used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Lee sat limply on the edge of her cot wishing she had a husband to button her boots.
highly skilled
From this reading The rest of her toilette was accomplished with a like disregard for fashion.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Mrs. Tarleton had been very ill during the night, and her daughter’s brain and eyes were heavy.
any thing at all
From this reading Lee had no desire for school, for anything but bed; but it was eight o’clock, examinations were approaching, and to school she must go.
the event of one object coming closer to another
From this reading Lee had no desire for school, for anything but bed; but it was eight o’clock, examinations were approaching, and to school she must go.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading She glared resentfully at the long row of buttons, half inclined to wear her slippers, and finally compromised by fastening every third button.
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading Lee had no desire for school, for anything but bed; but it was eight o’clock, examinations were approaching, and to school she must go.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Mrs. Tarleton had been very ill during the night, and her daughter’s brain and eyes were heavy.
plural of “boot” — footwear that covers the whole foot and lower leg
From this reading Lee sat limply on the edge of her cot wishing she had a husband to button her boots.
that part of the central nervous system that includes all the higher nervous centers; enclosed within the skull; continuous with the spinal cord
From this reading Mrs. Tarleton had been very ill during the night, and her daughter’s brain and eyes were heavy.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Lee had no desire for school, for anything but bed; but it was eight o’clock, examinations were approaching, and to school she must go.
buttonnounUS /ˈbʌtən/
a round fastener sewn to shirts and coats etc to fit through buttonholes
From this reading Lee sat limply on the edge of her cot wishing she had a husband to button her boots.
buttonsnounUS /ˈbʌtənz/
plural of “button” — a round fastener sewn to shirts and coats etc to fit through buttonholes
From this reading She glared resentfully at the long row of buttons, half inclined to wear her slippers, and finally compromised by fastening every third button.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading She glared resentfully at the long row of buttons, half inclined to wear her slippers, and finally compromised by fastening every third button.
compromisedverbUS /ˈkɑːmprəmaɪzd/
past form of “compromise” — make a compromise; arrive at a compromise
From this reading She glared resentfully at the long row of buttons, half inclined to wear her slippers, and finally compromised by fastening every third button.
cotnounUS /kɑːt/
a sheath worn to protect a finger
From this reading Lee sat limply on the edge of her cot wishing she had a husband to button her boots.
daughter'snounUS /ˈdɔːtərz/
possessive form of “daughter” — a female human offspring
From this reading Mrs. Tarleton had been very ill during the night, and her daughter’s brain and eyes were heavy.
the feeling that accompanies an unsatisfied state
From this reading Lee had no desire for school, for anything but bed; but it was eight o’clock, examinations were approaching, and to school she must go.
disregardverbUS /ˌdɪsrɪˈɡɑːrd/
refuse to acknowledge
From this reading The rest of her toilette was accomplished with a like disregard for fashion.
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading Mrs. Tarleton had been very ill during the night, and her daughter’s brain and eyes were heavy.
the boundary of a surface
From this reading Lee sat limply on the edge of her cot wishing she had a husband to button her boots.
being one more than seven
From this reading Lee had no desire for school, for anything but bed; but it was eight o’clock, examinations were approaching, and to school she must go.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading She glared resentfully at the long row of buttons, half inclined to wear her slippers, and finally compromised by fastening every third button.
examinationsnounUS /ɪɡˌzæməˈneɪʃənz/
plural of “examination” — the act of examining something closely (as for mistakes)
From this reading Lee had no desire for school, for anything but bed; but it was eight o’clock, examinations were approaching, and to school she must go.
opinion or judgment
From this reading Mrs. Tarleton had been very ill during the night, and her daughter’s brain and eyes were heavy.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading The rest of her toilette was accomplished with a like disregard for fashion.
fasteningnounUS /ˈfæsənɪŋ/
restraint that attaches to something or holds something in place
From this reading She glared resentfully at the long row of buttons, half inclined to wear her slippers, and finally compromised by fastening every third button.
after an unspecified period of time or an especially long delay
From this reading She glared resentfully at the long row of buttons, half inclined to wear her slippers, and finally compromised by fastening every third button.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Lee had no desire for school, for anything but bed; but it was eight o’clock, examinations were approaching, and to school she must go.
