used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Only a child of coarse calibre can stand out against the silent condemnation of an elder; to May, who had lived in an atmosphere of sunshine, the General's demeanor was well-nigh unbearable.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading Only a child of coarse calibre can stand out against the silent condemnation of an elder; to May, who had lived in an atmosphere of sunshine, the General's demeanor was well-nigh unbearable.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Only a child of coarse calibre can stand out against the silent condemnation of an elder; to May, who had lived in an atmosphere of sunshine, the General's demeanor was well-nigh unbearable.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE SKY BRIGHTENS The General must have thought his housekeeper too valuable to lose, for May was neither placed under lock and key nor condemned to prison fare of bread and water.
arguedverbUS /ˈɑːrɡjuːd/
past form of “argue” — present reasons and arguments
From this reading "What good will it do to tell?" she argued with herself.
a particular environment or surrounding influence
From this reading Only a child of coarse calibre can stand out against the silent condemnation of an elder; to May, who had lived in an atmosphere of sunshine, the General's demeanor was well-nigh unbearable.
have
From this reading In one way this order of severity would have been easier to bear than daily meetings with the silent General.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading In one way this order of severity would have been easier to bear than daily meetings with the silent General.
food made from dough of flour or meal and usually raised with yeast or baking powder and then baked
From this reading THE SKY BRIGHTENS The General must have thought his housekeeper too valuable to lose, for May was neither placed under lock and key nor condemned to prison fare of bread and water.
BRIGHTENSverbUS /ˈbraɪtənz/
third-person singular of “brighten” — make more cheerful through the use of color
From this reading THE SKY BRIGHTENS The General must have thought his housekeeper too valuable to lose, for May was neither placed under lock and key nor condemned to prison fare of bread and water.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Confession trembled on her lips more than once, but was repressed.
calibrenoun
a degree or grade of excellence or worth
From this reading Only a child of coarse calibre can stand out against the silent condemnation of an elder; to May, who had lived in an atmosphere of sunshine, the General's demeanor was well-nigh unbearable.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading Only a child of coarse calibre can stand out against the silent condemnation of an elder; to May, who had lived in an atmosphere of sunshine, the General's demeanor was well-nigh unbearable.
a young person of either sex
From this reading Only a child of coarse calibre can stand out against the silent condemnation of an elder; to May, who had lived in an atmosphere of sunshine, the General's demeanor was well-nigh unbearable.
coarseadjectiveUS /kɔːrs/
of textures that are rough to the touch or substances consisting of relatively large particles
From this reading Only a child of coarse calibre can stand out against the silent condemnation of an elder; to May, who had lived in an atmosphere of sunshine, the General's demeanor was well-nigh unbearable.
condemnationnounUS /ˌkɑːndəmˈneɪʃən/
an expression of strong disapproval; pronouncing as wrong or morally culpable
From this reading Only a child of coarse calibre can stand out against the silent condemnation of an elder; to May, who had lived in an atmosphere of sunshine, the General's demeanor was well-nigh unbearable.
condemnedverbUS /kənˈdemd/
past form of “condemn” — express strong disapproval of
From this reading THE SKY BRIGHTENS The General must have thought his housekeeper too valuable to lose, for May was neither placed under lock and key nor condemned to prison fare of bread and water.
ConfessionnounUS /kənˈfeʃən/
an admission of misdeeds or faults
From this reading Confession trembled on her lips more than once, but was repressed.
every day; without missing a day
From this reading In one way this order of severity would have been easier to bear than daily meetings with the silent General.
demeanornounUS /dɪˈmiːnər/
(behavioral attributes) the way a person behaves toward other people
From this reading Only a child of coarse calibre can stand out against the silent condemnation of an elder; to May, who had lived in an atmosphere of sunshine, the General's demeanor was well-nigh unbearable.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading "What good will it do to tell?" she argued with herself.
comparative of “easy” — posing no difficulty; requiring little effort
From this reading In one way this order of severity would have been easier to bear than daily meetings with the silent General.
a person who is older than you are
From this reading Only a child of coarse calibre can stand out against the silent condemnation of an elder; to May, who had lived in an atmosphere of sunshine, the General's demeanor was well-nigh unbearable.
farenounUS /fer/
an agenda of things to do
From this reading THE SKY BRIGHTENS The General must have thought his housekeeper too valuable to lose, for May was neither placed under lock and key nor condemned to prison fare of bread and water.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading THE SKY BRIGHTENS The General must have thought his housekeeper too valuable to lose, for May was neither placed under lock and key nor condemned to prison fare of bread and water.
applying to all or most members of a category or group
From this reading THE SKY BRIGHTENS The General must have thought his housekeeper too valuable to lose, for May was neither placed under lock and key nor condemned to prison fare of bread and water.
