used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading She had returned to her rooms the evening of her meeting with the financier in a state bordering upon hysteria.
(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 The car ride to Seventy-fourth Street, the interview in the library, the discovery of her father's letters, the offer to write the biography, and, what to her was still more important, the invitation to go and live in the Ryder home--all these incidents were so remarkable and unusual that it was only with difficulty that the girl persuaded herself that they were not figments of a disordered brain.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The day's events had been so extraordinary that it seemed to her they could not be real, and that she must be in a dream.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The day's events had been so extraordinary that it seemed to her they could not be real, and that she must be in a dream.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The day's events had been so extraordinary that it seemed to her they could not be real, and that she must be in a dream.
biographynounUS /baɪˈɑːɡrəfi/
an account of the series of events making up a person's life
From this reading The car ride to Seventy-fourth Street, the interview in the library, the discovery of her father's letters, the offer to write the biography, and, what to her was still more important, the invitation to go and live in the Ryder home--all these incidents were so remarkable and unusual that it was only with difficulty that the girl persuaded herself that they were not figments of a disordered brain.
borderingverbUS /ˈbɔːrdərɪŋ/
-ing form of “border” — extend on all sides of simultaneously; encircle
From this reading She had returned to her rooms the evening of her meeting with the financier in a state bordering upon hysteria.
that part of the central nervous system that includes all the higher nervous centers; enclosed within the skull; continuous with the spinal cord
From this reading The car ride to Seventy-fourth Street, the interview in the library, the discovery of her father's letters, the offer to write the biography, and, what to her was still more important, the invitation to go and live in the Ryder home--all these incidents were so remarkable and unusual that it was only with difficulty that the girl persuaded herself that they were not figments of a disordered brain.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But it was all true enough.
a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine
From this reading The car ride to Seventy-fourth Street, the interview in the library, the discovery of her father's letters, the offer to write the biography, and, what to her was still more important, the invitation to go and live in the Ryder home--all these incidents were so remarkable and unusual that it was only with difficulty that the girl persuaded herself that they were not figments of a disordered brain.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading The day's events had been so extraordinary that it seemed to her they could not be real, and that she must be in a dream.
day'snounUS /deɪz/
possessive form of “day” — time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading The day's events had been so extraordinary that it seemed to her they could not be real, and that she must be in a dream.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading Shirley entered upon her new duties in the Ryder household two days later.
an effort that is inconvenient
From this reading The car ride to Seventy-fourth Street, the interview in the library, the discovery of her father's letters, the offer to write the biography, and, what to her was still more important, the invitation to go and live in the Ryder home--all these incidents were so remarkable and unusual that it was only with difficulty that the girl persuaded herself that they were not figments of a disordered brain.
the act of discovering something
From this reading The car ride to Seventy-fourth Street, the interview in the library, the discovery of her father's letters, the offer to write the biography, and, what to her was still more important, the invitation to go and live in the Ryder home--all these incidents were so remarkable and unusual that it was only with difficulty that the girl persuaded herself that they were not figments of a disordered brain.
disorderedadjectiveUS /dɪˈsɔːrdərd/
thrown into a state of disarray or confusion
From this reading The car ride to Seventy-fourth Street, the interview in the library, the discovery of her father's letters, the offer to write the biography, and, what to her was still more important, the invitation to go and live in the Ryder home--all these incidents were so remarkable and unusual that it was only with difficulty that the girl persuaded herself that they were not figments of a disordered brain.
A series of thoughts, images, or emotions during sleep.
