used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading CREATIVE The sick-room--all due solemnity and importance must be imported into the significance of that word--the sick-room became a shrine, served by two ageing priestesses and a naive acolyte.
acolytenounUS /ˈækəlaɪt/
someone who assists a priest or minister in a liturgical service; a cleric ordained in the highest of the minor orders in the Roman Catholic Church but not in the Anglican Church or the Eastern Orthodox Churches
From this reading CREATIVE The sick-room--all due solemnity and importance must be imported into the significance of that word--the sick-room became a shrine, served by two ageing priestesses and a naive acolyte.
ageingnoun
acquiring desirable qualities by being left undisturbed for some time
From this reading CREATIVE The sick-room--all due solemnity and importance must be imported into the significance of that word--the sick-room became a shrine, served by two ageing priestesses and a naive acolyte.
Extreme physical or mental suffering; intense anguish.
From this reading His bed of agony became the pivot on which the household life flutteringly and soothingly revolved.
(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 CREATIVE The sick-room--all due solemnity and importance must be imported into the significance of that word--the sick-room became a shrine, served by two ageing priestesses and a naive acolyte.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Everything was done to make Henry an invalid in the grand manner.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading CREATIVE The sick-room--all due solemnity and importance must be imported into the significance of that word--the sick-room became a shrine, served by two ageing priestesses and a naive acolyte.
applicationnounUS /ˌæpləˈkeɪʃən/
the act of bringing something to bear; using it for a particular purpose
From this reading And if the chamber had been at the front instead of at the back, the Fulham Vestry would certainly have received an application for permission to lay down straw in the street.
assiduitynoun
great and constant diligence and attention
From this reading No detail of delicate attention which the most ingenious assiduity could devise was omitted from the course of treatment.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading And if the chamber had been at the front instead of at the back, the Fulham Vestry would certainly have received an application for permission to lay down straw in the street.
the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others
From this reading No detail of delicate attention which the most ingenious assiduity could devise was omitted from the course of treatment.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading And if the chamber had been at the front instead of at the back, the Fulham Vestry would certainly have received an application for permission to lay down straw in the street.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading CREATIVE The sick-room--all due solemnity and importance must be imported into the significance of that word--the sick-room became a shrine, served by two ageing priestesses and a naive acolyte.
inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading CREATIVE The sick-room--all due solemnity and importance must be imported into the significance of that word--the sick-room became a shrine, served by two ageing priestesses and a naive acolyte.
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading His bed of agony became the pivot on which the household life flutteringly and soothingly revolved.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading And if the chamber had been at the front instead of at the back, the Fulham Vestry would certainly have received an application for permission to lay down straw in the street.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading CREATIVE The sick-room--all due solemnity and importance must be imported into the significance of that word--the sick-room became a shrine, served by two ageing priestesses and a naive acolyte.
definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)
From this reading And if the chamber had been at the front instead of at the back, the Fulham Vestry would certainly have received an application for permission to lay down straw in the street.
a natural or artificial enclosed space
From this reading And if the chamber had been at the front instead of at the back, the Fulham Vestry would certainly have received an application for permission to lay down straw in the street.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading No detail of delicate attention which the most ingenious assiduity could devise was omitted from the course of treatment.
education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading No detail of delicate attention which the most ingenious assiduity could devise was omitted from the course of treatment.
CREATIVEadjectiveUS /kriˈeɪtɪv/
having the ability or power to create
From this reading CREATIVE The sick-room--all due solemnity and importance must be imported into the significance of that word--the sick-room became a shrine, served by two ageing priestesses and a naive acolyte.
exquisitely fine and subtle and pleasing; susceptible to injury
From this reading No detail of delicate attention which the most ingenious assiduity could devise was omitted from the course of treatment.
detailnounUS /dɪˈteɪl/
an isolated fact that is considered separately from the whole
From this reading No detail of delicate attention which the most ingenious assiduity could devise was omitted from the course of treatment.
deviseverbUS /dɪˈvaɪz/
come up with (an idea, plan, explanation, theory, or principle) after a mental effort
From this reading No detail of delicate attention which the most ingenious assiduity could devise was omitted from the course of treatment.
