used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "Aunt Dimsden was right," she said to herself, sometimes; "I shall be a minister's wife, after all."
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading The Basswoods people had become accustomed to the idea of Olive's engagement and Walter's change of profession, and troubled themselves very little more about the matter.
commonly used or practiced; usual
From this reading The Basswoods people had become accustomed to the idea of Olive's engagement and Walter's change of profession, and troubled themselves very little more about the matter.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading "Aunt Dimsden was right," she said to herself, sometimes; "I shall be a minister's wife, after all."
(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 "Aunt Dimsden was right," she said to herself, sometimes; "I shall be a minister's wife, after all."
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The school prospered, and was larger than usual in summer, and Olive had her hands full of employment,—so full, indeed, that the trustees began seriously to talk of giving her an assistant the next term.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The Basswoods people had become accustomed to the idea of Olive's engagement and Walter's change of profession, and troubled themselves very little more about the matter.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading THE summer term passed rapidly, unmarked by any particularly startling incident.
assistantnounUS /əˈsɪstənt/
a person who contributes to the fulfillment of a need or furtherance of an effort or purpose
From this reading The school prospered, and was larger than usual in summer, and Olive had her hands full of employment,—so full, indeed, that the trustees began seriously to talk of giving her an assistant the next term.
the sister of your father or mother; the wife of your uncle
From this reading "Aunt Dimsden was right," she said to herself, sometimes; "I shall be a minister's wife, after all."
Basswoods
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Basswoods people had become accustomed to the idea of Olive's engagement and Walter's change of profession, and troubled themselves very little more about the matter.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "Aunt Dimsden was right," she said to herself, sometimes; "I shall be a minister's wife, after all."
enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading The Basswoods people had become accustomed to the idea of Olive's engagement and Walter's change of profession, and troubled themselves very little more about the matter.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading The school prospered, and was larger than usual in summer, and Olive had her hands full of employment,—so full, indeed, that the trustees began seriously to talk of giving her an assistant the next term.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading THE summer term passed rapidly, unmarked by any particularly startling incident.
cause to change; make different; cause a transformation
From this reading The Basswoods people had become accustomed to the idea of Olive's engagement and Walter's change of profession, and troubled themselves very little more about the matter.
a subdivision of a written work; usually numbered and titled
From this reading CHAPTER TWELFTH.
Dimsden
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Aunt Dimsden was right," she said to herself, sometimes; "I shall be a minister's wife, after all."
employmentnounUS /emˈplɔɪmənt/
the state of being employed or having a job
From this reading The school prospered, and was larger than usual in summer, and Olive had her hands full of employment,—so full, indeed, that the trustees began seriously to talk of giving her an assistant the next term.
a hostile meeting of opposing military forces in the course of a war
From this reading The Basswoods people had become accustomed to the idea of Olive's engagement and Walter's change of profession, and troubled themselves very little more about the matter.
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading The school prospered, and was larger than usual in summer, and Olive had her hands full of employment,—so full, indeed, that the trustees began seriously to talk of giving her an assistant the next term.
the act of giving
From this reading The school prospered, and was larger than usual in summer, and Olive had her hands full of employment,—so full, indeed, that the trustees began seriously to talk of giving her an assistant the next term.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The Basswoods people had become accustomed to the idea of Olive's engagement and Walter's change of profession, and troubled themselves very little more about the matter.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading The school prospered, and was larger than usual in summer, and Olive had her hands full of employment,—so full, indeed, that the trustees began seriously to talk of giving her an assistant the next term.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The school prospered, and was larger than usual in summer, and Olive had her hands full of employment,—so full, indeed, that the trustees began seriously to talk of giving her an assistant the next term.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading "Aunt Dimsden was right," she said to herself, sometimes; "I shall be a minister's wife, after all."
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "Aunt Dimsden was right," she said to herself, sometimes; "I shall be a minister's wife, after all."
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading The Basswoods people had become accustomed to the idea of Olive's engagement and Walter's change of profession, and troubled themselves very little more about the matter.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The school prospered, and was larger than usual in summer, and Olive had her hands full of employment,—so full, indeed, that the trustees began seriously to talk of giving her an assistant the next term.
a single distinct event
From this reading THE summer term passed rapidly, unmarked by any particularly startling incident.
in truth (often tends to intensify)
From this reading The school prospered, and was larger than usual in summer, and Olive had her hands full of employment,—so full, indeed, that the trustees began seriously to talk of giving her an assistant the next term.
large or big relative to something else
From this reading The school prospered, and was larger than usual in summer, and Olive had her hands full of employment,—so full, indeed, that the trustees began seriously to talk of giving her an assistant the next term.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The Basswoods people had become accustomed to the idea of Olive's engagement and Walter's change of profession, and troubled themselves very little more about the matter.
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading The Basswoods people had become accustomed to the idea of Olive's engagement and Walter's change of profession, and troubled themselves very little more about the matter.
minister'snounUS /ˈmɪnɪstərz/
possessive form of “minister” — a person authorized to conduct religious worship
From this reading "Aunt Dimsden was right," she said to herself, sometimes; "I shall be a minister's wife, after all."
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading The Basswoods people had become accustomed to the idea of Olive's engagement and Walter's change of profession, and troubled themselves very little more about the matter.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading The school prospered, and was larger than usual in summer, and Olive had her hands full of employment,—so full, indeed, that the trustees began seriously to talk of giving her an assistant the next term.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The Basswoods people had become accustomed to the idea of Olive's engagement and Walter's change of profession, and troubled themselves very little more about the matter.
