used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading GENEROSITY OF A FATHER With grim irony Harry congratulated himself on his decision.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading There was indeed (as he told himself clearly) nothing wonderful about her voice--it resembled the divine only in being still and small.
Alison
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When first he came into the house he heard Alison singing.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading There was indeed (as he told himself clearly) nothing wonderful about her voice--it resembled the divine only in being still and small.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading There was indeed (as he told himself clearly) nothing wonderful about her voice--it resembled the divine only in being still and small.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Yet he could not (he called himself still more clearly a fool) keep away from it, and so he slunk into Lady Waverton's drawing-room.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading There was indeed (as he told himself clearly) nothing wonderful about her voice--it resembled the divine only in being still and small.
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading Yet he could not (he called himself still more clearly a fool) keep away from it, and so he slunk into Lady Waverton's drawing-room.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading When first he came into the house he heard Alison singing.
without doubt or question
From this reading There was indeed (as he told himself clearly) nothing wonderful about her voice--it resembled the divine only in being still and small.
congratulatedverbUS /kənˈɡrætʃəleɪtɪd/
past form of “congratulate” — say something to someone that expresses praise
From this reading GENEROSITY OF A FATHER With grim irony Harry congratulated himself on his decision.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Yet he could not (he called himself still more clearly a fool) keep away from it, and so he slunk into Lady Waverton's drawing-room.
the act of making up your mind about something
From this reading GENEROSITY OF A FATHER With grim irony Harry congratulated himself on his decision.
emanating from God
From this reading There was indeed (as he told himself clearly) nothing wonderful about her voice--it resembled the divine only in being still and small.
dragverbUS /dræɡ/
pull, as against a resistance
From this reading Only duty and stated hours were wont to drag him there.
drawing-room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet he could not (he called himself still more clearly a fool) keep away from it, and so he slunk into Lady Waverton's drawing-room.
the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force
From this reading Only duty and stated hours were wont to drag him there.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading GENEROSITY OF A FATHER With grim irony Harry congratulated himself on his decision.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading When first he came into the house he heard Alison singing.
a person who lacks good judgment
From this reading Yet he could not (he called himself still more clearly a fool) keep away from it, and so he slunk into Lady Waverton's drawing-room.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Yet he could not (he called himself still more clearly a fool) keep away from it, and so he slunk into Lady Waverton's drawing-room.
GENEROSITYnounUS /ˌdʒenərˈɑːsəti/
the trait of being willing to give your money or time
From this reading GENEROSITY OF A FATHER With grim irony Harry congratulated himself on his decision.
not to be placated or appeased or moved by entreaty
From this reading GENEROSITY OF A FATHER With grim irony Harry congratulated himself on his decision.
annoy continually or chronically
From this reading GENEROSITY OF A FATHER With grim irony Harry congratulated himself on his decision.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When first he came into the house he heard Alison singing.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading When first he came into the house he heard Alison singing.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading There was indeed (as he told himself clearly) nothing wonderful about her voice--it resembled the divine only in being still and small.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Only duty and stated hours were wont to drag him there.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading GENEROSITY OF A FATHER With grim irony Harry congratulated himself on his decision.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading GENEROSITY OF A FATHER With grim irony Harry congratulated himself on his decision.
a period of time assigned for work
From this reading Only duty and stated hours were wont to drag him there.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading When first he came into the house he heard Alison singing.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading There was indeed (as he told himself clearly) nothing wonderful about her voice--it resembled the divine only in being still and small.
in truth (often tends to intensify)
From this reading There was indeed (as he told himself clearly) nothing wonderful about her voice--it resembled the divine only in being still and small.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading When first he came into the house he heard Alison singing.
ironynounUS /ˈaɪrəni/
witty language used to convey insults or scorn
From this reading GENEROSITY OF A FATHER With grim irony Harry congratulated himself on his decision.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading There was indeed (as he told himself clearly) nothing wonderful about her voice--it resembled the divine only in being still and small.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading Yet he could not (he called himself still more clearly a fool) keep away from it, and so he slunk into Lady Waverton's drawing-room.
a polite name for any woman
From this reading Yet he could not (he called himself still more clearly a fool) keep away from it, and so he slunk into Lady Waverton's drawing-room.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Yet he could not (he called himself still more clearly a fool) keep away from it, and so he slunk into Lady Waverton's drawing-room.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Yet he could not (he called himself still more clearly a fool) keep away from it, and so he slunk into Lady Waverton's drawing-room.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading There was indeed (as he told himself clearly) nothing wonderful about her voice--it resembled the divine only in being still and small.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading GENEROSITY OF A FATHER With grim irony Harry congratulated himself on his decision.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading GENEROSITY OF A FATHER With grim irony Harry congratulated himself on his decision.
and nothing more
From this reading There was indeed (as he told himself clearly) nothing wonderful about her voice--it resembled the divine only in being still and small.
resembledverbUS /rɪˈzembəld/
past form of “resemble” — appear like; be similar or bear a likeness to
From this reading There was indeed (as he told himself clearly) nothing wonderful about her voice--it resembled the divine only in being still and small.
the act of singing vocal music
From this reading When first he came into the house he heard Alison singing.
slunk
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet he could not (he called himself still more clearly a fool) keep away from it, and so he slunk into Lady Waverton's drawing-room.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading There was indeed (as he told himself clearly) nothing wonderful about her voice--it resembled the divine only in being still and small.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Yet he could not (he called himself still more clearly a fool) keep away from it, and so he slunk into Lady Waverton's drawing-room.
statedadjectiveUS /ˈsteɪtɪd/
declared as fact; explicitly stated
From this reading Only duty and stated hours were wont to drag him there.
not in physical motion
From this reading There was indeed (as he told himself clearly) nothing wonderful about her voice--it resembled the divine only in being still and small.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading When first he came into the house he heard Alison singing.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was indeed (as he told himself clearly) nothing wonderful about her voice--it resembled the divine only in being still and small.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Only duty and stated hours were wont to drag him there.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading There was indeed (as he told himself clearly) nothing wonderful about her voice--it resembled the divine only in being still and small.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading There was indeed (as he told himself clearly) nothing wonderful about her voice--it resembled the divine only in being still and small.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was indeed (as he told himself clearly) nothing wonderful about her voice--it resembled the divine only in being still and small.
Waverton's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet he could not (he called himself still more clearly a fool) keep away from it, and so he slunk into Lady Waverton's drawing-room.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Only duty and stated hours were wont to drag him there.
at the time that
From this reading When first he came into the house he heard Alison singing.
in the company of; together with
From this reading GENEROSITY OF A FATHER With grim irony Harry congratulated himself on his decision.
extraordinarily good or great; used especially as intensifiers
From this reading There was indeed (as he told himself clearly) nothing wonderful about her voice--it resembled the divine only in being still and small.
wontnounUS /woʊnt/
an established custom
From this reading Only duty and stated hours were wont to drag him there.
but in spite of that
From this reading Yet he could not (he called himself still more clearly a fool) keep away from it, and so he slunk into Lady Waverton's drawing-room.