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading Everything was done to make Henry an invalid in the grand manner.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading And if the chamber had been at the front instead of at the back, the Fulham Vestry would certainly have received an application for permission to lay down straw in the street.
owed and payable immediately or on demand
From this reading CREATIVE The sick-room--all due solemnity and importance must be imported into the significance of that word--the sick-room became a shrine, served by two ageing priestesses and a naive acolyte.
all things; all of a situation
From this reading Everything was done to make Henry an invalid in the grand manner.
flutteringly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His bed of agony became the pivot on which the household life flutteringly and soothingly revolved.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading And if the chamber had been at the front instead of at the back, the Fulham Vestry would certainly have received an application for permission to lay down straw in the street.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading No detail of delicate attention which the most ingenious assiduity could devise was omitted from the course of treatment.
the side that is forward or prominent
From this reading And if the chamber had been at the front instead of at the back, the Fulham Vestry would certainly have received an application for permission to lay down straw in the street.
Fulham
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And if the chamber had been at the front instead of at the back, the Fulham Vestry would certainly have received an application for permission to lay down straw in the street.
of behavior that is impressive and ambitious in scale or scope
From this reading Everything was done to make Henry an invalid in the grand manner.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading And if the chamber had been at the front instead of at the back, the Fulham Vestry would certainly have received an application for permission to lay down straw in the street.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading And if the chamber had been at the front instead of at the back, the Fulham Vestry would certainly have received an application for permission to lay down straw in the street.
a unit of inductance in which an induced electromotive force of one volt is produced when the current is varied at the rate of one ampere per second
From this reading Everything was done to make Henry an invalid in the grand manner.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading His bed of agony became the pivot on which the household life flutteringly and soothingly revolved.
a social unit living together
From this reading His bed of agony became the pivot on which the household life flutteringly and soothingly revolved.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading And if the chamber had been at the front instead of at the back, the Fulham Vestry would certainly have received an application for permission to lay down straw in the street.
the quality of being important and worthy of note
From this reading CREATIVE The sick-room--all due solemnity and importance must be imported into the significance of that word--the sick-room became a shrine, served by two ageing priestesses and a naive acolyte.
importedadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpɔːrtɪd/
used of especially merchandise brought from a foreign source
From this reading CREATIVE The sick-room--all due solemnity and importance must be imported into the significance of that word--the sick-room became a shrine, served by two ageing priestesses and a naive acolyte.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Everything was done to make Henry an invalid in the grand manner.
ingeniousadjectiveUS /ɪnˈdʒiː.ni.əs/
Clever, original, and remarkably inventive in design and execution.
From this reading No detail of delicate attention which the most ingenious assiduity could devise was omitted from the course of treatment.
in place of, or as an alternative to
From this reading And if the chamber had been at the front instead of at the back, the Fulham Vestry would certainly have received an application for permission to lay down straw in the street.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading CREATIVE The sick-room--all due solemnity and importance must be imported into the significance of that word--the sick-room became a shrine, served by two ageing priestesses and a naive acolyte.
invalidnounUS /ˈɪnvələd/
someone who is incapacitated by a chronic illness or injury
From this reading Everything was done to make Henry an invalid in the grand manner.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading And if the chamber had been at the front instead of at the back, the Fulham Vestry would certainly have received an application for permission to lay down straw in the street.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading His bed of agony became the pivot on which the household life flutteringly and soothingly revolved.
engage in
From this reading Everything was done to make Henry an invalid in the grand manner.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading Everything was done to make Henry an invalid in the grand manner.
used to form the superlative
From this reading No detail of delicate attention which the most ingenious assiduity could devise was omitted from the course of treatment.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading CREATIVE The sick-room--all due solemnity and importance must be imported into the significance of that word--the sick-room became a shrine, served by two ageing priestesses and a naive acolyte.
naiveadjectiveUS /ˌnaɪˈiːv/
marked by or showing unaffected simplicity and lack of guile or worldly experience
From this reading CREATIVE The sick-room--all due solemnity and importance must be imported into the significance of that word--the sick-room became a shrine, served by two ageing priestesses and a naive acolyte.
not any; not one
From this reading No detail of delicate attention which the most ingenious assiduity could devise was omitted from the course of treatment.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading CREATIVE The sick-room--all due solemnity and importance must be imported into the significance of that word--the sick-room became a shrine, served by two ageing priestesses and a naive acolyte.
