AdeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A BLACK SATIN JACKET Very active preparations were being made in a certain rather humble little cottage in the country for the heroine’s return.
activeadjectiveUS /ˈæktɪv/
tending to become more severe or wider in scope
From this reading A BLACK SATIN JACKET Very active preparations were being made in a certain rather humble little cottage in the country for the heroine’s return.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Three small girls were making themselves busy with holly and ivy, with badly cut paper flowers, with enormous texts coarsely illustrated, to render the home gay and festive in its greeting.
badlyadverbUS /ˈbædli/
to a severe or serious degree
From this reading Three small girls were making themselves busy with holly and ivy, with badly cut paper flowers, with enormous texts coarsely illustrated, to render the home gay and festive in its greeting.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading “How soon will she be here now?” said Hattie the vigorous.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading A BLACK SATIN JACKET Very active preparations were being made in a certain rather humble little cottage in the country for the heroine’s return.
BLACKadjectiveUS /blæk/
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading A BLACK SATIN JACKET Very active preparations were being made in a certain rather humble little cottage in the country for the heroine’s return.
busyadjectiveUS /ˈbɪzi/
actively or fully engaged or occupied
From this reading Three small girls were making themselves busy with holly and ivy, with badly cut paper flowers, with enormous texts coarsely illustrated, to render the home gay and festive in its greeting.
certainadjectiveUS /ˈsɜːrtən/
definite but not specified or identified
From this reading A BLACK SATIN JACKET Very active preparations were being made in a certain rather humble little cottage in the country for the heroine’s return.
coarselyadverb
in coarse pieces
From this reading Three small girls were making themselves busy with holly and ivy, with badly cut paper flowers, with enormous texts coarsely illustrated, to render the home gay and festive in its greeting.
cottagenounUS /ˈkɑːtədʒ/
a small house with a single story
From this reading A BLACK SATIN JACKET Very active preparations were being made in a certain rather humble little cottage in the country for the heroine’s return.
countrynounUS /ˈkʌntri/
a politically organized body of people under a single government
From this reading A BLACK SATIN JACKET Very active preparations were being made in a certain rather humble little cottage in the country for the heroine’s return.
cutverbUS /kʌt/
separate with or as if with an instrument
From this reading Three small girls were making themselves busy with holly and ivy, with badly cut paper flowers, with enormous texts coarsely illustrated, to render the home gay and festive in its greeting.
Doauxiliary verbUS /duː/
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading “Do stay still, Hattie, and don’t fidget.
don't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Do stay still, Hattie, and don’t fidget.
enormousadjectiveUS /ɪˈnɔːrməs/
extraordinarily large in size or extent or amount or power or degree
From this reading Three small girls were making themselves busy with holly and ivy, with badly cut paper flowers, with enormous texts coarsely illustrated, to render the home gay and festive in its greeting.
festiveadjectiveUS /ˈfestɪv/
offering fun and gaiety
From this reading Three small girls were making themselves busy with holly and ivy, with badly cut paper flowers, with enormous texts coarsely illustrated, to render the home gay and festive in its greeting.
fidgetverbUS /ˈfɪdʒɪt/
move restlessly
From this reading “Do stay still, Hattie, and don’t fidget.
flowersnounUS /ˈflaʊərz/
plural of “flower” — a plant cultivated for its blooms or blossoms
From this reading Three small girls were making themselves busy with holly and ivy, with badly cut paper flowers, with enormous texts coarsely illustrated, to render the home gay and festive in its greeting.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading A BLACK SATIN JACKET Very active preparations were being made in a certain rather humble little cottage in the country for the heroine’s return.
gayadjectiveUS /ɡeɪ/
bright and pleasant; promoting a feeling of cheer
From this reading Three small girls were making themselves busy with holly and ivy, with badly cut paper flowers, with enormous texts coarsely illustrated, to render the home gay and festive in its greeting.
girlsnounUS /ɡɜːrlz/
plural of “girl” — a young female
From this reading Three small girls were making themselves busy with holly and ivy, with badly cut paper flowers, with enormous texts coarsely illustrated, to render the home gay and festive in its greeting.
greetingnounUS /ˈɡriːtɪŋ/
(usually plural) an acknowledgment or expression of good will (especially on meeting)
From this reading Three small girls were making themselves busy with holly and ivy, with badly cut paper flowers, with enormous texts coarsely illustrated, to render the home gay and festive in its greeting.
