used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE HOUSE IN A CROSSTOWN STREET If Simone had not already telephoned to the private office of the _Inner Circle's_ editor, she might have changed her mind about going there that night.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading THE HOUSE IN A CROSSTOWN STREET If Simone had not already telephoned to the private office of the _Inner Circle's_ editor, she might have changed her mind about going there that night.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading She was less superstitious and of harder mental fibre than most Frenchwomen of the south and of her class; but after the quarrel between the Duke and Duchess something within her shrank from keeping the secret appointment she had made.
prior to a specified or implied time
From this reading THE HOUSE IN A CROSSTOWN STREET If Simone had not already telephoned to the private office of the _Inner Circle's_ editor, she might have changed her mind about going there that night.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She was less superstitious and of harder mental fibre than most Frenchwomen of the south and of her class; but after the quarrel between the Duke and Duchess something within her shrank from keeping the secret appointment she had made.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading The woman was incapable of any real love save self love, but she liked Juliet, and would have inflicted upon her no great gratuitous pain.
appointmentnounUS /əˈpɔɪntmənt/
the act of putting a person into a non-elective position
From this reading She was less superstitious and of harder mental fibre than most Frenchwomen of the south and of her class; but after the quarrel between the Duke and Duchess something within her shrank from keeping the secret appointment she had made.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The pain to be inflicted in this instance, however (as well as other instances in the past), was not gratuitous.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The pain to be inflicted in this instance, however (as well as other instances in the past), was not gratuitous.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading She was less superstitious and of harder mental fibre than most Frenchwomen of the south and of her class; but after the quarrel between the Duke and Duchess something within her shrank from keeping the secret appointment she had made.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading She was less superstitious and of harder mental fibre than most Frenchwomen of the south and of her class; but after the quarrel between the Duke and Duchess something within her shrank from keeping the secret appointment she had made.
made or become different in nature or form
From this reading THE HOUSE IN A CROSSTOWN STREET If Simone had not already telephoned to the private office of the _Inner Circle's_ editor, she might have changed her mind about going there that night.
Circle'snounUS /ˈsɜːrkəlz/
possessive form of “circle” — ellipse in which the two axes are of equal length; a plane curve generated by one point moving at a constant distance from a fixed point
From this reading THE HOUSE IN A CROSSTOWN STREET If Simone had not already telephoned to the private office of the _Inner Circle's_ editor, she might have changed her mind about going there that night.
a collection of things sharing a common attribute
From this reading She was less superstitious and of harder mental fibre than most Frenchwomen of the south and of her class; but after the quarrel between the Duke and Duchess something within her shrank from keeping the secret appointment she had made.
conscience-stricken
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not that she was suddenly conscience-stricken, or that she thought her mistress had suffered enough without having the skeleton in the cupboard dangled in front of the public.
CROSSTOWNadjectiveUS /ˈkrɔːstaʊn/
going or extending across a town or city
From this reading THE HOUSE IN A CROSSTOWN STREET If Simone had not already telephoned to the private office of the _Inner Circle's_ editor, she might have changed her mind about going there that night.
cupboardnounUS /ˈkʌbərd/
a small room (or recess) or cabinet used for storage space
From this reading It was not that she was suddenly conscience-stricken, or that she thought her mistress had suffered enough without having the skeleton in the cupboard dangled in front of the public.
dangledverbUS /ˈdæŋɡəld/
past form of “dangle” — hang freely
From this reading It was not that she was suddenly conscience-stricken, or that she thought her mistress had suffered enough without having the skeleton in the cupboard dangled in front of the public.
DuchessnounUS /ˈdʌtʃəs/
the wife of a duke or a woman holding ducal title in her own right
From this reading She was less superstitious and of harder mental fibre than most Frenchwomen of the south and of her class; but after the quarrel between the Duke and Duchess something within her shrank from keeping the secret appointment she had made.
a British peer of the highest rank
From this reading She was less superstitious and of harder mental fibre than most Frenchwomen of the south and of her class; but after the quarrel between the Duke and Duchess something within her shrank from keeping the secret appointment she had made.
editornounUS /ˈedətər/
a person responsible for the editorial aspects of publication; the person who determines the final content of a text (especially of a newspaper or magazine)
From this reading THE HOUSE IN A CROSSTOWN STREET If Simone had not already telephoned to the private office of the _Inner Circle's_ editor, she might have changed her mind about going there that night.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading It was not that she was suddenly conscience-stricken, or that she thought her mistress had suffered enough without having the skeleton in the cupboard dangled in front of the public.
fibrenounUS /ˈfaɪbər/
a slender and greatly elongated substance capable of being spun into yarn
From this reading She was less superstitious and of harder mental fibre than most Frenchwomen of the south and of her class; but after the quarrel between the Duke and Duchess something within her shrank from keeping the secret appointment she had made.
