Chapter VIII

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

From this reading The tumult in poor Reine’s heart would have been almost as strange to Miss Susan as it was to Reine’s mother; for it was long now since Herbert had been given up by everybody, and since the doctors had all said, that “nothing short of a miracle” could save him.

declare to be true or admit the existence or reality or truth of

From this reading But Reine, who was young, had no such limitation of mind, and never could or would acknowledge that anything was impossible.

(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 tumult in poor Reine’s heart would have been almost as strange to Miss Susan as it was to Reine’s mother; for it was long now since Herbert had been given up by everybody, and since the doctors had all said, that “nothing short of a miracle” could save him.

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

From this reading The tumult in poor Reine’s heart would have been almost as strange to Miss Susan as it was to Reine’s mother; for it was long now since Herbert had been given up by everybody, and since the doctors had all said, that “nothing short of a miracle” could save him.

surrounded by; in the middle of a group

From this reading This little scene took place in the village of Kandersteg, at the foot of the hills, exactly on the day when Miss Susan executed her errand in the room behind the shop, in low-lying Bruges, among the flat canals and fat Flemish fields.

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

From this reading This little scene took place in the village of Kandersteg, at the foot of the hills, exactly on the day when Miss Susan executed her errand in the room behind the shop, in low-lying Bruges, among the flat canals and fat Flemish fields.

any thing at all

From this reading But Reine, who was young, had no such limitation of mind, and never could or would acknowledge that anything was impossible.

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

From this reading The tumult in poor Reine’s heart would have been almost as strange to Miss Susan as it was to Reine’s mother; for it was long now since Herbert had been given up by everybody, and since the doctors had all said, that “nothing short of a miracle” could save him.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading This little scene took place in the village of Kandersteg, at the foot of the hills, exactly on the day when Miss Susan executed her errand in the room behind the shop, in low-lying Bruges, among the flat canals and fat Flemish fields.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading The tumult in poor Reine’s heart would have been almost as strange to Miss Susan as it was to Reine’s mother; for it was long now since Herbert had been given up by everybody, and since the doctors had all said, that “nothing short of a miracle” could save him.

at or toward the back of something

From this reading This little scene took place in the village of Kandersteg, at the foot of the hills, exactly on the day when Miss Susan executed her errand in the room behind the shop, in low-lying Bruges, among the flat canals and fat Flemish fields.

past form of “believe” — accept as true; take to be true

From this reading Neither Miss Susan nor Madame de Mirfleur believed in miracles.

a city in northwestern Belgium that is connected by canal to the North Sea; in the 13th century it was a leading member of the Hanseatic League; the old city (known as the City of Bridges) is a popular tourist attraction

From this reading This little scene took place in the village of Kandersteg, at the foot of the hills, exactly on the day when Miss Susan executed her errand in the room behind the shop, in low-lying Bruges, among the flat canals and fat Flemish fields.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But Reine, who was young, had no such limitation of mind, and never could or would acknowledge that anything was impossible.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading The tumult in poor Reine’s heart would have been almost as strange to Miss Susan as it was to Reine’s mother; for it was long now since Herbert had been given up by everybody, and since the doctors had all said, that “nothing short of a miracle” could save him.

plural of “canal” — (astronomy) an indistinct surface feature of Mars once thought to be a system of channels; they are now believed to be an optical illusion

From this reading This little scene took place in the village of Kandersteg, at the foot of the hills, exactly on the day when Miss Susan executed her errand in the room behind the shop, in low-lying Bruges, among the flat canals and fat Flemish fields.

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading The tumult in poor Reine’s heart would have been almost as strange to Miss Susan as it was to Reine’s mother; for it was long now since Herbert had been given up by everybody, and since the doctors had all said, that “nothing short of a miracle” could save him.

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading This little scene took place in the village of Kandersteg, at the foot of the hills, exactly on the day when Miss Susan executed her errand in the room behind the shop, in low-lying Bruges, among the flat canals and fat Flemish fields.

a Mid-Atlantic state; one of the original 13 colonies

From this reading Neither Miss Susan nor Madame de Mirfleur believed in miracles.

plural of “doctor” — a licensed medical practitioner

From this reading The tumult in poor Reine’s heart would have been almost as strange to Miss Susan as it was to Reine’s mother; for it was long now since Herbert had been given up by everybody, and since the doctors had all said, that “nothing short of a miracle” could save him.

