used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading She was clever, conscientious, and well-meaning, and preserved a high ideal of girlhood.
(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 "If we followed all Gibbie's pet precepts we should have halos round our heads."
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Fifth-Form Tactics It was an unfortunate truth that Miss Gibbs was not very popular at the Grange.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She was clever, conscientious, and well-meaning, and preserved a high ideal of girlhood.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Fifth-Form Tactics It was an unfortunate truth that Miss Gibbs was not very popular at the Grange.
showing self-interest and shrewdness in dealing with others
From this reading She was clever, conscientious, and well-meaning, and preserved a high ideal of girlhood.
conscientiousadjectiveUS /ˌkɑːnʃiˈenʃəs/
characterized by extreme care and great effort
From this reading She was clever, conscientious, and well-meaning, and preserved a high ideal of girlhood.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading "This isn't a school for saints!" grumbled Valentine one day.
Fifth-Form
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Fifth-Form Tactics It was an unfortunate truth that Miss Gibbs was not very popular at the Grange.
past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading "If we followed all Gibbie's pet precepts we should have halos round our heads."
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Much too high for practical use, so her pupils maintained.
Gibbie's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "If we followed all Gibbie's pet precepts we should have halos round our heads."
GibbsnounUS /ɡɪbz/
United States chemist (1839-1903)
From this reading Fifth-Form Tactics It was an unfortunate truth that Miss Gibbs was not very popular at the Grange.
girlhoodnounUS /ˈɡɜːrlhʊd/
the childhood of a girl
From this reading She was clever, conscientious, and well-meaning, and preserved a high ideal of girlhood.
GrangenounUS /ɡreɪndʒ/
an outlying farm
From this reading Fifth-Form Tactics It was an unfortunate truth that Miss Gibbs was not very popular at the Grange.
grumbledverbUS /ˈɡrʌmbəld/
past form of “grumble” — show one's unhappiness or critical attitude
From this reading "This isn't a school for saints!" grumbled Valentine one day.
halosnounUS /ˈheɪloʊz/
plural of “halo” — an indication of radiant light drawn around the head of a saint
From this reading "If we followed all Gibbie's pet precepts we should have halos round our heads."
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading "If we followed all Gibbie's pet precepts we should have halos round our heads."
plural of “head” — the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading "If we followed all Gibbie's pet precepts we should have halos round our heads."
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Much too high for practical use, so her pupils maintained.
greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading She was clever, conscientious, and well-meaning, and preserved a high ideal of girlhood.
idealadjectiveUS /aɪˈdiːl/
conforming to an ultimate standard of perfection or excellence; embodying an ideal
From this reading She was clever, conscientious, and well-meaning, and preserved a high ideal of girlhood.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading "If we followed all Gibbie's pet precepts we should have halos round our heads."
isn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "This isn't a school for saints!" grumbled Valentine one day.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Fifth-Form Tactics It was an unfortunate truth that Miss Gibbs was not very popular at the Grange.
maintainedadjectiveUS /meɪnˈteɪnd/
kept in good condition
From this reading Much too high for practical use, so her pupils maintained.
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading Fifth-Form Tactics It was an unfortunate truth that Miss Gibbs was not very popular at the Grange.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading Much too high for practical use, so her pupils maintained.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Fifth-Form Tactics It was an unfortunate truth that Miss Gibbs was not very popular at the Grange.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading She was clever, conscientious, and well-meaning, and preserved a high ideal of girlhood.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading "This isn't a school for saints!" grumbled Valentine one day.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading "If we followed all Gibbie's pet precepts we should have halos round our heads."
petnounUS /pet/
a domesticated animal kept for companionship or amusement
From this reading "If we followed all Gibbie's pet precepts we should have halos round our heads."
regarded with great favor, approval, or affection especially by the general public
From this reading Fifth-Form Tactics It was an unfortunate truth that Miss Gibbs was not very popular at the Grange.
concerned with actual use or practice
From this reading Much too high for practical use, so her pupils maintained.
preceptsnounUS /ˈpriːsepts/
plural of “precept” — rule of personal conduct
From this reading "If we followed all Gibbie's pet precepts we should have halos round our heads."
preservedadjectiveUS /prəˈzɜːrvd/
prevented from decaying or spoiling and prepared for future use
From this reading She was clever, conscientious, and well-meaning, and preserved a high ideal of girlhood.
pupilsnounUS /ˈpjuːpəlz/
plural of “pupil” — a learner who is enrolled in an educational institution
From this reading Much too high for practical use, so her pupils maintained.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading "If we followed all Gibbie's pet precepts we should have halos round our heads."
saintsnounUS /seɪnts/
plural of “saint” — a person who has died and has been declared a saint by canonization
From this reading "This isn't a school for saints!" grumbled Valentine one day.
an educational institution
From this reading "This isn't a school for saints!" grumbled Valentine one day.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She was clever, conscientious, and well-meaning, and preserved a high ideal of girlhood.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading "If we followed all Gibbie's pet precepts we should have halos round our heads."
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Much too high for practical use, so her pupils maintained.
TacticsnounUS /ˈtæktɪks/
the branch of military science dealing with detailed maneuvers to achieve objectives set by strategy
From this reading Fifth-Form Tactics It was an unfortunate truth that Miss Gibbs was not very popular at the Grange.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Fifth-Form Tactics It was an unfortunate truth that Miss Gibbs was not very popular at the Grange.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Fifth-Form Tactics It was an unfortunate truth that Miss Gibbs was not very popular at the Grange.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading "This isn't a school for saints!" grumbled Valentine one day.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading Much too high for practical use, so her pupils maintained.
a fact that has been verified
From this reading Fifth-Form Tactics It was an unfortunate truth that Miss Gibbs was not very popular at the Grange.
not favored by fortune; marked or accompanied by or resulting in ill fortune
From this reading Fifth-Form Tactics It was an unfortunate truth that Miss Gibbs was not very popular at the Grange.
the act of using
From this reading Much too high for practical use, so her pupils maintained.
ValentinenounUS /ˈvæləntaɪn/
a sweetheart chosen to receive a greeting on Saint Valentine's Day
From this reading "This isn't a school for saints!" grumbled Valentine one day.
precisely as stated
From this reading Fifth-Form Tactics It was an unfortunate truth that Miss Gibbs was not very popular at the Grange.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Fifth-Form Tactics It was an unfortunate truth that Miss Gibbs was not very popular at the Grange.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading "If we followed all Gibbie's pet precepts we should have halos round our heads."
well-meaningadjective
not unfriendly or threatening
From this reading She was clever, conscientious, and well-meaning, and preserved a high ideal of girlhood.
