used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading She was seated in a low rocker, crying by the nursery fire, when May woke up.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Roused from sleep by her grandmother's sobs, May saw Mrs. Farley, with trembling lips that seemed withered by grief, lifting her head and swaying her thin body, one knotted hand clutched to her breast as if in unendurable pain.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Roused from sleep by her grandmother's sobs, May saw Mrs. Farley, with trembling lips that seemed withered by grief, lifting her head and swaying her thin body, one knotted hand clutched to her breast as if in unendurable pain.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading May asked when she could endure the mystery no longer.
a very young child (birth to 1 year) who has not yet begun to walk or talk
From this reading Mrs. Farley had taken the baby, with its crib, into the nursery.
the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)
From this reading Roused from sleep by her grandmother's sobs, May saw Mrs. Farley, with trembling lips that seemed withered by grief, lifting her head and swaying her thin body, one knotted hand clutched to her breast as if in unendurable pain.
the front of the trunk from the neck to the abdomen
From this reading Roused from sleep by her grandmother's sobs, May saw Mrs. Farley, with trembling lips that seemed withered by grief, lifting her head and swaying her thin body, one knotted hand clutched to her breast as if in unendurable pain.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading She was seated in a low rocker, crying by the nursery fire, when May woke up.
clutchedverbUS /klʌtʃt/
past form of “clutch” — take hold of; grab
From this reading Roused from sleep by her grandmother's sobs, May saw Mrs. Farley, with trembling lips that seemed withered by grief, lifting her head and swaying her thin body, one knotted hand clutched to her breast as if in unendurable pain.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading May asked when she could endure the mystery no longer.
cribnounUS /krɪb/
baby bed with high sides made of slats
From this reading Mrs. Farley had taken the baby, with its crib, into the nursery.
demanding attention
From this reading She was seated in a low rocker, crying by the nursery fire, when May woke up.
put up with something or somebody unpleasant
From this reading May asked when she could endure the mystery no longer.
Farley
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Farley had taken the baby, with its crib, into the nursery.
start firing a weapon
From this reading She was seated in a low rocker, crying by the nursery fire, when May woke up.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Roused from sleep by her grandmother's sobs, May saw Mrs. Farley, with trembling lips that seemed withered by grief, lifting her head and swaying her thin body, one knotted hand clutched to her breast as if in unendurable pain.
GrandmanounUS /ˈɡrændmɑː/
the mother of your father or mother
From this reading "What's the matter, Grandma Farley?"
grandmother'snounUS /ˈɡrændmʌðərz/
possessive form of “grandmother” — the mother of your father or mother
From this reading Roused from sleep by her grandmother's sobs, May saw Mrs. Farley, with trembling lips that seemed withered by grief, lifting her head and swaying her thin body, one knotted hand clutched to her breast as if in unendurable pain.
intense sorrow caused by loss of a loved one (especially by death)
From this reading Roused from sleep by her grandmother's sobs, May saw Mrs. Farley, with trembling lips that seemed withered by grief, lifting her head and swaying her thin body, one knotted hand clutched to her breast as if in unendurable pain.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Mrs. Farley had taken the baby, with its crib, into the nursery.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading Roused from sleep by her grandmother's sobs, May saw Mrs. Farley, with trembling lips that seemed withered by grief, lifting her head and swaying her thin body, one knotted hand clutched to her breast as if in unendurable pain.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading Roused from sleep by her grandmother's sobs, May saw Mrs. Farley, with trembling lips that seemed withered by grief, lifting her head and swaying her thin body, one knotted hand clutched to her breast as if in unendurable pain.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Roused from sleep by her grandmother's sobs, May saw Mrs. Farley, with trembling lips that seemed withered by grief, lifting her head and swaying her thin body, one knotted hand clutched to her breast as if in unendurable pain.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Roused from sleep by her grandmother's sobs, May saw Mrs. Farley, with trembling lips that seemed withered by grief, lifting her head and swaying her thin body, one knotted hand clutched to her breast as if in unendurable pain.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading She was seated in a low rocker, crying by the nursery fire, when May woke up.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Mrs. Farley had taken the baby, with its crib, into the nursery.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Mrs. Farley had taken the baby, with its crib, into the nursery.
knottedadjectiveUS /ˈnɑːtɪd/
tied with a knot
From this reading Roused from sleep by her grandmother's sobs, May saw Mrs. Farley, with trembling lips that seemed withered by grief, lifting her head and swaying her thin body, one knotted hand clutched to her breast as if in unendurable pain.
liftingverbUS /ˈlɪftɪŋ/
-ing form of “lift” — raise from a lower to a higher position
From this reading Roused from sleep by her grandmother's sobs, May saw Mrs. Farley, with trembling lips that seemed withered by grief, lifting her head and swaying her thin body, one knotted hand clutched to her breast as if in unendurable pain.
plural of “lip” — either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking
From this reading Roused from sleep by her grandmother's sobs, May saw Mrs. Farley, with trembling lips that seemed withered by grief, lifting her head and swaying her thin body, one knotted hand clutched to her breast as if in unendurable pain.
for more time
From this reading May asked when she could endure the mystery no longer.
less than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading She was seated in a low rocker, crying by the nursery fire, when May woke up.
