used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading But--he said there was a line of misfortune, which crossed the other line and might make it utterly useless; that there was danger of some kind--he couldn't tell what, threatening me about my twenty-first year, and that, you know, is very near; he said there were strange lines--tragic, unusual,"--She stopped.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading But--he said there was a line of misfortune, which crossed the other line and might make it utterly useless; that there was danger of some kind--he couldn't tell what, threatening me about my twenty-first year, and that, you know, is very near; he said there were strange lines--tragic, unusual,"--She stopped.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "He said"--she spoke low and hesitatingly--"he said there was luck in my hand--plenty of it; I should have splendid opportunities.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading "It sounds very ridiculous," but though she tried to smile, her voice trembled, "and yet--I remember it frightened me at the time, and does still--a little--when I think of it."
earlier than; in front of
From this reading "No." She stared thoughtfully before her with knit brows.
browsnounUS /braʊz/
plural of “brow” — the part of the face above the eyes
From this reading "No." She stared thoughtfully before her with knit brows.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But--he said there was a line of misfortune, which crossed the other line and might make it utterly useless; that there was danger of some kind--he couldn't tell what, threatening me about my twenty-first year, and that, you know, is very near; he said there were strange lines--tragic, unusual,"--She stopped.
a young person of either sex
From this reading "But you don't surely," cried Gerard, "my dear child, you don't suppose he knew a thing about it?"
couldn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But--he said there was a line of misfortune, which crossed the other line and might make it utterly useless; that there was danger of some kind--he couldn't tell what, threatening me about my twenty-first year, and that, you know, is very near; he said there were strange lines--tragic, unusual,"--She stopped.
inflected form of “cry” — utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading "But you don't surely," cried Gerard, "my dear child, you don't suppose he knew a thing about it?"
placed crosswise
From this reading But--he said there was a line of misfortune, which crossed the other line and might make it utterly useless; that there was danger of some kind--he couldn't tell what, threatening me about my twenty-first year, and that, you know, is very near; he said there were strange lines--tragic, unusual,"--She stopped.
the condition of being susceptible to harm or injury
From this reading But--he said there was a line of misfortune, which crossed the other line and might make it utterly useless; that there was danger of some kind--he couldn't tell what, threatening me about my twenty-first year, and that, you know, is very near; he said there were strange lines--tragic, unusual,"--She stopped.
dearly loved
From this reading "But you don't surely," cried Gerard, "my dear child, you don't suppose he knew a thing about it?"
doesauxiliary verbUS /dʌz/
the form of “do” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "It sounds very ridiculous," but though she tried to smile, her voice trembled, "and yet--I remember it frightened me at the time, and does still--a little--when I think of it."
don't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "But you don't surely," cried Gerard, "my dear child, you don't suppose he knew a thing about it?"
made afraid
From this reading "It sounds very ridiculous," but though she tried to smile, her voice trembled, "and yet--I remember it frightened me at the time, and does still--a little--when I think of it."
Gerard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "But you don't surely," cried Gerard, "my dear child, you don't suppose he knew a thing about it?"
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading "He said"--she spoke low and hesitatingly--"he said there was luck in my hand--plenty of it; I should have splendid opportunities.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading "He said"--she spoke low and hesitatingly--"he said there was luck in my hand--plenty of it; I should have splendid opportunities.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "He said"--she spoke low and hesitatingly--"he said there was luck in my hand--plenty of it; I should have splendid opportunities.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading "No." She stared thoughtfully before her with knit brows.
hesitatinglyadverb
with hesitation; in a hesitant manner
From this reading "He said"--she spoke low and hesitatingly--"he said there was luck in my hand--plenty of it; I should have splendid opportunities.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "He said"--she spoke low and hesitatingly--"he said there was luck in my hand--plenty of it; I should have splendid opportunities.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "He said"--she spoke low and hesitatingly--"he said there was luck in my hand--plenty of it; I should have splendid opportunities.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading But--he said there was a line of misfortune, which crossed the other line and might make it utterly useless; that there was danger of some kind--he couldn't tell what, threatening me about my twenty-first year, and that, you know, is very near; he said there were strange lines--tragic, unusual,"--She stopped.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "He said"--she spoke low and hesitatingly--"he said there was luck in my hand--plenty of it; I should have splendid opportunities.
