used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Leaving her home, to which she was devotedly attached, was hardly a misfortune, any more than going to live with her grandmother.
anew
From this reading It was plain Val would never be happy again.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading God hadn't heard her prayers; He had mocked her faith, and she was motherless.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading Leaving her home, to which she was devotedly attached, was hardly a misfortune, any more than going to live with her grandmother.
any thing at all
From this reading What did anything matter?
being joined in close association
From this reading Leaving her home, to which she was devotedly attached, was hardly a misfortune, any more than going to live with her grandmother.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading It was plain Val would never be happy again.
no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life
From this reading Nothing seemed to matter now that her mother was dead.
devotedlyadverb
with devotion
From this reading Leaving her home, to which she was devotedly attached, was hardly a misfortune, any more than going to live with her grandmother.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading What did anything matter?
a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny
From this reading God hadn't heard her prayers; He had mocked her faith, and she was motherless.
the supernatural being conceived as the perfect and omnipotent and omniscient originator and ruler of the universe; the object of worship in monotheistic religions
From this reading God hadn't heard her prayers; He had mocked her faith, and she was motherless.
the act of departing
From this reading Leaving her home, to which she was devotedly attached, was hardly a misfortune, any more than going to live with her grandmother.
the mother of your father or mother
From this reading Leaving her home, to which she was devotedly attached, was hardly a misfortune, any more than going to live with her grandmother.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading God hadn't heard her prayers; He had mocked her faith, and she was motherless.
hadn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading God hadn't heard her prayers; He had mocked her faith, and she was motherless.
enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure
From this reading It was plain Val would never be happy again.
only a very short time before
From this reading Leaving her home, to which she was devotedly attached, was hardly a misfortune, any more than going to live with her grandmother.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading God hadn't heard her prayers; He had mocked her faith, and she was motherless.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading God hadn't heard her prayers; He had mocked her faith, and she was motherless.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Nothing seemed to matter now that her mother was dead.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading Leaving her home, to which she was devotedly attached, was hardly a misfortune, any more than going to live with her grandmother.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was plain Val would never be happy again.
the act of departing
From this reading Leaving her home, to which she was devotedly attached, was hardly a misfortune, any more than going to live with her grandmother.
be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading Leaving her home, to which she was devotedly attached, was hardly a misfortune, any more than going to live with her grandmother.
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading Nothing seemed to matter now that her mother was dead.
misfortunenounUS /mɪˈsfɔːrtʃən/
unnecessary and unforeseen trouble resulting from an unfortunate event
From this reading Leaving her home, to which she was devotedly attached, was hardly a misfortune, any more than going to live with her grandmother.
mockedverbUS /mɑːkt/
past form of “mock” — treat with contempt
From this reading God hadn't heard her prayers; He had mocked her faith, and she was motherless.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Leaving her home, to which she was devotedly attached, was hardly a misfortune, any more than going to live with her grandmother.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading Nothing seemed to matter now that her mother was dead.
motherlessadjectiveUS /ˈmʌðərlɪs/
having no living or known mother
From this reading God hadn't heard her prayers; He had mocked her faith, and she was motherless.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading It was plain Val would never be happy again.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading Nothing seemed to matter now that her mother was dead.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Nothing seemed to matter now that her mother was dead.
clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment
From this reading It was plain Val would never be happy again.
plural of “prayer” — the act of communicating with a deity (especially as a petition or in adoration or contrition or thanksgiving)
From this reading God hadn't heard her prayers; He had mocked her faith, and she was motherless.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Nothing seemed to matter now that her mother was dead.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Leaving her home, to which she was devotedly attached, was hardly a misfortune, any more than going to live with her grandmother.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Leaving her home, to which she was devotedly attached, was hardly a misfortune, any more than going to live with her grandmother.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Nothing seemed to matter now that her mother was dead.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Nothing seemed to matter now that her mother was dead.
Val
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was plain Val would never be happy again.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Nothing seemed to matter now that her mother was dead.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading What did anything matter?
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Leaving her home, to which she was devotedly attached, was hardly a misfortune, any more than going to live with her grandmother.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Leaving her home, to which she was devotedly attached, was hardly a misfortune, any more than going to live with her grandmother.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading It was plain Val would never be happy again.