From this reading The day's events had been so extraordinary that it seemed to her they could not be real, and that she must be in a dream.
plural of “duty” — the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force
From this reading Shirley entered upon her new duties in the Ryder household two days later.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading But it was all true enough.
past form of “enter” — to come or go into
From this reading Shirley entered upon her new duties in the Ryder household two days later.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading She had returned to her rooms the evening of her meeting with the financier in a state bordering upon hysteria.
plural of “event” — something that happens at a given place and time
From this reading The day's events had been so extraordinary that it seemed to her they could not be real, and that she must be in a dream.
beyond what is ordinary or usual; highly unusual or exceptional or remarkable
From this reading The day's events had been so extraordinary that it seemed to her they could not be real, and that she must be in a dream.
father'snounUS /ˈfɑːðərz/
possessive form of “father” — a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading The car ride to Seventy-fourth Street, the interview in the library, the discovery of her father's letters, the offer to write the biography, and, what to her was still more important, the invitation to go and live in the Ryder home--all these incidents were so remarkable and unusual that it was only with difficulty that the girl persuaded herself that they were not figments of a disordered brain.
figmentsnounUS /ˈfɪɡmɪnts/
plural of “figment” — a contrived or fantastic idea
From this reading The car ride to Seventy-fourth Street, the interview in the library, the discovery of her father's letters, the offer to write the biography, and, what to her was still more important, the invitation to go and live in the Ryder home--all these incidents were so remarkable and unusual that it was only with difficulty that the girl persuaded herself that they were not figments of a disordered brain.
financiernounUS /ˌfɪnənˈsɪr/
a person skilled in large scale financial transactions
From this reading She had returned to her rooms the evening of her meeting with the financier in a state bordering upon hysteria.
a young female
From this reading The car ride to Seventy-fourth Street, the interview in the library, the discovery of her father's letters, the offer to write the biography, and, what to her was still more important, the invitation to go and live in the Ryder home--all these incidents were so remarkable and unusual that it was only with difficulty that the girl persuaded herself that they were not figments of a disordered brain.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading The car ride to Seventy-fourth Street, the interview in the library, the discovery of her father's letters, the offer to write the biography, and, what to her was still more important, the invitation to go and live in the Ryder home--all these incidents were so remarkable and unusual that it was only with difficulty that the girl persuaded herself that they were not figments of a disordered brain.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading She had returned to her rooms the evening of her meeting with the financier in a state bordering upon hysteria.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Shirley entered upon her new duties in the Ryder household two days later.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading The car ride to Seventy-fourth Street, the interview in the library, the discovery of her father's letters, the offer to write the biography, and, what to her was still more important, the invitation to go and live in the Ryder home--all these incidents were so remarkable and unusual that it was only with difficulty that the girl persuaded herself that they were not figments of a disordered brain.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading The car ride to Seventy-fourth Street, the interview in the library, the discovery of her father's letters, the offer to write the biography, and, what to her was still more important, the invitation to go and live in the Ryder home--all these incidents were so remarkable and unusual that it was only with difficulty that the girl persuaded herself that they were not figments of a disordered brain.
a social unit living together
From this reading Shirley entered upon her new duties in the Ryder household two days later.
hysterianounUS /hɪˈsteriə/
state of violent mental agitation
From this reading She had returned to her rooms the evening of her meeting with the financier in a state bordering upon hysteria.
of great significance or value
From this reading The car ride to Seventy-fourth Street, the interview in the library, the discovery of her father's letters, the offer to write the biography, and, what to her was still more important, the invitation to go and live in the Ryder home--all these incidents were so remarkable and unusual that it was only with difficulty that the girl persuaded herself that they were not figments of a disordered brain.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Shirley entered upon her new duties in the Ryder household two days later.
incidentsnounUS /ˈɪnsədənts/
plural of “incident” — a single distinct event
From this reading The car ride to Seventy-fourth Street, the interview in the library, the discovery of her father's letters, the offer to write the biography, and, what to her was still more important, the invitation to go and live in the Ryder home--all these incidents were so remarkable and unusual that it was only with difficulty that the girl persuaded herself that they were not figments of a disordered brain.
conduct an interview in television, newspaper, and radio reporting
From this reading The car ride to Seventy-fourth Street, the interview in the library, the discovery of her father's letters, the offer to write the biography, and, what to her was still more important, the invitation to go and live in the Ryder home--all these incidents were so remarkable and unusual that it was only with difficulty that the girl persuaded herself that they were not figments of a disordered brain.