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading "What's the matter, Grandma Farley?"
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading She was seated in a low rocker, crying by the nursery fire, when May woke up.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading Mrs. Farley had taken the baby, with its crib, into the nursery.
something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained
From this reading May asked when she could endure the mystery no longer.
not any; not one
From this reading May asked when she could endure the mystery no longer.
nurserynounUS /ˈnɜːrsəri/
a child's room for a baby
From this reading Mrs. Farley had taken the baby, with its crib, into the nursery.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Roused from sleep by her grandmother's sobs, May saw Mrs. Farley, with trembling lips that seemed withered by grief, lifting her head and swaying her thin body, one knotted hand clutched to her breast as if in unendurable pain.
a symptom of some physical hurt or disorder
From this reading Roused from sleep by her grandmother's sobs, May saw Mrs. Farley, with trembling lips that seemed withered by grief, lifting her head and swaying her thin body, one knotted hand clutched to her breast as if in unendurable pain.
rockernounUS /ˈrɑːkər/
an attendant who rocks a child in a cradle
From this reading She was seated in a low rocker, crying by the nursery fire, when May woke up.
past form of “rouse” — become active
From this reading Roused from sleep by her grandmother's sobs, May saw Mrs. Farley, with trembling lips that seemed withered by grief, lifting her head and swaying her thin body, one knotted hand clutched to her breast as if in unendurable pain.
cut with a saw
From this reading Roused from sleep by her grandmother's sobs, May saw Mrs. Farley, with trembling lips that seemed withered by grief, lifting her head and swaying her thin body, one knotted hand clutched to her breast as if in unendurable pain.
(of persons) having the torso erect and legs bent with the body supported on the buttocks
From this reading She was seated in a low rocker, crying by the nursery fire, when May woke up.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Roused from sleep by her grandmother's sobs, May saw Mrs. Farley, with trembling lips that seemed withered by grief, lifting her head and swaying her thin body, one knotted hand clutched to her breast as if in unendurable pain.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She was seated in a low rocker, crying by the nursery fire, when May woke up.
a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended
From this reading Roused from sleep by her grandmother's sobs, May saw Mrs. Farley, with trembling lips that seemed withered by grief, lifting her head and swaying her thin body, one knotted hand clutched to her breast as if in unendurable pain.
sobsnounUS /sɑːbz/
plural of “sob” — a dyspneic condition
From this reading Roused from sleep by her grandmother's sobs, May saw Mrs. Farley, with trembling lips that seemed withered by grief, lifting her head and swaying her thin body, one knotted hand clutched to her breast as if in unendurable pain.
swayingverbUS /ˈsweɪɪŋ/
-ing form of “sway” — move back and forth or sideways
From this reading Roused from sleep by her grandmother's sobs, May saw Mrs. Farley, with trembling lips that seemed withered by grief, lifting her head and swaying her thin body, one knotted hand clutched to her breast as if in unendurable pain.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading Mrs. Farley had taken the baby, with its crib, into the nursery.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Roused from sleep by her grandmother's sobs, May saw Mrs. Farley, with trembling lips that seemed withered by grief, lifting her head and swaying her thin body, one knotted hand clutched to her breast as if in unendurable pain.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Mrs. Farley had taken the baby, with its crib, into the nursery.
Having little thickness or extent.
From this reading Roused from sleep by her grandmother's sobs, May saw Mrs. Farley, with trembling lips that seemed withered by grief, lifting her head and swaying her thin body, one knotted hand clutched to her breast as if in unendurable pain.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Roused from sleep by her grandmother's sobs, May saw Mrs. Farley, with trembling lips that seemed withered by grief, lifting her head and swaying her thin body, one knotted hand clutched to her breast as if in unendurable pain.
a shaky motion
From this reading Roused from sleep by her grandmother's sobs, May saw Mrs. Farley, with trembling lips that seemed withered by grief, lifting her head and swaying her thin body, one knotted hand clutched to her breast as if in unendurable pain.
unendurableadjective
incapable of being tolerated or endured
From this reading Roused from sleep by her grandmother's sobs, May saw Mrs. Farley, with trembling lips that seemed withered by grief, lifting her head and swaying her thin body, one knotted hand clutched to her breast as if in unendurable pain.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading She was seated in a low rocker, crying by the nursery fire, when May woke up.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading She was seated in a low rocker, crying by the nursery fire, when May woke up.
What's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "What's the matter, Grandma Farley?"
at the time that
From this reading She was seated in a low rocker, crying by the nursery fire, when May woke up.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Mrs. Farley had taken the baby, with its crib, into the nursery.
witheredadjectiveUS /ˈwɪðərd/
lean and wrinkled by shrinkage as from age or illness
From this reading Roused from sleep by her grandmother's sobs, May saw Mrs. Farley, with trembling lips that seemed withered by grief, lifting her head and swaying her thin body, one knotted hand clutched to her breast as if in unendurable pain.
wokeverbUS /woʊk/
inflected form of “wake” — be awake, be alert, be there
From this reading She was seated in a low rocker, crying by the nursery fire, when May woke up.
