used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The drawing-room of the house in Toorak where our heroine lived, looked very cosy and comfortable a few hours later in the ruddy glow of the firelight.
adornedadjectiveUS /əˈdɔːrnd/
provided with something intended to increase its beauty or distinction
From this reading The pleasant firelight danced upon a whitewashed ceiling, plentifully adorned with plaster-of-Paris mouldings, and upon whitey-grey walls sprigged with golden flowers.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The drawing-room of the house in Toorak where our heroine lived, looked very cosy and comfortable a few hours later in the ruddy glow of the firelight.
any thing at all
From this reading There was no dado, no parquetry floor, no tiled hearth, no _etagere_ mantelpiece--nor Persian rugs under foot, nor Limoges plaques and Benares dishes on the walls, nor Japanese screens and jars, nor treasures of jade and china, nor anything, in fact, that there ought to have been.
a suite of rooms usually on one floor of an apartment house
From this reading It was a little before the days of domestic high art in Victoria, and it was by no means the charming apartment that it is now.
artauxiliary verbUS /ɑːrt/
an old form of “are”, used with “thou”
From this reading It was a little before the days of domestic high art in Victoria, and it was by no means the charming apartment that it is now.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading There was no dado, no parquetry floor, no tiled hearth, no _etagere_ mantelpiece--nor Persian rugs under foot, nor Limoges plaques and Benares dishes on the walls, nor Japanese screens and jars, nor treasures of jade and china, nor anything, in fact, that there ought to have been.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading It was a little before the days of domestic high art in Victoria, and it was by no means the charming apartment that it is now.
Benares
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no dado, no parquetry floor, no tiled hearth, no _etagere_ mantelpiece--nor Persian rugs under foot, nor Limoges plaques and Benares dishes on the walls, nor Japanese screens and jars, nor treasures of jade and china, nor anything, in fact, that there ought to have been.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading It was a little before the days of domestic high art in Victoria, and it was by no means the charming apartment that it is now.
ceilingnounUS /ˈsiːlɪŋ/
the overhead upper surface of a covered space
From this reading The pleasant firelight danced upon a whitewashed ceiling, plentifully adorned with plaster-of-Paris mouldings, and upon whitey-grey walls sprigged with golden flowers.
pleasing or delighting
From this reading It was a little before the days of domestic high art in Victoria, and it was by no means the charming apartment that it is now.
chinanounUS /ˈtʃaɪnə/
a communist nation that covers a vast territory in eastern Asia; the most populous country in the world
From this reading There was no dado, no parquetry floor, no tiled hearth, no _etagere_ mantelpiece--nor Persian rugs under foot, nor Limoges plaques and Benares dishes on the walls, nor Japanese screens and jars, nor treasures of jade and china, nor anything, in fact, that there ought to have been.
providing or experiencing physical well-being or relief (“comfy” is informal)
From this reading The drawing-room of the house in Toorak where our heroine lived, looked very cosy and comfortable a few hours later in the ruddy glow of the firelight.
cosynounUS /ˈkoʊzi/
a padded cloth covering to keep a teapot warm
From this reading The drawing-room of the house in Toorak where our heroine lived, looked very cosy and comfortable a few hours later in the ruddy glow of the firelight.
COUNSELSnounUS /ˈkaʊnsəlz/
plural of “counsel” — a lawyer who pleads cases in court
From this reading FAMILY COUNSELS.
dadonounUS /ˈdeɪdoʊ/
panel forming the lower part of an interior wall when it is finished differently from the rest of the wall
From this reading There was no dado, no parquetry floor, no tiled hearth, no _etagere_ mantelpiece--nor Persian rugs under foot, nor Limoges plaques and Benares dishes on the walls, nor Japanese screens and jars, nor treasures of jade and china, nor anything, in fact, that there ought to have been.
past form of “dance” — move in a graceful and rhythmical way
From this reading The pleasant firelight danced upon a whitewashed ceiling, plentifully adorned with plaster-of-Paris mouldings, and upon whitey-grey walls sprigged with golden flowers.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading It was a little before the days of domestic high art in Victoria, and it was by no means the charming apartment that it is now.
