used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading As it was, when engaged with my duties in the school-room, my thoughts would wander to those two graves in the church-yard, and my tears would fall upon the book from which I was listening to a recitation from my pupils.
activelyadverbUS /ˈæktɪvli/
in an active manner
From this reading It was well for me that my mind was actively employed; had it been otherwise I should have continually brooded over my sorrows.
affectionateadjectiveUS /əˈfekʃənət/
having or displaying warmth or affection
From this reading Much pity did those affectionate children evince for me when they could not but observe my grief.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading As it was, when engaged with my duties in the school-room, my thoughts would wander to those two graves in the church-yard, and my tears would fall upon the book from which I was listening to a recitation from my pupils.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As it was, when engaged with my duties in the school-room, my thoughts would wander to those two graves in the church-yard, and my tears would fall upon the book from which I was listening to a recitation from my pupils.
ATTENTIONSnounUS /əˈtenʃənz/
plural of “attention” — the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others
From this reading FRIENDLY ATTENTIONS.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading It was well for me that my mind was actively employed; had it been otherwise I should have continually brooded over my sorrows.
BirdieverbUS /ˈbɜːrdi/
shoot in one stroke under par
From this reading Georgania having left home, I had only Birdie and Lewis as pupils.
a written work or composition that has been published (printed on pages bound together)
From this reading As it was, when engaged with my duties in the school-room, my thoughts would wander to those two graves in the church-yard, and my tears would fall upon the book from which I was listening to a recitation from my pupils.
broodedverbUS /ˈbruːdɪd/
past form of “brood” — think moodily or anxiously about something
From this reading It was well for me that my mind was actively employed; had it been otherwise I should have continually brooded over my sorrows.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Much pity did those affectionate children evince for me when they could not but observe my grief.
plural of “child” — a young person of either sex
From this reading Much pity did those affectionate children evince for me when they could not but observe my grief.
church-yard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As it was, when engaged with my duties in the school-room, my thoughts would wander to those two graves in the church-yard, and my tears would fall upon the book from which I was listening to a recitation from my pupils.
seemingly without interruption
From this reading It was well for me that my mind was actively employed; had it been otherwise I should have continually brooded over my sorrows.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Much pity did those affectionate children evince for me when they could not but observe my grief.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Much pity did those affectionate children evince for me when they could not but observe my grief.
plural of “duty” — the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force
From this reading As it was, when engaged with my duties in the school-room, my thoughts would wander to those two graves in the church-yard, and my tears would fall upon the book from which I was listening to a recitation from my pupils.
having your services engaged for; or having a job especially one that pays wages or a salary
From this reading It was well for me that my mind was actively employed; had it been otherwise I should have continually brooded over my sorrows.
having ones attention or mind or energy engaged
From this reading As it was, when engaged with my duties in the school-room, my thoughts would wander to those two graves in the church-yard, and my tears would fall upon the book from which I was listening to a recitation from my pupils.
evinceverbUS /ɪˈvɪns/
give expression to
From this reading Much pity did those affectionate children evince for me when they could not but observe my grief.
descend in free fall under the influence of gravity
From this reading As it was, when engaged with my duties in the school-room, my thoughts would wander to those two graves in the church-yard, and my tears would fall upon the book from which I was listening to a recitation from my pupils.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It was well for me that my mind was actively employed; had it been otherwise I should have continually brooded over my sorrows.
characteristic of or befitting a friend
From this reading FRIENDLY ATTENTIONS.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading As it was, when engaged with my duties in the school-room, my thoughts would wander to those two graves in the church-yard, and my tears would fall upon the book from which I was listening to a recitation from my pupils.
Georgania
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Georgania having left home, I had only Birdie and Lewis as pupils.
gravesnounUS /ɡreɪvz/
English writer known for his interest in mythology and in the classics (1895-1985)
From this reading As it was, when engaged with my duties in the school-room, my thoughts would wander to those two graves in the church-yard, and my tears would fall upon the book from which I was listening to a recitation from my pupils.
intense sorrow caused by loss of a loved one (especially by death)
From this reading Much pity did those affectionate children evince for me when they could not but observe my grief.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It was well for me that my mind was actively employed; had it been otherwise I should have continually brooded over my sorrows.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading It was well for me that my mind was actively employed; had it been otherwise I should have continually brooded over my sorrows.
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading Georgania having left home, I had only Birdie and Lewis as pupils.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading Georgania having left home, I had only Birdie and Lewis as pupils.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading It was well for me that my mind was actively employed; had it been otherwise I should have continually brooded over my sorrows.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading As it was, when engaged with my duties in the school-room, my thoughts would wander to those two graves in the church-yard, and my tears would fall upon the book from which I was listening to a recitation from my pupils.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was well for me that my mind was actively employed; had it been otherwise I should have continually brooded over my sorrows.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading Georgania having left home, I had only Birdie and Lewis as pupils.
