used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading There was a sort of melodrama about her situation that keyed her up.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Hildegarde had acquired the habit of stepping softly as she went about her father's house; of stopping to listen before she turned corners or entered rooms.
acquiredadjectiveUS /əˈkwaɪərd/
gotten through environmental forces
From this reading Hildegarde had acquired the habit of stepping softly as she went about her father's house; of stopping to listen before she turned corners or entered rooms.
activitynounUS /ækˈtɪvəti/
any specific behavior
From this reading Every activity of the house she scrutinized with suspicion.
declare to be true or admit the existence or reality or truth of
From this reading She would never admit it, but, nevertheless, there were times when she really enjoyed herself.
matters of personal concern
From this reading She felt that affairs went forward there under the surface which she could only guess at but could not detect.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Hildegarde had acquired the habit of stepping softly as she went about her father's house; of stopping to listen before she turned corners or entered rooms.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading She felt that affairs went forward there under the surface which she could only guess at but could not detect.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Hildegarde had acquired the habit of stepping softly as she went about her father's house; of stopping to listen before she turned corners or entered rooms.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading She felt that affairs went forward there under the surface which she could only guess at but could not detect.
cornersnounUS /ˈkɔːrnərz/
plural of “corner” — a place off to the side of an area
From this reading Hildegarde had acquired the habit of stepping softly as she went about her father's house; of stopping to listen before she turned corners or entered rooms.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading She felt that affairs went forward there under the surface which she could only guess at but could not detect.
detectverbUS /dɪˈtekt/
discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of
From this reading She felt that affairs went forward there under the surface which she could only guess at but could not detect.
past form of “enjoy” — derive or receive pleasure from; get enjoyment from; take pleasure in
From this reading She would never admit it, but, nevertheless, there were times when she really enjoyed herself.
past form of “enter” — to come or go into
From this reading Hildegarde had acquired the habit of stepping softly as she went about her father's house; of stopping to listen before she turned corners or entered rooms.
EverydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading Every activity of the house she scrutinized with suspicion.
father'snounUS /ˈfɑːðərz/
possessive form of “father” — a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading Hildegarde had acquired the habit of stepping softly as she went about her father's house; of stopping to listen before she turned corners or entered rooms.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading She felt that affairs went forward there under the surface which she could only guess at but could not detect.
at or to or toward the front
From this reading She felt that affairs went forward there under the surface which she could only guess at but could not detect.
expect, believe, or suppose
From this reading She felt that affairs went forward there under the surface which she could only guess at but could not detect.
an established custom
From this reading Hildegarde had acquired the habit of stepping softly as she went about her father's house; of stopping to listen before she turned corners or entered rooms.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Hildegarde had acquired the habit of stepping softly as she went about her father's house; of stopping to listen before she turned corners or entered rooms.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Hildegarde had acquired the habit of stepping softly as she went about her father's house; of stopping to listen before she turned corners or entered rooms.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading She would never admit it, but, nevertheless, there were times when she really enjoyed herself.
Hildegarde
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hildegarde had acquired the habit of stepping softly as she went about her father's house; of stopping to listen before she turned corners or entered rooms.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading Hildegarde had acquired the habit of stepping softly as she went about her father's house; of stopping to listen before she turned corners or entered rooms.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading She would never admit it, but, nevertheless, there were times when she really enjoyed herself.
keyedadjectiveUS /kiːd/
fitted with or secured by a key
From this reading There was a sort of melodrama about her situation that keyed her up.
hear with intention
From this reading Hildegarde had acquired the habit of stepping softly as she went about her father's house; of stopping to listen before she turned corners or entered rooms.
melodramanounUS /ˈmelədrɑːmə/
an extravagant comedy in which action is more salient than characterization
From this reading There was a sort of melodrama about her situation that keyed her up.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading She would never admit it, but, nevertheless, there were times when she really enjoyed herself.
in spite of what has just been said
From this reading She would never admit it, but, nevertheless, there were times when she really enjoyed herself.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading She felt that affairs went forward there under the surface which she could only guess at but could not detect.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Hildegarde had acquired the habit of stepping softly as she went about her father's house; of stopping to listen before she turned corners or entered rooms.
and nothing more
From this reading She felt that affairs went forward there under the surface which she could only guess at but could not detect.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Hildegarde had acquired the habit of stepping softly as she went about her father's house; of stopping to listen before she turned corners or entered rooms.
in accordance with truth or fact or reality
From this reading She would never admit it, but, nevertheless, there were times when she really enjoyed herself.
apartment consisting of a series of connected rooms used as a living unit (as in a hotel)
From this reading Hildegarde had acquired the habit of stepping softly as she went about her father's house; of stopping to listen before she turned corners or entered rooms.
scrutinizedverbUS /ˈskruːtənaɪzd/
past form of “scrutinize” — to look at critically or searchingly, or in minute detail
From this reading Every activity of the house she scrutinized with suspicion.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Hildegarde had acquired the habit of stepping softly as she went about her father's house; of stopping to listen before she turned corners or entered rooms.
the general state of things; the combination of circumstances at a given time
From this reading There was a sort of melodrama about her situation that keyed her up.
with low volume
From this reading Hildegarde had acquired the habit of stepping softly as she went about her father's house; of stopping to listen before she turned corners or entered rooms.
a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
From this reading There was a sort of melodrama about her situation that keyed her up.
steppingverbUS /ˈstepɪŋ/
inflected form of “step” — shift or move by taking a step
From this reading Hildegarde had acquired the habit of stepping softly as she went about her father's house; of stopping to listen before she turned corners or entered rooms.
fastener consisting of a narrow strip of welded metal used to join steel members
From this reading Hildegarde had acquired the habit of stepping softly as she went about her father's house; of stopping to listen before she turned corners or entered rooms.
the outer boundary of an artifact or a material layer constituting or resembling such a boundary
From this reading She felt that affairs went forward there under the surface which she could only guess at but could not detect.
an impression that something might be the case
From this reading Every activity of the house she scrutinized with suspicion.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading She felt that affairs went forward there under the surface which she could only guess at but could not detect.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Hildegarde had acquired the habit of stepping softly as she went about her father's house; of stopping to listen before she turned corners or entered rooms.
in or at that place or location
From this reading She felt that affairs went forward there under the surface which she could only guess at but could not detect.
a more or less definite period of time now or previously present
From this reading She would never admit it, but, nevertheless, there were times when she really enjoyed herself.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Hildegarde had acquired the habit of stepping softly as she went about her father's house; of stopping to listen before she turned corners or entered rooms.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading Hildegarde had acquired the habit of stepping softly as she went about her father's house; of stopping to listen before she turned corners or entered rooms.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading She felt that affairs went forward there under the surface which she could only guess at but could not detect.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading There was a sort of melodrama about her situation that keyed her up.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was a sort of melodrama about her situation that keyed her up.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Hildegarde had acquired the habit of stepping softly as she went about her father's house; of stopping to listen before she turned corners or entered rooms.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading She would never admit it, but, nevertheless, there were times when she really enjoyed herself.
at the time that
From this reading She would never admit it, but, nevertheless, there were times when she really enjoyed herself.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading She felt that affairs went forward there under the surface which she could only guess at but could not detect.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Every activity of the house she scrutinized with suspicion.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading She would never admit it, but, nevertheless, there were times when she really enjoyed herself.
