used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE DUCHESS ASKS A QUESTION Clara stepped through the high French window, and with skirts a little raised crossed the lawn.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading "You have an excellent preceptress--in modernity," he remarked.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE DUCHESS ASKS A QUESTION Clara stepped through the high French window, and with skirts a little raised crossed the lawn.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading "Mrs. Handsell and I ought to have come out here, and you and uncle ought to have stayed and yawned at one another over the dinner-table."
ASKSverbUS /æsks/
third-person singular of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading THE DUCHESS ASKS A QUESTION Clara stepped through the high French window, and with skirts a little raised crossed the lawn.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading "Mrs. Handsell and I ought to have come out here, and you and uncle ought to have stayed and yawned at one another over the dinner-table."
cigarettenounUS /ˌsɪɡərˈet/
finely ground tobacco wrapped in paper; for smoking
From this reading Lindsay, who was following her, stopped to light a cigarette.
Clara
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE DUCHESS ASKS A QUESTION Clara stepped through the high French window, and with skirts a little raised crossed the lawn.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading "Mrs. Handsell and I ought to have come out here, and you and uncle ought to have stayed and yawned at one another over the dinner-table."
placed crosswise
From this reading THE DUCHESS ASKS A QUESTION Clara stepped through the high French window, and with skirts a little raised crossed the lawn.
dinner-table
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Mrs. Handsell and I ought to have come out here, and you and uncle ought to have stayed and yawned at one another over the dinner-table."
the wife of a duke or a woman holding ducal title in her own right
From this reading THE DUCHESS ASKS A QUESTION Clara stepped through the high French window, and with skirts a little raised crossed the lawn.
very good; of the highest quality
From this reading "You have an excellent preceptress--in modernity," he remarked.
about to be mentioned or specified
From this reading Lindsay, who was following her, stopped to light a cigarette.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading "We're getting frightfully modern," she remarked, turning and waiting for him.
the Romance language spoken in France and in countries colonized by France
From this reading THE DUCHESS ASKS A QUESTION Clara stepped through the high French window, and with skirts a little raised crossed the lawn.
frightfullyadverbUS /ˈfraɪtfəli/
used as intensifiers
From this reading "We're getting frightfully modern," she remarked, turning and waiting for him.
the act of acquiring something
From this reading "We're getting frightfully modern," she remarked, turning and waiting for him.
Handsell
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Mrs. Handsell and I ought to have come out here, and you and uncle ought to have stayed and yawned at one another over the dinner-table."
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading "Mrs. Handsell and I ought to have come out here, and you and uncle ought to have stayed and yawned at one another over the dinner-table."
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "You have an excellent preceptress--in modernity," he remarked.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Lindsay, who was following her, stopped to light a cigarette.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading "Mrs. Handsell and I ought to have come out here, and you and uncle ought to have stayed and yawned at one another over the dinner-table."
greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading THE DUCHESS ASKS A QUESTION Clara stepped through the high French window, and with skirts a little raised crossed the lawn.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "We're getting frightfully modern," she remarked, turning and waiting for him.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "Mrs. Handsell and I ought to have come out here, and you and uncle ought to have stayed and yawned at one another over the dinner-table."
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "You have an excellent preceptress--in modernity," he remarked.
lawnnounUS /lɔːn/
a field of cultivated and mowed grass
From this reading THE DUCHESS ASKS A QUESTION Clara stepped through the high French window, and with skirts a little raised crossed the lawn.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading Lindsay, who was following her, stopped to light a cigarette.
LindsaynounUS /ˈlɪndzi/
United States playwright who collaborated with Russel Crouse on several musicals (1889-1931)
From this reading Lindsay, who was following her, stopped to light a cigarette.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading THE DUCHESS ASKS A QUESTION Clara stepped through the high French window, and with skirts a little raised crossed the lawn.
belonging to the modern era; since the Middle Ages
From this reading "We're getting frightfully modern," she remarked, turning and waiting for him.
modernitynounUS /mɑːˈdɜːrnəti/
the quality of being current or of the present
From this reading "You have an excellent preceptress--in modernity," he remarked.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading "Mrs. Handsell and I ought to have come out here, and you and uncle ought to have stayed and yawned at one another over the dinner-table."
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading "Mrs. Handsell and I ought to have come out here, and you and uncle ought to have stayed and yawned at one another over the dinner-table."
used with “to” to say what is right or advisable
From this reading "Mrs. Handsell and I ought to have come out here, and you and uncle ought to have stayed and yawned at one another over the dinner-table."
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading "Mrs. Handsell and I ought to have come out here, and you and uncle ought to have stayed and yawned at one another over the dinner-table."
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading "Mrs. Handsell and I ought to have come out here, and you and uncle ought to have stayed and yawned at one another over the dinner-table."
preceptress
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "You have an excellent preceptress--in modernity," he remarked.
challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of
From this reading THE DUCHESS ASKS A QUESTION Clara stepped through the high French window, and with skirts a little raised crossed the lawn.
located or moved above the surround or above the normal position
From this reading THE DUCHESS ASKS A QUESTION Clara stepped through the high French window, and with skirts a little raised crossed the lawn.
past form of “remark” — make mention of
From this reading "We're getting frightfully modern," she remarked, turning and waiting for him.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "We're getting frightfully modern," she remarked, turning and waiting for him.
skirtsnounUS /skɜːrts/
plural of “skirt” — cloth covering that forms the part of a garment below the waist
From this reading THE DUCHESS ASKS A QUESTION Clara stepped through the high French window, and with skirts a little raised crossed the lawn.
past form of “stay” — stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading "Mrs. Handsell and I ought to have come out here, and you and uncle ought to have stayed and yawned at one another over the dinner-table."
inflected form of “step” — shift or move by taking a step
From this reading THE DUCHESS ASKS A QUESTION Clara stepped through the high French window, and with skirts a little raised crossed the lawn.
(of a nose) blocked
From this reading Lindsay, who was following her, stopped to light a cigarette.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE DUCHESS ASKS A QUESTION Clara stepped through the high French window, and with skirts a little raised crossed the lawn.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading THE DUCHESS ASKS A QUESTION Clara stepped through the high French window, and with skirts a little raised crossed the lawn.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Lindsay, who was following her, stopped to light a cigarette.
the act of changing or reversing the direction of the course
From this reading "We're getting frightfully modern," she remarked, turning and waiting for him.
the brother of your father or mother; the husband of your aunt
From this reading "Mrs. Handsell and I ought to have come out here, and you and uncle ought to have stayed and yawned at one another over the dinner-table."
the act of waiting (remaining inactive in one place while expecting something)
From this reading "We're getting frightfully modern," she remarked, turning and waiting for him.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Lindsay, who was following her, stopped to light a cigarette.
We're
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "We're getting frightfully modern," she remarked, turning and waiting for him.
which person or people
From this reading Lindsay, who was following her, stopped to light a cigarette.
a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air
From this reading THE DUCHESS ASKS A QUESTION Clara stepped through the high French window, and with skirts a little raised crossed the lawn.
in the company of; together with
From this reading THE DUCHESS ASKS A QUESTION Clara stepped through the high French window, and with skirts a little raised crossed the lawn.
yawnedverbUS /jɔːnd/
past form of “yawn” — utter a yawn, as from lack of oxygen or when one is tired
From this reading "Mrs. Handsell and I ought to have come out here, and you and uncle ought to have stayed and yawned at one another over the dinner-table."
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Mrs. Handsell and I ought to have come out here, and you and uncle ought to have stayed and yawned at one another over the dinner-table."
