used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading UNDER THE HEMLOCKS Shirley looked at Valiant with a deepening of her dimple.
adoptedadjectiveUS /əˈdɑːptɪd/
acquired as your own by free choice
From this reading She's an orphan, and the neighborhood in general, and Miss Mattie Sue Mabry in particular, have adopted her."
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading "Rickey isn't an aristocrat," she said: "she's what we call here poor-white, but she's got a heart of gold.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She's an orphan, and the neighborhood in general, and Miss Mattie Sue Mabry in particular, have adopted her."
aristocratnounUS /ərˈɪstəkræt/
a member of the aristocracy
From this reading "Rickey isn't an aristocrat," she said: "she's what we call here poor-white, but she's got a heart of gold.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He had canvassed many theories to explain his father's letter but such a thing as a duel he had never remotely imagined.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading UNDER THE HEMLOCKS Shirley looked at Valiant with a deepening of her dimple.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading "Rickey isn't an aristocrat," she said: "she's what we call here poor-white, but she's got a heart of gold.
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading "Rickey isn't an aristocrat," she said: "she's what we call here poor-white, but she's got a heart of gold.
canvassedverbUS /ˈkænvəst/
past form of “canvass” — get the opinions (of people) by asking specific questions
From this reading He had canvassed many theories to explain his father's letter but such a thing as a duel he had never remotely imagined.
deepeningnounUS /ˈdiːpənɪŋ/
a process of becoming deeper and more profound
From this reading UNDER THE HEMLOCKS Shirley looked at Valiant with a deepening of her dimple.
dimplenounUS /ˈdɪmpəl/
a chad that has been punched or dimpled but all four corners are still attached
From this reading UNDER THE HEMLOCKS Shirley looked at Valiant with a deepening of her dimple.
duelnounUS /ˈduːəl/
a prearranged fight with deadly weapons by two people (accompanied by seconds) in order to settle a quarrel over a point of honor
From this reading He had canvassed many theories to explain his father's letter but such a thing as a duel he had never remotely imagined.
make plain and comprehensible
From this reading He had canvassed many theories to explain his father's letter but such a thing as a duel he had never remotely imagined.
father'snounUS /ˈfɑːðərz/
possessive form of “father” — a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading He had canvassed many theories to explain his father's letter but such a thing as a duel he had never remotely imagined.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He hardly heard her words for the painful wonder that was holding him.
applying to all or most members of a category or group
From this reading She's an orphan, and the neighborhood in general, and Miss Mattie Sue Mabry in particular, have adopted her."
coins made of gold
From this reading "Rickey isn't an aristocrat," she said: "she's what we call here poor-white, but she's got a heart of gold.
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading "Rickey isn't an aristocrat," she said: "she's what we call here poor-white, but she's got a heart of gold.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had canvassed many theories to explain his father's letter but such a thing as a duel he had never remotely imagined.
only a very short time before
From this reading He hardly heard her words for the painful wonder that was holding him.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading She's an orphan, and the neighborhood in general, and Miss Mattie Sue Mabry in particular, have adopted her."
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He hardly heard her words for the painful wonder that was holding him.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading He hardly heard her words for the painful wonder that was holding him.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading "Rickey isn't an aristocrat," she said: "she's what we call here poor-white, but she's got a heart of gold.
HEMLOCKS
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading UNDER THE HEMLOCKS Shirley looked at Valiant with a deepening of her dimple.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading UNDER THE HEMLOCKS Shirley looked at Valiant with a deepening of her dimple.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading "Rickey isn't an aristocrat," she said: "she's what we call here poor-white, but she's got a heart of gold.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He hardly heard her words for the painful wonder that was holding him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He had canvassed many theories to explain his father's letter but such a thing as a duel he had never remotely imagined.
the act of retaining something
From this reading He hardly heard her words for the painful wonder that was holding him.
past form of “imagine” — form a mental image of something that is not present or that is not the case
From this reading He had canvassed many theories to explain his father's letter but such a thing as a duel he had never remotely imagined.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading She's an orphan, and the neighborhood in general, and Miss Mattie Sue Mabry in particular, have adopted her."
isn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Rickey isn't an aristocrat," she said: "she's what we call here poor-white, but she's got a heart of gold.
a written message addressed to a person or organization
From this reading He had canvassed many theories to explain his father's letter but such a thing as a duel he had never remotely imagined.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading UNDER THE HEMLOCKS Shirley looked at Valiant with a deepening of her dimple.
