used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Sheila watched the scene with a mixture of indignation and compassion.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading For she was, after all, his mother, Sheila reflected.
(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 For she was, after all, his mother, Sheila reflected.
allowancesnounUS /əˈlaʊənsɪz/
plural of “allowance” — an amount allowed or granted (as during a given period)
From this reading He seemed utterly devoid of the filial sentiment that would have made allowances for his mother.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Sheila watched the scene with a mixture of indignation and compassion.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The indignation was short-lived: it died suddenly at sight of Edward’s complete detachment.
take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading She had faced death to bring him into the world.
compassionnounUS /kəmˈpæʃən/
a deep awareness of and sympathy for another's suffering
From this reading Sheila watched the scene with a mixture of indignation and compassion.
come or bring to a finish or an end
From this reading The indignation was short-lived: it died suddenly at sight of Edward’s complete detachment.
the event of dying or departure from life
From this reading She had faced death to bring him into the world.
detachmentnounUS /dɪˈtætʃmənt/
avoiding emotional involvement
From this reading The indignation was short-lived: it died suddenly at sight of Edward’s complete detachment.
devoidadjectiveUS /dɪˈvɔɪd/
completely wanting or lacking
From this reading He seemed utterly devoid of the filial sentiment that would have made allowances for his mother.
past form of “die” — pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life
From this reading The indignation was short-lived: it died suddenly at sight of Edward’s complete detachment.
Edward'snounUS /ˈedwərdz/
possessive form of “edward” — King of England and Ireland in 1936; his marriage to Wallis Warfield Simpson created a constitutional crisis leading to his abdication (1894-1972)
From this reading The indignation was short-lived: it died suddenly at sight of Edward’s complete detachment.
having a face or facing especially of a specified kind or number; often used in combination
From this reading She had faced death to bring him into the world.
filialadjectiveUS /ˈfɪliəl/
designating the generation or the sequence of generations following the parental generation
From this reading He seemed utterly devoid of the filial sentiment that would have made allowances for his mother.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He seemed utterly devoid of the filial sentiment that would have made allowances for his mother.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading She had faced death to bring him into the world.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading He seemed utterly devoid of the filial sentiment that would have made allowances for his mother.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He seemed utterly devoid of the filial sentiment that would have made allowances for his mother.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading She had faced death to bring him into the world.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He seemed utterly devoid of the filial sentiment that would have made allowances for his mother.
a feeling of righteous anger
From this reading Sheila watched the scene with a mixture of indignation and compassion.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading She had faced death to bring him into the world.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The indignation was short-lived: it died suddenly at sight of Edward’s complete detachment.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading He seemed utterly devoid of the filial sentiment that would have made allowances for his mother.
mixturenounUS /ˈmɪkstʃər/
(chemistry) a substance consisting of two or more substances mixed together (not in fixed proportions and not with chemical bonding)
From this reading Sheila watched the scene with a mixture of indignation and compassion.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading He seemed utterly devoid of the filial sentiment that would have made allowances for his mother.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Sheila watched the scene with a mixture of indignation and compassion.
(especially of incident sound or light) bent or sent back
From this reading For she was, after all, his mother, Sheila reflected.
the place where some action occurs
From this reading Sheila watched the scene with a mixture of indignation and compassion.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading He seemed utterly devoid of the filial sentiment that would have made allowances for his mother.
tender, romantic, or nostalgic feeling or emotion
From this reading He seemed utterly devoid of the filial sentiment that would have made allowances for his mother.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading For she was, after all, his mother, Sheila reflected.
Sheila
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sheila watched the scene with a mixture of indignation and compassion.
short-livedadjectiveUS /ˈʃɔːrtˈlaɪvd/
lasting a very short time
From this reading The indignation was short-lived: it died suddenly at sight of Edward’s complete detachment.
an instance of visual perception
From this reading The indignation was short-lived: it died suddenly at sight of Edward’s complete detachment.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading The indignation was short-lived: it died suddenly at sight of Edward’s complete detachment.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He seemed utterly devoid of the filial sentiment that would have made allowances for his mother.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Sheila watched the scene with a mixture of indignation and compassion.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading She had faced death to bring him into the world.
completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers
From this reading He seemed utterly devoid of the filial sentiment that would have made allowances for his mother.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The indignation was short-lived: it died suddenly at sight of Edward’s complete detachment.
past form of “watch” — look attentively
From this reading Sheila watched the scene with a mixture of indignation and compassion.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Sheila watched the scene with a mixture of indignation and compassion.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading She had faced death to bring him into the world.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading He seemed utterly devoid of the filial sentiment that would have made allowances for his mother.
