used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Miss Catherine, who had made a hundred vain exertions to draw her young kinswoman to her house, and out of all the melancholy associations of her own, at last became seriously alarmed about Isabel.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Miss Catherine, who had made a hundred vain exertions to draw her young kinswoman to her house, and out of all the melancholy associations of her own, at last became seriously alarmed about Isabel.
absorbedadjectiveUS /əbˈzɔːrbd/
giving or marked by complete attention to
From this reading And the minister, who all the winter through had been indulging himself in such hopes, slowly woke to a perception of the absorbed looks, the languor, the wandering of her eye, and the paleness of her cheeks.
acceptingadjectiveUS /ækˈseptɪŋ/
tolerating without protest
From this reading She was very soft to him and gentle, accepting his kindness as she had never done before, looking up to him in a way which filled him with a thousand fond dreams.
a positive feeling of liking
From this reading She had done this with unconscious selfishness, because she wanted the support of affection and kindness, not with any thought of him.
experiencing a sudden sense of danger
From this reading Miss Catherine, who had made a hundred vain exertions to draw her young kinswoman to her house, and out of all the melancholy associations of her own, at last became seriously alarmed about Isabel.
(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 Miss Catherine, who had made a hundred vain exertions to draw her young kinswoman to her house, and out of all the melancholy associations of her own, at last became seriously alarmed about Isabel.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Miss Catherine, who had made a hundred vain exertions to draw her young kinswoman to her house, and out of all the melancholy associations of her own, at last became seriously alarmed about Isabel.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading She had done this with unconscious selfishness, because she wanted the support of affection and kindness, not with any thought of him.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading She was very soft to him and gentle, accepting his kindness as she had never done before, looking up to him in a way which filled him with a thousand fond dreams.
associationsnounUS /əˌsoʊsiˈeɪʃənz/
plural of “association” — a formal organization of people or groups of people
From this reading Miss Catherine, who had made a hundred vain exertions to draw her young kinswoman to her house, and out of all the melancholy associations of her own, at last became seriously alarmed about Isabel.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Miss Catherine, who had made a hundred vain exertions to draw her young kinswoman to her house, and out of all the melancholy associations of her own, at last became seriously alarmed about Isabel.
inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading Miss Catherine, who had made a hundred vain exertions to draw her young kinswoman to her house, and out of all the melancholy associations of her own, at last became seriously alarmed about Isabel.
for the reason that
From this reading She had done this with unconscious selfishness, because she wanted the support of affection and kindness, not with any thought of him.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading And the minister, who all the winter through had been indulging himself in such hopes, slowly woke to a perception of the absorbed looks, the languor, the wandering of her eye, and the paleness of her cheeks.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading She was very soft to him and gentle, accepting his kindness as she had never done before, looking up to him in a way which filled him with a thousand fond dreams.
CatherinenounUS /ˈkæθərən/
first wife of Henry VIII; Henry VIII's divorce from her was the initial step of the Reformation in England (1485-1536)
From this reading Miss Catherine, who had made a hundred vain exertions to draw her young kinswoman to her house, and out of all the melancholy associations of her own, at last became seriously alarmed about Isabel.
plural of “cheek” — either side of the face below the eyes
From this reading And the minister, who all the winter through had been indulging himself in such hopes, slowly woke to a perception of the absorbed looks, the languor, the wandering of her eye, and the paleness of her cheeks.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading This state of things could not go on for ever.
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading She was very soft to him and gentle, accepting his kindness as she had never done before, looking up to him in a way which filled him with a thousand fond dreams.
cause to move by pulling
From this reading Miss Catherine, who had made a hundred vain exertions to draw her young kinswoman to her house, and out of all the melancholy associations of her own, at last became seriously alarmed about Isabel.
plural of “dream” — a series of mental images and emotions occurring during sleep
From this reading She was very soft to him and gentle, accepting his kindness as she had never done before, looking up to him in a way which filled him with a thousand fond dreams.
at any time
From this reading This state of things could not go on for ever.
exertionsnounUS /ɪɡˈzɜːrʃənz/
plural of “exertion” — use of physical or mental energy; hard work
From this reading Miss Catherine, who had made a hundred vain exertions to draw her young kinswoman to her house, and out of all the melancholy associations of her own, at last became seriously alarmed about Isabel.
the organ of sight
From this reading And the minister, who all the winter through had been indulging himself in such hopes, slowly woke to a perception of the absorbed looks, the languor, the wandering of her eye, and the paleness of her cheeks.
