used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading She was, as usual, in a very exceptional position, for she was so placed that she should have to make something like an apology to Mrs. Ralston for having married John against his will.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Katharine felt considerable hesitation about going to see Mrs. Ralston after John had told her that he had confided the secret of their marriage to his mother.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading Katharine felt considerable hesitation about going to see Mrs. Ralston after John had told her that he had confided the secret of their marriage to his mother.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading She was, as usual, in a very exceptional position, for she was so placed that she should have to make something like an apology to Mrs. Ralston for having married John against his will.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading She was, as usual, in a very exceptional position, for she was so placed that she should have to make something like an apology to Mrs. Ralston for having married John against his will.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She knew very well that they must meet before long, as they often did, and she felt that, since Mrs. Ralston knew the truth, it would be very disagreeable if the meeting took place in the presence of other persons.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading So far as any formality was concerned, too, it would naturally have been her duty to go and see her mother-in-law, though, in consideration of the young girl’s broken arm, any such questions of courtesy could well be overlooked.
apologynounUS /əˈpɑːlədʒiː/
an expression of regret at having caused trouble for someone
From this reading She was, as usual, in a very exceptional position, for she was so placed that she should have to make something like an apology to Mrs. Ralston for having married John against his will.
a human limb; technically the part of the superior limb between the shoulder and the elbow but commonly used to refer to the whole superior limb
From this reading So far as any formality was concerned, too, it would naturally have been her duty to go and see her mother-in-law, though, in consideration of the young girl’s broken arm, any such questions of courtesy could well be overlooked.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading She knew very well that they must meet before long, as they often did, and she felt that, since Mrs. Ralston knew the truth, it would be very disagreeable if the meeting took place in the presence of other persons.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading She knew very well that they must meet before long, as they often did, and she felt that, since Mrs. Ralston knew the truth, it would be very disagreeable if the meeting took place in the presence of other persons.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading So far as any formality was concerned, too, it would naturally have been her duty to go and see her mother-in-law, though, in consideration of the young girl’s broken arm, any such questions of courtesy could well be overlooked.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading She knew very well that they must meet before long, as they often did, and she felt that, since Mrs. Ralston knew the truth, it would be very disagreeable if the meeting took place in the presence of other persons.
physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split
From this reading So far as any formality was concerned, too, it would naturally have been her duty to go and see her mother-in-law, though, in consideration of the young girl’s broken arm, any such questions of courtesy could well be overlooked.
feeling or showing worry or solicitude
From this reading So far as any formality was concerned, too, it would naturally have been her duty to go and see her mother-in-law, though, in consideration of the young girl’s broken arm, any such questions of courtesy could well be overlooked.
confidedverbUS /kənˈfaɪdɪd/
past form of “confide” — reveal in private; tell confidentially
From this reading Katharine felt considerable hesitation about going to see Mrs. Ralston after John had told her that he had confided the secret of their marriage to his mother.
large or relatively large in number or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Katharine felt considerable hesitation about going to see Mrs. Ralston after John had told her that he had confided the secret of their marriage to his mother.
the process of giving careful thought to something
From this reading So far as any formality was concerned, too, it would naturally have been her duty to go and see her mother-in-law, though, in consideration of the young girl’s broken arm, any such questions of courtesy could well be overlooked.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading So far as any formality was concerned, too, it would naturally have been her duty to go and see her mother-in-law, though, in consideration of the young girl’s broken arm, any such questions of courtesy could well be overlooked.
courtesynounUS /ˈkɜːrtəsi/
a courteous or respectful or considerate act
From this reading So far as any formality was concerned, too, it would naturally have been her duty to go and see her mother-in-law, though, in consideration of the young girl’s broken arm, any such questions of courtesy could well be overlooked.
represented in words especially with sharpness and detail
From this reading Katharine’s sensations as she looked forward to the interview could not easily be described.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading She knew very well that they must meet before long, as they often did, and she felt that, since Mrs. Ralston knew the truth, it would be very disagreeable if the meeting took place in the presence of other persons.
disagreeableadjectiveUS /ˌdɪsəˈɡriːəbəl/
not to your liking
From this reading She knew very well that they must meet before long, as they often did, and she felt that, since Mrs. Ralston knew the truth, it would be very disagreeable if the meeting took place in the presence of other persons.
