used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A letter from home.
speak to
From this reading Miss Prettyface took the letter in her hand and began, as best she could, for the twentieth time to endeavour to decipher the address.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading “I wonder,” said Mrs. Oldtimes, “who this letter be for; it have been ’ere now nigh upon a week, and I’m tired o’ seein’ it.”
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Miss Prettyface took the letter in her hand and began, as best she could, for the twentieth time to endeavour to decipher the address.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading “I wonder,” said Mrs. Oldtimes, “who this letter be for; it have been ’ere now nigh upon a week, and I’m tired o’ seein’ it.”
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading “I wonder,” said Mrs. Oldtimes, “who this letter be for; it have been ’ere now nigh upon a week, and I’m tired o’ seein’ it.”
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading Miss Prettyface took the letter in her hand and began, as best she could, for the twentieth time to endeavour to decipher the address.
besmeared
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was very much blotted and besmeared, and presented a very remarkable specimen of caligraphy.
the supreme effort one can make
From this reading Miss Prettyface took the letter in her hand and began, as best she could, for the twentieth time to endeavour to decipher the address.
blottedverbUS /ˈblɑːtəd/
inflected form of “blot” — dry (ink) with blotting paper
From this reading It was very much blotted and besmeared, and presented a very remarkable specimen of caligraphy.
caligraphy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was very much blotted and besmeared, and presented a very remarkable specimen of caligraphy.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Miss Prettyface took the letter in her hand and began, as best she could, for the twentieth time to endeavour to decipher the address.
decipherverbUS /dɪˈsaɪfər/
convert code into ordinary language
From this reading Miss Prettyface took the letter in her hand and began, as best she could, for the twentieth time to endeavour to decipher the address.
endeavournounUS /ɪnˈdevər/
a purposeful or industrious undertaking (especially one that requires effort or boldness)
From this reading Miss Prettyface took the letter in her hand and began, as best she could, for the twentieth time to endeavour to decipher the address.
an old word for “before”
From this reading “I wonder,” said Mrs. Oldtimes, “who this letter be for; it have been ’ere now nigh upon a week, and I’m tired o’ seein’ it.”
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading “I wonder,” said Mrs. Oldtimes, “who this letter be for; it have been ’ere now nigh upon a week, and I’m tired o’ seein’ it.”
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading A letter from home.
Gouse
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The most legible word on it seemed “Gouse.”
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading Miss Prettyface took the letter in her hand and began, as best she could, for the twentieth time to endeavour to decipher the address.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “I wonder,” said Mrs. Oldtimes, “who this letter be for; it have been ’ere now nigh upon a week, and I’m tired o’ seein’ it.”
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Miss Prettyface took the letter in her hand and began, as best she could, for the twentieth time to endeavour to decipher the address.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading A letter from home.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “I wonder,” said Mrs. Oldtimes, “who this letter be for; it have been ’ere now nigh upon a week, and I’m tired o’ seein’ it.”
I'm
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I wonder,” said Mrs. Oldtimes, “who this letter be for; it have been ’ere now nigh upon a week, and I’m tired o’ seein’ it.”
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Miss Prettyface took the letter in her hand and began, as best she could, for the twentieth time to endeavour to decipher the address.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “I wonder,” said Mrs. Oldtimes, “who this letter be for; it have been ’ere now nigh upon a week, and I’m tired o’ seein’ it.”
legibleadjectiveUS /ˈledʒəbəl/
(of handwriting, print, etc.) capable of being read or deciphered
From this reading The most legible word on it seemed “Gouse.”
a written message addressed to a person or organization
From this reading A letter from home.
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading Miss Prettyface took the letter in her hand and began, as best she could, for the twentieth time to endeavour to decipher the address.
used to form the superlative
From this reading The most legible word on it seemed “Gouse.”
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading “I wonder,” said Mrs. Oldtimes, “who this letter be for; it have been ’ere now nigh upon a week, and I’m tired o’ seein’ it.”
to a great degree or extent
From this reading It was very much blotted and besmeared, and presented a very remarkable specimen of caligraphy.
nighadjectiveUS /naɪ/
not far distant in time or space or degree or circumstances
From this reading “I wonder,” said Mrs. Oldtimes, “who this letter be for; it have been ’ere now nigh upon a week, and I’m tired o’ seein’ it.”