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

From this reading “What does impossible mean?”

a short trip that is taken in the performance of a necessary task or mission

From this reading This little scene took place in the village of Kandersteg, at the foot of the hills, exactly on the day when Miss Susan executed her errand in the room behind the shop, in low-lying Bruges, among the flat canals and fat Flemish fields.

every person

From this reading The tumult in poor Reine’s heart would have been almost as strange to Miss Susan as it was to Reine’s mother; for it was long now since Herbert had been given up by everybody, and since the doctors had all said, that “nothing short of a miracle” could save him.

indicating exactness or preciseness

From this reading This little scene took place in the village of Kandersteg, at the foot of the hills, exactly on the day when Miss Susan executed her errand in the room behind the shop, in low-lying Bruges, among the flat canals and fat Flemish fields.

put to death as punishment

From this reading This little scene took place in the village of Kandersteg, at the foot of the hills, exactly on the day when Miss Susan executed her errand in the room behind the shop, in low-lying Bruges, among the flat canals and fat Flemish fields.

having an (over)abundance of flesh

From this reading This little scene took place in the village of Kandersteg, at the foot of the hills, exactly on the day when Miss Susan executed her errand in the room behind the shop, in low-lying Bruges, among the flat canals and fat Flemish fields.

United States comedian and film actor (1880-1946)

From this reading This little scene took place in the village of Kandersteg, at the foot of the hills, exactly on the day when Miss Susan executed her errand in the room behind the shop, in low-lying Bruges, among the flat canals and fat Flemish fields.

having a surface without slope, tilt in which no part is higher or lower than another

From this reading This little scene took place in the village of Kandersteg, at the foot of the hills, exactly on the day when Miss Susan executed her errand in the room behind the shop, in low-lying Bruges, among the flat canals and fat Flemish fields.

an ethnic group speaking Flemish and living in northern and western Belgium

From this reading This little scene took place in the village of Kandersteg, at the foot of the hills, exactly on the day when Miss Susan executed her errand in the room behind the shop, in low-lying Bruges, among the flat canals and fat Flemish fields.

the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint

From this reading This little scene took place in the village of Kandersteg, at the foot of the hills, exactly on the day when Miss Susan executed her errand in the room behind the shop, in low-lying Bruges, among the flat canals and fat Flemish fields.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading The tumult in poor Reine’s heart would have been almost as strange to Miss Susan as it was to Reine’s mother; for it was long now since Herbert had been given up by everybody, and since the doctors had all said, that “nothing short of a miracle” could save him.

acknowledged as a supposition

From this reading The tumult in poor Reine’s heart would have been almost as strange to Miss Susan as it was to Reine’s mother; for it was long now since Herbert had been given up by everybody, and since the doctors had all said, that “nothing short of a miracle” could save him.

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

From this reading The tumult in poor Reine’s heart would have been almost as strange to Miss Susan as it was to Reine’s mother; for it was long now since Herbert had been given up by everybody, and since the doctors had all said, that “nothing short of a miracle” could save him.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading The tumult in poor Reine’s heart would have been almost as strange to Miss Susan as it was to Reine’s mother; for it was long now since Herbert had been given up by everybody, and since the doctors had all said, that “nothing short of a miracle” could save him.

the locus of feelings and intuitions

From this reading The tumult in poor Reine’s heart would have been almost as strange to Miss Susan as it was to Reine’s mother; for it was long now since Herbert had been given up by everybody, and since the doctors had all said, that “nothing short of a miracle” could save him.

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading This little scene took place in the village of Kandersteg, at the foot of the hills, exactly on the day when Miss Susan executed her errand in the room behind the shop, in low-lying Bruges, among the flat canals and fat Flemish fields.

United States musician and composer and conductor noted for his comic operas (1859-1924)

From this reading The tumult in poor Reine’s heart would have been almost as strange to Miss Susan as it was to Reine’s mother; for it was long now since Herbert had been given up by everybody, and since the doctors had all said, that “nothing short of a miracle” could save him.

plural of “hill” — a local and well-defined elevation of the land

From this reading This little scene took place in the village of Kandersteg, at the foot of the hills, exactly on the day when Miss Susan executed her errand in the room behind the shop, in low-lying Bruges, among the flat canals and fat Flemish fields.

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading The tumult in poor Reine’s heart would have been almost as strange to Miss Susan as it was to Reine’s mother; for it was long now since Herbert had been given up by everybody, and since the doctors had all said, that “nothing short of a miracle” could save him.

not capable of occurring or being accomplished or dealt with

From this reading But Reine, who was young, had no such limitation of mind, and never could or would acknowledge that anything was impossible.

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

From this reading This little scene took place in the village of Kandersteg, at the foot of the hills, exactly on the day when Miss Susan executed her errand in the room behind the shop, in low-lying Bruges, among the flat canals and fat Flemish fields.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading The tumult in poor Reine’s heart would have been almost as strange to Miss Susan as it was to Reine’s mother; for it was long now since Herbert had been given up by everybody, and since the doctors had all said, that “nothing short of a miracle” could save him.

