used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Her father, who was a mason, was killed by falling from a scaffolding.
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading THE HEROINE Like every other woman, she had had an affair of the heart.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading THE HEROINE Like every other woman, she had had an affair of the heart.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Then her mother died and her sisters went their different ways; a farmer took her in, and while she was quite small, let her keep cows in the fields.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading She took service on another farm where she tended the poultry; and as she was well thought of by her master, her fellow-workers soon grew jealous.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading She took service on another farm where she tended the poultry; and as she was well thought of by her master, her fellow-workers soon grew jealous.
formed or made thin by hammering
From this reading She was clad in miserable rags, beaten for the slightest offence and finally dismissed for a theft of thirty sous which she did not commit.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Her father, who was a mason, was killed by falling from a scaffolding.
cladadjectiveUS /klæd/
wearing or provided with clothing; sometimes used in combination
From this reading She was clad in miserable rags, beaten for the slightest offence and finally dismissed for a theft of thirty sous which she did not commit.
commitverbUS /kəˈmɪt/
perform an act, usually with a negative connotation
From this reading She was clad in miserable rags, beaten for the slightest offence and finally dismissed for a theft of thirty sous which she did not commit.
cowsnounUS /kaʊz/
domesticated bovine animals as a group regardless of sex or age
From this reading Then her mother died and her sisters went their different ways; a farmer took her in, and while she was quite small, let her keep cows in the fields.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading She was clad in miserable rags, beaten for the slightest offence and finally dismissed for a theft of thirty sous which she did not commit.
past form of “die” — pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life
From this reading Then her mother died and her sisters went their different ways; a farmer took her in, and while she was quite small, let her keep cows in the fields.
unlike in nature or quality or form or degree
From this reading Then her mother died and her sisters went their different ways; a farmer took her in, and while she was quite small, let her keep cows in the fields.
dismissedadjectiveUS /dɪˈsmɪst/
having lost your job
From this reading She was clad in miserable rags, beaten for the slightest offence and finally dismissed for a theft of thirty sous which she did not commit.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading THE HEROINE Like every other woman, she had had an affair of the heart.
decreasing in amount or degree
From this reading Her father, who was a mason, was killed by falling from a scaffolding.
be a farmer; work as a farmer
From this reading She took service on another farm where she tended the poultry; and as she was well thought of by her master, her fellow-workers soon grew jealous.
a person who operates a farm
From this reading Then her mother died and her sisters went their different ways; a farmer took her in, and while she was quite small, let her keep cows in the fields.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading Her father, who was a mason, was killed by falling from a scaffolding.
fellow-workers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She took service on another farm where she tended the poultry; and as she was well thought of by her master, her fellow-workers soon grew jealous.
United States comedian and film actor (1880-1946)
From this reading Then her mother died and her sisters went their different ways; a farmer took her in, and while she was quite small, let her keep cows in the fields.
after an unspecified period of time or an especially long delay
From this reading She was clad in miserable rags, beaten for the slightest offence and finally dismissed for a theft of thirty sous which she did not commit.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading She was clad in miserable rags, beaten for the slightest offence and finally dismissed for a theft of thirty sous which she did not commit.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Her father, who was a mason, was killed by falling from a scaffolding.
inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading She took service on another farm where she tended the poultry; and as she was well thought of by her master, her fellow-workers soon grew jealous.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading THE HEROINE Like every other woman, she had had an affair of the heart.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading THE HEROINE Like every other woman, she had had an affair of the heart.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Her father, who was a mason, was killed by falling from a scaffolding.
HEROINEnounUS /ˈheroʊən/
the main good female character in a work of fiction
From this reading THE HEROINE Like every other woman, she had had an affair of the heart.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Then her mother died and her sisters went their different ways; a farmer took her in, and while she was quite small, let her keep cows in the fields.
showing extreme cupidity; painfully desirous of another's advantages
From this reading She took service on another farm where she tended the poultry; and as she was well thought of by her master, her fellow-workers soon grew jealous.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading Then her mother died and her sisters went their different ways; a farmer took her in, and while she was quite small, let her keep cows in the fields.
past form of “kill” — cause to die; put to death, usually intentionally or knowingly
From this reading Her father, who was a mason, was killed by falling from a scaffolding.