glaredverbUS /ɡlerd/
past form of “glare” — look at with a fixed gaze
From this reading She glared resentfully at the long row of buttons, half inclined to wear her slippers, and finally compromised by fastening every third button.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Lee had no desire for school, for anything but bed; but it was eight o’clock, examinations were approaching, and to school she must go.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Lee sat limply on the edge of her cot wishing she had a husband to button her boots.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading She glared resentfully at the long row of buttons, half inclined to wear her slippers, and finally compromised by fastening every third button.
of comparatively great physical weight or density
From this reading Mrs. Tarleton had been very ill during the night, and her daughter’s brain and eyes were heavy.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Lee sat limply on the edge of her cot wishing she had a husband to button her boots.
a married man; a woman's partner in marriage
From this reading Lee sat limply on the edge of her cot wishing she had a husband to button her boots.
affected by an impairment of normal physical or mental function
From this reading Mrs. Tarleton had been very ill during the night, and her daughter’s brain and eyes were heavy.
(often followed by “to”) having a preference, disposition, or tendency
From this reading She glared resentfully at the long row of buttons, half inclined to wear her slippers, and finally compromised by fastening every third button.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Lee had no desire for school, for anything but bed; but it was eight o’clock, examinations were approaching, and to school she must go.
United States filmmaker whose works explore the richness of black culture in America (born in 1957)
From this reading Lee sat limply on the edge of her cot wishing she had a husband to button her boots.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading The rest of her toilette was accomplished with a like disregard for fashion.
limplyadverb
without rigidity
From this reading Lee sat limply on the edge of her cot wishing she had a husband to button her boots.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading She glared resentfully at the long row of buttons, half inclined to wear her slippers, and finally compromised by fastening every third button.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading Mrs. Tarleton had been very ill during the night, and her daughter’s brain and eyes were heavy.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading Lee had no desire for school, for anything but bed; but it was eight o’clock, examinations were approaching, and to school she must go.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading Mrs. Tarleton had been very ill during the night, and her daughter’s brain and eyes were heavy.
not any; not one
From this reading Lee had no desire for school, for anything but bed; but it was eight o’clock, examinations were approaching, and to school she must go.
o'clockadverbUS /əˈklɑːk/
according to the clock
From this reading Lee had no desire for school, for anything but bed; but it was eight o’clock, examinations were approaching, and to school she must go.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Lee sat limply on the edge of her cot wishing she had a husband to button her boots.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Lee sat limply on the edge of her cot wishing she had a husband to button her boots.
resentfullyadverb
with resentment; in a resentful manner
From this reading She glared resentfully at the long row of buttons, half inclined to wear her slippers, and finally compromised by fastening every third button.
not move; be in a resting position
From this reading The rest of her toilette was accomplished with a like disregard for fashion.
an arrangement of objects or people side by side in a line
From this reading She glared resentfully at the long row of buttons, half inclined to wear her slippers, and finally compromised by fastening every third button.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading Lee sat limply on the edge of her cot wishing she had a husband to button her boots.
an educational institution
From this reading Lee had no desire for school, for anything but bed; but it was eight o’clock, examinations were approaching, and to school she must go.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Lee sat limply on the edge of her cot wishing she had a husband to button her boots.
slippersnounUS /ˈslɪpərz/
plural of “slipper” — low footwear that can be slipped on and off easily; usually worn indoors
From this reading She glared resentfully at the long row of buttons, half inclined to wear her slippers, and finally compromised by fastening every third button.
Tarleton
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Tarleton had been very ill during the night, and her daughter’s brain and eyes were heavy.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Lee sat limply on the edge of her cot wishing she had a husband to button her boots.
one of three equal parts of a divisible whole
From this reading She glared resentfully at the long row of buttons, half inclined to wear her slippers, and finally compromised by fastening every third button.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Lee sat limply on the edge of her cot wishing she had a husband to button her boots.
toilettenoun
the act of dressing and preparing yourself
From this reading The rest of her toilette was accomplished with a like disregard for fashion.
precisely as stated
From this reading Mrs. Tarleton had been very ill during the night, and her daughter’s brain and eyes were heavy.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Lee had no desire for school, for anything but bed; but it was eight o’clock, examinations were approaching, and to school she must go.
be dressed in
From this reading She glared resentfully at the long row of buttons, half inclined to wear her slippers, and finally compromised by fastening every third button.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Mrs. Tarleton had been very ill during the night, and her daughter’s brain and eyes were heavy.
wishingnounUS /ˈwɪʃɪŋ/
a specific feeling of desire
From this reading Lee sat limply on the edge of her cot wishing she had a husband to button her boots.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The rest of her toilette was accomplished with a like disregard for fashion.
