used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading WHEN Flora Lester went home that night, she was about as unhappy as a child could be.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading WHEN Flora Lester went home that night, she was about as unhappy as a child could be.
any person at all
From this reading If she had been perfectly innocent—if she could have defied anybody to show that she had ever laid her hand on what did not belong to her—the matter would not have been quite so bad.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading WHEN Flora Lester went home that night, she was about as unhappy as a child could be.
having undesirable or negative qualities
From this reading If she had been perfectly innocent—if she could have defied anybody to show that she had ever laid her hand on what did not belong to her—the matter would not have been quite so bad.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading WHEN Flora Lester went home that night, she was about as unhappy as a child could be.
have
From this reading The injustice would even then have been hard to bear; but she felt that she could have borne it better.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading If she had been perfectly innocent—if she could have defied anybody to show that she had ever laid her hand on what did not belong to her—the matter would not have been quite so bad.
be owned by; be in the possession of
From this reading If she had been perfectly innocent—if she could have defied anybody to show that she had ever laid her hand on what did not belong to her—the matter would not have been quite so bad.
(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 The injustice would even then have been hard to bear; but she felt that she could have borne it better.
inflected form of “bear” — have
From this reading The injustice would even then have been hard to bear; but she felt that she could have borne it better.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The injustice would even then have been hard to bear; but she felt that she could have borne it better.
a young person of either sex
From this reading WHEN Flora Lester went home that night, she was about as unhappy as a child could be.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading WHEN Flora Lester went home that night, she was about as unhappy as a child could be.
defiedverbUS /dɪˈfaɪd/
inflected form of “defy” — resist or confront with resistance
From this reading If she had been perfectly innocent—if she could have defied anybody to show that she had ever laid her hand on what did not belong to her—the matter would not have been quite so bad.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading If she had been perfectly innocent—if she could have defied anybody to show that she had ever laid her hand on what did not belong to her—the matter would not have been quite so bad.
the act of consuming food
From this reading EATING HUMBLE-PIE.
divisible by two
From this reading The injustice would even then have been hard to bear; but she felt that she could have borne it better.
at any time
From this reading If she had been perfectly innocent—if she could have defied anybody to show that she had ever laid her hand on what did not belong to her—the matter would not have been quite so bad.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading The injustice would even then have been hard to bear; but she felt that she could have borne it better.
FloranounUS /ˈflɔːrə/
all the plant life in a particular region or period
From this reading WHEN Flora Lester went home that night, she was about as unhappy as a child could be.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading If she had been perfectly innocent—if she could have defied anybody to show that she had ever laid her hand on what did not belong to her—the matter would not have been quite so bad.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading If she had been perfectly innocent—if she could have defied anybody to show that she had ever laid her hand on what did not belong to her—the matter would not have been quite so bad.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading The injustice would even then have been hard to bear; but she felt that she could have borne it better.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading If she had been perfectly innocent—if she could have defied anybody to show that she had ever laid her hand on what did not belong to her—the matter would not have been quite so bad.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading If she had been perfectly innocent—if she could have defied anybody to show that she had ever laid her hand on what did not belong to her—the matter would not have been quite so bad.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading WHEN Flora Lester went home that night, she was about as unhappy as a child could be.
HUMBLE-PIE
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading EATING HUMBLE-PIE.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If she had been perfectly innocent—if she could have defied anybody to show that she had ever laid her hand on what did not belong to her—the matter would not have been quite so bad.
injusticenounUS /ˌɪnˈdʒʌstɪs/
an unjust act
From this reading The injustice would even then have been hard to bear; but she felt that she could have borne it better.
free from evil or guilt
From this reading If she had been perfectly innocent—if she could have defied anybody to show that she had ever laid her hand on what did not belong to her—the matter would not have been quite so bad.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The injustice would even then have been hard to bear; but she felt that she could have borne it better.
set down according to a plan
From this reading If she had been perfectly innocent—if she could have defied anybody to show that she had ever laid her hand on what did not belong to her—the matter would not have been quite so bad.
Lester
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading WHEN Flora Lester went home that night, she was about as unhappy as a child could be.
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading If she had been perfectly innocent—if she could have defied anybody to show that she had ever laid her hand on what did not belong to her—the matter would not have been quite so bad.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading WHEN Flora Lester went home that night, she was about as unhappy as a child could be.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading If she had been perfectly innocent—if she could have defied anybody to show that she had ever laid her hand on what did not belong to her—the matter would not have been quite so bad.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading If she had been perfectly innocent—if she could have defied anybody to show that she had ever laid her hand on what did not belong to her—the matter would not have been quite so bad.
completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers
From this reading If she had been perfectly innocent—if she could have defied anybody to show that she had ever laid her hand on what did not belong to her—the matter would not have been quite so bad.
plantverbUS /plænt/
put or set (seeds, seedlings, or plants) into the ground
From this reading But there was that unlucky red plant.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading If she had been perfectly innocent—if she could have defied anybody to show that she had ever laid her hand on what did not belong to her—the matter would not have been quite so bad.
red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood
From this reading But there was that unlucky red plant.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading WHEN Flora Lester went home that night, she was about as unhappy as a child could be.
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading If she had been perfectly innocent—if she could have defied anybody to show that she had ever laid her hand on what did not belong to her—the matter would not have been quite so bad.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading If she had been perfectly innocent—if she could have defied anybody to show that she had ever laid her hand on what did not belong to her—the matter would not have been quite so bad.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading WHEN Flora Lester went home that night, she was about as unhappy as a child could be.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading If she had been perfectly innocent—if she could have defied anybody to show that she had ever laid her hand on what did not belong to her—the matter would not have been quite so bad.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading The injustice would even then have been hard to bear; but she felt that she could have borne it better.
in or at that place or location
From this reading But there was that unlucky red plant.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading If she had been perfectly innocent—if she could have defied anybody to show that she had ever laid her hand on what did not belong to her—the matter would not have been quite so bad.
experiencing or marked by or causing sadness or sorrow or discontent
From this reading WHEN Flora Lester went home that night, she was about as unhappy as a child could be.
unluckyadjectiveUS /ənˈlʌki/
having or bringing misfortune
From this reading But there was that unlucky red plant.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading WHEN Flora Lester went home that night, she was about as unhappy as a child could be.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading WHEN Flora Lester went home that night, she was about as unhappy as a child could be.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading If she had been perfectly innocent—if she could have defied anybody to show that she had ever laid her hand on what did not belong to her—the matter would not have been quite so bad.
at the time that
From this reading WHEN Flora Lester went home that night, she was about as unhappy as a child could be.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading If she had been perfectly innocent—if she could have defied anybody to show that she had ever laid her hand on what did not belong to her—the matter would not have been quite so bad.