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

From this reading This little scene took place in the village of Kandersteg, at the foot of the hills, exactly on the day when Miss Susan executed her errand in the room behind the shop, in low-lying Bruges, among the flat canals and fat Flemish fields.

a principle that limits the extent of something

From this reading But Reine, who was young, had no such limitation of mind, and never could or would acknowledge that anything was impossible.

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading This little scene took place in the village of Kandersteg, at the foot of the hills, exactly on the day when Miss Susan executed her errand in the room behind the shop, in low-lying Bruges, among the flat canals and fat Flemish fields.

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 The tumult in poor Reine’s heart would have been almost as strange to Miss Susan as it was to Reine’s mother; for it was long now since Herbert had been given up by everybody, and since the doctors had all said, that “nothing short of a miracle” could save him.

having a small elevation above the ground or horizon or sea level

From this reading This little scene took place in the village of Kandersteg, at the foot of the hills, exactly on the day when Miss Susan executed her errand in the room behind the shop, in low-lying Bruges, among the flat canals and fat Flemish fields.

title used for a married Frenchwoman

From this reading Neither Miss Susan nor Madame de Mirfleur believed in miracles.

mean or intend to express or convey

From this reading “What does impossible mean?”

The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.

From this reading But Reine, who was young, had no such limitation of mind, and never could or would acknowledge that anything was impossible.

any amazing or wonderful occurrence

From this reading The tumult in poor Reine’s heart would have been almost as strange to Miss Susan as it was to Reine’s mother; for it was long now since Herbert had been given up by everybody, and since the doctors had all said, that “nothing short of a miracle” could save him.

plural of “miracle” — any amazing or wonderful occurrence

From this reading Neither Miss Susan nor Madame de Mirfleur believed in miracles.

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

From this reading Neither Miss Susan nor Madame de Mirfleur believed in miracles.

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

From this reading This little scene took place in the village of Kandersteg, at the foot of the hills, exactly on the day when Miss Susan executed her errand in the room behind the shop, in low-lying Bruges, among the flat canals and fat Flemish fields.

a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)

From this reading The tumult in poor Reine’s heart would have been almost as strange to Miss Susan as it was to Reine’s mother; for it was long now since Herbert had been given up by everybody, and since the doctors had all said, that “nothing short of a miracle” could save him.

not one and not the other of two

From this reading Neither Miss Susan nor Madame de Mirfleur believed in miracles.

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading But Reine, who was young, had no such limitation of mind, and never could or would acknowledge that anything was impossible.

not any; not one

From this reading But Reine, who was young, had no such limitation of mind, and never could or would acknowledge that anything was impossible.

and not; used after a negative to add a second negative

From this reading Neither Miss Susan nor Madame de Mirfleur believed in miracles.

not one thing; not anything

From this reading The tumult in poor Reine’s heart would have been almost as strange to Miss Susan as it was to Reine’s mother; for it was long now since Herbert had been given up by everybody, and since the doctors had all said, that “nothing short of a miracle” could save him.

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading The tumult in poor Reine’s heart would have been almost as strange to Miss Susan as it was to Reine’s mother; for it was long now since Herbert had been given up by everybody, and since the doctors had all said, that “nothing short of a miracle” could save him.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading This little scene took place in the village of Kandersteg, at the foot of the hills, exactly on the day when Miss Susan executed her errand in the room behind the shop, in low-lying Bruges, among the flat canals and fat Flemish fields.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading This little scene took place in the village of Kandersteg, at the foot of the hills, exactly on the day when Miss Susan executed her errand in the room behind the shop, in low-lying Bruges, among the flat canals and fat Flemish fields.

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading But Reine, who was young, had no such limitation of mind, and never could or would acknowledge that anything was impossible.

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading This little scene took place in the village of Kandersteg, at the foot of the hills, exactly on the day when Miss Susan executed her errand in the room behind the shop, in low-lying Bruges, among the flat canals and fat Flemish fields.

deserving or inciting pity

From this reading The tumult in poor Reine’s heart would have been almost as strange to Miss Susan as it was to Reine’s mother; for it was long now since Herbert had been given up by everybody, and since the doctors had all said, that “nothing short of a miracle” could save him.

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

From this reading But Reine, who was young, had no such limitation of mind, and never could or would acknowledge that anything was impossible.

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

From this reading The tumult in poor Reine’s heart would have been almost as strange to Miss Susan as it was to Reine’s mother; for it was long now since Herbert had been given up by everybody, and since the doctors had all said, that “nothing short of a miracle” could save him.

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

From this reading This little scene took place in the village of Kandersteg, at the foot of the hills, exactly on the day when Miss Susan executed her errand in the room behind the shop, in low-lying Bruges, among the flat canals and fat Flemish fields.