LewisnounUS /ˈluːɪs/
United States rock star singer and pianist (born in 1935)
From this reading Georgania having left home, I had only Birdie and Lewis as pupils.
the act of hearing attentively
From this reading As it was, when engaged with my duties in the school-room, my thoughts would wander to those two graves in the church-yard, and my tears would fall upon the book from which I was listening to a recitation from my pupils.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading It was well for me that my mind was actively employed; had it been otherwise I should have continually brooded over my sorrows.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading It was well for me that my mind was actively employed; had it been otherwise I should have continually brooded over my sorrows.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading Much pity did those affectionate children evince for me when they could not but observe my grief.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading It was well for me that my mind was actively employed; had it been otherwise I should have continually brooded over my sorrows.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Much pity did those affectionate children evince for me when they could not but observe my grief.
discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of
From this reading Much pity did those affectionate children evince for me when they could not but observe my grief.
and nothing more
From this reading Georgania having left home, I had only Birdie and Lewis as pupils.
in other respects or ways
From this reading It was well for me that my mind was actively employed; had it been otherwise I should have continually brooded over my sorrows.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading It was well for me that my mind was actively employed; had it been otherwise I should have continually brooded over my sorrows.
a feeling of sympathy and sorrow for the misfortunes of others
From this reading Much pity did those affectionate children evince for me when they could not but observe my grief.
pupilsnounUS /ˈpjuːpəlz/
plural of “pupil” — a learner who is enrolled in an educational institution
From this reading As it was, when engaged with my duties in the school-room, my thoughts would wander to those two graves in the church-yard, and my tears would fall upon the book from which I was listening to a recitation from my pupils.
recitationnounUS /ˌresəˈteɪʃən/
written matter that is recited from memory
From this reading As it was, when engaged with my duties in the school-room, my thoughts would wander to those two graves in the church-yard, and my tears would fall upon the book from which I was listening to a recitation from my pupils.
school-room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As it was, when engaged with my duties in the school-room, my thoughts would wander to those two graves in the church-yard, and my tears would fall upon the book from which I was listening to a recitation from my pupils.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading It was well for me that my mind was actively employed; had it been otherwise I should have continually brooded over my sorrows.
sorrowsnounUS /ˈsɑːroʊz/
plural of “sorrow” — an emotion of great sadness associated with loss or bereavement
From this reading It was well for me that my mind was actively employed; had it been otherwise I should have continually brooded over my sorrows.
the process of shedding tears (usually accompanied by sobs or other inarticulate sounds)
From this reading As it was, when engaged with my duties in the school-room, my thoughts would wander to those two graves in the church-yard, and my tears would fall upon the book from which I was listening to a recitation from my pupils.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was well for me that my mind was actively employed; had it been otherwise I should have continually brooded over my sorrows.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading As it was, when engaged with my duties in the school-room, my thoughts would wander to those two graves in the church-yard, and my tears would fall upon the book from which I was listening to a recitation from my pupils.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Much pity did those affectionate children evince for me when they could not but observe my grief.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading As it was, when engaged with my duties in the school-room, my thoughts would wander to those two graves in the church-yard, and my tears would fall upon the book from which I was listening to a recitation from my pupils.
plural of “thought” — the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading As it was, when engaged with my duties in the school-room, my thoughts would wander to those two graves in the church-yard, and my tears would fall upon the book from which I was listening to a recitation from my pupils.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading As it was, when engaged with my duties in the school-room, my thoughts would wander to those two graves in the church-yard, and my tears would fall upon the book from which I was listening to a recitation from my pupils.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading As it was, when engaged with my duties in the school-room, my thoughts would wander to those two graves in the church-yard, and my tears would fall upon the book from which I was listening to a recitation from my pupils.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading As it was, when engaged with my duties in the school-room, my thoughts would wander to those two graves in the church-yard, and my tears would fall upon the book from which I was listening to a recitation from my pupils.
wanderverbUS /ˈwɑːndər/
move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment
From this reading As it was, when engaged with my duties in the school-room, my thoughts would wander to those two graves in the church-yard, and my tears would fall upon the book from which I was listening to a recitation from my pupils.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was well for me that my mind was actively employed; had it been otherwise I should have continually brooded over my sorrows.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading It was well for me that my mind was actively employed; had it been otherwise I should have continually brooded over my sorrows.
at the time that
From this reading As it was, when engaged with my duties in the school-room, my thoughts would wander to those two graves in the church-yard, and my tears would fall upon the book from which I was listening to a recitation from my pupils.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading As it was, when engaged with my duties in the school-room, my thoughts would wander to those two graves in the church-yard, and my tears would fall upon the book from which I was listening to a recitation from my pupils.
in the company of; together with
From this reading As it was, when engaged with my duties in the school-room, my thoughts would wander to those two graves in the church-yard, and my tears would fall upon the book from which I was listening to a recitation from my pupils.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading As it was, when engaged with my duties in the school-room, my thoughts would wander to those two graves in the church-yard, and my tears would fall upon the book from which I was listening to a recitation from my pupils.
