used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A couple of cypress-trees, dead and brown towards the house, built a deep porch above the door.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading To the west stood four great Lombardy poplars whose leaves made the night breeze seem restless about the house.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading A couple of cypress-trees, dead and brown towards the house, built a deep porch above the door.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading Beyond the white palings of the garden the broad roof of a barn swept up against the sombre azure of the summer night; and the blackness of the byres and outhouses contrasted with the lawn that was lit by the lighted windows.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It is the privilege of short-tempered women to wax testy under the touch of trouble, and Mrs. Baxter, her hard face querulous and unlovely, stood in the doorway of Boland’s Farm, watching the road for the flash of the doctor’s lamps.
austereadjectiveUS /ɔːˈstɪr/
severely simple
From this reading The austere figure of her sister joined itself to Mrs. Baxter’s under the cypresses.
azurenounUS /ˈæʒər/
a light shade of blue
From this reading Beyond the white palings of the garden the broad roof of a barn swept up against the sombre azure of the summer night; and the blackness of the byres and outhouses contrasted with the lawn that was lit by the lighted windows.
barnnounUS /bɑːrn/
an outlying farm building for storing grain or animal feed and housing farm animals
From this reading Beyond the white palings of the garden the broad roof of a barn swept up against the sombre azure of the summer night; and the blackness of the byres and outhouses contrasted with the lawn that was lit by the lighted windows.
Baxter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It is the privilege of short-tempered women to wax testy under the touch of trouble, and Mrs. Baxter, her hard face querulous and unlovely, stood in the doorway of Boland’s Farm, watching the road for the flash of the doctor’s lamps.
Baxter's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The austere figure of her sister joined itself to Mrs. Baxter’s under the cypresses.
on the far side of; further than
From this reading Beyond the white palings of the garden the broad roof of a barn swept up against the sombre azure of the summer night; and the blackness of the byres and outhouses contrasted with the lawn that was lit by the lighted windows.
blacknessnounUS /ˈblæknəs/
the quality or state of the achromatic color of least lightness (bearing the least resemblance to white)
From this reading Beyond the white palings of the garden the broad roof of a barn swept up against the sombre azure of the summer night; and the blackness of the byres and outhouses contrasted with the lawn that was lit by the lighted windows.
Boland's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It is the privilege of short-tempered women to wax testy under the touch of trouble, and Mrs. Baxter, her hard face querulous and unlovely, stood in the doorway of Boland’s Farm, watching the road for the flash of the doctor’s lamps.
a slight wind (usually refreshing)
From this reading To the west stood four great Lombardy poplars whose leaves made the night breeze seem restless about the house.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading Beyond the white palings of the garden the broad roof of a barn swept up against the sombre azure of the summer night; and the blackness of the byres and outhouses contrasted with the lawn that was lit by the lighted windows.
an orange of low brightness and saturation
From this reading A couple of cypress-trees, dead and brown towards the house, built a deep porch above the door.
(used of soaps or cleaning agents) having a substance (an abrasive or filler) added to increase effectiveness
From this reading A couple of cypress-trees, dead and brown towards the house, built a deep porch above the door.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Beyond the white palings of the garden the broad roof of a barn swept up against the sombre azure of the summer night; and the blackness of the byres and outhouses contrasted with the lawn that was lit by the lighted windows.
byres
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Beyond the white palings of the garden the broad roof of a barn swept up against the sombre azure of the summer night; and the blackness of the byres and outhouses contrasted with the lawn that was lit by the lighted windows.
contrastedverbUS /kənˈtræstəd/
past form of “contrast” — put in opposition to show or emphasize differences
From this reading Beyond the white palings of the garden the broad roof of a barn swept up against the sombre azure of the summer night; and the blackness of the byres and outhouses contrasted with the lawn that was lit by the lighted windows.
a pair who associate with one another
From this reading A couple of cypress-trees, dead and brown towards the house, built a deep porch above the door.
cypress-trees
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A couple of cypress-trees, dead and brown towards the house, built a deep porch above the door.
cypresses
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The austere figure of her sister joined itself to Mrs. Baxter’s under the cypresses.
no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life
From this reading A couple of cypress-trees, dead and brown towards the house, built a deep porch above the door.
relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply
From this reading A couple of cypress-trees, dead and brown towards the house, built a deep porch above the door.
