used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "They are the most curious pair of lovers I ever saw in my life," said one of the visitors at Ashbourne, a young lady who had been engaged to be married more than once, and might fairly consider herself an authority upon such matters.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading "They are the most curious pair of lovers I ever saw in my life," said one of the visitors at Ashbourne, a young lady who had been engaged to be married more than once, and might fairly consider herself an authority upon such matters.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "They are the most curious pair of lovers I ever saw in my life," said one of the visitors at Ashbourne, a young lady who had been engaged to be married more than once, and might fairly consider herself an authority upon such matters.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "They are the most curious pair of lovers I ever saw in my life," said one of the visitors at Ashbourne, a young lady who had been engaged to be married more than once, and might fairly consider herself an authority upon such matters.
Ashbourne
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "They are the most curious pair of lovers I ever saw in my life," said one of the visitors at Ashbourne, a young lady who had been engaged to be married more than once, and might fairly consider herself an authority upon such matters.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading "They are the most curious pair of lovers I ever saw in my life," said one of the visitors at Ashbourne, a young lady who had been engaged to be married more than once, and might fairly consider herself an authority upon such matters.
the power or right to give orders or make decisions
From this reading "They are the most curious pair of lovers I ever saw in my life," said one of the visitors at Ashbourne, a young lady who had been engaged to be married more than once, and might fairly consider herself an authority upon such matters.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "They are the most curious pair of lovers I ever saw in my life," said one of the visitors at Ashbourne, a young lady who had been engaged to be married more than once, and might fairly consider herself an authority upon such matters.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading "It might have been."
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading "What can you expect from a courtship between cousins?
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading "What can you expect from a courtship between cousins?
a friend who is frequently in the company of another
From this reading "They are cousins," replied her companion.
deem to be
From this reading "They are the most curious pair of lovers I ever saw in my life," said one of the visitors at Ashbourne, a young lady who had been engaged to be married more than once, and might fairly consider herself an authority upon such matters.
courtshipnounUS /ˈkɔːrtʃɪp/
a man's courting of a woman; seeking the affections of a woman (usually with the hope of marriage)
From this reading "What can you expect from a courtship between cousins?
cousinsnounUS /ˈkʌzənz/
plural of “cousin” — the child of your aunt or uncle
From this reading "They are cousins," replied her companion.
beyond or deviating from the usual or expected
From this reading "They are the most curious pair of lovers I ever saw in my life," said one of the visitors at Ashbourne, a young lady who had been engaged to be married more than once, and might fairly consider herself an authority upon such matters.
having ones attention or mind or energy engaged
From this reading "They are the most curious pair of lovers I ever saw in my life," said one of the visitors at Ashbourne, a young lady who had been engaged to be married more than once, and might fairly consider herself an authority upon such matters.
at any time
From this reading "They are the most curious pair of lovers I ever saw in my life," said one of the visitors at Ashbourne, a young lady who had been engaged to be married more than once, and might fairly consider herself an authority upon such matters.
regard something as probable or likely
From this reading "What can you expect from a courtship between cousins?
to certain extent or degree
From this reading "They are the most curious pair of lovers I ever saw in my life," said one of the visitors at Ashbourne, a young lady who had been engaged to be married more than once, and might fairly consider herself an authority upon such matters.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading "What can you expect from a courtship between cousins?
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading "They are the most curious pair of lovers I ever saw in my life," said one of the visitors at Ashbourne, a young lady who had been engaged to be married more than once, and might fairly consider herself an authority upon such matters.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading "It might have been."
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading "They are cousins," replied her companion.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading "They are the most curious pair of lovers I ever saw in my life," said one of the visitors at Ashbourne, a young lady who had been engaged to be married more than once, and might fairly consider herself an authority upon such matters.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "They are the most curious pair of lovers I ever saw in my life," said one of the visitors at Ashbourne, a young lady who had been engaged to be married more than once, and might fairly consider herself an authority upon such matters.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "They are the most curious pair of lovers I ever saw in my life," said one of the visitors at Ashbourne, a young lady who had been engaged to be married more than once, and might fairly consider herself an authority upon such matters.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "It might have been."
a polite name for any woman
From this reading "They are the most curious pair of lovers I ever saw in my life," said one of the visitors at Ashbourne, a young lady who had been engaged to be married more than once, and might fairly consider herself an authority upon such matters.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading "They are the most curious pair of lovers I ever saw in my life," said one of the visitors at Ashbourne, a young lady who had been engaged to be married more than once, and might fairly consider herself an authority upon such matters.
loversnounUS /ˈlʌvərz/
plural of “lover” — a person who loves someone or is loved by someone
From this reading "They are the most curious pair of lovers I ever saw in my life," said one of the visitors at Ashbourne, a young lady who had been engaged to be married more than once, and might fairly consider herself an authority upon such matters.
joined in matrimony
From this reading "They are the most curious pair of lovers I ever saw in my life," said one of the visitors at Ashbourne, a young lady who had been engaged to be married more than once, and might fairly consider herself an authority upon such matters.
plural of “matter” — a vaguely specified concern
From this reading "They are the most curious pair of lovers I ever saw in my life," said one of the visitors at Ashbourne, a young lady who had been engaged to be married more than once, and might fairly consider herself an authority upon such matters.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading "It might have been."
