used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading But Jessie and I, going about our household tasks with sober faces, had hardly a word to say to each other.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading But Jessie and I, going about our household tasks with sober faces, had hardly a word to say to each other.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading JOE DISAPPEARS The plowing was done--had been done for some days, indeed--and the time set for our offering final proof was close at hand.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading A trouble so great as, under the circumstances, to deserve to be ranked as a calamity, had befallen us.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading JOE DISAPPEARS The plowing was done--had been done for some days, indeed--and the time set for our offering final proof was close at hand.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading A trouble so great as, under the circumstances, to deserve to be ranked as a calamity, had befallen us.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading JOE DISAPPEARS The plowing was done--had been done for some days, indeed--and the time set for our offering final proof was close at hand.
befallenverbUS /bəˈfɑːlən/
inflected form of “befall” — become of; happen to
From this reading A trouble so great as, under the circumstances, to deserve to be ranked as a calamity, had befallen us.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But Jessie and I, going about our household tasks with sober faces, had hardly a word to say to each other.
calamitynounUS /kəˈlæməti/
an event resulting in great loss and misfortune
From this reading A trouble so great as, under the circumstances, to deserve to be ranked as a calamity, had befallen us.
your overall circumstances or condition in life (including everything that happens to you)
From this reading A trouble so great as, under the circumstances, to deserve to be ranked as a calamity, had befallen us.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading JOE DISAPPEARS The plowing was done--had been done for some days, indeed--and the time set for our offering final proof was close at hand.
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading We had looked forward to this coming day with such eager expectation, but now that it was so near, we shrank with dread from facing it.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading We had looked forward to this coming day with such eager expectation, but now that it was so near, we shrank with dread from facing it.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading JOE DISAPPEARS The plowing was done--had been done for some days, indeed--and the time set for our offering final proof was close at hand.
deserveverbUS /dɪˈzɜːrv/
be worthy or deserving
From this reading A trouble so great as, under the circumstances, to deserve to be ranked as a calamity, had befallen us.
DISAPPEARSverbUS /ˌdɪsəˈpɪrz/
third-person singular of “disappear” — get lost, as without warning or explanation
From this reading JOE DISAPPEARS The plowing was done--had been done for some days, indeed--and the time set for our offering final proof was close at hand.
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading JOE DISAPPEARS The plowing was done--had been done for some days, indeed--and the time set for our offering final proof was close at hand.
fearful expectation or anticipation
From this reading We had looked forward to this coming day with such eager expectation, but now that it was so near, we shrank with dread from facing it.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading But Jessie and I, going about our household tasks with sober faces, had hardly a word to say to each other.
eageradjectiveUS /ˈiːɡər/
having or showing keen interest or intense desire or impatient expectancy
From this reading We had looked forward to this coming day with such eager expectation, but now that it was so near, we shrank with dread from facing it.
expectationnounUS /ˌekspekˈteɪʃən/
belief about (or mental picture of) the future
From this reading We had looked forward to this coming day with such eager expectation, but now that it was so near, we shrank with dread from facing it.
plural of “face” — the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading But Jessie and I, going about our household tasks with sober faces, had hardly a word to say to each other.
facingnounUS /ˈfeɪsɪŋ/
a lining applied to the edge of a garment for ornamentation or strengthening
From this reading We had looked forward to this coming day with such eager expectation, but now that it was so near, we shrank with dread from facing it.
finaladjectiveUS /ˈfaɪnəl/
occurring at or forming an end or termination
From this reading JOE DISAPPEARS The plowing was done--had been done for some days, indeed--and the time set for our offering final proof was close at hand.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading JOE DISAPPEARS The plowing was done--had been done for some days, indeed--and the time set for our offering final proof was close at hand.
at or to or toward the front
From this reading We had looked forward to this coming day with such eager expectation, but now that it was so near, we shrank with dread from facing it.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading We had looked forward to this coming day with such eager expectation, but now that it was so near, we shrank with dread from facing it.
the act of departing
From this reading But Jessie and I, going about our household tasks with sober faces, had hardly a word to say to each other.
destroyed or killed
From this reading Joe was gone.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading A trouble so great as, under the circumstances, to deserve to be ranked as a calamity, had befallen us.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading JOE DISAPPEARS The plowing was done--had been done for some days, indeed--and the time set for our offering final proof was close at hand.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading JOE DISAPPEARS The plowing was done--had been done for some days, indeed--and the time set for our offering final proof was close at hand.
only a very short time before
From this reading But Jessie and I, going about our household tasks with sober faces, had hardly a word to say to each other.
a social unit living together
From this reading But Jessie and I, going about our household tasks with sober faces, had hardly a word to say to each other.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading But Jessie and I, going about our household tasks with sober faces, had hardly a word to say to each other.
in truth (often tends to intensify)
From this reading JOE DISAPPEARS The plowing was done--had been done for some days, indeed--and the time set for our offering final proof was close at hand.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading We had looked forward to this coming day with such eager expectation, but now that it was so near, we shrank with dread from facing it.
