used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It happened on one occasion that when Wilson returned to the cottage after a day's absence, he found Sim's daughter weeping over the fire.
the state of being absent
From this reading It happened on one occasion that when Wilson returned to the cottage after a day's absence, he found Sim's daughter weeping over the fire.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading It happened on one occasion that when Wilson returned to the cottage after a day's absence, he found Sim's daughter weeping over the fire.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading The barbarity of Wilson's speech was especially malicious when directed against the poor folks with whom he lived, and who, being conscious of how essential he was to the stability of the household, were largely at his mercy.
(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 What did it all mean?
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The barbarity of Wilson's speech was especially malicious when directed against the poor folks with whom he lived, and who, being conscious of how essential he was to the stability of the household, were largely at his mercy.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The good people expressed themselves as “fairly maizelt” by the transformation.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The barbarity of Wilson's speech was especially malicious when directed against the poor folks with whom he lived, and who, being conscious of how essential he was to the stability of the household, were largely at his mercy.
barbaritynounUS /bɑːrˈbærəti/
the quality of being shockingly cruel and inhumane
From this reading The barbarity of Wilson's speech was especially malicious when directed against the poor folks with whom he lived, and who, being conscious of how essential he was to the stability of the household, were largely at his mercy.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading There was surely something behind it.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading The barbarity of Wilson's speech was especially malicious when directed against the poor folks with whom he lived, and who, being conscious of how essential he was to the stability of the household, were largely at his mercy.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The good people expressed themselves as “fairly maizelt” by the transformation.
intentionally conceived
From this reading The barbarity of Wilson's speech was especially malicious when directed against the poor folks with whom he lived, and who, being conscious of how essential he was to the stability of the household, were largely at his mercy.
a small house with a single story
From this reading It happened on one occasion that when Wilson returned to the cottage after a day's absence, he found Sim's daughter weeping over the fire.
a female human offspring
From this reading It happened on one occasion that when Wilson returned to the cottage after a day's absence, he found Sim's daughter weeping over the fire.
day'snounUS /deɪz/
possessive form of “day” — time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading It happened on one occasion that when Wilson returned to the cottage after a day's absence, he found Sim's daughter weeping over the fire.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading What did it all mean?
(often used in combination) having a specified direction
From this reading The barbarity of Wilson's speech was especially malicious when directed against the poor folks with whom he lived, and who, being conscious of how essential he was to the stability of the household, were largely at his mercy.
to a distinctly greater extent or degree than is common
From this reading The barbarity of Wilson's speech was especially malicious when directed against the poor folks with whom he lived, and who, being conscious of how essential he was to the stability of the household, were largely at his mercy.
essentialadjectiveUS /eˈsenʃəl/
absolutely necessary; vitally necessary
From this reading The barbarity of Wilson's speech was especially malicious when directed against the poor folks with whom he lived, and who, being conscious of how essential he was to the stability of the household, were largely at his mercy.
communicated in words
From this reading The good people expressed themselves as “fairly maizelt” by the transformation.
to certain extent or degree
From this reading The good people expressed themselves as “fairly maizelt” by the transformation.
start firing a weapon
From this reading It happened on one occasion that when Wilson returned to the cottage after a day's absence, he found Sim's daughter weeping over the fire.
your parents
From this reading The barbarity of Wilson's speech was especially malicious when directed against the poor folks with whom he lived, and who, being conscious of how essential he was to the stability of the household, were largely at his mercy.
set up or found
From this reading It happened on one occasion that when Wilson returned to the cottage after a day's absence, he found Sim's daughter weeping over the fire.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading The good people expressed themselves as “fairly maizelt” by the transformation.
past form of “happen” — come to pass
From this reading It happened on one occasion that when Wilson returned to the cottage after a day's absence, he found Sim's daughter weeping over the fire.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The barbarity of Wilson's speech was especially malicious when directed against the poor folks with whom he lived, and who, being conscious of how essential he was to the stability of the household, were largely at his mercy.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The barbarity of Wilson's speech was especially malicious when directed against the poor folks with whom he lived, and who, being conscious of how essential he was to the stability of the household, were largely at his mercy.
a social unit living together
From this reading The barbarity of Wilson's speech was especially malicious when directed against the poor folks with whom he lived, and who, being conscious of how essential he was to the stability of the household, were largely at his mercy.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The barbarity of Wilson's speech was especially malicious when directed against the poor folks with whom he lived, and who, being conscious of how essential he was to the stability of the household, were largely at his mercy.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading What did it all mean?
largelyadverbUS /ˈlɑːrdʒli/
in large part; mainly or chiefly
From this reading The barbarity of Wilson's speech was especially malicious when directed against the poor folks with whom he lived, and who, being conscious of how essential he was to the stability of the household, were largely at his mercy.
