used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A letter had been left for him, however, and this he tore feverishly open.
matters of personal concern
From this reading Would he not leave the affairs of the firm to M. Schenk and join her in Holland?
how long something has existed
From this reading She then reminded Max that he had not yet reached a man's age, and could not be expected to take a man's part.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading In a few words his mother explained why she, as an Englishwoman and one getting on in years, preferred to seek safety in Holland to remaining in a city which obviously would soon be the storm-centre of a terrible struggle.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The Fall of Liege Arrived at his home, Max was astonished to find that his mother and sister had fled over the border to Maastricht, taking two of the servants with them.
past form of “arrive” — reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress
From this reading The Fall of Liege Arrived at his home, Max was astonished to find that his mother and sister had fled over the border to Maastricht, taking two of the servants with them.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading In a few words his mother explained why she, as an Englishwoman and one getting on in years, preferred to seek safety in Holland to remaining in a city which obviously would soon be the storm-centre of a terrible struggle.
filled with the emotional impact of overwhelming surprise or shock
From this reading The Fall of Liege Arrived at his home, Max was astonished to find that his mother and sister had fled over the border to Maastricht, taking two of the servants with them.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The Fall of Liege Arrived at his home, Max was astonished to find that his mother and sister had fled over the border to Maastricht, taking two of the servants with them.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading In a few words his mother explained why she, as an Englishwoman and one getting on in years, preferred to seek safety in Holland to remaining in a city which obviously would soon be the storm-centre of a terrible struggle.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading A letter had been left for him, however, and this he tore feverishly open.
bordernounUS /ˈbɔːrdər/
a line that indicates a boundary
From this reading The Fall of Liege Arrived at his home, Max was astonished to find that his mother and sister had fled over the border to Maastricht, taking two of the servants with them.
a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts
From this reading In a few words his mother explained why she, as an Englishwoman and one getting on in years, preferred to seek safety in Holland to remaining in a city which obviously would soon be the storm-centre of a terrible struggle.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading She then reminded Max that he had not yet reached a man's age, and could not be expected to take a man's part.
EnglishwomannounUS /ˈɪŋɡlɪʃwʊmən/
a woman who is a native or inhabitant of England
From this reading In a few words his mother explained why she, as an Englishwoman and one getting on in years, preferred to seek safety in Holland to remaining in a city which obviously would soon be the storm-centre of a terrible struggle.
considered likely or probable to happen or arrive
From this reading She then reminded Max that he had not yet reached a man's age, and could not be expected to take a man's part.
past form of “explain” — make plain and comprehensible
From this reading In a few words his mother explained why she, as an Englishwoman and one getting on in years, preferred to seek safety in Holland to remaining in a city which obviously would soon be the storm-centre of a terrible struggle.
descend in free fall under the influence of gravity
From this reading The Fall of Liege Arrived at his home, Max was astonished to find that his mother and sister had fled over the border to Maastricht, taking two of the servants with them.
feverishlyadverbUS /ˈfevərɪʃli/
in a feverish manner
From this reading A letter had been left for him, however, and this he tore feverishly open.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading In a few words his mother explained why she, as an Englishwoman and one getting on in years, preferred to seek safety in Holland to remaining in a city which obviously would soon be the storm-centre of a terrible struggle.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading The Fall of Liege Arrived at his home, Max was astonished to find that his mother and sister had fled over the border to Maastricht, taking two of the servants with them.
marked by firm determination or resolution; not shakable
From this reading Would he not leave the affairs of the firm to M. Schenk and join her in Holland?
inflected form of “flee” — run away quickly
From this reading The Fall of Liege Arrived at his home, Max was astonished to find that his mother and sister had fled over the border to Maastricht, taking two of the servants with them.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading A letter had been left for him, however, and this he tore feverishly open.
the act of acquiring something
From this reading In a few words his mother explained why she, as an Englishwoman and one getting on in years, preferred to seek safety in Holland to remaining in a city which obviously would soon be the storm-centre of a terrible struggle.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The Fall of Liege Arrived at his home, Max was astonished to find that his mother and sister had fled over the border to Maastricht, taking two of the servants with them.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading A letter had been left for him, however, and this he tore feverishly open.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Would he not leave the affairs of the firm to M. Schenk and join her in Holland?
