used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He had struck a hidden chord; struck it full and strong.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading And at that slowly she became taut and rigid almost as he, with wide eyes gazing into the night.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading And at that slowly she became taut and rigid almost as he, with wide eyes gazing into the night.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading "Do you mean," she said a little breathlessly, "that though my sympathies are so much with the north, my work, any usefulness I may attain to, ought to be given to the south?... that ... that ... perhaps it belongs to it?..."
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "Do you mean," she said a little breathlessly, "that though my sympathies are so much with the north, my work, any usefulness I may attain to, ought to be given to the south?... that ... that ... perhaps it belongs to it?..."
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading And at that slowly she became taut and rigid almost as he, with wide eyes gazing into the night.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading And at that slowly she became taut and rigid almost as he, with wide eyes gazing into the night.
attainverbUS /əˈteɪn/
to gain with effort
From this reading "Do you mean," she said a little breathlessly, "that though my sympathies are so much with the north, my work, any usefulness I may attain to, ought to be given to the south?... that ... that ... perhaps it belongs to it?..."
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "Do you mean," she said a little breathlessly, "that though my sympathies are so much with the north, my work, any usefulness I may attain to, ought to be given to the south?... that ... that ... perhaps it belongs to it?..."
inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading And at that slowly she became taut and rigid almost as he, with wide eyes gazing into the night.
belongsverbUS /bɪˈlɔːŋz/
third-person singular of “belong” — be owned by; be in the possession of
From this reading "Do you mean," she said a little breathlessly, "that though my sympathies are so much with the north, my work, any usefulness I may attain to, ought to be given to the south?... that ... that ... perhaps it belongs to it?..."
breathlesslyadverbUS /ˈbreθləsli/
in a breathless manner
From this reading "Do you mean," she said a little breathlessly, "that though my sympathies are so much with the north, my work, any usefulness I may attain to, ought to be given to the south?... that ... that ... perhaps it belongs to it?..."
chordnounUS /kɔːrd/
a straight line connecting two points on a curve
From this reading He had struck a hidden chord; struck it full and strong.
criticaladjectiveUS /ˈkrɪtɪkəl/
marked by a tendency to find and call attention to errors and flaws
From this reading "I think," he said, "that you in the south are passing through a critical stage, and there must be much need for strong women as well as strong men.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading "Do you mean," she said a little breathlessly, "that though my sympathies are so much with the north, my work, any usefulness I may attain to, ought to be given to the south?... that ... that ... perhaps it belongs to it?..."
opinion or judgment
From this reading And at that slowly she became taut and rigid almost as he, with wide eyes gazing into the night.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading "I think," he said, "that you in the south are passing through a critical stage, and there must be much need for strong women as well as strong men.
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading He had struck a hidden chord; struck it full and strong.
-ing form of “gaze” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading And at that slowly she became taut and rigid almost as he, with wide eyes gazing into the night.
givenadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪvən/
acknowledged as a supposition
From this reading "Do you mean," she said a little breathlessly, "that though my sympathies are so much with the north, my work, any usefulness I may attain to, ought to be given to the south?... that ... that ... perhaps it belongs to it?..."
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had struck a hidden chord; struck it full and strong.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading And at that slowly she became taut and rigid almost as he, with wide eyes gazing into the night.
not accessible to view
From this reading He had struck a hidden chord; struck it full and strong.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He was silent a moment, weighing his words.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "Do you mean," she said a little breathlessly, "that though my sympathies are so much with the north, my work, any usefulness I may attain to, ought to be given to the south?... that ... that ... perhaps it belongs to it?..."
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "I think," he said, "that you in the south are passing through a critical stage, and there must be much need for strong women as well as strong men.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading And at that slowly she became taut and rigid almost as he, with wide eyes gazing into the night.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He had struck a hidden chord; struck it full and strong.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading "Do you mean," she said a little breathlessly, "that though my sympathies are so much with the north, my work, any usefulness I may attain to, ought to be given to the south?... that ... that ... perhaps it belongs to it?..."
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading "Do you mean," she said a little breathlessly, "that though my sympathies are so much with the north, my work, any usefulness I may attain to, ought to be given to the south?... that ... that ... perhaps it belongs to it?..."
mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading "Do you mean," she said a little breathlessly, "that though my sympathies are so much with the north, my work, any usefulness I may attain to, ought to be given to the south?... that ... that ... perhaps it belongs to it?..."
the force of workers available
From this reading "I think," he said, "that you in the south are passing through a critical stage, and there must be much need for strong women as well as strong men.
a particular point in time
From this reading He was silent a moment, weighing his words.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading "Do you mean," she said a little breathlessly, "that though my sympathies are so much with the north, my work, any usefulness I may attain to, ought to be given to the south?... that ... that ... perhaps it belongs to it?..."
