used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Is there any record of a catastrophe so great or appalling that it could not possibly have been worse?
something done (usually as opposed to something said)
From this reading She had not been wont to rely on him for advice or action, but in losing him she felt as if all was lost.
tending to become more severe or wider in scope
From this reading Not that her husband had been the most active spirit on the farm, but she was in no condition to reason or to weigh probabilities.
a proposal for an appropriate course of action
From this reading She had not been wont to rely on him for advice or action, but in losing him she felt as if all was lost.
(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 She had not been wont to rely on him for advice or action, but in losing him she felt as if all was lost.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading In the first hours of her sudden bereavement, Mrs. Edwards felt as if an overwhelming flood of desolation had swept over her, and left her and her orphans helpless and hopeless.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading In the first hours of her sudden bereavement, Mrs. Edwards felt as if an overwhelming flood of desolation had swept over her, and left her and her orphans helpless and hopeless.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading Is there any record of a catastrophe so great or appalling that it could not possibly have been worse?
appallingnounUS /əˈpɔːlɪŋ/
an experience that appalls
From this reading Is there any record of a catastrophe so great or appalling that it could not possibly have been worse?
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading In the first hours of her sudden bereavement, Mrs. Edwards felt as if an overwhelming flood of desolation had swept over her, and left her and her orphans helpless and hopeless.
BEENauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN.
bereavementnounUS /bərˈiːvmənt/
state of sorrow over the death or departure of a loved one
From this reading In the first hours of her sudden bereavement, Mrs. Edwards felt as if an overwhelming flood of desolation had swept over her, and left her and her orphans helpless and hopeless.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Not that her husband had been the most active spirit on the farm, but she was in no condition to reason or to weigh probabilities.
catastrophenounUS /kəˈtæstrəfi/
an event resulting in great loss and misfortune
From this reading Is there any record of a catastrophe so great or appalling that it could not possibly have been worse?
a state at a particular time
From this reading Not that her husband had been the most active spirit on the farm, but she was in no condition to reason or to weigh probabilities.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Is there any record of a catastrophe so great or appalling that it could not possibly have been worse?
desolationnounUS /ˌdesəˈleɪʃən/
the state of being decayed or destroyed
From this reading In the first hours of her sudden bereavement, Mrs. Edwards felt as if an overwhelming flood of desolation had swept over her, and left her and her orphans helpless and hopeless.
EdwardsnounUS /ˈedwərdz/
American theologian whose sermons and writings stimulated a period of renewed interest in religion in America (1703-1758)
From this reading In the first hours of her sudden bereavement, Mrs. Edwards felt as if an overwhelming flood of desolation had swept over her, and left her and her orphans helpless and hopeless.
be a farmer; work as a farmer
From this reading Not that her husband had been the most active spirit on the farm, but she was in no condition to reason or to weigh probabilities.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading In the first hours of her sudden bereavement, Mrs. Edwards felt as if an overwhelming flood of desolation had swept over her, and left her and her orphans helpless and hopeless.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading In the first hours of her sudden bereavement, Mrs. Edwards felt as if an overwhelming flood of desolation had swept over her, and left her and her orphans helpless and hopeless.
the rising of a body of water and its overflowing onto normally dry land
From this reading In the first hours of her sudden bereavement, Mrs. Edwards felt as if an overwhelming flood of desolation had swept over her, and left her and her orphans helpless and hopeless.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading She had not been wont to rely on him for advice or action, but in losing him she felt as if all was lost.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading Is there any record of a catastrophe so great or appalling that it could not possibly have been worse?
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading In the first hours of her sudden bereavement, Mrs. Edwards felt as if an overwhelming flood of desolation had swept over her, and left her and her orphans helpless and hopeless.
HAVEauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN.
lacking in or deprived of strength or power
From this reading In the first hours of her sudden bereavement, Mrs. Edwards felt as if an overwhelming flood of desolation had swept over her, and left her and her orphans helpless and hopeless.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading In the first hours of her sudden bereavement, Mrs. Edwards felt as if an overwhelming flood of desolation had swept over her, and left her and her orphans helpless and hopeless.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading She had not been wont to rely on him for advice or action, but in losing him she felt as if all was lost.
hopelessadjectiveUS /ˈhoʊpləs/
without hope because there seems to be no possibility of comfort or success
From this reading In the first hours of her sudden bereavement, Mrs. Edwards felt as if an overwhelming flood of desolation had swept over her, and left her and her orphans helpless and hopeless.
a period of time assigned for work
From this reading In the first hours of her sudden bereavement, Mrs. Edwards felt as if an overwhelming flood of desolation had swept over her, and left her and her orphans helpless and hopeless.
a married man; a woman's partner in marriage
From this reading Not that her husband had been the most active spirit on the farm, but she was in no condition to reason or to weigh probabilities.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading In the first hours of her sudden bereavement, Mrs. Edwards felt as if an overwhelming flood of desolation had swept over her, and left her and her orphans helpless and hopeless.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In the first hours of her sudden bereavement, Mrs. Edwards felt as if an overwhelming flood of desolation had swept over her, and left her and her orphans helpless and hopeless.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Is there any record of a catastrophe so great or appalling that it could not possibly have been worse?
