used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Directly after lunch, Virginia, Margaret and Barbara retired to their rooms for the customary afternoon nap which seemed to be as much a part of desert life as anything else in the routine.
(followed by “to”) in agreement with or accordant with
From this reading The sun beat down upon the shimmering white sand relentlessly during the noon hours and all live creatures were glad to seek the cool of some shadow or to hide in underground burrows if that was according to their nature.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading Directly after lunch, Virginia, Margaret and Barbara retired to their rooms for the customary afternoon nap which seemed to be as much a part of desert life as anything else in the routine.
the part of the day between noon and evening
From this reading Directly after lunch, Virginia, Margaret and Barbara retired to their rooms for the customary afternoon nap which seemed to be as much a part of desert life as anything else in the routine.
(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 The sun beat down upon the shimmering white sand relentlessly during the noon hours and all live creatures were glad to seek the cool of some shadow or to hide in underground burrows if that was according to their nature.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Directly after lunch, Virginia, Margaret and Barbara retired to their rooms for the customary afternoon nap which seemed to be as much a part of desert life as anything else in the routine.
any thing at all
From this reading Directly after lunch, Virginia, Margaret and Barbara retired to their rooms for the customary afternoon nap which seemed to be as much a part of desert life as anything else in the routine.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Directly after lunch, Virginia, Margaret and Barbara retired to their rooms for the customary afternoon nap which seemed to be as much a part of desert life as anything else in the routine.
Barbara
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Directly after lunch, Virginia, Margaret and Barbara retired to their rooms for the customary afternoon nap which seemed to be as much a part of desert life as anything else in the routine.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Directly after lunch, Virginia, Margaret and Barbara retired to their rooms for the customary afternoon nap which seemed to be as much a part of desert life as anything else in the routine.
come out better in a competition, race, or conflict
From this reading The sun beat down upon the shimmering white sand relentlessly during the noon hours and all live creatures were glad to seek the cool of some shadow or to hide in underground burrows if that was according to their nature.
befallenverbUS /bəˈfɑːlən/
inflected form of “befall” — become of; happen to
From this reading She was wild to tell her Cousin Bob, who was fourteen, of all the exciting things which had befallen her since her departure from boarding school such a very short time before.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading She was wild to tell her Cousin Bob, who was fourteen, of all the exciting things which had befallen her since her departure from boarding school such a very short time before.
Betsy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Betsy, unused to sleeping during the day, had decided to take that time for letter writing.
boardingnounUS /ˈbɔːrdɪŋ/
the act of passengers and crew getting aboard a ship or aircraft
From this reading She was wild to tell her Cousin Bob, who was fourteen, of all the exciting things which had befallen her since her departure from boarding school such a very short time before.
move up and down repeatedly
From this reading She was wild to tell her Cousin Bob, who was fourteen, of all the exciting things which had befallen her since her departure from boarding school such a very short time before.
burrowsnounUS /ˈbɜːroʊz/
plural of “burrow” — a hole made by an animal, usually for shelter
From this reading The sun beat down upon the shimmering white sand relentlessly during the noon hours and all live creatures were glad to seek the cool of some shadow or to hide in underground burrows if that was according to their nature.
neither warm nor very cold; giving relief from heat
From this reading The sun beat down upon the shimmering white sand relentlessly during the noon hours and all live creatures were glad to seek the cool of some shadow or to hide in underground burrows if that was according to their nature.
the child of your aunt or uncle
From this reading She was wild to tell her Cousin Bob, who was fourteen, of all the exciting things which had befallen her since her departure from boarding school such a very short time before.
plural of “creature” — a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading The sun beat down upon the shimmering white sand relentlessly during the noon hours and all live creatures were glad to seek the cool of some shadow or to hide in underground burrows if that was according to their nature.
customaryadjectiveUS /ˈkʌstəmeri/
in accordance with convention or custom
From this reading Directly after lunch, Virginia, Margaret and Barbara retired to their rooms for the customary afternoon nap which seemed to be as much a part of desert life as anything else in the routine.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading Betsy, unused to sleeping during the day, had decided to take that time for letter writing.
