used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "So the old lady is set up for life on your money," he observed, as he watched Diane hold a white table-cloth up to the light and search it for imperfections.
giving or marked by complete attention to
From this reading They not only relieved the tedium of her days, but they brought her news from that small world into which her most vital interests had become absorbed.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading There was no one but the old man to push his way into her sanctuary, and for his visits she was grateful.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading "So the old lady is set up for life on your money," he observed, as he watched Diane hold a white table-cloth up to the light and search it for imperfections.
enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading They not only relieved the tedium of her days, but they brought her news from that small world into which her most vital interests had become absorbed.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading She would have had much more than that if it hadn't been for me."
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading They not only relieved the tedium of her days, but they brought her news from that small world into which her most vital interests had become absorbed.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading There was no one but the old man to push his way into her sanctuary, and for his visits she was grateful.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading They not only relieved the tedium of her days, but they brought her news from that small world into which her most vital interests had become absorbed.
Diane
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "So the old lady is set up for life on your money," he observed, as he watched Diane hold a white table-cloth up to the light and search it for imperfections.
divisible by two
From this reading "It isn't my money now; and even if it were I'd rather she had the use of it.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading There was no one but the old man to push his way into her sanctuary, and for his visits she was grateful.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading They not only relieved the tedium of her days, but they brought her news from that small world into which her most vital interests had become absorbed.
feeling or showing gratitude
From this reading There was no one but the old man to push his way into her sanctuary, and for his visits she was grateful.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading They not only relieved the tedium of her days, but they brought her news from that small world into which her most vital interests had become absorbed.
hadn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She would have had much more than that if it hadn't been for me."
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading She would have had much more than that if it hadn't been for me."
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "So the old lady is set up for life on your money," he observed, as he watched Diane hold a white table-cloth up to the light and search it for imperfections.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading There was no one but the old man to push his way into her sanctuary, and for his visits she was grateful.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading There was no one but the old man to push his way into her sanctuary, and for his visits she was grateful.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading "So the old lady is set up for life on your money," he observed, as he watched Diane hold a white table-cloth up to the light and search it for imperfections.
I'd
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "It isn't my money now; and even if it were I'd rather she had the use of it.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading "It isn't my money now; and even if it were I'd rather she had the use of it.
imperfectionsnounUS /ˌɪmpərˈfekʃənz/
plural of “imperfection” — the state or an instance of being imperfect
From this reading "So the old lady is set up for life on your money," he observed, as he watched Diane hold a white table-cloth up to the light and search it for imperfections.
plural of “interest” — a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something
From this reading They not only relieved the tedium of her days, but they brought her news from that small world into which her most vital interests had become absorbed.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading There was no one but the old man to push his way into her sanctuary, and for his visits she was grateful.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "So the old lady is set up for life on your money," he observed, as he watched Diane hold a white table-cloth up to the light and search it for imperfections.
isn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "It isn't my money now; and even if it were I'd rather she had the use of it.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "So the old lady is set up for life on your money," he observed, as he watched Diane hold a white table-cloth up to the light and search it for imperfections.
a polite name for any woman
From this reading "So the old lady is set up for life on your money," he observed, as he watched Diane hold a white table-cloth up to the light and search it for imperfections.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading "So the old lady is set up for life on your money," he observed, as he watched Diane hold a white table-cloth up to the light and search it for imperfections.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading "So the old lady is set up for life on your money," he observed, as he watched Diane hold a white table-cloth up to the light and search it for imperfections.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading There was no one but the old man to push his way into her sanctuary, and for his visits she was grateful.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading She would have had much more than that if it hadn't been for me."
the most common medium of exchange; functions as legal tender
From this reading "So the old lady is set up for life on your money," he observed, as he watched Diane hold a white table-cloth up to the light and search it for imperfections.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading She would have had much more than that if it hadn't been for me."
used to form the superlative
From this reading They not only relieved the tedium of her days, but they brought her news from that small world into which her most vital interests had become absorbed.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading She would have had much more than that if it hadn't been for me."
