used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Her father, an army officer, died in her babyhood, and her mother a few years later.
achingadjectiveUS /ˈeɪkɪŋ/
causing a dull and steady pain
From this reading To such a little girl death had meant no more than a bewildered loneliness, but the bewilderment was so sharp, the loneliness so aching, that she cried herself into an illness.
(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 The uncle and aunts in Scotland, all three much her mother’s seniors, were the child’s nearest relatives.
amazingadjectiveUS /əˈmeɪzɪŋ/
surprising greatly
From this reading She had seen her dead mother, the sweet, sightless, silent face, familiar yet amazing, and more than any fear or shrinking had been the suffocating mystery of feeling herself forgotten and left behind.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Her father, an army officer, died in her babyhood, and her mother a few years later.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Her father, an army officer, died in her babyhood, and her mother a few years later.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading She had seen her dead mother, the sweet, sightless, silent face, familiar yet amazing, and more than any fear or shrinking had been the suffocating mystery of feeling herself forgotten and left behind.
a permanent organization of the military land forces of a nation or state
From this reading Her father, an army officer, died in her babyhood, and her mother a few years later.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The Shadow of Life Elspeth Gifford was five years old when she went to live at Kirklands.
auntsnounUS /ænts/
plural of “aunt” — the sister of your father or mother; the wife of your uncle
From this reading The uncle and aunts in Scotland, all three much her mother’s seniors, were the child’s nearest relatives.
babyhoodnounUS /ˈbeɪbihʊd/
the early stage of growth or development
From this reading Her father, an army officer, died in her babyhood, and her mother a few years later.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading She had seen her dead mother, the sweet, sightless, silent face, familiar yet amazing, and more than any fear or shrinking had been the suffocating mystery of feeling herself forgotten and left behind.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading She had seen her dead mother, the sweet, sightless, silent face, familiar yet amazing, and more than any fear or shrinking had been the suffocating mystery of feeling herself forgotten and left behind.
bewilderedadjectiveUS /bɪˈwɪldərd/
perplexed by many conflicting situations or statements; filled with bewilderment
From this reading To such a little girl death had meant no more than a bewildered loneliness, but the bewilderment was so sharp, the loneliness so aching, that she cried herself into an illness.
bewildermentnounUS /bɪˈwɪldərmənt/
confusion resulting from failure to understand
From this reading To such a little girl death had meant no more than a bewildered loneliness, but the bewilderment was so sharp, the loneliness so aching, that she cried herself into an illness.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading To such a little girl death had meant no more than a bewildered loneliness, but the bewilderment was so sharp, the loneliness so aching, that she cried herself into an illness.
child'snounUS /tʃaɪldz/
possessive form of “child” — a young person of either sex
From this reading The uncle and aunts in Scotland, all three much her mother’s seniors, were the child’s nearest relatives.
inflected form of “cry” — utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading To such a little girl death had meant no more than a bewildered loneliness, but the bewilderment was so sharp, the loneliness so aching, that she cried herself into an illness.
no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life
From this reading She had seen her dead mother, the sweet, sightless, silent face, familiar yet amazing, and more than any fear or shrinking had been the suffocating mystery of feeling herself forgotten and left behind.
the event of dying or departure from life
From this reading To such a little girl death had meant no more than a bewildered loneliness, but the bewilderment was so sharp, the loneliness so aching, that she cried herself into an illness.
past form of “die” — pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life
From this reading Her father, an army officer, died in her babyhood, and her mother a few years later.
Elspeth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Shadow of Life Elspeth Gifford was five years old when she went to live at Kirklands.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading She had seen her dead mother, the sweet, sightless, silent face, familiar yet amazing, and more than any fear or shrinking had been the suffocating mystery of feeling herself forgotten and left behind.
well known or easily recognized
From this reading She had seen her dead mother, the sweet, sightless, silent face, familiar yet amazing, and more than any fear or shrinking had been the suffocating mystery of feeling herself forgotten and left behind.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading Her father, an army officer, died in her babyhood, and her mother a few years later.
be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
From this reading She had seen her dead mother, the sweet, sightless, silent face, familiar yet amazing, and more than any fear or shrinking had been the suffocating mystery of feeling herself forgotten and left behind.
the experiencing of affective and emotional states
From this reading She had seen her dead mother, the sweet, sightless, silent face, familiar yet amazing, and more than any fear or shrinking had been the suffocating mystery of feeling herself forgotten and left behind.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading Her father, an army officer, died in her babyhood, and her mother a few years later.
the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one
From this reading The Shadow of Life Elspeth Gifford was five years old when she went to live at Kirklands.
