used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading For a few moments she lay quite still, looking wonderingly about the room.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading For a few moments she lay quite still, looking wonderingly about the room.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading LAFAYETTE'S VISIT The May sun streamed warmly into the big square chamber where Ruth slept, and she awoke to the song of birds, and the fragrance of blossoming lilacs.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Aunt Deborah's house was much larger than the little brick house which was Ruth's home in Philadelphia, and as Ruth came slowly down the wide stairs she thought what a fine house it would be for little girls to live in; there seemed so much room and so little furniture.
the sister of your father or mother; the wife of your uncle
From this reading Aunt Deborah's house was much larger than the little brick house which was Ruth's home in Philadelphia, and as Ruth came slowly down the wide stairs she thought what a fine house it would be for little girls to live in; there seemed so much room and so little furniture.
inflected form of “awake” — stop sleeping
From this reading LAFAYETTE'S VISIT The May sun streamed warmly into the big square chamber where Ruth slept, and she awoke to the song of birds, and the fragrance of blossoming lilacs.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Aunt Deborah's house was much larger than the little brick house which was Ruth's home in Philadelphia, and as Ruth came slowly down the wide stairs she thought what a fine house it would be for little girls to live in; there seemed so much room and so little furniture.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading LAFAYETTE'S VISIT The May sun streamed warmly into the big square chamber where Ruth slept, and she awoke to the song of birds, and the fragrance of blossoming lilacs.
plural of “bird” — warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings
From this reading LAFAYETTE'S VISIT The May sun streamed warmly into the big square chamber where Ruth slept, and she awoke to the song of birds, and the fragrance of blossoming lilacs.
blossomingnounUS /ˈblɑːsəmɪŋ/
the time and process of budding and unfolding of blossoms
From this reading LAFAYETTE'S VISIT The May sun streamed warmly into the big square chamber where Ruth slept, and she awoke to the song of birds, and the fragrance of blossoming lilacs.
bricknounUS /brɪk/
rectangular block of clay baked by the sun or in a kiln; used as a building or paving material
From this reading Aunt Deborah's house was much larger than the little brick house which was Ruth's home in Philadelphia, and as Ruth came slowly down the wide stairs she thought what a fine house it would be for little girls to live in; there seemed so much room and so little furniture.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Aunt Deborah's house was much larger than the little brick house which was Ruth's home in Philadelphia, and as Ruth came slowly down the wide stairs she thought what a fine house it would be for little girls to live in; there seemed so much room and so little furniture.
a seat for one person, with a support for the back
From this reading It seemed a "shining" room to Ruth, with its whitewashed walls, and its smooth polished floor, and only a chest of drawers, a light-stand and a rush-bottomed chair for furniture.
a natural or artificial enclosed space
From this reading LAFAYETTE'S VISIT The May sun streamed warmly into the big square chamber where Ruth slept, and she awoke to the song of birds, and the fragrance of blossoming lilacs.
the part of the human torso between the neck and the diaphragm or the corresponding part in other vertebrates
From this reading It seemed a "shining" room to Ruth, with its whitewashed walls, and its smooth polished floor, and only a chest of drawers, a light-stand and a rush-bottomed chair for furniture.
Deborah's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Aunt Deborah's house was much larger than the little brick house which was Ruth's home in Philadelphia, and as Ruth came slowly down the wide stairs she thought what a fine house it would be for little girls to live in; there seemed so much room and so little furniture.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading She got up and dressed slowly, wondering if her mother missed her very much, and if Hero would go scratching and whining to her door in search of his little mistress.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Aunt Deborah's house was much larger than the little brick house which was Ruth's home in Philadelphia, and as Ruth came slowly down the wide stairs she thought what a fine house it would be for little girls to live in; there seemed so much room and so little furniture.
drawersnounUS /drɔːrz/
underpants worn by men
From this reading It seemed a "shining" room to Ruth, with its whitewashed walls, and its smooth polished floor, and only a chest of drawers, a light-stand and a rush-bottomed chair for furniture.
dressed or clothed especially in fine attire; often used in combination
From this reading She got up and dressed slowly, wondering if her mother missed her very much, and if Hero would go scratching and whining to her door in search of his little mistress.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading For a few moments she lay quite still, looking wonderingly about the room.
being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition
From this reading Aunt Deborah's house was much larger than the little brick house which was Ruth's home in Philadelphia, and as Ruth came slowly down the wide stairs she thought what a fine house it would be for little girls to live in; there seemed so much room and so little furniture.
the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)
From this reading It seemed a "shining" room to Ruth, with its whitewashed walls, and its smooth polished floor, and only a chest of drawers, a light-stand and a rush-bottomed chair for furniture.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For a few moments she lay quite still, looking wonderingly about the room.
