used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A NIGHT OF MISERY.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The boys arrived and sought their mother in the drawing-room, wondering that she did not come to meet them, but found only their uncles there, standing before the fire like two baffled conspirators.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading She was gone before they could say another word, leaving them looking at each other in consternation, not knowing what to think.
past form of “arrive” — reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress
From this reading The boys arrived and sought their mother in the drawing-room, wondering that she did not come to meet them, but found only their uncles there, standing before the fire like two baffled conspirators.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading She was gone before they could say another word, leaving them looking at each other in consternation, not knowing what to think.
bafflednounUS /ˈbæfəld/
people who are frustrated and perplexed
From this reading The boys arrived and sought their mother in the drawing-room, wondering that she did not come to meet them, but found only their uncles there, standing before the fire like two baffled conspirators.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Reginald and Bertie rushed to their mother’s room, and plunged into it, notwithstanding her maid’s exhortation to be quiet.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading She was gone before they could say another word, leaving them looking at each other in consternation, not knowing what to think.
Bertie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Reginald and Bertie rushed to their mother’s room, and plunged into it, notwithstanding her maid’s exhortation to be quiet.
Blencarrow
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For the rest of the night Mrs. Blencarrow shut herself up in her own room; she would not come downstairs, not even to dinner.
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading The boys arrived and sought their mother in the drawing-room, wondering that she did not come to meet them, but found only their uncles there, standing before the fire like two baffled conspirators.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The boys arrived and sought their mother in the drawing-room, wondering that she did not come to meet them, but found only their uncles there, standing before the fire like two baffled conspirators.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading For the rest of the night Mrs. Blencarrow shut herself up in her own room; she would not come downstairs, not even to dinner.
conspiratorsnounUS /kənˈspɪrətərz/
plural of “conspirator” — a member of a conspiracy
From this reading The boys arrived and sought their mother in the drawing-room, wondering that she did not come to meet them, but found only their uncles there, standing before the fire like two baffled conspirators.
consternationnounUS /ˌkɑːnstərˈneɪʃən/
fear resulting from the awareness of danger
From this reading She was gone before they could say another word, leaving them looking at each other in consternation, not knowing what to think.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading She was gone before they could say another word, leaving them looking at each other in consternation, not knowing what to think.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading The boys arrived and sought their mother in the drawing-room, wondering that she did not come to meet them, but found only their uncles there, standing before the fire like two baffled conspirators.
the main meal of the day served in the evening or at midday
From this reading For the rest of the night Mrs. Blencarrow shut herself up in her own room; she would not come downstairs, not even to dinner.
downstairsadverbUS /ˈdaʊnˈsterz/
on a floor below
From this reading For the rest of the night Mrs. Blencarrow shut herself up in her own room; she would not come downstairs, not even to dinner.
drawing-room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The boys arrived and sought their mother in the drawing-room, wondering that she did not come to meet them, but found only their uncles there, standing before the fire like two baffled conspirators.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading She was gone before they could say another word, leaving them looking at each other in consternation, not knowing what to think.
divisible by two
From this reading For the rest of the night Mrs. Blencarrow shut herself up in her own room; she would not come downstairs, not even to dinner.
exhortationnounUS /ˌeɡzɔːrˈteɪʃən/
a communication intended to urge or persuade the recipients to take some action
From this reading Reginald and Bertie rushed to their mother’s room, and plunged into it, notwithstanding her maid’s exhortation to be quiet.
start firing a weapon
From this reading The boys arrived and sought their mother in the drawing-room, wondering that she did not come to meet them, but found only their uncles there, standing before the fire like two baffled conspirators.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For the rest of the night Mrs. Blencarrow shut herself up in her own room; she would not come downstairs, not even to dinner.
set up or found
From this reading The boys arrived and sought their mother in the drawing-room, wondering that she did not come to meet them, but found only their uncles there, standing before the fire like two baffled conspirators.
destroyed or killed
From this reading She was gone before they could say another word, leaving them looking at each other in consternation, not knowing what to think.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading For the rest of the night Mrs. Blencarrow shut herself up in her own room; she would not come downstairs, not even to dinner.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading For the rest of the night Mrs. Blencarrow shut herself up in her own room; she would not come downstairs, not even to dinner.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading She was gone before they could say another word, leaving them looking at each other in consternation, not knowing what to think.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Reginald and Bertie rushed to their mother’s room, and plunged into it, notwithstanding her maid’s exhortation to be quiet.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Reginald and Bertie rushed to their mother’s room, and plunged into it, notwithstanding her maid’s exhortation to be quiet.
evidencing the possession of inside information
From this reading She was gone before they could say another word, leaving them looking at each other in consternation, not knowing what to think.
the act of departing
From this reading She was gone before they could say another word, leaving them looking at each other in consternation, not knowing what to think.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading The boys arrived and sought their mother in the drawing-room, wondering that she did not come to meet them, but found only their uncles there, standing before the fire like two baffled conspirators.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading She was gone before they could say another word, leaving them looking at each other in consternation, not knowing what to think.
maid'snounUS /meɪdz/
possessive form of “maid” — a female domestic
From this reading Reginald and Bertie rushed to their mother’s room, and plunged into it, notwithstanding her maid’s exhortation to be quiet.