Hattie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “How soon will she be here now?” said Hattie the vigorous.
hereadverbUS /hiːr/
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading “How soon will she be here now?” said Hattie the vigorous.
heroine's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A BLACK SATIN JACKET Very active preparations were being made in a certain rather humble little cottage in the country for the heroine’s return.
hollynounUS /ˈhɑːli/
any tree or shrub of the genus Ilex having red berries and shiny evergreen leaves with prickly edges
From this reading Three small girls were making themselves busy with holly and ivy, with badly cut paper flowers, with enormous texts coarsely illustrated, to render the home gay and festive in its greeting.
homenounUS /hoʊm/
where you live at a particular time
From this reading Three small girls were making themselves busy with holly and ivy, with badly cut paper flowers, with enormous texts coarsely illustrated, to render the home gay and festive in its greeting.
How
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “How soon will she be here now?” said Hattie the vigorous.
humbleadjectiveUS /ˈhʌmbəl/
low or inferior in station or quality
From this reading A BLACK SATIN JACKET Very active preparations were being made in a certain rather humble little cottage in the country for the heroine’s return.
illustratedverbUS /ˈɪləstreɪtəd/
past form of “illustrate” — clarify by giving an example of
From this reading Three small girls were making themselves busy with holly and ivy, with badly cut paper flowers, with enormous texts coarsely illustrated, to render the home gay and festive in its greeting.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A BLACK SATIN JACKET Very active preparations were being made in a certain rather humble little cottage in the country for the heroine’s return.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Three small girls were making themselves busy with holly and ivy, with badly cut paper flowers, with enormous texts coarsely illustrated, to render the home gay and festive in its greeting.
ivynounUS /ˈaɪvi/
Old World vine with lobed evergreen leaves and black berrylike fruits
From this reading Three small girls were making themselves busy with holly and ivy, with badly cut paper flowers, with enormous texts coarsely illustrated, to render the home gay and festive in its greeting.
JACKETnounUS /ˈdʒækət/
a short coat
From this reading A BLACK SATIN JACKET Very active preparations were being made in a certain rather humble little cottage in the country for the heroine’s return.
layverbUS /leɪ/
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading A little worn old woman lay on a sofa and superintended these active measures.
littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading A BLACK SATIN JACKET Very active preparations were being made in a certain rather humble little cottage in the country for the heroine’s return.
madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading A BLACK SATIN JACKET Very active preparations were being made in a certain rather humble little cottage in the country for the heroine’s return.
makingnounUS /ˈmeɪkɪŋ/
the act that results in something coming to be
From this reading Three small girls were making themselves busy with holly and ivy, with badly cut paper flowers, with enormous texts coarsely illustrated, to render the home gay and festive in its greeting.
measuresnounUS /ˈmeʒərz/
plural of “measure” — any maneuver made as part of progress toward a goal
From this reading A little worn old woman lay on a sofa and superintended these active measures.
nowadverbUS /naʊ/
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading “How soon will she be here now?” said Hattie the vigorous.
oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading A little worn old woman lay on a sofa and superintended these active measures.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading A little worn old woman lay on a sofa and superintended these active measures.
papernounUS /ˈpeɪpər/
a material made of cellulose pulp derived mainly from wood or rags or certain grasses
From this reading Three small girls were making themselves busy with holly and ivy, with badly cut paper flowers, with enormous texts coarsely illustrated, to render the home gay and festive in its greeting.
