Chapter VII

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading THE TWINS’ SURPRISE-PACKET MOTHER was at the gate to meet them—a slender, pretty woman, looking not so much older than her tall daughters.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading And you’ve had _such_ a hot journey—you’ll want baths, but you must have some tea first.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading THE TWINS’ SURPRISE-PACKET MOTHER was at the gate to meet them—a slender, pretty woman, looking not so much older than her tall daughters.

plural of “bath” — a vessel containing liquid in which something is immersed (as to process it or to maintain it at a constant temperature or to lubricate it)

From this reading And you’ve had _such_ a hot journey—you’ll want baths, but you must have some tea first.

possessive form of “bear” — massive plantigrade carnivorous or omnivorous mammals with long shaggy coats and strong claws

From this reading She disappeared under their onslaught, emerging from a bear’s hug presently, dishevelled, but cheery.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading She disappeared under their onslaught, emerging from a bear’s hug presently, dishevelled, but cheery.

bright and pleasant; promoting a feeling of cheer

From this reading She disappeared under their onslaught, emerging from a bear’s hug presently, dishevelled, but cheery.

plural of “daughter” — a female human offspring

From this reading THE TWINS’ SURPRISE-PACKET MOTHER was at the gate to meet them—a slender, pretty woman, looking not so much older than her tall daughters.

dearly loved

From this reading “Well, you dear things,” she said.

past form of “disappear” — get lost, as without warning or explanation

From this reading She disappeared under their onslaught, emerging from a bear’s hug presently, dishevelled, but cheery.

in disarray; extremely disorderly

From this reading She disappeared under their onslaught, emerging from a bear’s hug presently, dishevelled, but cheery.

coming to maturity

From this reading She disappeared under their onslaught, emerging from a bear’s hug presently, dishevelled, but cheery.

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading And you’ve had _such_ a hot journey—you’ll want baths, but you must have some tea first.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading She disappeared under their onslaught, emerging from a bear’s hug presently, dishevelled, but cheery.

a movable barrier in a fence or wall

From this reading THE TWINS’ SURPRISE-PACKET MOTHER was at the gate to meet them—a slender, pretty woman, looking not so much older than her tall daughters.

come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading “It’s good to get you home.

having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified

From this reading “It’s good to get you home.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading And you’ve had _such_ a hot journey—you’ll want baths, but you must have some tea first.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading And you’ve had _such_ a hot journey—you’ll want baths, but you must have some tea first.

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading THE TWINS’ SURPRISE-PACKET MOTHER was at the gate to meet them—a slender, pretty woman, looking not so much older than her tall daughters.

where you live at a particular time

From this reading “It’s good to get you home.

used of physical heat; having a high or higher than desirable temperature or giving off heat or feeling or causing a sensation of heat or burning

From this reading And you’ve had _such_ a hot journey—you’ll want baths, but you must have some tea first.

hold (someone) tightly in your arms, usually with fondness

From this reading She disappeared under their onslaught, emerging from a bear’s hug presently, dishevelled, but cheery.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading “It’s good to get you home.

undertake a journey or trip

From this reading And you’ve had _such_ a hot journey—you’ll want baths, but you must have some tea first.

the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually

From this reading THE TWINS’ SURPRISE-PACKET MOTHER was at the gate to meet them—a slender, pretty woman, looking not so much older than her tall daughters.

come together

From this reading THE TWINS’ SURPRISE-PACKET MOTHER was at the gate to meet them—a slender, pretty woman, looking not so much older than her tall daughters.

a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)

From this reading THE TWINS’ SURPRISE-PACKET MOTHER was at the gate to meet them—a slender, pretty woman, looking not so much older than her tall daughters.

to a great degree or extent

From this reading THE TWINS’ SURPRISE-PACKET MOTHER was at the gate to meet them—a slender, pretty woman, looking not so much older than her tall daughters.

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading And you’ve had _such_ a hot journey—you’ll want baths, but you must have some tea first.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading THE TWINS’ SURPRISE-PACKET MOTHER was at the gate to meet them—a slender, pretty woman, looking not so much older than her tall daughters.

advanced in years; (“aged” is pronounced as two syllables)

From this reading THE TWINS’ SURPRISE-PACKET MOTHER was at the gate to meet them—a slender, pretty woman, looking not so much older than her tall daughters.

a sudden and severe onset of trouble

From this reading She disappeared under their onslaught, emerging from a bear’s hug presently, dishevelled, but cheery.

in the near future

From this reading She disappeared under their onslaught, emerging from a bear’s hug presently, dishevelled, but cheery.

pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing

From this reading THE TWINS’ SURPRISE-PACKET MOTHER was at the gate to meet them—a slender, pretty woman, looking not so much older than her tall daughters.

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading “Well, you dear things,” she said.

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading She disappeared under their onslaught, emerging from a bear’s hug presently, dishevelled, but cheery.

being of delicate or slender build

From this reading THE TWINS’ SURPRISE-PACKET MOTHER was at the gate to meet them—a slender, pretty woman, looking not so much older than her tall daughters.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading THE TWINS’ SURPRISE-PACKET MOTHER was at the gate to meet them—a slender, pretty woman, looking not so much older than her tall daughters.

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading And you’ve had _such_ a hot journey—you’ll want baths, but you must have some tea first.

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading And you’ve had _such_ a hot journey—you’ll want baths, but you must have some tea first.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE TWINS’ SURPRISE-PACKET MOTHER was at the gate to meet them—a slender, pretty woman, looking not so much older than her tall daughters.

great in vertical dimension; high in stature

From this reading THE TWINS’ SURPRISE-PACKET MOTHER was at the gate to meet them—a slender, pretty woman, looking not so much older than her tall daughters.

a beverage made by steeping tea leaves in water

From this reading And you’ve had _such_ a hot journey—you’ll want baths, but you must have some tea first.

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading THE TWINS’ SURPRISE-PACKET MOTHER was at the gate to meet them—a slender, pretty woman, looking not so much older than her tall daughters.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading THE TWINS’ SURPRISE-PACKET MOTHER was at the gate to meet them—a slender, pretty woman, looking not so much older than her tall daughters.

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading She disappeared under their onslaught, emerging from a bear’s hug presently, dishevelled, but cheery.

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading THE TWINS’ SURPRISE-PACKET MOTHER was at the gate to meet them—a slender, pretty woman, looking not so much older than her tall daughters.

any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)

From this reading “Well, you dear things,” she said.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading THE TWINS’ SURPRISE-PACKET MOTHER was at the gate to meet them—a slender, pretty woman, looking not so much older than her tall daughters.

(mineralogy) two interwoven crystals that are mirror images on each other

From this reading THE TWINS’ SURPRISE-PACKET MOTHER was at the gate to meet them—a slender, pretty woman, looking not so much older than her tall daughters.

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading She disappeared under their onslaught, emerging from a bear’s hug presently, dishevelled, but cheery.

feel or have a desire for; want strongly

From this reading And you’ve had _such_ a hot journey—you’ll want baths, but you must have some tea first.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading THE TWINS’ SURPRISE-PACKET MOTHER was at the gate to meet them—a slender, pretty woman, looking not so much older than her tall daughters.

(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)

From this reading “Well, you dear things,” she said.

an adult female person (as opposed to a man)

From this reading THE TWINS’ SURPRISE-PACKET MOTHER was at the gate to meet them—a slender, pretty woman, looking not so much older than her tall daughters.

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading “Well, you dear things,” she said.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading And you’ve had _such_ a hot journey—you’ll want baths, but you must have some tea first.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading And you’ve had _such_ a hot journey—you’ll want baths, but you must have some tea first.