the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force
From this reading So far as any formality was concerned, too, it would naturally have been her duty to go and see her mother-in-law, though, in consideration of the young girl’s broken arm, any such questions of courtesy could well be overlooked.
with ease (“easy” is sometimes used informally for “easily”)
From this reading Katharine’s sensations as she looked forward to the interview could not easily be described.
exceptionaladjectiveUS /ɪkˈsepʃənəl/
far beyond what is usual in magnitude or degree
From this reading She was, as usual, in a very exceptional position, for she was so placed that she should have to make something like an apology to Mrs. Ralston for having married John against his will.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading So far as any formality was concerned, too, it would naturally have been her duty to go and see her mother-in-law, though, in consideration of the young girl’s broken arm, any such questions of courtesy could well be overlooked.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading Katharine felt considerable hesitation about going to see Mrs. Ralston after John had told her that he had confided the secret of their marriage to his mother.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading She was, as usual, in a very exceptional position, for she was so placed that she should have to make something like an apology to Mrs. Ralston for having married John against his will.
formalitynounUS /fɔːrˈmæləti/
a requirement of etiquette or custom
From this reading So far as any formality was concerned, too, it would naturally have been her duty to go and see her mother-in-law, though, in consideration of the young girl’s broken arm, any such questions of courtesy could well be overlooked.
at or to or toward the front
From this reading Katharine’s sensations as she looked forward to the interview could not easily be described.
girl'snounUS /ɡɜːrlz/
possessive form of “girl” — a young female
From this reading So far as any formality was concerned, too, it would naturally have been her duty to go and see her mother-in-law, though, in consideration of the young girl’s broken arm, any such questions of courtesy could well be overlooked.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading So far as any formality was concerned, too, it would naturally have been her duty to go and see her mother-in-law, though, in consideration of the young girl’s broken arm, any such questions of courtesy could well be overlooked.
the act of departing
From this reading Katharine felt considerable hesitation about going to see Mrs. Ralston after John had told her that he had confided the secret of their marriage to his mother.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Katharine felt considerable hesitation about going to see Mrs. Ralston after John had told her that he had confided the secret of their marriage to his mother.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading So far as any formality was concerned, too, it would naturally have been her duty to go and see her mother-in-law, though, in consideration of the young girl’s broken arm, any such questions of courtesy could well be overlooked.
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading She was, as usual, in a very exceptional position, for she was so placed that she should have to make something like an apology to Mrs. Ralston for having married John against his will.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Katharine felt considerable hesitation about going to see Mrs. Ralston after John had told her that he had confided the secret of their marriage to his mother.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Katharine felt considerable hesitation about going to see Mrs. Ralston after John had told her that he had confided the secret of their marriage to his mother.
hesitationnounUS /ˌhezəˈteɪʃən/
indecision in speech or action
From this reading Katharine felt considerable hesitation about going to see Mrs. Ralston after John had told her that he had confided the secret of their marriage to his mother.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Katharine felt considerable hesitation about going to see Mrs. Ralston after John had told her that he had confided the secret of their marriage to his mother.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading She knew very well that they must meet before long, as they often did, and she felt that, since Mrs. Ralston knew the truth, it would be very disagreeable if the meeting took place in the presence of other persons.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading She knew very well that they must meet before long, as they often did, and she felt that, since Mrs. Ralston knew the truth, it would be very disagreeable if the meeting took place in the presence of other persons.
conduct an interview in television, newspaper, and radio reporting
From this reading Katharine’s sensations as she looked forward to the interview could not easily be described.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading She knew very well that they must meet before long, as they often did, and she felt that, since Mrs. Ralston knew the truth, it would be very disagreeable if the meeting took place in the presence of other persons.
a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading Katharine felt considerable hesitation about going to see Mrs. Ralston after John had told her that he had confided the secret of their marriage to his mother.
Katharine
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Katharine felt considerable hesitation about going to see Mrs. Ralston after John had told her that he had confided the secret of their marriage to his mother.
Katharine's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Katharine’s sensations as she looked forward to the interview could not easily be described.
