used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Miss Carmagee sat crying at the breakfast-table over a letter that she held in her fat, white hand.
using the voice; not silently
From this reading She had been reading the letter aloud to her brother, whose face was a study in the irritable suppression of his feelings.
amidprepositionUS /əˈmɪd/
in the middle of; surrounded by
From this reading It was a letter from Catherine, and told of the last resting-place of Gwen, a narrow bed of clay amid white headstones on the Wilson hills.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was a letter from Catherine, and told of the last resting-place of Gwen, a narrow bed of clay amid white headstones on the Wilson hills.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Miss Carmagee sat crying at the breakfast-table over a letter that she held in her fat, white hand.
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading It was a letter from Catherine, and told of the last resting-place of Gwen, a narrow bed of clay amid white headstones on the Wilson hills.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading She had been reading the letter aloud to her brother, whose face was a study in the irritable suppression of his feelings.
warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings
From this reading “Damn that bird!”
breakfast-table
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Miss Carmagee sat crying at the breakfast-table over a letter that she held in her fat, white hand.
a male with the same parents as someone else
From this reading She had been reading the letter aloud to her brother, whose face was a study in the irritable suppression of his feelings.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The canary in its cage by the window was filling the room with shivers of shrill sound.
cagenounUS /keɪdʒ/
an enclosure made or wire or metal bars in which birds or animals can be kept
From this reading The canary in its cage by the window was filling the room with shivers of shrill sound.
canarynounUS /kəˈneri/
someone acting as an informer or decoy for the police
From this reading The canary in its cage by the window was filling the room with shivers of shrill sound.
Carmagee
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Miss Carmagee sat crying at the breakfast-table over a letter that she held in her fat, white hand.
CatherinenounUS /ˈkæθərən/
first wife of Henry VIII; Henry VIII's divorce from her was the initial step of the Reformation in England (1485-1536)
From this reading It was a letter from Catherine, and told of the last resting-place of Gwen, a narrow bed of clay amid white headstones on the Wilson hills.
claynounUS /kleɪ/
a very fine-grained soil that is plastic when moist but hard when fired
From this reading It was a letter from Catherine, and told of the last resting-place of Gwen, a narrow bed of clay amid white headstones on the Wilson hills.
demanding attention
From this reading Miss Carmagee sat crying at the breakfast-table over a letter that she held in her fat, white hand.
DamnadjectiveUS /dæm/
used as expletives
From this reading “Damn that bird!”
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading She had been reading the letter aloud to her brother, whose face was a study in the irritable suppression of his feelings.
having an (over)abundance of flesh
From this reading Miss Carmagee sat crying at the breakfast-table over a letter that she held in her fat, white hand.
emotional or moral sensitivity (especially in relation to personal principles or dignity)
From this reading She had been reading the letter aloud to her brother, whose face was a study in the irritable suppression of his feelings.
fillingnounUS /ˈfɪlɪŋ/
any material that fills a space or container
From this reading The canary in its cage by the window was filling the room with shivers of shrill sound.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading It was a letter from Catherine, and told of the last resting-place of Gwen, a narrow bed of clay amid white headstones on the Wilson hills.
Gwen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a letter from Catherine, and told of the last resting-place of Gwen, a narrow bed of clay amid white headstones on the Wilson hills.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading She had been reading the letter aloud to her brother, whose face was a study in the irritable suppression of his feelings.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading Miss Carmagee sat crying at the breakfast-table over a letter that she held in her fat, white hand.
headstonesnounUS /ˈhedstoʊnz/
plural of “headstone” — the central building block at the top of an arch or vault
From this reading It was a letter from Catherine, and told of the last resting-place of Gwen, a narrow bed of clay amid white headstones on the Wilson hills.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading Miss Carmagee sat crying at the breakfast-table over a letter that she held in her fat, white hand.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Miss Carmagee sat crying at the breakfast-table over a letter that she held in her fat, white hand.