a request (spoken or written) to participate or be present or take part in something
From this reading The car ride to Seventy-fourth Street, the interview in the library, the discovery of her father's letters, the offer to write the biography, and, what to her was still more important, the invitation to go and live in the Ryder home--all these incidents were so remarkable and unusual that it was only with difficulty that the girl persuaded herself that they were not figments of a disordered brain.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The day's events had been so extraordinary that it seemed to her they could not be real, and that she must be in a dream.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading Shirley entered upon her new duties in the Ryder household two days later.
the literary culture
From this reading The car ride to Seventy-fourth Street, the interview in the library, the discovery of her father's letters, the offer to write the biography, and, what to her was still more important, the invitation to go and live in the Ryder home--all these incidents were so remarkable and unusual that it was only with difficulty that the girl persuaded herself that they were not figments of a disordered brain.
a room where books are kept
From this reading The car ride to Seventy-fourth Street, the interview in the library, the discovery of her father's letters, the offer to write the biography, and, what to her was still more important, the invitation to go and live in the Ryder home--all these incidents were so remarkable and unusual that it was only with difficulty that the girl persuaded herself that they were not figments of a disordered brain.
be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading The car ride to Seventy-fourth Street, the interview in the library, the discovery of her father's letters, the offer to write the biography, and, what to her was still more important, the invitation to go and live in the Ryder home--all these incidents were so remarkable and unusual that it was only with difficulty that the girl persuaded herself that they were not figments of a disordered brain.
a formally arranged gathering
From this reading She had returned to her rooms the evening of her meeting with the financier in a state bordering upon hysteria.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading The car ride to Seventy-fourth Street, the interview in the library, the discovery of her father's letters, the offer to write the biography, and, what to her was still more important, the invitation to go and live in the Ryder home--all these incidents were so remarkable and unusual that it was only with difficulty that the girl persuaded herself that they were not figments of a disordered brain.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading The day's events had been so extraordinary that it seemed to her they could not be real, and that she must be in a dream.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading Shirley entered upon her new duties in the Ryder household two days later.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The day's events had been so extraordinary that it seemed to her they could not be real, and that she must be in a dream.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading She had returned to her rooms the evening of her meeting with the financier in a state bordering upon hysteria.
make available or accessible, provide or furnish
From this reading The car ride to Seventy-fourth Street, the interview in the library, the discovery of her father's letters, the offer to write the biography, and, what to her was still more important, the invitation to go and live in the Ryder home--all these incidents were so remarkable and unusual that it was only with difficulty that the girl persuaded herself that they were not figments of a disordered brain.
and nothing more
From this reading The car ride to Seventy-fourth Street, the interview in the library, the discovery of her father's letters, the offer to write the biography, and, what to her was still more important, the invitation to go and live in the Ryder home--all these incidents were so remarkable and unusual that it was only with difficulty that the girl persuaded herself that they were not figments of a disordered brain.
past form of “persuade” — win approval or support for
From this reading The car ride to Seventy-fourth Street, the interview in the library, the discovery of her father's letters, the offer to write the biography, and, what to her was still more important, the invitation to go and live in the Ryder home--all these incidents were so remarkable and unusual that it was only with difficulty that the girl persuaded herself that they were not figments of a disordered brain.
being or occurring in fact or actuality; having verified existence; not illusory
From this reading The day's events had been so extraordinary that it seemed to her they could not be real, and that she must be in a dream.
unusual or striking
From this reading The car ride to Seventy-fourth Street, the interview in the library, the discovery of her father's letters, the offer to write the biography, and, what to her was still more important, the invitation to go and live in the Ryder home--all these incidents were so remarkable and unusual that it was only with difficulty that the girl persuaded herself that they were not figments of a disordered brain.
past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading She had returned to her rooms the evening of her meeting with the financier in a state bordering upon hysteria.
sit and travel on the back of animal, usually while controlling its motions
From this reading The car ride to Seventy-fourth Street, the interview in the library, the discovery of her father's letters, the offer to write the biography, and, what to her was still more important, the invitation to go and live in the Ryder home--all these incidents were so remarkable and unusual that it was only with difficulty that the girl persuaded herself that they were not figments of a disordered brain.
apartment consisting of a series of connected rooms used as a living unit (as in a hotel)
From this reading She had returned to her rooms the evening of her meeting with the financier in a state bordering upon hysteria.
