used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Stephen’s grief for Collins, in spite of its violence, or perhaps because of that very violence, wore itself out like a passing tempest and was all but spent by the autumn.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading Stephen’s grief for Collins, in spite of its violence, or perhaps because of that very violence, wore itself out like a passing tempest and was all but spent by the autumn.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading By Christmas, the gusts when they came were quite gentle, rousing nothing more disturbing than a faint melancholy—by Christmas it required quite an effort of will to recapture the charm of Collins.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Stephen’s grief for Collins, in spite of its violence, or perhaps because of that very violence, wore itself out like a passing tempest and was all but spent by the autumn.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The sorrows of childhood are mercifully passing, for it is only when maturity has rendered soil mellow that grief will root very deeply.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading It made her feel childish and horribly silly, as though she had cried over cutting her finger.
the season when the leaves fall from the trees
From this reading Stephen’s grief for Collins, in spite of its violence, or perhaps because of that very violence, wore itself out like a passing tempest and was all but spent by the autumn.
for the reason that
From this reading Stephen’s grief for Collins, in spite of its violence, or perhaps because of that very violence, wore itself out like a passing tempest and was all but spent by the autumn.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Stephen’s grief for Collins, in spite of its violence, or perhaps because of that very violence, wore itself out like a passing tempest and was all but spent by the autumn.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Stephen’s grief for Collins, in spite of its violence, or perhaps because of that very violence, wore itself out like a passing tempest and was all but spent by the autumn.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading By Christmas, the gusts when they came were quite gentle, rousing nothing more disturbing than a faint melancholy—by Christmas it required quite an effort of will to recapture the charm of Collins.
attractiveness that interests or pleases or stimulates
From this reading By Christmas, the gusts when they came were quite gentle, rousing nothing more disturbing than a faint melancholy—by Christmas it required quite an effort of will to recapture the charm of Collins.
childhoodnounUS /ˈtʃaɪldhʊd/
the time of person's life when they are a child
From this reading The sorrows of childhood are mercifully passing, for it is only when maturity has rendered soil mellow that grief will root very deeply.
childishadjectiveUS /ˈtʃaɪldɪʃ/
indicating a lack of maturity
From this reading It made her feel childish and horribly silly, as though she had cried over cutting her finger.
period extending from Dec. 24 to Jan. 6
From this reading By Christmas, the gusts when they came were quite gentle, rousing nothing more disturbing than a faint melancholy—by Christmas it required quite an effort of will to recapture the charm of Collins.
CollinsnounUS /ˈkɑːlɪnz/
English writer noted for early detective novels (1824-1889)
From this reading Stephen’s grief for Collins, in spite of its violence, or perhaps because of that very violence, wore itself out like a passing tempest and was all but spent by the autumn.
inflected form of “cry” — utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading It made her feel childish and horribly silly, as though she had cried over cutting her finger.
the activity of selecting the scenes to be shown and putting them together to create a film
From this reading It made her feel childish and horribly silly, as though she had cried over cutting her finger.
to a great depth psychologically or emotionally
From this reading The sorrows of childhood are mercifully passing, for it is only when maturity has rendered soil mellow that grief will root very deeply.
disturbingadjectiveUS /dɪˈstɜːrbɪŋ/
causing distress or worry or anxiety
From this reading By Christmas, the gusts when they came were quite gentle, rousing nothing more disturbing than a faint melancholy—by Christmas it required quite an effort of will to recapture the charm of Collins.
earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something
From this reading By Christmas, the gusts when they came were quite gentle, rousing nothing more disturbing than a faint melancholy—by Christmas it required quite an effort of will to recapture the charm of Collins.
deficient in magnitude; barely perceptible; lacking clarity or brightness or loudness etc
From this reading By Christmas, the gusts when they came were quite gentle, rousing nothing more disturbing than a faint melancholy—by Christmas it required quite an effort of will to recapture the charm of Collins.
undergo an emotional sensation or be in a particular state of mind
From this reading It made her feel childish and horribly silly, as though she had cried over cutting her finger.
feel or handle with the fingers
From this reading It made her feel childish and horribly silly, as though she had cried over cutting her finger.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The sorrows of childhood are mercifully passing, for it is only when maturity has rendered soil mellow that grief will root very deeply.
dismiss from the mind; stop remembering
From this reading Stephen was nonplussed and rather uneasy; to have loved so greatly and now to forget!
soft and mild; not harsh or stern or severe
From this reading By Christmas, the gusts when they came were quite gentle, rousing nothing more disturbing than a faint melancholy—by Christmas it required quite an effort of will to recapture the charm of Collins.
to an extraordinary extent or degree
From this reading Stephen was nonplussed and rather uneasy; to have loved so greatly and now to forget!
intense sorrow caused by loss of a loved one (especially by death)
From this reading The sorrows of childhood are mercifully passing, for it is only when maturity has rendered soil mellow that grief will root very deeply.
gustsnounUS /ɡʌsts/
plural of “gust” — a strong current of air
From this reading By Christmas, the gusts when they came were quite gentle, rousing nothing more disturbing than a faint melancholy—by Christmas it required quite an effort of will to recapture the charm of Collins.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It made her feel childish and horribly silly, as though she had cried over cutting her finger.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The sorrows of childhood are mercifully passing, for it is only when maturity has rendered soil mellow that grief will root very deeply.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Stephen was nonplussed and rather uneasy; to have loved so greatly and now to forget!