plural of “hill” — a local and well-defined elevation of the land
From this reading It was a letter from Catherine, and told of the last resting-place of Gwen, a narrow bed of clay amid white headstones on the Wilson hills.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading She had been reading the letter aloud to her brother, whose face was a study in the irritable suppression of his feelings.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Miss Carmagee sat crying at the breakfast-table over a letter that she held in her fat, white hand.
irritableadjectiveUS /ˈɪrətəbəl/
easily irritated or annoyed
From this reading She had been reading the letter aloud to her brother, whose face was a study in the irritable suppression of his feelings.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was a letter from Catherine, and told of the last resting-place of Gwen, a narrow bed of clay amid white headstones on the Wilson hills.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The canary in its cage by the window was filling the room with shivers of shrill sound.
immediately past
From this reading It was a letter from Catherine, and told of the last resting-place of Gwen, a narrow bed of clay amid white headstones on the Wilson hills.
a written message addressed to a person or organization
From this reading Miss Carmagee sat crying at the breakfast-table over a letter that she held in her fat, white hand.
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading Miss Carmagee sat crying at the breakfast-table over a letter that she held in her fat, white hand.
make or become more narrow or restricted
From this reading It was a letter from Catherine, and told of the last resting-place of Gwen, a narrow bed of clay amid white headstones on the Wilson hills.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It was a letter from Catherine, and told of the last resting-place of Gwen, a narrow bed of clay amid white headstones on the Wilson hills.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading It was a letter from Catherine, and told of the last resting-place of Gwen, a narrow bed of clay amid white headstones on the Wilson hills.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Miss Carmagee sat crying at the breakfast-table over a letter that she held in her fat, white hand.
the cognitive process of understanding a written linguistic message
From this reading She had been reading the letter aloud to her brother, whose face was a study in the irritable suppression of his feelings.
resting-place
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a letter from Catherine, and told of the last resting-place of Gwen, a narrow bed of clay amid white headstones on the Wilson hills.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading The canary in its cage by the window was filling the room with shivers of shrill sound.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading Miss Carmagee sat crying at the breakfast-table over a letter that she held in her fat, white hand.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Miss Carmagee sat crying at the breakfast-table over a letter that she held in her fat, white hand.
shiversnounUS /ˈʃɪvərz/
plural of “shiver” — a reflex motion caused by cold or fear or excitement
From this reading The canary in its cage by the window was filling the room with shivers of shrill sound.
shrilladjectiveUS /ʃrɪl/
having or emitting a high-pitched and sharp tone or tones
From this reading The canary in its cage by the window was filling the room with shivers of shrill sound.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading The canary in its cage by the window was filling the room with shivers of shrill sound.
a detailed critical inspection
From this reading She had been reading the letter aloud to her brother, whose face was a study in the irritable suppression of his feelings.
suppressionnounUS /səˈpreʃən/
the failure to develop some part or organ
From this reading She had been reading the letter aloud to her brother, whose face was a study in the irritable suppression of his feelings.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Miss Carmagee sat crying at the breakfast-table over a letter that she held in her fat, white hand.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Miss Carmagee sat crying at the breakfast-table over a letter that she held in her fat, white hand.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading She had been reading the letter aloud to her brother, whose face was a study in the irritable suppression of his feelings.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading It was a letter from Catherine, and told of the last resting-place of Gwen, a narrow bed of clay amid white headstones on the Wilson hills.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was a letter from Catherine, and told of the last resting-place of Gwen, a narrow bed of clay amid white headstones on the Wilson hills.
a Caucasian
From this reading Miss Carmagee sat crying at the breakfast-table over a letter that she held in her fat, white hand.
belonging to which person
From this reading She had been reading the letter aloud to her brother, whose face was a study in the irritable suppression of his feelings.
WilsonnounUS /ˈwɪlsən/
author of the first novel by an African American that was published in the United States (1808-1870)
From this reading It was a letter from Catherine, and told of the last resting-place of Gwen, a narrow bed of clay amid white headstones on the Wilson hills.
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 canary in its cage by the window was filling the room with shivers of shrill sound.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The canary in its cage by the window was filling the room with shivers of shrill sound.