having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior
From this reading But--he said there was a line of misfortune, which crossed the other line and might make it utterly useless; that there was danger of some kind--he couldn't tell what, threatening me about my twenty-first year, and that, you know, is very near; he said there were strange lines--tragic, unusual,"--She stopped.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading "But you don't surely," cried Gerard, "my dear child, you don't suppose he knew a thing about it?"
knitverbUS /nɪt/
make (textiles) by knitting
From this reading "No." She stared thoughtfully before her with knit brows.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading But--he said there was a line of misfortune, which crossed the other line and might make it utterly useless; that there was danger of some kind--he couldn't tell what, threatening me about my twenty-first year, and that, you know, is very near; he said there were strange lines--tragic, unusual,"--She stopped.
a formation of people or things one beside another
From this reading But--he said there was a line of misfortune, which crossed the other line and might make it utterly useless; that there was danger of some kind--he couldn't tell what, threatening me about my twenty-first year, and that, you know, is very near; he said there were strange lines--tragic, unusual,"--She stopped.
plural of “line” — a formation of people or things one beside another
From this reading But--he said there was a line of misfortune, which crossed the other line and might make it utterly useless; that there was danger of some kind--he couldn't tell what, threatening me about my twenty-first year, and that, you know, is very near; he said there were strange lines--tragic, unusual,"--She stopped.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading "It sounds very ridiculous," but though she tried to smile, her voice trembled, "and yet--I remember it frightened me at the time, and does still--a little--when I think of it."
less than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading "He said"--she spoke low and hesitatingly--"he said there was luck in my hand--plenty of it; I should have splendid opportunities.
your overall circumstances or condition in life (including everything that happens to you)
From this reading "He said"--she spoke low and hesitatingly--"he said there was luck in my hand--plenty of it; I should have splendid opportunities.
engage in
From this reading But--he said there was a line of misfortune, which crossed the other line and might make it utterly useless; that there was danger of some kind--he couldn't tell what, threatening me about my twenty-first year, and that, you know, is very near; he said there were strange lines--tragic, unusual,"--She stopped.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading But--he said there was a line of misfortune, which crossed the other line and might make it utterly useless; that there was danger of some kind--he couldn't tell what, threatening me about my twenty-first year, and that, you know, is very near; he said there were strange lines--tragic, unusual,"--She stopped.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading But--he said there was a line of misfortune, which crossed the other line and might make it utterly useless; that there was danger of some kind--he couldn't tell what, threatening me about my twenty-first year, and that, you know, is very near; he said there were strange lines--tragic, unusual,"--She stopped.
unnecessary and unforeseen trouble resulting from an unfortunate event
From this reading But--he said there was a line of misfortune, which crossed the other line and might make it utterly useless; that there was danger of some kind--he couldn't tell what, threatening me about my twenty-first year, and that, you know, is very near; he said there were strange lines--tragic, unusual,"--She stopped.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "He said"--she spoke low and hesitatingly--"he said there was luck in my hand--plenty of it; I should have splendid opportunities.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading But--he said there was a line of misfortune, which crossed the other line and might make it utterly useless; that there was danger of some kind--he couldn't tell what, threatening me about my twenty-first year, and that, you know, is very near; he said there were strange lines--tragic, unusual,"--She stopped.
not any; not one
From this reading "No." She stared thoughtfully before her with knit brows.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "He said"--she spoke low and hesitatingly--"he said there was luck in my hand--plenty of it; I should have splendid opportunities.
opportunitiesnounUS /ˌɑːpərˈtuːnətiz/
plural of “opportunity” — a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances
From this reading "He said"--she spoke low and hesitatingly--"he said there was luck in my hand--plenty of it; I should have splendid opportunities.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading But--he said there was a line of misfortune, which crossed the other line and might make it utterly useless; that there was danger of some kind--he couldn't tell what, threatening me about my twenty-first year, and that, you know, is very near; he said there were strange lines--tragic, unusual,"--She stopped.
a full supply
From this reading "He said"--she spoke low and hesitatingly--"he said there was luck in my hand--plenty of it; I should have splendid opportunities.
To recall to mind.
From this reading "It sounds very ridiculous," but though she tried to smile, her voice trembled, "and yet--I remember it frightened me at the time, and does still--a little--when I think of it."
inspiring scornful pity
From this reading "It sounds very ridiculous," but though she tried to smile, her voice trembled, "and yet--I remember it frightened me at the time, and does still--a little--when I think of it."
