abstractedadjectiveUS /ˈæbstræktɪd/
lost in thought; showing preoccupation
From this reading Randal returned to the Manse preoccupied and abstracted, his mother could not tell why.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Randal returned to the Manse preoccupied and abstracted, his mother could not tell why.
past form of “arrive” — reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress
From this reading He brought her word that Sir Ludovic was in the same condition as before, neither better nor worse, and that the ladies had arrived; but he told no more.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He brought her word that Sir Ludovic was in the same condition as before, neither better nor worse, and that the ladies had arrived; but he told no more.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading Mrs. Burnside asked.
adopted in order to deceive
From this reading Perhaps in her heart she had hoped that her son might occupy some such post of comforter as Rob Glen had assumed, if not quite in the same way.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading He brought her word that Sir Ludovic was in the same condition as before, neither better nor worse, and that the ladies had arrived; but he told no more.
(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another
From this reading He brought her word that Sir Ludovic was in the same condition as before, neither better nor worse, and that the ladies had arrived; but he told no more.
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading He brought her word that Sir Ludovic was in the same condition as before, neither better nor worse, and that the ladies had arrived; but he told no more.
BurnsidenounUS /ˈbɜːrnsaɪd/
United States general in the American Civil War who was defeated by Robert E. Lee at the Battle of Fredericksburg (1824-1881)
From this reading Mrs. Burnside asked.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He brought her word that Sir Ludovic was in the same condition as before, neither better nor worse, and that the ladies had arrived; but he told no more.
comforternounUS /ˈkʌmfərtər/
a person who commiserates with someone who has had misfortune
From this reading Perhaps in her heart she had hoped that her son might occupy some such post of comforter as Rob Glen had assumed, if not quite in the same way.
a state at a particular time
From this reading He brought her word that Sir Ludovic was in the same condition as before, neither better nor worse, and that the ladies had arrived; but he told no more.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Randal returned to the Manse preoccupied and abstracted, his mother could not tell why.
Didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading “Did you see nobody?”
GlennounUS /ɡlen/
a narrow secluded valley (in the mountains)
From this reading Perhaps in her heart she had hoped that her son might occupy some such post of comforter as Rob Glen had assumed, if not quite in the same way.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He brought her word that Sir Ludovic was in the same condition as before, neither better nor worse, and that the ladies had arrived; but he told no more.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He brought her word that Sir Ludovic was in the same condition as before, neither better nor worse, and that the ladies had arrived; but he told no more.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading Perhaps in her heart she had hoped that her son might occupy some such post of comforter as Rob Glen had assumed, if not quite in the same way.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading He brought her word that Sir Ludovic was in the same condition as before, neither better nor worse, and that the ladies had arrived; but he told no more.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Randal returned to the Manse preoccupied and abstracted, his mother could not tell why.
past form of “hope” — expect and wish
From this reading Perhaps in her heart she had hoped that her son might occupy some such post of comforter as Rob Glen had assumed, if not quite in the same way.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Perhaps in her heart she had hoped that her son might occupy some such post of comforter as Rob Glen had assumed, if not quite in the same way.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He brought her word that Sir Ludovic was in the same condition as before, neither better nor worse, and that the ladies had arrived; but he told no more.
plural of “lady” — a polite name for any woman
From this reading He brought her word that Sir Ludovic was in the same condition as before, neither better nor worse, and that the ladies had arrived; but he told no more.
Ludovic
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He brought her word that Sir Ludovic was in the same condition as before, neither better nor worse, and that the ladies had arrived; but he told no more.
Mansenoun
a large and imposing house
From this reading Randal returned to the Manse preoccupied and abstracted, his mother could not tell why.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading Perhaps in her heart she had hoped that her son might occupy some such post of comforter as Rob Glen had assumed, if not quite in the same way.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading He brought her word that Sir Ludovic was in the same condition as before, neither better nor worse, and that the ladies had arrived; but he told no more.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading Randal returned to the Manse preoccupied and abstracted, his mother could not tell why.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading Mrs. Burnside asked.
not one and not the other of two
From this reading He brought her word that Sir Ludovic was in the same condition as before, neither better nor worse, and that the ladies had arrived; but he told no more.
not any; not one
From this reading He brought her word that Sir Ludovic was in the same condition as before, neither better nor worse, and that the ladies had arrived; but he told no more.
no person; not anyone
From this reading “Did you see nobody?”
