used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading She had not had a single word alone with Henry the night before, and knew the dreaded _tete-a-tete_ must come.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading She did not set herself to tell him who her husband was on this particular morning--about that she must be guided by events--but she could not make barriers between them, and must allow him to come to her sitting-room.
make it possible through a specific action or lack of action for something to happen
From this reading She did not set herself to tell him who her husband was on this particular morning--about that she must be guided by events--but she could not make barriers between them, and must allow him to come to her sitting-room.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading She had not had a single word alone with Henry the night before, and knew the dreaded _tete-a-tete_ must come.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Christmas Eve was particularly frosty and bright.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The sun poured through Sabine's windows high up when she woke, but her heart was heavy as lead.
barriersnounUS /ˈbæriərz/
plural of “barrier” — a structure or object that impedes free movement
From this reading She did not set herself to tell him who her husband was on this particular morning--about that she must be guided by events--but she could not make barriers between them, and must allow him to come to her sitting-room.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading She did not set herself to tell him who her husband was on this particular morning--about that she must be guided by events--but she could not make barriers between them, and must allow him to come to her sitting-room.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading She had not had a single word alone with Henry the night before, and knew the dreaded _tete-a-tete_ must come.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading She did not set herself to tell him who her husband was on this particular morning--about that she must be guided by events--but she could not make barriers between them, and must allow him to come to her sitting-room.
emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts
From this reading Christmas Eve was particularly frosty and bright.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The sun poured through Sabine's windows high up when she woke, but her heart was heavy as lead.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading She did not set herself to tell him who her husband was on this particular morning--about that she must be guided by events--but she could not make barriers between them, and must allow him to come to her sitting-room.
period extending from Dec. 24 to Jan. 6
From this reading Christmas Eve was particularly frosty and bright.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading She had not had a single word alone with Henry the night before, and knew the dreaded _tete-a-tete_ must come.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading She did not set herself to tell him who her husband was on this particular morning--about that she must be guided by events--but she could not make barriers between them, and must allow him to come to her sitting-room.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading She did not set herself to tell him who her husband was on this particular morning--about that she must be guided by events--but she could not make barriers between them, and must allow him to come to her sitting-room.
dreadedadjectiveUS /ˈdredɪd/
causing fear or dread or terror
From this reading She had not had a single word alone with Henry the night before, and knew the dreaded _tete-a-tete_ must come.
(Old Testament) Adam's wife in Judeo-Christian mythology: the first woman and mother of the human race; God created Eve from Adam's rib and placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden
From this reading Christmas Eve was particularly frosty and bright.
plural of “event” — something that happens at a given place and time
From this reading She did not set herself to tell him who her husband was on this particular morning--about that she must be guided by events--but she could not make barriers between them, and must allow him to come to her sitting-room.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading He did, about half-past ten o'clock, his face full of radiance and love.
frostyadjectiveUS /ˈfrɔːsti/
devoid of warmth and cordiality; expressive of unfriendliness or disdain
From this reading Christmas Eve was particularly frosty and bright.
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading He did, about half-past ten o'clock, his face full of radiance and love.
guidedadjectiveUS /ˈɡaɪdəd/
subject to guidance or control especially after launching
From this reading She did not set herself to tell him who her husband was on this particular morning--about that she must be guided by events--but she could not make barriers between them, and must allow him to come to her sitting-room.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading She had not had a single word alone with Henry the night before, and knew the dreaded _tete-a-tete_ must come.
half-past
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He did, about half-past ten o'clock, his face full of radiance and love.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He did, about half-past ten o'clock, his face full of radiance and love.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading The sun poured through Sabine's windows high up when she woke, but her heart was heavy as lead.
of comparatively great physical weight or density
From this reading The sun poured through Sabine's windows high up when she woke, but her heart was heavy as lead.
a unit of inductance in which an induced electromotive force of one volt is produced when the current is varied at the rate of one ampere per second
From this reading She had not had a single word alone with Henry the night before, and knew the dreaded _tete-a-tete_ must come.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The sun poured through Sabine's windows high up when she woke, but her heart was heavy as lead.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading She did not set herself to tell him who her husband was on this particular morning--about that she must be guided by events--but she could not make barriers between them, and must allow him to come to her sitting-room.
greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading The sun poured through Sabine's windows high up when she woke, but her heart was heavy as lead.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading She did not set herself to tell him who her husband was on this particular morning--about that she must be guided by events--but she could not make barriers between them, and must allow him to come to her sitting-room.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He did, about half-past ten o'clock, his face full of radiance and love.
a married man; a woman's partner in marriage
From this reading She did not set herself to tell him who her husband was on this particular morning--about that she must be guided by events--but she could not make barriers between them, and must allow him to come to her sitting-room.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading She had not had a single word alone with Henry the night before, and knew the dreaded _tete-a-tete_ must come.
