adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/
(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 did not miss her at all, in fact, and as she was a self-absorbed child she gave her entire thought to herself, as she had always done.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading If she had been older she would no doubt have been very anxious at being left alone in the world, but she was very young, and as she had always been taken care of, she supposed she always would be.
alwaysadverbUS /ˈɔːlweɪz/
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading She did not miss her at all, in fact, and as she was a self-absorbed child she gave her entire thought to herself, as she had always done.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
anxiousadjectiveUS /ˈæŋkʃəs/
eagerly desirous
From this reading If she had been older she would no doubt have been very anxious at being left alone in the world, but she was very young, and as she had always been taken care of, she supposed she always would be.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
Ayahnoun
(in India) a native nursemaid who looks after children
From this reading What she thought was that she would like to know if she was going to nice people, who would be polite to her and give her her own way as her Ayah and the other native servants had done.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading If she had been older she would no doubt have been very anxious at being left alone in the world, but she was very young, and as she had always been taken care of, she supposed she always would be.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading If she had been older she would no doubt have been very anxious at being left alone in the world, but she was very young, and as she had always been taken care of, she supposed she always would be.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
carenounUS /ker/
the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something
From this reading If she had been older she would no doubt have been very anxious at being left alone in the world, but she was very young, and as she had always been taken care of, she supposed she always would be.
childnounUS /tʃaɪld/
a young person of either sex
From this reading She did not miss her at all, in fact, and as she was a self-absorbed child she gave her entire thought to herself, as she had always done.
clergyman's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She knew that she was not going to stay at the English clergyman’s house where she was taken at first.
CONTRARYadjectiveUS /ˈkɑːntreri/
very opposed in nature or character or purpose
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading She did not miss her at all, in fact, and as she was a self-absorbed child she gave her entire thought to herself, as she had always done.
distancenounUS /ˈdɪstəns/
the property created by the space between two objects or points
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
doneadjectiveUS /dʌn/
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading She did not miss her at all, in fact, and as she was a self-absorbed child she gave her entire thought to herself, as she had always done.
doubtnounUS /daʊt/
the state of being unsure of something
From this reading If she had been older she would no doubt have been very anxious at being left alone in the world, but she was very young, and as she had always been taken care of, she supposed she always would be.
EnglishnounUS /ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ/
an Indo-European language belonging to the West Germanic branch; the official language of Britain and the United States and most of the commonwealth countries
From this reading She knew that she was not going to stay at the English clergyman’s house where she was taken at first.
entireadjectiveUS /ɪnˈtaɪər/
constituting the full quantity or extent; complete
From this reading She did not miss her at all, in fact, and as she was a self-absorbed child she gave her entire thought to herself, as she had always done.
expectedadjectiveUS /ɪkˈspektəd/
considered likely or probable to happen or arrive
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
factnounUS /fækt/
a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred
From this reading She did not miss her at all, in fact, and as she was a self-absorbed child she gave her entire thought to herself, as she had always done.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading She knew that she was not going to stay at the English clergyman’s house where she was taken at first.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
gaveverbUS /ɡeɪv/
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading She did not miss her at all, in fact, and as she was a self-absorbed child she gave her entire thought to herself, as she had always done.
giveverbUS /ɡɪv/
cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading What she thought was that she would like to know if she was going to nice people, who would be polite to her and give her her own way as her Ayah and the other native servants had done.
goingnounUS /ˈɡoʊɪŋ/
the act of departing
From this reading What she thought was that she would like to know if she was going to nice people, who would be polite to her and give her her own way as her Ayah and the other native servants had done.
goneadjectiveUS /ɡɔːn/
destroyed or killed
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
herselfpronounUS /hərˈself/
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading She did not miss her at all, in fact, and as she was a self-absorbed child she gave her entire thought to herself, as she had always done.
housenounUS /haʊs/
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading She knew that she was not going to stay at the English clergyman’s house where she was taken at first.
IfconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If she had been older she would no doubt have been very anxious at being left alone in the world, but she was very young, and as she had always been taken care of, she supposed she always would be.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading She did not miss her at all, in fact, and as she was a self-absorbed child she gave her entire thought to herself, as she had always done.
knewverbUS /nuː/
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 MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
knowverbUS /noʊ/
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading What she thought was that she would like to know if she was going to nice people, who would be polite to her and give her her own way as her Ayah and the other native servants had done.
leftnounUS /left/
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading If she had been older she would no doubt have been very anxious at being left alone in the world, but she was very young, and as she had always been taken care of, she supposed she always would be.
likeverbUS /laɪk/
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading What she thought was that she would like to know if she was going to nice people, who would be polite to her and give her her own way as her Ayah and the other native servants had done.
