Chapter XIV · Chapter 14

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading Alas! how easily things go wrong, A word too much, or a sigh too long; And there comes a mist and a driving rain, And life is never the same again.

make more attractive by adding ornament, colour, etc.

From this reading When his wedding with Miss Nevill had been definitely fixed, there had come down from town a whole army of decorators and painters and upholsterers, who had set to work to renovate and adorn the rest of the house for the advent of the bride, who was so soon to be brought home to it.

arrival that has been awaited (especially of something momentous)

From this reading When his wedding with Miss Nevill had been definitely fixed, there had come down from town a whole army of decorators and painters and upholsterers, who had set to work to renovate and adorn the rest of the house for the advent of the bride, who was so soon to be brought home to it.

anew

From this reading Alas! how easily things go wrong, A word too much, or a sigh too long; And there comes a mist and a driving rain, And life is never the same again.

used to show sadness, pity, or regret

From this reading Alas! how easily things go wrong, A word too much, or a sigh too long; And there comes a mist and a driving rain, And life is never the same again.

(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 They had altered things in various ways, they had improved a few, and they had spoiled a good many more; they had, at all events, introduced a wholesome and thorough system of cleansing and cleaning throughout the house, that had been very welcome to the soul of Mrs. Eccles; but into the library they had not penetrated.

changed in form or character without becoming something else

From this reading They had altered things in various ways, they had improved a few, and they had spoiled a good many more; they had, at all events, introduced a wholesome and thorough system of cleansing and cleaning throughout the house, that had been very welcome to the soul of Mrs. Eccles; but into the library they had not penetrated.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading Alas! how easily things go wrong, A word too much, or a sigh too long; And there comes a mist and a driving rain, And life is never the same again.

a permanent organization of the military land forces of a nation or state

From this reading When his wedding with Miss Nevill had been definitely fixed, there had come down from town a whole army of decorators and painters and upholsterers, who had set to work to renovate and adorn the rest of the house for the advent of the bride, who was so soon to be brought home to it.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading The library at Kynaston was the room which Sir John had used as his only sitting-room since he had come down to stay in his own house.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading The library at Kynaston was the room which Sir John had used as his only sitting-room since he had come down to stay in his own house.

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading When his wedding with Miss Nevill had been definitely fixed, there had come down from town a whole army of decorators and painters and upholsterers, who had set to work to renovate and adorn the rest of the house for the advent of the bride, who was so soon to be brought home to it.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading When his wedding with Miss Nevill had been definitely fixed, there had come down from town a whole army of decorators and painters and upholsterers, who had set to work to renovate and adorn the rest of the house for the advent of the bride, who was so soon to be brought home to it.

a woman who has recently been married

From this reading When his wedding with Miss Nevill had been definitely fixed, there had come down from town a whole army of decorators and painters and upholsterers, who had set to work to renovate and adorn the rest of the house for the advent of the bride, who was so soon to be brought home to it.

inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere

From this reading When his wedding with Miss Nevill had been definitely fixed, there had come down from town a whole army of decorators and painters and upholsterers, who had set to work to renovate and adorn the rest of the house for the advent of the bride, who was so soon to be brought home to it.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading They had altered things in various ways, they had improved a few, and they had spoiled a good many more; they had, at all events, introduced a wholesome and thorough system of cleansing and cleaning throughout the house, that had been very welcome to the soul of Mrs. Eccles; but into the library they had not penetrated.

the act of making something clean

From this reading They had altered things in various ways, they had improved a few, and they had spoiled a good many more; they had, at all events, introduced a wholesome and thorough system of cleansing and cleaning throughout the house, that had been very welcome to the soul of Mrs. Eccles; but into the library they had not penetrated.

cleansing the body by washing; especially ritual washing of e.g. hands

From this reading They had altered things in various ways, they had improved a few, and they had spoiled a good many more; they had, at all events, introduced a wholesome and thorough system of cleansing and cleaning throughout the house, that had been very welcome to the soul of Mrs. Eccles; but into the library they had not penetrated.

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading The library at Kynaston was the room which Sir John had used as his only sitting-room since he had come down to stay in his own house.

plural of “come” — the thick white fluid containing spermatozoa that is ejaculated by the male genital tract

From this reading Alas! how easily things go wrong, A word too much, or a sigh too long; And there comes a mist and a driving rain, And life is never the same again.

plural of “decorator” — a person who specializes in interior decoration

From this reading When his wedding with Miss Nevill had been definitely fixed, there had come down from town a whole army of decorators and painters and upholsterers, who had set to work to renovate and adorn the rest of the house for the advent of the bride, who was so soon to be brought home to it.

without question and beyond doubt

From this reading When his wedding with Miss Nevill had been definitely fixed, there had come down from town a whole army of decorators and painters and upholsterers, who had set to work to renovate and adorn the rest of the house for the advent of the bride, who was so soon to be brought home to it.

