used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading There was almost an air of tragedy about her that made her so unfamiliar that he felt as if he were entertaining a stranger.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading There was almost an air of tragedy about her that made her so unfamiliar that he felt as if he were entertaining a stranger.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading There was almost an air of tragedy about her that made her so unfamiliar that he felt as if he were entertaining a stranger.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading There was almost an air of tragedy about her that made her so unfamiliar that he felt as if he were entertaining a stranger.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading There was almost an air of tragedy about her that made her so unfamiliar that he felt as if he were entertaining a stranger.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She was silent and unresponsive.
anticipatedadjectiveUS /ænˈtɪsəpeɪtɪd/
expected hopefully
From this reading Jerry's dinner was not, for some reason, quite the success he had anticipated.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading There was almost an air of tragedy about her that made her so unfamiliar that he felt as if he were entertaining a stranger.
goddess of criminal rashness and its punishment
From this reading Nan made no complaint of the cooking, but she ate next to nothing, to the grief of his hospitable soul.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Nan made no complaint of the cooking, but she ate next to nothing, to the grief of his hospitable soul.
complaintnounUS /kəmˈpleɪnt/
an often persistent bodily disorder or disease; a cause for complaining
From this reading Nan made no complaint of the cooking, but she ate next to nothing, to the grief of his hospitable soul.
cookingnounUS /ˈkʊkɪŋ/
the act of preparing something (as food) by the application of heat
From this reading Nan made no complaint of the cooking, but she ate next to nothing, to the grief of his hospitable soul.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading She was tired, of course, but there was something in her manner that he could not fathom.
education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading She was tired, of course, but there was something in her manner that he could not fathom.
the main meal of the day served in the evening or at midday
From this reading Jerry's dinner was not, for some reason, quite the success he had anticipated.
entertainingadjectiveUS /ˌentərˈteɪnɪŋ/
agreeably diverting
From this reading There was almost an air of tragedy about her that made her so unfamiliar that he felt as if he were entertaining a stranger.
fathomverbUS /ˈfæðəm/
come to understand
From this reading She was tired, of course, but there was something in her manner that he could not fathom.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading There was almost an air of tragedy about her that made her so unfamiliar that he felt as if he were entertaining a stranger.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Jerry's dinner was not, for some reason, quite the success he had anticipated.
intense sorrow caused by loss of a loved one (especially by death)
From this reading Nan made no complaint of the cooking, but she ate next to nothing, to the grief of his hospitable soul.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Jerry's dinner was not, for some reason, quite the success he had anticipated.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Jerry's dinner was not, for some reason, quite the success he had anticipated.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She was tired, of course, but there was something in her manner that he could not fathom.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Nan made no complaint of the cooking, but she ate next to nothing, to the grief of his hospitable soul.
hospitableadjectiveUS /ˈhɑːˈspɪtəbəl/
favorable to life and growth
From this reading Nan made no complaint of the cooking, but she ate next to nothing, to the grief of his hospitable soul.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading There was almost an air of tragedy about her that made her so unfamiliar that he felt as if he were entertaining a stranger.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading She was tired, of course, but there was something in her manner that he could not fathom.
Jerry'snounUS /ˈdʒeriz/
possessive form of “jerry” — offensive term for a person of German descent
From this reading Jerry's dinner was not, for some reason, quite the success he had anticipated.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading Nan made no complaint of the cooking, but she ate next to nothing, to the grief of his hospitable soul.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading She was tired, of course, but there was something in her manner that he could not fathom.
NannounUS /næn/
your grandmother
From this reading Nan made no complaint of the cooking, but she ate next to nothing, to the grief of his hospitable soul.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading Nan made no complaint of the cooking, but she ate next to nothing, to the grief of his hospitable soul.
not any; not one
From this reading Nan made no complaint of the cooking, but she ate next to nothing, to the grief of his hospitable soul.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Jerry's dinner was not, for some reason, quite the success he had anticipated.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading Nan made no complaint of the cooking, but she ate next to nothing, to the grief of his hospitable soul.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Nan made no complaint of the cooking, but she ate next to nothing, to the grief of his hospitable soul.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading Jerry's dinner was not, for some reason, quite the success he had anticipated.
a rational motive for a belief or action
From this reading Jerry's dinner was not, for some reason, quite the success he had anticipated.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Nan made no complaint of the cooking, but she ate next to nothing, to the grief of his hospitable soul.
marked by absence of sound
From this reading She was silent and unresponsive.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading There was almost an air of tragedy about her that made her so unfamiliar that he felt as if he were entertaining a stranger.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Jerry's dinner was not, for some reason, quite the success he had anticipated.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading She was tired, of course, but there was something in her manner that he could not fathom.
the immaterial part of a person; the actuating cause of an individual life
From this reading Nan made no complaint of the cooking, but she ate next to nothing, to the grief of his hospitable soul.
anyone who does not belong in the environment in which they are found
From this reading There was almost an air of tragedy about her that made her so unfamiliar that he felt as if he were entertaining a stranger.
an event that accomplishes its intended purpose
From this reading Jerry's dinner was not, for some reason, quite the success he had anticipated.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading She was tired, of course, but there was something in her manner that he could not fathom.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Jerry's dinner was not, for some reason, quite the success he had anticipated.
in or at that place or location
From this reading She was tired, of course, but there was something in her manner that he could not fathom.
tiredadjectiveUS /ˈtaɪərd/
depleted of strength or energy
From this reading She was tired, of course, but there was something in her manner that he could not fathom.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Nan made no complaint of the cooking, but she ate next to nothing, to the grief of his hospitable soul.
tragedynounUS /ˈtrædʒədi/
an event resulting in great loss and misfortune
From this reading There was almost an air of tragedy about her that made her so unfamiliar that he felt as if he were entertaining a stranger.
unfamiliaradjectiveUS /ˌʌnfəˈmɪljər/
not known or well known
From this reading There was almost an air of tragedy about her that made her so unfamiliar that he felt as if he were entertaining a stranger.
unresponsiveadjectiveUS /ˌʌnriˈspɑːnsɪv/
not responding to some influence or stimulus
From this reading She was silent and unresponsive.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Jerry's dinner was not, for some reason, quite the success he had anticipated.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading There was almost an air of tragedy about her that made her so unfamiliar that he felt as if he were entertaining a stranger.
