used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading She had a secret theory, indeed, that all unpleasant things occurred in the drawing-room after dinner.
ACCIDENTALadjectiveUS /ˌæksəˈdentəl/
happening by chance or unexpectedly or unintentionally
From this reading ACCIDENTAL.
administeredverbUS /ədˈmɪnəstərd/
past form of “administer” — work in an administrative capacity; supervise or be in charge of
From this reading All the girl's evenings, since her fifth year, had been spent sitting opposite her grandmother, in one of the straightest of the blue chairs: all the most scathing reproofs she had received had been administered to her at such times.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading She had a secret theory, indeed, that all unpleasant things occurred in the drawing-room after dinner.
(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 All the girl's evenings, since her fifth year, had been spent sitting opposite her grandmother, in one of the straightest of the blue chairs: all the most scathing reproofs she had received had been administered to her at such times.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading From her very babyhood Lucia had disliked the drawing-room, which was an imposing apartment of great length and height, containing much massive furniture, upholstered in faded blue satin.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading When dinner was over, Lady Theobald rose, and proceeded to the drawing-room, Lucia following in her wake.
a suite of rooms usually on one floor of an apartment house
From this reading From her very babyhood Lucia had disliked the drawing-room, which was an imposing apartment of great length and height, containing much massive furniture, upholstered in faded blue satin.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading All the girl's evenings, since her fifth year, had been spent sitting opposite her grandmother, in one of the straightest of the blue chairs: all the most scathing reproofs she had received had been administered to her at such times.
babyhoodnounUS /ˈbeɪbihʊd/
the early stage of growth or development
From this reading From her very babyhood Lucia had disliked the drawing-room, which was an imposing apartment of great length and height, containing much massive furniture, upholstered in faded blue satin.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading All the girl's evenings, since her fifth year, had been spent sitting opposite her grandmother, in one of the straightest of the blue chairs: all the most scathing reproofs she had received had been administered to her at such times.
of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky
From this reading From her very babyhood Lucia had disliked the drawing-room, which was an imposing apartment of great length and height, containing much massive furniture, upholstered in faded blue satin.
plural of “chair” — a seat for one person, with a support for the back
From this reading All the girl's evenings, since her fifth year, had been spent sitting opposite her grandmother, in one of the straightest of the blue chairs: all the most scathing reproofs she had received had been administered to her at such times.
containingverbUS /kənˈteɪnɪŋ/
-ing form of “contain” — include or contain; have as a component
From this reading From her very babyhood Lucia had disliked the drawing-room, which was an imposing apartment of great length and height, containing much massive furniture, upholstered in faded blue satin.
the main meal of the day served in the evening or at midday
From this reading When dinner was over, Lady Theobald rose, and proceeded to the drawing-room, Lucia following in her wake.
dislikedadjectiveUS /dɪˈslaɪkt/
regarded with aversion
From this reading From her very babyhood Lucia had disliked the drawing-room, which was an imposing apartment of great length and height, containing much massive furniture, upholstered in faded blue satin.
drawing-room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When dinner was over, Lady Theobald rose, and proceeded to the drawing-room, Lucia following in her wake.
eveningsnounUS /ˈiːvnɪŋz/
plural of “evening” — the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading All the girl's evenings, since her fifth year, had been spent sitting opposite her grandmother, in one of the straightest of the blue chairs: all the most scathing reproofs she had received had been administered to her at such times.
fadedadjectiveUS /ˈfeɪdəd/
having lost freshness or brilliance of color
From this reading From her very babyhood Lucia had disliked the drawing-room, which was an imposing apartment of great length and height, containing much massive furniture, upholstered in faded blue satin.
fifthnounUS /fɪfθ/
a quantity of liquor equal to one fifth of a United States gallon
From this reading All the girl's evenings, since her fifth year, had been spent sitting opposite her grandmother, in one of the straightest of the blue chairs: all the most scathing reproofs she had received had been administered to her at such times.
about to be mentioned or specified
From this reading When dinner was over, Lady Theobald rose, and proceeded to the drawing-room, Lucia following in her wake.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading From her very babyhood Lucia had disliked the drawing-room, which was an imposing apartment of great length and height, containing much massive furniture, upholstered in faded blue satin.