recognizable; marked
From this reading Betsy, unused to sleeping during the day, had decided to take that time for letter writing.
the act of departing
From this reading She was wild to tell her Cousin Bob, who was fourteen, of all the exciting things which had befallen her since her departure from boarding school such a very short time before.
leave someone who needs or counts on you; leave in the lurch
From this reading Directly after lunch, Virginia, Margaret and Barbara retired to their rooms for the customary afternoon nap which seemed to be as much a part of desert life as anything else in the routine.
without deviation
From this reading Directly after lunch, Virginia, Margaret and Barbara retired to their rooms for the customary afternoon nap which seemed to be as much a part of desert life as anything else in the routine.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading The sun beat down upon the shimmering white sand relentlessly during the noon hours and all live creatures were glad to seek the cool of some shadow or to hide in underground burrows if that was according to their nature.
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading The sun beat down upon the shimmering white sand relentlessly during the noon hours and all live creatures were glad to seek the cool of some shadow or to hide in underground burrows if that was according to their nature.
else
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Directly after lunch, Virginia, Margaret and Barbara retired to their rooms for the customary afternoon nap which seemed to be as much a part of desert life as anything else in the routine.
envynounUS /ˈenvi/
a feeling of grudging admiration and desire to have something that is possessed by another
From this reading How he would envy her.
excitingadjectiveUS /ɪkˈsaɪtɪŋ/
creating or arousing excitement
From this reading She was wild to tell her Cousin Bob, who was fourteen, of all the exciting things which had befallen her since her departure from boarding school such a very short time before.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Directly after lunch, Virginia, Margaret and Barbara retired to their rooms for the customary afternoon nap which seemed to be as much a part of desert life as anything else in the routine.
fourteennounUS /ˈfɔːrˈtiːn/
the cardinal number that is the sum of thirteen and one
From this reading She was wild to tell her Cousin Bob, who was fourteen, of all the exciting things which had befallen her since her departure from boarding school such a very short time before.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading She was wild to tell her Cousin Bob, who was fourteen, of all the exciting things which had befallen her since her departure from boarding school such a very short time before.
showing or causing joy and pleasure; especially made happy
From this reading The sun beat down upon the shimmering white sand relentlessly during the noon hours and all live creatures were glad to seek the cool of some shadow or to hide in underground burrows if that was according to their nature.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Betsy, unused to sleeping during the day, had decided to take that time for letter writing.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading How he would envy her.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She was wild to tell her Cousin Bob, who was fourteen, of all the exciting things which had befallen her since her departure from boarding school such a very short time before.
prevent from being seen or discovered
From this reading The sun beat down upon the shimmering white sand relentlessly during the noon hours and all live creatures were glad to seek the cool of some shadow or to hide in underground burrows if that was according to their nature.
a period of time assigned for work
From this reading The sun beat down upon the shimmering white sand relentlessly during the noon hours and all live creatures were glad to seek the cool of some shadow or to hide in underground burrows if that was according to their nature.
How
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How he would envy her.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading The sun beat down upon the shimmering white sand relentlessly during the noon hours and all live creatures were glad to seek the cool of some shadow or to hide in underground burrows if that was according to their nature.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Directly after lunch, Virginia, Margaret and Barbara retired to their rooms for the customary afternoon nap which seemed to be as much a part of desert life as anything else in the routine.
a written message addressed to a person or organization
From this reading Betsy, unused to sleeping during the day, had decided to take that time for letter writing.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading Directly after lunch, Virginia, Margaret and Barbara retired to their rooms for the customary afternoon nap which seemed to be as much a part of desert life as anything else in the routine.
be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading The sun beat down upon the shimmering white sand relentlessly during the noon hours and all live creatures were glad to seek the cool of some shadow or to hide in underground burrows if that was according to their nature.
take the midday meal
From this reading Directly after lunch, Virginia, Margaret and Barbara retired to their rooms for the customary afternoon nap which seemed to be as much a part of desert life as anything else in the routine.