Not remembered; lapsed from memory.
From this reading She had seen her dead mother, the sweet, sightless, silent face, familiar yet amazing, and more than any fear or shrinking had been the suffocating mystery of feeling herself forgotten and left behind.
Gifford
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Shadow of Life Elspeth Gifford was five years old when she went to live at Kirklands.
a young female
From this reading To such a little girl death had meant no more than a bewildered loneliness, but the bewilderment was so sharp, the loneliness so aching, that she cried herself into an illness.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading To such a little girl death had meant no more than a bewildered loneliness, but the bewilderment was so sharp, the loneliness so aching, that she cried herself into an illness.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Her father, an army officer, died in her babyhood, and her mother a few years later.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading To such a little girl death had meant no more than a bewildered loneliness, but the bewilderment was so sharp, the loneliness so aching, that she cried herself into an illness.
illnessnounUS /ˈɪlnəs/
impairment of normal physiological function affecting part or all of an organism
From this reading To such a little girl death had meant no more than a bewildered loneliness, but the bewilderment was so sharp, the loneliness so aching, that she cried herself into an illness.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Her father, an army officer, died in her babyhood, and her mother a few years later.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading To such a little girl death had meant no more than a bewildered loneliness, but the bewilderment was so sharp, the loneliness so aching, that she cried herself into an illness.
Kirklands
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Shadow of Life Elspeth Gifford was five years old when she went to live at Kirklands.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading Her father, an army officer, died in her babyhood, and her mother a few years later.
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 She had seen her dead mother, the sweet, sightless, silent face, familiar yet amazing, and more than any fear or shrinking had been the suffocating mystery of feeling herself forgotten and left behind.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading The Shadow of Life Elspeth Gifford was five years old when she went to live at Kirklands.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading To such a little girl death had meant no more than a bewildered loneliness, but the bewilderment was so sharp, the loneliness so aching, that she cried herself into an illness.
be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading The Shadow of Life Elspeth Gifford was five years old when she went to live at Kirklands.
lonelinessnounUS /ˈloʊnlinəs/
the state of being alone in solitary isolation
From this reading To such a little girl death had meant no more than a bewildered loneliness, but the bewilderment was so sharp, the loneliness so aching, that she cried herself into an illness.
inflected form of “mean” — mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading To such a little girl death had meant no more than a bewildered loneliness, but the bewilderment was so sharp, the loneliness so aching, that she cried herself into an illness.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading To such a little girl death had meant no more than a bewildered loneliness, but the bewilderment was so sharp, the loneliness so aching, that she cried herself into an illness.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading Her father, an army officer, died in her babyhood, and her mother a few years later.
mother'snounUS /ˈmʌðərz/
possessive form of “mother” — a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading The uncle and aunts in Scotland, all three much her mother’s seniors, were the child’s nearest relatives.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading The uncle and aunts in Scotland, all three much her mother’s seniors, were the child’s nearest relatives.
something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained
From this reading She had seen her dead mother, the sweet, sightless, silent face, familiar yet amazing, and more than any fear or shrinking had been the suffocating mystery of feeling herself forgotten and left behind.
(superlative of “near” or “close”) within the shortest distance
From this reading The uncle and aunts in Scotland, all three much her mother’s seniors, were the child’s nearest relatives.
not any; not one
From this reading To such a little girl death had meant no more than a bewildered loneliness, but the bewilderment was so sharp, the loneliness so aching, that she cried herself into an illness.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The Shadow of Life Elspeth Gifford was five years old when she went to live at Kirklands.
any person in the armed services who holds a position of authority or command
From this reading Her father, an army officer, died in her babyhood, and her mother a few years later.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading The Shadow of Life Elspeth Gifford was five years old when she went to live at Kirklands.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading She had seen her dead mother, the sweet, sightless, silent face, familiar yet amazing, and more than any fear or shrinking had been the suffocating mystery of feeling herself forgotten and left behind.