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading A letter had been left for him, however, and this he tore feverishly open.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The Fall of Liege Arrived at his home, Max was astonished to find that his mother and sister had fled over the border to Maastricht, taking two of the servants with them.
HollandnounUS /ˈhɑːlənd/
a constitutional monarchy in western Europe on the North Sea; half the country lies below sea level
From this reading In a few words his mother explained why she, as an Englishwoman and one getting on in years, preferred to seek safety in Holland to remaining in a city which obviously would soon be the storm-centre of a terrible struggle.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading The Fall of Liege Arrived at his home, Max was astonished to find that his mother and sister had fled over the border to Maastricht, taking two of the servants with them.
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading A letter had been left for him, however, and this he tore feverishly open.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In a few words his mother explained why she, as an Englishwoman and one getting on in years, preferred to seek safety in Holland to remaining in a city which obviously would soon be the storm-centre of a terrible struggle.
become part of; become a member of a group or organization
From this reading Would he not leave the affairs of the firm to M. Schenk and join her in Holland?
go away from a place
From this reading Would he not leave the affairs of the firm to M. Schenk and join her in Holland?
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 A letter had been left for him, however, and this he tore feverishly open.
a written message addressed to a person or organization
From this reading A letter had been left for him, however, and this he tore feverishly open.
LiegenounUS /liːdʒ/
a person holding a fief; a person who owes allegiance and service to a feudal lord
From this reading The Fall of Liege Arrived at his home, Max was astonished to find that his mother and sister had fled over the border to Maastricht, taking two of the servants with them.
the basic unit of length adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites (approximately 1.094 yards)
From this reading Would he not leave the affairs of the firm to M. Schenk and join her in Holland?
Maastricht
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Fall of Liege Arrived at his home, Max was astonished to find that his mother and sister had fled over the border to Maastricht, taking two of the servants with them.
man'snounUS /mænz/
possessive form of “man” — an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading She then reminded Max that he had not yet reached a man's age, and could not be expected to take a man's part.
MaxnounUS /mæks/
street names for gamma hydroxybutyrate
From this reading The Fall of Liege Arrived at his home, Max was astonished to find that his mother and sister had fled over the border to Maastricht, taking two of the servants with them.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading The Fall of Liege Arrived at his home, Max was astonished to find that his mother and sister had fled over the border to Maastricht, taking two of the servants with them.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading She then reminded Max that he had not yet reached a man's age, and could not be expected to take a man's part.
obviouslyadverbUS /ˈɑːbviəsli/
unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)
From this reading In a few words his mother explained why she, as an Englishwoman and one getting on in years, preferred to seek safety in Holland to remaining in a city which obviously would soon be the storm-centre of a terrible struggle.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The Fall of Liege Arrived at his home, Max was astonished to find that his mother and sister had fled over the border to Maastricht, taking two of the servants with them.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading In a few words his mother explained why she, as an Englishwoman and one getting on in years, preferred to seek safety in Holland to remaining in a city which obviously would soon be the storm-centre of a terrible struggle.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading In a few words his mother explained why she, as an Englishwoman and one getting on in years, preferred to seek safety in Holland to remaining in a city which obviously would soon be the storm-centre of a terrible struggle.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading A letter had been left for him, however, and this he tore feverishly open.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading The Fall of Liege Arrived at his home, Max was astonished to find that his mother and sister had fled over the border to Maastricht, taking two of the servants with them.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading She then reminded Max that he had not yet reached a man's age, and could not be expected to take a man's part.
preferredadjectiveUS /prəˈfɜːrd/
more desirable than another
From this reading In a few words his mother explained why she, as an Englishwoman and one getting on in years, preferred to seek safety in Holland to remaining in a city which obviously would soon be the storm-centre of a terrible struggle.
past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading She then reminded Max that he had not yet reached a man's age, and could not be expected to take a man's part.
not used up
From this reading In a few words his mother explained why she, as an Englishwoman and one getting on in years, preferred to seek safety in Holland to remaining in a city which obviously would soon be the storm-centre of a terrible struggle.
past form of “remind” — put in the mind of someone
From this reading She then reminded Max that he had not yet reached a man's age, and could not be expected to take a man's part.
the state of being certain that adverse effects will not be caused by some agent under defined conditions
From this reading In a few words his mother explained why she, as an Englishwoman and one getting on in years, preferred to seek safety in Holland to remaining in a city which obviously would soon be the storm-centre of a terrible struggle.