Margaret
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Directly after lunch, Virginia, Margaret and Barbara retired to their rooms for the customary afternoon nap which seemed to be as much a part of desert life as anything else in the routine.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading Directly after lunch, Virginia, Margaret and Barbara retired to their rooms for the customary afternoon nap which seemed to be as much a part of desert life as anything else in the routine.
napnounUS /næp/
a period of time spent sleeping
From this reading Directly after lunch, Virginia, Margaret and Barbara retired to their rooms for the customary afternoon nap which seemed to be as much a part of desert life as anything else in the routine.
the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized
From this reading The sun beat down upon the shimmering white sand relentlessly during the noon hours and all live creatures were glad to seek the cool of some shadow or to hide in underground burrows if that was according to their nature.
the middle of the day
From this reading The sun beat down upon the shimmering white sand relentlessly during the noon hours and all live creatures were glad to seek the cool of some shadow or to hide in underground burrows if that was according to their nature.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Directly after lunch, Virginia, Margaret and Barbara retired to their rooms for the customary afternoon nap which seemed to be as much a part of desert life as anything else in the routine.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading The sun beat down upon the shimmering white sand relentlessly during the noon hours and all live creatures were glad to seek the cool of some shadow or to hide in underground burrows if that was according to their nature.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading Directly after lunch, Virginia, Margaret and Barbara retired to their rooms for the customary afternoon nap which seemed to be as much a part of desert life as anything else in the routine.
relentlesslyadverbUS /rɪˈlentləsli/
in a relentless manner
From this reading The sun beat down upon the shimmering white sand relentlessly during the noon hours and all live creatures were glad to seek the cool of some shadow or to hide in underground burrows if that was according to their nature.
no longer active in your work or profession
From this reading Directly after lunch, Virginia, Margaret and Barbara retired to their rooms for the customary afternoon nap which seemed to be as much a part of desert life as anything else in the routine.
apartment consisting of a series of connected rooms used as a living unit (as in a hotel)
From this reading Directly after lunch, Virginia, Margaret and Barbara retired to their rooms for the customary afternoon nap which seemed to be as much a part of desert life as anything else in the routine.
routinenounUS /ruːˈtiːn/
an unvarying or habitual method or procedure
From this reading Directly after lunch, Virginia, Margaret and Barbara retired to their rooms for the customary afternoon nap which seemed to be as much a part of desert life as anything else in the routine.
a loose material consisting of grains of rock or coral
From this reading The sun beat down upon the shimmering white sand relentlessly during the noon hours and all live creatures were glad to seek the cool of some shadow or to hide in underground burrows if that was according to their nature.
an educational institution
From this reading She was wild to tell her Cousin Bob, who was fourteen, of all the exciting things which had befallen her since her departure from boarding school such a very short time before.
try to get or reach
From this reading The sun beat down upon the shimmering white sand relentlessly during the noon hours and all live creatures were glad to seek the cool of some shadow or to hide in underground burrows if that was according to their nature.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Directly after lunch, Virginia, Margaret and Barbara retired to their rooms for the customary afternoon nap which seemed to be as much a part of desert life as anything else in the routine.
A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.
From this reading The sun beat down upon the shimmering white sand relentlessly during the noon hours and all live creatures were glad to seek the cool of some shadow or to hide in underground burrows if that was according to their nature.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She was wild to tell her Cousin Bob, who was fourteen, of all the exciting things which had befallen her since her departure from boarding school such a very short time before.
shimmeringverbUS /ˈʃɪmərɪŋ/
-ing form of “shimmer” — shine with a weak or fitful light
From this reading The sun beat down upon the shimmering white sand relentlessly during the noon hours and all live creatures were glad to seek the cool of some shadow or to hide in underground burrows if that was according to their nature.
primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration
From this reading She was wild to tell her Cousin Bob, who was fourteen, of all the exciting things which had befallen her since her departure from boarding school such a very short time before.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading She was wild to tell her Cousin Bob, who was fourteen, of all the exciting things which had befallen her since her departure from boarding school such a very short time before.
the state of being asleep
From this reading Betsy, unused to sleeping during the day, had decided to take that time for letter writing.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading The sun beat down upon the shimmering white sand relentlessly during the noon hours and all live creatures were glad to seek the cool of some shadow or to hide in underground burrows if that was according to their nature.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading She was wild to tell her Cousin Bob, who was fourteen, of all the exciting things which had befallen her since her departure from boarding school such a very short time before.
