aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading But she quietly waited till they had told their own tale, and was as puzzled as they about the strange translation of the characters on the bracelet.
matters of personal concern
From this reading Of anything pertaining to China or the Chinese she had not the remotest notion, and could not understand how it could have any connection with her affairs.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading And when the girls came to see her, the day after the visit to the ship, she too was bursting with news.
(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 ONE MYSTERY EXPLAINED Meantime, Cecily Marlowe, immured in the lonely house, had been having an experience all her own.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading ONE MYSTERY EXPLAINED Meantime, Cecily Marlowe, immured in the lonely house, had been having an experience all her own.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading And when the girls came to see her, the day after the visit to the ship, she too was bursting with news.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading Of anything pertaining to China or the Chinese she had not the remotest notion, and could not understand how it could have any connection with her affairs.
any thing at all
From this reading Of anything pertaining to China or the Chinese she had not the remotest notion, and could not understand how it could have any connection with her affairs.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading But she quietly waited till they had told their own tale, and was as puzzled as they about the strange translation of the characters on the bracelet.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading ONE MYSTERY EXPLAINED Meantime, Cecily Marlowe, immured in the lonely house, had been having an experience all her own.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading "Now you must hear _my_ story," she began, when they had discussed the newest development till there was nothing left to discuss.
braceletnounUS /ˈbreɪslət/
a band of cloth or leather or metal links attached to a wristwatch and wrapped around the wrist
From this reading But she quietly waited till they had told their own tale, and was as puzzled as they about the strange translation of the characters on the bracelet.
burstingverbUS /ˈbɜːrstɪŋ/
-ing form of “burst” — come open suddenly and violently, as if from internal pressure
From this reading And when the girls came to see her, the day after the visit to the ship, she too was bursting with news.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But she quietly waited till they had told their own tale, and was as puzzled as they about the strange translation of the characters on the bracelet.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading And when the girls came to see her, the day after the visit to the ship, she too was bursting with news.
Cecily
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ONE MYSTERY EXPLAINED Meantime, Cecily Marlowe, immured in the lonely house, had been having an experience all her own.
plural of “character” — an imaginary person represented in a work of fiction (play or film or story)
From this reading But she quietly waited till they had told their own tale, and was as puzzled as they about the strange translation of the characters on the bracelet.
ChinanounUS /ˈtʃaɪnə/
a communist nation that covers a vast territory in eastern Asia; the most populous country in the world
From this reading Of anything pertaining to China or the Chinese she had not the remotest notion, and could not understand how it could have any connection with her affairs.
ChinesenounUS /tʃaɪˈniːz/
any of the Sino-Tibetan languages spoken in China; regarded as dialects of a single language (even though they are mutually unintelligible) because they share an ideographic writing system
From this reading Of anything pertaining to China or the Chinese she had not the remotest notion, and could not understand how it could have any connection with her affairs.
a relation between things or events (as in the case of one causing the other or sharing features with it)
From this reading Of anything pertaining to China or the Chinese she had not the remotest notion, and could not understand how it could have any connection with her affairs.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Of anything pertaining to China or the Chinese she had not the remotest notion, and could not understand how it could have any connection with her affairs.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading And when the girls came to see her, the day after the visit to the ship, she too was bursting with news.
developmentnounUS /dɪˈveləpmənt/
act of improving by expanding or enlarging or refining
From this reading "Now you must hear _my_ story," she began, when they had discussed the newest development till there was nothing left to discuss.
discussverbUS /dɪˈskʌs/
to consider or examine in speech or writing
From this reading "Now you must hear _my_ story," she began, when they had discussed the newest development till there was nothing left to discuss.
discussedverbUS /dɪˈskʌst/
past form of “discuss” — to consider or examine in speech or writing
From this reading "Now you must hear _my_ story," she began, when they had discussed the newest development till there was nothing left to discuss.
undergo or live through a difficult experience
From this reading ONE MYSTERY EXPLAINED Meantime, Cecily Marlowe, immured in the lonely house, had been having an experience all her own.
past form of “explain” — make plain and comprehensible
From this reading ONE MYSTERY EXPLAINED Meantime, Cecily Marlowe, immured in the lonely house, had been having an experience all her own.
plural of “girl” — a young female
From this reading And when the girls came to see her, the day after the visit to the ship, she too was bursting with news.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading ONE MYSTERY EXPLAINED Meantime, Cecily Marlowe, immured in the lonely house, had been having an experience all her own.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Of anything pertaining to China or the Chinese she had not the remotest notion, and could not understand how it could have any connection with her affairs.
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading ONE MYSTERY EXPLAINED Meantime, Cecily Marlowe, immured in the lonely house, had been having an experience all her own.
perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
From this reading "Now you must hear _my_ story," she began, when they had discussed the newest development till there was nothing left to discuss.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading ONE MYSTERY EXPLAINED Meantime, Cecily Marlowe, immured in the lonely house, had been having an experience all her own.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading ONE MYSTERY EXPLAINED Meantime, Cecily Marlowe, immured in the lonely house, had been having an experience all her own.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Of anything pertaining to China or the Chinese she had not the remotest notion, and could not understand how it could have any connection with her affairs.
immured
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ONE MYSTERY EXPLAINED Meantime, Cecily Marlowe, immured in the lonely house, had been having an experience all her own.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading ONE MYSTERY EXPLAINED Meantime, Cecily Marlowe, immured in the lonely house, had been having an experience all her own.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Of anything pertaining to China or the Chinese she had not the remotest notion, and could not understand how it could have any connection with her affairs.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading "Now you must hear _my_ story," she began, when they had discussed the newest development till there was nothing left to discuss.
lacking companions or companionship
From this reading ONE MYSTERY EXPLAINED Meantime, Cecily Marlowe, immured in the lonely house, had been having an experience all her own.