take somebody somewhere
From this reading The sun poured through Sabine's windows high up when she woke, but her heart was heavy as lead.
a strong positive emotion of regard and affection
From this reading He did, about half-past ten o'clock, his face full of radiance and love.
engage in
From this reading She did not set herself to tell him who her husband was on this particular morning--about that she must be guided by events--but she could not make barriers between them, and must allow him to come to her sitting-room.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading She did not set herself to tell him who her husband was on this particular morning--about that she must be guided by events--but she could not make barriers between them, and must allow him to come to her sitting-room.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading She had not had a single word alone with Henry the night before, and knew the dreaded _tete-a-tete_ must come.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading She had not had a single word alone with Henry the night before, and knew the dreaded _tete-a-tete_ must come.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading She had not had a single word alone with Henry the night before, and knew the dreaded _tete-a-tete_ must come.
o'clockadverbUS /əˈklɑːk/
according to the clock
From this reading He did, about half-past ten o'clock, his face full of radiance and love.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He did, about half-past ten o'clock, his face full of radiance and love.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading She did not set herself to tell him who her husband was on this particular morning--about that she must be guided by events--but she could not make barriers between them, and must allow him to come to her sitting-room.
unique or specific to a person or thing or category
From this reading She did not set herself to tell him who her husband was on this particular morning--about that she must be guided by events--but she could not make barriers between them, and must allow him to come to her sitting-room.
to a distinctly greater extent or degree than is common
From this reading Christmas Eve was particularly frosty and bright.
past form of “pour” — cause to run
From this reading The sun poured through Sabine's windows high up when she woke, but her heart was heavy as lead.
radiancenounUS /ˈreɪdiːəns/
the amount of electromagnetic radiation leaving or arriving at a point on a surface
From this reading He did, about half-past ten o'clock, his face full of radiance and love.
Sabine'snounUS /səˈbiːnz/
possessive form of “sabine” — a river in eastern Texas that flows south into the Gulf of Mexico
From this reading The sun poured through Sabine's windows high up when she woke, but her heart was heavy as lead.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading She did not set herself to tell him who her husband was on this particular morning--about that she must be guided by events--but she could not make barriers between them, and must allow him to come to her sitting-room.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The sun poured through Sabine's windows high up when she woke, but her heart was heavy as lead.
being or characteristic of a single thing or person
From this reading She had not had a single word alone with Henry the night before, and knew the dreaded _tete-a-tete_ must come.
sitting-room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She did not set herself to tell him who her husband was on this particular morning--about that she must be guided by events--but she could not make barriers between them, and must allow him to come to her sitting-room.
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading The sun poured through Sabine's windows high up when she woke, but her heart was heavy as lead.
express in words
From this reading She did not set herself to tell him who her husband was on this particular morning--about that she must be guided by events--but she could not make barriers between them, and must allow him to come to her sitting-room.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading He did, about half-past ten o'clock, his face full of radiance and love.
tete-a-tetenoun
a private conversation between two people
From this reading She had not had a single word alone with Henry the night before, and knew the dreaded _tete-a-tete_ must come.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading She did not set herself to tell him who her husband was on this particular morning--about that she must be guided by events--but she could not make barriers between them, and must allow him to come to her sitting-room.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The sun poured through Sabine's windows high up when she woke, but her heart was heavy as lead.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading She did not set herself to tell him who her husband was on this particular morning--about that she must be guided by events--but she could not make barriers between them, and must allow him to come to her sitting-room.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading She did not set herself to tell him who her husband was on this particular morning--about that she must be guided by events--but she could not make barriers between them, and must allow him to come to her sitting-room.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading The sun poured through Sabine's windows high up when she woke, but her heart was heavy as lead.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading She did not set herself to tell him who her husband was on this particular morning--about that she must be guided by events--but she could not make barriers between them, and must allow him to come to her sitting-room.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading The sun poured through Sabine's windows high up when she woke, but her heart was heavy as lead.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Christmas Eve was particularly frosty and bright.
at the time that
From this reading The sun poured through Sabine's windows high up when she woke, but her heart was heavy as lead.
which person or people
From this reading She did not set herself to tell him who her husband was on this particular morning--about that she must be guided by events--but she could not make barriers between them, and must allow him to come to her sitting-room.
(trademark) an operating system with a graphical user interface
From this reading The sun poured through Sabine's windows high up when she woke, but her heart was heavy as lead.
in the company of; together with
From this reading She had not had a single word alone with Henry the night before, and knew the dreaded _tete-a-tete_ must come.
wokeverbUS /woʊk/
inflected form of “wake” — be awake, be alert, be there
From this reading The sun poured through Sabine's windows high up when she woke, but her heart was heavy as lead.
a unit of language that native speakers can identify
From this reading She had not had a single word alone with Henry the night before, and knew the dreaded _tete-a-tete_ must come.