Frenchwomen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was less superstitious and of harder mental fibre than most Frenchwomen of the south and of her class; but after the quarrel between the Duke and Duchess something within her shrank from keeping the secret appointment she had made.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading She was less superstitious and of harder mental fibre than most Frenchwomen of the south and of her class; but after the quarrel between the Duke and Duchess something within her shrank from keeping the secret appointment she had made.
the side that is forward or prominent
From this reading It was not that she was suddenly conscience-stricken, or that she thought her mistress had suffered enough without having the skeleton in the cupboard dangled in front of the public.
the act of departing
From this reading THE HOUSE IN A CROSSTOWN STREET If Simone had not already telephoned to the private office of the _Inner Circle's_ editor, she might have changed her mind about going there that night.
gratuitousadjectiveUS /ɡrəˈtuːətəs/
without cause
From this reading The woman was incapable of any real love save self love, but she liked Juliet, and would have inflicted upon her no great gratuitous pain.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading The woman was incapable of any real love save self love, but she liked Juliet, and would have inflicted upon her no great gratuitous pain.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading THE HOUSE IN A CROSSTOWN STREET If Simone had not already telephoned to the private office of the _Inner Circle's_ editor, she might have changed her mind about going there that night.
harderadverbUS /ˈhɑːrdər/
comparative of “hard” — with effort or force or vigor
From this reading She was less superstitious and of harder mental fibre than most Frenchwomen of the south and of her class; but after the quarrel between the Duke and Duchess something within her shrank from keeping the secret appointment she had made.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading THE HOUSE IN A CROSSTOWN STREET If Simone had not already telephoned to the private office of the _Inner Circle's_ editor, she might have changed her mind about going there that night.
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading It was not that she was suddenly conscience-stricken, or that she thought her mistress had suffered enough without having the skeleton in the cupboard dangled in front of the public.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading THE HOUSE IN A CROSSTOWN STREET If Simone had not already telephoned to the private office of the _Inner Circle's_ editor, she might have changed her mind about going there that night.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading THE HOUSE IN A CROSSTOWN STREET If Simone had not already telephoned to the private office of the _Inner Circle's_ editor, she might have changed her mind about going there that night.
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading The pain to be inflicted in this instance, however (as well as other instances in the past), was not gratuitous.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading THE HOUSE IN A CROSSTOWN STREET If Simone had not already telephoned to the private office of the _Inner Circle's_ editor, she might have changed her mind about going there that night.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THE HOUSE IN A CROSSTOWN STREET If Simone had not already telephoned to the private office of the _Inner Circle's_ editor, she might have changed her mind about going there that night.
incapableadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈkeɪpəbəl/
(followed by “of”) lacking capacity or ability
From this reading The woman was incapable of any real love save self love, but she liked Juliet, and would have inflicted upon her no great gratuitous pain.
inflictedverbUS /ˌɪnˈflɪktɪd/
past form of “inflict” — impose something unpleasant
From this reading The woman was incapable of any real love save self love, but she liked Juliet, and would have inflicted upon her no great gratuitous pain.
located inward
From this reading THE HOUSE IN A CROSSTOWN STREET If Simone had not already telephoned to the private office of the _Inner Circle's_ editor, she might have changed her mind about going there that night.
an occurrence of something
From this reading The pain to be inflicted in this instance, however (as well as other instances in the past), was not gratuitous.
instancesnounUS /ˈɪnstənsəz/
plural of “instance” — an occurrence of something
From this reading The pain to be inflicted in this instance, however (as well as other instances in the past), was not gratuitous.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was not that she was suddenly conscience-stricken, or that she thought her mistress had suffered enough without having the skeleton in the cupboard dangled in front of the public.