General'snounUS /ˈdʒenərəlz/
possessive form of “general” — a general officer of the highest rank
From this reading Only a child of coarse calibre can stand out against the silent condemnation of an elder; to May, who had lived in an atmosphere of sunshine, the General's demeanor was well-nigh unbearable.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading "What good will it do to tell?" she argued with herself.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Only a child of coarse calibre can stand out against the silent condemnation of an elder; to May, who had lived in an atmosphere of sunshine, the General's demeanor was well-nigh unbearable.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading THE SKY BRIGHTENS The General must have thought his housekeeper too valuable to lose, for May was neither placed under lock and key nor condemned to prison fare of bread and water.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Confession trembled on her lips more than once, but was repressed.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading "What good will it do to tell?" she argued with herself.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading THE SKY BRIGHTENS The General must have thought his housekeeper too valuable to lose, for May was neither placed under lock and key nor condemned to prison fare of bread and water.
housekeepernounUS /ˈhaʊskiːpər/
a servant who is employed to perform domestic task in a household
From this reading THE SKY BRIGHTENS The General must have thought his housekeeper too valuable to lose, for May was neither placed under lock and key nor condemned to prison fare of bread and water.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In one way this order of severity would have been easier to bear than daily meetings with the silent General.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "What good will it do to tell?" she argued with herself.
metal device shaped in such a way that when it is inserted into the appropriate lock the lock's mechanism can be rotated
From this reading THE SKY BRIGHTENS The General must have thought his housekeeper too valuable to lose, for May was neither placed under lock and key nor condemned to prison fare of bread and water.
plural of “lip” — either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking
From this reading Confession trembled on her lips more than once, but was repressed.
past form of “live” — be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading Only a child of coarse calibre can stand out against the silent condemnation of an elder; to May, who had lived in an atmosphere of sunshine, the General's demeanor was well-nigh unbearable.
fasten with a lock
From this reading THE SKY BRIGHTENS The General must have thought his housekeeper too valuable to lose, for May was neither placed under lock and key nor condemned to prison fare of bread and water.
fail to keep or to maintain; cease to have, either physically or in an abstract sense
From this reading THE SKY BRIGHTENS The General must have thought his housekeeper too valuable to lose, for May was neither placed under lock and key nor condemned to prison fare of bread and water.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading THE SKY BRIGHTENS The General must have thought his housekeeper too valuable to lose, for May was neither placed under lock and key nor condemned to prison fare of bread and water.
meetingsnounUS /ˈmiːtɪŋz/
plural of “meeting” — a formally arranged gathering
From this reading In one way this order of severity would have been easier to bear than daily meetings with the silent General.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Confession trembled on her lips more than once, but was repressed.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading THE SKY BRIGHTENS The General must have thought his housekeeper too valuable to lose, for May was neither placed under lock and key nor condemned to prison fare of bread and water.
not one and not the other of two
From this reading THE SKY BRIGHTENS The General must have thought his housekeeper too valuable to lose, for May was neither placed under lock and key nor condemned to prison fare of bread and water.
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading THE SKY BRIGHTENS The General must have thought his housekeeper too valuable to lose, for May was neither placed under lock and key nor condemned to prison fare of bread and water.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE SKY BRIGHTENS The General must have thought his housekeeper too valuable to lose, for May was neither placed under lock and key nor condemned to prison fare of bread and water.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Confession trembled on her lips more than once, but was repressed.
on one occasion
From this reading Confession trembled on her lips more than once, but was repressed.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading In one way this order of severity would have been easier to bear than daily meetings with the silent General.
and nothing more
From this reading Only a child of coarse calibre can stand out against the silent condemnation of an elder; to May, who had lived in an atmosphere of sunshine, the General's demeanor was well-nigh unbearable.