preparationsnounUS /ˌprepərˈeɪʃənz/
plural of “preparation” — the activity of putting or setting in order in advance of some act or purpose
From this reading A BLACK SATIN JACKET Very active preparations were being made in a certain rather humble little cottage in the country for the heroine’s return.
ratheradverbUS /ˈræðər/
on the contrary
From this reading A BLACK SATIN JACKET Very active preparations were being made in a certain rather humble little cottage in the country for the heroine’s return.
renderverbUS /ˈrendər/
cause to become
From this reading Three small girls were making themselves busy with holly and ivy, with badly cut paper flowers, with enormous texts coarsely illustrated, to render the home gay and festive in its greeting.
returnverbUS /rɪˈtɜːrn/
go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading A BLACK SATIN JACKET Very active preparations were being made in a certain rather humble little cottage in the country for the heroine’s return.
saidadjectiveUS /sed/
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “How soon will she be here now?” said Hattie the vigorous.
SATINnounUS /ˈsætən/
a smooth fabric of silk or rayon; has a glossy face and a dull back
From this reading A BLACK SATIN JACKET Very active preparations were being made in a certain rather humble little cottage in the country for the heroine’s return.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “How soon will she be here now?” said Hattie the vigorous.
smalladjectiveUS /smɔːl/
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Three small girls were making themselves busy with holly and ivy, with badly cut paper flowers, with enormous texts coarsely illustrated, to render the home gay and festive in its greeting.
sofanounUS /ˈsoʊfə/
an upholstered seat for more than one person
From this reading A little worn old woman lay on a sofa and superintended these active measures.
soonadverbUS /suːn/
in the near future
From this reading “How soon will she be here now?” said Hattie the vigorous.
stayverbUS /steɪ/
stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading “Do stay still, Hattie, and don’t fidget.
stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/
not in physical motion
From this reading “Do stay still, Hattie, and don’t fidget.
superintended
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A little worn old woman lay on a sofa and superintended these active measures.
textsnounUS /teksts/
plural of “text” — the words of something written
From this reading Three small girls were making themselves busy with holly and ivy, with badly cut paper flowers, with enormous texts coarsely illustrated, to render the home gay and festive in its greeting.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A BLACK SATIN JACKET Very active preparations were being made in a certain rather humble little cottage in the country for the heroine’s return.
themselvespronounUS /ðemˈselvz/
used when the people doing the action are also its object
From this reading Three small girls were making themselves busy with holly and ivy, with badly cut paper flowers, with enormous texts coarsely illustrated, to render the home gay and festive in its greeting.
thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading A little worn old woman lay on a sofa and superintended these active measures.
ThreenounUS /θriː/
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading Three small girls were making themselves busy with holly and ivy, with badly cut paper flowers, with enormous texts coarsely illustrated, to render the home gay and festive in its greeting.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Three small girls were making themselves busy with holly and ivy, with badly cut paper flowers, with enormous texts coarsely illustrated, to render the home gay and festive in its greeting.
VeryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/
precisely as stated
From this reading A BLACK SATIN JACKET Very active preparations were being made in a certain rather humble little cottage in the country for the heroine’s return.
vigorousadjectiveUS /ˈvɪɡərəs/
characterized by forceful and energetic action or activity
From this reading “How soon will she be here now?” said Hattie the vigorous.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading A BLACK SATIN JACKET Very active preparations were being made in a certain rather humble little cottage in the country for the heroine’s return.
willmodal verbUS /wɪl/
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading “How soon will she be here now?” said Hattie the vigorous.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Three small girls were making themselves busy with holly and ivy, with badly cut paper flowers, with enormous texts coarsely illustrated, to render the home gay and festive in its greeting.
womannounUS /ˈwʊmən/
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading A little worn old woman lay on a sofa and superintended these active measures.
wornverbUS /wɔːrn/
Damaged or thinned by continuous use.
From this reading A little worn old woman lay on a sofa and superintended these active measures.
