used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A lonely woman's life is scarce worth living.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Tabitha, comfortably conscious of only forty years and an iron frame, shrugged her shoulders and smiled grimly.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading We have no hopes, no aspirations; other women have had happy husbands and children, but we in this forgotten place have grown old together.
aspirationsnounUS /ˌæspərˈeɪʃənz/
plural of “aspiration” — a will to succeed
From this reading We have no hopes, no aspirations; other women have had happy husbands and children, but we in this forgotten place have grown old together.
the supreme effort one can make
From this reading "Perhaps it is best so.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading We have no hopes, no aspirations; other women have had happy husbands and children, but we in this forgotten place have grown old together.
plural of “child” — a young person of either sex
From this reading We have no hopes, no aspirations; other women have had happy husbands and children, but we in this forgotten place have grown old together.
comfortablyadverbUS /ˈkʌmfərtəbli/
in mental comfort; without stress
From this reading Tabitha, comfortably conscious of only forty years and an iron frame, shrugged her shoulders and smiled grimly.
intentionally conceived
From this reading Tabitha, comfortably conscious of only forty years and an iron frame, shrugged her shoulders and smiled grimly.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading I go first, but you must soon follow."
to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading I go first, but you must soon follow."
Not remembered; lapsed from memory.
From this reading We have no hopes, no aspirations; other women have had happy husbands and children, but we in this forgotten place have grown old together.
fortyadjectiveUS /ˈfɔːrti/
being ten more than thirty
From this reading Tabitha, comfortably conscious of only forty years and an iron frame, shrugged her shoulders and smiled grimly.
enclose in or as if in a frame
From this reading Tabitha, comfortably conscious of only forty years and an iron frame, shrugged her shoulders and smiled grimly.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading I go first, but you must soon follow."
grimlyadverbUS /ˈɡrɪmli/
in a grim implacable manner
From this reading Tabitha, comfortably conscious of only forty years and an iron frame, shrugged her shoulders and smiled grimly.
(of animals) fully developed
From this reading We have no hopes, no aspirations; other women have had happy husbands and children, but we in this forgotten place have grown old together.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading We have no hopes, no aspirations; other women have had happy husbands and children, but we in this forgotten place have grown old together.
enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure
From this reading We have no hopes, no aspirations; other women have had happy husbands and children, but we in this forgotten place have grown old together.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading We have no hopes, no aspirations; other women have had happy husbands and children, but we in this forgotten place have grown old together.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Tabitha, comfortably conscious of only forty years and an iron frame, shrugged her shoulders and smiled grimly.
plural of “hope” — a specific instance of feeling hopeful
From this reading We have no hopes, no aspirations; other women have had happy husbands and children, but we in this forgotten place have grown old together.
husbandsnounUS /ˈhʌzbəndz/
plural of “husband” — a married man; a woman's partner in marriage
From this reading We have no hopes, no aspirations; other women have had happy husbands and children, but we in this forgotten place have grown old together.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I go first, but you must soon follow."
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading We have no hopes, no aspirations; other women have had happy husbands and children, but we in this forgotten place have grown old together.
a heavy ductile magnetic metallic element; is silver-white in pure form but readily rusts; used in construction and tools and armament; plays a role in the transport of oxygen by the blood
From this reading Tabitha, comfortably conscious of only forty years and an iron frame, shrugged her shoulders and smiled grimly.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "Perhaps it is best so.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "Perhaps it is best so.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading A lonely woman's life is scarce worth living.
the experience of being alive; the course of human events and activities
From this reading A lonely woman's life is scarce worth living.
lacking companions or companionship
From this reading A lonely woman's life is scarce worth living.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading I go first, but you must soon follow."
not any; not one
From this reading We have no hopes, no aspirations; other women have had happy husbands and children, but we in this forgotten place have grown old together.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Tabitha, comfortably conscious of only forty years and an iron frame, shrugged her shoulders and smiled grimly.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading We have no hopes, no aspirations; other women have had happy husbands and children, but we in this forgotten place have grown old together.
and nothing more
From this reading Tabitha, comfortably conscious of only forty years and an iron frame, shrugged her shoulders and smiled grimly.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading We have no hopes, no aspirations; other women have had happy husbands and children, but we in this forgotten place have grown old together.
by chance
From this reading "Perhaps it is best so.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading We have no hopes, no aspirations; other women have had happy husbands and children, but we in this forgotten place have grown old together.
only a very short time before
From this reading A lonely woman's life is scarce worth living.
plural of “shoulder” — the part of the body between the neck and the upper arm
From this reading Tabitha, comfortably conscious of only forty years and an iron frame, shrugged her shoulders and smiled grimly.
shruggedverbUS /ʃrʌɡd/
inflected form of “shrug” — raise one's shoulders to indicate indifference or resignation
From this reading Tabitha, comfortably conscious of only forty years and an iron frame, shrugged her shoulders and smiled grimly.
past form of “smile” — change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure
From this reading Tabitha, comfortably conscious of only forty years and an iron frame, shrugged her shoulders and smiled grimly.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading "Perhaps it is best so.
in the near future
From this reading I go first, but you must soon follow."
Tabitha
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Tabitha, comfortably conscious of only forty years and an iron frame, shrugged her shoulders and smiled grimly.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading We have no hopes, no aspirations; other women have had happy husbands and children, but we in this forgotten place have grown old together.
in contact with each other or in proximity
From this reading We have no hopes, no aspirations; other women have had happy husbands and children, but we in this forgotten place have grown old together.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading We have no hopes, no aspirations; other women have had happy husbands and children, but we in this forgotten place have grown old together.
woman'snounUS /ˈwʊmənz/
possessive form of “woman” — an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading A lonely woman's life is scarce worth living.
plural of “woman” — an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading We have no hopes, no aspirations; other women have had happy husbands and children, but we in this forgotten place have grown old together.
an indefinite quantity of something having a specified value
From this reading A lonely woman's life is scarce worth living.
a late time of life
From this reading Tabitha, comfortably conscious of only forty years and an iron frame, shrugged her shoulders and smiled grimly.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading I go first, but you must soon follow."
![The three sisters [Night watches, Part 6.]](/static/images/covers-gen/the-three-sisters-night-watches-part-6.webp)