likedadjectiveUS /laɪkt/
found pleasant or attractive; often used as a combining form
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
lookverbUS /lʊk/
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
lovenounUS /lʌv/
a strong positive emotion of regard and affection
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
MARYnounUS /ˈmeri/
the mother of Jesus; Christians refer to her as the Virgin Mary; she is especially honored by Roman Catholics
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
missverbUS /mɪs/
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
MISTRESSnounUS /ˈmɪstrəs/
an adulterous woman; a woman who has an ongoing extramarital sexual relationship with a man
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
mothernounUS /ˈmʌðər/
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
muchadverbUS /mʌtʃ/
to a great degree or extent
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
nativeadjectiveUS /ˈneɪtɪv/
characteristic of or existing by virtue of geographic origin
From this reading What she thought was that she would like to know if she was going to nice people, who would be polite to her and give her her own way as her Ayah and the other native servants had done.
niceadjectiveUS /naɪs/
pleasant or pleasing or agreeable in nature or appearance
From this reading What she thought was that she would like to know if she was going to nice people, who would be polite to her and give her her own way as her Ayah and the other native servants had done.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading If she had been older she would no doubt have been very anxious at being left alone in the world, but she was very young, and as she had always been taken care of, she supposed she always would be.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading She did not miss her at all, in fact, and as she was a self-absorbed child she gave her entire thought to herself, as she had always done.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
olderadjectiveUS /ˈoʊldər/
advanced in years; (“aged” is pronounced as two syllables)
From this reading If she had been older she would no doubt have been very anxious at being left alone in the world, but she was very young, and as she had always been taken care of, she supposed she always would be.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading What she thought was that she would like to know if she was going to nice people, who would be polite to her and give her her own way as her Ayah and the other native servants had done.
ownverbUS /oʊn/
have ownership or possession of
From this reading What she thought was that she would like to know if she was going to nice people, who would be polite to her and give her her own way as her Ayah and the other native servants had done.
peoplenounUS /ˈpiːpəl/
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading What she thought was that she would like to know if she was going to nice people, who would be polite to her and give her her own way as her Ayah and the other native servants had done.
politeadjectiveUS /pəˈlaɪt/
showing regard for others in manners, speech, behavior, etc.
From this reading What she thought was that she would like to know if she was going to nice people, who would be polite to her and give her her own way as her Ayah and the other native servants had done.
prettyadjectiveUS /ˈprɪti/
pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
QUITEadverbUS /kwaɪt/
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
scarcelyadverbUS /ˈskersli/
only a very short time before
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
self-absorbedadjective
absorbed in your own interests or thoughts etc
From this reading She did not miss her at all, in fact, and as she was a self-absorbed child she gave her entire thought to herself, as she had always done.
servantsnounUS /ˈsɜːrvənts/
plural of “servant” — a person working in the service of another (especially in the household)
From this reading What she thought was that she would like to know if she was going to nice people, who would be polite to her and give her her own way as her Ayah and the other native servants had done.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
stayverbUS /steɪ/
stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading She knew that she was not going to stay at the English clergyman’s house where she was taken at first.
supposedadjectiveUS /səˈpoʊzd/
required or under orders
From this reading If she had been older she would no doubt have been very anxious at being left alone in the world, but she was very young, and as she had always been taken care of, she supposed she always would be.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading If she had been older she would no doubt have been very anxious at being left alone in the world, but she was very young, and as she had always been taken care of, she supposed she always would be.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading What she thought was that she would like to know if she was going to nice people, who would be polite to her and give her her own way as her Ayah and the other native servants had done.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading If she had been older she would no doubt have been very anxious at being left alone in the world, but she was very young, and as she had always been taken care of, she supposed she always would be.
thoughtnounUS /θɔːt/
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/
precisely as stated
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
waynounUS /weɪ/
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading What she thought was that she would like to know if she was going to nice people, who would be polite to her and give her her own way as her Ayah and the other native servants had done.
WhatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading What she thought was that she would like to know if she was going to nice people, who would be polite to her and give her her own way as her Ayah and the other native servants had done.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone.
whereconjunctionUS /wer/
in or at the place that
From this reading She knew that she was not going to stay at the English clergyman’s house where she was taken at first.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading What she thought was that she would like to know if she was going to nice people, who would be polite to her and give her her own way as her Ayah and the other native servants had done.
worldnounUS /wɜːrld/
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading If she had been older she would no doubt have been very anxious at being left alone in the world, but she was very young, and as she had always been taken care of, she supposed she always would be.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading If she had been older she would no doubt have been very anxious at being left alone in the world, but she was very young, and as she had always been taken care of, she supposed she always would be.
youngadjectiveUS /jʌŋ/
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading If she had been older she would no doubt have been very anxious at being left alone in the world, but she was very young, and as she had always been taken care of, she supposed she always would be.
