used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE MOTIVE "You must know, then," said Philip Darwin, "that I was the child of a second marriage contracted between my father and a young woman who had just begun to earn a name for herself upon the stage.
abilitynounUS /əˈbɪlətiː/
the quality of being able to perform; a quality that permits or facilitates achievement or accomplishment
From this reading My father hushed the scandal and withdrew from social life, becoming morose and bitter and narrower than ever, watching over me with a zealous eye as I grew older, and endeavoring to eradicate the talents which I had inherited from her, looking with particular disfavor on my ability to act and mimic the speech of those about me.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading My father hushed the scandal and withdrew from social life, becoming morose and bitter and narrower than ever, watching over me with a zealous eye as I grew older, and endeavoring to eradicate the talents which I had inherited from her, looking with particular disfavor on my ability to act and mimic the speech of those about me.
perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)
From this reading My father hushed the scandal and withdrew from social life, becoming morose and bitter and narrower than ever, watching over me with a zealous eye as I grew older, and endeavoring to eradicate the talents which I had inherited from her, looking with particular disfavor on my ability to act and mimic the speech of those about me.
actornounUS /ˈæktər/
a theatrical performer
From this reading She endured two years of walking the straight and narrow path as his wife, and then she eloped with an actor friend.
(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 "Knowing my inherited love of pleasures of all kinds he strove to curb me by refusing to let me go out in the evenings with my young companions.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading She endured two years of walking the straight and narrow path as his wife, and then she eloped with an actor friend.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE MOTIVE "You must know, then," said Philip Darwin, "that I was the child of a second marriage contracted between my father and a young woman who had just begun to earn a name for herself upon the stage.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading She endured two years of walking the straight and narrow path as his wife, and then she eloped with an actor friend.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading This I considered an indignity since I was then old enough to be my own master, and so I took matters into my own hand, retiring early and then sneaking away from my rooms to join my friends.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading This I considered an indignity since I was then old enough to be my own master, and so I took matters into my own hand, retiring early and then sneaking away from my rooms to join my friends.
according with custom or propriety
From this reading My father hushed the scandal and withdrew from social life, becoming morose and bitter and narrower than ever, watching over me with a zealous eye as I grew older, and endeavoring to eradicate the talents which I had inherited from her, looking with particular disfavor on my ability to act and mimic the speech of those about me.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading THE MOTIVE "You must know, then," said Philip Darwin, "that I was the child of a second marriage contracted between my father and a young woman who had just begun to earn a name for herself upon the stage.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading THE MOTIVE "You must know, then," said Philip Darwin, "that I was the child of a second marriage contracted between my father and a young woman who had just begun to earn a name for herself upon the stage.
marked by strong resentment or cynicism
From this reading My father hushed the scandal and withdrew from social life, becoming morose and bitter and narrower than ever, watching over me with a zealous eye as I grew older, and endeavoring to eradicate the talents which I had inherited from her, looking with particular disfavor on my ability to act and mimic the speech of those about me.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading "Knowing my inherited love of pleasures of all kinds he strove to curb me by refusing to let me go out in the evenings with my young companions.
a young person of either sex
From this reading THE MOTIVE "You must know, then," said Philip Darwin, "that I was the child of a second marriage contracted between my father and a young woman who had just begun to earn a name for herself upon the stage.
plural of “companion” — a friend who is frequently in the company of another
From this reading "Knowing my inherited love of pleasures of all kinds he strove to curb me by refusing to let me go out in the evenings with my young companions.
carefully weighed
From this reading This I considered an indignity since I was then old enough to be my own master, and so I took matters into my own hand, retiring early and then sneaking away from my rooms to join my friends.
contractedadjectiveUS /ˈkɑːntræktəd/
reduced in size or pulled together
From this reading THE MOTIVE "You must know, then," said Philip Darwin, "that I was the child of a second marriage contracted between my father and a young woman who had just begun to earn a name for herself upon the stage.
curbnounUS /kɜːrb/
an edge between a sidewalk and a roadway consisting of a line of curbstones (usually forming part of a gutter)
From this reading "Knowing my inherited love of pleasures of all kinds he strove to curb me by refusing to let me go out in the evenings with my young companions.