Mabry
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She's an orphan, and the neighborhood in general, and Miss Mattie Sue Mabry in particular, have adopted her."
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading He had canvassed many theories to explain his father's letter but such a thing as a duel he had never remotely imagined.
Mattie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She's an orphan, and the neighborhood in general, and Miss Mattie Sue Mabry in particular, have adopted her."
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading She's an orphan, and the neighborhood in general, and Miss Mattie Sue Mabry in particular, have adopted her."
neighborhoodnounUS /ˈneɪbərhʊd/
a surrounding or nearby region
From this reading She's an orphan, and the neighborhood in general, and Miss Mattie Sue Mabry in particular, have adopted her."
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading He had canvassed many theories to explain his father's letter but such a thing as a duel he had never remotely imagined.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading UNDER THE HEMLOCKS Shirley looked at Valiant with a deepening of her dimple.
orphannounUS /ˈɔːrfən/
a child who has lost both parents
From this reading She's an orphan, and the neighborhood in general, and Miss Mattie Sue Mabry in particular, have adopted her."
causing physical or psychological pain
From this reading He hardly heard her words for the painful wonder that was holding him.
unique or specific to a person or thing or category
From this reading She's an orphan, and the neighborhood in general, and Miss Mattie Sue Mabry in particular, have adopted her."
poor-white
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Rickey isn't an aristocrat," she said: "she's what we call here poor-white, but she's got a heart of gold.
remotelyadverbUS /riˈmoʊtli/
in a remote manner
From this reading He had canvassed many theories to explain his father's letter but such a thing as a duel he had never remotely imagined.
RickeynounUS /ˈrɪki/
a mixed drink made of sweetened lime juice and soda water usually with liquor
From this reading "Rickey isn't an aristocrat," she said: "she's what we call here poor-white, but she's got a heart of gold.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "Rickey isn't an aristocrat," she said: "she's what we call here poor-white, but she's got a heart of gold.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Rickey isn't an aristocrat," she said: "she's what we call here poor-white, but she's got a heart of gold.
she's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Rickey isn't an aristocrat," she said: "she's what we call here poor-white, but she's got a heart of gold.
Shirley
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading UNDER THE HEMLOCKS Shirley looked at Valiant with a deepening of her dimple.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading He had canvassed many theories to explain his father's letter but such a thing as a duel he had never remotely imagined.
SueverbUS /suː/
institute legal proceedings against; file a suit against
From this reading She's an orphan, and the neighborhood in general, and Miss Mattie Sue Mabry in particular, have adopted her."
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He hardly heard her words for the painful wonder that was holding him.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading UNDER THE HEMLOCKS Shirley looked at Valiant with a deepening of her dimple.
theoriesnounUS /ˈθɪriz/
plural of “theory” — a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world; an organized system of accepted knowledge that applies in a variety of circumstances to explain a specific set of phenomena
From this reading He had canvassed many theories to explain his father's letter but such a thing as a duel he had never remotely imagined.
a special situation
From this reading He had canvassed many theories to explain his father's letter but such a thing as a duel he had never remotely imagined.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He had canvassed many theories to explain his father's letter but such a thing as a duel he had never remotely imagined.
UNDERprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading UNDER THE HEMLOCKS Shirley looked at Valiant with a deepening of her dimple.
ValiantadjUS /ˈvæl.jənt/
Possessing or showing courage or determination; heroic. (Dũng cảm, quả cảm, anh hùng.)
From this reading UNDER THE HEMLOCKS Shirley looked at Valiant with a deepening of her dimple.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He hardly heard her words for the painful wonder that was holding him.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading "Rickey isn't an aristocrat," she said: "she's what we call here poor-white, but she's got a heart of gold.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "Rickey isn't an aristocrat," she said: "she's what we call here poor-white, but she's got a heart of gold.
in the company of; together with
From this reading UNDER THE HEMLOCKS Shirley looked at Valiant with a deepening of her dimple.
the feeling aroused by something strange and surprising
From this reading He hardly heard her words for the painful wonder that was holding him.
the words that are spoken
From this reading He hardly heard her words for the painful wonder that was holding him.
