used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was inexplicable that a woman in this enlightened age, moving in Mrs. Brightman's station, could yield to so strange a delusion.
how long something has existed
From this reading It was inexplicable that a woman in this enlightened age, moving in Mrs. Brightman's station, could yield to so strange a delusion.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Standing with my back to the fire in the drawing-room, waiting for Annabel's return, the tea growing cold on the table, I puzzled over what I had just heard, and could make nothing of it.
Annabel's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Standing with my back to the fire in the drawing-room, waiting for Annabel's return, the tea growing cold on the table, I puzzled over what I had just heard, and could make nothing of it.
give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading That Mr. Brightman's spirit should appear to his wife seemed to be utterly incomprehensible; was, of course, incredible.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading Standing with my back to the fire in the drawing-room, waiting for Annabel's return, the tea growing cold on the table, I puzzled over what I had just heard, and could make nothing of it.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading That Mr. Brightman's spirit should appear to his wife seemed to be utterly incomprehensible; was, of course, incredible.
enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading That many people believed in the reappearance of the dead, I well knew; but I had not yet made up my mind to become one of them.
past form of “believe” — accept as true; take to be true
From this reading That many people believed in the reappearance of the dead, I well knew; but I had not yet made up my mind to become one of them.
Brightman's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That Mr. Brightman's spirit should appear to his wife seemed to be utterly incomprehensible; was, of course, incredible.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading That many people believed in the reappearance of the dead, I well knew; but I had not yet made up my mind to become one of them.
having a low or inadequate temperature or feeling a sensation of coldness or having been made cold by e.g. ice or refrigeration
From this reading Standing with my back to the fire in the drawing-room, waiting for Annabel's return, the tea growing cold on the table, I puzzled over what I had just heard, and could make nothing of it.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Standing with my back to the fire in the drawing-room, waiting for Annabel's return, the tea growing cold on the table, I puzzled over what I had just heard, and could make nothing of it.
education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading That Mr. Brightman's spirit should appear to his wife seemed to be utterly incomprehensible; was, of course, incredible.
no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life
From this reading That many people believed in the reappearance of the dead, I well knew; but I had not yet made up my mind to become one of them.
delusionnounUS /dɪˈluːʒən/
(psychology) an erroneous belief that is held in the face of evidence to the contrary
From this reading It was inexplicable that a woman in this enlightened age, moving in Mrs. Brightman's station, could yield to so strange a delusion.
drawing-room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Standing with my back to the fire in the drawing-room, waiting for Annabel's return, the tea growing cold on the table, I puzzled over what I had just heard, and could make nothing of it.
ELSE
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading SOMEONE ELSE SEEN.
enlightenedadjectiveUS /ˌenˈlaɪtənd/
having knowledge and spiritual insight
From this reading It was inexplicable that a woman in this enlightened age, moving in Mrs. Brightman's station, could yield to so strange a delusion.
start firing a weapon
From this reading Standing with my back to the fire in the drawing-room, waiting for Annabel's return, the tea growing cold on the table, I puzzled over what I had just heard, and could make nothing of it.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Standing with my back to the fire in the drawing-room, waiting for Annabel's return, the tea growing cold on the table, I puzzled over what I had just heard, and could make nothing of it.
(biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level
From this reading Standing with my back to the fire in the drawing-room, waiting for Annabel's return, the tea growing cold on the table, I puzzled over what I had just heard, and could make nothing of it.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Standing with my back to the fire in the drawing-room, waiting for Annabel's return, the tea growing cold on the table, I puzzled over what I had just heard, and could make nothing of it.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading Standing with my back to the fire in the drawing-room, waiting for Annabel's return, the tea growing cold on the table, I puzzled over what I had just heard, and could make nothing of it.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading That Mr. Brightman's spirit should appear to his wife seemed to be utterly incomprehensible; was, of course, incredible.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Standing with my back to the fire in the drawing-room, waiting for Annabel's return, the tea growing cold on the table, I puzzled over what I had just heard, and could make nothing of it.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Standing with my back to the fire in the drawing-room, waiting for Annabel's return, the tea growing cold on the table, I puzzled over what I had just heard, and could make nothing of it.
incomprehensibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪŋkɑːmprəˈhensɪbəl/
incapable of being explained or accounted for
From this reading That Mr. Brightman's spirit should appear to his wife seemed to be utterly incomprehensible; was, of course, incredible.
incredibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈkredəbəl/
beyond belief or understanding
From this reading That Mr. Brightman's spirit should appear to his wife seemed to be utterly incomprehensible; was, of course, incredible.
inexplicableadjectiveUS /ˌɪnəkˈsplɪsəbəl/
incapable of being explained or accounted for
From this reading It was inexplicable that a woman in this enlightened age, moving in Mrs. Brightman's station, could yield to so strange a delusion.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Standing with my back to the fire in the drawing-room, waiting for Annabel's return, the tea growing cold on the table, I puzzled over what I had just heard, and could make nothing of it.
and nothing more
From this reading Standing with my back to the fire in the drawing-room, waiting for Annabel's return, the tea growing cold on the table, I puzzled over what I had just heard, and could make nothing of it.