furnishings that make a room or other area ready for occupancy
From this reading From her very babyhood Lucia had disliked the drawing-room, which was an imposing apartment of great length and height, containing much massive furniture, upholstered in faded blue satin.
girl'snounUS /ɡɜːrlz/
possessive form of “girl” — a young female
From this reading All the girl's evenings, since her fifth year, had been spent sitting opposite her grandmother, in one of the straightest of the blue chairs: all the most scathing reproofs she had received had been administered to her at such times.
grandmothernounUS /ˈɡrændmʌðər/
the mother of your father or mother
From this reading All the girl's evenings, since her fifth year, had been spent sitting opposite her grandmother, in one of the straightest of the blue chairs: all the most scathing reproofs she had received had been administered to her at such times.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading From her very babyhood Lucia had disliked the drawing-room, which was an imposing apartment of great length and height, containing much massive furniture, upholstered in faded blue satin.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading From her very babyhood Lucia had disliked the drawing-room, which was an imposing apartment of great length and height, containing much massive furniture, upholstered in faded blue satin.
the vertical dimension of extension; distance from the base of something to the top
From this reading From her very babyhood Lucia had disliked the drawing-room, which was an imposing apartment of great length and height, containing much massive furniture, upholstered in faded blue satin.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading When dinner was over, Lady Theobald rose, and proceeded to the drawing-room, Lucia following in her wake.
imposingadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpoʊzɪŋ/
impressive in appearance
From this reading From her very babyhood Lucia had disliked the drawing-room, which was an imposing apartment of great length and height, containing much massive furniture, upholstered in faded blue satin.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading When dinner was over, Lady Theobald rose, and proceeded to the drawing-room, Lucia following in her wake.
in truth (often tends to intensify)
From this reading She had a secret theory, indeed, that all unpleasant things occurred in the drawing-room after dinner.
a polite name for any woman
From this reading When dinner was over, Lady Theobald rose, and proceeded to the drawing-room, Lucia following in her wake.
the linear extent in space from one end to the other; the longest dimension of something that is fixed in place
From this reading From her very babyhood Lucia had disliked the drawing-room, which was an imposing apartment of great length and height, containing much massive furniture, upholstered in faded blue satin.
Lucia
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When dinner was over, Lady Theobald rose, and proceeded to the drawing-room, Lucia following in her wake.
massiveadjectiveUS /ˈmæsɪv/
imposing in size or bulk or solidity
From this reading From her very babyhood Lucia had disliked the drawing-room, which was an imposing apartment of great length and height, containing much massive furniture, upholstered in faded blue satin.
used to form the superlative
From this reading All the girl's evenings, since her fifth year, had been spent sitting opposite her grandmother, in one of the straightest of the blue chairs: all the most scathing reproofs she had received had been administered to her at such times.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading From her very babyhood Lucia had disliked the drawing-room, which was an imposing apartment of great length and height, containing much massive furniture, upholstered in faded blue satin.
inflected form of “occur” — come to pass
From this reading She had a secret theory, indeed, that all unpleasant things occurred in the drawing-room after dinner.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading From her very babyhood Lucia had disliked the drawing-room, which was an imposing apartment of great length and height, containing much massive furniture, upholstered in faded blue satin.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading All the girl's evenings, since her fifth year, had been spent sitting opposite her grandmother, in one of the straightest of the blue chairs: all the most scathing reproofs she had received had been administered to her at such times.
being directly across from each other; facing
From this reading All the girl's evenings, since her fifth year, had been spent sitting opposite her grandmother, in one of the straightest of the blue chairs: all the most scathing reproofs she had received had been administered to her at such times.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading When dinner was over, Lady Theobald rose, and proceeded to the drawing-room, Lucia following in her wake.
past form of “proceed” — continue talking
From this reading When dinner was over, Lady Theobald rose, and proceeded to the drawing-room, Lucia following in her wake.
conforming to the established language usage of educated native speakers
From this reading All the girl's evenings, since her fifth year, had been spent sitting opposite her grandmother, in one of the straightest of the blue chairs: all the most scathing reproofs she had received had been administered to her at such times.
reproofs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All the girl's evenings, since her fifth year, had been spent sitting opposite her grandmother, in one of the straightest of the blue chairs: all the most scathing reproofs she had received had been administered to her at such times.
