used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading She was a little old lady of the period when people became old early, and assumed the dress and the habits of age before it was at all necessary.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading She was about sixty, but she had been distinctly an old lady for ten years.
be able to spare or give up
From this reading Whenever she had the least excuse for doing so, she wore a shawl, an article the putting on of which she considered to afford one of many proofs whether or not the wearer was “a lady,” which was to Miss Farrell something more than a mere question of birth.
how long something has existed
From this reading She was a little old lady of the period when people became old early, and assumed the dress and the habits of age before it was at all necessary.
(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 She was a little old lady of the period when people became old early, and assumed the dress and the habits of age before it was at all necessary.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading She was about sixty, but she had been distinctly an old lady for ten years.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She was a little old lady of the period when people became old early, and assumed the dress and the habits of age before it was at all necessary.
nonfictional prose forming an independent part of a publication
From this reading Whenever she had the least excuse for doing so, she wore a shawl, an article the putting on of which she considered to afford one of many proofs whether or not the wearer was “a lady,” which was to Miss Farrell something more than a mere question of birth.
adopted in order to deceive
From this reading She was a little old lady of the period when people became old early, and assumed the dress and the habits of age before it was at all necessary.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading She was a little old lady of the period when people became old early, and assumed the dress and the habits of age before it was at all necessary.
inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading She was a little old lady of the period when people became old early, and assumed the dress and the habits of age before it was at all necessary.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading She was about sixty, but she had been distinctly an old lady for ten years.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading She was a little old lady of the period when people became old early, and assumed the dress and the habits of age before it was at all necessary.
the time when something begins (especially life)
From this reading Whenever she had the least excuse for doing so, she wore a shawl, an article the putting on of which she considered to afford one of many proofs whether or not the wearer was “a lady,” which was to Miss Farrell something more than a mere question of birth.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading She was about sixty, but she had been distinctly an old lady for ten years.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Miss Farrell came home next day from her visit.
a tight-fitting headdress
From this reading She wore a cap coming close round her face, and tied under her chin.
the protruding part of the lower jaw
From this reading She wore a cap coming close round her face, and tied under her chin.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading She wore a cap coming close round her face, and tied under her chin.
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading She wore a cap coming close round her face, and tied under her chin.
carefully weighed
From this reading Whenever she had the least excuse for doing so, she wore a shawl, an article the putting on of which she considered to afford one of many proofs whether or not the wearer was “a lady,” which was to Miss Farrell something more than a mere question of birth.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading Miss Farrell came home next day from her visit.
clear to the mind; with distinct mental discernment
From this reading She was about sixty, but she had been distinctly an old lady for ten years.
-ing form of “do” — engage in
From this reading Whenever she had the least excuse for doing so, she wore a shawl, an article the putting on of which she considered to afford one of many proofs whether or not the wearer was “a lady,” which was to Miss Farrell something more than a mere question of birth.
put on clothes
From this reading She was a little old lady of the period when people became old early, and assumed the dress and the habits of age before it was at all necessary.
earlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/
at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time
From this reading She was a little old lady of the period when people became old early, and assumed the dress and the habits of age before it was at all necessary.
accept an excuse for
From this reading Whenever she had the least excuse for doing so, she wore a shawl, an article the putting on of which she considered to afford one of many proofs whether or not the wearer was “a lady,” which was to Miss Farrell something more than a mere question of birth.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading She wore a cap coming close round her face, and tied under her chin.
FarrellnounUS /ˈferɪl/
United States writer remembered for his novels (1904-1979)
From this reading Miss Farrell came home next day from her visit.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading She was about sixty, but she had been distinctly an old lady for ten years.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Miss Farrell came home next day from her visit.
plural of “habit” — an established custom
From this reading She was a little old lady of the period when people became old early, and assumed the dress and the habits of age before it was at all necessary.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading She was about sixty, but she had been distinctly an old lady for ten years.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Miss Farrell came home next day from her visit.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading Miss Farrell came home next day from her visit.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading She was a little old lady of the period when people became old early, and assumed the dress and the habits of age before it was at all necessary.
a polite name for any woman
From this reading She was a little old lady of the period when people became old early, and assumed the dress and the habits of age before it was at all necessary.
the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree
From this reading Whenever she had the least excuse for doing so, she wore a shawl, an article the putting on of which she considered to afford one of many proofs whether or not the wearer was “a lady,” which was to Miss Farrell something more than a mere question of birth.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading She was a little old lady of the period when people became old early, and assumed the dress and the habits of age before it was at all necessary.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading Whenever she had the least excuse for doing so, she wore a shawl, an article the putting on of which she considered to afford one of many proofs whether or not the wearer was “a lady,” which was to Miss Farrell something more than a mere question of birth.
being nothing more than specified
From this reading Whenever she had the least excuse for doing so, she wore a shawl, an article the putting on of which she considered to afford one of many proofs whether or not the wearer was “a lady,” which was to Miss Farrell something more than a mere question of birth.