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading The sun beat down upon the shimmering white sand relentlessly during the noon hours and all live creatures were glad to seek the cool of some shadow or to hide in underground burrows if that was according to their nature.
carry out
From this reading Betsy, unused to sleeping during the day, had decided to take that time for letter writing.
express in words
From this reading She was wild to tell her Cousin Bob, who was fourteen, of all the exciting things which had befallen her since her departure from boarding school such a very short time before.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The sun beat down upon the shimmering white sand relentlessly during the noon hours and all live creatures were glad to seek the cool of some shadow or to hide in underground burrows if that was according to their nature.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Directly after lunch, Virginia, Margaret and Barbara retired to their rooms for the customary afternoon nap which seemed to be as much a part of desert life as anything else in the routine.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Directly after lunch, Virginia, Margaret and Barbara retired to their rooms for the customary afternoon nap which seemed to be as much a part of desert life as anything else in the routine.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading She was wild to tell her Cousin Bob, who was fourteen, of all the exciting things which had befallen her since her departure from boarding school such a very short time before.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Betsy, unused to sleeping during the day, had decided to take that time for letter writing.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Directly after lunch, Virginia, Margaret and Barbara retired to their rooms for the customary afternoon nap which seemed to be as much a part of desert life as anything else in the routine.
undergroundadjectiveUS /ˈʌndərɡraʊnd/
under the level of the ground
From this reading The sun beat down upon the shimmering white sand relentlessly during the noon hours and all live creatures were glad to seek the cool of some shadow or to hide in underground burrows if that was according to their nature.
unusedadjectiveUS /əˈnjuːzd/
not yet used or soiled
From this reading Betsy, unused to sleeping during the day, had decided to take that time for letter writing.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading The sun beat down upon the shimmering white sand relentlessly during the noon hours and all live creatures were glad to seek the cool of some shadow or to hide in underground burrows if that was according to their nature.
precisely as stated
From this reading She was wild to tell her Cousin Bob, who was fourteen, of all the exciting things which had befallen her since her departure from boarding school such a very short time before.
VirginianounUS /vərˈdʒɪnjə/
a state in the eastern United States; one of the original 13 colonies; one of the Confederate States in the American Civil War
From this reading Directly after lunch, Virginia, Margaret and Barbara retired to their rooms for the customary afternoon nap which seemed to be as much a part of desert life as anything else in the routine.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The sun beat down upon the shimmering white sand relentlessly during the noon hours and all live creatures were glad to seek the cool of some shadow or to hide in underground burrows if that was according to their nature.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The sun beat down upon the shimmering white sand relentlessly during the noon hours and all live creatures were glad to seek the cool of some shadow or to hide in underground burrows if that was according to their nature.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Directly after lunch, Virginia, Margaret and Barbara retired to their rooms for the customary afternoon nap which seemed to be as much a part of desert life as anything else in the routine.
a Caucasian
From this reading The sun beat down upon the shimmering white sand relentlessly during the noon hours and all live creatures were glad to seek the cool of some shadow or to hide in underground burrows if that was according to their nature.
which person or people
From this reading She was wild to tell her Cousin Bob, who was fourteen, of all the exciting things which had befallen her since her departure from boarding school such a very short time before.
marked by extreme lack of restraint or control
From this reading She was wild to tell her Cousin Bob, who was fourteen, of all the exciting things which had befallen her since her departure from boarding school such a very short time before.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading How he would envy her.
the act of creating written works
From this reading Betsy, unused to sleeping during the day, had decided to take that time for letter writing.