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading “I wonder,” said Mrs. Oldtimes, “who this letter be for; it have been ’ere now nigh upon a week, and I’m tired o’ seein’ it.”
a nonmetallic bivalent element that is normally a colorless odorless tasteless nonflammable diatomic gas; constitutes 21 percent of the atmosphere by volume; the most abundant element in the earth's crust
From this reading “I wonder,” said Mrs. Oldtimes, “who this letter be for; it have been ’ere now nigh upon a week, and I’m tired o’ seein’ it.”
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It was very much blotted and besmeared, and presented a very remarkable specimen of caligraphy.
Oldtimes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I wonder,” said Mrs. Oldtimes, “who this letter be for; it have been ’ere now nigh upon a week, and I’m tired o’ seein’ it.”
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The most legible word on it seemed “Gouse.”
past form of “present” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading It was very much blotted and besmeared, and presented a very remarkable specimen of caligraphy.
Prettyface
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Miss Prettyface took the letter in her hand and began, as best she could, for the twentieth time to endeavour to decipher the address.
unusual or striking
From this reading It was very much blotted and besmeared, and presented a very remarkable specimen of caligraphy.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “I wonder,” said Mrs. Oldtimes, “who this letter be for; it have been ’ere now nigh upon a week, and I’m tired o’ seein’ it.”
seein
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I wonder,” said Mrs. Oldtimes, “who this letter be for; it have been ’ere now nigh upon a week, and I’m tired o’ seein’ it.”
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading The most legible word on it seemed “Gouse.”
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Miss Prettyface took the letter in her hand and began, as best she could, for the twentieth time to endeavour to decipher the address.
specimennounUS /ˈspesəmən/
an example regarded as typical of its class
From this reading It was very much blotted and besmeared, and presented a very remarkable specimen of caligraphy.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Miss Prettyface took the letter in her hand and began, as best she could, for the twentieth time to endeavour to decipher the address.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading “I wonder,” said Mrs. Oldtimes, “who this letter be for; it have been ’ere now nigh upon a week, and I’m tired o’ seein’ it.”
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Miss Prettyface took the letter in her hand and began, as best she could, for the twentieth time to endeavour to decipher the address.
tiredadjectiveUS /ˈtaɪərd/
depleted of strength or energy
From this reading “I wonder,” said Mrs. Oldtimes, “who this letter be for; it have been ’ere now nigh upon a week, and I’m tired o’ seein’ it.”
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Miss Prettyface took the letter in her hand and began, as best she could, for the twentieth time to endeavour to decipher the address.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading Miss Prettyface took the letter in her hand and began, as best she could, for the twentieth time to endeavour to decipher the address.
twentiethnounUS /ˈtwentiəθ/
position 20 in a countable series of things
From this reading Miss Prettyface took the letter in her hand and began, as best she could, for the twentieth time to endeavour to decipher the address.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading “I wonder,” said Mrs. Oldtimes, “who this letter be for; it have been ’ere now nigh upon a week, and I’m tired o’ seein’ it.”
precisely as stated
From this reading It was very much blotted and besmeared, and presented a very remarkable specimen of caligraphy.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was very much blotted and besmeared, and presented a very remarkable specimen of caligraphy.
any period of seven consecutive days
From this reading “I wonder,” said Mrs. Oldtimes, “who this letter be for; it have been ’ere now nigh upon a week, and I’m tired o’ seein’ it.”
which person or people
From this reading “I wonder,” said Mrs. Oldtimes, “who this letter be for; it have been ’ere now nigh upon a week, and I’m tired o’ seein’ it.”
the feeling aroused by something strange and surprising
From this reading “I wonder,” said Mrs. Oldtimes, “who this letter be for; it have been ’ere now nigh upon a week, and I’m tired o’ seein’ it.”
a unit of language that native speakers can identify
From this reading The most legible word on it seemed “Gouse.”
