used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading IX Among the less intimate friends of his mother was a young widow with a little girl about a year younger than Keith.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading IX Among the less intimate friends of his mother was a young widow with a little girl about a year younger than Keith.
AmongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading IX Among the less intimate friends of his mother was a young widow with a little girl about a year younger than Keith.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Clara was slender and elfish, with a wealth of yellow tresses falling down her back.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading Clara was slender and elfish, with a wealth of yellow tresses falling down her back.
a youthful male person
From this reading For some reason unknown to the boy, those two came to see his mother several times that Spring.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading For some reason unknown to the boy, those two came to see his mother several times that Spring.
Clara
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Clara was slender and elfish, with a wealth of yellow tresses falling down her back.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Clara was slender and elfish, with a wealth of yellow tresses falling down her back.
elfishadjectiveUS /ˈelfɪʃ/
usually good-naturedly mischievous
From this reading Clara was slender and elfish, with a wealth of yellow tresses falling down her back.
decreasing in amount or degree
From this reading Clara was slender and elfish, with a wealth of yellow tresses falling down her back.
well known or easily recognized
From this reading It was the first time in his life Keith met a girl on familiar terms.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading It was the first time in his life Keith met a girl on familiar terms.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For some reason unknown to the boy, those two came to see his mother several times that Spring.
plural of “friend” — a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading IX Among the less intimate friends of his mother was a young widow with a little girl about a year younger than Keith.
bright and pleasant; promoting a feeling of cheer
From this reading She was tender and gay, too, and Keith liked to hear her laugh.
a young female
From this reading IX Among the less intimate friends of his mother was a young widow with a little girl about a year younger than Keith.
perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
From this reading She was tender and gay, too, and Keith liked to hear her laugh.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Clara was slender and elfish, with a wealth of yellow tresses falling down her back.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading IX Among the less intimate friends of his mother was a young widow with a little girl about a year younger than Keith.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was the first time in his life Keith met a girl on familiar terms.
marked by close acquaintance, association, or familiarity
From this reading IX Among the less intimate friends of his mother was a young widow with a little girl about a year younger than Keith.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was the first time in his life Keith met a girl on familiar terms.
IXnoun
the cardinal number that is the sum of eight and one
From this reading IX Among the less intimate friends of his mother was a young widow with a little girl about a year younger than Keith.
Keith
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading IX Among the less intimate friends of his mother was a young widow with a little girl about a year younger than Keith.
the sound of laughing
From this reading She was tender and gay, too, and Keith liked to hear her laugh.
used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs
From this reading IX Among the less intimate friends of his mother was a young widow with a little girl about a year younger than Keith.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading It was the first time in his life Keith met a girl on familiar terms.
found pleasant or attractive; often used as a combining form
From this reading She was tender and gay, too, and Keith liked to hear her laugh.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading IX Among the less intimate friends of his mother was a young widow with a little girl about a year younger than Keith.
inflected form of “meet” — come together
From this reading It was the first time in his life Keith met a girl on familiar terms.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading IX Among the less intimate friends of his mother was a young widow with a little girl about a year younger than Keith.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading IX Among the less intimate friends of his mother was a young widow with a little girl about a year younger than Keith.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading It was the first time in his life Keith met a girl on familiar terms.
a rational motive for a belief or action
From this reading For some reason unknown to the boy, those two came to see his mother several times that Spring.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading For some reason unknown to the boy, those two came to see his mother several times that Spring.
(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many
From this reading For some reason unknown to the boy, those two came to see his mother several times that Spring.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She was tender and gay, too, and Keith liked to hear her laugh.
being of delicate or slender build
From this reading Clara was slender and elfish, with a wealth of yellow tresses falling down her back.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading For some reason unknown to the boy, those two came to see his mother several times that Spring.
the season of growth
From this reading For some reason unknown to the boy, those two came to see his mother several times that Spring.
given to sympathy or gentleness or sentimentality
From this reading She was tender and gay, too, and Keith liked to hear her laugh.
status with respect to the relations between people or groups
From this reading It was the first time in his life Keith met a girl on familiar terms.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading IX Among the less intimate friends of his mother was a young widow with a little girl about a year younger than Keith.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading For some reason unknown to the boy, those two came to see his mother several times that Spring.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading IX Among the less intimate friends of his mother was a young widow with a little girl about a year younger than Keith.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading For some reason unknown to the boy, those two came to see his mother several times that Spring.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading It was the first time in his life Keith met a girl on familiar terms.
a more or less definite period of time now or previously present
From this reading For some reason unknown to the boy, those two came to see his mother several times that Spring.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading For some reason unknown to the boy, those two came to see his mother several times that Spring.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading She was tender and gay, too, and Keith liked to hear her laugh.
tressesnounUS /ˈtresɪz/
plural of “tress” — a hairdo formed by braiding or twisting the hair
From this reading Clara was slender and elfish, with a wealth of yellow tresses falling down her back.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading For some reason unknown to the boy, those two came to see his mother several times that Spring.
not known
From this reading For some reason unknown to the boy, those two came to see his mother several times that Spring.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading IX Among the less intimate friends of his mother was a young widow with a little girl about a year younger than Keith.
the state of being rich and affluent; having a plentiful supply of material goods and money
From this reading Clara was slender and elfish, with a wealth of yellow tresses falling down her back.
a woman whose husband is dead especially one who has not remarried
From this reading IX Among the less intimate friends of his mother was a young widow with a little girl about a year younger than Keith.
in the company of; together with
From this reading IX Among the less intimate friends of his mother was a young widow with a little girl about a year younger than Keith.
a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days
From this reading IX Among the less intimate friends of his mother was a young widow with a little girl about a year younger than Keith.
of the color intermediate between green and orange in the color spectrum; of something resembling the color of an egg yolk
From this reading Clara was slender and elfish, with a wealth of yellow tresses falling down her back.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading IX Among the less intimate friends of his mother was a young widow with a little girl about a year younger than Keith.
used of the younger of two persons of the same name especially used to distinguish a son from his father
From this reading IX Among the less intimate friends of his mother was a young widow with a little girl about a year younger than Keith.
