used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A Family Council Luncheon was over and Mrs. Carruth, the girls and Mammy were seated in the library; Mammy's face being full of solicitude for her Miss Jinny.
(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 I have hoped until the last moment, but now I must give up all hope."
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading "An' you haint got dat 'surance money and cyant git hit, Baby?" she asked, when Mrs. Carruth had finished explaining the situation to them.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A Family Council Luncheon was over and Mrs. Carruth, the girls and Mammy were seated in the library; Mammy's face being full of solicitude for her Miss Jinny.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading "An' you haint got dat 'surance money and cyant git hit, Baby?" she asked, when Mrs. Carruth had finished explaining the situation to them.
a very young child (birth to 1 year) who has not yet begun to walk or talk
From this reading "An' you haint got dat 'surance money and cyant git hit, Baby?" she asked, when Mrs. Carruth had finished explaining the situation to them.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Mammy could no more have been left out of this family council than could Eleanor.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading A Family Council Luncheon was over and Mrs. Carruth, the girls and Mammy were seated in the library; Mammy's face being full of solicitude for her Miss Jinny.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading I have hoped until the last moment, but now I must give up all hope."
Carruth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A Family Council Luncheon was over and Mrs. Carruth, the girls and Mammy were seated in the library; Mammy's face being full of solicitude for her Miss Jinny.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Mammy could no more have been left out of this family council than could Eleanor.
a body serving in an administrative capacity
From this reading A Family Council Luncheon was over and Mrs. Carruth, the girls and Mammy were seated in the library; Mammy's face being full of solicitude for her Miss Jinny.
cyant
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "An' you haint got dat 'surance money and cyant git hit, Baby?" she asked, when Mrs. Carruth had finished explaining the situation to them.
a digital tape recording of sound
From this reading "An' you haint got dat 'surance money and cyant git hit, Baby?" she asked, when Mrs. Carruth had finished explaining the situation to them.
Eleanor
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mammy could no more have been left out of this family council than could Eleanor.
explainingverbUS /ɪkˈspleɪnɪŋ/
-ing form of “explain” — make plain and comprehensible
From this reading "An' you haint got dat 'surance money and cyant git hit, Baby?" she asked, when Mrs. Carruth had finished explaining the situation to them.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading A Family Council Luncheon was over and Mrs. Carruth, the girls and Mammy were seated in the library; Mammy's face being full of solicitude for her Miss Jinny.
a social unit living together
From this reading A Family Council Luncheon was over and Mrs. Carruth, the girls and Mammy were seated in the library; Mammy's face being full of solicitude for her Miss Jinny.
(of materials or goods) brought to the desired final state
From this reading "An' you haint got dat 'surance money and cyant git hit, Baby?" she asked, when Mrs. Carruth had finished explaining the situation to them.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading A Family Council Luncheon was over and Mrs. Carruth, the girls and Mammy were seated in the library; Mammy's face being full of solicitude for her Miss Jinny.
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading A Family Council Luncheon was over and Mrs. Carruth, the girls and Mammy were seated in the library; Mammy's face being full of solicitude for her Miss Jinny.
plural of “girl” — a young female
From this reading A Family Council Luncheon was over and Mrs. Carruth, the girls and Mammy were seated in the library; Mammy's face being full of solicitude for her Miss Jinny.
a person who is deemed to be despicable or contemptible
From this reading "An' you haint got dat 'surance money and cyant git hit, Baby?" she asked, when Mrs. Carruth had finished explaining the situation to them.
cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading I have hoped until the last moment, but now I must give up all hope."
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading "An' you haint got dat 'surance money and cyant git hit, Baby?" she asked, when Mrs. Carruth had finished explaining the situation to them.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading "An' you haint got dat 'surance money and cyant git hit, Baby?" she asked, when Mrs. Carruth had finished explaining the situation to them.
haint
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "An' you haint got dat 'surance money and cyant git hit, Baby?" she asked, when Mrs. Carruth had finished explaining the situation to them.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Mammy could no more have been left out of this family council than could Eleanor.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading A Family Council Luncheon was over and Mrs. Carruth, the girls and Mammy were seated in the library; Mammy's face being full of solicitude for her Miss Jinny.
cause to move by striking
From this reading "An' you haint got dat 'surance money and cyant git hit, Baby?" she asked, when Mrs. Carruth had finished explaining the situation to them.
a specific instance of feeling hopeful
From this reading I have hoped until the last moment, but now I must give up all hope."
past form of “hope” — expect and wish
From this reading I have hoped until the last moment, but now I must give up all hope."
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I have hoped until the last moment, but now I must give up all hope."
not capable of occurring or being accomplished or dealt with
From this reading "No, Mammy; it is impossible.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A Family Council Luncheon was over and Mrs. Carruth, the girls and Mammy were seated in the library; Mammy's face being full of solicitude for her Miss Jinny.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "No, Mammy; it is impossible.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "No, Mammy; it is impossible.