doctor'snounUS /ˈdɑːktərz/
possessive form of “doctor” — a licensed medical practitioner
From this reading It is the privilege of short-tempered women to wax testy under the touch of trouble, and Mrs. Baxter, her hard face querulous and unlovely, stood in the doorway of Boland’s Farm, watching the road for the flash of the doctor’s lamps.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading A couple of cypress-trees, dead and brown towards the house, built a deep porch above the door.
the entrance (the space in a wall) through which you enter or leave a room or building; the space that a door can close
From this reading It is the privilege of short-tempered women to wax testy under the touch of trouble, and Mrs. Baxter, her hard face querulous and unlovely, stood in the doorway of Boland’s Farm, watching the road for the flash of the doctor’s lamps.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading It is the privilege of short-tempered women to wax testy under the touch of trouble, and Mrs. Baxter, her hard face querulous and unlovely, stood in the doorway of Boland’s Farm, watching the road for the flash of the doctor’s lamps.
be a farmer; work as a farmer
From this reading It is the privilege of short-tempered women to wax testy under the touch of trouble, and Mrs. Baxter, her hard face querulous and unlovely, stood in the doorway of Boland’s Farm, watching the road for the flash of the doctor’s lamps.
a diagram or picture illustrating textual material
From this reading The austere figure of her sister joined itself to Mrs. Baxter’s under the cypresses.
gleam or glow intermittently
From this reading It is the privilege of short-tempered women to wax testy under the touch of trouble, and Mrs. Baxter, her hard face querulous and unlovely, stood in the doorway of Boland’s Farm, watching the road for the flash of the doctor’s lamps.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It is the privilege of short-tempered women to wax testy under the touch of trouble, and Mrs. Baxter, her hard face querulous and unlovely, stood in the doorway of Boland’s Farm, watching the road for the flash of the doctor’s lamps.
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading To the west stood four great Lombardy poplars whose leaves made the night breeze seem restless about the house.
a plot of ground where plants are cultivated
From this reading Beyond the white palings of the garden the broad roof of a barn swept up against the sombre azure of the summer night; and the blackness of the byres and outhouses contrasted with the lawn that was lit by the lighted windows.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading To the west stood four great Lombardy poplars whose leaves made the night breeze seem restless about the house.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading It is the privilege of short-tempered women to wax testy under the touch of trouble, and Mrs. Baxter, her hard face querulous and unlovely, stood in the doorway of Boland’s Farm, watching the road for the flash of the doctor’s lamps.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading It is the privilege of short-tempered women to wax testy under the touch of trouble, and Mrs. Baxter, her hard face querulous and unlovely, stood in the doorway of Boland’s Farm, watching the road for the flash of the doctor’s lamps.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading A couple of cypress-trees, dead and brown towards the house, built a deep porch above the door.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It is the privilege of short-tempered women to wax testy under the touch of trouble, and Mrs. Baxter, her hard face querulous and unlovely, stood in the doorway of Boland’s Farm, watching the road for the flash of the doctor’s lamps.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It is the privilege of short-tempered women to wax testy under the touch of trouble, and Mrs. Baxter, her hard face querulous and unlovely, stood in the doorway of Boland’s Farm, watching the road for the flash of the doctor’s lamps.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It is the privilege of short-tempered women to wax testy under the touch of trouble, and Mrs. Baxter, her hard face querulous and unlovely, stood in the doorway of Boland’s Farm, watching the road for the flash of the doctor’s lamps.
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading The austere figure of her sister joined itself to Mrs. Baxter’s under the cypresses.
of or relating to two people who are married to each other
From this reading The austere figure of her sister joined itself to Mrs. Baxter’s under the cypresses.
lampsnounUS /læmps/
plural of “lamp” — an artificial source of visible illumination
From this reading It is the privilege of short-tempered women to wax testy under the touch of trouble, and Mrs. Baxter, her hard face querulous and unlovely, stood in the doorway of Boland’s Farm, watching the road for the flash of the doctor’s lamps.
lawnnounUS /lɔːn/
a field of cultivated and mowed grass
From this reading Beyond the white palings of the garden the broad roof of a barn swept up against the sombre azure of the summer night; and the blackness of the byres and outhouses contrasted with the lawn that was lit by the lighted windows.
plural of “leaf” — the main organ of photosynthesis and transpiration in higher plants
From this reading To the west stood four great Lombardy poplars whose leaves made the night breeze seem restless about the house.
set afire or burning
From this reading Beyond the white palings of the garden the broad roof of a barn swept up against the sombre azure of the summer night; and the blackness of the byres and outhouses contrasted with the lawn that was lit by the lighted windows.
provided with artificial light
From this reading Beyond the white palings of the garden the broad roof of a barn swept up against the sombre azure of the summer night; and the blackness of the byres and outhouses contrasted with the lawn that was lit by the lighted windows.