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Is there any record of a catastrophe so great or appalling that it could not possibly have been worse?
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading In the first hours of her sudden bereavement, Mrs. Edwards felt as if an overwhelming flood of desolation had swept over her, and left her and her orphans helpless and hopeless.
-ing form of “lose” — fail to keep or to maintain; cease to have, either physically or in an abstract sense
From this reading She had not been wont to rely on him for advice or action, but in losing him she felt as if all was lost.
no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered
From this reading She had not been wont to rely on him for advice or action, but in losing him she felt as if all was lost.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN.
used to form the superlative
From this reading Not that her husband had been the most active spirit on the farm, but she was in no condition to reason or to weigh probabilities.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading In the first hours of her sudden bereavement, Mrs. Edwards felt as if an overwhelming flood of desolation had swept over her, and left her and her orphans helpless and hopeless.
not any; not one
From this reading Not that her husband had been the most active spirit on the farm, but she was in no condition to reason or to weigh probabilities.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Is there any record of a catastrophe so great or appalling that it could not possibly have been worse?
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Is there any record of a catastrophe so great or appalling that it could not possibly have been worse?
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Not that her husband had been the most active spirit on the farm, but she was in no condition to reason or to weigh probabilities.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Is there any record of a catastrophe so great or appalling that it could not possibly have been worse?
orphansnounUS /ˈɔːrfənz/
plural of “orphan” — a child who has lost both parents
From this reading In the first hours of her sudden bereavement, Mrs. Edwards felt as if an overwhelming flood of desolation had swept over her, and left her and her orphans helpless and hopeless.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading In the first hours of her sudden bereavement, Mrs. Edwards felt as if an overwhelming flood of desolation had swept over her, and left her and her orphans helpless and hopeless.
overwhelmingadjectiveUS /ˌoʊvərˈwelmɪŋ/
so strong as to be irresistible
From this reading In the first hours of her sudden bereavement, Mrs. Edwards felt as if an overwhelming flood of desolation had swept over her, and left her and her orphans helpless and hopeless.
by chance
From this reading Is there any record of a catastrophe so great or appalling that it could not possibly have been worse?
probabilitiesnounUS /ˌprɑːbəˈbɪlətiːz/
plural of “probability” — a measure of how likely it is that some event will occur; a number expressing the ratio of favorable cases to the whole number of cases possible
From this reading Not that her husband had been the most active spirit on the farm, but she was in no condition to reason or to weigh probabilities.
a rational motive for a belief or action
From this reading Not that her husband had been the most active spirit on the farm, but she was in no condition to reason or to weigh probabilities.
anything (such as a document or a phonograph record or a photograph) providing permanent evidence of or information about past events
From this reading Is there any record of a catastrophe so great or appalling that it could not possibly have been worse?
relyverbUS /rɪˈlaɪ/
have faith or confidence in
From this reading She had not been wont to rely on him for advice or action, but in losing him she felt as if all was lost.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Not that her husband had been the most active spirit on the farm, but she was in no condition to reason or to weigh probabilities.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Is there any record of a catastrophe so great or appalling that it could not possibly have been worse?
the vital principle or animating force within living things
From this reading Not that her husband had been the most active spirit on the farm, but she was in no condition to reason or to weigh probabilities.
happening without warning or in a short space of time
From this reading In the first hours of her sudden bereavement, Mrs. Edwards felt as if an overwhelming flood of desolation had swept over her, and left her and her orphans helpless and hopeless.
possessing sweep
From this reading In the first hours of her sudden bereavement, Mrs. Edwards felt as if an overwhelming flood of desolation had swept over her, and left her and her orphans helpless and hopeless.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Is there any record of a catastrophe so great or appalling that it could not possibly have been worse?
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading In the first hours of her sudden bereavement, Mrs. Edwards felt as if an overwhelming flood of desolation had swept over her, and left her and her orphans helpless and hopeless.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Is there any record of a catastrophe so great or appalling that it could not possibly have been worse?
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Not that her husband had been the most active spirit on the farm, but she was in no condition to reason or to weigh probabilities.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Not that her husband had been the most active spirit on the farm, but she was in no condition to reason or to weigh probabilities.
weighverbUS /weɪ/
have a certain weight
From this reading Not that her husband had been the most active spirit on the farm, but she was in no condition to reason or to weigh probabilities.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN.
wontnounUS /woʊnt/
an established custom
From this reading She had not been wont to rely on him for advice or action, but in losing him she felt as if all was lost.
(comparative of “bad”) inferior to another in quality or condition or desirability
From this reading Is there any record of a catastrophe so great or appalling that it could not possibly have been worse?