fragrancenounUS /ˈfreɪɡrəns/
a distinctive odor that is pleasant
From this reading LAFAYETTE'S VISIT The May sun streamed warmly into the big square chamber where Ruth slept, and she awoke to the song of birds, and the fragrance of blossoming lilacs.
furnishings that make a room or other area ready for occupancy
From this reading It seemed a "shining" room to Ruth, with its whitewashed walls, and its smooth polished floor, and only a chest of drawers, a light-stand and a rush-bottomed chair for furniture.
plural of “girl” — a young female
From this reading Aunt Deborah's house was much larger than the little brick house which was Ruth's home in Philadelphia, and as Ruth came slowly down the wide stairs she thought what a fine house it would be for little girls to live in; there seemed so much room and so little furniture.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading She got up and dressed slowly, wondering if her mother missed her very much, and if Hero would go scratching and whining to her door in search of his little mistress.
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading She got up and dressed slowly, wondering if her mother missed her very much, and if Hero would go scratching and whining to her door in search of his little mistress.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She got up and dressed slowly, wondering if her mother missed her very much, and if Hero would go scratching and whining to her door in search of his little mistress.
a man distinguished by exceptional courage and nobility and strength
From this reading She got up and dressed slowly, wondering if her mother missed her very much, and if Hero would go scratching and whining to her door in search of his little mistress.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading She got up and dressed slowly, wondering if her mother missed her very much, and if Hero would go scratching and whining to her door in search of his little mistress.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading Aunt Deborah's house was much larger than the little brick house which was Ruth's home in Philadelphia, and as Ruth came slowly down the wide stairs she thought what a fine house it would be for little girls to live in; there seemed so much room and so little furniture.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading Aunt Deborah's house was much larger than the little brick house which was Ruth's home in Philadelphia, and as Ruth came slowly down the wide stairs she thought what a fine house it would be for little girls to live in; there seemed so much room and so little furniture.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading She got up and dressed slowly, wondering if her mother missed her very much, and if Hero would go scratching and whining to her door in search of his little mistress.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading She got up and dressed slowly, wondering if her mother missed her very much, and if Hero would go scratching and whining to her door in search of his little mistress.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading LAFAYETTE'S VISIT The May sun streamed warmly into the big square chamber where Ruth slept, and she awoke to the song of birds, and the fragrance of blossoming lilacs.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It seemed a "shining" room to Ruth, with its whitewashed walls, and its smooth polished floor, and only a chest of drawers, a light-stand and a rush-bottomed chair for furniture.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading It seemed a "shining" room to Ruth, with its whitewashed walls, and its smooth polished floor, and only a chest of drawers, a light-stand and a rush-bottomed chair for furniture.
LAFAYETTE'S
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading LAFAYETTE'S VISIT The May sun streamed warmly into the big square chamber where Ruth slept, and she awoke to the song of birds, and the fragrance of blossoming lilacs.
large or big relative to something else
From this reading Aunt Deborah's house was much larger than the little brick house which was Ruth's home in Philadelphia, and as Ruth came slowly down the wide stairs she thought what a fine house it would be for little girls to live in; there seemed so much room and so little furniture.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading For a few moments she lay quite still, looking wonderingly about the room.
light-stand
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It seemed a "shining" room to Ruth, with its whitewashed walls, and its smooth polished floor, and only a chest of drawers, a light-stand and a rush-bottomed chair for furniture.
lilacsnounUS /ˈlaɪlæks/
plural of “lilac” — any of various plants of the genus Syringa having large panicles of usually fragrant flowers
From this reading LAFAYETTE'S VISIT The May sun streamed warmly into the big square chamber where Ruth slept, and she awoke to the song of birds, and the fragrance of blossoming lilacs.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading She got up and dressed slowly, wondering if her mother missed her very much, and if Hero would go scratching and whining to her door in search of his little mistress.
be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading Aunt Deborah's house was much larger than the little brick house which was Ruth's home in Philadelphia, and as Ruth came slowly down the wide stairs she thought what a fine house it would be for little girls to live in; there seemed so much room and so little furniture.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading For a few moments she lay quite still, looking wonderingly about the room.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading LAFAYETTE'S VISIT The May sun streamed warmly into the big square chamber where Ruth slept, and she awoke to the song of birds, and the fragrance of blossoming lilacs.
not caught with the senses or the mind
From this reading She got up and dressed slowly, wondering if her mother missed her very much, and if Hero would go scratching and whining to her door in search of his little mistress.
an adulterous woman; a woman who has an ongoing extramarital sexual relationship with a man
From this reading She got up and dressed slowly, wondering if her mother missed her very much, and if Hero would go scratching and whining to her door in search of his little mistress.
