used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading She wrote mysterious letters which she would allow no one but herself to mail, and received mysterious replies, the contents of which she kept a dark secret.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading At last one day, after receiving a particularly bulky communication, she deigned to speak.
make it possible through a specific action or lack of action for something to happen
From this reading She wrote mysterious letters which she would allow no one but herself to mail, and received mysterious replies, the contents of which she kept a dark secret.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading AUNT MINERVA TAKES COMMAND For an entire week thereafter Aunt Minerva went her own mysterious way, calm and unruffled herself, but keeping the rest of her family on tenter-hooks of excitement.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading AUNT MINERVA TAKES COMMAND For an entire week thereafter Aunt Minerva went her own mysterious way, calm and unruffled herself, but keeping the rest of her family on tenter-hooks of excitement.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At last one day, after receiving a particularly bulky communication, she deigned to speak.
the sister of your father or mother; the wife of your uncle
From this reading AUNT MINERVA TAKES COMMAND For an entire week thereafter Aunt Minerva went her own mysterious way, calm and unruffled herself, but keeping the rest of her family on tenter-hooks of excitement.
bulkyadjectiveUS /ˈbʌlki/
of large size for its weight
From this reading At last one day, after receiving a particularly bulky communication, she deigned to speak.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading AUNT MINERVA TAKES COMMAND For an entire week thereafter Aunt Minerva went her own mysterious way, calm and unruffled herself, but keeping the rest of her family on tenter-hooks of excitement.
make calm or still
From this reading AUNT MINERVA TAKES COMMAND For an entire week thereafter Aunt Minerva went her own mysterious way, calm and unruffled herself, but keeping the rest of her family on tenter-hooks of excitement.
an authoritative direction or instruction to do something
From this reading AUNT MINERVA TAKES COMMAND For an entire week thereafter Aunt Minerva went her own mysterious way, calm and unruffled herself, but keeping the rest of her family on tenter-hooks of excitement.
communicationnounUS /kəˌmjuːnəˈkeɪʃən/
the activity of communicating; the activity of conveying information
From this reading At last one day, after receiving a particularly bulky communication, she deigned to speak.
(usually plural) everything that is included in a collection and that is held or included in something
From this reading She wrote mysterious letters which she would allow no one but herself to mail, and received mysterious replies, the contents of which she kept a dark secret.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading She wrote mysterious letters which she would allow no one but herself to mail, and received mysterious replies, the contents of which she kept a dark secret.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading At last one day, after receiving a particularly bulky communication, she deigned to speak.
deignedverbUS /deɪnd/
past form of “deign” — do something that one considers to be below one's dignity
From this reading At last one day, after receiving a particularly bulky communication, she deigned to speak.
constituting the full quantity or extent; complete
From this reading AUNT MINERVA TAKES COMMAND For an entire week thereafter Aunt Minerva went her own mysterious way, calm and unruffled herself, but keeping the rest of her family on tenter-hooks of excitement.
to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)
From this reading They watched her with the feeling that they were quite outside the game now, and that she had the keys of the situation entirely in her own hands.
the feeling of lively and cheerful joy
From this reading AUNT MINERVA TAKES COMMAND For an entire week thereafter Aunt Minerva went her own mysterious way, calm and unruffled herself, but keeping the rest of her family on tenter-hooks of excitement.
a social unit living together
From this reading AUNT MINERVA TAKES COMMAND For an entire week thereafter Aunt Minerva went her own mysterious way, calm and unruffled herself, but keeping the rest of her family on tenter-hooks of excitement.
the experiencing of affective and emotional states
From this reading They watched her with the feeling that they were quite outside the game now, and that she had the keys of the situation entirely in her own hands.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading AUNT MINERVA TAKES COMMAND For an entire week thereafter Aunt Minerva went her own mysterious way, calm and unruffled herself, but keeping the rest of her family on tenter-hooks of excitement.
