used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Elizabeth, who had been sitting with bent head, looked up presently and answered with a sweet smile:
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The silence which followed this eager question seemed to demand an answer.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Elizabeth, who had been sitting with bent head, looked up presently and answered with a sweet smile:
react verbally
From this reading The silence which followed this eager question seemed to demand an answer.
past form of “answer” — react verbally
From this reading Elizabeth, who had been sitting with bent head, looked up presently and answered with a sweet smile:
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading I think it would be very pleasant to have one.”
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Elizabeth, who had been sitting with bent head, looked up presently and answered with a sweet smile:
a relatively permanent inclination to react in a particular way
From this reading Elizabeth, who had been sitting with bent head, looked up presently and answered with a sweet smile:
ClaynounUS /kleɪ/
a very fine-grained soil that is plastic when moist but hard when fired
From this reading “I have no friends, Dr. Clay.
an urgent or peremptory request
From this reading The silence which followed this eager question seemed to demand an answer.
Dr
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I have no friends, Dr. Clay.
eageradjectiveUS /ˈiːɡər/
having or showing keen interest or intense desire or impatient expectancy
From this reading The silence which followed this eager question seemed to demand an answer.
daughter of George VI who became the Queen of England and Northern Ireland in 1952 on the death of her father (1926-)
From this reading Elizabeth, who had been sitting with bent head, looked up presently and answered with a sweet smile:
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading A few minutes later when he was gone, Elizabeth sat for some time without moving, with the same happy smile on her lips.
past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading The silence which followed this eager question seemed to demand an answer.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading A few minutes later when he was gone, Elizabeth sat for some time without moving, with the same happy smile on her lips.
plural of “friend” — a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading “I have no friends, Dr. Clay.
destroyed or killed
From this reading A few minutes later when he was gone, Elizabeth sat for some time without moving, with the same happy smile on her lips.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Elizabeth, who had been sitting with bent head, looked up presently and answered with a sweet smile:
enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure
From this reading A few minutes later when he was gone, Elizabeth sat for some time without moving, with the same happy smile on her lips.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “I have no friends, Dr. Clay.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading A few minutes later when he was gone, Elizabeth sat for some time without moving, with the same happy smile on her lips.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading Elizabeth, who had been sitting with bent head, looked up presently and answered with a sweet smile:
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading A few minutes later when he was gone, Elizabeth sat for some time without moving, with the same happy smile on her lips.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “I have no friends, Dr. Clay.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading I think it would be very pleasant to have one.”
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading A few minutes later when he was gone, Elizabeth sat for some time without moving, with the same happy smile on her lips.
plural of “lip” — either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking
From this reading A few minutes later when he was gone, Elizabeth sat for some time without moving, with the same happy smile on her lips.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading Elizabeth, who had been sitting with bent head, looked up presently and answered with a sweet smile:
a written account of what transpired at a meeting
From this reading A few minutes later when he was gone, Elizabeth sat for some time without moving, with the same happy smile on her lips.
in motion
From this reading A few minutes later when he was gone, Elizabeth sat for some time without moving, with the same happy smile on her lips.
not any; not one
From this reading “I have no friends, Dr. Clay.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading A few minutes later when he was gone, Elizabeth sat for some time without moving, with the same happy smile on her lips.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading I think it would be very pleasant to have one.”
affording pleasure; being in harmony with your taste or likings
From this reading I think it would be very pleasant to have one.”
in the near future
From this reading Elizabeth, who had been sitting with bent head, looked up presently and answered with a sweet smile:
challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of
From this reading The silence which followed this eager question seemed to demand an answer.
Identical; not different.
From this reading A few minutes later when he was gone, Elizabeth sat for some time without moving, with the same happy smile on her lips.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading A few minutes later when he was gone, Elizabeth sat for some time without moving, with the same happy smile on her lips.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading The silence which followed this eager question seemed to demand an answer.
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading The silence which followed this eager question seemed to demand an answer.
(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)
From this reading Elizabeth, who had been sitting with bent head, looked up presently and answered with a sweet smile:
change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure
From this reading Elizabeth, who had been sitting with bent head, looked up presently and answered with a sweet smile:
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading A few minutes later when he was gone, Elizabeth sat for some time without moving, with the same happy smile on her lips.
having or denoting the characteristic taste of sugar
From this reading Elizabeth, who had been sitting with bent head, looked up presently and answered with a sweet smile:
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The silence which followed this eager question seemed to demand an answer.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading I think it would be very pleasant to have one.”
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading The silence which followed this eager question seemed to demand an answer.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading A few minutes later when he was gone, Elizabeth sat for some time without moving, with the same happy smile on her lips.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The silence which followed this eager question seemed to demand an answer.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Elizabeth, who had been sitting with bent head, looked up presently and answered with a sweet smile:
precisely as stated
From this reading I think it would be very pleasant to have one.”
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A few minutes later when he was gone, Elizabeth sat for some time without moving, with the same happy smile on her lips.
at the time that
From this reading A few minutes later when he was gone, Elizabeth sat for some time without moving, with the same happy smile on her lips.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The silence which followed this eager question seemed to demand an answer.
which person or people
From this reading Elizabeth, who had been sitting with bent head, looked up presently and answered with a sweet smile:
in the company of; together with
From this reading Elizabeth, who had been sitting with bent head, looked up presently and answered with a sweet smile:
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading A few minutes later when he was gone, Elizabeth sat for some time without moving, with the same happy smile on her lips.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading I think it would be very pleasant to have one.”
