used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was hung in Pompeiian red and had a little wrought-iron balcony projecting over the yard, now transformed by an expert into a garden.
filled with fear or apprehension
From this reading "Aren't you afraid of ghosts?"
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading When I had first entered this room after the metamorphosis had taken place I inquired after the tombstone mantel.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading It was hung in Pompeiian red and had a little wrought-iron balcony projecting over the yard, now transformed by an expert into a garden.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was hung in Pompeiian red and had a little wrought-iron balcony projecting over the yard, now transformed by an expert into a garden.
Aren't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Aren't you afraid of ghosts?"
audacitynounUS /ɑːˈdæs.ə.t̬i/
A willingness to take bold risks; insolent and daring boldness that defies all authority.
From this reading With characteristic audacity Nancy had chosen old Nathaniel's sanctum for her particular salon, into which Ham himself did not dare to venture without invitation.
balconynounUS /ˈbælkəni/
an upper floor projecting from the rear over the main floor in an auditorium
From this reading It was hung in Pompeiian red and had a little wrought-iron balcony projecting over the yard, now transformed by an expert into a garden.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading It was hung in Pompeiian red and had a little wrought-iron balcony projecting over the yard, now transformed by an expert into a garden.
characteristicnounUS /ˌkerəktərˈɪstɪk/
a prominent attribute or aspect of something
From this reading With characteristic audacity Nancy had chosen old Nathaniel's sanctum for her particular salon, into which Ham himself did not dare to venture without invitation.
one who is the object of choice; who is given preference
From this reading With characteristic audacity Nancy had chosen old Nathaniel's sanctum for her particular salon, into which Ham himself did not dare to venture without invitation.
take upon oneself; act presumptuously, without permission
From this reading With characteristic audacity Nancy had chosen old Nathaniel's sanctum for her particular salon, into which Ham himself did not dare to venture without invitation.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading With characteristic audacity Nancy had chosen old Nathaniel's sanctum for her particular salon, into which Ham himself did not dare to venture without invitation.
past form of “enter” — to come or go into
From this reading When I had first entered this room after the metamorphosis had taken place I inquired after the tombstone mantel.
expertadjectiveUS /ˈekspərt/
having or showing knowledge and skill and aptitude
From this reading It was hung in Pompeiian red and had a little wrought-iron balcony projecting over the yard, now transformed by an expert into a garden.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading When I had first entered this room after the metamorphosis had taken place I inquired after the tombstone mantel.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading With characteristic audacity Nancy had chosen old Nathaniel's sanctum for her particular salon, into which Ham himself did not dare to venture without invitation.
a plot of ground where plants are cultivated
From this reading It was hung in Pompeiian red and had a little wrought-iron balcony projecting over the yard, now transformed by an expert into a garden.
ghostsnounUS /ɡoʊsts/
plural of “ghost” — a mental representation of some haunting experience
From this reading "Aren't you afraid of ghosts?"
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading With characteristic audacity Nancy had chosen old Nathaniel's sanctum for her particular salon, into which Ham himself did not dare to venture without invitation.
HamnounUS /hæm/
meat cut from the thigh of a hog (usually smoked)
From this reading With characteristic audacity Nancy had chosen old Nathaniel's sanctum for her particular salon, into which Ham himself did not dare to venture without invitation.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading With characteristic audacity Nancy had chosen old Nathaniel's sanctum for her particular salon, into which Ham himself did not dare to venture without invitation.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading With characteristic audacity Nancy had chosen old Nathaniel's sanctum for her particular salon, into which Ham himself did not dare to venture without invitation.
inflected form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging
From this reading It was hung in Pompeiian red and had a little wrought-iron balcony projecting over the yard, now transformed by an expert into a garden.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading When I had first entered this room after the metamorphosis had taken place I inquired after the tombstone mantel.
I've
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Oh, I've pulled it up by the roots," she said.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was hung in Pompeiian red and had a little wrought-iron balcony projecting over the yard, now transformed by an expert into a garden.
past form of “inquire” — address a question to and expect an answer from
From this reading When I had first entered this room after the metamorphosis had taken place I inquired after the tombstone mantel.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading With characteristic audacity Nancy had chosen old Nathaniel's sanctum for her particular salon, into which Ham himself did not dare to venture without invitation.
a request (spoken or written) to participate or be present or take part in something
From this reading With characteristic audacity Nancy had chosen old Nathaniel's sanctum for her particular salon, into which Ham himself did not dare to venture without invitation.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was hung in Pompeiian red and had a little wrought-iron balcony projecting over the yard, now transformed by an expert into a garden.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading It was hung in Pompeiian red and had a little wrought-iron balcony projecting over the yard, now transformed by an expert into a garden.
mantelnounUS /ˈmæntəl/
shelf that projects from wall above fireplace
From this reading When I had first entered this room after the metamorphosis had taken place I inquired after the tombstone mantel.
metamorphosisnounUS /ˌmet.əˈmɔːr.fə.sɪs/
A change of the form or nature of a thing or person into a completely different one.
