used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A day or two later Tory received a letter which filled her with surprise, pleasure and consternation.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading UNEXPECTED OPPORTUNITIES The days following Tory Drew’s suggestion to the Girl Scouts brought forth an unusual chain of circumstances.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A day or two later Tory received a letter which filled her with surprise, pleasure and consternation.
a person whose creative work shows sensitivity and imagination
From this reading The letter was the second from her new artist friend in New York City, but of a wholly different character from the original one.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Mr. Winslow explained that he had not been well in some time.
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading UNEXPECTED OPPORTUNITIES The days following Tory Drew’s suggestion to the Girl Scouts brought forth an unusual chain of circumstances.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The letter was the second from her new artist friend in New York City, but of a wholly different character from the original one.
a series of things depending on each other as if linked together
From this reading UNEXPECTED OPPORTUNITIES The days following Tory Drew’s suggestion to the Girl Scouts brought forth an unusual chain of circumstances.
an imaginary person represented in a work of fiction (play or film or story)
From this reading The letter was the second from her new artist friend in New York City, but of a wholly different character from the original one.
your overall circumstances or condition in life (including everything that happens to you)
From this reading UNEXPECTED OPPORTUNITIES The days following Tory Drew’s suggestion to the Girl Scouts brought forth an unusual chain of circumstances.
a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts
From this reading The letter was the second from her new artist friend in New York City, but of a wholly different character from the original one.
consternationnounUS /ˌkɑːnstərˈneɪʃən/
fear resulting from the awareness of danger
From this reading A day or two later Tory received a letter which filled her with surprise, pleasure and consternation.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading A day or two later Tory received a letter which filled her with surprise, pleasure and consternation.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading UNEXPECTED OPPORTUNITIES The days following Tory Drew’s suggestion to the Girl Scouts brought forth an unusual chain of circumstances.
developmentsnounUS /dɪˈveləpmənts/
plural of “development” — act of improving by expanding or enlarging or refining
From this reading Otherwise their good resolutions might not have had the surprising developments.
unlike in nature or quality or form or degree
From this reading The letter was the second from her new artist friend in New York City, but of a wholly different character from the original one.
Drew's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading UNEXPECTED OPPORTUNITIES The days following Tory Drew’s suggestion to the Girl Scouts brought forth an unusual chain of circumstances.
past form of “explain” — make plain and comprehensible
From this reading Mr. Winslow explained that he had not been well in some time.
(usually followed by “with” or used as a combining form) generously supplied with
From this reading A day or two later Tory received a letter which filled her with surprise, pleasure and consternation.
about to be mentioned or specified
From this reading UNEXPECTED OPPORTUNITIES The days following Tory Drew’s suggestion to the Girl Scouts brought forth an unusual chain of circumstances.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading UNEXPECTED OPPORTUNITIES The days following Tory Drew’s suggestion to the Girl Scouts brought forth an unusual chain of circumstances.
a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading The letter was the second from her new artist friend in New York City, but of a wholly different character from the original one.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The letter was the second from her new artist friend in New York City, but of a wholly different character from the original one.
a young female
From this reading UNEXPECTED OPPORTUNITIES The days following Tory Drew’s suggestion to the Girl Scouts brought forth an unusual chain of circumstances.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading Otherwise their good resolutions might not have had the surprising developments.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Otherwise their good resolutions might not have had the surprising developments.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Otherwise their good resolutions might not have had the surprising developments.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Mr. Winslow explained that he had not been well in some time.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading A day or two later Tory received a letter which filled her with surprise, pleasure and consternation.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The letter was the second from her new artist friend in New York City, but of a wholly different character from the original one.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading A day or two later Tory received a letter which filled her with surprise, pleasure and consternation.
a written message addressed to a person or organization
From this reading A day or two later Tory received a letter which filled her with surprise, pleasure and consternation.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading Otherwise their good resolutions might not have had the surprising developments.
a form of address for a man
From this reading Mr. Winslow explained that he had not been well in some time.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading The letter was the second from her new artist friend in New York City, but of a wholly different character from the original one.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Otherwise their good resolutions might not have had the surprising developments.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading UNEXPECTED OPPORTUNITIES The days following Tory Drew’s suggestion to the Girl Scouts brought forth an unusual chain of circumstances.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The letter was the second from her new artist friend in New York City, but of a wholly different character from the original one.