DarwinnounUS /ˈdɑːrwɪn/
English natural scientist who formulated a theory of evolution by natural selection (1809-1882)
From this reading THE MOTIVE "You must know, then," said Philip Darwin, "that I was the child of a second marriage contracted between my father and a young woman who had just begun to earn a name for herself upon the stage.
disfavornounUS /dɪˈsfeɪvər/
the state of being out of favor
From this reading My father hushed the scandal and withdrew from social life, becoming morose and bitter and narrower than ever, watching over me with a zealous eye as I grew older, and endeavoring to eradicate the talents which I had inherited from her, looking with particular disfavor on my ability to act and mimic the speech of those about me.
earlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/
at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time
From this reading This I considered an indignity since I was then old enough to be my own master, and so I took matters into my own hand, retiring early and then sneaking away from my rooms to join my friends.
earnverbUS /ɜːrn/
earn on some commercial or business transaction; earn as salary or wages
From this reading THE MOTIVE "You must know, then," said Philip Darwin, "that I was the child of a second marriage contracted between my father and a young woman who had just begun to earn a name for herself upon the stage.
elopedverbUS /ɪˈloʊpd/
past form of “elope” — run away secretly with one's beloved
From this reading She endured two years of walking the straight and narrow path as his wife, and then she eloped with an actor friend.
endeavoringverbUS /ɪnˈdevərɪŋ/
-ing form of “endeavor” — attempt by employing effort
From this reading My father hushed the scandal and withdrew from social life, becoming morose and bitter and narrower than ever, watching over me with a zealous eye as I grew older, and endeavoring to eradicate the talents which I had inherited from her, looking with particular disfavor on my ability to act and mimic the speech of those about me.
enduredverbUS /enˈdjʊrd/
past form of “endure” — put up with something or somebody unpleasant
From this reading She endured two years of walking the straight and narrow path as his wife, and then she eloped with an actor friend.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading This I considered an indignity since I was then old enough to be my own master, and so I took matters into my own hand, retiring early and then sneaking away from my rooms to join my friends.
eradicateverbUS /ɪˈrædəkeɪt/
kill in large numbers
From this reading My father hushed the scandal and withdrew from social life, becoming morose and bitter and narrower than ever, watching over me with a zealous eye as I grew older, and endeavoring to eradicate the talents which I had inherited from her, looking with particular disfavor on my ability to act and mimic the speech of those about me.
eveningsnounUS /ˈiːvnɪŋz/
plural of “evening” — the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading "Knowing my inherited love of pleasures of all kinds he strove to curb me by refusing to let me go out in the evenings with my young companions.
at any time
From this reading My father hushed the scandal and withdrew from social life, becoming morose and bitter and narrower than ever, watching over me with a zealous eye as I grew older, and endeavoring to eradicate the talents which I had inherited from her, looking with particular disfavor on my ability to act and mimic the speech of those about me.
the organ of sight
From this reading My father hushed the scandal and withdrew from social life, becoming morose and bitter and narrower than ever, watching over me with a zealous eye as I grew older, and endeavoring to eradicate the talents which I had inherited from her, looking with particular disfavor on my ability to act and mimic the speech of those about me.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading THE MOTIVE "You must know, then," said Philip Darwin, "that I was the child of a second marriage contracted between my father and a young woman who had just begun to earn a name for herself upon the stage.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading THE MOTIVE "You must know, then," said Philip Darwin, "that I was the child of a second marriage contracted between my father and a young woman who had just begun to earn a name for herself upon the stage.
a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading She endured two years of walking the straight and narrow path as his wife, and then she eloped with an actor friend.
plural of “friend” — a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading This I considered an indignity since I was then old enough to be my own master, and so I took matters into my own hand, retiring early and then sneaking away from my rooms to join my friends.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading My father hushed the scandal and withdrew from social life, becoming morose and bitter and narrower than ever, watching over me with a zealous eye as I grew older, and endeavoring to eradicate the talents which I had inherited from her, looking with particular disfavor on my ability to act and mimic the speech of those about me.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading "Knowing my inherited love of pleasures of all kinds he strove to curb me by refusing to let me go out in the evenings with my young companions.
inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading My father hushed the scandal and withdrew from social life, becoming morose and bitter and narrower than ever, watching over me with a zealous eye as I grew older, and endeavoring to eradicate the talents which I had inherited from her, looking with particular disfavor on my ability to act and mimic the speech of those about me.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading THE MOTIVE "You must know, then," said Philip Darwin, "that I was the child of a second marriage contracted between my father and a young woman who had just begun to earn a name for herself upon the stage.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading This I considered an indignity since I was then old enough to be my own master, and so I took matters into my own hand, retiring early and then sneaking away from my rooms to join my friends.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Knowing my inherited love of pleasures of all kinds he strove to curb me by refusing to let me go out in the evenings with my young companions.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading My father hushed the scandal and withdrew from social life, becoming morose and bitter and narrower than ever, watching over me with a zealous eye as I grew older, and endeavoring to eradicate the talents which I had inherited from her, looking with particular disfavor on my ability to act and mimic the speech of those about me.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading THE MOTIVE "You must know, then," said Philip Darwin, "that I was the child of a second marriage contracted between my father and a young woman who had just begun to earn a name for herself upon the stage.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading She endured two years of walking the straight and narrow path as his wife, and then she eloped with an actor friend.
hushedadjectiveUS /hʌʃt/
in a softened tone
From this reading My father hushed the scandal and withdrew from social life, becoming morose and bitter and narrower than ever, watching over me with a zealous eye as I grew older, and endeavoring to eradicate the talents which I had inherited from her, looking with particular disfavor on my ability to act and mimic the speech of those about me.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading THE MOTIVE "You must know, then," said Philip Darwin, "that I was the child of a second marriage contracted between my father and a young woman who had just begun to earn a name for herself upon the stage.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "Knowing my inherited love of pleasures of all kinds he strove to curb me by refusing to let me go out in the evenings with my young companions.
indignitynounUS /ˌɪnˈdɪɡnətiː/
an affront to one's dignity or self-esteem
From this reading This I considered an indignity since I was then old enough to be my own master, and so I took matters into my own hand, retiring early and then sneaking away from my rooms to join my friends.
inheritedadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈherətɪd/
occurring among members of a family usually by heredity
From this reading My father hushed the scandal and withdrew from social life, becoming morose and bitter and narrower than ever, watching over me with a zealous eye as I grew older, and endeavoring to eradicate the talents which I had inherited from her, looking with particular disfavor on my ability to act and mimic the speech of those about me.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading This I considered an indignity since I was then old enough to be my own master, and so I took matters into my own hand, retiring early and then sneaking away from my rooms to join my friends.
become part of; become a member of a group or organization
From this reading This I considered an indignity since I was then old enough to be my own master, and so I took matters into my own hand, retiring early and then sneaking away from my rooms to join my friends.
and nothing more
From this reading THE MOTIVE "You must know, then," said Philip Darwin, "that I was the child of a second marriage contracted between my father and a young woman who had just begun to earn a name for herself upon the stage.
plural of “kind” — a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
From this reading "Knowing my inherited love of pleasures of all kinds he strove to curb me by refusing to let me go out in the evenings with my young companions.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading THE MOTIVE "You must know, then," said Philip Darwin, "that I was the child of a second marriage contracted between my father and a young woman who had just begun to earn a name for herself upon the stage.
evidencing the possession of inside information
From this reading "Knowing my inherited love of pleasures of all kinds he strove to curb me by refusing to let me go out in the evenings with my young companions.
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading "Knowing my inherited love of pleasures of all kinds he strove to curb me by refusing to let me go out in the evenings with my young companions.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading My father hushed the scandal and withdrew from social life, becoming morose and bitter and narrower than ever, watching over me with a zealous eye as I grew older, and endeavoring to eradicate the talents which I had inherited from her, looking with particular disfavor on my ability to act and mimic the speech of those about me.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading My father hushed the scandal and withdrew from social life, becoming morose and bitter and narrower than ever, watching over me with a zealous eye as I grew older, and endeavoring to eradicate the talents which I had inherited from her, looking with particular disfavor on my ability to act and mimic the speech of those about me.
a strong positive emotion of regard and affection
From this reading "Knowing my inherited love of pleasures of all kinds he strove to curb me by refusing to let me go out in the evenings with my young companions.
the state of being a married couple voluntarily joined for life (or until divorce)
From this reading THE MOTIVE "You must know, then," said Philip Darwin, "that I was the child of a second marriage contracted between my father and a young woman who had just begun to earn a name for herself upon the stage.
an artist of consummate skill
From this reading This I considered an indignity since I was then old enough to be my own master, and so I took matters into my own hand, retiring early and then sneaking away from my rooms to join my friends.
