Chapter I · Chapter 1

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading [Sidenote: _Mr. DeBrugh was dead, but he still regarded his promise as a sacred duty to be carried out.+] "Letty," Mr. DeBrugh remarked between long puffs on his meerschaum, "you've been a fine maid.

from one side of something to the other

From this reading She sighed and turned toward the man, who sat on a heavy sofa, puffing on his pipe and gazing across the room into nothingness.

later than; following

From this reading Now I haven't much more time in this life, and I want you to know that after Mrs. DeBrugh and I are gone, you will be well taken care of."

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading You've served Mrs. DeBrugh and me for most of fifteen years.

the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading Now I haven't much more time in this life, and I want you to know that after Mrs. DeBrugh and I are gone, you will be well taken care of."

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading [Sidenote: _Mr. DeBrugh was dead, but he still regarded his promise as a sacred duty to be carried out.+] "Letty," Mr. DeBrugh remarked between long puffs on his meerschaum, "you've been a fine maid.

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading [Sidenote: _Mr. DeBrugh was dead, but he still regarded his promise as a sacred duty to be carried out.+] "Letty," Mr. DeBrugh remarked between long puffs on his meerschaum, "you've been a fine maid.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading [Sidenote: _Mr. DeBrugh was dead, but he still regarded his promise as a sacred duty to be carried out.+] "Letty," Mr. DeBrugh remarked between long puffs on his meerschaum, "you've been a fine maid.

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading [Sidenote: _Mr. DeBrugh was dead, but he still regarded his promise as a sacred duty to be carried out.+] "Letty," Mr. DeBrugh remarked between long puffs on his meerschaum, "you've been a fine maid.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading [Sidenote: _Mr. DeBrugh was dead, but he still regarded his promise as a sacred duty to be carried out.+] "Letty," Mr. DeBrugh remarked between long puffs on his meerschaum, "you've been a fine maid.

the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something

From this reading Now I haven't much more time in this life, and I want you to know that after Mrs. DeBrugh and I are gone, you will be well taken care of."

inflected form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body

From this reading [Sidenote: _Mr. DeBrugh was dead, but he still regarded his promise as a sacred duty to be carried out.+] "Letty," Mr. DeBrugh remarked between long puffs on his meerschaum, "you've been a fine maid.

plural of “chair” — a seat for one person, with a support for the back

From this reading Letty stopped her dusting of the chairs in Mr. DeBrugh's oak-paneled study.

no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life

From this reading [Sidenote: _Mr. DeBrugh was dead, but he still regarded his promise as a sacred duty to be carried out.+] "Letty," Mr. DeBrugh remarked between long puffs on his meerschaum, "you've been a fine maid.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading [Sidenote: _Mr. DeBrugh was dead, but he still regarded his promise as a sacred duty to be carried out.+] "Letty," Mr. DeBrugh remarked between long puffs on his meerschaum, "you've been a fine maid.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Letty stopped her dusting of the chairs in Mr. DeBrugh's oak-paneled study.

-ing form of “dust” — remove the dust from

From this reading Letty stopped her dusting of the chairs in Mr. DeBrugh's oak-paneled study.

the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force

From this reading [Sidenote: _Mr. DeBrugh was dead, but he still regarded his promise as a sacred duty to be carried out.+] "Letty," Mr. DeBrugh remarked between long puffs on his meerschaum, "you've been a fine maid.

the cardinal number that is the sum of fourteen and one

From this reading You've served Mrs. DeBrugh and me for most of fifteen years.

being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition

From this reading [Sidenote: _Mr. DeBrugh was dead, but he still regarded his promise as a sacred duty to be carried out.+] "Letty," Mr. DeBrugh remarked between long puffs on his meerschaum, "you've been a fine maid.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading You've served Mrs. DeBrugh and me for most of fifteen years.

-ing form of “gaze” — look at with fixed eyes

From this reading She sighed and turned toward the man, who sat on a heavy sofa, puffing on his pipe and gazing across the room into nothingness.

destroyed or killed

From this reading Now I haven't much more time in this life, and I want you to know that after Mrs. DeBrugh and I are gone, you will be well taken care of."

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Now I haven't much more time in this life, and I want you to know that after Mrs. DeBrugh and I are gone, you will be well taken care of."

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading [Sidenote: _Mr. DeBrugh was dead, but he still regarded his promise as a sacred duty to be carried out.+] "Letty," Mr. DeBrugh remarked between long puffs on his meerschaum, "you've been a fine maid.

of comparatively great physical weight or density

From this reading She sighed and turned toward the man, who sat on a heavy sofa, puffing on his pipe and gazing across the room into nothingness.