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading The library at Kynaston was the room which Sir John had used as his only sitting-room since he had come down to stay in his own house.

having the power of driving or impelling

From this reading Alas! how easily things go wrong, A word too much, or a sigh too long; And there comes a mist and a driving rain, And life is never the same again.

with ease (“easy” is sometimes used informally for “easily”)

From this reading Alas! how easily things go wrong, A word too much, or a sigh too long; And there comes a mist and a driving rain, And life is never the same again.

Australian physiologist noted for his research on the conduction of impulses by nerve cells (1903-1997)

From this reading They had altered things in various ways, they had improved a few, and they had spoiled a good many more; they had, at all events, introduced a wholesome and thorough system of cleansing and cleaning throughout the house, that had been very welcome to the soul of Mrs. Eccles; but into the library they had not penetrated.

plural of “event” — something that happens at a given place and time

From this reading They had altered things in various ways, they had improved a few, and they had spoiled a good many more; they had, at all events, introduced a wholesome and thorough system of cleansing and cleaning throughout the house, that had been very welcome to the soul of Mrs. Eccles; but into the library they had not penetrated.

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number

From this reading They had altered things in various ways, they had improved a few, and they had spoiled a good many more; they had, at all events, introduced a wholesome and thorough system of cleansing and cleaning throughout the house, that had been very welcome to the soul of Mrs. Eccles; but into the library they had not penetrated.

(of a number) having a fixed and unchanging value

From this reading When his wedding with Miss Nevill had been definitely fixed, there had come down from town a whole army of decorators and painters and upholsterers, who had set to work to renovate and adorn the rest of the house for the advent of the bride, who was so soon to be brought home to it.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading When his wedding with Miss Nevill had been definitely fixed, there had come down from town a whole army of decorators and painters and upholsterers, who had set to work to renovate and adorn the rest of the house for the advent of the bride, who was so soon to be brought home to it.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading When his wedding with Miss Nevill had been definitely fixed, there had come down from town a whole army of decorators and painters and upholsterers, who had set to work to renovate and adorn the rest of the house for the advent of the bride, who was so soon to be brought home to it.

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading Alas! how easily things go wrong, A word too much, or a sigh too long; And there comes a mist and a driving rain, And life is never the same again.

having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified

From this reading They had altered things in various ways, they had improved a few, and they had spoiled a good many more; they had, at all events, introduced a wholesome and thorough system of cleansing and cleaning throughout the house, that had been very welcome to the soul of Mrs. Eccles; but into the library they had not penetrated.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading The library at Kynaston was the room which Sir John had used as his only sitting-room since he had come down to stay in his own house.

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading The library at Kynaston was the room which Sir John had used as his only sitting-room since he had come down to stay in his own house.

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading The library at Kynaston was the room which Sir John had used as his only sitting-room since he had come down to stay in his own house.

where you live at a particular time

From this reading When his wedding with Miss Nevill had been definitely fixed, there had come down from town a whole army of decorators and painters and upholsterers, who had set to work to renovate and adorn the rest of the house for the advent of the bride, who was so soon to be brought home to it.

a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading The library at Kynaston was the room which Sir John had used as his only sitting-room since he had come down to stay in his own house.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Alas! how easily things go wrong, A word too much, or a sigh too long; And there comes a mist and a driving rain, And life is never the same again.

made more desirable or valuable or profitable; especially made ready for use or marketing

From this reading They had altered things in various ways, they had improved a few, and they had spoiled a good many more; they had, at all events, introduced a wholesome and thorough system of cleansing and cleaning throughout the house, that had been very welcome to the soul of Mrs. Eccles; but into the library they had not penetrated.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading The library at Kynaston was the room which Sir John had used as his only sitting-room since he had come down to stay in his own house.

moving to the inside of something

From this reading They had altered things in various ways, they had improved a few, and they had spoiled a good many more; they had, at all events, introduced a wholesome and thorough system of cleansing and cleaning throughout the house, that had been very welcome to the soul of Mrs. Eccles; but into the library they had not penetrated.

past form of “introduce” — cause to come to know personally

From this reading They had altered things in various ways, they had improved a few, and they had spoiled a good many more; they had, at all events, introduced a wholesome and thorough system of cleansing and cleaning throughout the house, that had been very welcome to the soul of Mrs. Eccles; but into the library they had not penetrated.