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "He said"--she spoke low and hesitatingly--"he said there was luck in my hand--plenty of it; I should have splendid opportunities.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "No." She stared thoughtfully before her with knit brows.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading "He said"--she spoke low and hesitatingly--"he said there was luck in my hand--plenty of it; I should have splendid opportunities.
change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure
From this reading "It sounds very ridiculous," but though she tried to smile, her voice trembled, "and yet--I remember it frightened me at the time, and does still--a little--when I think of it."
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading But--he said there was a line of misfortune, which crossed the other line and might make it utterly useless; that there was danger of some kind--he couldn't tell what, threatening me about my twenty-first year, and that, you know, is very near; he said there were strange lines--tragic, unusual,"--She stopped.
plural of “sound” — the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading "It sounds very ridiculous," but though she tried to smile, her voice trembled, "and yet--I remember it frightened me at the time, and does still--a little--when I think of it."
having great beauty and splendor
From this reading "He said"--she spoke low and hesitatingly--"he said there was luck in my hand--plenty of it; I should have splendid opportunities.
support consisting of a radial member of a wheel joining the hub to the rim
From this reading "He said"--she spoke low and hesitatingly--"he said there was luck in my hand--plenty of it; I should have splendid opportunities.
past form of “stare” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading "No." She stared thoughtfully before her with knit brows.
not in physical motion
From this reading "It sounds very ridiculous," but though she tried to smile, her voice trembled, "and yet--I remember it frightened me at the time, and does still--a little--when I think of it."
(of a nose) blocked
From this reading But--he said there was a line of misfortune, which crossed the other line and might make it utterly useless; that there was danger of some kind--he couldn't tell what, threatening me about my twenty-first year, and that, you know, is very near; he said there were strange lines--tragic, unusual,"--She stopped.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading But--he said there was a line of misfortune, which crossed the other line and might make it utterly useless; that there was danger of some kind--he couldn't tell what, threatening me about my twenty-first year, and that, you know, is very near; he said there were strange lines--tragic, unusual,"--She stopped.
express a supposition
From this reading "But you don't surely," cried Gerard, "my dear child, you don't suppose he knew a thing about it?"
definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)
From this reading "But you don't surely," cried Gerard, "my dear child, you don't suppose he knew a thing about it?"
express in words
From this reading But--he said there was a line of misfortune, which crossed the other line and might make it utterly useless; that there was danger of some kind--he couldn't tell what, threatening me about my twenty-first year, and that, you know, is very near; he said there were strange lines--tragic, unusual,"--She stopped.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading But--he said there was a line of misfortune, which crossed the other line and might make it utterly useless; that there was danger of some kind--he couldn't tell what, threatening me about my twenty-first year, and that, you know, is very near; he said there were strange lines--tragic, unusual,"--She stopped.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading But--he said there was a line of misfortune, which crossed the other line and might make it utterly useless; that there was danger of some kind--he couldn't tell what, threatening me about my twenty-first year, and that, you know, is very near; he said there were strange lines--tragic, unusual,"--She stopped.
in or at that place or location
From this reading "He said"--she spoke low and hesitatingly--"he said there was luck in my hand--plenty of it; I should have splendid opportunities.
a special situation
From this reading "But you don't surely," cried Gerard, "my dear child, you don't suppose he knew a thing about it?"
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading "It sounds very ridiculous," but though she tried to smile, her voice trembled, "and yet--I remember it frightened me at the time, and does still--a little--when I think of it."
in spite of the fact that
From this reading "It sounds very ridiculous," but though she tried to smile, her voice trembled, "and yet--I remember it frightened me at the time, and does still--a little--when I think of it."
thoughtfullyadverbUS /ˈθɔːtfəli/
in a thoughtful manner
From this reading "No." She stared thoughtfully before her with knit brows.
threateningadjectiveUS /ˈθretənɪŋ/
threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
From this reading But--he said there was a line of misfortune, which crossed the other line and might make it utterly useless; that there was danger of some kind--he couldn't tell what, threatening me about my twenty-first year, and that, you know, is very near; he said there were strange lines--tragic, unusual,"--She stopped.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading "It sounds very ridiculous," but though she tried to smile, her voice trembled, "and yet--I remember it frightened me at the time, and does still--a little--when I think of it."
