FILIGREE BRACELET Aunt Minerva took off her silver-rimmed spectacles, wiped them excitedly, and put them on again.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading And Janet had agreed with her that since Miss Benedict had spoken as she did, there could be no further occasion for secrecy.
the sister of your father or mother; the wife of your uncle
From this reading THE FILIGREE BRACELET Aunt Minerva took off her silver-rimmed spectacles, wiped them excitedly, and put them on again.
awryadjectiveUS /ərˈaɪ/
turned or twisted toward one side
From this reading Well--I--never!" she exclaimed, adjusting them all awry.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading And Janet had agreed with her that since Miss Benedict had spoken as she did, there could be no further occasion for secrecy.
BenedictnounUS /ˈbenədɪkt/
United States anthropologist (1887-1948)
From this reading And Janet had agreed with her that since Miss Benedict had spoken as she did, there could be no further occasion for secrecy.
BRACELETnounUS /ˈbreɪslət/
a band of cloth or leather or metal links attached to a wristwatch and wrapped around the wrist
From this reading THE FILIGREE BRACELET Aunt Minerva took off her silver-rimmed spectacles, wiped them excitedly, and put them on again.
a young person of either sex
From this reading "And she said she didn't know who the child was or why she was there?
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading And Janet had agreed with her that since Miss Benedict had spoken as she did, there could be no further occasion for secrecy.
recognizable; marked
From this reading Marcia had decided to tell her aunt all about it.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading And Janet had agreed with her that since Miss Benedict had spoken as she did, there could be no further occasion for secrecy.
didn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "And she said she didn't know who the child was or why she was there?
excitedlyadverbUS /ɪkˈsaɪtədli/
with excitement; in an excited manner
From this reading THE FILIGREE BRACELET Aunt Minerva took off her silver-rimmed spectacles, wiped them excitedly, and put them on again.
past form of “exclaim” — utter aloud; often with surprise, horror, or joy
From this reading Well--I--never!" she exclaimed, adjusting them all awry.
FILIGREEnounUS /ˈfɪləɡriː/
delicate and intricate ornamentation (usually in gold or silver or other fine twisted wire)
From this reading THE FILIGREE BRACELET Aunt Minerva took off her silver-rimmed spectacles, wiped them excitedly, and put them on again.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading And Janet had agreed with her that since Miss Benedict had spoken as she did, there could be no further occasion for secrecy.
to or at a greater extent or degree or a more advanced stage (“further” is used more often than “farther” in this abstract sense)
From this reading And Janet had agreed with her that since Miss Benedict had spoken as she did, there could be no further occasion for secrecy.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Marcia had decided to tell her aunt all about it.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading THE FILIGREE BRACELET Aunt Minerva took off her silver-rimmed spectacles, wiped them excitedly, and put them on again.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Well--I--never!" she exclaimed, adjusting them all awry.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Marcia had decided to tell her aunt all about it.
Janet
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And Janet had agreed with her that since Miss Benedict had spoken as she did, there could be no further occasion for secrecy.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading "And she said she didn't know who the child was or why she was there?
Marcia
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Marcia had decided to tell her aunt all about it.
MinervanounUS /məˈnɜːrvə/
(Roman mythology) goddess of wisdom; counterpart of Greek Athena
From this reading THE FILIGREE BRACELET Aunt Minerva took off her silver-rimmed spectacles, wiped them excitedly, and put them on again.
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading And Janet had agreed with her that since Miss Benedict had spoken as she did, there could be no further occasion for secrecy.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading Well--I--never!" she exclaimed, adjusting them all awry.
not any; not one
From this reading And Janet had agreed with her that since Miss Benedict had spoken as she did, there could be no further occasion for secrecy.
an event that occurs at a critical time
From this reading And Janet had agreed with her that since Miss Benedict had spoken as she did, there could be no further occasion for secrecy.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading THE FILIGREE BRACELET Aunt Minerva took off her silver-rimmed spectacles, wiped them excitedly, and put them on again.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading THE FILIGREE BRACELET Aunt Minerva took off her silver-rimmed spectacles, wiped them excitedly, and put them on again.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading "And she said she didn't know who the child was or why she was there?
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading THE FILIGREE BRACELET Aunt Minerva took off her silver-rimmed spectacles, wiped them excitedly, and put them on again.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "And she said she didn't know who the child was or why she was there?
secrecynounUS /ˈsiːkrəsi/
the trait of keeping things secret
From this reading And Janet had agreed with her that since Miss Benedict had spoken as she did, there could be no further occasion for secrecy.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "And she said she didn't know who the child was or why she was there?
silver-rimmed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE FILIGREE BRACELET Aunt Minerva took off her silver-rimmed spectacles, wiped them excitedly, and put them on again.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading And Janet had agreed with her that since Miss Benedict had spoken as she did, there could be no further occasion for secrecy.
spectaclesnounUS /ˈspektəkəlz/
(plural) optical instrument consisting of a frame that holds a pair of lenses for correcting defective vision
From this reading THE FILIGREE BRACELET Aunt Minerva took off her silver-rimmed spectacles, wiped them excitedly, and put them on again.
uttered through the medium of speech or characterized by speech; sometimes used in combination
From this reading And Janet had agreed with her that since Miss Benedict had spoken as she did, there could be no further occasion for secrecy.
express in words
From this reading Marcia had decided to tell her aunt all about it.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading And Janet had agreed with her that since Miss Benedict had spoken as she did, there could be no further occasion for secrecy.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE FILIGREE BRACELET Aunt Minerva took off her silver-rimmed spectacles, wiped them excitedly, and put them on again.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading THE FILIGREE BRACELET Aunt Minerva took off her silver-rimmed spectacles, wiped them excitedly, and put them on again.
in or at that place or location
From this reading "And she said she didn't know who the child was or why she was there?
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Marcia had decided to tell her aunt all about it.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading THE FILIGREE BRACELET Aunt Minerva took off her silver-rimmed spectacles, wiped them excitedly, and put them on again.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "And she said she didn't know who the child was or why she was there?
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading Well--I--never!" she exclaimed, adjusting them all awry.
which person or people
From this reading "And she said she didn't know who the child was or why she was there?
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading "And she said she didn't know who the child was or why she was there?
wipedverbUS /waɪpt/
past form of “wipe” — rub with a circular motion
From this reading THE FILIGREE BRACELET Aunt Minerva took off her silver-rimmed spectacles, wiped them excitedly, and put them on again.
in the company of; together with
From this reading And Janet had agreed with her that since Miss Benedict had spoken as she did, there could be no further occasion for secrecy.