dishesnounUS /ˈdɪʃəz/
plural of “dish” — a piece of dishware normally used as a container for holding or serving food
From this reading There was no dado, no parquetry floor, no tiled hearth, no _etagere_ mantelpiece--nor Persian rugs under foot, nor Limoges plaques and Benares dishes on the walls, nor Japanese screens and jars, nor treasures of jade and china, nor anything, in fact, that there ought to have been.
of concern to or concerning the internal affairs of a nation
From this reading It was a little before the days of domestic high art in Victoria, and it was by no means the charming apartment that it is now.
drawing-room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The drawing-room of the house in Toorak where our heroine lived, looked very cosy and comfortable a few hours later in the ruddy glow of the firelight.
etagerenoun
a piece of furniture with open shelves for displaying small ornaments
From this reading There was no dado, no parquetry floor, no tiled hearth, no _etagere_ mantelpiece--nor Persian rugs under foot, nor Limoges plaques and Benares dishes on the walls, nor Japanese screens and jars, nor treasures of jade and china, nor anything, in fact, that there ought to have been.
a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred
From this reading There was no dado, no parquetry floor, no tiled hearth, no _etagere_ mantelpiece--nor Persian rugs under foot, nor Limoges plaques and Benares dishes on the walls, nor Japanese screens and jars, nor treasures of jade and china, nor anything, in fact, that there ought to have been.
a social unit living together
From this reading FAMILY COUNSELS.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading The drawing-room of the house in Toorak where our heroine lived, looked very cosy and comfortable a few hours later in the ruddy glow of the firelight.
firelightnoun
the light of a fire (especially in a fireplace)
From this reading The drawing-room of the house in Toorak where our heroine lived, looked very cosy and comfortable a few hours later in the ruddy glow of the firelight.
the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)
From this reading There was no dado, no parquetry floor, no tiled hearth, no _etagere_ mantelpiece--nor Persian rugs under foot, nor Limoges plaques and Benares dishes on the walls, nor Japanese screens and jars, nor treasures of jade and china, nor anything, in fact, that there ought to have been.
plural of “flower” — a plant cultivated for its blooms or blossoms
From this reading The pleasant firelight danced upon a whitewashed ceiling, plentifully adorned with plaster-of-Paris mouldings, and upon whitey-grey walls sprigged with golden flowers.
the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading There was no dado, no parquetry floor, no tiled hearth, no _etagere_ mantelpiece--nor Persian rugs under foot, nor Limoges plaques and Benares dishes on the walls, nor Japanese screens and jars, nor treasures of jade and china, nor anything, in fact, that there ought to have been.
an alert and refreshed state
From this reading The drawing-room of the house in Toorak where our heroine lived, looked very cosy and comfortable a few hours later in the ruddy glow of the firelight.
having the deep slightly brownish color of gold
From this reading The pleasant firelight danced upon a whitewashed ceiling, plentifully adorned with plaster-of-Paris mouldings, and upon whitey-grey walls sprigged with golden flowers.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading There was no dado, no parquetry floor, no tiled hearth, no _etagere_ mantelpiece--nor Persian rugs under foot, nor Limoges plaques and Benares dishes on the walls, nor Japanese screens and jars, nor treasures of jade and china, nor anything, in fact, that there ought to have been.
hearthnounUS /hɑːrθ/
an open recess in a wall at the base of a chimney where a fire can be built
From this reading There was no dado, no parquetry floor, no tiled hearth, no _etagere_ mantelpiece--nor Persian rugs under foot, nor Limoges plaques and Benares dishes on the walls, nor Japanese screens and jars, nor treasures of jade and china, nor anything, in fact, that there ought to have been.
heroinenounUS /ˈheroʊən/
the main good female character in a work of fiction
From this reading The drawing-room of the house in Toorak where our heroine lived, looked very cosy and comfortable a few hours later in the ruddy glow of the firelight.
greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading It was a little before the days of domestic high art in Victoria, and it was by no means the charming apartment that it is now.
a period of time assigned for work
From this reading The drawing-room of the house in Toorak where our heroine lived, looked very cosy and comfortable a few hours later in the ruddy glow of the firelight.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading The drawing-room of the house in Toorak where our heroine lived, looked very cosy and comfortable a few hours later in the ruddy glow of the firelight.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The drawing-room of the house in Toorak where our heroine lived, looked very cosy and comfortable a few hours later in the ruddy glow of the firelight.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was a little before the days of domestic high art in Victoria, and it was by no means the charming apartment that it is now.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was a little before the days of domestic high art in Victoria, and it was by no means the charming apartment that it is now.
jadenounUS /dʒeɪd/
a semiprecious gemstone that takes a high polish; is usually green but sometimes whitish; consists of jadeite or nephrite
From this reading There was no dado, no parquetry floor, no tiled hearth, no _etagere_ mantelpiece--nor Persian rugs under foot, nor Limoges plaques and Benares dishes on the walls, nor Japanese screens and jars, nor treasures of jade and china, nor anything, in fact, that there ought to have been.
JapanesenounUS /ˌdʒæpəˈniːz/
a native or inhabitant of Japan
From this reading There was no dado, no parquetry floor, no tiled hearth, no _etagere_ mantelpiece--nor Persian rugs under foot, nor Limoges plaques and Benares dishes on the walls, nor Japanese screens and jars, nor treasures of jade and china, nor anything, in fact, that there ought to have been.
jarsnounUS /dʒɑːrz/
Wide-mouthed cylindrical containers made of clay or glass, used for storing goods.
From this reading There was no dado, no parquetry floor, no tiled hearth, no _etagere_ mantelpiece--nor Persian rugs under foot, nor Limoges plaques and Benares dishes on the walls, nor Japanese screens and jars, nor treasures of jade and china, nor anything, in fact, that there ought to have been.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading The drawing-room of the house in Toorak where our heroine lived, looked very cosy and comfortable a few hours later in the ruddy glow of the firelight.
Limoges
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no dado, no parquetry floor, no tiled hearth, no _etagere_ mantelpiece--nor Persian rugs under foot, nor Limoges plaques and Benares dishes on the walls, nor Japanese screens and jars, nor treasures of jade and china, nor anything, in fact, that there ought to have been.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading It was a little before the days of domestic high art in Victoria, and it was by no means the charming apartment that it is now.
past form of “live” — be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading The drawing-room of the house in Toorak where our heroine lived, looked very cosy and comfortable a few hours later in the ruddy glow of the firelight.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading The drawing-room of the house in Toorak where our heroine lived, looked very cosy and comfortable a few hours later in the ruddy glow of the firelight.
mantelpiecenoun
shelf that projects from wall above fireplace
From this reading There was no dado, no parquetry floor, no tiled hearth, no _etagere_ mantelpiece--nor Persian rugs under foot, nor Limoges plaques and Benares dishes on the walls, nor Japanese screens and jars, nor treasures of jade and china, nor anything, in fact, that there ought to have been.
thing or person that acts to produce a particular effect or achieve an end
From this reading It was a little before the days of domestic high art in Victoria, and it was by no means the charming apartment that it is now.
mouldingsnounUS /ˈmoʊldɪŋz/
plural of “moulding” — a decorative strip used for ornamentation or finishing
From this reading The pleasant firelight danced upon a whitewashed ceiling, plentifully adorned with plaster-of-Paris mouldings, and upon whitey-grey walls sprigged with golden flowers.
not any; not one
From this reading It was a little before the days of domestic high art in Victoria, and it was by no means the charming apartment that it is now.