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "It sounds very ridiculous," but though she tried to smile, her voice trembled, "and yet--I remember it frightened me at the time, and does still--a little--when I think of it."
tragicadjectiveUS /ˈtrædʒɪk/
very sad; especially involving grief or death or destruction
From this reading But--he said there was a line of misfortune, which crossed the other line and might make it utterly useless; that there was danger of some kind--he couldn't tell what, threatening me about my twenty-first year, and that, you know, is very near; he said there were strange lines--tragic, unusual,"--She stopped.
past form of “tremble” — move or jerk quickly and involuntarily up and down or sideways
From this reading "It sounds very ridiculous," but though she tried to smile, her voice trembled, "and yet--I remember it frightened me at the time, and does still--a little--when I think of it."
tested and proved useful or correct
From this reading "It sounds very ridiculous," but though she tried to smile, her voice trembled, "and yet--I remember it frightened me at the time, and does still--a little--when I think of it."
twenty-firstadjectiveUS /ˈtwentifɜːrst/
coming next after the twentieth in position
From this reading But--he said there was a line of misfortune, which crossed the other line and might make it utterly useless; that there was danger of some kind--he couldn't tell what, threatening me about my twenty-first year, and that, you know, is very near; he said there were strange lines--tragic, unusual,"--She stopped.
not usual or common or ordinary
From this reading But--he said there was a line of misfortune, which crossed the other line and might make it utterly useless; that there was danger of some kind--he couldn't tell what, threatening me about my twenty-first year, and that, you know, is very near; he said there were strange lines--tragic, unusual,"--She stopped.
having no beneficial use or incapable of functioning usefully
From this reading But--he said there was a line of misfortune, which crossed the other line and might make it utterly useless; that there was danger of some kind--he couldn't tell what, threatening me about my twenty-first year, and that, you know, is very near; he said there were strange lines--tragic, unusual,"--She stopped.
completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers
From this reading But--he said there was a line of misfortune, which crossed the other line and might make it utterly useless; that there was danger of some kind--he couldn't tell what, threatening me about my twenty-first year, and that, you know, is very near; he said there were strange lines--tragic, unusual,"--She stopped.
precisely as stated
From this reading But--he said there was a line of misfortune, which crossed the other line and might make it utterly useless; that there was danger of some kind--he couldn't tell what, threatening me about my twenty-first year, and that, you know, is very near; he said there were strange lines--tragic, unusual,"--She stopped.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading "It sounds very ridiculous," but though she tried to smile, her voice trembled, "and yet--I remember it frightened me at the time, and does still--a little--when I think of it."
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "He said"--she spoke low and hesitatingly--"he said there was luck in my hand--plenty of it; I should have splendid opportunities.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading But--he said there was a line of misfortune, which crossed the other line and might make it utterly useless; that there was danger of some kind--he couldn't tell what, threatening me about my twenty-first year, and that, you know, is very near; he said there were strange lines--tragic, unusual,"--She stopped.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading But--he said there was a line of misfortune, which crossed the other line and might make it utterly useless; that there was danger of some kind--he couldn't tell what, threatening me about my twenty-first year, and that, you know, is very near; he said there were strange lines--tragic, unusual,"--She stopped.
at the time that
From this reading "It sounds very ridiculous," but though she tried to smile, her voice trembled, "and yet--I remember it frightened me at the time, and does still--a little--when I think of it."
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading But--he said there was a line of misfortune, which crossed the other line and might make it utterly useless; that there was danger of some kind--he couldn't tell what, threatening me about my twenty-first year, and that, you know, is very near; he said there were strange lines--tragic, unusual,"--She stopped.
in the company of; together with
From this reading "No." She stared thoughtfully before her with knit brows.
a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days
From this reading But--he said there was a line of misfortune, which crossed the other line and might make it utterly useless; that there was danger of some kind--he couldn't tell what, threatening me about my twenty-first year, and that, you know, is very near; he said there were strange lines--tragic, unusual,"--She stopped.
but in spite of that
From this reading "It sounds very ridiculous," but though she tried to smile, her voice trembled, "and yet--I remember it frightened me at the time, and does still--a little--when I think of it."
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading But--he said there was a line of misfortune, which crossed the other line and might make it utterly useless; that there was danger of some kind--he couldn't tell what, threatening me about my twenty-first year, and that, you know, is very near; he said there were strange lines--tragic, unusual,"--She stopped.
