used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading “Before you can talk about being a born nurse, darling,” said Lydia tranquilly, “you would have to learn not to drop everything you touch, and break it.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading “Before you can talk about being a born nurse, darling,” said Lydia tranquilly, “you would have to learn not to drop everything you touch, and break it.
filled with fear or apprehension
From this reading I’m afraid I should feel sorry for your patients--especially if you went near them with hands like those.”
(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 Jennie burst into an angry laugh, and coloured all over her fresh face, looking down at her dirty hands.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Jennie burst into an angry laugh, and coloured all over her fresh face, looking down at her dirty hands.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading “Before you can talk about being a born nurse, darling,” said Lydia tranquilly, “you would have to learn not to drop everything you touch, and break it.
angryadjectiveUS /ˈæŋɡri/
feeling or showing anger
From this reading Jennie burst into an angry laugh, and coloured all over her fresh face, looking down at her dirty hands.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Jennie burst into an angry laugh, and coloured all over her fresh face, looking down at her dirty hands.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading “Before you can talk about being a born nurse, darling,” said Lydia tranquilly, “you would have to learn not to drop everything you touch, and break it.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading “Before you can talk about being a born nurse, darling,” said Lydia tranquilly, “you would have to learn not to drop everything you touch, and break it.
the supreme effort one can make
From this reading “Surely the doctor knows best,” she said defiantly.
brought into existence
From this reading “Before you can talk about being a born nurse, darling,” said Lydia tranquilly, “you would have to learn not to drop everything you touch, and break it.
terminate
From this reading “Before you can talk about being a born nurse, darling,” said Lydia tranquilly, “you would have to learn not to drop everything you touch, and break it.
come open suddenly and violently, as if from internal pressure
From this reading Jennie burst into an angry laugh, and coloured all over her fresh face, looking down at her dirty hands.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading “Before you can talk about being a born nurse, darling,” said Lydia tranquilly, “you would have to learn not to drop everything you touch, and break it.
colouredadjectiveUS /ˈkʌlərd/
having color or a certain color; sometimes used in combination
From this reading Jennie burst into an angry laugh, and coloured all over her fresh face, looking down at her dirty hands.
a special loved one
From this reading “Before you can talk about being a born nurse, darling,” said Lydia tranquilly, “you would have to learn not to drop everything you touch, and break it.
defiantlyadverbUS /dɪˈfaɪəntli/
in a rebellious manner
From this reading “Surely the doctor knows best,” she said defiantly.
dirtyadjectiveUS /ˈdɜːrti/
soiled or likely to soil with dirt or grime
From this reading Jennie burst into an angry laugh, and coloured all over her fresh face, looking down at her dirty hands.
a licensed medical practitioner
From this reading “Surely the doctor knows best,” she said defiantly.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Jennie burst into an angry laugh, and coloured all over her fresh face, looking down at her dirty hands.
let fall to the ground
From this reading “Before you can talk about being a born nurse, darling,” said Lydia tranquilly, “you would have to learn not to drop everything you touch, and break it.
characterized by a firm and humorless belief in the validity of your opinions
From this reading “It’s not very likely he was in earnest--a little hoyden like you.
to a distinctly greater extent or degree than is common
From this reading I’m afraid I should feel sorry for your patients--especially if you went near them with hands like those.”
all things; all of a situation
From this reading “Before you can talk about being a born nurse, darling,” said Lydia tranquilly, “you would have to learn not to drop everything you touch, and break it.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading Jennie burst into an angry laugh, and coloured all over her fresh face, looking down at her dirty hands.
undergo an emotional sensation or be in a particular state of mind
From this reading I’m afraid I should feel sorry for your patients--especially if you went near them with hands like those.”
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading I’m afraid I should feel sorry for your patients--especially if you went near them with hands like those.”
recently made, produced, or harvested
From this reading Jennie burst into an angry laugh, and coloured all over her fresh face, looking down at her dirty hands.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading I’m afraid I should feel sorry for your patients--especially if you went near them with hands like those.”
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “Before you can talk about being a born nurse, darling,” said Lydia tranquilly, “you would have to learn not to drop everything you touch, and break it.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “It’s not very likely he was in earnest--a little hoyden like you.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Jennie burst into an angry laugh, and coloured all over her fresh face, looking down at her dirty hands.
hoydennoun
a girl who behaves in a boyish manner
From this reading “It’s not very likely he was in earnest--a little hoyden like you.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I’m afraid I should feel sorry for your patients--especially if you went near them with hands like those.”