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading Miss Farrell came home next day from her visit.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Whenever she had the least excuse for doing so, she wore a shawl, an article the putting on of which she considered to afford one of many proofs whether or not the wearer was “a lady,” which was to Miss Farrell something more than a mere question of birth.
absolutely essential
From this reading She was a little old lady of the period when people became old early, and assumed the dress and the habits of age before it was at all necessary.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading Miss Farrell came home next day from her visit.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Whenever she had the least excuse for doing so, she wore a shawl, an article the putting on of which she considered to afford one of many proofs whether or not the wearer was “a lady,” which was to Miss Farrell something more than a mere question of birth.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading She was a little old lady of the period when people became old early, and assumed the dress and the habits of age before it was at all necessary.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading She was a little old lady of the period when people became old early, and assumed the dress and the habits of age before it was at all necessary.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Whenever she had the least excuse for doing so, she wore a shawl, an article the putting on of which she considered to afford one of many proofs whether or not the wearer was “a lady,” which was to Miss Farrell something more than a mere question of birth.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Whenever she had the least excuse for doing so, she wore a shawl, an article the putting on of which she considered to afford one of many proofs whether or not the wearer was “a lady,” which was to Miss Farrell something more than a mere question of birth.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Whenever she had the least excuse for doing so, she wore a shawl, an article the putting on of which she considered to afford one of many proofs whether or not the wearer was “a lady,” which was to Miss Farrell something more than a mere question of birth.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading She was a little old lady of the period when people became old early, and assumed the dress and the habits of age before it was at all necessary.
an amount of time
From this reading She was a little old lady of the period when people became old early, and assumed the dress and the habits of age before it was at all necessary.
proofsnounUS /pruːfs/
plural of “proof” — any factual evidence that helps to establish the truth of something
From this reading Whenever she had the least excuse for doing so, she wore a shawl, an article the putting on of which she considered to afford one of many proofs whether or not the wearer was “a lady,” which was to Miss Farrell something more than a mere question of birth.
hitting a golf ball that is on the green using a putter
From this reading Whenever she had the least excuse for doing so, she wore a shawl, an article the putting on of which she considered to afford one of many proofs whether or not the wearer was “a lady,” which was to Miss Farrell something more than a mere question of birth.
challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of
From this reading Whenever she had the least excuse for doing so, she wore a shawl, an article the putting on of which she considered to afford one of many proofs whether or not the wearer was “a lady,” which was to Miss Farrell something more than a mere question of birth.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading She wore a cap coming close round her face, and tied under her chin.
shawlnounUS /ʃɔːl/
cloak consisting of an oblong piece of cloth used to cover the head and shoulders
From this reading Whenever she had the least excuse for doing so, she wore a shawl, an article the putting on of which she considered to afford one of many proofs whether or not the wearer was “a lady,” which was to Miss Farrell something more than a mere question of birth.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She was a little old lady of the period when people became old early, and assumed the dress and the habits of age before it was at all necessary.
sixtyadjectiveUS /ˈsɪksti/
being ten more than fifty
From this reading She was about sixty, but she had been distinctly an old lady for ten years.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Whenever she had the least excuse for doing so, she wore a shawl, an article the putting on of which she considered to afford one of many proofs whether or not the wearer was “a lady,” which was to Miss Farrell something more than a mere question of birth.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading Whenever she had the least excuse for doing so, she wore a shawl, an article the putting on of which she considered to afford one of many proofs whether or not the wearer was “a lady,” which was to Miss Farrell something more than a mere question of birth.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading She was about sixty, but she had been distinctly an old lady for ten years.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Whenever she had the least excuse for doing so, she wore a shawl, an article the putting on of which she considered to afford one of many proofs whether or not the wearer was “a lady,” which was to Miss Farrell something more than a mere question of birth.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading She was a little old lady of the period when people became old early, and assumed the dress and the habits of age before it was at all necessary.
bound or secured closely
From this reading She wore a cap coming close round her face, and tied under her chin.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Whenever she had the least excuse for doing so, she wore a shawl, an article the putting on of which she considered to afford one of many proofs whether or not the wearer was “a lady,” which was to Miss Farrell something more than a mere question of birth.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading She wore a cap coming close round her face, and tied under her chin.
go to see a place, as for entertainment
From this reading Miss Farrell came home next day from her visit.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading She was a little old lady of the period when people became old early, and assumed the dress and the habits of age before it was at all necessary.
wearernounUS /ˈwerər/
a person who wears or carries or displays something as a body covering or accessory
From this reading Whenever she had the least excuse for doing so, she wore a shawl, an article the putting on of which she considered to afford one of many proofs whether or not the wearer was “a lady,” which was to Miss Farrell something more than a mere question of birth.
at the time that
From this reading She was a little old lady of the period when people became old early, and assumed the dress and the habits of age before it was at all necessary.
at any time that; every time that
From this reading Whenever she had the least excuse for doing so, she wore a shawl, an article the putting on of which she considered to afford one of many proofs whether or not the wearer was “a lady,” which was to Miss Farrell something more than a mere question of birth.
used to introduce two or more possibilities
From this reading Whenever she had the least excuse for doing so, she wore a shawl, an article the putting on of which she considered to afford one of many proofs whether or not the wearer was “a lady,” which was to Miss Farrell something more than a mere question of birth.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Whenever she had the least excuse for doing so, she wore a shawl, an article the putting on of which she considered to afford one of many proofs whether or not the wearer was “a lady,” which was to Miss Farrell something more than a mere question of birth.
inflected form of “wear” — be dressed in
From this reading She wore a cap coming close round her face, and tied under her chin.
a late time of life
From this reading She was about sixty, but she had been distinctly an old lady for ten years.