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading He brought her word that Sir Ludovic was in the same condition as before, neither better nor worse, and that the ladies had arrived; but he told no more.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Randal returned to the Manse preoccupied and abstracted, his mother could not tell why.
occupyverbUS /ˈɑːkjəpaɪ/
keep busy with
From this reading Perhaps in her heart she had hoped that her son might occupy some such post of comforter as Rob Glen had assumed, if not quite in the same way.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Perhaps in her heart she had hoped that her son might occupy some such post of comforter as Rob Glen had assumed, if not quite in the same way.
by chance
From this reading Perhaps in her heart she had hoped that her son might occupy some such post of comforter as Rob Glen had assumed, if not quite in the same way.
affix in a public place or for public notice
From this reading Perhaps in her heart she had hoped that her son might occupy some such post of comforter as Rob Glen had assumed, if not quite in the same way.
preoccupiedadjectiveUS /priˈɑːkjəpaɪd/
deeply absorbed in thought
From this reading Randal returned to the Manse preoccupied and abstracted, his mother could not tell why.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading Perhaps in her heart she had hoped that her son might occupy some such post of comforter as Rob Glen had assumed, if not quite in the same way.
Randal
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Randal returned to the Manse preoccupied and abstracted, his mother could not tell why.
past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading Randal returned to the Manse preoccupied and abstracted, his mother could not tell why.
take something away by force or without the consent of the owner
From this reading Perhaps in her heart she had hoped that her son might occupy some such post of comforter as Rob Glen had assumed, if not quite in the same way.
Identical; not different.
From this reading He brought her word that Sir Ludovic was in the same condition as before, neither better nor worse, and that the ladies had arrived; but he told no more.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading “Did you see nobody?”
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Perhaps in her heart she had hoped that her son might occupy some such post of comforter as Rob Glen had assumed, if not quite in the same way.
term of address for a man
From this reading He brought her word that Sir Ludovic was in the same condition as before, neither better nor worse, and that the ladies had arrived; but he told no more.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Perhaps in her heart she had hoped that her son might occupy some such post of comforter as Rob Glen had assumed, if not quite in the same way.
a male human offspring
From this reading Perhaps in her heart she had hoped that her son might occupy some such post of comforter as Rob Glen had assumed, if not quite in the same way.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading Perhaps in her heart she had hoped that her son might occupy some such post of comforter as Rob Glen had assumed, if not quite in the same way.
express in words
From this reading Randal returned to the Manse preoccupied and abstracted, his mother could not tell why.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He brought her word that Sir Ludovic was in the same condition as before, neither better nor worse, and that the ladies had arrived; but he told no more.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Randal returned to the Manse preoccupied and abstracted, his mother could not tell why.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Randal returned to the Manse preoccupied and abstracted, his mother could not tell why.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading He brought her word that Sir Ludovic was in the same condition as before, neither better nor worse, and that the ladies had arrived; but he told no more.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He brought her word that Sir Ludovic was in the same condition as before, neither better nor worse, and that the ladies had arrived; but he told no more.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading Perhaps in her heart she had hoped that her son might occupy some such post of comforter as Rob Glen had assumed, if not quite in the same way.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading Randal returned to the Manse preoccupied and abstracted, his mother could not tell why.
a unit of language that native speakers can identify
From this reading He brought her word that Sir Ludovic was in the same condition as before, neither better nor worse, and that the ladies had arrived; but he told no more.
(comparative of “bad”) inferior to another in quality or condition or desirability
From this reading He brought her word that Sir Ludovic was in the same condition as before, neither better nor worse, and that the ladies had arrived; but he told no more.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “Did you see nobody?”