plural of “moment” — a particular point in time
From this reading For a few moments she lay quite still, looking wonderingly about the room.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading She got up and dressed slowly, wondering if her mother missed her very much, and if Hero would go scratching and whining to her door in search of his little mistress.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading She got up and dressed slowly, wondering if her mother missed her very much, and if Hero would go scratching and whining to her door in search of his little mistress.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading LAFAYETTE'S VISIT The May sun streamed warmly into the big square chamber where Ruth slept, and she awoke to the song of birds, and the fragrance of blossoming lilacs.
and nothing more
From this reading It seemed a "shining" room to Ruth, with its whitewashed walls, and its smooth polished floor, and only a chest of drawers, a light-stand and a rush-bottomed chair for furniture.
PhiladelphianounUS /ˌfɪləˈdelfiə/
the largest city in Pennsylvania; located in the southeastern part of the state on the Delaware river; site of Independence Hall where the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were signed; site of the University of Pennsylvania
From this reading Aunt Deborah's house was much larger than the little brick house which was Ruth's home in Philadelphia, and as Ruth came slowly down the wide stairs she thought what a fine house it would be for little girls to live in; there seemed so much room and so little furniture.
polishedadjectiveUS /ˈpɑːlɪʃt/
perfected or made shiny and smooth
From this reading It seemed a "shining" room to Ruth, with its whitewashed walls, and its smooth polished floor, and only a chest of drawers, a light-stand and a rush-bottomed chair for furniture.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading For a few moments she lay quite still, looking wonderingly about the room.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading For a few moments she lay quite still, looking wonderingly about the room.
rush-bottomed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It seemed a "shining" room to Ruth, with its whitewashed walls, and its smooth polished floor, and only a chest of drawers, a light-stand and a rush-bottomed chair for furniture.
United States professional baseball player famous for hitting home runs (1895-1948)
From this reading LAFAYETTE'S VISIT The May sun streamed warmly into the big square chamber where Ruth slept, and she awoke to the song of birds, and the fragrance of blossoming lilacs.
Ruth'snounUS /ruːθs/
possessive form of “ruth” — United States professional baseball player famous for hitting home runs (1895-1948)
From this reading Aunt Deborah's house was much larger than the little brick house which was Ruth's home in Philadelphia, and as Ruth came slowly down the wide stairs she thought what a fine house it would be for little girls to live in; there seemed so much room and so little furniture.
scratchingnounUS /ˈskrætʃɪŋ/
a harsh noise made by scraping
From this reading She got up and dressed slowly, wondering if her mother missed her very much, and if Hero would go scratching and whining to her door in search of his little mistress.
try to locate or discover, or try to establish the existence of
From this reading She got up and dressed slowly, wondering if her mother missed her very much, and if Hero would go scratching and whining to her door in search of his little mistress.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading It seemed a "shining" room to Ruth, with its whitewashed walls, and its smooth polished floor, and only a chest of drawers, a light-stand and a rush-bottomed chair for furniture.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading LAFAYETTE'S VISIT The May sun streamed warmly into the big square chamber where Ruth slept, and she awoke to the song of birds, and the fragrance of blossoming lilacs.
marked by exceptional merit
From this reading It seemed a "shining" room to Ruth, with its whitewashed walls, and its smooth polished floor, and only a chest of drawers, a light-stand and a rush-bottomed chair for furniture.
inflected form of “sleep” — be asleep
From this reading LAFAYETTE'S VISIT The May sun streamed warmly into the big square chamber where Ruth slept, and she awoke to the song of birds, and the fragrance of blossoming lilacs.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading She got up and dressed slowly, wondering if her mother missed her very much, and if Hero would go scratching and whining to her door in search of his little mistress.
having a surface free from roughness or bumps or ridges or irregularities
From this reading It seemed a "shining" room to Ruth, with its whitewashed walls, and its smooth polished floor, and only a chest of drawers, a light-stand and a rush-bottomed chair for furniture.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Aunt Deborah's house was much larger than the little brick house which was Ruth's home in Philadelphia, and as Ruth came slowly down the wide stairs she thought what a fine house it would be for little girls to live in; there seemed so much room and so little furniture.
a short musical composition with words
From this reading LAFAYETTE'S VISIT The May sun streamed warmly into the big square chamber where Ruth slept, and she awoke to the song of birds, and the fragrance of blossoming lilacs.
make square
From this reading LAFAYETTE'S VISIT The May sun streamed warmly into the big square chamber where Ruth slept, and she awoke to the song of birds, and the fragrance of blossoming lilacs.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading Aunt Deborah's house was much larger than the little brick house which was Ruth's home in Philadelphia, and as Ruth came slowly down the wide stairs she thought what a fine house it would be for little girls to live in; there seemed so much room and so little furniture.
not in physical motion
From this reading For a few moments she lay quite still, looking wonderingly about the room.
streamedverbUS /striːmd/
past form of “stream” — to extend, wave or float outward, as if in the wind
From this reading LAFAYETTE'S VISIT The May sun streamed warmly into the big square chamber where Ruth slept, and she awoke to the song of birds, and the fragrance of blossoming lilacs.