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading There was no dado, no parquetry floor, no tiled hearth, no _etagere_ mantelpiece--nor Persian rugs under foot, nor Limoges plaques and Benares dishes on the walls, nor Japanese screens and jars, nor treasures of jade and china, nor anything, in fact, that there ought to have been.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading It was a little before the days of domestic high art in Victoria, and it was by no means the charming apartment that it is now.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The drawing-room of the house in Toorak where our heroine lived, looked very cosy and comfortable a few hours later in the ruddy glow of the firelight.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading There was no dado, no parquetry floor, no tiled hearth, no _etagere_ mantelpiece--nor Persian rugs under foot, nor Limoges plaques and Benares dishes on the walls, nor Japanese screens and jars, nor treasures of jade and china, nor anything, in fact, that there ought to have been.
used with “to” to say what is right or advisable
From this reading There was no dado, no parquetry floor, no tiled hearth, no _etagere_ mantelpiece--nor Persian rugs under foot, nor Limoges plaques and Benares dishes on the walls, nor Japanese screens and jars, nor treasures of jade and china, nor anything, in fact, that there ought to have been.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading The drawing-room of the house in Toorak where our heroine lived, looked very cosy and comfortable a few hours later in the ruddy glow of the firelight.
parquetrynoun
a patterned wood inlay used to cover a floor
From this reading There was no dado, no parquetry floor, no tiled hearth, no _etagere_ mantelpiece--nor Persian rugs under foot, nor Limoges plaques and Benares dishes on the walls, nor Japanese screens and jars, nor treasures of jade and china, nor anything, in fact, that there ought to have been.
PersiannounUS /ˈpɜːrʒən/
a native or inhabitant of Iran
From this reading There was no dado, no parquetry floor, no tiled hearth, no _etagere_ mantelpiece--nor Persian rugs under foot, nor Limoges plaques and Benares dishes on the walls, nor Japanese screens and jars, nor treasures of jade and china, nor anything, in fact, that there ought to have been.
plaquesnounUS /plæks/
plural of “plaque” — (pathology) a small abnormal patch on or inside the body
From this reading There was no dado, no parquetry floor, no tiled hearth, no _etagere_ mantelpiece--nor Persian rugs under foot, nor Limoges plaques and Benares dishes on the walls, nor Japanese screens and jars, nor treasures of jade and china, nor anything, in fact, that there ought to have been.
plaster-of-Paris
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The pleasant firelight danced upon a whitewashed ceiling, plentifully adorned with plaster-of-Paris mouldings, and upon whitey-grey walls sprigged with golden flowers.
affording pleasure; being in harmony with your taste or likings
From this reading The pleasant firelight danced upon a whitewashed ceiling, plentifully adorned with plaster-of-Paris mouldings, and upon whitey-grey walls sprigged with golden flowers.
plentifullyadverb
in a bountiful manner
From this reading The pleasant firelight danced upon a whitewashed ceiling, plentifully adorned with plaster-of-Paris mouldings, and upon whitey-grey walls sprigged with golden flowers.
ruddyadjectiveUS /ˈrʌdi/
inclined to a healthy reddish color often associated with outdoor life
From this reading The drawing-room of the house in Toorak where our heroine lived, looked very cosy and comfortable a few hours later in the ruddy glow of the firelight.
rugsnounUS /rʌɡz/
plural of “rug” — floor covering consisting of a piece of thick heavy fabric (usually with nap or pile)
From this reading There was no dado, no parquetry floor, no tiled hearth, no _etagere_ mantelpiece--nor Persian rugs under foot, nor Limoges plaques and Benares dishes on the walls, nor Japanese screens and jars, nor treasures of jade and china, nor anything, in fact, that there ought to have been.
screensnounUS /skriːnz/
plural of “screen” — a white or silvered surface where pictures can be projected for viewing
From this reading There was no dado, no parquetry floor, no tiled hearth, no _etagere_ mantelpiece--nor Persian rugs under foot, nor Limoges plaques and Benares dishes on the walls, nor Japanese screens and jars, nor treasures of jade and china, nor anything, in fact, that there ought to have been.
