used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Mrs Underwood and her son lingered together for a moment in the hall.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading These vague gropings after an unknown fact were very different from the discussions which took place in Grove Road when the girls were gone.
agitationnounUS /ˌædʒəˈteɪʃən/
a mental state of extreme emotional disturbance
From this reading She took hold of Geoffrey’s arm with both her hands, and leaned for a moment upon his shoulder and shed a few tears of agitation and distress.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading These vague gropings after an unknown fact were very different from the discussions which took place in Grove Road when the girls were gone.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Mrs Underwood and her son lingered together for a moment in the hall.
a human limb; technically the part of the superior limb between the shoulder and the elbow but commonly used to refer to the whole superior limb
From this reading She took hold of Geoffrey’s arm with both her hands, and leaned for a moment upon his shoulder and shed a few tears of agitation and distress.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading “You must not be frightened, mother.
the two together, not just one
From this reading She took hold of Geoffrey’s arm with both her hands, and leaned for a moment upon his shoulder and shed a few tears of agitation and distress.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading We can get on together, whatever happens,” he said in her ear.
unlike in nature or quality or form or degree
From this reading These vague gropings after an unknown fact were very different from the discussions which took place in Grove Road when the girls were gone.
discussionsnounUS /dɪˈskʌʃənz/
plural of “discussion” — an extended communication (often interactive) dealing with some particular topic
From this reading These vague gropings after an unknown fact were very different from the discussions which took place in Grove Road when the girls were gone.
psychological suffering
From this reading She took hold of Geoffrey’s arm with both her hands, and leaned for a moment upon his shoulder and shed a few tears of agitation and distress.
the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium
From this reading We can get on together, whatever happens,” he said in her ear.
a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred
From this reading These vague gropings after an unknown fact were very different from the discussions which took place in Grove Road when the girls were gone.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading She took hold of Geoffrey’s arm with both her hands, and leaned for a moment upon his shoulder and shed a few tears of agitation and distress.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Mrs Underwood and her son lingered together for a moment in the hall.
made afraid
From this reading “You must not be frightened, mother.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading These vague gropings after an unknown fact were very different from the discussions which took place in Grove Road when the girls were gone.
Geoffrey's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She took hold of Geoffrey’s arm with both her hands, and leaned for a moment upon his shoulder and shed a few tears of agitation and distress.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading We can get on together, whatever happens,” he said in her ear.
plural of “girl” — a young female
From this reading These vague gropings after an unknown fact were very different from the discussions which took place in Grove Road when the girls were gone.
destroyed or killed
From this reading These vague gropings after an unknown fact were very different from the discussions which took place in Grove Road when the girls were gone.
gropings
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading These vague gropings after an unknown fact were very different from the discussions which took place in Grove Road when the girls were gone.
GrovenounUS /ɡroʊv/
a small growth of trees without underbrush
From this reading These vague gropings after an unknown fact were very different from the discussions which took place in Grove Road when the girls were gone.
an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open
From this reading Mrs Underwood and her son lingered together for a moment in the hall.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading She took hold of Geoffrey’s arm with both her hands, and leaned for a moment upon his shoulder and shed a few tears of agitation and distress.
third-person singular of “happen” — come to pass
From this reading We can get on together, whatever happens,” he said in her ear.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading We can get on together, whatever happens,” he said in her ear.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Mrs Underwood and her son lingered together for a moment in the hall.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading She took hold of Geoffrey’s arm with both her hands, and leaned for a moment upon his shoulder and shed a few tears of agitation and distress.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading She took hold of Geoffrey’s arm with both her hands, and leaned for a moment upon his shoulder and shed a few tears of agitation and distress.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading These vague gropings after an unknown fact were very different from the discussions which took place in Grove Road when the girls were gone.
past form of “lean” — to incline or bend from a vertical position
From this reading She took hold of Geoffrey’s arm with both her hands, and leaned for a moment upon his shoulder and shed a few tears of agitation and distress.
lingeredverbUS /ˈlɪŋɡərd/
past form of “linger” — remain present although waning or gradually dying
From this reading Mrs Underwood and her son lingered together for a moment in the hall.
a particular point in time
From this reading Mrs Underwood and her son lingered together for a moment in the hall.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading “You must not be frightened, mother.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading Mrs Underwood and her son lingered together for a moment in the hall.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading “You must not be frightened, mother.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading “You must not be frightened, mother.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading She took hold of Geoffrey’s arm with both her hands, and leaned for a moment upon his shoulder and shed a few tears of agitation and distress.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading We can get on together, whatever happens,” he said in her ear.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading These vague gropings after an unknown fact were very different from the discussions which took place in Grove Road when the girls were gone.
an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation
From this reading These vague gropings after an unknown fact were very different from the discussions which took place in Grove Road when the girls were gone.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading We can get on together, whatever happens,” he said in her ear.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She took hold of Geoffrey’s arm with both her hands, and leaned for a moment upon his shoulder and shed a few tears of agitation and distress.
get rid of
From this reading She took hold of Geoffrey’s arm with both her hands, and leaned for a moment upon his shoulder and shed a few tears of agitation and distress.
lift onto one's shoulders
From this reading She took hold of Geoffrey’s arm with both her hands, and leaned for a moment upon his shoulder and shed a few tears of agitation and distress.
a male human offspring
From this reading Mrs Underwood and her son lingered together for a moment in the hall.
the process of shedding tears (usually accompanied by sobs or other inarticulate sounds)
From this reading She took hold of Geoffrey’s arm with both her hands, and leaned for a moment upon his shoulder and shed a few tears of agitation and distress.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading These vague gropings after an unknown fact were very different from the discussions which took place in Grove Road when the girls were gone.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading These vague gropings after an unknown fact were very different from the discussions which took place in Grove Road when the girls were gone.
in contact with each other or in proximity
From this reading Mrs Underwood and her son lingered together for a moment in the hall.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading These vague gropings after an unknown fact were very different from the discussions which took place in Grove Road when the girls were gone.
UnderwoodnounUS /ˈʌndərwʊd/
the brush (small trees and bushes and ferns etc.) growing beneath taller trees in a wood or forest
From this reading Mrs Underwood and her son lingered together for a moment in the hall.
not known
From this reading These vague gropings after an unknown fact were very different from the discussions which took place in Grove Road when the girls were gone.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading She took hold of Geoffrey’s arm with both her hands, and leaned for a moment upon his shoulder and shed a few tears of agitation and distress.
not clearly expressed or understood
From this reading These vague gropings after an unknown fact were very different from the discussions which took place in Grove Road when the girls were gone.
precisely as stated
From this reading These vague gropings after an unknown fact were very different from the discussions which took place in Grove Road when the girls were gone.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading We can get on together, whatever happens,” he said in her ear.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading These vague gropings after an unknown fact were very different from the discussions which took place in Grove Road when the girls were gone.
any or all of a kind, it does not matter which
From this reading We can get on together, whatever happens,” he said in her ear.
at the time that
From this reading These vague gropings after an unknown fact were very different from the discussions which took place in Grove Road when the girls were gone.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading These vague gropings after an unknown fact were very different from the discussions which took place in Grove Road when the girls were gone.
in the company of; together with
From this reading She took hold of Geoffrey’s arm with both her hands, and leaned for a moment upon his shoulder and shed a few tears of agitation and distress.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “You must not be frightened, mother.
