used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was a winter of sharp frosts and sudden thaws.
activitynounUS /ækˈtɪvəti/
any specific behavior
From this reading She was now a woman of seventy, and the activity of her life had worn out her heart.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was a winter of sharp frosts and sudden thaws.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The epidemic was at its worst in November, and during that month it attacked Joan Daventry.
attackedverbUS /əˈtækt/
past form of “attack” — launch an attack or assault on; begin hostilities or start warfare with
From this reading The epidemic was at its worst in November, and during that month it attacked Joan Daventry.
inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading ROBERT DAVENTRY EXPLAINS Thus the greater part of three years passed, but toward the end of the third the influenza became virulent throughout that country.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading ROBERT DAVENTRY EXPLAINS Thus the greater part of three years passed, but toward the end of the third the influenza became virulent throughout that country.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading One week the lanes were deep in snow and the fields white squares ruled off by the hedges; the next the whole country-side ran water.
a politically organized body of people under a single government
From this reading ROBERT DAVENTRY EXPLAINS Thus the greater part of three years passed, but toward the end of the third the influenza became virulent throughout that country.
country-side
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One week the lanes were deep in snow and the fields white squares ruled off by the hedges; the next the whole country-side ran water.
DAVENTRY
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ROBERT DAVENTRY EXPLAINS Thus the greater part of three years passed, but toward the end of the third the influenza became virulent throughout that country.
relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply
From this reading One week the lanes were deep in snow and the fields white squares ruled off by the hedges; the next the whole country-side ran water.
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading The epidemic was at its worst in November, and during that month it attacked Joan Daventry.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading ROBERT DAVENTRY EXPLAINS Thus the greater part of three years passed, but toward the end of the third the influenza became virulent throughout that country.
epidemicnounUS /ˌepəˈdemɪk/
a widespread outbreak of an infectious disease; many people are infected at the same time
From this reading The epidemic was at its worst in November, and during that month it attacked Joan Daventry.
EXPLAINSverbUS /ɪkˈspleɪnz/
third-person singular of “explain” — make plain and comprehensible
From this reading ROBERT DAVENTRY EXPLAINS Thus the greater part of three years passed, but toward the end of the third the influenza became virulent throughout that country.
United States comedian and film actor (1880-1946)
From this reading One week the lanes were deep in snow and the fields white squares ruled off by the hedges; the next the whole country-side ran water.
frostsnounUS /frɔːsts/
plural of “frost” — ice crystals forming a white deposit (especially on objects outside)
From this reading It was a winter of sharp frosts and sudden thaws.
greater in size or importance or degree
From this reading ROBERT DAVENTRY EXPLAINS Thus the greater part of three years passed, but toward the end of the third the influenza became virulent throughout that country.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading She was now a woman of seventy, and the activity of her life had worn out her heart.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading She was now a woman of seventy, and the activity of her life had worn out her heart.
hedgesnounUS /ˈhedʒɪz/
plural of “hedge” — a fence formed by a row of closely planted shrubs or bushes
From this reading One week the lanes were deep in snow and the fields white squares ruled off by the hedges; the next the whole country-side ran water.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She was now a woman of seventy, and the activity of her life had worn out her heart.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading One week the lanes were deep in snow and the fields white squares ruled off by the hedges; the next the whole country-side ran water.
influenzanounUS /ˌɪnfluːˈenzə/
an acute febrile highly contagious viral disease
From this reading ROBERT DAVENTRY EXPLAINS Thus the greater part of three years passed, but toward the end of the third the influenza became virulent throughout that country.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was a winter of sharp frosts and sudden thaws.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The epidemic was at its worst in November, and during that month it attacked Joan Daventry.
Joan
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The epidemic was at its worst in November, and during that month it attacked Joan Daventry.
lanesnounUS /leɪnz/
plural of “lane” — a narrow way or road
From this reading One week the lanes were deep in snow and the fields white squares ruled off by the hedges; the next the whole country-side ran water.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading She was now a woman of seventy, and the activity of her life had worn out her heart.
one of the twelve divisions of the calendar year
From this reading The epidemic was at its worst in November, and during that month it attacked Joan Daventry.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading One week the lanes were deep in snow and the fields white squares ruled off by the hedges; the next the whole country-side ran water.