(usually followed by “with” or used as a combining form) generously supplied with
From this reading She was very soft to him and gentle, accepting his kindness as she had never done before, looking up to him in a way which filled him with a thousand fond dreams.
having or displaying warmth or affection
From this reading She was very soft to him and gentle, accepting his kindness as she had never done before, looking up to him in a way which filled him with a thousand fond dreams.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading This state of things could not go on for ever.
soft and mild; not harsh or stern or severe
From this reading She was very soft to him and gentle, accepting his kindness as she had never done before, looking up to him in a way which filled him with a thousand fond dreams.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading This state of things could not go on for ever.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Miss Catherine, who had made a hundred vain exertions to draw her young kinswoman to her house, and out of all the melancholy associations of her own, at last became seriously alarmed about Isabel.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Miss Catherine, who had made a hundred vain exertions to draw her young kinswoman to her house, and out of all the melancholy associations of her own, at last became seriously alarmed about Isabel.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading She was very soft to him and gentle, accepting his kindness as she had never done before, looking up to him in a way which filled him with a thousand fond dreams.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading And the minister, who all the winter through had been indulging himself in such hopes, slowly woke to a perception of the absorbed looks, the languor, the wandering of her eye, and the paleness of her cheeks.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading She was very soft to him and gentle, accepting his kindness as she had never done before, looking up to him in a way which filled him with a thousand fond dreams.
plural of “hope” — a specific instance of feeling hopeful
From this reading And the minister, who all the winter through had been indulging himself in such hopes, slowly woke to a perception of the absorbed looks, the languor, the wandering of her eye, and the paleness of her cheeks.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading Miss Catherine, who had made a hundred vain exertions to draw her young kinswoman to her house, and out of all the melancholy associations of her own, at last became seriously alarmed about Isabel.
ten 10s
From this reading Miss Catherine, who had made a hundred vain exertions to draw her young kinswoman to her house, and out of all the melancholy associations of her own, at last became seriously alarmed about Isabel.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading And the minister, who all the winter through had been indulging himself in such hopes, slowly woke to a perception of the absorbed looks, the languor, the wandering of her eye, and the paleness of her cheeks.
indulgingnounUS /ˌɪnˈdʌldʒɪŋ/
the act of indulging or gratifying a desire
From this reading And the minister, who all the winter through had been indulging himself in such hopes, slowly woke to a perception of the absorbed looks, the languor, the wandering of her eye, and the paleness of her cheeks.
Isabel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Miss Catherine, who had made a hundred vain exertions to draw her young kinswoman to her house, and out of all the melancholy associations of her own, at last became seriously alarmed about Isabel.
the quality of being warmhearted and considerate and humane and sympathetic
From this reading She was very soft to him and gentle, accepting his kindness as she had never done before, looking up to him in a way which filled him with a thousand fond dreams.
kinswomannoun
a female relative
From this reading Miss Catherine, who had made a hundred vain exertions to draw her young kinswoman to her house, and out of all the melancholy associations of her own, at last became seriously alarmed about Isabel.
languornoun
a relaxed comfortable feeling
From this reading And the minister, who all the winter through had been indulging himself in such hopes, slowly woke to a perception of the absorbed looks, the languor, the wandering of her eye, and the paleness of her cheeks.
immediately past
From this reading Miss Catherine, who had made a hundred vain exertions to draw her young kinswoman to her house, and out of all the melancholy associations of her own, at last became seriously alarmed about Isabel.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading She was very soft to him and gentle, accepting his kindness as she had never done before, looking up to him in a way which filled him with a thousand fond dreams.
plural of “look” — the feelings expressed on a person's face
From this reading And the minister, who all the winter through had been indulging himself in such hopes, slowly woke to a perception of the absorbed looks, the languor, the wandering of her eye, and the paleness of her cheeks.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading Miss Catherine, who had made a hundred vain exertions to draw her young kinswoman to her house, and out of all the melancholy associations of her own, at last became seriously alarmed about Isabel.
a feeling of thoughtful sadness
From this reading Miss Catherine, who had made a hundred vain exertions to draw her young kinswoman to her house, and out of all the melancholy associations of her own, at last became seriously alarmed about Isabel.
a person authorized to conduct religious worship
From this reading And the minister, who all the winter through had been indulging himself in such hopes, slowly woke to a perception of the absorbed looks, the languor, the wandering of her eye, and the paleness of her cheeks.
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading Miss Catherine, who had made a hundred vain exertions to draw her young kinswoman to her house, and out of all the melancholy associations of her own, at last became seriously alarmed about Isabel.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading She was very soft to him and gentle, accepting his kindness as she had never done before, looking up to him in a way which filled him with a thousand fond dreams.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading This state of things could not go on for ever.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading This state of things could not go on for ever.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading This state of things could not go on for ever.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Miss Catherine, who had made a hundred vain exertions to draw her young kinswoman to her house, and out of all the melancholy associations of her own, at last became seriously alarmed about Isabel.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading Miss Catherine, who had made a hundred vain exertions to draw her young kinswoman to her house, and out of all the melancholy associations of her own, at last became seriously alarmed about Isabel.
palenessnoun
unnatural lack of color in the skin (as from bruising or sickness or emotional distress)
From this reading And the minister, who all the winter through had been indulging himself in such hopes, slowly woke to a perception of the absorbed looks, the languor, the wandering of her eye, and the paleness of her cheeks.