the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading Alas! how easily things go wrong, A word too much, or a sigh too long; And there comes a mist and a driving rain, And life is never the same again.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading When his wedding with Miss Nevill had been definitely fixed, there had come down from town a whole army of decorators and painters and upholsterers, who had set to work to renovate and adorn the rest of the house for the advent of the bride, who was so soon to be brought home to it.

a room or building equipped with one or more toilets

From this reading The library at Kynaston was the room which Sir John had used as his only sitting-room since he had come down to stay in his own house.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The library at Kynaston was the room which Sir John had used as his only sitting-room since he had come down to stay in his own house.

a room where books are kept

From this reading The library at Kynaston was the room which Sir John had used as his only sitting-room since he had come down to stay in his own house.

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading Alas! how easily things go wrong, A word too much, or a sigh too long; And there comes a mist and a driving rain, And life is never the same again.

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 Alas! how easily things go wrong, A word too much, or a sigh too long; And there comes a mist and a driving rain, And life is never the same again.

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number

From this reading They had altered things in various ways, they had improved a few, and they had spoiled a good many more; they had, at all events, introduced a wholesome and thorough system of cleansing and cleaning throughout the house, that had been very welcome to the soul of Mrs. Eccles; but into the library they had not penetrated.

a communication (usually brief) that is written or spoken or signaled

From this reading VERA'S MESSAGE.

fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind

From this reading When his wedding with Miss Nevill had been definitely fixed, there had come down from town a whole army of decorators and painters and upholsterers, who had set to work to renovate and adorn the rest of the house for the advent of the bride, who was so soon to be brought home to it.

become covered with mist

From this reading Alas! how easily things go wrong, A word too much, or a sigh too long; And there comes a mist and a driving rain, And life is never the same again.

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading They had altered things in various ways, they had improved a few, and they had spoiled a good many more; they had, at all events, introduced a wholesome and thorough system of cleansing and cleaning throughout the house, that had been very welcome to the soul of Mrs. Eccles; but into the library they had not penetrated.

a form of address for a married woman

From this reading They had altered things in various ways, they had improved a few, and they had spoiled a good many more; they had, at all events, introduced a wholesome and thorough system of cleansing and cleaning throughout the house, that had been very welcome to the soul of Mrs. Eccles; but into the library they had not penetrated.

to a great degree or extent

From this reading Alas! how easily things go wrong, A word too much, or a sigh too long; And there comes a mist and a driving rain, And life is never the same again.

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading Alas! how easily things go wrong, A word too much, or a sigh too long; And there comes a mist and a driving rain, And life is never the same again.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading When his wedding with Miss Nevill had been definitely fixed, there had come down from town a whole army of decorators and painters and upholsterers, who had set to work to renovate and adorn the rest of the house for the advent of the bride, who was so soon to be brought home to it.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading They had altered things in various ways, they had improved a few, and they had spoiled a good many more; they had, at all events, introduced a wholesome and thorough system of cleansing and cleaning throughout the house, that had been very welcome to the soul of Mrs. Eccles; but into the library they had not penetrated.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading When his wedding with Miss Nevill had been definitely fixed, there had come down from town a whole army of decorators and painters and upholsterers, who had set to work to renovate and adorn the rest of the house for the advent of the bride, who was so soon to be brought home to it.

and nothing more

From this reading The library at Kynaston was the room which Sir John had used as his only sitting-room since he had come down to stay in his own house.

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Alas! how easily things go wrong, A word too much, or a sigh too long; And there comes a mist and a driving rain, And life is never the same again.

have ownership or possession of

From this reading The library at Kynaston was the room which Sir John had used as his only sitting-room since he had come down to stay in his own house.

plural of “painter” — an artist who paints

From this reading When his wedding with Miss Nevill had been definitely fixed, there had come down from town a whole army of decorators and painters and upholsterers, who had set to work to renovate and adorn the rest of the house for the advent of the bride, who was so soon to be brought home to it.

past form of “penetrate” — pass into or through, often by overcoming resistance

From this reading They had altered things in various ways, they had improved a few, and they had spoiled a good many more; they had, at all events, introduced a wholesome and thorough system of cleansing and cleaning throughout the house, that had been very welcome to the soul of Mrs. Eccles; but into the library they had not penetrated.

water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere

From this reading Alas! how easily things go wrong, A word too much, or a sigh too long; And there comes a mist and a driving rain, And life is never the same again.

restore to a previous or better condition

From this reading When his wedding with Miss Nevill had been definitely fixed, there had come down from town a whole army of decorators and painters and upholsterers, who had set to work to renovate and adorn the rest of the house for the advent of the bride, who was so soon to be brought home to it.

not move; be in a resting position

From this reading When his wedding with Miss Nevill had been definitely fixed, there had come down from town a whole army of decorators and painters and upholsterers, who had set to work to renovate and adorn the rest of the house for the advent of the bride, who was so soon to be brought home to it.

an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling

From this reading The library at Kynaston was the room which Sir John had used as his only sitting-room since he had come down to stay in his own house.