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading It made her feel childish and horribly silly, as though she had cried over cutting her finger.
horriblyadverbUS /ˈhɔːrəbli/
of a dreadful kind
From this reading It made her feel childish and horribly silly, as though she had cried over cutting her finger.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Stephen’s grief for Collins, in spite of its violence, or perhaps because of that very violence, wore itself out like a passing tempest and was all but spent by the autumn.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The sorrows of childhood are mercifully passing, for it is only when maturity has rendered soil mellow that grief will root very deeply.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The sorrows of childhood are mercifully passing, for it is only when maturity has rendered soil mellow that grief will root very deeply.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Stephen’s grief for Collins, in spite of its violence, or perhaps because of that very violence, wore itself out like a passing tempest and was all but spent by the autumn.
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading Stephen’s grief for Collins, in spite of its violence, or perhaps because of that very violence, wore itself out like a passing tempest and was all but spent by the autumn.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Stephen’s grief for Collins, in spite of its violence, or perhaps because of that very violence, wore itself out like a passing tempest and was all but spent by the autumn.
held dear
From this reading Stephen was nonplussed and rather uneasy; to have loved so greatly and now to forget!
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading It made her feel childish and horribly silly, as though she had cried over cutting her finger.
maturitynounUS /məˈtʃʊrəti/
the period of time in your life after your physical growth has stopped and you are fully developed
From this reading The sorrows of childhood are mercifully passing, for it is only when maturity has rendered soil mellow that grief will root very deeply.
a feeling of thoughtful sadness
From this reading By Christmas, the gusts when they came were quite gentle, rousing nothing more disturbing than a faint melancholy—by Christmas it required quite an effort of will to recapture the charm of Collins.
mellowadjectiveUS /ˈmeloʊ/
unhurried and relaxed
From this reading The sorrows of childhood are mercifully passing, for it is only when maturity has rendered soil mellow that grief will root very deeply.
mercifullyadverbUS /ˈmɜːrsɪfəliː/
in a compassionate manner
From this reading The sorrows of childhood are mercifully passing, for it is only when maturity has rendered soil mellow that grief will root very deeply.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading By Christmas, the gusts when they came were quite gentle, rousing nothing more disturbing than a faint melancholy—by Christmas it required quite an effort of will to recapture the charm of Collins.
nonplussedadjectiveUS /nɑːnˈplʌst/
filled with bewilderment
From this reading Stephen was nonplussed and rather uneasy; to have loved so greatly and now to forget!
not one thing; not anything
From this reading By Christmas, the gusts when they came were quite gentle, rousing nothing more disturbing than a faint melancholy—by Christmas it required quite an effort of will to recapture the charm of Collins.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Stephen was nonplussed and rather uneasy; to have loved so greatly and now to forget!
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The sorrows of childhood are mercifully passing, for it is only when maturity has rendered soil mellow that grief will root very deeply.
and nothing more
From this reading The sorrows of childhood are mercifully passing, for it is only when maturity has rendered soil mellow that grief will root very deeply.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Stephen’s grief for Collins, in spite of its violence, or perhaps because of that very violence, wore itself out like a passing tempest and was all but spent by the autumn.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Stephen’s grief for Collins, in spite of its violence, or perhaps because of that very violence, wore itself out like a passing tempest and was all but spent by the autumn.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading It made her feel childish and horribly silly, as though she had cried over cutting her finger.
(American football) a play that involves one player throwing the ball to a teammate
From this reading The sorrows of childhood are mercifully passing, for it is only when maturity has rendered soil mellow that grief will root very deeply.
by chance
From this reading Stephen’s grief for Collins, in spite of its violence, or perhaps because of that very violence, wore itself out like a passing tempest and was all but spent by the autumn.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading By Christmas, the gusts when they came were quite gentle, rousing nothing more disturbing than a faint melancholy—by Christmas it required quite an effort of will to recapture the charm of Collins.
on the contrary
From this reading Stephen was nonplussed and rather uneasy; to have loved so greatly and now to forget!
recaptureverbUS /riˈkæptʃər/
experience anew
From this reading By Christmas, the gusts when they came were quite gentle, rousing nothing more disturbing than a faint melancholy—by Christmas it required quite an effort of will to recapture the charm of Collins.