Lombardynoun
a region of north central Italy bordering Switzerland
From this reading To the west stood four great Lombardy poplars whose leaves made the night breeze seem restless about the house.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading To the west stood four great Lombardy poplars whose leaves made the night breeze seem restless about the house.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading It is the privilege of short-tempered women to wax testy under the touch of trouble, and Mrs. Baxter, her hard face querulous and unlovely, stood in the doorway of Boland’s Farm, watching the road for the flash of the doctor’s lamps.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading Beyond the white palings of the garden the broad roof of a barn swept up against the sombre azure of the summer night; and the blackness of the byres and outhouses contrasted with the lawn that was lit by the lighted windows.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It is the privilege of short-tempered women to wax testy under the touch of trouble, and Mrs. Baxter, her hard face querulous and unlovely, stood in the doorway of Boland’s Farm, watching the road for the flash of the doctor’s lamps.
outhousesnounUS /ˈaʊthaʊsɪz/
plural of “outhouse” — a small outbuilding with a bench having holes through which a user can defecate
From this reading Beyond the white palings of the garden the broad roof of a barn swept up against the sombre azure of the summer night; and the blackness of the byres and outhouses contrasted with the lawn that was lit by the lighted windows.
palings
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Beyond the white palings of the garden the broad roof of a barn swept up against the sombre azure of the summer night; and the blackness of the byres and outhouses contrasted with the lawn that was lit by the lighted windows.
poplars
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To the west stood four great Lombardy poplars whose leaves made the night breeze seem restless about the house.
a structure attached to the exterior of a building often forming a covered entrance
From this reading A couple of cypress-trees, dead and brown towards the house, built a deep porch above the door.
privilegenounUS /ˈprɪvlədʒ/
a special advantage or immunity or benefit not enjoyed by all
From this reading It is the privilege of short-tempered women to wax testy under the touch of trouble, and Mrs. Baxter, her hard face querulous and unlovely, stood in the doorway of Boland’s Farm, watching the road for the flash of the doctor’s lamps.
querulousadjectiveUS /ˈkwerələs/
habitually complaining
From this reading It is the privilege of short-tempered women to wax testy under the touch of trouble, and Mrs. Baxter, her hard face querulous and unlovely, stood in the doorway of Boland’s Farm, watching the road for the flash of the doctor’s lamps.
restlessadjectiveUS /ˈrestləs/
worried and uneasy
From this reading To the west stood four great Lombardy poplars whose leaves made the night breeze seem restless about the house.
an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation
From this reading It is the privilege of short-tempered women to wax testy under the touch of trouble, and Mrs. Baxter, her hard face querulous and unlovely, stood in the doorway of Boland’s Farm, watching the road for the flash of the doctor’s lamps.
a protective covering that covers or forms the top of a building
From this reading Beyond the white palings of the garden the broad roof of a barn swept up against the sombre azure of the summer night; and the blackness of the byres and outhouses contrasted with the lawn that was lit by the lighted windows.
give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading To the west stood four great Lombardy poplars whose leaves made the night breeze seem restless about the house.
short-temperedadjective
quickly aroused to anger
From this reading It is the privilege of short-tempered women to wax testy under the touch of trouble, and Mrs. Baxter, her hard face querulous and unlovely, stood in the doorway of Boland’s Farm, watching the road for the flash of the doctor’s lamps.
a female person who has the same parents as another person
From this reading The austere figure of her sister joined itself to Mrs. Baxter’s under the cypresses.
sombreadjective
lacking brightness or color; dull
From this reading Beyond the white palings of the garden the broad roof of a barn swept up against the sombre azure of the summer night; and the blackness of the byres and outhouses contrasted with the lawn that was lit by the lighted windows.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading It is the privilege of short-tempered women to wax testy under the touch of trouble, and Mrs. Baxter, her hard face querulous and unlovely, stood in the doorway of Boland’s Farm, watching the road for the flash of the doctor’s lamps.
the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox
From this reading Beyond the white palings of the garden the broad roof of a barn swept up against the sombre azure of the summer night; and the blackness of the byres and outhouses contrasted with the lawn that was lit by the lighted windows.
