used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading In a quarter of an hour Mrs. Jenner returned.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading "My child and I are almost starving, almost without a fire; yet you devour our small portion and burn our sticks.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading In a quarter of an hour Mrs. Jenner returned.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She looked at the empty table, at the heaped up fuel in the grate, and finally her gaze of loathing and of scorn fell upon the figure by the fire.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "My child and I are almost starving, almost without a fire; yet you devour our small portion and burn our sticks.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading She looked at the empty table, at the heaped up fuel in the grate, and finally her gaze of loathing and of scorn fell upon the figure by the fire.
brutenounUS /bruːt/
a cruelly rapacious person
From this reading "Still the same selfish brute," she said, resuming her seat and her work.
To consume or be consumed by fire.
From this reading "My child and I are almost starving, almost without a fire; yet you devour our small portion and burn our sticks.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading She looked at the empty table, at the heaped up fuel in the grate, and finally her gaze of loathing and of scorn fell upon the figure by the fire.
a young person of either sex
From this reading "My child and I are almost starving, almost without a fire; yet you devour our small portion and burn our sticks.
devourverbUS /dɪˈvaʊər/
destroy completely
From this reading "My child and I are almost starving, almost without a fire; yet you devour our small portion and burn our sticks.
make void or empty of contents
From this reading She looked at the empty table, at the heaped up fuel in the grate, and finally her gaze of loathing and of scorn fell upon the figure by the fire.
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading She looked at the empty table, at the heaped up fuel in the grate, and finally her gaze of loathing and of scorn fell upon the figure by the fire.
a diagram or picture illustrating textual material
From this reading She looked at the empty table, at the heaped up fuel in the grate, and finally her gaze of loathing and of scorn fell upon the figure by the fire.
after an unspecified period of time or an especially long delay
From this reading She looked at the empty table, at the heaped up fuel in the grate, and finally her gaze of loathing and of scorn fell upon the figure by the fire.
start firing a weapon
From this reading She looked at the empty table, at the heaped up fuel in the grate, and finally her gaze of loathing and of scorn fell upon the figure by the fire.
fuelverbUS /ˈfjuːəl/
provide with a combustible substance that provides energy
From this reading She looked at the empty table, at the heaped up fuel in the grate, and finally her gaze of loathing and of scorn fell upon the figure by the fire.
a long fixed look
From this reading She looked at the empty table, at the heaped up fuel in the grate, and finally her gaze of loathing and of scorn fell upon the figure by the fire.
gratenounUS /ɡreɪt/
a frame of iron bars to hold a fire
From this reading She looked at the empty table, at the heaped up fuel in the grate, and finally her gaze of loathing and of scorn fell upon the figure by the fire.
heapedverbUS /hiːpt/
past form of “heap” — bestow in large quantities
From this reading She looked at the empty table, at the heaped up fuel in the grate, and finally her gaze of loathing and of scorn fell upon the figure by the fire.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She looked at the empty table, at the heaped up fuel in the grate, and finally her gaze of loathing and of scorn fell upon the figure by the fire.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading In a quarter of an hour Mrs. Jenner returned.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "My child and I are almost starving, almost without a fire; yet you devour our small portion and burn our sticks.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In a quarter of an hour Mrs. Jenner returned.
JennernounUS /ˈdʒenər/
English physician who pioneered vaccination; Jenner inoculated people with small amounts of cowpox to prevent them from getting smallpox (1749-1823)
From this reading In a quarter of an hour Mrs. Jenner returned.
loathingnounUS /ˈloʊθɪŋ/
hate coupled with disgust
From this reading She looked at the empty table, at the heaped up fuel in the grate, and finally her gaze of loathing and of scorn fell upon the figure by the fire.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading She looked at the empty table, at the heaped up fuel in the grate, and finally her gaze of loathing and of scorn fell upon the figure by the fire.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading In a quarter of an hour Mrs. Jenner returned.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "My child and I are almost starving, almost without a fire; yet you devour our small portion and burn our sticks.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading And why not?
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading In a quarter of an hour Mrs. Jenner returned.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading "My child and I are almost starving, almost without a fire; yet you devour our small portion and burn our sticks.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading "My child and I are almost starving, almost without a fire; yet you devour our small portion and burn our sticks.
one of four equal parts
From this reading In a quarter of an hour Mrs. Jenner returned.
resumingverbUS /rɪˈzuːmɪŋ/
-ing form of “resume” — take up or begin anew
From this reading "Still the same selfish brute," she said, resuming her seat and her work.
past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading In a quarter of an hour Mrs. Jenner returned.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "Still the same selfish brute," she said, resuming her seat and her work.
Identical; not different.
From this reading "Still the same selfish brute," she said, resuming her seat and her work.
lack of respect accompanied by a feeling of intense dislike
From this reading She looked at the empty table, at the heaped up fuel in the grate, and finally her gaze of loathing and of scorn fell upon the figure by the fire.
a space reserved for sitting (as in a theater or on a train or airplane)
From this reading "Still the same selfish brute," she said, resuming her seat and her work.
selfishadjectiveUS /ˈselfɪʃ/
concerned chiefly or only with yourself and your advantage to the exclusion of others
From this reading "Still the same selfish brute," she said, resuming her seat and her work.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She looked at the empty table, at the heaped up fuel in the grate, and finally her gaze of loathing and of scorn fell upon the figure by the fire.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading "My child and I are almost starving, almost without a fire; yet you devour our small portion and burn our sticks.
starvingadjectiveUS /ˈstɑːrvɪŋ/
suffering from lack of food
From this reading "My child and I are almost starving, almost without a fire; yet you devour our small portion and burn our sticks.
sticksnounUS /stɪks/
plural of “stick” — an implement consisting of a length of wood
From this reading "My child and I are almost starving, almost without a fire; yet you devour our small portion and burn our sticks.
not in physical motion
From this reading "Still the same selfish brute," she said, resuming her seat and her work.
a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading She looked at the empty table, at the heaped up fuel in the grate, and finally her gaze of loathing and of scorn fell upon the figure by the fire.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading She looked at the empty table, at the heaped up fuel in the grate, and finally her gaze of loathing and of scorn fell upon the figure by the fire.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading She looked at the empty table, at the heaped up fuel in the grate, and finally her gaze of loathing and of scorn fell upon the figure by the fire.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading She looked at the empty table, at the heaped up fuel in the grate, and finally her gaze of loathing and of scorn fell upon the figure by the fire.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading And why not?
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading "My child and I are almost starving, almost without a fire; yet you devour our small portion and burn our sticks.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading "Still the same selfish brute," she said, resuming her seat and her work.
but in spite of that
From this reading "My child and I are almost starving, almost without a fire; yet you devour our small portion and burn our sticks.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "My child and I are almost starving, almost without a fire; yet you devour our small portion and burn our sticks.
