used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading But mostly it is a sterile nobility.
(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 Witness the widows who drape their musty weeds over all the living; witness the mother of a son killed in war who urges her son's comrades to bring mourning to the mothers of all the sons on the other side.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The effect of grief is commonly reputed to be noble.
take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading Witness the widows who drape their musty weeds over all the living; witness the mother of a son killed in war who urges her son's comrades to bring mourning to the mothers of all the sons on the other side.
lacking funds
From this reading It broke down Una's resistance to the cares of the office.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But mostly it is a sterile nobility.
caresnounUS /kerz/
plural of “care” — the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something
From this reading It broke down Una's resistance to the cares of the office.
commonlyadverbUS /ˈkɑːmənli/
under normal conditions
From this reading The effect of grief is commonly reputed to be noble.
comradesnounUS /ˈkɑːmrædz/
plural of “comrade” — a friend who is frequently in the company of another
From this reading Witness the widows who drape their musty weeds over all the living; witness the mother of a son killed in war who urges her son's comrades to bring mourning to the mothers of all the sons on the other side.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading It broke down Una's resistance to the cares of the office.
drapeverbUS /dreɪp/
arrange in a particular way
From this reading Witness the widows who drape their musty weeds over all the living; witness the mother of a son killed in war who urges her son's comrades to bring mourning to the mothers of all the sons on the other side.
a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon
From this reading The effect of grief is commonly reputed to be noble.
intense sorrow caused by loss of a loved one (especially by death)
From this reading The effect of grief is commonly reputed to be noble.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Witness the widows who drape their musty weeds over all the living; witness the mother of a son killed in war who urges her son's comrades to bring mourning to the mothers of all the sons on the other side.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Witness the widows who drape their musty weeds over all the living; witness the mother of a son killed in war who urges her son's comrades to bring mourning to the mothers of all the sons on the other side.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The effect of grief is commonly reputed to be noble.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading But mostly it is a sterile nobility.
past form of “kill” — cause to die; put to death, usually intentionally or knowingly
From this reading Witness the widows who drape their musty weeds over all the living; witness the mother of a son killed in war who urges her son's comrades to bring mourning to the mothers of all the sons on the other side.
the experience of being alive; the course of human events and activities
From this reading Witness the widows who drape their musty weeds over all the living; witness the mother of a son killed in war who urges her son's comrades to bring mourning to the mothers of all the sons on the other side.
mostlyadverbUS /ˈmoʊstli/
in large part; mainly or chiefly
From this reading But mostly it is a sterile nobility.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading Witness the widows who drape their musty weeds over all the living; witness the mother of a son killed in war who urges her son's comrades to bring mourning to the mothers of all the sons on the other side.
mothersnounUS /ˈmʌðərz/
plural of “mother” — a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading Witness the widows who drape their musty weeds over all the living; witness the mother of a son killed in war who urges her son's comrades to bring mourning to the mothers of all the sons on the other side.
mourningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/
state of sorrow over the death or departure of a loved one
From this reading Witness the widows who drape their musty weeds over all the living; witness the mother of a son killed in war who urges her son's comrades to bring mourning to the mothers of all the sons on the other side.
mustyadjectiveUS /ˈmʌsti/
covered with or smelling of mold
From this reading Witness the widows who drape their musty weeds over all the living; witness the mother of a son killed in war who urges her son's comrades to bring mourning to the mothers of all the sons on the other side.
nobilitynounUS /noʊˈbɪləti/
a privileged class holding hereditary titles
From this reading But mostly it is a sterile nobility.
nobleadjectiveUS /ˈnoʊbəl/
impressive in appearance
From this reading The effect of grief is commonly reputed to be noble.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The effect of grief is commonly reputed to be noble.
place of business where professional or clerical duties are performed
From this reading It broke down Una's resistance to the cares of the office.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Witness the widows who drape their musty weeds over all the living; witness the mother of a son killed in war who urges her son's comrades to bring mourning to the mothers of all the sons on the other side.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading Witness the widows who drape their musty weeds over all the living; witness the mother of a son killed in war who urges her son's comrades to bring mourning to the mothers of all the sons on the other side.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Witness the widows who drape their musty weeds over all the living; witness the mother of a son killed in war who urges her son's comrades to bring mourning to the mothers of all the sons on the other side.
paralyzingverbUS /ˈperəlaɪzɪŋ/
-ing form of “paralyze” — make powerless and unable to function
From this reading Grief is a paralyzing poison.
poisonverbUS /ˈpɔɪzən/
spoil as if by poison
From this reading Grief is a paralyzing poison.
reputedverbUS /rɪˈpjuːtɪd/
past form of “repute” — look on as or consider
From this reading The effect of grief is commonly reputed to be noble.
resistancenounUS /rɪˈzɪstəns/
the action of opposing something that you disapprove or disagree with
From this reading It broke down Una's resistance to the cares of the office.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading Witness the widows who drape their musty weeds over all the living; witness the mother of a son killed in war who urges her son's comrades to bring mourning to the mothers of all the sons on the other side.
a male human offspring
From this reading Witness the widows who drape their musty weeds over all the living; witness the mother of a son killed in war who urges her son's comrades to bring mourning to the mothers of all the sons on the other side.
son'snounUS /sʌnz/
possessive form of “son” — a male human offspring
From this reading Witness the widows who drape their musty weeds over all the living; witness the mother of a son killed in war who urges her son's comrades to bring mourning to the mothers of all the sons on the other side.
plural of “son” — a male human offspring
From this reading Witness the widows who drape their musty weeds over all the living; witness the mother of a son killed in war who urges her son's comrades to bring mourning to the mothers of all the sons on the other side.
sterileadjectiveUS /ˈsterəl/
incapable of reproducing
From this reading But mostly it is a sterile nobility.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The effect of grief is commonly reputed to be noble.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Witness the widows who drape their musty weeds over all the living; witness the mother of a son killed in war who urges her son's comrades to bring mourning to the mothers of all the sons on the other side.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The effect of grief is commonly reputed to be noble.
Una's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It broke down Una's resistance to the cares of the office.
urgesnounUS /ˈɜːrdʒəz/
plural of “urge” — an instinctive motive
From this reading Witness the widows who drape their musty weeds over all the living; witness the mother of a son killed in war who urges her son's comrades to bring mourning to the mothers of all the sons on the other side.
the waging of armed conflict against an enemy
From this reading Witness the widows who drape their musty weeds over all the living; witness the mother of a son killed in war who urges her son's comrades to bring mourning to the mothers of all the sons on the other side.
weedsnounUS /wiːdz/
a black garment (dress) worn by a widow as a sign of mourning
From this reading Witness the widows who drape their musty weeds over all the living; witness the mother of a son killed in war who urges her son's comrades to bring mourning to the mothers of all the sons on the other side.
which person or people
From this reading Witness the widows who drape their musty weeds over all the living; witness the mother of a son killed in war who urges her son's comrades to bring mourning to the mothers of all the sons on the other side.
widowsnounUS /ˈwɪdoʊz/
plural of “widow” — a woman whose husband is dead especially one who has not remarried
From this reading Witness the widows who drape their musty weeds over all the living; witness the mother of a son killed in war who urges her son's comrades to bring mourning to the mothers of all the sons on the other side.
someone who sees an event and reports what happened
From this reading Witness the widows who drape their musty weeds over all the living; witness the mother of a son killed in war who urges her son's comrades to bring mourning to the mothers of all the sons on the other side.