OliveadjectiveUS /ˈɑːləv/
of a yellow-green color similar to that of an unripe olive
From this reading The school prospered, and was larger than usual in summer, and Olive had her hands full of employment,—so full, indeed, that the trustees began seriously to talk of giving her an assistant the next term.
Olive's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Basswoods people had become accustomed to the idea of Olive's engagement and Walter's change of profession, and troubled themselves very little more about the matter.
to a distinctly greater extent or degree than is common
From this reading THE summer term passed rapidly, unmarked by any particularly startling incident.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading THE summer term passed rapidly, unmarked by any particularly startling incident.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading The Basswoods people had become accustomed to the idea of Olive's engagement and Walter's change of profession, and troubled themselves very little more about the matter.
the body of people in a learned occupation
From this reading The Basswoods people had become accustomed to the idea of Olive's engagement and Walter's change of profession, and troubled themselves very little more about the matter.
prosperedverbUS /ˈprɑːspərd/
past form of “prosper” — make steady progress; be at the high point in one's career or reach a high point in historical significance or importance
From this reading The school prospered, and was larger than usual in summer, and Olive had her hands full of employment,—so full, indeed, that the trustees began seriously to talk of giving her an assistant the next term.
with speed
From this reading THE summer term passed rapidly, unmarked by any particularly startling incident.
precisely, exactly
From this reading "Aunt Dimsden was right," she said to herself, sometimes; "I shall be a minister's wife, after all."
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "Aunt Dimsden was right," she said to herself, sometimes; "I shall be a minister's wife, after all."
an educational institution
From this reading The school prospered, and was larger than usual in summer, and Olive had her hands full of employment,—so full, indeed, that the trustees began seriously to talk of giving her an assistant the next term.
in a serious manner
From this reading The school prospered, and was larger than usual in summer, and Olive had her hands full of employment,—so full, indeed, that the trustees began seriously to talk of giving her an assistant the next term.
used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest
From this reading "Aunt Dimsden was right," she said to herself, sometimes; "I shall be a minister's wife, after all."
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Aunt Dimsden was right," she said to herself, sometimes; "I shall be a minister's wife, after all."
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The school prospered, and was larger than usual in summer, and Olive had her hands full of employment,—so full, indeed, that the trustees began seriously to talk of giving her an assistant the next term.
on certain occasions or in certain cases but not always
From this reading "Aunt Dimsden was right," she said to herself, sometimes; "I shall be a minister's wife, after all."
startlingadjectiveUS /ˈstɑːrtlɪŋ/
so remarkably different or sudden as to cause momentary shock or alarm
From this reading THE summer term passed rapidly, unmarked by any particularly startling incident.
the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox
From this reading THE summer term passed rapidly, unmarked by any particularly startling incident.
exchange thoughts; talk with
From this reading The school prospered, and was larger than usual in summer, and Olive had her hands full of employment,—so full, indeed, that the trustees began seriously to talk of giving her an assistant the next term.
a word or expression used for some particular thing
From this reading THE summer term passed rapidly, unmarked by any particularly startling incident.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading The school prospered, and was larger than usual in summer, and Olive had her hands full of employment,—so full, indeed, that the trustees began seriously to talk of giving her an assistant the next term.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The school prospered, and was larger than usual in summer, and Olive had her hands full of employment,—so full, indeed, that the trustees began seriously to talk of giving her an assistant the next term.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE summer term passed rapidly, unmarked by any particularly startling incident.
used when the people doing the action are also its object
From this reading The Basswoods people had become accustomed to the idea of Olive's engagement and Walter's change of profession, and troubled themselves very little more about the matter.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "Aunt Dimsden was right," she said to herself, sometimes; "I shall be a minister's wife, after all."
characterized by or indicative of distress or affliction or danger or need
From this reading The Basswoods people had become accustomed to the idea of Olive's engagement and Walter's change of profession, and troubled themselves very little more about the matter.
trusteesnounUS /ˌtrʌˈstiːz/
plural of “trustee” — a person (or institution) to whom legal title to property is entrusted to use for another's benefit
From this reading The school prospered, and was larger than usual in summer, and Olive had her hands full of employment,—so full, indeed, that the trustees began seriously to talk of giving her an assistant the next term.
TWELFTHadjectiveUS /twelfθ/
coming next after the eleventh and just before the thirteenth in position
From this reading CHAPTER TWELFTH.
unmarkedadjectiveUS /ənˈmɑːrkt/
not having an identifying mark
From this reading THE summer term passed rapidly, unmarked by any particularly startling incident.
usualadjectiveUS /ˈjuːʒəwəl/
occurring or encountered or experienced or observed frequently or in accordance with regular practice or procedure
From this reading The school prospered, and was larger than usual in summer, and Olive had her hands full of employment,—so full, indeed, that the trustees began seriously to talk of giving her an assistant the next term.
precisely as stated
From this reading The Basswoods people had become accustomed to the idea of Olive's engagement and Walter's change of profession, and troubled themselves very little more about the matter.
Walter'snounUS /ˈwɔːltərz/
possessive form of “walter” — German conductor (1876-1962)
From this reading The Basswoods people had become accustomed to the idea of Olive's engagement and Walter's change of profession, and troubled themselves very little more about the matter.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "Aunt Dimsden was right," she said to herself, sometimes; "I shall be a minister's wife, after all."
a married woman; a man's partner in marriage
From this reading "Aunt Dimsden was right," she said to herself, sometimes; "I shall be a minister's wife, after all."