Juliet
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The woman was incapable of any real love save self love, but she liked Juliet, and would have inflicted upon her no great gratuitous pain.
conformity or harmony
From this reading She was less superstitious and of harder mental fibre than most Frenchwomen of the south and of her class; but after the quarrel between the Duke and Duchess something within her shrank from keeping the secret appointment she had made.
used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs
From this reading She was less superstitious and of harder mental fibre than most Frenchwomen of the south and of her class; but after the quarrel between the Duke and Duchess something within her shrank from keeping the secret appointment she had made.
found pleasant or attractive; often used as a combining form
From this reading The woman was incapable of any real love save self love, but she liked Juliet, and would have inflicted upon her no great gratuitous pain.
a strong positive emotion of regard and affection
From this reading The woman was incapable of any real love save self love, but she liked Juliet, and would have inflicted upon her no great gratuitous pain.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading She was less superstitious and of harder mental fibre than most Frenchwomen of the south and of her class; but after the quarrel between the Duke and Duchess something within her shrank from keeping the secret appointment she had made.
involving the mind or an intellectual process
From this reading She was less superstitious and of harder mental fibre than most Frenchwomen of the south and of her class; but after the quarrel between the Duke and Duchess something within her shrank from keeping the secret appointment she had made.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading THE HOUSE IN A CROSSTOWN STREET If Simone had not already telephoned to the private office of the _Inner Circle's_ editor, she might have changed her mind about going there that night.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading THE HOUSE IN A CROSSTOWN STREET If Simone had not already telephoned to the private office of the _Inner Circle's_ editor, she might have changed her mind about going there that night.
an adulterous woman; a woman who has an ongoing extramarital sexual relationship with a man
From this reading It was not that she was suddenly conscience-stricken, or that she thought her mistress had suffered enough without having the skeleton in the cupboard dangled in front of the public.
used to form the superlative
From this reading She was less superstitious and of harder mental fibre than most Frenchwomen of the south and of her class; but after the quarrel between the Duke and Duchess something within her shrank from keeping the secret appointment she had made.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading THE HOUSE IN A CROSSTOWN STREET If Simone had not already telephoned to the private office of the _Inner Circle's_ editor, she might have changed her mind about going there that night.
not any; not one
From this reading The woman was incapable of any real love save self love, but she liked Juliet, and would have inflicted upon her no great gratuitous pain.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading THE HOUSE IN A CROSSTOWN STREET If Simone had not already telephoned to the private office of the _Inner Circle's_ editor, she might have changed her mind about going there that night.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE HOUSE IN A CROSSTOWN STREET If Simone had not already telephoned to the private office of the _Inner Circle's_ editor, she might have changed her mind about going there that night.
place of business where professional or clerical duties are performed
From this reading THE HOUSE IN A CROSSTOWN STREET If Simone had not already telephoned to the private office of the _Inner Circle's_ editor, she might have changed her mind about going there that night.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading It was not that she was suddenly conscience-stricken, or that she thought her mistress had suffered enough without having the skeleton in the cupboard dangled in front of the public.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading The pain to be inflicted in this instance, however (as well as other instances in the past), was not gratuitous.
a symptom of some physical hurt or disorder
From this reading The woman was incapable of any real love save self love, but she liked Juliet, and would have inflicted upon her no great gratuitous pain.
the time that has elapsed
From this reading The pain to be inflicted in this instance, however (as well as other instances in the past), was not gratuitous.
confined to particular persons or groups or providing privacy
From this reading THE HOUSE IN A CROSSTOWN STREET If Simone had not already telephoned to the private office of the _Inner Circle's_ editor, she might have changed her mind about going there that night.
people in general considered as a whole
From this reading It was not that she was suddenly conscience-stricken, or that she thought her mistress had suffered enough without having the skeleton in the cupboard dangled in front of the public.
an angry dispute
From this reading She was less superstitious and of harder mental fibre than most Frenchwomen of the south and of her class; but after the quarrel between the Duke and Duchess something within her shrank from keeping the secret appointment she had made.
being or occurring in fact or actuality; having verified existence; not illusory
From this reading The woman was incapable of any real love save self love, but she liked Juliet, and would have inflicted upon her no great gratuitous pain.
except for; apart from
From this reading The woman was incapable of any real love save self love, but she liked Juliet, and would have inflicted upon her no great gratuitous pain.
Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.