possessing sweep
From this reading Beyond the white palings of the garden the broad roof of a barn swept up against the sombre azure of the summer night; and the blackness of the byres and outhouses contrasted with the lawn that was lit by the lighted windows.
testyadjectiveUS /ˈtesti/
easily irritated or annoyed
From this reading It is the privilege of short-tempered women to wax testy under the touch of trouble, and Mrs. Baxter, her hard face querulous and unlovely, stood in the doorway of Boland’s Farm, watching the road for the flash of the doctor’s lamps.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Beyond the white palings of the garden the broad roof of a barn swept up against the sombre azure of the summer night; and the blackness of the byres and outhouses contrasted with the lawn that was lit by the lighted windows.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It is the privilege of short-tempered women to wax testy under the touch of trouble, and Mrs. Baxter, her hard face querulous and unlovely, stood in the doorway of Boland’s Farm, watching the road for the flash of the doctor’s lamps.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It is the privilege of short-tempered women to wax testy under the touch of trouble, and Mrs. Baxter, her hard face querulous and unlovely, stood in the doorway of Boland’s Farm, watching the road for the flash of the doctor’s lamps.
make physical contact with, come in contact with
From this reading It is the privilege of short-tempered women to wax testy under the touch of trouble, and Mrs. Baxter, her hard face querulous and unlovely, stood in the doorway of Boland’s Farm, watching the road for the flash of the doctor’s lamps.
in the direction of
From this reading A couple of cypress-trees, dead and brown towards the house, built a deep porch above the door.
a source of difficulty
From this reading It is the privilege of short-tempered women to wax testy under the touch of trouble, and Mrs. Baxter, her hard face querulous and unlovely, stood in the doorway of Boland’s Farm, watching the road for the flash of the doctor’s lamps.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading It is the privilege of short-tempered women to wax testy under the touch of trouble, and Mrs. Baxter, her hard face querulous and unlovely, stood in the doorway of Boland’s Farm, watching the road for the flash of the doctor’s lamps.
unlovelyadjective
without beauty or charm
From this reading It is the privilege of short-tempered women to wax testy under the touch of trouble, and Mrs. Baxter, her hard face querulous and unlovely, stood in the doorway of Boland’s Farm, watching the road for the flash of the doctor’s lamps.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Beyond the white palings of the garden the broad roof of a barn swept up against the sombre azure of the summer night; and the blackness of the byres and outhouses contrasted with the lawn that was lit by the lighted windows.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Beyond the white palings of the garden the broad roof of a barn swept up against the sombre azure of the summer night; and the blackness of the byres and outhouses contrasted with the lawn that was lit by the lighted windows.
the act of observing; taking a patient look
From this reading It is the privilege of short-tempered women to wax testy under the touch of trouble, and Mrs. Baxter, her hard face querulous and unlovely, stood in the doorway of Boland’s Farm, watching the road for the flash of the doctor’s lamps.
waxverbUS /wæks/
cover with wax
From this reading It is the privilege of short-tempered women to wax testy under the touch of trouble, and Mrs. Baxter, her hard face querulous and unlovely, stood in the doorway of Boland’s Farm, watching the road for the flash of the doctor’s lamps.
the countries of (originally) Europe and (now including) North America and South America
From this reading To the west stood four great Lombardy poplars whose leaves made the night breeze seem restless about the house.
a Caucasian
From this reading Beyond the white palings of the garden the broad roof of a barn swept up against the sombre azure of the summer night; and the blackness of the byres and outhouses contrasted with the lawn that was lit by the lighted windows.
belonging to which person
From this reading To the west stood four great Lombardy poplars whose leaves made the night breeze seem restless about the house.
(trademark) an operating system with a graphical user interface
From this reading Beyond the white palings of the garden the broad roof of a barn swept up against the sombre azure of the summer night; and the blackness of the byres and outhouses contrasted with the lawn that was lit by the lighted windows.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Beyond the white palings of the garden the broad roof of a barn swept up against the sombre azure of the summer night; and the blackness of the byres and outhouses contrasted with the lawn that was lit by the lighted windows.
plural of “woman” — an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading It is the privilege of short-tempered women to wax testy under the touch of trouble, and Mrs. Baxter, her hard face querulous and unlovely, stood in the doorway of Boland’s Farm, watching the road for the flash of the doctor’s lamps.