past form of “live” — be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading The barbarity of Wilson's speech was especially malicious when directed against the poor folks with whom he lived, and who, being conscious of how essential he was to the stability of the household, were largely at his mercy.
maizelt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The good people expressed themselves as “fairly maizelt” by the transformation.
maliciousadjectiveUS /məˈlɪʃəs/
having the nature of or resulting from malice
From this reading The barbarity of Wilson's speech was especially malicious when directed against the poor folks with whom he lived, and who, being conscious of how essential he was to the stability of the household, were largely at his mercy.
mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading What did it all mean?
leniency and compassion shown toward offenders by a person or agency charged with administering justice
From this reading The barbarity of Wilson's speech was especially malicious when directed against the poor folks with whom he lived, and who, being conscious of how essential he was to the stability of the household, were largely at his mercy.
an event that occurs at a critical time
From this reading It happened on one occasion that when Wilson returned to the cottage after a day's absence, he found Sim's daughter weeping over the fire.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The barbarity of Wilson's speech was especially malicious when directed against the poor folks with whom he lived, and who, being conscious of how essential he was to the stability of the household, were largely at his mercy.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading It happened on one occasion that when Wilson returned to the cottage after a day's absence, he found Sim's daughter weeping over the fire.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading It happened on one occasion that when Wilson returned to the cottage after a day's absence, he found Sim's daughter weeping over the fire.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading It happened on one occasion that when Wilson returned to the cottage after a day's absence, he found Sim's daughter weeping over the fire.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading The good people expressed themselves as “fairly maizelt” by the transformation.
deserving or inciting pity
From this reading The barbarity of Wilson's speech was especially malicious when directed against the poor folks with whom he lived, and who, being conscious of how essential he was to the stability of the household, were largely at his mercy.
past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading It happened on one occasion that when Wilson returned to the cottage after a day's absence, he found Sim's daughter weeping over the fire.
Sim's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It happened on one occasion that when Wilson returned to the cottage after a day's absence, he found Sim's daughter weeping over the fire.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading There was surely something behind it.
the act of delivering a formal spoken communication to an audience
From this reading The barbarity of Wilson's speech was especially malicious when directed against the poor folks with whom he lived, and who, being conscious of how essential he was to the stability of the household, were largely at his mercy.
stabilitynounUS /stəˈbɪlɪti/
the quality or attribute of being firm and steadfast
From this reading The barbarity of Wilson's speech was especially malicious when directed against the poor folks with whom he lived, and who, being conscious of how essential he was to the stability of the household, were largely at his mercy.
definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)
From this reading There was surely something behind it.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It happened on one occasion that when Wilson returned to the cottage after a day's absence, he found Sim's daughter weeping over the fire.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The good people expressed themselves as “fairly maizelt” by the transformation.
used when the people doing the action are also its object
From this reading The good people expressed themselves as “fairly maizelt” by the transformation.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was surely something behind it.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The barbarity of Wilson's speech was especially malicious when directed against the poor folks with whom he lived, and who, being conscious of how essential he was to the stability of the household, were largely at his mercy.
transformationnounUS /ˌtrænsfərˈmeɪʃən/
a qualitative change
From this reading The good people expressed themselves as “fairly maizelt” by the transformation.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was surely something behind it.
showing sorrow
From this reading It happened on one occasion that when Wilson returned to the cottage after a day's absence, he found Sim's daughter weeping over the fire.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The barbarity of Wilson's speech was especially malicious when directed against the poor folks with whom he lived, and who, being conscious of how essential he was to the stability of the household, were largely at his mercy.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading What did it all mean?
at the time that
From this reading The barbarity of Wilson's speech was especially malicious when directed against the poor folks with whom he lived, and who, being conscious of how essential he was to the stability of the household, were largely at his mercy.
which person or people
From this reading The barbarity of Wilson's speech was especially malicious when directed against the poor folks with whom he lived, and who, being conscious of how essential he was to the stability of the household, were largely at his mercy.
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The barbarity of Wilson's speech was especially malicious when directed against the poor folks with whom he lived, and who, being conscious of how essential he was to the stability of the household, were largely at his mercy.
WilsonnounUS /ˈwɪlsən/
author of the first novel by an African American that was published in the United States (1808-1870)
From this reading It happened on one occasion that when Wilson returned to the cottage after a day's absence, he found Sim's daughter weeping over the fire.
Wilson'snounUS /ˈwɪlsənz/
possessive form of “wilson” — author of the first novel by an African American that was published in the United States (1808-1870)
From this reading The barbarity of Wilson's speech was especially malicious when directed against the poor folks with whom he lived, and who, being conscious of how essential he was to the stability of the household, were largely at his mercy.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The barbarity of Wilson's speech was especially malicious when directed against the poor folks with whom he lived, and who, being conscious of how essential he was to the stability of the household, were largely at his mercy.