NovembernounUS /noʊˈvembər/
the month following October and preceding December
From this reading The epidemic was at its worst in November, and during that month it attacked Joan Daventry.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading She was now a woman of seventy, and the activity of her life had worn out her heart.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading ROBERT DAVENTRY EXPLAINS Thus the greater part of three years passed, but toward the end of the third the influenza became virulent throughout that country.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading One week the lanes were deep in snow and the fields white squares ruled off by the hedges; the next the whole country-side ran water.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading One week the lanes were deep in snow and the fields white squares ruled off by the hedges; the next the whole country-side ran water.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading She was now a woman of seventy, and the activity of her life had worn out her heart.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading ROBERT DAVENTRY EXPLAINS Thus the greater part of three years passed, but toward the end of the third the influenza became virulent throughout that country.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading ROBERT DAVENTRY EXPLAINS Thus the greater part of three years passed, but toward the end of the third the influenza became virulent throughout that country.
inflected form of “run” — move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading One week the lanes were deep in snow and the fields white squares ruled off by the hedges; the next the whole country-side ran water.
United States parliamentary authority and author (in 1876) of Robert's Rules of Order (1837-1923)
From this reading ROBERT DAVENTRY EXPLAINS Thus the greater part of three years passed, but toward the end of the third the influenza became virulent throughout that country.
ruledadjectiveUS /ruːld/
subject to a ruling authority
From this reading One week the lanes were deep in snow and the fields white squares ruled off by the hedges; the next the whole country-side ran water.
seventyadjectiveUS /ˈsevənti/
being ten more than sixty
From this reading She was now a woman of seventy, and the activity of her life had worn out her heart.
(of something seen or heard) clearly defined
From this reading It was a winter of sharp frosts and sudden thaws.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She was now a woman of seventy, and the activity of her life had worn out her heart.
precipitation falling from clouds in the form of ice crystals
From this reading One week the lanes were deep in snow and the fields white squares ruled off by the hedges; the next the whole country-side ran water.
squaresnounUS /skwerz/
plural of “square” — (geometry) a plane rectangle with four equal sides and four right angles; a four-sided regular polygon
From this reading One week the lanes were deep in snow and the fields white squares ruled off by the hedges; the next the whole country-side ran water.
happening without warning or in a short space of time
From this reading It was a winter of sharp frosts and sudden thaws.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading ROBERT DAVENTRY EXPLAINS Thus the greater part of three years passed, but toward the end of the third the influenza became virulent throughout that country.
thawsnounUS /θɔːz/
plural of “thaw” — the process whereby heat changes something from a solid to a liquid
From this reading It was a winter of sharp frosts and sudden thaws.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading ROBERT DAVENTRY EXPLAINS Thus the greater part of three years passed, but toward the end of the third the influenza became virulent throughout that country.
one of three equal parts of a divisible whole
From this reading ROBERT DAVENTRY EXPLAINS Thus the greater part of three years passed, but toward the end of the third the influenza became virulent throughout that country.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading ROBERT DAVENTRY EXPLAINS Thus the greater part of three years passed, but toward the end of the third the influenza became virulent throughout that country.
in every part of a place, or for the whole of a period
From this reading ROBERT DAVENTRY EXPLAINS Thus the greater part of three years passed, but toward the end of the third the influenza became virulent throughout that country.
(used to introduce a logical conclusion) from that fact or reason or as a result
From this reading ROBERT DAVENTRY EXPLAINS Thus the greater part of three years passed, but toward the end of the third the influenza became virulent throughout that country.
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading ROBERT DAVENTRY EXPLAINS Thus the greater part of three years passed, but toward the end of the third the influenza became virulent throughout that country.
virulentadjectiveUS /ˈvɪrələnt/
extremely poisonous or injurious; producing venom
From this reading ROBERT DAVENTRY EXPLAINS Thus the greater part of three years passed, but toward the end of the third the influenza became virulent throughout that country.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was a winter of sharp frosts and sudden thaws.
binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent
From this reading One week the lanes were deep in snow and the fields white squares ruled off by the hedges; the next the whole country-side ran water.
any period of seven consecutive days
From this reading One week the lanes were deep in snow and the fields white squares ruled off by the hedges; the next the whole country-side ran water.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading One week the lanes were deep in snow and the fields white squares ruled off by the hedges; the next the whole country-side ran water.
a Caucasian
From this reading One week the lanes were deep in snow and the fields white squares ruled off by the hedges; the next the whole country-side ran water.
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading One week the lanes were deep in snow and the fields white squares ruled off by the hedges; the next the whole country-side ran water.
the coldest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the winter solstice to the vernal equinox
From this reading It was a winter of sharp frosts and sudden thaws.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading She was now a woman of seventy, and the activity of her life had worn out her heart.
Damaged or thinned by continuous use.
From this reading She was now a woman of seventy, and the activity of her life had worn out her heart.
the least favorable outcome
From this reading The epidemic was at its worst in November, and during that month it attacked Joan Daventry.
a late time of life
From this reading ROBERT DAVENTRY EXPLAINS Thus the greater part of three years passed, but toward the end of the third the influenza became virulent throughout that country.