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 That many people believed in the reappearance of the dead, I well knew; but I had not yet made up my mind to become one of them.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading That many people believed in the reappearance of the dead, I well knew; but I had not yet made up my mind to become one of them.
engage in
From this reading Standing with my back to the fire in the drawing-room, waiting for Annabel's return, the tea growing cold on the table, I puzzled over what I had just heard, and could make nothing of it.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading That many people believed in the reappearance of the dead, I well knew; but I had not yet made up my mind to become one of them.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading That many people believed in the reappearance of the dead, I well knew; but I had not yet made up my mind to become one of them.
in motion
From this reading It was inexplicable that a woman in this enlightened age, moving in Mrs. Brightman's station, could yield to so strange a delusion.
a form of address for a man
From this reading That Mr. Brightman's spirit should appear to his wife seemed to be utterly incomprehensible; was, of course, incredible.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading It was inexplicable that a woman in this enlightened age, moving in Mrs. Brightman's station, could yield to so strange a delusion.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading Standing with my back to the fire in the drawing-room, waiting for Annabel's return, the tea growing cold on the table, I puzzled over what I had just heard, and could make nothing of it.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading That many people believed in the reappearance of the dead, I well knew; but I had not yet made up my mind to become one of them.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading Standing with my back to the fire in the drawing-room, waiting for Annabel's return, the tea growing cold on the table, I puzzled over what I had just heard, and could make nothing of it.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Standing with my back to the fire in the drawing-room, waiting for Annabel's return, the tea growing cold on the table, I puzzled over what I had just heard, and could make nothing of it.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Standing with my back to the fire in the drawing-room, waiting for Annabel's return, the tea growing cold on the table, I puzzled over what I had just heard, and could make nothing of it.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading That many people believed in the reappearance of the dead, I well knew; but I had not yet made up my mind to become one of them.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Standing with my back to the fire in the drawing-room, waiting for Annabel's return, the tea growing cold on the table, I puzzled over what I had just heard, and could make nothing of it.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading That many people believed in the reappearance of the dead, I well knew; but I had not yet made up my mind to become one of them.
filled with bewilderment
From this reading Standing with my back to the fire in the drawing-room, waiting for Annabel's return, the tea growing cold on the table, I puzzled over what I had just heard, and could make nothing of it.
reappearancenounUS /ˌriːəˈpɪrəns/
the event of something appearing again
From this reading That many people believed in the reappearance of the dead, I well knew; but I had not yet made up my mind to become one of them.
go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading Standing with my back to the fire in the drawing-room, waiting for Annabel's return, the tea growing cold on the table, I puzzled over what I had just heard, and could make nothing of it.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading That Mr. Brightman's spirit should appear to his wife seemed to be utterly incomprehensible; was, of course, incredible.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading SOMEONE ELSE SEEN.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading That Mr. Brightman's spirit should appear to his wife seemed to be utterly incomprehensible; was, of course, incredible.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading It was inexplicable that a woman in this enlightened age, moving in Mrs. Brightman's station, could yield to so strange a delusion.
a person, without saying who
From this reading SOMEONE ELSE SEEN.
the vital principle or animating force within living things
From this reading That Mr. Brightman's spirit should appear to his wife seemed to be utterly incomprehensible; was, of course, incredible.
having a supporting base
From this reading Standing with my back to the fire in the drawing-room, waiting for Annabel's return, the tea growing cold on the table, I puzzled over what I had just heard, and could make nothing of it.
a facility equipped with special equipment and personnel for a particular purpose
From this reading It was inexplicable that a woman in this enlightened age, moving in Mrs. Brightman's station, could yield to so strange a delusion.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading It was inexplicable that a woman in this enlightened age, moving in Mrs. Brightman's station, could yield to so strange a delusion.
a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading Standing with my back to the fire in the drawing-room, waiting for Annabel's return, the tea growing cold on the table, I puzzled over what I had just heard, and could make nothing of it.
a beverage made by steeping tea leaves in water
From this reading Standing with my back to the fire in the drawing-room, waiting for Annabel's return, the tea growing cold on the table, I puzzled over what I had just heard, and could make nothing of it.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading That Mr. Brightman's spirit should appear to his wife seemed to be utterly incomprehensible; was, of course, incredible.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Standing with my back to the fire in the drawing-room, waiting for Annabel's return, the tea growing cold on the table, I puzzled over what I had just heard, and could make nothing of it.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading That many people believed in the reappearance of the dead, I well knew; but I had not yet made up my mind to become one of them.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading It was inexplicable that a woman in this enlightened age, moving in Mrs. Brightman's station, could yield to so strange a delusion.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Standing with my back to the fire in the drawing-room, waiting for Annabel's return, the tea growing cold on the table, I puzzled over what I had just heard, and could make nothing of it.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading That many people believed in the reappearance of the dead, I well knew; but I had not yet made up my mind to become one of them.
completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers
From this reading That Mr. Brightman's spirit should appear to his wife seemed to be utterly incomprehensible; was, of course, incredible.
the act of waiting (remaining inactive in one place while expecting something)
From this reading Standing with my back to the fire in the drawing-room, waiting for Annabel's return, the tea growing cold on the table, I puzzled over what I had just heard, and could make nothing of it.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading That Mr. Brightman's spirit should appear to his wife seemed to be utterly incomprehensible; was, of course, incredible.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading That many people believed in the reappearance of the dead, I well knew; but I had not yet made up my mind to become one of them.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading Standing with my back to the fire in the drawing-room, waiting for Annabel's return, the tea growing cold on the table, I puzzled over what I had just heard, and could make nothing of it.
a married woman; a man's partner in marriage
From this reading That Mr. Brightman's spirit should appear to his wife seemed to be utterly incomprehensible; was, of course, incredible.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Standing with my back to the fire in the drawing-room, waiting for Annabel's return, the tea growing cold on the table, I puzzled over what I had just heard, and could make nothing of it.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading It was inexplicable that a woman in this enlightened age, moving in Mrs. Brightman's station, could yield to so strange a delusion.
but in spite of that
From this reading That many people believed in the reappearance of the dead, I well knew; but I had not yet made up my mind to become one of them.
yieldverbUS /jiːld/
be the cause or source of
From this reading It was inexplicable that a woman in this enlightened age, moving in Mrs. Brightman's station, could yield to so strange a delusion.