plural of “matter” — a vaguely specified concern
From this reading This I considered an indignity since I was then old enough to be my own master, and so I took matters into my own hand, retiring early and then sneaking away from my rooms to join my friends.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading My father hushed the scandal and withdrew from social life, becoming morose and bitter and narrower than ever, watching over me with a zealous eye as I grew older, and endeavoring to eradicate the talents which I had inherited from her, looking with particular disfavor on my ability to act and mimic the speech of those about me.
mimicnounUS /ˈmɪmɪk/
someone who mimics (especially an actor or actress)
From this reading My father hushed the scandal and withdrew from social life, becoming morose and bitter and narrower than ever, watching over me with a zealous eye as I grew older, and endeavoring to eradicate the talents which I had inherited from her, looking with particular disfavor on my ability to act and mimic the speech of those about me.
moroseadjectiveUS /mərˈoʊs/
showing a brooding ill humor
From this reading My father hushed the scandal and withdrew from social life, becoming morose and bitter and narrower than ever, watching over me with a zealous eye as I grew older, and endeavoring to eradicate the talents which I had inherited from her, looking with particular disfavor on my ability to act and mimic the speech of those about me.
MOTIVEnounUS /ˈmoʊtɪv/
the psychological feature that arouses an organism to action toward a desired goal; the reason for the action; that which gives purpose and direction to behavior
From this reading THE MOTIVE "You must know, then," said Philip Darwin, "that I was the child of a second marriage contracted between my father and a young woman who had just begun to earn a name for herself upon the stage.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading THE MOTIVE "You must know, then," said Philip Darwin, "that I was the child of a second marriage contracted between my father and a young woman who had just begun to earn a name for herself upon the stage.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading THE MOTIVE "You must know, then," said Philip Darwin, "that I was the child of a second marriage contracted between my father and a young woman who had just begun to earn a name for herself upon the stage.
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading THE MOTIVE "You must know, then," said Philip Darwin, "that I was the child of a second marriage contracted between my father and a young woman who had just begun to earn a name for herself upon the stage.
make or become more narrow or restricted
From this reading She endured two years of walking the straight and narrow path as his wife, and then she eloped with an actor friend.
narroweradjectiveUS /ˈneroʊər/
comparative of “narrow” — not wide
From this reading My father hushed the scandal and withdrew from social life, becoming morose and bitter and narrower than ever, watching over me with a zealous eye as I grew older, and endeavoring to eradicate the talents which I had inherited from her, looking with particular disfavor on my ability to act and mimic the speech of those about me.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE MOTIVE "You must know, then," said Philip Darwin, "that I was the child of a second marriage contracted between my father and a young woman who had just begun to earn a name for herself upon the stage.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading This I considered an indignity since I was then old enough to be my own master, and so I took matters into my own hand, retiring early and then sneaking away from my rooms to join my friends.
olderadjectiveUS /ˈoʊldər/
advanced in years; (“aged” is pronounced as two syllables)
From this reading My father hushed the scandal and withdrew from social life, becoming morose and bitter and narrower than ever, watching over me with a zealous eye as I grew older, and endeavoring to eradicate the talents which I had inherited from her, looking with particular disfavor on my ability to act and mimic the speech of those about me.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading My father hushed the scandal and withdrew from social life, becoming morose and bitter and narrower than ever, watching over me with a zealous eye as I grew older, and endeavoring to eradicate the talents which I had inherited from her, looking with particular disfavor on my ability to act and mimic the speech of those about me.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading "Knowing my inherited love of pleasures of all kinds he strove to curb me by refusing to let me go out in the evenings with my young companions.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading My father hushed the scandal and withdrew from social life, becoming morose and bitter and narrower than ever, watching over me with a zealous eye as I grew older, and endeavoring to eradicate the talents which I had inherited from her, looking with particular disfavor on my ability to act and mimic the speech of those about me.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading This I considered an indignity since I was then old enough to be my own master, and so I took matters into my own hand, retiring early and then sneaking away from my rooms to join my friends.
unique or specific to a person or thing or category
From this reading My father hushed the scandal and withdrew from social life, becoming morose and bitter and narrower than ever, watching over me with a zealous eye as I grew older, and endeavoring to eradicate the talents which I had inherited from her, looking with particular disfavor on my ability to act and mimic the speech of those about me.
a course of conduct
From this reading She endured two years of walking the straight and narrow path as his wife, and then she eloped with an actor friend.