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "It isn't my money now; and even if it were I'd rather she had the use of it.
information about recent and important events
From this reading They not only relieved the tedium of her days, but they brought her news from that small world into which her most vital interests had become absorbed.
not any; not one
From this reading There was no one but the old man to push his way into her sanctuary, and for his visits she was grateful.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading They not only relieved the tedium of her days, but they brought her news from that small world into which her most vital interests had become absorbed.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading "It isn't my money now; and even if it were I'd rather she had the use of it.
discovered or determined by scientific observation
From this reading "So the old lady is set up for life on your money," he observed, as he watched Diane hold a white table-cloth up to the light and search it for imperfections.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading They not only relieved the tedium of her days, but they brought her news from that small world into which her most vital interests had become absorbed.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading There was no one but the old man to push his way into her sanctuary, and for his visits she was grateful.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading "So the old lady is set up for life on your money," he observed, as he watched Diane hold a white table-cloth up to the light and search it for imperfections.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading There was no one but the old man to push his way into her sanctuary, and for his visits she was grateful.
and nothing more
From this reading They not only relieved the tedium of her days, but they brought her news from that small world into which her most vital interests had become absorbed.
pushverbUS /pʊʃ/
move with force
From this reading There was no one but the old man to push his way into her sanctuary, and for his visits she was grateful.
on the contrary
From this reading "It isn't my money now; and even if it were I'd rather she had the use of it.
(of pain or sorrow) made easier to bear
From this reading They not only relieved the tedium of her days, but they brought her news from that small world into which her most vital interests had become absorbed.
sanctuarynounUS /ˈsæŋk.tʃu.er.i/
A place of safety, refuge, or holy retreat within the academy.
From this reading There was no one but the old man to push his way into her sanctuary, and for his visits she was grateful.
try to locate or discover, or try to establish the existence of
From this reading "So the old lady is set up for life on your money," he observed, as he watched Diane hold a white table-cloth up to the light and search it for imperfections.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading "So the old lady is set up for life on your money," he observed, as he watched Diane hold a white table-cloth up to the light and search it for imperfections.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading There was no one but the old man to push his way into her sanctuary, and for his visits she was grateful.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading They not only relieved the tedium of her days, but they brought her news from that small world into which her most vital interests had become absorbed.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading "So the old lady is set up for life on your money," he observed, as he watched Diane hold a white table-cloth up to the light and search it for imperfections.
table-cloth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "So the old lady is set up for life on your money," he observed, as he watched Diane hold a white table-cloth up to the light and search it for imperfections.
tediumnounUS /ˈtiːdiəm/
the feeling of being bored by something tedious
From this reading They not only relieved the tedium of her days, but they brought her news from that small world into which her most vital interests had become absorbed.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading She would have had much more than that if it hadn't been for me."
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading They not only relieved the tedium of her days, but they brought her news from that small world into which her most vital interests had become absorbed.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading There was no one but the old man to push his way into her sanctuary, and for his visits she was grateful.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was no one but the old man to push his way into her sanctuary, and for his visits she was grateful.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They not only relieved the tedium of her days, but they brought her news from that small world into which her most vital interests had become absorbed.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading There was no one but the old man to push his way into her sanctuary, and for his visits she was grateful.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading "So the old lady is set up for life on your money," he observed, as he watched Diane hold a white table-cloth up to the light and search it for imperfections.
the act of using
From this reading "It isn't my money now; and even if it were I'd rather she had the use of it.
visitsnounUS /ˈvɪzɪts/
plural of “visit” — the act of going to see some person or place or thing for a short time
From this reading There was no one but the old man to push his way into her sanctuary, and for his visits she was grateful.
vitaladjectiveUS /ˈvaɪtəl/
urgently needed; absolutely necessary
From this reading They not only relieved the tedium of her days, but they brought her news from that small world into which her most vital interests had become absorbed.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was no one but the old man to push his way into her sanctuary, and for his visits she was grateful.
past form of “watch” — look attentively
From this reading "So the old lady is set up for life on your money," he observed, as he watched Diane hold a white table-cloth up to the light and search it for imperfections.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading There was no one but the old man to push his way into her sanctuary, and for his visits she was grateful.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "It isn't my money now; and even if it were I'd rather she had the use of it.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading They not only relieved the tedium of her days, but they brought her news from that small world into which her most vital interests had become absorbed.
a Caucasian
From this reading "So the old lady is set up for life on your money," he observed, as he watched Diane hold a white table-cloth up to the light and search it for imperfections.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading They not only relieved the tedium of her days, but they brought her news from that small world into which her most vital interests had become absorbed.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading She would have had much more than that if it hadn't been for me."
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "So the old lady is set up for life on your money," he observed, as he watched Diane hold a white table-cloth up to the light and search it for imperfections.