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 She knew very well that they must meet before long, as they often did, and she felt that, since Mrs. Ralston knew the truth, it would be very disagreeable if the meeting took place in the presence of other persons.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading She was, as usual, in a very exceptional position, for she was so placed that she should have to make something like an apology to Mrs. Ralston for having married John against his will.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading She knew very well that they must meet before long, as they often did, and she felt that, since Mrs. Ralston knew the truth, it would be very disagreeable if the meeting took place in the presence of other persons.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading Katharine’s sensations as she looked forward to the interview could not easily be described.
engage in
From this reading She was, as usual, in a very exceptional position, for she was so placed that she should have to make something like an apology to Mrs. Ralston for having married John against his will.
the state of being a married couple voluntarily joined for life (or until divorce)
From this reading Katharine felt considerable hesitation about going to see Mrs. Ralston after John had told her that he had confided the secret of their marriage to his mother.
joined in matrimony
From this reading She was, as usual, in a very exceptional position, for she was so placed that she should have to make something like an apology to Mrs. Ralston for having married John against his will.
come together
From this reading She knew very well that they must meet before long, as they often did, and she felt that, since Mrs. Ralston knew the truth, it would be very disagreeable if the meeting took place in the presence of other persons.
a formally arranged gathering
From this reading She knew very well that they must meet before long, as they often did, and she felt that, since Mrs. Ralston knew the truth, it would be very disagreeable if the meeting took place in the presence of other persons.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading Katharine felt considerable hesitation about going to see Mrs. Ralston after John had told her that he had confided the secret of their marriage to his mother.
mother-in-lawnounUS /ˈmʌðərɪnlɔː/
the mother of your spouse
From this reading So far as any formality was concerned, too, it would naturally have been her duty to go and see her mother-in-law, though, in consideration of the young girl’s broken arm, any such questions of courtesy could well be overlooked.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading Katharine felt considerable hesitation about going to see Mrs. Ralston after John had told her that he had confided the secret of their marriage to his mother.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading She knew very well that they must meet before long, as they often did, and she felt that, since Mrs. Ralston knew the truth, it would be very disagreeable if the meeting took place in the presence of other persons.
as might be expected
From this reading So far as any formality was concerned, too, it would naturally have been her duty to go and see her mother-in-law, though, in consideration of the young girl’s broken arm, any such questions of courtesy could well be overlooked.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Katharine’s sensations as she looked forward to the interview could not easily be described.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Katharine felt considerable hesitation about going to see Mrs. Ralston after John had told her that he had confided the secret of their marriage to his mother.
many times at short intervals
From this reading She knew very well that they must meet before long, as they often did, and she felt that, since Mrs. Ralston knew the truth, it would be very disagreeable if the meeting took place in the presence of other persons.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading She knew very well that they must meet before long, as they often did, and she felt that, since Mrs. Ralston knew the truth, it would be very disagreeable if the meeting took place in the presence of other persons.
overlookedadjectiveUS /ˈoʊvərlʊkt/
not taken into account
From this reading So far as any formality was concerned, too, it would naturally have been her duty to go and see her mother-in-law, though, in consideration of the young girl’s broken arm, any such questions of courtesy could well be overlooked.
plural of “person” — a human being
From this reading She knew very well that they must meet before long, as they often did, and she felt that, since Mrs. Ralston knew the truth, it would be very disagreeable if the meeting took place in the presence of other persons.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading She knew very well that they must meet before long, as they often did, and she felt that, since Mrs. Ralston knew the truth, it would be very disagreeable if the meeting took place in the presence of other persons.
situated in a particular spot or position
From this reading She was, as usual, in a very exceptional position, for she was so placed that she should have to make something like an apology to Mrs. Ralston for having married John against his will.
the particular portion of space occupied by something
From this reading She was, as usual, in a very exceptional position, for she was so placed that she should have to make something like an apology to Mrs. Ralston for having married John against his will.
the state of being present; current existence
From this reading She knew very well that they must meet before long, as they often did, and she felt that, since Mrs. Ralston knew the truth, it would be very disagreeable if the meeting took place in the presence of other persons.
plural of “question” — an instance of questioning
From this reading So far as any formality was concerned, too, it would naturally have been her duty to go and see her mother-in-law, though, in consideration of the young girl’s broken arm, any such questions of courtesy could well be overlooked.
Ralston
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Katharine felt considerable hesitation about going to see Mrs. Ralston after John had told her that he had confided the secret of their marriage to his mother.
Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.
