used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Perhaps he was right--and what a noble thing to be able to join in the help and companionship which the settlement could give them.
(usually followed by “to”) having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something
From this reading Perhaps he was right--and what a noble thing to be able to join in the help and companionship which the settlement could give them.
(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 came out into the hall in a pink silk dressing-gown, all frills and ruffles, and asked me complainingly where I had been so long.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was of just such as these, both boys and girls, that Mr. Richards had spoken this evening.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading It was of just such as these, both boys and girls, that Mr. Richards had spoken this evening.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading She came out into the hall in a pink silk dressing-gown, all frills and ruffles, and asked me complainingly where I had been so long.
the sister of your father or mother; the wife of your uncle
From this reading When I reached home, Aunt Selina was just getting ready for bed.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Perhaps he was right--and what a noble thing to be able to join in the help and companionship which the settlement could give them.
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading When I reached home, Aunt Selina was just getting ready for bed.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading She came out into the hall in a pink silk dressing-gown, all frills and ruffles, and asked me complainingly where I had been so long.
the two together, not just one
From this reading It was of just such as these, both boys and girls, that Mr. Richards had spoken this evening.
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading It was of just such as these, both boys and girls, that Mr. Richards had spoken this evening.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading She came out into the hall in a pink silk dressing-gown, all frills and ruffles, and asked me complainingly where I had been so long.
companionshipnounUS /kəmˈpænjənʃɪp/
the state of being with someone
From this reading Perhaps he was right--and what a noble thing to be able to join in the help and companionship which the settlement could give them.
complaininglyadverb
with complaints
From this reading She came out into the hall in a pink silk dressing-gown, all frills and ruffles, and asked me complainingly where I had been so long.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Perhaps he was right--and what a noble thing to be able to join in the help and companionship which the settlement could give them.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading I resolved to go down to him the very next evening.
dressing-gown
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She came out into the hall in a pink silk dressing-gown, all frills and ruffles, and asked me complainingly where I had been so long.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading It was of just such as these, both boys and girls, that Mr. Richards had spoken this evening.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading When I reached home, Aunt Selina was just getting ready for bed.
frillsnounUS /frɪlz/
plural of “frill” — (paleontology) a bony plate that curves upward behind the skull of many ceratopsian dinosaurs
From this reading She came out into the hall in a pink silk dressing-gown, all frills and ruffles, and asked me complainingly where I had been so long.
the act of acquiring something
From this reading When I reached home, Aunt Selina was just getting ready for bed.
plural of “girl” — a young female
From this reading It was of just such as these, both boys and girls, that Mr. Richards had spoken this evening.
cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading Perhaps he was right--and what a noble thing to be able to join in the help and companionship which the settlement could give them.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading I resolved to go down to him the very next evening.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It was of just such as these, both boys and girls, that Mr. Richards had spoken this evening.
an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open
From this reading She came out into the hall in a pink silk dressing-gown, all frills and ruffles, and asked me complainingly where I had been so long.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Perhaps he was right--and what a noble thing to be able to join in the help and companionship which the settlement could give them.
give help or assistance; be of service
From this reading Perhaps he was right--and what a noble thing to be able to join in the help and companionship which the settlement could give them.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading I resolved to go down to him the very next evening.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading When I reached home, Aunt Selina was just getting ready for bed.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I resolved to go down to him the very next evening.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Perhaps he was right--and what a noble thing to be able to join in the help and companionship which the settlement could give them.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading She came out into the hall in a pink silk dressing-gown, all frills and ruffles, and asked me complainingly where I had been so long.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was of just such as these, both boys and girls, that Mr. Richards had spoken this evening.
become part of; become a member of a group or organization
From this reading Perhaps he was right--and what a noble thing to be able to join in the help and companionship which the settlement could give them.
and nothing more
From this reading It was of just such as these, both boys and girls, that Mr. Richards had spoken this evening.