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading Letty stopped her dusting of the chairs in Mr. DeBrugh's oak-paneled study.

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading [Sidenote: _Mr. DeBrugh was dead, but he still regarded his promise as a sacred duty to be carried out.+] "Letty," Mr. DeBrugh remarked between long puffs on his meerschaum, "you've been a fine maid.

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading Now I haven't much more time in this life, and I want you to know that after Mrs. DeBrugh and I are gone, you will be well taken care of."

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading Now I haven't much more time in this life, and I want you to know that after Mrs. DeBrugh and I are gone, you will be well taken care of."

moving to the inside of something

From this reading She sighed and turned toward the man, who sat on a heavy sofa, puffing on his pipe and gazing across the room into nothingness.

be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading Now I haven't much more time in this life, and I want you to know that after Mrs. DeBrugh and I are gone, you will be well taken care of."

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading [Sidenote: _Mr. DeBrugh was dead, but he still regarded his promise as a sacred duty to be carried out.+] "Letty," Mr. DeBrugh remarked between long puffs on his meerschaum, "you've been a fine maid.

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading Now I haven't much more time in this life, and I want you to know that after Mrs. DeBrugh and I are gone, you will be well taken care of."

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading [Sidenote: _Mr. DeBrugh was dead, but he still regarded his promise as a sacred duty to be carried out.+] "Letty," Mr. DeBrugh remarked between long puffs on his meerschaum, "you've been a fine maid.

a female domestic

From this reading [Sidenote: _Mr. DeBrugh was dead, but he still regarded his promise as a sacred duty to be carried out.+] "Letty," Mr. DeBrugh remarked between long puffs on his meerschaum, "you've been a fine maid.

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading She sighed and turned toward the man, who sat on a heavy sofa, puffing on his pipe and gazing across the room into nothingness.

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading You've served Mrs. DeBrugh and me for most of fifteen years.

a white clayey mineral

From this reading [Sidenote: _Mr. DeBrugh was dead, but he still regarded his promise as a sacred duty to be carried out.+] "Letty," Mr. DeBrugh remarked between long puffs on his meerschaum, "you've been a fine maid.

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading Now I haven't much more time in this life, and I want you to know that after Mrs. DeBrugh and I are gone, you will be well taken care of."

used to form the superlative

From this reading You've served Mrs. DeBrugh and me for most of fifteen years.

a form of address for a man

From this reading [Sidenote: _Mr. DeBrugh was dead, but he still regarded his promise as a sacred duty to be carried out.+] "Letty," Mr. DeBrugh remarked between long puffs on his meerschaum, "you've been a fine maid.

a form of address for a married woman

From this reading You've served Mrs. DeBrugh and me for most of fifteen years.

to a great degree or extent

From this reading Now I haven't much more time in this life, and I want you to know that after Mrs. DeBrugh and I are gone, you will be well taken care of."

the state of nonexistence

From this reading She sighed and turned toward the man, who sat on a heavy sofa, puffing on his pipe and gazing across the room into nothingness.

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading Now I haven't much more time in this life, and I want you to know that after Mrs. DeBrugh and I are gone, you will be well taken care of."

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Letty stopped her dusting of the chairs in Mr. DeBrugh's oak-paneled study.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading You've served Mrs. DeBrugh and me for most of fifteen years.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading [Sidenote: _Mr. DeBrugh was dead, but he still regarded his promise as a sacred duty to be carried out.+] "Letty," Mr. DeBrugh remarked between long puffs on his meerschaum, "you've been a fine maid.

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading [Sidenote: _Mr. DeBrugh was dead, but he still regarded his promise as a sacred duty to be carried out.+] "Letty," Mr. DeBrugh remarked between long puffs on his meerschaum, "you've been a fine maid.

a tube with a small bowl at one end; used for smoking tobacco

From this reading She sighed and turned toward the man, who sat on a heavy sofa, puffing on his pipe and gazing across the room into nothingness.

make a promise or commitment

From this reading [Sidenote: _Mr. DeBrugh was dead, but he still regarded his promise as a sacred duty to be carried out.+] "Letty," Mr. DeBrugh remarked between long puffs on his meerschaum, "you've been a fine maid.

blowing tobacco smoke out into the air

From this reading She sighed and turned toward the man, who sat on a heavy sofa, puffing on his pipe and gazing across the room into nothingness.

plural of “puff” — a short light gust of air

From this reading [Sidenote: _Mr. DeBrugh was dead, but he still regarded his promise as a sacred duty to be carried out.+] "Letty," Mr. DeBrugh remarked between long puffs on his meerschaum, "you've been a fine maid.