From this reading Katharine felt considerable hesitation about going to see Mrs. Ralston after John had told her that he had confided the secret of their marriage to his mother.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading Katharine felt considerable hesitation about going to see Mrs. Ralston after John had told her that he had confided the secret of their marriage to his mother.
sensationsnounUS /senˈseɪʃənz/
plural of “sensation” — an unelaborated elementary awareness of stimulation
From this reading Katharine’s sensations as she looked forward to the interview could not easily be described.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She knew very well that they must meet before long, as they often did, and she felt that, since Mrs. Ralston knew the truth, it would be very disagreeable if the meeting took place in the presence of other persons.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading She was, as usual, in a very exceptional position, for she was so placed that she should have to make something like an apology to Mrs. Ralston for having married John against his will.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading She knew very well that they must meet before long, as they often did, and she felt that, since Mrs. Ralston knew the truth, it would be very disagreeable if the meeting took place in the presence of other persons.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading So far as any formality was concerned, too, it would naturally have been her duty to go and see her mother-in-law, though, in consideration of the young girl’s broken arm, any such questions of courtesy could well be overlooked.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading She was, as usual, in a very exceptional position, for she was so placed that she should have to make something like an apology to Mrs. Ralston for having married John against his will.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading So far as any formality was concerned, too, it would naturally have been her duty to go and see her mother-in-law, though, in consideration of the young girl’s broken arm, any such questions of courtesy could well be overlooked.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Katharine felt considerable hesitation about going to see Mrs. Ralston after John had told her that he had confided the secret of their marriage to his mother.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Katharine felt considerable hesitation about going to see Mrs. Ralston after John had told her that he had confided the secret of their marriage to his mother.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Katharine felt considerable hesitation about going to see Mrs. Ralston after John had told her that he had confided the secret of their marriage to his mother.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She knew very well that they must meet before long, as they often did, and she felt that, since Mrs. Ralston knew the truth, it would be very disagreeable if the meeting took place in the presence of other persons.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading So far as any formality was concerned, too, it would naturally have been her duty to go and see her mother-in-law, though, in consideration of the young girl’s broken arm, any such questions of courtesy could well be overlooked.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Katharine felt considerable hesitation about going to see Mrs. Ralston after John had told her that he had confided the secret of their marriage to his mother.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading Katharine felt considerable hesitation about going to see Mrs. Ralston after John had told her that he had confided the secret of their marriage to his mother.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading So far as any formality was concerned, too, it would naturally have been her duty to go and see her mother-in-law, though, in consideration of the young girl’s broken arm, any such questions of courtesy could well be overlooked.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading She knew very well that they must meet before long, as they often did, and she felt that, since Mrs. Ralston knew the truth, it would be very disagreeable if the meeting took place in the presence of other persons.
a fact that has been verified
From this reading She knew very well that they must meet before long, as they often did, and she felt that, since Mrs. Ralston knew the truth, it would be very disagreeable if the meeting took place in the presence of other persons.
usualadjectiveUS /ˈjuːʒəwəl/
occurring or encountered or experienced or observed frequently or in accordance with regular practice or procedure
From this reading She was, as usual, in a very exceptional position, for she was so placed that she should have to make something like an apology to Mrs. Ralston for having married John against his will.
precisely as stated
From this reading She knew very well that they must meet before long, as they often did, and she felt that, since Mrs. Ralston knew the truth, it would be very disagreeable if the meeting took place in the presence of other persons.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading So far as any formality was concerned, too, it would naturally have been her duty to go and see her mother-in-law, though, in consideration of the young girl’s broken arm, any such questions of courtesy could well be overlooked.
(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 She knew very well that they must meet before long, as they often did, and she felt that, since Mrs. Ralston knew the truth, it would be very disagreeable if the meeting took place in the presence of other persons.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading She was, as usual, in a very exceptional position, for she was so placed that she should have to make something like an apology to Mrs. Ralston for having married John against his will.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading She knew very well that they must meet before long, as they often did, and she felt that, since Mrs. Ralston knew the truth, it would be very disagreeable if the meeting took place in the presence of other persons.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading So far as any formality was concerned, too, it would naturally have been her duty to go and see her mother-in-law, though, in consideration of the young girl’s broken arm, any such questions of courtesy could well be overlooked.