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading The tumult in poor Reine’s heart would have been almost as strange to Miss Susan as it was to Reine’s mother; for it was long now since Herbert had been given up by everybody, and since the doctors had all said, that “nothing short of a miracle” could save him.

except for; apart from

From this reading The tumult in poor Reine’s heart would have been almost as strange to Miss Susan as it was to Reine’s mother; for it was long now since Herbert had been given up by everybody, and since the doctors had all said, that “nothing short of a miracle” could save him.

the place where some action occurs

From this reading This little scene took place in the village of Kandersteg, at the foot of the hills, exactly on the day when Miss Susan executed her errand in the room behind the shop, in low-lying Bruges, among the flat canals and fat Flemish fields.

do one's shopping

From this reading This little scene took place in the village of Kandersteg, at the foot of the hills, exactly on the day when Miss Susan executed her errand in the room behind the shop, in low-lying Bruges, among the flat canals and fat Flemish fields.

primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration

From this reading The tumult in poor Reine’s heart would have been almost as strange to Miss Susan as it was to Reine’s mother; for it was long now since Herbert had been given up by everybody, and since the doctors had all said, that “nothing short of a miracle” could save him.

from a time in the past until now

From this reading The tumult in poor Reine’s heart would have been almost as strange to Miss Susan as it was to Reine’s mother; for it was long now since Herbert had been given up by everybody, and since the doctors had all said, that “nothing short of a miracle” could save him.

being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird

From this reading The tumult in poor Reine’s heart would have been almost as strange to Miss Susan as it was to Reine’s mother; for it was long now since Herbert had been given up by everybody, and since the doctors had all said, that “nothing short of a miracle” could save him.

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading But Reine, who was young, had no such limitation of mind, and never could or would acknowledge that anything was impossible.

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

From this reading This little scene took place in the village of Kandersteg, at the foot of the hills, exactly on the day when Miss Susan executed her errand in the room behind the shop, in low-lying Bruges, among the flat canals and fat Flemish fields.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading The tumult in poor Reine’s heart would have been almost as strange to Miss Susan as it was to Reine’s mother; for it was long now since Herbert had been given up by everybody, and since the doctors had all said, that “nothing short of a miracle” could save him.

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

From this reading This little scene took place in the village of Kandersteg, at the foot of the hills, exactly on the day when Miss Susan executed her errand in the room behind the shop, in low-lying Bruges, among the flat canals and fat Flemish fields.

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading This little scene took place in the village of Kandersteg, at the foot of the hills, exactly on the day when Miss Susan executed her errand in the room behind the shop, in low-lying Bruges, among the flat canals and fat Flemish fields.

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

From this reading The tumult in poor Reine’s heart would have been almost as strange to Miss Susan as it was to Reine’s mother; for it was long now since Herbert had been given up by everybody, and since the doctors had all said, that “nothing short of a miracle” could save him.

inflected form of “take” — carry out

From this reading This little scene took place in the village of Kandersteg, at the foot of the hills, exactly on the day when Miss Susan executed her errand in the room behind the shop, in low-lying Bruges, among the flat canals and fat Flemish fields.

a state of commotion and noise and confusion

From this reading The tumult in poor Reine’s heart would have been almost as strange to Miss Susan as it was to Reine’s mother; for it was long now since Herbert had been given up by everybody, and since the doctors had all said, that “nothing short of a miracle” could save him.

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading The tumult in poor Reine’s heart would have been almost as strange to Miss Susan as it was to Reine’s mother; for it was long now since Herbert had been given up by everybody, and since the doctors had all said, that “nothing short of a miracle” could save him.

a community of people smaller than a town

From this reading This little scene took place in the village of Kandersteg, at the foot of the hills, exactly on the day when Miss Susan executed her errand in the room behind the shop, in low-lying Bruges, among the flat canals and fat Flemish fields.

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

From this reading The tumult in poor Reine’s heart would have been almost as strange to Miss Susan as it was to Reine’s mother; for it was long now since Herbert had been given up by everybody, and since the doctors had all said, that “nothing short of a miracle” could save him.

used to ask for information about something

From this reading “What does impossible mean?”

at the time that

From this reading This little scene took place in the village of Kandersteg, at the foot of the hills, exactly on the day when Miss Susan executed her errand in the room behind the shop, in low-lying Bruges, among the flat canals and fat Flemish fields.

which person or people

From this reading But Reine, who was young, had no such limitation of mind, and never could or would acknowledge that anything was impossible.

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading The tumult in poor Reine’s heart would have been almost as strange to Miss Susan as it was to Reine’s mother; for it was long now since Herbert had been given up by everybody, and since the doctors had all said, that “nothing short of a miracle” could save him.

(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

From this reading But Reine, who was young, had no such limitation of mind, and never could or would acknowledge that anything was impossible.