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 came out into the hall in a pink silk dressing-gown, all frills and ruffles, and asked me complainingly where I had been so long.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading She came out into the hall in a pink silk dressing-gown, all frills and ruffles, and asked me complainingly where I had been so long.
a form of address for a man
From this reading It was of just such as these, both boys and girls, that Mr. Richards had spoken this evening.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading I resolved to go down to him the very next evening.
nobleadjectiveUS /ˈnoʊbəl/
impressive in appearance
From this reading Perhaps he was right--and what a noble thing to be able to join in the help and companionship which the settlement could give them.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It was of just such as these, both boys and girls, that Mr. Richards had spoken this evening.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading She came out into the hall in a pink silk dressing-gown, all frills and ruffles, and asked me complainingly where I had been so long.
by chance
From this reading Perhaps he was right--and what a noble thing to be able to join in the help and companionship which the settlement could give them.
a light shade of red
From this reading She came out into the hall in a pink silk dressing-gown, all frills and ruffles, and asked me complainingly where I had been so long.
past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading When I reached home, Aunt Selina was just getting ready for bed.
completely prepared or in condition for immediate action or use or progress
From this reading When I reached home, Aunt Selina was just getting ready for bed.
determined
From this reading I resolved to go down to him the very next evening.
RichardsnounUS /ˈrɪtʃərdz/
English literary critic who collaborated with C. K. Ogden and contributed to the development of Basic English (1893-1979)
From this reading It was of just such as these, both boys and girls, that Mr. Richards had spoken this evening.
precisely, exactly
From this reading Perhaps he was right--and what a noble thing to be able to join in the help and companionship which the settlement could give them.
rufflesnounUS /ˈrʌfəlz/
plural of “ruffle” — a strip of pleated material used as a decoration or a trim
From this reading She came out into the hall in a pink silk dressing-gown, all frills and ruffles, and asked me complainingly where I had been so long.
Selina
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When I reached home, Aunt Selina was just getting ready for bed.
settlementnounUS /ˈsetəlmənt/
a body of people who settle far from home but maintain ties with their homeland; inhabitants remain nationals of their home state but are not literally under the home state's system of government
From this reading Perhaps he was right--and what a noble thing to be able to join in the help and companionship which the settlement could give them.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She came out into the hall in a pink silk dressing-gown, all frills and ruffles, and asked me complainingly where I had been so long.
a fabric made from the fine threads produced by certain insect larvae
From this reading She came out into the hall in a pink silk dressing-gown, all frills and ruffles, and asked me complainingly where I had been so long.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading She came out into the hall in a pink silk dressing-gown, all frills and ruffles, and asked me complainingly where I had been so long.
uttered through the medium of speech or characterized by speech; sometimes used in combination
From this reading It was of just such as these, both boys and girls, that Mr. Richards had spoken this evening.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading It was of just such as these, both boys and girls, that Mr. Richards had spoken this evening.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was of just such as these, both boys and girls, that Mr. Richards had spoken this evening.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Perhaps he was right--and what a noble thing to be able to join in the help and companionship which the settlement could give them.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Perhaps he was right--and what a noble thing to be able to join in the help and companionship which the settlement could give them.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading It was of just such as these, both boys and girls, that Mr. Richards had spoken this evening.
a special situation
From this reading Perhaps he was right--and what a noble thing to be able to join in the help and companionship which the settlement could give them.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading It was of just such as these, both boys and girls, that Mr. Richards had spoken this evening.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Perhaps he was right--and what a noble thing to be able to join in the help and companionship which the settlement could give them.
precisely as stated
From this reading I resolved to go down to him the very next evening.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was of just such as these, both boys and girls, that Mr. Richards had spoken this evening.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading Perhaps he was right--and what a noble thing to be able to join in the help and companionship which the settlement could give them.
at the time that
From this reading When I reached home, Aunt Selina was just getting ready for bed.
in or at the place that
From this reading She came out into the hall in a pink silk dressing-gown, all frills and ruffles, and asked me complainingly where I had been so long.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Perhaps he was right--and what a noble thing to be able to join in the help and companionship which the settlement could give them.