relativesnounUS /ˈrelətɪvz/
plural of “relative” — a person related by blood or marriage
From this reading The uncle and aunts in Scotland, all three much her mother’s seniors, were the child’s nearest relatives.
one of the four countries that make up the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; located on the northern part of the island of Great Britain; famous for bagpipes and plaids and kilts
From this reading The uncle and aunts in Scotland, all three much her mother’s seniors, were the child’s nearest relatives.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading She had seen her dead mother, the sweet, sightless, silent face, familiar yet amazing, and more than any fear or shrinking had been the suffocating mystery of feeling herself forgotten and left behind.
seniorsnounUS /ˈsiːnjərz/
plural of “senior” — an undergraduate student during the year preceding graduation
From this reading The uncle and aunts in Scotland, all three much her mother’s seniors, were the child’s nearest relatives.
A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.
From this reading The Shadow of Life Elspeth Gifford was five years old when she went to live at Kirklands.
(of something seen or heard) clearly defined
From this reading To such a little girl death had meant no more than a bewildered loneliness, but the bewilderment was so sharp, the loneliness so aching, that she cried herself into an illness.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The Shadow of Life Elspeth Gifford was five years old when she went to live at Kirklands.
shrinkingnounUS /ˈʃrɪŋkɪŋ/
process or result of becoming less or smaller
From this reading She had seen her dead mother, the sweet, sightless, silent face, familiar yet amazing, and more than any fear or shrinking had been the suffocating mystery of feeling herself forgotten and left behind.
sightlessadjective
lacking sight
From this reading She had seen her dead mother, the sweet, sightless, silent face, familiar yet amazing, and more than any fear or shrinking had been the suffocating mystery of feeling herself forgotten and left behind.
marked by absence of sound
From this reading She had seen her dead mother, the sweet, sightless, silent face, familiar yet amazing, and more than any fear or shrinking had been the suffocating mystery of feeling herself forgotten and left behind.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading To such a little girl death had meant no more than a bewildered loneliness, but the bewilderment was so sharp, the loneliness so aching, that she cried herself into an illness.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading To such a little girl death had meant no more than a bewildered loneliness, but the bewilderment was so sharp, the loneliness so aching, that she cried herself into an illness.
suffocatingadjectiveUS /ˈsʌfəkeɪtɪŋ/
causing difficulty in breathing especially through lack of fresh air and presence of heat
From this reading She had seen her dead mother, the sweet, sightless, silent face, familiar yet amazing, and more than any fear or shrinking had been the suffocating mystery of feeling herself forgotten and left behind.
having or denoting the characteristic taste of sugar
From this reading She had seen her dead mother, the sweet, sightless, silent face, familiar yet amazing, and more than any fear or shrinking had been the suffocating mystery of feeling herself forgotten and left behind.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading To such a little girl death had meant no more than a bewildered loneliness, but the bewilderment was so sharp, the loneliness so aching, that she cried herself into an illness.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading To such a little girl death had meant no more than a bewildered loneliness, but the bewilderment was so sharp, the loneliness so aching, that she cried herself into an illness.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The Shadow of Life Elspeth Gifford was five years old when she went to live at Kirklands.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading The uncle and aunts in Scotland, all three much her mother’s seniors, were the child’s nearest relatives.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The Shadow of Life Elspeth Gifford was five years old when she went to live at Kirklands.
the brother of your father or mother; the husband of your aunt
From this reading The uncle and aunts in Scotland, all three much her mother’s seniors, were the child’s nearest relatives.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The Shadow of Life Elspeth Gifford was five years old when she went to live at Kirklands.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading The Shadow of Life Elspeth Gifford was five years old when she went to live at Kirklands.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The uncle and aunts in Scotland, all three much her mother’s seniors, were the child’s nearest relatives.
at the time that
From this reading The Shadow of Life Elspeth Gifford was five years old when she went to live at Kirklands.
a late time of life
From this reading The Shadow of Life Elspeth Gifford was five years old when she went to live at Kirklands.
but in spite of that
From this reading She had seen her dead mother, the sweet, sightless, silent face, familiar yet amazing, and more than any fear or shrinking had been the suffocating mystery of feeling herself forgotten and left behind.