From this reading When I had first entered this room after the metamorphosis had taken place I inquired after the tombstone mantel.
NancynounUS /ˈnænsi/
a city in northeastern France in Lorraine
From this reading With characteristic audacity Nancy had chosen old Nathaniel's sanctum for her particular salon, into which Ham himself did not dare to venture without invitation.
Nathaniel's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With characteristic audacity Nancy had chosen old Nathaniel's sanctum for her particular salon, into which Ham himself did not dare to venture without invitation.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading With characteristic audacity Nancy had chosen old Nathaniel's sanctum for her particular salon, into which Ham himself did not dare to venture without invitation.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading It was hung in Pompeiian red and had a little wrought-iron balcony projecting over the yard, now transformed by an expert into a garden.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "Aren't you afraid of ghosts?"
a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region
From this reading "Oh, I've pulled it up by the roots," she said.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading With characteristic audacity Nancy had chosen old Nathaniel's sanctum for her particular salon, into which Ham himself did not dare to venture without invitation.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading It was hung in Pompeiian red and had a little wrought-iron balcony projecting over the yard, now transformed by an expert into a garden.
unique or specific to a person or thing or category
From this reading With characteristic audacity Nancy had chosen old Nathaniel's sanctum for her particular salon, into which Ham himself did not dare to venture without invitation.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading When I had first entered this room after the metamorphosis had taken place I inquired after the tombstone mantel.
Pompeiian
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was hung in Pompeiian red and had a little wrought-iron balcony projecting over the yard, now transformed by an expert into a garden.
projectingadjectiveUS /prəˈdʒektɪŋ/
extending out above or beyond a surface or boundary
From this reading It was hung in Pompeiian red and had a little wrought-iron balcony projecting over the yard, now transformed by an expert into a garden.
past form of “pull” — cause to move by pulling
From this reading "Oh, I've pulled it up by the roots," she said.
red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood
From this reading It was hung in Pompeiian red and had a little wrought-iron balcony projecting over the yard, now transformed by an expert into a garden.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading When I had first entered this room after the metamorphosis had taken place I inquired after the tombstone mantel.
rootsnounUS /ruːts/
the condition of belonging to a particular place or group by virtue of social or ethnic or cultural lineage
From this reading "Oh, I've pulled it up by the roots," she said.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "Oh, I've pulled it up by the roots," she said.
salonnounUS /səˈlɑːn/
gallery where works of art can be displayed
From this reading With characteristic audacity Nancy had chosen old Nathaniel's sanctum for her particular salon, into which Ham himself did not dare to venture without invitation.
sanctumnounUS /ˈsæŋktəm/
a place of inviolable privacy
From this reading With characteristic audacity Nancy had chosen old Nathaniel's sanctum for her particular salon, into which Ham himself did not dare to venture without invitation.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Oh, I've pulled it up by the roots," she said.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading When I had first entered this room after the metamorphosis had taken place I inquired after the tombstone mantel.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It was hung in Pompeiian red and had a little wrought-iron balcony projecting over the yard, now transformed by an expert into a garden.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading When I had first entered this room after the metamorphosis had taken place I inquired after the tombstone mantel.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading With characteristic audacity Nancy had chosen old Nathaniel's sanctum for her particular salon, into which Ham himself did not dare to venture without invitation.
tombstonenounUS /ˈtuːmstoʊn/
a stone that is used to mark a grave
From this reading When I had first entered this room after the metamorphosis had taken place I inquired after the tombstone mantel.
transformedadjectiveUS /trænˈsfɔːrmd/
given a completely different form or appearance
From this reading It was hung in Pompeiian red and had a little wrought-iron balcony projecting over the yard, now transformed by an expert into a garden.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading "Oh, I've pulled it up by the roots," she said.
any venturesome undertaking especially one with an uncertain outcome
From this reading With characteristic audacity Nancy had chosen old Nathaniel's sanctum for her particular salon, into which Ham himself did not dare to venture without invitation.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was hung in Pompeiian red and had a little wrought-iron balcony projecting over the yard, now transformed by an expert into a garden.
at the time that
From this reading When I had first entered this room after the metamorphosis had taken place I inquired after the tombstone mantel.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading With characteristic audacity Nancy had chosen old Nathaniel's sanctum for her particular salon, into which Ham himself did not dare to venture without invitation.
in the company of; together with
From this reading With characteristic audacity Nancy had chosen old Nathaniel's sanctum for her particular salon, into which Ham himself did not dare to venture without invitation.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading With characteristic audacity Nancy had chosen old Nathaniel's sanctum for her particular salon, into which Ham himself did not dare to venture without invitation.
wrought-iron
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was hung in Pompeiian red and had a little wrought-iron balcony projecting over the yard, now transformed by an expert into a garden.
a unit of length equal to 3 feet; defined as 91.44 centimeters; originally taken to be the average length of a stride
From this reading It was hung in Pompeiian red and had a little wrought-iron balcony projecting over the yard, now transformed by an expert into a garden.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Aren't you afraid of ghosts?"