MarlowenounUS /ˈmɑːrloʊ/
English poet and playwright who introduced blank verse as a form of dramatic expression; was stabbed to death in a tavern brawl (1564-1593)
From this reading ONE MYSTERY EXPLAINED Meantime, Cecily Marlowe, immured in the lonely house, had been having an experience all her own.
the time between one event, process, or period and another
From this reading ONE MYSTERY EXPLAINED Meantime, Cecily Marlowe, immured in the lonely house, had been having an experience all her own.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading "Now you must hear _my_ story," she began, when they had discussed the newest development till there was nothing left to discuss.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "Now you must hear _my_ story," she began, when they had discussed the newest development till there was nothing left to discuss.
something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained
From this reading ONE MYSTERY EXPLAINED Meantime, Cecily Marlowe, immured in the lonely house, had been having an experience all her own.
newestadjectiveUS /ˈnuːəst/
superlative of “new” — not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading "Now you must hear _my_ story," she began, when they had discussed the newest development till there was nothing left to discuss.
information about recent and important events
From this reading And when the girls came to see her, the day after the visit to the ship, she too was bursting with news.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Of anything pertaining to China or the Chinese she had not the remotest notion, and could not understand how it could have any connection with her affairs.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading "Now you must hear _my_ story," she began, when they had discussed the newest development till there was nothing left to discuss.
a vague idea in which some confidence is placed
From this reading Of anything pertaining to China or the Chinese she had not the remotest notion, and could not understand how it could have any connection with her affairs.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading "Now you must hear _my_ story," she began, when they had discussed the newest development till there was nothing left to discuss.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading But she quietly waited till they had told their own tale, and was as puzzled as they about the strange translation of the characters on the bracelet.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading But she quietly waited till they had told their own tale, and was as puzzled as they about the strange translation of the characters on the bracelet.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading ONE MYSTERY EXPLAINED Meantime, Cecily Marlowe, immured in the lonely house, had been having an experience all her own.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Of anything pertaining to China or the Chinese she had not the remotest notion, and could not understand how it could have any connection with her affairs.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading ONE MYSTERY EXPLAINED Meantime, Cecily Marlowe, immured in the lonely house, had been having an experience all her own.
pertainingverbUS /pərˈteɪnɪŋ/
-ing form of “pertain” — be relevant to
From this reading Of anything pertaining to China or the Chinese she had not the remotest notion, and could not understand how it could have any connection with her affairs.
filled with bewilderment
From this reading But she quietly waited till they had told their own tale, and was as puzzled as they about the strange translation of the characters on the bracelet.
with low volume
From this reading But she quietly waited till they had told their own tale, and was as puzzled as they about the strange translation of the characters on the bracelet.
remotestadjectiveUS /rɪˈmoʊtəst/
superlative of “remote” — located far away spatially
From this reading Of anything pertaining to China or the Chinese she had not the remotest notion, and could not understand how it could have any connection with her affairs.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading And when the girls came to see her, the day after the visit to the ship, she too was bursting with news.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading And when the girls came to see her, the day after the visit to the ship, she too was bursting with news.
transport commercially
From this reading And when the girls came to see her, the day after the visit to the ship, she too was bursting with news.
a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading "Now you must hear _my_ story," she began, when they had discussed the newest development till there was nothing left to discuss.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading But she quietly waited till they had told their own tale, and was as puzzled as they about the strange translation of the characters on the bracelet.
a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading But she quietly waited till they had told their own tale, and was as puzzled as they about the strange translation of the characters on the bracelet.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading ONE MYSTERY EXPLAINED Meantime, Cecily Marlowe, immured in the lonely house, had been having an experience all her own.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading But she quietly waited till they had told their own tale, and was as puzzled as they about the strange translation of the characters on the bracelet.
in or at that place or location
From this reading "Now you must hear _my_ story," she began, when they had discussed the newest development till there was nothing left to discuss.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading But she quietly waited till they had told their own tale, and was as puzzled as they about the strange translation of the characters on the bracelet.
up to a particular time
From this reading But she quietly waited till they had told their own tale, and was as puzzled as they about the strange translation of the characters on the bracelet.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading And when the girls came to see her, the day after the visit to the ship, she too was bursting with news.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading But she quietly waited till they had told their own tale, and was as puzzled as they about the strange translation of the characters on the bracelet.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading And when the girls came to see her, the day after the visit to the ship, she too was bursting with news.
translationnounUS /trænzˈleɪʃən/
a written communication in a second language having the same meaning as the written communication in a first language
From this reading But she quietly waited till they had told their own tale, and was as puzzled as they about the strange translation of the characters on the bracelet.
know and comprehend the nature or meaning of
From this reading Of anything pertaining to China or the Chinese she had not the remotest notion, and could not understand how it could have any connection with her affairs.
go to see a place, as for entertainment
From this reading And when the girls came to see her, the day after the visit to the ship, she too was bursting with news.
past form of “wait” — stay in one place and anticipate or expect something
From this reading But she quietly waited till they had told their own tale, and was as puzzled as they about the strange translation of the characters on the bracelet.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading And when the girls came to see her, the day after the visit to the ship, she too was bursting with news.
at the time that
From this reading And when the girls came to see her, the day after the visit to the ship, she too was bursting with news.
in the company of; together with
From this reading And when the girls came to see her, the day after the visit to the ship, she too was bursting with news.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Now you must hear _my_ story," she began, when they had discussed the newest development till there was nothing left to discuss.