Identical; not different.

From this reading Alas! how easily things go wrong, A word too much, or a sigh too long; And there comes a mist and a driving rain, And life is never the same again.

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading When his wedding with Miss Nevill had been definitely fixed, there had come down from town a whole army of decorators and painters and upholsterers, who had set to work to renovate and adorn the rest of the house for the advent of the bride, who was so soon to be brought home to it.

heave or utter a sigh; breathe deeply and heavily

From this reading Alas! how easily things go wrong, A word too much, or a sigh too long; And there comes a mist and a driving rain, And life is never the same again.

from a time in the past until now

From this reading The library at Kynaston was the room which Sir John had used as his only sitting-room since he had come down to stay in his own house.

term of address for a man

From this reading The library at Kynaston was the room which Sir John had used as his only sitting-room since he had come down to stay in his own house.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The library at Kynaston was the room which Sir John had used as his only sitting-room since he had come down to stay in his own house.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading When his wedding with Miss Nevill had been definitely fixed, there had come down from town a whole army of decorators and painters and upholsterers, who had set to work to renovate and adorn the rest of the house for the advent of the bride, who was so soon to be brought home to it.

in the near future

From this reading When his wedding with Miss Nevill had been definitely fixed, there had come down from town a whole army of decorators and painters and upholsterers, who had set to work to renovate and adorn the rest of the house for the advent of the bride, who was so soon to be brought home to it.

the immaterial part of a person; the actuating cause of an individual life

From this reading They had altered things in various ways, they had improved a few, and they had spoiled a good many more; they had, at all events, introduced a wholesome and thorough system of cleansing and cleaning throughout the house, that had been very welcome to the soul of Mrs. Eccles; but into the library they had not penetrated.

having the character or disposition harmed by pampering or oversolicitous attention

From this reading They had altered things in various ways, they had improved a few, and they had spoiled a good many more; they had, at all events, introduced a wholesome and thorough system of cleansing and cleaning throughout the house, that had been very welcome to the soul of Mrs. Eccles; but into the library they had not penetrated.

stay the same; remain in a certain state

From this reading The library at Kynaston was the room which Sir John had used as his only sitting-room since he had come down to stay in his own house.

instrumentality that combines interrelated interacting artifacts designed to work as a coherent entity

From this reading They had altered things in various ways, they had improved a few, and they had spoiled a good many more; they had, at all events, introduced a wholesome and thorough system of cleansing and cleaning throughout the house, that had been very welcome to the soul of Mrs. Eccles; but into the library they had not penetrated.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading They had altered things in various ways, they had improved a few, and they had spoiled a good many more; they had, at all events, introduced a wholesome and thorough system of cleansing and cleaning throughout the house, that had been very welcome to the soul of Mrs. Eccles; but into the library they had not penetrated.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading Alas! how easily things go wrong, A word too much, or a sigh too long; And there comes a mist and a driving rain, And life is never the same again.

in or at that place or location

From this reading Alas! how easily things go wrong, A word too much, or a sigh too long; And there comes a mist and a driving rain, And life is never the same again.

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading They had altered things in various ways, they had improved a few, and they had spoiled a good many more; they had, at all events, introduced a wholesome and thorough system of cleansing and cleaning throughout the house, that had been very welcome to the soul of Mrs. Eccles; but into the library they had not penetrated.

any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)

From this reading Alas! how easily things go wrong, A word too much, or a sigh too long; And there comes a mist and a driving rain, And life is never the same again.

painstakingly careful and accurate

From this reading They had altered things in various ways, they had improved a few, and they had spoiled a good many more; they had, at all events, introduced a wholesome and thorough system of cleansing and cleaning throughout the house, that had been very welcome to the soul of Mrs. Eccles; but into the library they had not penetrated.

in every part of a place, or for the whole of a period

From this reading They had altered things in various ways, they had improved a few, and they had spoiled a good many more; they had, at all events, introduced a wholesome and thorough system of cleansing and cleaning throughout the house, that had been very welcome to the soul of Mrs. Eccles; but into the library they had not penetrated.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading The library at Kynaston was the room which Sir John had used as his only sitting-room since he had come down to stay in his own house.