omittedverbUS /oʊˈmɪtəd/
inflected form of “omit” — prevent from being included or considered or accepted
From this reading No detail of delicate attention which the most ingenious assiduity could devise was omitted from the course of treatment.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading His bed of agony became the pivot on which the household life flutteringly and soothingly revolved.
approval to do something
From this reading And if the chamber had been at the front instead of at the back, the Fulham Vestry would certainly have received an application for permission to lay down straw in the street.
pivotverbUS /ˈpɪvət/
turn on a pivot
From this reading His bed of agony became the pivot on which the household life flutteringly and soothingly revolved.
priestesses
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading CREATIVE The sick-room--all due solemnity and importance must be imported into the significance of that word--the sick-room became a shrine, served by two ageing priestesses and a naive acolyte.
conforming to the established language usage of educated native speakers
From this reading And if the chamber had been at the front instead of at the back, the Fulham Vestry would certainly have received an application for permission to lay down straw in the street.
revolvedadjectiveUS /riˈvɑːlvd/
turned in a circle around an axis
From this reading His bed of agony became the pivot on which the household life flutteringly and soothingly revolved.
past form of “serve” — serve a purpose, role, or function
From this reading CREATIVE The sick-room--all due solemnity and importance must be imported into the significance of that word--the sick-room became a shrine, served by two ageing priestesses and a naive acolyte.
shrinenounUS /ʃraɪn/
a place of worship hallowed by association with some sacred thing or person
From this reading CREATIVE The sick-room--all due solemnity and importance must be imported into the significance of that word--the sick-room became a shrine, served by two ageing priestesses and a naive acolyte.
sick-room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading CREATIVE The sick-room--all due solemnity and importance must be imported into the significance of that word--the sick-room became a shrine, served by two ageing priestesses and a naive acolyte.
significancenounUS /səɡˈnɪfɪkəns/
the quality of being significant
From this reading CREATIVE The sick-room--all due solemnity and importance must be imported into the significance of that word--the sick-room became a shrine, served by two ageing priestesses and a naive acolyte.
solemnitynounUS /səˈlemnəti/
a trait of dignified seriousness
From this reading CREATIVE The sick-room--all due solemnity and importance must be imported into the significance of that word--the sick-room became a shrine, served by two ageing priestesses and a naive acolyte.
soothinglyadverbUS /ˈsuːðɪŋli/
in a soothing manner
From this reading His bed of agony became the pivot on which the household life flutteringly and soothingly revolved.
plant fiber used e.g. for making baskets and hats or as fodder
From this reading And if the chamber had been at the front instead of at the back, the Fulham Vestry would certainly have received an application for permission to lay down straw in the street.
a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading And if the chamber had been at the front instead of at the back, the Fulham Vestry would certainly have received an application for permission to lay down straw in the street.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading CREATIVE The sick-room--all due solemnity and importance must be imported into the significance of that word--the sick-room became a shrine, served by two ageing priestesses and a naive acolyte.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading CREATIVE The sick-room--all due solemnity and importance must be imported into the significance of that word--the sick-room became a shrine, served by two ageing priestesses and a naive acolyte.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Everything was done to make Henry an invalid in the grand manner.
treatmentnounUS /ˈtriːtmənt/
care provided to improve a situation (especially medical procedures or applications that are intended to relieve illness or injury)
From this reading No detail of delicate attention which the most ingenious assiduity could devise was omitted from the course of treatment.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading CREATIVE The sick-room--all due solemnity and importance must be imported into the significance of that word--the sick-room became a shrine, served by two ageing priestesses and a naive acolyte.
Vestrynoun
in the Protestant Episcopal Church: a committee elected by the congregation to work with the churchwardens in managing the temporal affairs of the church
From this reading And if the chamber had been at the front instead of at the back, the Fulham Vestry would certainly have received an application for permission to lay down straw in the street.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Everything was done to make Henry an invalid in the grand manner.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading His bed of agony became the pivot on which the household life flutteringly and soothingly revolved.
a unit of language that native speakers can identify
From this reading CREATIVE The sick-room--all due solemnity and importance must be imported into the significance of that word--the sick-room became a shrine, served by two ageing priestesses and a naive acolyte.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading And if the chamber had been at the front instead of at the back, the Fulham Vestry would certainly have received an application for permission to lay down straw in the street.