past form of “regard” — deem to be

From this reading [Sidenote: _Mr. DeBrugh was dead, but he still regarded his promise as a sacred duty to be carried out.+] "Letty," Mr. DeBrugh remarked between long puffs on his meerschaum, "you've been a fine maid.

past form of “remark” — make mention of

From this reading [Sidenote: _Mr. DeBrugh was dead, but he still regarded his promise as a sacred duty to be carried out.+] "Letty," Mr. DeBrugh remarked between long puffs on his meerschaum, "you've been a fine maid.

an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling

From this reading She sighed and turned toward the man, who sat on a heavy sofa, puffing on his pipe and gazing across the room into nothingness.

concerned with religion or religious purposes

From this reading [Sidenote: _Mr. DeBrugh was dead, but he still regarded his promise as a sacred duty to be carried out.+] "Letty," Mr. DeBrugh remarked between long puffs on his meerschaum, "you've been a fine maid.

the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians

From this reading She sighed and turned toward the man, who sat on a heavy sofa, puffing on his pipe and gazing across the room into nothingness.

past form of “serve” — serve a purpose, role, or function

From this reading You've served Mrs. DeBrugh and me for most of fifteen years.

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading She sighed and turned toward the man, who sat on a heavy sofa, puffing on his pipe and gazing across the room into nothingness.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading [Sidenote: _Mr. DeBrugh was dead, but he still regarded his promise as a sacred duty to be carried out.+] "Letty," Mr. DeBrugh remarked between long puffs on his meerschaum, "you've been a fine maid.

past form of “sigh” — heave or utter a sigh; breathe deeply and heavily

From this reading She sighed and turned toward the man, who sat on a heavy sofa, puffing on his pipe and gazing across the room into nothingness.

an upholstered seat for more than one person

From this reading She sighed and turned toward the man, who sat on a heavy sofa, puffing on his pipe and gazing across the room into nothingness.

not in physical motion

From this reading [Sidenote: _Mr. DeBrugh was dead, but he still regarded his promise as a sacred duty to be carried out.+] "Letty," Mr. DeBrugh remarked between long puffs on his meerschaum, "you've been a fine maid.

(of a nose) blocked

From this reading Letty stopped her dusting of the chairs in Mr. DeBrugh's oak-paneled study.

a detailed critical inspection

From this reading Letty stopped her dusting of the chairs in Mr. DeBrugh's oak-paneled study.

understood in a certain way; made sense of

From this reading Now I haven't much more time in this life, and I want you to know that after Mrs. DeBrugh and I are gone, you will be well taken care of."

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Now I haven't much more time in this life, and I want you to know that after Mrs. DeBrugh and I are gone, you will be well taken care of."

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading Letty stopped her dusting of the chairs in Mr. DeBrugh's oak-paneled study.

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading Now I haven't much more time in this life, and I want you to know that after Mrs. DeBrugh and I are gone, you will be well taken care of."

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading Now I haven't much more time in this life, and I want you to know that after Mrs. DeBrugh and I are gone, you will be well taken care of."

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading [Sidenote: _Mr. DeBrugh was dead, but he still regarded his promise as a sacred duty to be carried out.+] "Letty," Mr. DeBrugh remarked between long puffs on his meerschaum, "you've been a fine maid.

in the direction of

From this reading She sighed and turned toward the man, who sat on a heavy sofa, puffing on his pipe and gazing across the room into nothingness.

moved around an axis or center

From this reading She sighed and turned toward the man, who sat on a heavy sofa, puffing on his pipe and gazing across the room into nothingness.

feel or have a desire for; want strongly

From this reading Now I haven't much more time in this life, and I want you to know that after Mrs. DeBrugh and I are gone, you will be well taken care of."

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading [Sidenote: _Mr. DeBrugh was dead, but he still regarded his promise as a sacred duty to be carried out.+] "Letty," Mr. DeBrugh remarked between long puffs on his meerschaum, "you've been a fine maid.

(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)

From this reading Now I haven't much more time in this life, and I want you to know that after Mrs. DeBrugh and I are gone, you will be well taken care of."

which person or people

From this reading She sighed and turned toward the man, who sat on a heavy sofa, puffing on his pipe and gazing across the room into nothingness.

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading Now I haven't much more time in this life, and I want you to know that after Mrs. DeBrugh and I are gone, you will be well taken care of."

a late time of life

From this reading You've served Mrs. DeBrugh and me for most of fifteen years.

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading Now I haven't much more time in this life, and I want you to know that after Mrs. DeBrugh and I are gone, you will be well taken care of."

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading [Sidenote: _Mr. DeBrugh was dead, but he still regarded his promise as a sacred duty to be carried out.+] "Letty," Mr. DeBrugh remarked between long puffs on his meerschaum, "you've been a fine maid.