used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Writing to her uncle had never been a solemn affair with Kate.
advisernounUS /ædˈvaɪzər/
an expert who gives advice
From this reading She gossiped and jested with him quite as she would with a playfellow; it was playfellow, rather than spiritual adviser, he had always been to her, Kate's need seeming rather more for playfellows than for spiritual advisers.
advisersnounUS /ædˈvaɪzərz/
plural of “adviser” — an expert who gives advice
From this reading She gossiped and jested with him quite as she would with a playfellow; it was playfellow, rather than spiritual adviser, he had always been to her, Kate's need seeming rather more for playfellows than for spiritual advisers.
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading Writing to her uncle had never been a solemn affair with Kate.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading She gossiped and jested with him quite as she would with a playfellow; it was playfellow, rather than spiritual adviser, he had always been to her, Kate's need seeming rather more for playfellows than for spiritual advisers.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She gossiped and jested with him quite as she would with a playfellow; it was playfellow, rather than spiritual adviser, he had always been to her, Kate's need seeming rather more for playfellows than for spiritual advisers.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading She gossiped and jested with him quite as she would with a playfellow; it was playfellow, rather than spiritual adviser, he had always been to her, Kate's need seeming rather more for playfellows than for spiritual advisers.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At least that was what she would have said she was doing.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading To be literal, she was nibbling at the end of her pen.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Writing to her uncle had never been a solemn affair with Kate.
a senior member of the Christian clergy having spiritual and administrative authority; appointed in Christian churches to oversee priests or ministers; considered in some churches to be successors of the twelve Apostles of Christ
From this reading Katie was writing to her uncle the Bishop.
-ing form of “do” — engage in
From this reading At least that was what she would have said she was doing.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading To be literal, she was nibbling at the end of her pen.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading She gossiped and jested with him quite as she would with a playfellow; it was playfellow, rather than spiritual adviser, he had always been to her, Kate's need seeming rather more for playfellows than for spiritual advisers.
gossiped
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She gossiped and jested with him quite as she would with a playfellow; it was playfellow, rather than spiritual adviser, he had always been to her, Kate's need seeming rather more for playfellows than for spiritual advisers.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Writing to her uncle had never been a solemn affair with Kate.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading At least that was what she would have said she was doing.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She gossiped and jested with him quite as she would with a playfellow; it was playfellow, rather than spiritual adviser, he had always been to her, Kate's need seeming rather more for playfellows than for spiritual advisers.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Katie was writing to her uncle the Bishop.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading She gossiped and jested with him quite as she would with a playfellow; it was playfellow, rather than spiritual adviser, he had always been to her, Kate's need seeming rather more for playfellows than for spiritual advisers.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading She gossiped and jested with him quite as she would with a playfellow; it was playfellow, rather than spiritual adviser, he had always been to her, Kate's need seeming rather more for playfellows than for spiritual advisers.
jested
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She gossiped and jested with him quite as she would with a playfellow; it was playfellow, rather than spiritual adviser, he had always been to her, Kate's need seeming rather more for playfellows than for spiritual advisers.
Kate
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Writing to her uncle had never been a solemn affair with Kate.
Kate's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She gossiped and jested with him quite as she would with a playfellow; it was playfellow, rather than spiritual adviser, he had always been to her, Kate's need seeming rather more for playfellows than for spiritual advisers.
Katie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Katie was writing to her uncle the Bishop.
the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree
From this reading At least that was what she would have said she was doing.
literaladjectiveUS /ˈlɪtərəl/
being or reflecting the essential or genuine character of something
From this reading To be literal, she was nibbling at the end of her pen.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading She gossiped and jested with him quite as she would with a playfellow; it was playfellow, rather than spiritual adviser, he had always been to her, Kate's need seeming rather more for playfellows than for spiritual advisers.
a condition requiring relief
From this reading She gossiped and jested with him quite as she would with a playfellow; it was playfellow, rather than spiritual adviser, he had always been to her, Kate's need seeming rather more for playfellows than for spiritual advisers.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading Writing to her uncle had never been a solemn affair with Kate.
nibblingverbUS /ˈnɪbəlɪŋ/
-ing form of “nibble” — bite off very small pieces
From this reading To be literal, she was nibbling at the end of her pen.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading To be literal, she was nibbling at the end of her pen.
a writing implement with a point from which ink flows
From this reading To be literal, she was nibbling at the end of her pen.
playfellownoun
a companion at play
From this reading She gossiped and jested with him quite as she would with a playfellow; it was playfellow, rather than spiritual adviser, he had always been to her, Kate's need seeming rather more for playfellows than for spiritual advisers.
playfellows
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She gossiped and jested with him quite as she would with a playfellow; it was playfellow, rather than spiritual adviser, he had always been to her, Kate's need seeming rather more for playfellows than for spiritual advisers.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading She gossiped and jested with him quite as she would with a playfellow; it was playfellow, rather than spiritual adviser, he had always been to her, Kate's need seeming rather more for playfellows than for spiritual advisers.
on the contrary
From this reading She gossiped and jested with him quite as she would with a playfellow; it was playfellow, rather than spiritual adviser, he had always been to her, Kate's need seeming rather more for playfellows than for spiritual advisers.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading At least that was what she would have said she was doing.
seemingadjectiveUS /ˈsiːmɪŋ/
appearing as such but not necessarily so
From this reading She gossiped and jested with him quite as she would with a playfellow; it was playfellow, rather than spiritual adviser, he had always been to her, Kate's need seeming rather more for playfellows than for spiritual advisers.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading At least that was what she would have said she was doing.
dignified and somber in manner or character and committed to keeping promises
From this reading Writing to her uncle had never been a solemn affair with Kate.
concerned with sacred matters or religion or the church
From this reading She gossiped and jested with him quite as she would with a playfellow; it was playfellow, rather than spiritual adviser, he had always been to her, Kate's need seeming rather more for playfellows than for spiritual advisers.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading She gossiped and jested with him quite as she would with a playfellow; it was playfellow, rather than spiritual adviser, he had always been to her, Kate's need seeming rather more for playfellows than for spiritual advisers.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading At least that was what she would have said she was doing.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Katie was writing to her uncle the Bishop.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Katie was writing to her uncle the Bishop.
the brother of your father or mother; the husband of your aunt
From this reading Katie was writing to her uncle the Bishop.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Katie was writing to her uncle the Bishop.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading At least that was what she would have said she was doing.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Writing to her uncle had never been a solemn affair with Kate.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading At least that was what she would have said she was doing.
the act of creating written works
From this reading Katie was writing to her uncle the Bishop.