(often plural) a command given by a superior (e.g., a military or law enforcement officer) that must be obeyed
From this reading In one way this order of severity would have been easier to bear than daily meetings with the silent General.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Only a child of coarse calibre can stand out against the silent condemnation of an elder; to May, who had lived in an atmosphere of sunshine, the General's demeanor was well-nigh unbearable.
situated in a particular spot or position
From this reading THE SKY BRIGHTENS The General must have thought his housekeeper too valuable to lose, for May was neither placed under lock and key nor condemned to prison fare of bread and water.
a correctional institution where persons are confined while on trial or for punishment
From this reading THE SKY BRIGHTENS The General must have thought his housekeeper too valuable to lose, for May was neither placed under lock and key nor condemned to prison fare of bread and water.
repressedadjectiveUS /riˈprest/
characterized by or showing the suppression of impulses or emotions
From this reading Confession trembled on her lips more than once, but was repressed.
severitynounUS /sɪˈverɪti/
used of the degree of something undesirable e.g. pain or weather
From this reading In one way this order of severity would have been easier to bear than daily meetings with the silent General.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "What good will it do to tell?" she argued with herself.
marked by absence of sound
From this reading In one way this order of severity would have been easier to bear than daily meetings with the silent General.
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading THE SKY BRIGHTENS The General must have thought his housekeeper too valuable to lose, for May was neither placed under lock and key nor condemned to prison fare of bread and water.
be standing; be upright
From this reading Only a child of coarse calibre can stand out against the silent condemnation of an elder; to May, who had lived in an atmosphere of sunshine, the General's demeanor was well-nigh unbearable.
the rays of the sun
From this reading Only a child of coarse calibre can stand out against the silent condemnation of an elder; to May, who had lived in an atmosphere of sunshine, the General's demeanor was well-nigh unbearable.
express in words
From this reading "What good will it do to tell?" she argued with herself.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading In one way this order of severity would have been easier to bear than daily meetings with the silent General.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE SKY BRIGHTENS The General must have thought his housekeeper too valuable to lose, for May was neither placed under lock and key nor condemned to prison fare of bread and water.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading In one way this order of severity would have been easier to bear than daily meetings with the silent General.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading THE SKY BRIGHTENS The General must have thought his housekeeper too valuable to lose, for May was neither placed under lock and key nor condemned to prison fare of bread and water.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE SKY BRIGHTENS The General must have thought his housekeeper too valuable to lose, for May was neither placed under lock and key nor condemned to prison fare of bread and water.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading THE SKY BRIGHTENS The General must have thought his housekeeper too valuable to lose, for May was neither placed under lock and key nor condemned to prison fare of bread and water.
past form of “tremble” — move or jerk quickly and involuntarily up and down or sideways
From this reading Confession trembled on her lips more than once, but was repressed.
unbearableadjectiveUS /ənˈberəbəl/
incapable of being tolerated or endured
From this reading Only a child of coarse calibre can stand out against the silent condemnation of an elder; to May, who had lived in an atmosphere of sunshine, the General's demeanor was well-nigh unbearable.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading THE SKY BRIGHTENS The General must have thought his housekeeper too valuable to lose, for May was neither placed under lock and key nor condemned to prison fare of bread and water.
having great material or monetary value especially for use or exchange
From this reading THE SKY BRIGHTENS The General must have thought his housekeeper too valuable to lose, for May was neither placed under lock and key nor condemned to prison fare of bread and water.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading THE SKY BRIGHTENS The General must have thought his housekeeper too valuable to lose, for May was neither placed under lock and key nor condemned to prison fare of bread and water.
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 THE SKY BRIGHTENS The General must have thought his housekeeper too valuable to lose, for May was neither placed under lock and key nor condemned to prison fare of bread and water.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading In one way this order of severity would have been easier to bear than daily meetings with the silent General.
well-nighadverb
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading Only a child of coarse calibre can stand out against the silent condemnation of an elder; to May, who had lived in an atmosphere of sunshine, the General's demeanor was well-nigh unbearable.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "What good will it do to tell?" she argued with herself.
which person or people
From this reading Only a child of coarse calibre can stand out against the silent condemnation of an elder; to May, who had lived in an atmosphere of sunshine, the General's demeanor was well-nigh unbearable.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading "What good will it do to tell?" she argued with herself.
in the company of; together with
From this reading In one way this order of severity would have been easier to bear than daily meetings with the silent General.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading In one way this order of severity would have been easier to bear than daily meetings with the silent General.