OPPORTUNITIESnounUS /ˌɑːpərˈtuːnətiz/
plural of “opportunity” — a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances
From this reading UNEXPECTED OPPORTUNITIES The days following Tory Drew’s suggestion to the Girl Scouts brought forth an unusual chain of circumstances.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading A day or two later Tory received a letter which filled her with surprise, pleasure and consternation.
preceding all others in time or being as first made or performed
From this reading The letter was the second from her new artist friend in New York City, but of a wholly different character from the original one.
in other respects or ways
From this reading Otherwise their good resolutions might not have had the surprising developments.
a fundamental feeling that is hard to define but that people desire to experience
From this reading A day or two later Tory received a letter which filled her with surprise, pleasure and consternation.
conforming to the established language usage of educated native speakers
From this reading A day or two later Tory received a letter which filled her with surprise, pleasure and consternation.
resolutionsnounUS /ˌrezəˈluːʃənz/
plural of “resolution” — a formal expression by a meeting; agreed to by a vote
From this reading Otherwise their good resolutions might not have had the surprising developments.
ScoutsnounUS /skaʊts/
plural of “scout” — a person employed to keep watch for some anticipated event
From this reading UNEXPECTED OPPORTUNITIES The days following Tory Drew’s suggestion to the Girl Scouts brought forth an unusual chain of circumstances.
1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading The letter was the second from her new artist friend in New York City, but of a wholly different character from the original one.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Mr. Winslow explained that he had not been well in some time.
an idea that is suggested
From this reading UNEXPECTED OPPORTUNITIES The days following Tory Drew’s suggestion to the Girl Scouts brought forth an unusual chain of circumstances.
the astonishment you feel when something totally unexpected happens to you
From this reading A day or two later Tory received a letter which filled her with surprise, pleasure and consternation.
surprisingadjectiveUS /sərˈpraɪzɪŋ/
causing surprise or wonder or amazement
From this reading Otherwise their good resolutions might not have had the surprising developments.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Mr. Winslow explained that he had not been well in some time.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading UNEXPECTED OPPORTUNITIES The days following Tory Drew’s suggestion to the Girl Scouts brought forth an unusual chain of circumstances.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Otherwise their good resolutions might not have had the surprising developments.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Mr. Winslow explained that he had not been well in some time.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading UNEXPECTED OPPORTUNITIES The days following Tory Drew’s suggestion to the Girl Scouts brought forth an unusual chain of circumstances.
TorynounUS /ˈtɔːri/
an American who favored the British side during the American Revolution
From this reading UNEXPECTED OPPORTUNITIES The days following Tory Drew’s suggestion to the Girl Scouts brought forth an unusual chain of circumstances.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading A day or two later Tory received a letter which filled her with surprise, pleasure and consternation.
not expected or anticipated
From this reading UNEXPECTED OPPORTUNITIES The days following Tory Drew’s suggestion to the Girl Scouts brought forth an unusual chain of circumstances.
not usual or common or ordinary
From this reading UNEXPECTED OPPORTUNITIES The days following Tory Drew’s suggestion to the Girl Scouts brought forth an unusual chain of circumstances.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The letter was the second from her new artist friend in New York City, but of a wholly different character from the original one.
(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 Mr. Winslow explained that he had not been well in some time.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading A day or two later Tory received a letter which filled her with surprise, pleasure and consternation.
to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)
From this reading The letter was the second from her new artist friend in New York City, but of a wholly different character from the original one.
WinslownounUS /ˈwɪnzloʊ/
English colonial administrator who traveled to America on the Mayflower and served as the first governor of the Plymouth Colony (1595-1655)
From this reading Mr. Winslow explained that he had not been well in some time.
in the company of; together with
From this reading A day or two later Tory received a letter which filled her with surprise, pleasure and consternation.
the English royal house (a branch of the Plantagenet line) that reigned from 1461 to 1485; its emblem was a white rose
From this reading The letter was the second from her new artist friend in New York City, but of a wholly different character from the original one.
