used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading They then decided to go down, but at the bottom of the stairs they lingered for another quarter of an hour chatting with a neighbour who had lately lost a child.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading They then decided to go down, but at the bottom of the stairs they lingered for another quarter of an hour chatting with a neighbour who had lately lost a child.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading And just as they were at last leaving the house they heard a call: "Mamma! mamma!"
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading They then decided to go down, but at the bottom of the stairs they lingered for another quarter of an hour chatting with a neighbour who had lately lost a child.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading And just as they were at last leaving the house they heard a call: "Mamma! mamma!"
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading They then decided to go down, but at the bottom of the stairs they lingered for another quarter of an hour chatting with a neighbour who had lately lost a child.
beamingadjectiveUS /ˈbiːmɪŋ/
cheerful and bright
From this reading It came from little Celine, whose face was beaming with delight.
the lower side of anything
From this reading They then decided to go down, but at the bottom of the stairs they lingered for another quarter of an hour chatting with a neighbour who had lately lost a child.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading They then decided to go down, but at the bottom of the stairs they lingered for another quarter of an hour chatting with a neighbour who had lately lost a child.
cakenounUS /keɪk/
a block of solid substance (such as soap or wax)
From this reading She was wearing a pair of new shoes and devouring a cake.
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading And just as they were at last leaving the house they heard a call: "Mamma! mamma!"
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading It came from little Celine, whose face was beaming with delight.
Celine
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It came from little Celine, whose face was beaming with delight.
chattingverbUS /ˈtʃætɪŋ/
inflected form of “chat” — talk socially without exchanging too much information
From this reading They then decided to go down, but at the bottom of the stairs they lingered for another quarter of an hour chatting with a neighbour who had lately lost a child.
a young person of either sex
From this reading They then decided to go down, but at the bottom of the stairs they lingered for another quarter of an hour chatting with a neighbour who had lately lost a child.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading "Mamma," she resumed, "Monsieur l'Abbe who came the other day wants to see you.
recognizable; marked
From this reading They then decided to go down, but at the bottom of the stairs they lingered for another quarter of an hour chatting with a neighbour who had lately lost a child.
give pleasure to or be pleasing to
From this reading It came from little Celine, whose face was beaming with delight.
devouringadjectiveUS /dɪˈvaʊərɪŋ/
(often followed by “for”) ardently or excessively desirous
From this reading She was wearing a pair of new shoes and devouring a cake.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading They then decided to go down, but at the bottom of the stairs they lingered for another quarter of an hour chatting with a neighbour who had lately lost a child.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading It came from little Celine, whose face was beaming with delight.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading They then decided to go down, but at the bottom of the stairs they lingered for another quarter of an hour chatting with a neighbour who had lately lost a child.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading It came from little Celine, whose face was beaming with delight.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading They then decided to go down, but at the bottom of the stairs they lingered for another quarter of an hour chatting with a neighbour who had lately lost a child.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading They then decided to go down, but at the bottom of the stairs they lingered for another quarter of an hour chatting with a neighbour who had lately lost a child.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading And just as they were at last leaving the house they heard a call: "Mamma! mamma!"
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading They then decided to go down, but at the bottom of the stairs they lingered for another quarter of an hour chatting with a neighbour who had lately lost a child.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading And just as they were at last leaving the house they heard a call: "Mamma! mamma!"
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It came from little Celine, whose face was beaming with delight.
and nothing more
From this reading And just as they were at last leaving the house they heard a call: "Mamma! mamma!"
l'Abbe
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Mamma," she resumed, "Monsieur l'Abbe who came the other day wants to see you.
immediately past
From this reading And just as they were at last leaving the house they heard a call: "Mamma! mamma!"
in the recent past
From this reading They then decided to go down, but at the bottom of the stairs they lingered for another quarter of an hour chatting with a neighbour who had lately lost a child.
the act of departing
From this reading And just as they were at last leaving the house they heard a call: "Mamma! mamma!"
lingeredverbUS /ˈlɪŋɡərd/
past form of “linger” — remain present although waning or gradually dying
From this reading They then decided to go down, but at the bottom of the stairs they lingered for another quarter of an hour chatting with a neighbour who had lately lost a child.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading It came from little Celine, whose face was beaming with delight.
no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered
From this reading They then decided to go down, but at the bottom of the stairs they lingered for another quarter of an hour chatting with a neighbour who had lately lost a child.
informal terms for a mother
From this reading And just as they were at last leaving the house they heard a call: "Mamma! mamma!"
used as a French courtesy title; equivalent to English “Mr”
From this reading "Mamma," she resumed, "Monsieur l'Abbe who came the other day wants to see you.
neighbournounUS /ˈneɪbər/
a person who lives (or is located) near another
From this reading They then decided to go down, but at the bottom of the stairs they lingered for another quarter of an hour chatting with a neighbour who had lately lost a child.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading She was wearing a pair of new shoes and devouring a cake.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading They then decided to go down, but at the bottom of the stairs they lingered for another quarter of an hour chatting with a neighbour who had lately lost a child.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading "Mamma," she resumed, "Monsieur l'Abbe who came the other day wants to see you.
a set of two similar things considered as a unit
From this reading She was wearing a pair of new shoes and devouring a cake.
one of four equal parts
From this reading They then decided to go down, but at the bottom of the stairs they lingered for another quarter of an hour chatting with a neighbour who had lately lost a child.
past form of “resume” — take up or begin anew
From this reading "Mamma," she resumed, "Monsieur l'Abbe who came the other day wants to see you.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading "Mamma," she resumed, "Monsieur l'Abbe who came the other day wants to see you.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She was wearing a pair of new shoes and devouring a cake.
a particular situation
From this reading She was wearing a pair of new shoes and devouring a cake.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading They then decided to go down, but at the bottom of the stairs they lingered for another quarter of an hour chatting with a neighbour who had lately lost a child.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading They then decided to go down, but at the bottom of the stairs they lingered for another quarter of an hour chatting with a neighbour who had lately lost a child.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading They then decided to go down, but at the bottom of the stairs they lingered for another quarter of an hour chatting with a neighbour who had lately lost a child.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They then decided to go down, but at the bottom of the stairs they lingered for another quarter of an hour chatting with a neighbour who had lately lost a child.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading They then decided to go down, but at the bottom of the stairs they lingered for another quarter of an hour chatting with a neighbour who had lately lost a child.
plural of “want” — a state of extreme poverty
From this reading "Mamma," she resumed, "Monsieur l'Abbe who came the other day wants to see you.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It came from little Celine, whose face was beaming with delight.
(geology) the mechanical process of wearing or grinding something down (as by particles washing over it)
From this reading She was wearing a pair of new shoes and devouring a cake.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading And just as they were at last leaving the house they heard a call: "Mamma! mamma!"
which person or people
From this reading They then decided to go down, but at the bottom of the stairs they lingered for another quarter of an hour chatting with a neighbour who had lately lost a child.
belonging to which person
From this reading It came from little Celine, whose face was beaming with delight.
in the company of; together with
From this reading They then decided to go down, but at the bottom of the stairs they lingered for another quarter of an hour chatting with a neighbour who had lately lost a child.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Mamma," she resumed, "Monsieur l'Abbe who came the other day wants to see you.