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading LAFAYETTE'S VISIT The May sun streamed warmly into the big square chamber where Ruth slept, and she awoke to the song of birds, and the fragrance of blossoming lilacs.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Aunt Deborah's house was much larger than the little brick house which was Ruth's home in Philadelphia, and as Ruth came slowly down the wide stairs she thought what a fine house it would be for little girls to live in; there seemed so much room and so little furniture.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading LAFAYETTE'S VISIT The May sun streamed warmly into the big square chamber where Ruth slept, and she awoke to the song of birds, and the fragrance of blossoming lilacs.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Aunt Deborah's house was much larger than the little brick house which was Ruth's home in Philadelphia, and as Ruth came slowly down the wide stairs she thought what a fine house it would be for little girls to live in; there seemed so much room and so little furniture.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading Aunt Deborah's house was much larger than the little brick house which was Ruth's home in Philadelphia, and as Ruth came slowly down the wide stairs she thought what a fine house it would be for little girls to live in; there seemed so much room and so little furniture.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading LAFAYETTE'S VISIT The May sun streamed warmly into the big square chamber where Ruth slept, and she awoke to the song of birds, and the fragrance of blossoming lilacs.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading She got up and dressed slowly, wondering if her mother missed her very much, and if Hero would go scratching and whining to her door in search of his little mistress.
precisely as stated
From this reading She got up and dressed slowly, wondering if her mother missed her very much, and if Hero would go scratching and whining to her door in search of his little mistress.
go to see a place, as for entertainment
From this reading LAFAYETTE'S VISIT The May sun streamed warmly into the big square chamber where Ruth slept, and she awoke to the song of birds, and the fragrance of blossoming lilacs.
plural of “wall” — an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure
From this reading It seemed a "shining" room to Ruth, with its whitewashed walls, and its smooth polished floor, and only a chest of drawers, a light-stand and a rush-bottomed chair for furniture.
warmlyadverbUS /ˈwɔːrmli/
in a hearty manner
From this reading LAFAYETTE'S VISIT The May sun streamed warmly into the big square chamber where Ruth slept, and she awoke to the song of birds, and the fragrance of blossoming lilacs.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Aunt Deborah's house was much larger than the little brick house which was Ruth's home in Philadelphia, and as Ruth came slowly down the wide stairs she thought what a fine house it would be for little girls to live in; there seemed so much room and so little furniture.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading Aunt Deborah's house was much larger than the little brick house which was Ruth's home in Philadelphia, and as Ruth came slowly down the wide stairs she thought what a fine house it would be for little girls to live in; there seemed so much room and so little furniture.
in or at the place that
From this reading LAFAYETTE'S VISIT The May sun streamed warmly into the big square chamber where Ruth slept, and she awoke to the song of birds, and the fragrance of blossoming lilacs.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Aunt Deborah's house was much larger than the little brick house which was Ruth's home in Philadelphia, and as Ruth came slowly down the wide stairs she thought what a fine house it would be for little girls to live in; there seemed so much room and so little furniture.
whiningverbUS /ˈwaɪnɪŋ/
-ing form of “whine” — move with a whining sound
From this reading She got up and dressed slowly, wondering if her mother missed her very much, and if Hero would go scratching and whining to her door in search of his little mistress.
whitewashedadjectiveUS /ˈwaɪtwɑːʃt/
coated with whitewash
From this reading It seemed a "shining" room to Ruth, with its whitewashed walls, and its smooth polished floor, and only a chest of drawers, a light-stand and a rush-bottomed chair for furniture.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading Aunt Deborah's house was much larger than the little brick house which was Ruth's home in Philadelphia, and as Ruth came slowly down the wide stairs she thought what a fine house it would be for little girls to live in; there seemed so much room and so little furniture.
in the company of; together with
From this reading It seemed a "shining" room to Ruth, with its whitewashed walls, and its smooth polished floor, and only a chest of drawers, a light-stand and a rush-bottomed chair for furniture.
showing curiosity
From this reading She got up and dressed slowly, wondering if her mother missed her very much, and if Hero would go scratching and whining to her door in search of his little mistress.
wonderinglyadverb
in a curious and questioning manner
From this reading For a few moments she lay quite still, looking wonderingly about the room.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading She got up and dressed slowly, wondering if her mother missed her very much, and if Hero would go scratching and whining to her door in search of his little mistress.