I'm
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I’m afraid I should feel sorry for your patients--especially if you went near them with hands like those.”
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading I’m afraid I should feel sorry for your patients--especially if you went near them with hands like those.”
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading “It’s not very likely he was in earnest--a little hoyden like you.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Jennie burst into an angry laugh, and coloured all over her fresh face, looking down at her dirty hands.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “Before you can talk about being a born nurse, darling,” said Lydia tranquilly, “you would have to learn not to drop everything you touch, and break it.
It's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “It’s not very likely he was in earnest--a little hoyden like you.
Jennie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Jennie burst into an angry laugh, and coloured all over her fresh face, looking down at her dirty hands.
plural of “know” — the fact of being aware of information that is known to few people
From this reading “Surely the doctor knows best,” she said defiantly.
the sound of laughing
From this reading Jennie burst into an angry laugh, and coloured all over her fresh face, looking down at her dirty hands.
gain knowledge or skills
From this reading “Before you can talk about being a born nurse, darling,” said Lydia tranquilly, “you would have to learn not to drop everything you touch, and break it.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading I’m afraid I should feel sorry for your patients--especially if you went near them with hands like those.”
has a good chance of being the case or of coming about
From this reading “It’s not very likely he was in earnest--a little hoyden like you.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading “It’s not very likely he was in earnest--a little hoyden like you.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading Jennie burst into an angry laugh, and coloured all over her fresh face, looking down at her dirty hands.
LydianounUS /ˈlɪdiə/
an ancient region on the coast of western Asia Minor; a powerful kingdom until conquered by the Persians in 546 BC
From this reading “Before you can talk about being a born nurse, darling,” said Lydia tranquilly, “you would have to learn not to drop everything you touch, and break it.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading I’m afraid I should feel sorry for your patients--especially if you went near them with hands like those.”
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading “Before you can talk about being a born nurse, darling,” said Lydia tranquilly, “you would have to learn not to drop everything you touch, and break it.
try to cure by special care of treatment, of an illness or injury
From this reading “Before you can talk about being a born nurse, darling,” said Lydia tranquilly, “you would have to learn not to drop everything you touch, and break it.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Jennie burst into an angry laugh, and coloured all over her fresh face, looking down at her dirty hands.
patientsnounUS /ˈpeɪʃənts/
plural of “patient” — a person who requires medical care
From this reading I’m afraid I should feel sorry for your patients--especially if you went near them with hands like those.”
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “Before you can talk about being a born nurse, darling,” said Lydia tranquilly, “you would have to learn not to drop everything you touch, and break it.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “Surely the doctor knows best,” she said defiantly.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading I’m afraid I should feel sorry for your patients--especially if you went near them with hands like those.”
sorryadjectiveUS /ˈsɑːri/
feeling or expressing regret or sorrow or a sense of loss over something done or undone
From this reading I’m afraid I should feel sorry for your patients--especially if you went near them with hands like those.”
definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)
From this reading “Surely the doctor knows best,” she said defiantly.
exchange thoughts; talk with
From this reading “Before you can talk about being a born nurse, darling,” said Lydia tranquilly, “you would have to learn not to drop everything you touch, and break it.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “Surely the doctor knows best,” she said defiantly.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading I’m afraid I should feel sorry for your patients--especially if you went near them with hands like those.”
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading I’m afraid I should feel sorry for your patients--especially if you went near them with hands like those.”
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “Before you can talk about being a born nurse, darling,” said Lydia tranquilly, “you would have to learn not to drop everything you touch, and break it.
make physical contact with, come in contact with
From this reading “Before you can talk about being a born nurse, darling,” said Lydia tranquilly, “you would have to learn not to drop everything you touch, and break it.
tranquillyadverb
without emotional agitation
From this reading “Before you can talk about being a born nurse, darling,” said Lydia tranquilly, “you would have to learn not to drop everything you touch, and break it.
precisely as stated
From this reading “It’s not very likely he was in earnest--a little hoyden like you.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “It’s not very likely he was in earnest--a little hoyden like you.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading I’m afraid I should feel sorry for your patients--especially if you went near them with hands like those.”
in the company of; together with
From this reading I’m afraid I should feel sorry for your patients--especially if you went near them with hands like those.”
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading “Before you can talk about being a born nurse, darling,” said Lydia tranquilly, “you would have to learn not to drop everything you touch, and break it.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “Before you can talk about being a born nurse, darling,” said Lydia tranquilly, “you would have to learn not to drop everything you touch, and break it.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading I’m afraid I should feel sorry for your patients--especially if you went near them with hands like those.”