perceptionnounUS /pərˈsepʃən/
the representation of what is perceived; basic component in the formation of a concept
From this reading And the minister, who all the winter through had been indulging himself in such hopes, slowly woke to a perception of the absorbed looks, the languor, the wandering of her eye, and the paleness of her cheeks.
selfishnessnounUS /ˈselfɪʃnəs/
stinginess resulting from a concern for your own welfare and a disregard of others
From this reading She had done this with unconscious selfishness, because she wanted the support of affection and kindness, not with any thought of him.
in a serious manner
From this reading Miss Catherine, who had made a hundred vain exertions to draw her young kinswoman to her house, and out of all the melancholy associations of her own, at last became seriously alarmed about Isabel.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She was very soft to him and gentle, accepting his kindness as she had never done before, looking up to him in a way which filled him with a thousand fond dreams.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading And the minister, who all the winter through had been indulging himself in such hopes, slowly woke to a perception of the absorbed looks, the languor, the wandering of her eye, and the paleness of her cheeks.
yielding readily to pressure or weight
From this reading She was very soft to him and gentle, accepting his kindness as she had never done before, looking up to him in a way which filled him with a thousand fond dreams.
the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation
From this reading This state of things could not go on for ever.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading And the minister, who all the winter through had been indulging himself in such hopes, slowly woke to a perception of the absorbed looks, the languor, the wandering of her eye, and the paleness of her cheeks.
the activity of providing for or maintaining by supplying with money or necessities
From this reading She had done this with unconscious selfishness, because she wanted the support of affection and kindness, not with any thought of him.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Miss Catherine, who had made a hundred vain exertions to draw her young kinswoman to her house, and out of all the melancholy associations of her own, at last became seriously alarmed about Isabel.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading This state of things could not go on for ever.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This state of things could not go on for ever.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading She had done this with unconscious selfishness, because she wanted the support of affection and kindness, not with any thought of him.
the cardinal number that is the product of 10 and 100
From this reading She was very soft to him and gentle, accepting his kindness as she had never done before, looking up to him in a way which filled him with a thousand fond dreams.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading And the minister, who all the winter through had been indulging himself in such hopes, slowly woke to a perception of the absorbed looks, the languor, the wandering of her eye, and the paleness of her cheeks.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Miss Catherine, who had made a hundred vain exertions to draw her young kinswoman to her house, and out of all the melancholy associations of her own, at last became seriously alarmed about Isabel.
not conscious; lacking awareness and the capacity for sensory perception as if asleep or dead
From this reading She had done this with unconscious selfishness, because she wanted the support of affection and kindness, not with any thought of him.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading She was very soft to him and gentle, accepting his kindness as she had never done before, looking up to him in a way which filled him with a thousand fond dreams.
characteristic of false pride; having an exaggerated sense of self-importance
From this reading Miss Catherine, who had made a hundred vain exertions to draw her young kinswoman to her house, and out of all the melancholy associations of her own, at last became seriously alarmed about Isabel.
precisely as stated
From this reading She was very soft to him and gentle, accepting his kindness as she had never done before, looking up to him in a way which filled him with a thousand fond dreams.
migratory
From this reading And the minister, who all the winter through had been indulging himself in such hopes, slowly woke to a perception of the absorbed looks, the languor, the wandering of her eye, and the paleness of her cheeks.
desired or wished for or sought
From this reading She had done this with unconscious selfishness, because she wanted the support of affection and kindness, not with any thought of him.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading She was very soft to him and gentle, accepting his kindness as she had never done before, looking up to him in a way which filled him with a thousand fond dreams.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading She was very soft to him and gentle, accepting his kindness as she had never done before, looking up to him in a way which filled him with a thousand fond dreams.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading She was very soft to him and gentle, accepting his kindness as she had never done before, looking up to him in a way which filled him with a thousand fond dreams.
which person or people
From this reading Miss Catherine, who had made a hundred vain exertions to draw her young kinswoman to her house, and out of all the melancholy associations of her own, at last became seriously alarmed about Isabel.
the coldest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the winter solstice to the vernal equinox
From this reading And the minister, who all the winter through had been indulging himself in such hopes, slowly woke to a perception of the absorbed looks, the languor, the wandering of her eye, and the paleness of her cheeks.
in the company of; together with
From this reading She was very soft to him and gentle, accepting his kindness as she had never done before, looking up to him in a way which filled him with a thousand fond dreams.
wokeverbUS /woʊk/
inflected form of “wake” — be awake, be alert, be there
From this reading And the minister, who all the winter through had been indulging himself in such hopes, slowly woke to a perception of the absorbed looks, the languor, the wandering of her eye, and the paleness of her cheeks.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading Miss Catherine, who had made a hundred vain exertions to draw her young kinswoman to her house, and out of all the melancholy associations of her own, at last became seriously alarmed about Isabel.