Jessie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But Jessie and I, going about our household tasks with sober faces, had hardly a word to say to each other.
JOE
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading JOE DISAPPEARS The plowing was done--had been done for some days, indeed--and the time set for our offering final proof was close at hand.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading We had looked forward to this coming day with such eager expectation, but now that it was so near, we shrank with dread from facing it.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading We had looked forward to this coming day with such eager expectation, but now that it was so near, we shrank with dread from facing it.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading We had looked forward to this coming day with such eager expectation, but now that it was so near, we shrank with dread from facing it.
offeringnounUS /ˈɔːfərɪŋ/
something offered (as a proposal or bid)
From this reading JOE DISAPPEARS The plowing was done--had been done for some days, indeed--and the time set for our offering final proof was close at hand.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading But Jessie and I, going about our household tasks with sober faces, had hardly a word to say to each other.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading JOE DISAPPEARS The plowing was done--had been done for some days, indeed--and the time set for our offering final proof was close at hand.
plowingnounUS /ˈplaʊɪŋ/
tilling the land with a plow
From this reading JOE DISAPPEARS The plowing was done--had been done for some days, indeed--and the time set for our offering final proof was close at hand.
any factual evidence that helps to establish the truth of something
From this reading JOE DISAPPEARS The plowing was done--had been done for some days, indeed--and the time set for our offering final proof was close at hand.
rankedadjectiveUS /ræŋkt/
arranged in a sequence of grades or ranks
From this reading A trouble so great as, under the circumstances, to deserve to be ranked as a calamity, had befallen us.
express in words
From this reading But Jessie and I, going about our household tasks with sober faces, had hardly a word to say to each other.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading JOE DISAPPEARS The plowing was done--had been done for some days, indeed--and the time set for our offering final proof was close at hand.
shrankverbUS /ʃræŋk/
inflected form of “shrink” — wither, as with a loss of moisture
From this reading We had looked forward to this coming day with such eager expectation, but now that it was so near, we shrank with dread from facing it.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading We had looked forward to this coming day with such eager expectation, but now that it was so near, we shrank with dread from facing it.
soberadjectiveUS /ˈsoʊbər/
not affected by a chemical substance (especially alcohol)
From this reading But Jessie and I, going about our household tasks with sober faces, had hardly a word to say to each other.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading JOE DISAPPEARS The plowing was done--had been done for some days, indeed--and the time set for our offering final proof was close at hand.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading We had looked forward to this coming day with such eager expectation, but now that it was so near, we shrank with dread from facing it.
tasksnounUS /tæsks/
plural of “task” — any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted
From this reading But Jessie and I, going about our household tasks with sober faces, had hardly a word to say to each other.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading We had looked forward to this coming day with such eager expectation, but now that it was so near, we shrank with dread from facing it.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading JOE DISAPPEARS The plowing was done--had been done for some days, indeed--and the time set for our offering final proof was close at hand.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading We had looked forward to this coming day with such eager expectation, but now that it was so near, we shrank with dread from facing it.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading JOE DISAPPEARS The plowing was done--had been done for some days, indeed--and the time set for our offering final proof was close at hand.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading But Jessie and I, going about our household tasks with sober faces, had hardly a word to say to each other.
a source of difficulty
From this reading A trouble so great as, under the circumstances, to deserve to be ranked as a calamity, had befallen us.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading A trouble so great as, under the circumstances, to deserve to be ranked as a calamity, had befallen us.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading A trouble so great as, under the circumstances, to deserve to be ranked as a calamity, had befallen us.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading JOE DISAPPEARS The plowing was done--had been done for some days, indeed--and the time set for our offering final proof was close at hand.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading We had looked forward to this coming day with such eager expectation, but now that it was so near, we shrank with dread from facing it.
in the company of; together with
From this reading But Jessie and I, going about our household tasks with sober faces, had hardly a word to say to each other.
a unit of language that native speakers can identify
From this reading But Jessie and I, going about our household tasks with sober faces, had hardly a word to say to each other.