a contest with rules to determine a winner
From this reading They watched her with the feeling that they were quite outside the game now, and that she had the keys of the situation entirely in her own hands.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading They watched her with the feeling that they were quite outside the game now, and that she had the keys of the situation entirely in her own hands.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading They watched her with the feeling that they were quite outside the game now, and that she had the keys of the situation entirely in her own hands.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading AUNT MINERVA TAKES COMMAND For an entire week thereafter Aunt Minerva went her own mysterious way, calm and unruffled herself, but keeping the rest of her family on tenter-hooks of excitement.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading AUNT MINERVA TAKES COMMAND For an entire week thereafter Aunt Minerva went her own mysterious way, calm and unruffled herself, but keeping the rest of her family on tenter-hooks of excitement.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading They watched her with the feeling that they were quite outside the game now, and that she had the keys of the situation entirely in her own hands.
in truth (often tends to intensify)
From this reading Which was indeed the truth!
conformity or harmony
From this reading AUNT MINERVA TAKES COMMAND For an entire week thereafter Aunt Minerva went her own mysterious way, calm and unruffled herself, but keeping the rest of her family on tenter-hooks of excitement.
(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded
From this reading She wrote mysterious letters which she would allow no one but herself to mail, and received mysterious replies, the contents of which she kept a dark secret.
keysnounUS /kiːz/
plural of “key” — metal device shaped in such a way that when it is inserted into the appropriate lock the lock's mechanism can be rotated
From this reading They watched her with the feeling that they were quite outside the game now, and that she had the keys of the situation entirely in her own hands.
immediately past
From this reading At last one day, after receiving a particularly bulky communication, she deigned to speak.
the literary culture
From this reading She wrote mysterious letters which she would allow no one but herself to mail, and received mysterious replies, the contents of which she kept a dark secret.
mailnounUS /meɪl/
the bags of letters and packages that are transported by the postal service
From this reading She wrote mysterious letters which she would allow no one but herself to mail, and received mysterious replies, the contents of which she kept a dark secret.
MINERVAnounUS /məˈnɜːrvə/
(Roman mythology) goddess of wisdom; counterpart of Greek Athena
From this reading AUNT MINERVA TAKES COMMAND For an entire week thereafter Aunt Minerva went her own mysterious way, calm and unruffled herself, but keeping the rest of her family on tenter-hooks of excitement.
of an obscure nature
From this reading AUNT MINERVA TAKES COMMAND For an entire week thereafter Aunt Minerva went her own mysterious way, calm and unruffled herself, but keeping the rest of her family on tenter-hooks of excitement.
not any; not one
From this reading She wrote mysterious letters which she would allow no one but herself to mail, and received mysterious replies, the contents of which she kept a dark secret.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading They watched her with the feeling that they were quite outside the game now, and that she had the keys of the situation entirely in her own hands.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading AUNT MINERVA TAKES COMMAND For an entire week thereafter Aunt Minerva went her own mysterious way, calm and unruffled herself, but keeping the rest of her family on tenter-hooks of excitement.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading AUNT MINERVA TAKES COMMAND For an entire week thereafter Aunt Minerva went her own mysterious way, calm and unruffled herself, but keeping the rest of her family on tenter-hooks of excitement.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading She wrote mysterious letters which she would allow no one but herself to mail, and received mysterious replies, the contents of which she kept a dark secret.
relating to or being on or near the outer side or limit
From this reading They watched her with the feeling that they were quite outside the game now, and that she had the keys of the situation entirely in her own hands.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading AUNT MINERVA TAKES COMMAND For an entire week thereafter Aunt Minerva went her own mysterious way, calm and unruffled herself, but keeping the rest of her family on tenter-hooks of excitement.
to a distinctly greater extent or degree than is common
From this reading At last one day, after receiving a particularly bulky communication, she deigned to speak.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading They watched her with the feeling that they were quite outside the game now, and that she had the keys of the situation entirely in her own hands.
conforming to the established language usage of educated native speakers
From this reading She wrote mysterious letters which she would allow no one but herself to mail, and received mysterious replies, the contents of which she kept a dark secret.
receivingverbUS /rəˈsiːvɪŋ/
-ing form of “receive” — get something; come into possession of
From this reading At last one day, after receiving a particularly bulky communication, she deigned to speak.
repliesnounUS /rɪˈplaɪz/
plural of “reply” — a statement (either spoken or written) that is made to reply to a question or request or criticism or accusation
From this reading She wrote mysterious letters which she would allow no one but herself to mail, and received mysterious replies, the contents of which she kept a dark secret.
not move; be in a resting position
From this reading AUNT MINERVA TAKES COMMAND For an entire week thereafter Aunt Minerva went her own mysterious way, calm and unruffled herself, but keeping the rest of her family on tenter-hooks of excitement.
Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.
From this reading She wrote mysterious letters which she would allow no one but herself to mail, and received mysterious replies, the contents of which she kept a dark secret.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She wrote mysterious letters which she would allow no one but herself to mail, and received mysterious replies, the contents of which she kept a dark secret.
the general state of things; the combination of circumstances at a given time
From this reading They watched her with the feeling that they were quite outside the game now, and that she had the keys of the situation entirely in her own hands.
express in speech
From this reading At last one day, after receiving a particularly bulky communication, she deigned to speak.
plural of “take” — the income or profit arising from such transactions as the sale of land or other property
From this reading AUNT MINERVA TAKES COMMAND For an entire week thereafter Aunt Minerva went her own mysterious way, calm and unruffled herself, but keeping the rest of her family on tenter-hooks of excitement.
tenter-hooks
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AUNT MINERVA TAKES COMMAND For an entire week thereafter Aunt Minerva went her own mysterious way, calm and unruffled herself, but keeping the rest of her family on tenter-hooks of excitement.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading They watched her with the feeling that they were quite outside the game now, and that she had the keys of the situation entirely in her own hands.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading AUNT MINERVA TAKES COMMAND For an entire week thereafter Aunt Minerva went her own mysterious way, calm and unruffled herself, but keeping the rest of her family on tenter-hooks of excitement.
thereafteradverbUS /ðeˈræftər/
from that time on
From this reading AUNT MINERVA TAKES COMMAND For an entire week thereafter Aunt Minerva went her own mysterious way, calm and unruffled herself, but keeping the rest of her family on tenter-hooks of excitement.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They watched her with the feeling that they were quite outside the game now, and that she had the keys of the situation entirely in her own hands.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading She wrote mysterious letters which she would allow no one but herself to mail, and received mysterious replies, the contents of which she kept a dark secret.
a fact that has been verified
From this reading Which was indeed the truth!
unruffledadjectiveUS /ənˈrʌfəld/
free from emotional agitation or nervous tension
From this reading AUNT MINERVA TAKES COMMAND For an entire week thereafter Aunt Minerva went her own mysterious way, calm and unruffled herself, but keeping the rest of her family on tenter-hooks of excitement.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Which was indeed the truth!
past form of “watch” — look attentively
From this reading They watched her with the feeling that they were quite outside the game now, and that she had the keys of the situation entirely in her own hands.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading AUNT MINERVA TAKES COMMAND For an entire week thereafter Aunt Minerva went her own mysterious way, calm and unruffled herself, but keeping the rest of her family on tenter-hooks of excitement.
any period of seven consecutive days
From this reading AUNT MINERVA TAKES COMMAND For an entire week thereafter Aunt Minerva went her own mysterious way, calm and unruffled herself, but keeping the rest of her family on tenter-hooks of excitement.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading AUNT MINERVA TAKES COMMAND For an entire week thereafter Aunt Minerva went her own mysterious way, calm and unruffled herself, but keeping the rest of her family on tenter-hooks of excitement.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They watched her with the feeling that they were quite outside the game now, and that she had the keys of the situation entirely in her own hands.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading She wrote mysterious letters which she would allow no one but herself to mail, and received mysterious replies, the contents of which she kept a dark secret.
in the company of; together with
From this reading They watched her with the feeling that they were quite outside the game now, and that she had the keys of the situation entirely in her own hands.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading She wrote mysterious letters which she would allow no one but herself to mail, and received mysterious replies, the contents of which she kept a dark secret.
inflected form of “write” — produce a literary work
From this reading She wrote mysterious letters which she would allow no one but herself to mail, and received mysterious replies, the contents of which she kept a dark secret.