spriggedadjectiveUS /sprɪɡd/
decorated with designs of sprigs
From this reading The pleasant firelight danced upon a whitewashed ceiling, plentifully adorned with plaster-of-Paris mouldings, and upon whitey-grey walls sprigged with golden flowers.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was a little before the days of domestic high art in Victoria, and it was by no means the charming apartment that it is now.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The drawing-room of the house in Toorak where our heroine lived, looked very cosy and comfortable a few hours later in the ruddy glow of the firelight.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was no dado, no parquetry floor, no tiled hearth, no _etagere_ mantelpiece--nor Persian rugs under foot, nor Limoges plaques and Benares dishes on the walls, nor Japanese screens and jars, nor treasures of jade and china, nor anything, in fact, that there ought to have been.
tiledadjectiveUS /taɪld/
covered or furnished with tiles
From this reading There was no dado, no parquetry floor, no tiled hearth, no _etagere_ mantelpiece--nor Persian rugs under foot, nor Limoges plaques and Benares dishes on the walls, nor Japanese screens and jars, nor treasures of jade and china, nor anything, in fact, that there ought to have been.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading There was no dado, no parquetry floor, no tiled hearth, no _etagere_ mantelpiece--nor Persian rugs under foot, nor Limoges plaques and Benares dishes on the walls, nor Japanese screens and jars, nor treasures of jade and china, nor anything, in fact, that there ought to have been.
Toorak
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The drawing-room of the house in Toorak where our heroine lived, looked very cosy and comfortable a few hours later in the ruddy glow of the firelight.
treasuresnounUS /ˈtreʒərz/
plural of “treasure” — accumulated wealth in the form of money or jewels etc.
From this reading There was no dado, no parquetry floor, no tiled hearth, no _etagere_ mantelpiece--nor Persian rugs under foot, nor Limoges plaques and Benares dishes on the walls, nor Japanese screens and jars, nor treasures of jade and china, nor anything, in fact, that there ought to have been.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading There was no dado, no parquetry floor, no tiled hearth, no _etagere_ mantelpiece--nor Persian rugs under foot, nor Limoges plaques and Benares dishes on the walls, nor Japanese screens and jars, nor treasures of jade and china, nor anything, in fact, that there ought to have been.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading The pleasant firelight danced upon a whitewashed ceiling, plentifully adorned with plaster-of-Paris mouldings, and upon whitey-grey walls sprigged with golden flowers.
precisely as stated
From this reading The drawing-room of the house in Toorak where our heroine lived, looked very cosy and comfortable a few hours later in the ruddy glow of the firelight.
VictorianounUS /vɪkˈtɔːriə/
queen of Great Britain and Ireland and empress of India from 1837 to 1901; the last Hanoverian ruler of England (1819-1901)
From this reading It was a little before the days of domestic high art in Victoria, and it was by no means the charming apartment that it is now.
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 There was no dado, no parquetry floor, no tiled hearth, no _etagere_ mantelpiece--nor Persian rugs under foot, nor Limoges plaques and Benares dishes on the walls, nor Japanese screens and jars, nor treasures of jade and china, nor anything, in fact, that there ought to have been.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was a little before the days of domestic high art in Victoria, and it was by no means the charming apartment that it is now.
in or at the place that
From this reading The drawing-room of the house in Toorak where our heroine lived, looked very cosy and comfortable a few hours later in the ruddy glow of the firelight.
whitewashedadjectiveUS /ˈwaɪtwɑːʃt/
coated with whitewash
From this reading The pleasant firelight danced upon a whitewashed ceiling, plentifully adorned with plaster-of-Paris mouldings, and upon whitey-grey walls sprigged with golden flowers.
whitey-grey
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The pleasant firelight danced upon a whitewashed ceiling, plentifully adorned with plaster-of-Paris mouldings, and upon whitey-grey walls sprigged with golden flowers.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The pleasant firelight danced upon a whitewashed ceiling, plentifully adorned with plaster-of-Paris mouldings, and upon whitey-grey walls sprigged with golden flowers.