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading When dinner was over, Lady Theobald rose, and proceeded to the drawing-room, Lucia following in her wake.
satinnounUS /ˈsætən/
a smooth fabric of silk or rayon; has a glossy face and a dull back
From this reading From her very babyhood Lucia had disliked the drawing-room, which was an imposing apartment of great length and height, containing much massive furniture, upholstered in faded blue satin.
scathingadjectiveUS /ˈskeɪðɪŋ/
marked by harshly abusive criticism
From this reading All the girl's evenings, since her fifth year, had been spent sitting opposite her grandmother, in one of the straightest of the blue chairs: all the most scathing reproofs she had received had been administered to her at such times.
Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.
From this reading She had a secret theory, indeed, that all unpleasant things occurred in the drawing-room after dinner.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading All the girl's evenings, since her fifth year, had been spent sitting opposite her grandmother, in one of the straightest of the blue chairs: all the most scathing reproofs she had received had been administered to her at such times.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading All the girl's evenings, since her fifth year, had been spent sitting opposite her grandmother, in one of the straightest of the blue chairs: all the most scathing reproofs she had received had been administered to her at such times.
(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)
From this reading All the girl's evenings, since her fifth year, had been spent sitting opposite her grandmother, in one of the straightest of the blue chairs: all the most scathing reproofs she had received had been administered to her at such times.
depleted of energy, force, or strength
From this reading All the girl's evenings, since her fifth year, had been spent sitting opposite her grandmother, in one of the straightest of the blue chairs: all the most scathing reproofs she had received had been administered to her at such times.
straightest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All the girl's evenings, since her fifth year, had been spent sitting opposite her grandmother, in one of the straightest of the blue chairs: all the most scathing reproofs she had received had been administered to her at such times.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading All the girl's evenings, since her fifth year, had been spent sitting opposite her grandmother, in one of the straightest of the blue chairs: all the most scathing reproofs she had received had been administered to her at such times.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading She had a secret theory, indeed, that all unpleasant things occurred in the drawing-room after dinner.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading When dinner was over, Lady Theobald rose, and proceeded to the drawing-room, Lucia following in her wake.
Theobald
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When dinner was over, Lady Theobald rose, and proceeded to the drawing-room, Lucia following in her wake.
a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world; an organized system of accepted knowledge that applies in a variety of circumstances to explain a specific set of phenomena
From this reading She had a secret theory, indeed, that all unpleasant things occurred in the drawing-room after dinner.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading She had a secret theory, indeed, that all unpleasant things occurred in the drawing-room after dinner.
a more or less definite period of time now or previously present
From this reading All the girl's evenings, since her fifth year, had been spent sitting opposite her grandmother, in one of the straightest of the blue chairs: all the most scathing reproofs she had received had been administered to her at such times.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading When dinner was over, Lady Theobald rose, and proceeded to the drawing-room, Lucia following in her wake.
unpleasantadjectiveUS /ənˈplezənt/
offensive or disagreeable; causing discomfort or unhappiness
From this reading She had a secret theory, indeed, that all unpleasant things occurred in the drawing-room after dinner.
upholsteredverbUS /əˈpoʊlstərd/
past form of “upholster” — provide furniture with padding, springs, webbing, and covers
From this reading From her very babyhood Lucia had disliked the drawing-room, which was an imposing apartment of great length and height, containing much massive furniture, upholstered in faded blue satin.
precisely as stated
From this reading From her very babyhood Lucia had disliked the drawing-room, which was an imposing apartment of great length and height, containing much massive furniture, upholstered in faded blue satin.
be awake, be alert, be there
From this reading When dinner was over, Lady Theobald rose, and proceeded to the drawing-room, Lucia following in her wake.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading When dinner was over, Lady Theobald rose, and proceeded to the drawing-room, Lucia following in her wake.
at the time that
From this reading When dinner was over, Lady Theobald rose, and proceeded to the drawing-room, Lucia following in her wake.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading From her very babyhood Lucia had disliked the drawing-room, which was an imposing apartment of great length and height, containing much massive furniture, upholstered in faded blue satin.
a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days
From this reading All the girl's evenings, since her fifth year, had been spent sitting opposite her grandmother, in one of the straightest of the blue chairs: all the most scathing reproofs she had received had been administered to her at such times.