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading "I think," he said, "that you in the south are passing through a critical stage, and there must be much need for strong women as well as strong men.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "Do you mean," she said a little breathlessly, "that though my sympathies are so much with the north, my work, any usefulness I may attain to, ought to be given to the south?... that ... that ... perhaps it belongs to it?..."
a condition requiring relief
From this reading "I think," he said, "that you in the south are passing through a critical stage, and there must be much need for strong women as well as strong men.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading And at that slowly she became taut and rigid almost as he, with wide eyes gazing into the night.
the region of the United States lying to the north of the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading "Do you mean," she said a little breathlessly, "that though my sympathies are so much with the north, my work, any usefulness I may attain to, ought to be given to the south?... that ... that ... perhaps it belongs to it?..."
used with “to” to say what is right or advisable
From this reading "Do you mean," she said a little breathlessly, "that though my sympathies are so much with the north, my work, any usefulness I may attain to, ought to be given to the south?... that ... that ... perhaps it belongs to it?..."
(American football) a play that involves one player throwing the ball to a teammate
From this reading "I think," he said, "that you in the south are passing through a critical stage, and there must be much need for strong women as well as strong men.
by chance
From this reading "Do you mean," she said a little breathlessly, "that though my sympathies are so much with the north, my work, any usefulness I may attain to, ought to be given to the south?... that ... that ... perhaps it belongs to it?..."
rigidadjectiveUS /ˈrɪdʒəd/
incapable of or resistant to bending
From this reading And at that slowly she became taut and rigid almost as he, with wide eyes gazing into the night.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "Do you mean," she said a little breathlessly, "that though my sympathies are so much with the north, my work, any usefulness I may attain to, ought to be given to the south?... that ... that ... perhaps it belongs to it?..."
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading And at that slowly she became taut and rigid almost as he, with wide eyes gazing into the night.
marked by absence of sound
From this reading He was silent a moment, weighing his words.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading And at that slowly she became taut and rigid almost as he, with wide eyes gazing into the night.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading "Do you mean," she said a little breathlessly, "that though my sympathies are so much with the north, my work, any usefulness I may attain to, ought to be given to the south?... that ... that ... perhaps it belongs to it?..."
the region of the United States lying to the south of the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading "Do you mean," she said a little breathlessly, "that though my sympathies are so much with the north, my work, any usefulness I may attain to, ought to be given to the south?... that ... that ... perhaps it belongs to it?..."
any distinct time period in a sequence of events
From this reading "I think," he said, "that you in the south are passing through a critical stage, and there must be much need for strong women as well as strong men.
having strength or power greater than average or expected
From this reading He had struck a hidden chord; struck it full and strong.
(used in combination) affected by something overwhelming
From this reading He had struck a hidden chord; struck it full and strong.
sympathiesnounUS /ˈsɪmpəθiz/
plural of “sympathy” — an inclination to support or be loyal to or to agree with an opinion
From this reading "Do you mean," she said a little breathlessly, "that though my sympathies are so much with the north, my work, any usefulness I may attain to, ought to be given to the south?... that ... that ... perhaps it belongs to it?..."
tautadjectiveUS /tɔːt/
pulled or drawn tight
From this reading And at that slowly she became taut and rigid almost as he, with wide eyes gazing into the night.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading And at that slowly she became taut and rigid almost as he, with wide eyes gazing into the night.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading And at that slowly she became taut and rigid almost as he, with wide eyes gazing into the night.
in or at that place or location
From this reading "I think," he said, "that you in the south are passing through a critical stage, and there must be much need for strong women as well as strong men.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading "I think," he said, "that you in the south are passing through a critical stage, and there must be much need for strong women as well as strong men.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading "Do you mean," she said a little breathlessly, "that though my sympathies are so much with the north, my work, any usefulness I may attain to, ought to be given to the south?... that ... that ... perhaps it belongs to it?..."
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading "I think," he said, "that you in the south are passing through a critical stage, and there must be much need for strong women as well as strong men.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "Do you mean," she said a little breathlessly, "that though my sympathies are so much with the north, my work, any usefulness I may attain to, ought to be given to the south?... that ... that ... perhaps it belongs to it?..."
usefulnessnounUS /ˈjuːsfəlnəs/
the quality of being of practical use
From this reading "Do you mean," she said a little breathlessly, "that though my sympathies are so much with the north, my work, any usefulness I may attain to, ought to be given to the south?... that ... that ... perhaps it belongs to it?..."
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He was silent a moment, weighing his words.
weighingnounUS /ˈweɪɪŋ/
careful consideration
From this reading He was silent a moment, weighing his words.
(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 "I think," he said, "that you in the south are passing through a critical stage, and there must be much need for strong women as well as strong men.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading And at that slowly she became taut and rigid almost as he, with wide eyes gazing into the night.
in the company of; together with
From this reading And at that slowly she became taut and rigid almost as he, with wide eyes gazing into the night.
plural of “woman” — an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading "I think," he said, "that you in the south are passing through a critical stage, and there must be much need for strong women as well as strong men.
the words that are spoken
From this reading He was silent a moment, weighing his words.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading "Do you mean," she said a little breathlessly, "that though my sympathies are so much with the north, my work, any usefulness I may attain to, ought to be given to the south?... that ... that ... perhaps it belongs to it?..."
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Do you mean," she said a little breathlessly, "that though my sympathies are so much with the north, my work, any usefulness I may attain to, ought to be given to the south?... that ... that ... perhaps it belongs to it?..."