Englishman and husband of Elizabeth II (born 1921)
From this reading THE MOTIVE "You must know, then," said Philip Darwin, "that I was the child of a second marriage contracted between my father and a young woman who had just begun to earn a name for herself upon the stage.
pleasuresnounUS /ˈpleʒərz/
plural of “pleasure” — a fundamental feeling that is hard to define but that people desire to experience
From this reading "Knowing my inherited love of pleasures of all kinds he strove to curb me by refusing to let me go out in the evenings with my young companions.
refusingverbUS /rəˈfjuːzɪŋ/
-ing form of “refuse” — show unwillingness towards
From this reading "Knowing my inherited love of pleasures of all kinds he strove to curb me by refusing to let me go out in the evenings with my young companions.
retiringadjectiveUS /rɪˈtaɪrɪŋ/
not arrogant or presuming
From this reading This I considered an indignity since I was then old enough to be my own master, and so I took matters into my own hand, retiring early and then sneaking away from my rooms to join my friends.
apartment consisting of a series of connected rooms used as a living unit (as in a hotel)
From this reading This I considered an indignity since I was then old enough to be my own master, and so I took matters into my own hand, retiring early and then sneaking away from my rooms to join my friends.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading THE MOTIVE "You must know, then," said Philip Darwin, "that I was the child of a second marriage contracted between my father and a young woman who had just begun to earn a name for herself upon the stage.
scandalnounUS /ˈskændəl/
disgraceful gossip about the private lives of other people
From this reading My father hushed the scandal and withdrew from social life, becoming morose and bitter and narrower than ever, watching over me with a zealous eye as I grew older, and endeavoring to eradicate the talents which I had inherited from her, looking with particular disfavor on my ability to act and mimic the speech of those about me.
1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading THE MOTIVE "You must know, then," said Philip Darwin, "that I was the child of a second marriage contracted between my father and a young woman who had just begun to earn a name for herself upon the stage.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She endured two years of walking the straight and narrow path as his wife, and then she eloped with an actor friend.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading This I considered an indignity since I was then old enough to be my own master, and so I took matters into my own hand, retiring early and then sneaking away from my rooms to join my friends.
sneakingadjectiveUS /ˈsniːkɪŋ/
not openly expressed
From this reading This I considered an indignity since I was then old enough to be my own master, and so I took matters into my own hand, retiring early and then sneaking away from my rooms to join my friends.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading This I considered an indignity since I was then old enough to be my own master, and so I took matters into my own hand, retiring early and then sneaking away from my rooms to join my friends.
relating to human society and its members
From this reading My father hushed the scandal and withdrew from social life, becoming morose and bitter and narrower than ever, watching over me with a zealous eye as I grew older, and endeavoring to eradicate the talents which I had inherited from her, looking with particular disfavor on my ability to act and mimic the speech of those about me.
the act of delivering a formal spoken communication to an audience
From this reading My father hushed the scandal and withdrew from social life, becoming morose and bitter and narrower than ever, watching over me with a zealous eye as I grew older, and endeavoring to eradicate the talents which I had inherited from her, looking with particular disfavor on my ability to act and mimic the speech of those about me.
any distinct time period in a sequence of events
From this reading THE MOTIVE "You must know, then," said Philip Darwin, "that I was the child of a second marriage contracted between my father and a young woman who had just begun to earn a name for herself upon the stage.
successive (without a break)
From this reading She endured two years of walking the straight and narrow path as his wife, and then she eloped with an actor friend.
stroveverbUS /stroʊv/
inflected form of “strive” — attempt by employing effort
From this reading "Knowing my inherited love of pleasures of all kinds he strove to curb me by refusing to let me go out in the evenings with my young companions.