Schenk
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Would he not leave the affairs of the firm to M. Schenk and join her in Holland?
try to get or reach
From this reading In a few words his mother explained why she, as an Englishwoman and one getting on in years, preferred to seek safety in Holland to remaining in a city which obviously would soon be the storm-centre of a terrible struggle.
plural of “servant” — a person working in the service of another (especially in the household)
From this reading The Fall of Liege Arrived at his home, Max was astonished to find that his mother and sister had fled over the border to Maastricht, taking two of the servants with them.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading In a few words his mother explained why she, as an Englishwoman and one getting on in years, preferred to seek safety in Holland to remaining in a city which obviously would soon be the storm-centre of a terrible struggle.
a female person who has the same parents as another person
From this reading The Fall of Liege Arrived at his home, Max was astonished to find that his mother and sister had fled over the border to Maastricht, taking two of the servants with them.
in the near future
From this reading In a few words his mother explained why she, as an Englishwoman and one getting on in years, preferred to seek safety in Holland to remaining in a city which obviously would soon be the storm-centre of a terrible struggle.
storm-centre
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In a few words his mother explained why she, as an Englishwoman and one getting on in years, preferred to seek safety in Holland to remaining in a city which obviously would soon be the storm-centre of a terrible struggle.
make a strenuous or labored effort
From this reading In a few words his mother explained why she, as an Englishwoman and one getting on in years, preferred to seek safety in Holland to remaining in a city which obviously would soon be the storm-centre of a terrible struggle.
carry out
From this reading She then reminded Max that he had not yet reached a man's age, and could not be expected to take a man's part.
the act of someone who picks up or takes something
From this reading The Fall of Liege Arrived at his home, Max was astonished to find that his mother and sister had fled over the border to Maastricht, taking two of the servants with them.
causing fear or dread or terror
From this reading In a few words his mother explained why she, as an Englishwoman and one getting on in years, preferred to seek safety in Holland to remaining in a city which obviously would soon be the storm-centre of a terrible struggle.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The Fall of Liege Arrived at his home, Max was astonished to find that his mother and sister had fled over the border to Maastricht, taking two of the servants with them.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The Fall of Liege Arrived at his home, Max was astonished to find that his mother and sister had fled over the border to Maastricht, taking two of the servants with them.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The Fall of Liege Arrived at his home, Max was astonished to find that his mother and sister had fled over the border to Maastricht, taking two of the servants with them.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading She then reminded Max that he had not yet reached a man's age, and could not be expected to take a man's part.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading A letter had been left for him, however, and this he tore feverishly open.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The Fall of Liege Arrived at his home, Max was astonished to find that his mother and sister had fled over the border to Maastricht, taking two of the servants with them.
commonly the lowest molding at the base of a column
From this reading A letter had been left for him, however, and this he tore feverishly open.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading The Fall of Liege Arrived at his home, Max was astonished to find that his mother and sister had fled over the border to Maastricht, taking two of the servants with them.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The Fall of Liege Arrived at his home, Max was astonished to find that his mother and sister had fled over the border to Maastricht, taking two of the servants with them.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading In a few words his mother explained why she, as an Englishwoman and one getting on in years, preferred to seek safety in Holland to remaining in a city which obviously would soon be the storm-centre of a terrible struggle.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading In a few words his mother explained why she, as an Englishwoman and one getting on in years, preferred to seek safety in Holland to remaining in a city which obviously would soon be the storm-centre of a terrible struggle.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The Fall of Liege Arrived at his home, Max was astonished to find that his mother and sister had fled over the border to Maastricht, taking two of the servants with them.
the words that are spoken
From this reading In a few words his mother explained why she, as an Englishwoman and one getting on in years, preferred to seek safety in Holland to remaining in a city which obviously would soon be the storm-centre of a terrible struggle.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading In a few words his mother explained why she, as an Englishwoman and one getting on in years, preferred to seek safety in Holland to remaining in a city which obviously would soon be the storm-centre of a terrible struggle.
a late time of life
From this reading In a few words his mother explained why she, as an Englishwoman and one getting on in years, preferred to seek safety in Holland to remaining in a city which obviously would soon be the storm-centre of a terrible struggle.
but in spite of that
From this reading She then reminded Max that he had not yet reached a man's age, and could not be expected to take a man's part.