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading Then her mother died and her sisters went their different ways; a farmer took her in, and while she was quite small, let her keep cows in the fields.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading THE HEROINE Like every other woman, she had had an affair of the heart.
masonnounUS /ˈmeɪsən/
American Revolutionary leader from Virginia whose objections led to the drafting of the Bill of Rights (1725-1792)
From this reading Her father, who was a mason, was killed by falling from a scaffolding.
an artist of consummate skill
From this reading She took service on another farm where she tended the poultry; and as she was well thought of by her master, her fellow-workers soon grew jealous.
very unhappy; full of misery
From this reading She was clad in miserable rags, beaten for the slightest offence and finally dismissed for a theft of thirty sous which she did not commit.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading Then her mother died and her sisters went their different ways; a farmer took her in, and while she was quite small, let her keep cows in the fields.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading She was clad in miserable rags, beaten for the slightest offence and finally dismissed for a theft of thirty sous which she did not commit.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE HEROINE Like every other woman, she had had an affair of the heart.
offencenoun
the action of attacking an enemy
From this reading She was clad in miserable rags, beaten for the slightest offence and finally dismissed for a theft of thirty sous which she did not commit.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading She took service on another farm where she tended the poultry; and as she was well thought of by her master, her fellow-workers soon grew jealous.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading THE HEROINE Like every other woman, she had had an affair of the heart.
poultrynounUS /ˈpoʊltri/
a domesticated gallinaceous bird thought to be descended from the red jungle fowl
From this reading She took service on another farm where she tended the poultry; and as she was well thought of by her master, her fellow-workers soon grew jealous.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading Then her mother died and her sisters went their different ways; a farmer took her in, and while she was quite small, let her keep cows in the fields.
ragsnounUS /ræɡz/
plural of “rag” — a small piece of cloth or paper
From this reading She was clad in miserable rags, beaten for the slightest offence and finally dismissed for a theft of thirty sous which she did not commit.
scaffoldingnounUS /ˈskæfəldɪŋ/
a system of scaffolds
From this reading Her father, who was a mason, was killed by falling from a scaffolding.
work done by one person or group that benefits another
From this reading She took service on another farm where she tended the poultry; and as she was well thought of by her master, her fellow-workers soon grew jealous.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading THE HEROINE Like every other woman, she had had an affair of the heart.
plural of “sister” — a female person who has the same parents as another person
From this reading Then her mother died and her sisters went their different ways; a farmer took her in, and while she was quite small, let her keep cows in the fields.
superlative of “slight” — (quantifier used with mass nouns) small in quantity or degree; not much or almost none or (with “a”) at least some
From this reading She was clad in miserable rags, beaten for the slightest offence and finally dismissed for a theft of thirty sous which she did not commit.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Then her mother died and her sisters went their different ways; a farmer took her in, and while she was quite small, let her keep cows in the fields.
in the near future
From this reading She took service on another farm where she tended the poultry; and as she was well thought of by her master, her fellow-workers soon grew jealous.
sousnounUS /suːz/
plural of “sou” — a former French coin of low denomination; often used of any small amount of money
From this reading She was clad in miserable rags, beaten for the slightest offence and finally dismissed for a theft of thirty sous which she did not commit.
tendedverbUS /ˈtendɪd/
past form of “tend” — have a tendency or disposition to do or be something; be inclined
From this reading She took service on another farm where she tended the poultry; and as she was well thought of by her master, her fellow-workers soon grew jealous.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE HEROINE Like every other woman, she had had an affair of the heart.
theftnounUS /θeft/
the act of taking something from someone unlawfully
From this reading She was clad in miserable rags, beaten for the slightest offence and finally dismissed for a theft of thirty sous which she did not commit.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Then her mother died and her sisters went their different ways; a farmer took her in, and while she was quite small, let her keep cows in the fields.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then her mother died and her sisters went their different ways; a farmer took her in, and while she was quite small, let her keep cows in the fields.
the cardinal number that is the product of ten and three
From this reading She was clad in miserable rags, beaten for the slightest offence and finally dismissed for a theft of thirty sous which she did not commit.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading She took service on another farm where she tended the poultry; and as she was well thought of by her master, her fellow-workers soon grew jealous.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading Then her mother died and her sisters went their different ways; a farmer took her in, and while she was quite small, let her keep cows in the fields.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Her father, who was a mason, was killed by falling from a scaffolding.
structure consisting of a sloping way down to the water from the place where ships are built or repaired
From this reading Then her mother died and her sisters went their different ways; a farmer took her in, and while she was quite small, let her keep cows in the fields.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading She took service on another farm where she tended the poultry; and as she was well thought of by her master, her fellow-workers soon grew jealous.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Then her mother died and her sisters went their different ways; a farmer took her in, and while she was quite small, let her keep cows in the fields.
in or at the place that
From this reading She took service on another farm where she tended the poultry; and as she was well thought of by her master, her fellow-workers soon grew jealous.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading She was clad in miserable rags, beaten for the slightest offence and finally dismissed for a theft of thirty sous which she did not commit.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading Then her mother died and her sisters went their different ways; a farmer took her in, and while she was quite small, let her keep cows in the fields.
which person or people
From this reading Her father, who was a mason, was killed by falling from a scaffolding.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading THE HEROINE Like every other woman, she had had an affair of the heart.