talentsnounUS /ˈtælənts/
plural of “talent” — natural abilities or qualities
From this reading My father hushed the scandal and withdrew from social life, becoming morose and bitter and narrower than ever, watching over me with a zealous eye as I grew older, and endeavoring to eradicate the talents which I had inherited from her, looking with particular disfavor on my ability to act and mimic the speech of those about me.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading My father hushed the scandal and withdrew from social life, becoming morose and bitter and narrower than ever, watching over me with a zealous eye as I grew older, and endeavoring to eradicate the talents which I had inherited from her, looking with particular disfavor on my ability to act and mimic the speech of those about me.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading THE MOTIVE "You must know, then," said Philip Darwin, "that I was the child of a second marriage contracted between my father and a young woman who had just begun to earn a name for herself upon the stage.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE MOTIVE "You must know, then," said Philip Darwin, "that I was the child of a second marriage contracted between my father and a young woman who had just begun to earn a name for herself upon the stage.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading THE MOTIVE "You must know, then," said Philip Darwin, "that I was the child of a second marriage contracted between my father and a young woman who had just begun to earn a name for herself upon the stage.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This I considered an indignity since I was then old enough to be my own master, and so I took matters into my own hand, retiring early and then sneaking away from my rooms to join my friends.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading My father hushed the scandal and withdrew from social life, becoming morose and bitter and narrower than ever, watching over me with a zealous eye as I grew older, and endeavoring to eradicate the talents which I had inherited from her, looking with particular disfavor on my ability to act and mimic the speech of those about me.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE MOTIVE "You must know, then," said Philip Darwin, "that I was the child of a second marriage contracted between my father and a young woman who had just begun to earn a name for herself upon the stage.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading This I considered an indignity since I was then old enough to be my own master, and so I took matters into my own hand, retiring early and then sneaking away from my rooms to join my friends.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading She endured two years of walking the straight and narrow path as his wife, and then she eloped with an actor friend.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading THE MOTIVE "You must know, then," said Philip Darwin, "that I was the child of a second marriage contracted between my father and a young woman who had just begun to earn a name for herself upon the stage.
close enough to be walked to
From this reading She endured two years of walking the straight and narrow path as his wife, and then she eloped with an actor friend.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading THE MOTIVE "You must know, then," said Philip Darwin, "that I was the child of a second marriage contracted between my father and a young woman who had just begun to earn a name for herself upon the stage.
the act of observing; taking a patient look
From this reading My father hushed the scandal and withdrew from social life, becoming morose and bitter and narrower than ever, watching over me with a zealous eye as I grew older, and endeavoring to eradicate the talents which I had inherited from her, looking with particular disfavor on my ability to act and mimic the speech of those about me.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading My father hushed the scandal and withdrew from social life, becoming morose and bitter and narrower than ever, watching over me with a zealous eye as I grew older, and endeavoring to eradicate the talents which I had inherited from her, looking with particular disfavor on my ability to act and mimic the speech of those about me.
which person or people
From this reading THE MOTIVE "You must know, then," said Philip Darwin, "that I was the child of a second marriage contracted between my father and a young woman who had just begun to earn a name for herself upon the stage.
a married woman; a man's partner in marriage
From this reading She endured two years of walking the straight and narrow path as his wife, and then she eloped with an actor friend.
in the company of; together with
From this reading She endured two years of walking the straight and narrow path as his wife, and then she eloped with an actor friend.
withdrewverbUS /wɪθˈdruː/
inflected form of “withdraw” — pull back or move away or backward
From this reading My father hushed the scandal and withdrew from social life, becoming morose and bitter and narrower than ever, watching over me with a zealous eye as I grew older, and endeavoring to eradicate the talents which I had inherited from her, looking with particular disfavor on my ability to act and mimic the speech of those about me.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading THE MOTIVE "You must know, then," said Philip Darwin, "that I was the child of a second marriage contracted between my father and a young woman who had just begun to earn a name for herself upon the stage.
a late time of life
From this reading She endured two years of walking the straight and narrow path as his wife, and then she eloped with an actor friend.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading THE MOTIVE "You must know, then," said Philip Darwin, "that I was the child of a second marriage contracted between my father and a young woman who had just begun to earn a name for herself upon the stage.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading THE MOTIVE "You must know, then," said Philip Darwin, "that I was the child of a second marriage contracted between my father and a young woman who had just begun to earn a name for herself upon the stage.
zealousadjectiveUS /ˈzeləs/
marked by active interest and enthusiasm
From this reading My father hushed the scandal and withdrew from social life, becoming morose and bitter and narrower than ever, watching over me with a zealous eye as I grew older, and endeavoring to eradicate the talents which I had inherited from her, looking with particular disfavor on my ability to act and mimic the speech of those about me.