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading Alas! how easily things go wrong, A word too much, or a sigh too long; And there comes a mist and a driving rain, And life is never the same again.

an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city

From this reading When his wedding with Miss Nevill had been definitely fixed, there had come down from town a whole army of decorators and painters and upholsterers, who had set to work to renovate and adorn the rest of the house for the advent of the bride, who was so soon to be brought home to it.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading When his wedding with Miss Nevill had been definitely fixed, there had come down from town a whole army of decorators and painters and upholsterers, who had set to work to renovate and adorn the rest of the house for the advent of the bride, who was so soon to be brought home to it.

employed in accomplishing something

From this reading The library at Kynaston was the room which Sir John had used as his only sitting-room since he had come down to stay in his own house.

of many different kinds purposefully arranged but lacking any uniformity

From this reading They had altered things in various ways, they had improved a few, and they had spoiled a good many more; they had, at all events, introduced a wholesome and thorough system of cleansing and cleaning throughout the house, that had been very welcome to the soul of Mrs. Eccles; but into the library they had not penetrated.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading VERA'S MESSAGE.

precisely as stated

From this reading They had altered things in various ways, they had improved a few, and they had spoiled a good many more; they had, at all events, introduced a wholesome and thorough system of cleansing and cleaning throughout the house, that had been very welcome to the soul of Mrs. Eccles; but into the library they had not penetrated.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading The library at Kynaston was the room which Sir John had used as his only sitting-room since he had come down to stay in his own house.

structure consisting of a sloping way down to the water from the place where ships are built or repaired

From this reading They had altered things in various ways, they had improved a few, and they had spoiled a good many more; they had, at all events, introduced a wholesome and thorough system of cleansing and cleaning throughout the house, that had been very welcome to the soul of Mrs. Eccles; but into the library they had not penetrated.

the social event at which the ceremony of marriage is performed

From this reading When his wedding with Miss Nevill had been definitely fixed, there had come down from town a whole army of decorators and painters and upholsterers, who had set to work to renovate and adorn the rest of the house for the advent of the bride, who was so soon to be brought home to it.

accept gladly

From this reading They had altered things in various ways, they had improved a few, and they had spoiled a good many more; they had, at all events, introduced a wholesome and thorough system of cleansing and cleaning throughout the house, that had been very welcome to the soul of Mrs. Eccles; but into the library they had not penetrated.

at the time that

From this reading When his wedding with Miss Nevill had been definitely fixed, there had come down from town a whole army of decorators and painters and upholsterers, who had set to work to renovate and adorn the rest of the house for the advent of the bride, who was so soon to be brought home to it.

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading The library at Kynaston was the room which Sir John had used as his only sitting-room since he had come down to stay in his own house.

which person or people

From this reading When his wedding with Miss Nevill had been definitely fixed, there had come down from town a whole army of decorators and painters and upholsterers, who had set to work to renovate and adorn the rest of the house for the advent of the bride, who was so soon to be brought home to it.

including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete

From this reading When his wedding with Miss Nevill had been definitely fixed, there had come down from town a whole army of decorators and painters and upholsterers, who had set to work to renovate and adorn the rest of the house for the advent of the bride, who was so soon to be brought home to it.

conducive to or characteristic of physical or moral well-being

From this reading They had altered things in various ways, they had improved a few, and they had spoiled a good many more; they had, at all events, introduced a wholesome and thorough system of cleansing and cleaning throughout the house, that had been very welcome to the soul of Mrs. Eccles; but into the library they had not penetrated.

in the company of; together with

From this reading When his wedding with Miss Nevill had been definitely fixed, there had come down from town a whole army of decorators and painters and upholsterers, who had set to work to renovate and adorn the rest of the house for the advent of the bride, who was so soon to be brought home to it.

a unit of language that native speakers can identify

From this reading Alas! how easily things go wrong, A word too much, or a sigh too long; And there comes a mist and a driving rain, And life is never the same again.

exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity

From this reading When his wedding with Miss Nevill had been definitely fixed, there had come down from town a whole army of decorators and painters and upholsterers, who had set to work to renovate and adorn the rest of the house for the advent of the bride, who was so soon to be brought home to it.

not correct; not in conformity with fact or truth

From this reading Alas! how easily things go wrong, A word too much, or a sigh too long; And there comes a mist and a driving rain, And life is never the same again.