past form of “render” — cause to become
From this reading The sorrows of childhood are mercifully passing, for it is only when maturity has rendered soil mellow that grief will root very deeply.
necessary for relief or supply
From this reading By Christmas, the gusts when they came were quite gentle, rousing nothing more disturbing than a faint melancholy—by Christmas it required quite an effort of will to recapture the charm of Collins.
rootnounUS /ruːt/
(botany) the usually underground organ that lacks buds or leaves or nodes; absorbs water and mineral salts; usually it anchors the plant to the ground
From this reading The sorrows of childhood are mercifully passing, for it is only when maturity has rendered soil mellow that grief will root very deeply.
rousingadjectiveUS /ˈraʊzɪŋ/
capable of arousing enthusiasm or excitement
From this reading By Christmas, the gusts when they came were quite gentle, rousing nothing more disturbing than a faint melancholy—by Christmas it required quite an effort of will to recapture the charm of Collins.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It made her feel childish and horribly silly, as though she had cried over cutting her finger.
ludicrous, foolish
From this reading It made her feel childish and horribly silly, as though she had cried over cutting her finger.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Stephen was nonplussed and rather uneasy; to have loved so greatly and now to forget!
the state of being covered with unclean things
From this reading The sorrows of childhood are mercifully passing, for it is only when maturity has rendered soil mellow that grief will root very deeply.
sorrowsnounUS /ˈsɑːroʊz/
plural of “sorrow” — an emotion of great sadness associated with loss or bereavement
From this reading The sorrows of childhood are mercifully passing, for it is only when maturity has rendered soil mellow that grief will root very deeply.
depleted of energy, force, or strength
From this reading Stephen’s grief for Collins, in spite of its violence, or perhaps because of that very violence, wore itself out like a passing tempest and was all but spent by the autumn.
feeling a need to see others suffer
From this reading Stephen’s grief for Collins, in spite of its violence, or perhaps because of that very violence, wore itself out like a passing tempest and was all but spent by the autumn.
StephennounUS /ˈstiːvən/
English writer (1832-1904)
From this reading Stephen was nonplussed and rather uneasy; to have loved so greatly and now to forget!
Stephen'snounUS /ˈstiːvənz/
possessive form of “stephen” — English writer (1832-1904)
From this reading Stephen’s grief for Collins, in spite of its violence, or perhaps because of that very violence, wore itself out like a passing tempest and was all but spent by the autumn.
tempestnounUS /ˈtempəst/
a violent commotion or disturbance
From this reading Stephen’s grief for Collins, in spite of its violence, or perhaps because of that very violence, wore itself out like a passing tempest and was all but spent by the autumn.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading By Christmas, the gusts when they came were quite gentle, rousing nothing more disturbing than a faint melancholy—by Christmas it required quite an effort of will to recapture the charm of Collins.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The sorrows of childhood are mercifully passing, for it is only when maturity has rendered soil mellow that grief will root very deeply.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The sorrows of childhood are mercifully passing, for it is only when maturity has rendered soil mellow that grief will root very deeply.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading By Christmas, the gusts when they came were quite gentle, rousing nothing more disturbing than a faint melancholy—by Christmas it required quite an effort of will to recapture the charm of Collins.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading It made her feel childish and horribly silly, as though she had cried over cutting her finger.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading By Christmas, the gusts when they came were quite gentle, rousing nothing more disturbing than a faint melancholy—by Christmas it required quite an effort of will to recapture the charm of Collins.
uneasyadjectiveUS /əˈniːzi/
lacking a sense of security or affording no ease or reassurance
From this reading Stephen was nonplussed and rather uneasy; to have loved so greatly and now to forget!
precisely as stated
From this reading The sorrows of childhood are mercifully passing, for it is only when maturity has rendered soil mellow that grief will root very deeply.
an act of aggression (as one against a person who resists)
From this reading Stephen’s grief for Collins, in spite of its violence, or perhaps because of that very violence, wore itself out like a passing tempest and was all but spent by the autumn.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Stephen’s grief for Collins, in spite of its violence, or perhaps because of that very violence, wore itself out like a passing tempest and was all but spent by the autumn.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading By Christmas, the gusts when they came were quite gentle, rousing nothing more disturbing than a faint melancholy—by Christmas it required quite an effort of will to recapture the charm of Collins.
at the time that
From this reading The sorrows of childhood are mercifully passing, for it is only when maturity has rendered soil mellow that grief will root very deeply.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading The sorrows of childhood are mercifully passing, for it is only when maturity has rendered soil mellow that grief will root very deeply.
inflected form of “wear” — be dressed in
From this reading Stephen’s grief for Collins, in spite of its violence, or perhaps because of that very violence, wore itself out like a passing tempest and was all but spent by the autumn.