Jinny
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A Family Council Luncheon was over and Mrs. Carruth, the girls and Mammy were seated in the library; Mammy's face being full of solicitude for her Miss Jinny.
immediately past
From this reading I have hoped until the last moment, but now I must give up all hope."
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading Mammy could no more have been left out of this family council than could Eleanor.
a room where books are kept
From this reading A Family Council Luncheon was over and Mrs. Carruth, the girls and Mammy were seated in the library; Mammy's face being full of solicitude for her Miss Jinny.
LuncheonnounUS /ˈlʌntʃən/
a midday meal
From this reading A Family Council Luncheon was over and Mrs. Carruth, the girls and Mammy were seated in the library; Mammy's face being full of solicitude for her Miss Jinny.
Mammynoun
an offensive term for a Black nursemaid in the southern U.S.
From this reading A Family Council Luncheon was over and Mrs. Carruth, the girls and Mammy were seated in the library; Mammy's face being full of solicitude for her Miss Jinny.
Mammy's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A Family Council Luncheon was over and Mrs. Carruth, the girls and Mammy were seated in the library; Mammy's face being full of solicitude for her Miss Jinny.
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading A Family Council Luncheon was over and Mrs. Carruth, the girls and Mammy were seated in the library; Mammy's face being full of solicitude for her Miss Jinny.
a particular point in time
From this reading I have hoped until the last moment, but now I must give up all hope."
the most common medium of exchange; functions as legal tender
From this reading "An' you haint got dat 'surance money and cyant git hit, Baby?" she asked, when Mrs. Carruth had finished explaining the situation to them.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Mammy could no more have been left out of this family council than could Eleanor.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading A Family Council Luncheon was over and Mrs. Carruth, the girls and Mammy were seated in the library; Mammy's face being full of solicitude for her Miss Jinny.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading I have hoped until the last moment, but now I must give up all hope."
not any; not one
From this reading Mammy could no more have been left out of this family council than could Eleanor.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading I have hoped until the last moment, but now I must give up all hope."
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A Family Council Luncheon was over and Mrs. Carruth, the girls and Mammy were seated in the library; Mammy's face being full of solicitude for her Miss Jinny.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Mammy could no more have been left out of this family council than could Eleanor.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading A Family Council Luncheon was over and Mrs. Carruth, the girls and Mammy were seated in the library; Mammy's face being full of solicitude for her Miss Jinny.
(of persons) having the torso erect and legs bent with the body supported on the buttocks
From this reading A Family Council Luncheon was over and Mrs. Carruth, the girls and Mammy were seated in the library; Mammy's face being full of solicitude for her Miss Jinny.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "An' you haint got dat 'surance money and cyant git hit, Baby?" she asked, when Mrs. Carruth had finished explaining the situation to them.
the general state of things; the combination of circumstances at a given time
From this reading "An' you haint got dat 'surance money and cyant git hit, Baby?" she asked, when Mrs. Carruth had finished explaining the situation to them.
solicitudenounUS /səˈlɪsɪtuːd/
a feeling of excessive concern
From this reading A Family Council Luncheon was over and Mrs. Carruth, the girls and Mammy were seated in the library; Mammy's face being full of solicitude for her Miss Jinny.
surance
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "An' you haint got dat 'surance money and cyant git hit, Baby?" she asked, when Mrs. Carruth had finished explaining the situation to them.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Mammy could no more have been left out of this family council than could Eleanor.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A Family Council Luncheon was over and Mrs. Carruth, the girls and Mammy were seated in the library; Mammy's face being full of solicitude for her Miss Jinny.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading "An' you haint got dat 'surance money and cyant git hit, Baby?" she asked, when Mrs. Carruth had finished explaining the situation to them.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Mammy could no more have been left out of this family council than could Eleanor.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "An' you haint got dat 'surance money and cyant git hit, Baby?" she asked, when Mrs. Carruth had finished explaining the situation to them.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading I have hoped until the last moment, but now I must give up all hope."
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading I have hoped until the last moment, but now I must give up all hope."
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A Family Council Luncheon was over and Mrs. Carruth, the girls and Mammy were seated in the library; Mammy's face being full of solicitude for her Miss Jinny.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading A Family Council Luncheon was over and Mrs. Carruth, the girls and Mammy were seated in the library; Mammy's face being full of solicitude for her Miss Jinny.
at the time that
From this reading "An' you haint got dat 'surance money and cyant git hit, Baby?" she asked, when Mrs. Carruth had finished explaining the situation to them.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "An' you haint got dat 'surance money and cyant git hit, Baby?" she asked, when Mrs. Carruth had finished explaining the situation to them.