Ryder
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Shirley entered upon her new duties in the Ryder household two days later.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading The day's events had been so extraordinary that it seemed to her they could not be real, and that she must be in a dream.
Seventy-fourth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The car ride to Seventy-fourth Street, the interview in the library, the discovery of her father's letters, the offer to write the biography, and, what to her was still more important, the invitation to go and live in the Ryder home--all these incidents were so remarkable and unusual that it was only with difficulty that the girl persuaded herself that they were not figments of a disordered brain.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She had returned to her rooms the evening of her meeting with the financier in a state bordering upon hysteria.
Shirley
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Shirley entered upon her new duties in the Ryder household two days later.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The day's events had been so extraordinary that it seemed to her they could not be real, and that she must be in a dream.
the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation
From this reading She had returned to her rooms the evening of her meeting with the financier in a state bordering upon hysteria.
not in physical motion
From this reading The car ride to Seventy-fourth Street, the interview in the library, the discovery of her father's letters, the offer to write the biography, and, what to her was still more important, the invitation to go and live in the Ryder home--all these incidents were so remarkable and unusual that it was only with difficulty that the girl persuaded herself that they were not figments of a disordered brain.
a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading The car ride to Seventy-fourth Street, the interview in the library, the discovery of her father's letters, the offer to write the biography, and, what to her was still more important, the invitation to go and live in the Ryder home--all these incidents were so remarkable and unusual that it was only with difficulty that the girl persuaded herself that they were not figments of a disordered brain.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The day's events had been so extraordinary that it seemed to her they could not be real, and that she must be in a dream.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Shirley entered upon her new duties in the Ryder household two days later.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading The car ride to Seventy-fourth Street, the interview in the library, the discovery of her father's letters, the offer to write the biography, and, what to her was still more important, the invitation to go and live in the Ryder home--all these incidents were so remarkable and unusual that it was only with difficulty that the girl persuaded herself that they were not figments of a disordered brain.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The day's events had been so extraordinary that it seemed to her they could not be real, and that she must be in a dream.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading She had returned to her rooms the evening of her meeting with the financier in a state bordering upon hysteria.
consistent with fact or reality; not false
From this reading But it was all true enough.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading Shirley entered upon her new duties in the Ryder household two days later.
not usual or common or ordinary
From this reading The car ride to Seventy-fourth Street, the interview in the library, the discovery of her father's letters, the offer to write the biography, and, what to her was still more important, the invitation to go and live in the Ryder home--all these incidents were so remarkable and unusual that it was only with difficulty that the girl persuaded herself that they were not figments of a disordered brain.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Shirley entered upon her new duties in the Ryder household two days later.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The car ride to Seventy-fourth Street, the interview in the library, the discovery of her father's letters, the offer to write the biography, and, what to her was still more important, the invitation to go and live in the Ryder home--all these incidents were so remarkable and unusual that it was only with difficulty that the girl persuaded herself that they were not figments of a disordered brain.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The car ride to Seventy-fourth Street, the interview in the library, the discovery of her father's letters, the offer to write the biography, and, what to her was still more important, the invitation to go and live in the Ryder home--all these incidents were so remarkable and unusual that it was only with difficulty that the girl persuaded herself that they were not figments of a disordered brain.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading The car ride to Seventy-fourth Street, the interview in the library, the discovery of her father's letters, the offer to write the biography, and, what to her was still more important, the invitation to go and live in the Ryder home--all these incidents were so remarkable and unusual that it was only with difficulty that the girl persuaded herself that they were not figments of a disordered brain.
in the company of; together with
From this reading She had returned to her rooms the evening of her meeting with the financier in a state bordering upon hysteria.
produce a literary work
From this reading The car ride to Seventy-fourth Street, the interview in the library, the discovery of her father's letters, the offer to write the biography, and, what to her was still more important, the invitation to go and live in the Ryder home--all these incidents were so remarkable and unusual that it was only with difficulty that the girl persuaded herself that they were not figments of a disordered brain.