come together
From this reading The boys arrived and sought their mother in the drawing-room, wondering that she did not come to meet them, but found only their uncles there, standing before the fire like two baffled conspirators.
a state of ill-being due to affliction or misfortune
From this reading A NIGHT OF MISERY.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading The boys arrived and sought their mother in the drawing-room, wondering that she did not come to meet them, but found only their uncles there, standing before the fire like two baffled conspirators.
mother'snounUS /ˈmʌðərz/
possessive form of “mother” — a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading Reginald and Bertie rushed to their mother’s room, and plunged into it, notwithstanding her maid’s exhortation to be quiet.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading For the rest of the night Mrs. Blencarrow shut herself up in her own room; she would not come downstairs, not even to dinner.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading A NIGHT OF MISERY.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading She was gone before they could say another word, leaving them looking at each other in consternation, not knowing what to think.
despite anything to the contrary (usually preceding a concession)
From this reading Reginald and Bertie rushed to their mother’s room, and plunged into it, notwithstanding her maid’s exhortation to be quiet.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A NIGHT OF MISERY.
and nothing more
From this reading The boys arrived and sought their mother in the drawing-room, wondering that she did not come to meet them, but found only their uncles there, standing before the fire like two baffled conspirators.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading She was gone before they could say another word, leaving them looking at each other in consternation, not knowing what to think.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading For the rest of the night Mrs. Blencarrow shut herself up in her own room; she would not come downstairs, not even to dinner.
past form of “plunge” — thrust or throw into
From this reading Reginald and Bertie rushed to their mother’s room, and plunged into it, notwithstanding her maid’s exhortation to be quiet.
quietadjectiveUS /ˈkwaɪət/
characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity
From this reading Reginald and Bertie rushed to their mother’s room, and plunged into it, notwithstanding her maid’s exhortation to be quiet.
Reginald
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Reginald and Bertie rushed to their mother’s room, and plunged into it, notwithstanding her maid’s exhortation to be quiet.
not move; be in a resting position
From this reading For the rest of the night Mrs. Blencarrow shut herself up in her own room; she would not come downstairs, not even to dinner.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading For the rest of the night Mrs. Blencarrow shut herself up in her own room; she would not come downstairs, not even to dinner.
done under pressure
From this reading Reginald and Bertie rushed to their mother’s room, and plunged into it, notwithstanding her maid’s exhortation to be quiet.
express in words
From this reading She was gone before they could say another word, leaving them looking at each other in consternation, not knowing what to think.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She was gone before they could say another word, leaving them looking at each other in consternation, not knowing what to think.
move so that an opening or passage is obstructed; make shut
From this reading For the rest of the night Mrs. Blencarrow shut herself up in her own room; she would not come downstairs, not even to dinner.
that is looked for
From this reading The boys arrived and sought their mother in the drawing-room, wondering that she did not come to meet them, but found only their uncles there, standing before the fire like two baffled conspirators.
having a supporting base
From this reading The boys arrived and sought their mother in the drawing-room, wondering that she did not come to meet them, but found only their uncles there, standing before the fire like two baffled conspirators.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The boys arrived and sought their mother in the drawing-room, wondering that she did not come to meet them, but found only their uncles there, standing before the fire like two baffled conspirators.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading For the rest of the night Mrs. Blencarrow shut herself up in her own room; she would not come downstairs, not even to dinner.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The boys arrived and sought their mother in the drawing-room, wondering that she did not come to meet them, but found only their uncles there, standing before the fire like two baffled conspirators.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading She was gone before they could say another word, leaving them looking at each other in consternation, not knowing what to think.
in or at that place or location
From this reading The boys arrived and sought their mother in the drawing-room, wondering that she did not come to meet them, but found only their uncles there, standing before the fire like two baffled conspirators.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She was gone before they could say another word, leaving them looking at each other in consternation, not knowing what to think.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading She was gone before they could say another word, leaving them looking at each other in consternation, not knowing what to think.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading She was gone before they could say another word, leaving them looking at each other in consternation, not knowing what to think.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading The boys arrived and sought their mother in the drawing-room, wondering that she did not come to meet them, but found only their uncles there, standing before the fire like two baffled conspirators.
unclesnounUS /ˈʌŋkəlz/
plural of “uncle” — the brother of your father or mother; the husband of your aunt
From this reading The boys arrived and sought their mother in the drawing-room, wondering that she did not come to meet them, but found only their uncles there, standing before the fire like two baffled conspirators.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading For the rest of the night Mrs. Blencarrow shut herself up in her own room; she would not come downstairs, not even to dinner.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading She was gone before they could say another word, leaving them looking at each other in consternation, not knowing what to think.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading She was gone before they could say another word, leaving them looking at each other in consternation, not knowing what to think.
showing curiosity
From this reading The boys arrived and sought their mother in the drawing-room, wondering that she did not come to meet them, but found only their uncles there, standing before the fire like two baffled conspirators.
a unit of language that native speakers can identify
From this reading She was gone before they could say another word, leaving them looking at each other in consternation, not knowing what to think.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading For the rest of the night Mrs. Blencarrow shut herself up in her own room; she would not come downstairs, not even to dinner.