From this reading She was less superstitious and of harder mental fibre than most Frenchwomen of the south and of her class; but after the quarrel between the Duke and Duchess something within her shrank from keeping the secret appointment she had made.
your consciousness of your own identity
From this reading The woman was incapable of any real love save self love, but she liked Juliet, and would have inflicted upon her no great gratuitous pain.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading THE HOUSE IN A CROSSTOWN STREET If Simone had not already telephoned to the private office of the _Inner Circle's_ editor, she might have changed her mind about going there that night.
shrankverbUS /ʃræŋk/
inflected form of “shrink” — wither, as with a loss of moisture
From this reading She was less superstitious and of harder mental fibre than most Frenchwomen of the south and of her class; but after the quarrel between the Duke and Duchess something within her shrank from keeping the secret appointment she had made.
Simone
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE HOUSE IN A CROSSTOWN STREET If Simone had not already telephoned to the private office of the _Inner Circle's_ editor, she might have changed her mind about going there that night.
skeletonnounUS /ˈskelətən/
something reduced to its minimal form
From this reading It was not that she was suddenly conscience-stricken, or that she thought her mistress had suffered enough without having the skeleton in the cupboard dangled in front of the public.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading She was less superstitious and of harder mental fibre than most Frenchwomen of the south and of her class; but after the quarrel between the Duke and Duchess something within her shrank from keeping the secret appointment she had made.
the region of the United States lying to the south of the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading She was less superstitious and of harder mental fibre than most Frenchwomen of the south and of her class; but after the quarrel between the Duke and Duchess something within her shrank from keeping the secret appointment she had made.
a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading THE HOUSE IN A CROSSTOWN STREET If Simone had not already telephoned to the private office of the _Inner Circle's_ editor, she might have changed her mind about going there that night.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading It was not that she was suddenly conscience-stricken, or that she thought her mistress had suffered enough without having the skeleton in the cupboard dangled in front of the public.
past form of “suffer” — undergo or be subjected to
From this reading It was not that she was suddenly conscience-stricken, or that she thought her mistress had suffered enough without having the skeleton in the cupboard dangled in front of the public.
superstitiousadjectiveUS /ˌsuːpərˈstɪʃəs/
showing ignorance of the laws of nature and faith in magic or chance
From this reading She was less superstitious and of harder mental fibre than most Frenchwomen of the south and of her class; but after the quarrel between the Duke and Duchess something within her shrank from keeping the secret appointment she had made.
telephonedverbUS /ˈteləfoʊnd/
past form of “telephone” — get or try to get into communication (with someone) by telephone
From this reading THE HOUSE IN A CROSSTOWN STREET If Simone had not already telephoned to the private office of the _Inner Circle's_ editor, she might have changed her mind about going there that night.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading She was less superstitious and of harder mental fibre than most Frenchwomen of the south and of her class; but after the quarrel between the Duke and Duchess something within her shrank from keeping the secret appointment she had made.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading THE HOUSE IN A CROSSTOWN STREET If Simone had not already telephoned to the private office of the _Inner Circle's_ editor, she might have changed her mind about going there that night.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE HOUSE IN A CROSSTOWN STREET If Simone had not already telephoned to the private office of the _Inner Circle's_ editor, she might have changed her mind about going there that night.
in or at that place or location
From this reading THE HOUSE IN A CROSSTOWN STREET If Simone had not already telephoned to the private office of the _Inner Circle's_ editor, she might have changed her mind about going there that night.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading The pain to be inflicted in this instance, however (as well as other instances in the past), was not gratuitous.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading It was not that she was suddenly conscience-stricken, or that she thought her mistress had suffered enough without having the skeleton in the cupboard dangled in front of the public.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE HOUSE IN A CROSSTOWN STREET If Simone had not already telephoned to the private office of the _Inner Circle's_ editor, she might have changed her mind about going there that night.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading The woman was incapable of any real love save self love, but she liked Juliet, and would have inflicted upon her no great gratuitous pain.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading She was less superstitious and of harder mental fibre than most Frenchwomen of the south and of her class; but after the quarrel between the Duke and Duchess something within her shrank from keeping the secret appointment she had made.
(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 The pain to be inflicted in this instance, however (as well as other instances in the past), was not gratuitous.
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading She was less superstitious and of harder mental fibre than most Frenchwomen of the south and of her class; but after the quarrel between the Duke and Duchess something within her shrank from keeping the secret appointment she had made.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading It was not that she was suddenly conscience-stricken, or that she thought her mistress had suffered enough without having the skeleton in the cupboard dangled in front of the public.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading The woman was incapable of any real love save self love, but she liked Juliet, and would have inflicted upon her no great gratuitous pain.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading The woman was incapable of any real love save self love, but she liked Juliet, and would have inflicted upon her no great gratuitous pain.