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading "They are the most curious pair of lovers I ever saw in my life," said one of the visitors at Ashbourne, a young lady who had been engaged to be married more than once, and might fairly consider herself an authority upon such matters.
used to form the superlative
From this reading "They are the most curious pair of lovers I ever saw in my life," said one of the visitors at Ashbourne, a young lady who had been engaged to be married more than once, and might fairly consider herself an authority upon such matters.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "They are the most curious pair of lovers I ever saw in my life," said one of the visitors at Ashbourne, a young lady who had been engaged to be married more than once, and might fairly consider herself an authority upon such matters.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading "One never sees them together."
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "They are the most curious pair of lovers I ever saw in my life," said one of the visitors at Ashbourne, a young lady who had been engaged to be married more than once, and might fairly consider herself an authority upon such matters.
on one occasion
From this reading "They are the most curious pair of lovers I ever saw in my life," said one of the visitors at Ashbourne, a young lady who had been engaged to be married more than once, and might fairly consider herself an authority upon such matters.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading "They are the most curious pair of lovers I ever saw in my life," said one of the visitors at Ashbourne, a young lady who had been engaged to be married more than once, and might fairly consider herself an authority upon such matters.
a set of two similar things considered as a unit
From this reading "They are the most curious pair of lovers I ever saw in my life," said one of the visitors at Ashbourne, a young lady who had been engaged to be married more than once, and might fairly consider herself an authority upon such matters.
inflected form of “reply” — react verbally
From this reading "They are cousins," replied her companion.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "They are the most curious pair of lovers I ever saw in my life," said one of the visitors at Ashbourne, a young lady who had been engaged to be married more than once, and might fairly consider herself an authority upon such matters.
cut with a saw
From this reading "They are the most curious pair of lovers I ever saw in my life," said one of the visitors at Ashbourne, a young lady who had been engaged to be married more than once, and might fairly consider herself an authority upon such matters.
plural of “see” — the seat within a bishop's diocese where his cathedral is located
From this reading "One never sees them together."
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading "They are the most curious pair of lovers I ever saw in my life," said one of the visitors at Ashbourne, a young lady who had been engaged to be married more than once, and might fairly consider herself an authority upon such matters.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading "They are the most curious pair of lovers I ever saw in my life," said one of the visitors at Ashbourne, a young lady who had been engaged to be married more than once, and might fairly consider herself an authority upon such matters.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "They are the most curious pair of lovers I ever saw in my life," said one of the visitors at Ashbourne, a young lady who had been engaged to be married more than once, and might fairly consider herself an authority upon such matters.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading "One never sees them together."
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "They are the most curious pair of lovers I ever saw in my life," said one of the visitors at Ashbourne, a young lady who had been engaged to be married more than once, and might fairly consider herself an authority upon such matters.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "They are the most curious pair of lovers I ever saw in my life," said one of the visitors at Ashbourne, a young lady who had been engaged to be married more than once, and might fairly consider herself an authority upon such matters.
in contact with each other or in proximity
From this reading "One never sees them together."
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading "They are the most curious pair of lovers I ever saw in my life," said one of the visitors at Ashbourne, a young lady who had been engaged to be married more than once, and might fairly consider herself an authority upon such matters.
plural of “visitor” — someone who visits
From this reading "They are the most curious pair of lovers I ever saw in my life," said one of the visitors at Ashbourne, a young lady who had been engaged to be married more than once, and might fairly consider herself an authority upon such matters.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "What can you expect from a courtship between cousins?
which person or people
From this reading "They are the most curious pair of lovers I ever saw in my life," said one of the visitors at Ashbourne, a young lady who had been engaged to be married more than once, and might fairly consider herself an authority upon such matters.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "What can you expect from a courtship between cousins?
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading "They are the most curious pair of lovers I ever saw in my life," said one of the visitors at Ashbourne, a young lady who had been engaged to be married more than once, and might fairly consider herself an authority upon such matters.
