Chapter II · Chapter 2

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading A NEW FRIEND The next morning Sylvia was awakened by a tapping on her chamber door.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading Usually Jennie, the colored girl who helped Aunt Connie in the work of the house, would come into the room before Sylvia was awake with a big pitcher of hot water, and Sylvia would open her eyes to see Jennie unfastening the shutters and spreading out the fresh clothes.

the sister of your father or mother; the wife of your uncle

From this reading Usually Jennie, the colored girl who helped Aunt Connie in the work of the house, would come into the room before Sylvia was awake with a big pitcher of hot water, and Sylvia would open her eyes to see Jennie unfastening the shutters and spreading out the fresh clothes.

not in a state of sleep; completely conscious

From this reading Usually Jennie, the colored girl who helped Aunt Connie in the work of the house, would come into the room before Sylvia was awake with a big pitcher of hot water, and Sylvia would open her eyes to see Jennie unfastening the shutters and spreading out the fresh clothes.

aroused or activated

From this reading A NEW FRIEND The next morning Sylvia was awakened by a tapping on her chamber door.

without shoes

From this reading She was barefooted, and wore a straight garment of faded blue cotton.

earlier than; in front of

From this reading Usually Jennie, the colored girl who helped Aunt Connie in the work of the house, would come into the room before Sylvia was awake with a big pitcher of hot water, and Sylvia would open her eyes to see Jennie unfastening the shutters and spreading out the fresh clothes.

above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading Usually Jennie, the colored girl who helped Aunt Connie in the work of the house, would come into the room before Sylvia was awake with a big pitcher of hot water, and Sylvia would open her eyes to see Jennie unfastening the shutters and spreading out the fresh clothes.

of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky

From this reading She was barefooted, and wore a straight garment of faded blue cotton.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading A NEW FRIEND The next morning Sylvia was awakened by a tapping on her chamber door.

past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading So this morning she wondered what the tapping meant, and called out: "Come in."

a natural or artificial enclosed space

From this reading A NEW FRIEND The next morning Sylvia was awakened by a tapping on her chamber door.

clothing in general

From this reading Usually Jennie, the colored girl who helped Aunt Connie in the work of the house, would come into the room before Sylvia was awake with a big pitcher of hot water, and Sylvia would open her eyes to see Jennie unfastening the shutters and spreading out the fresh clothes.

having color or a certain color; sometimes used in combination

From this reading Usually Jennie, the colored girl who helped Aunt Connie in the work of the house, would come into the room before Sylvia was awake with a big pitcher of hot water, and Sylvia would open her eyes to see Jennie unfastening the shutters and spreading out the fresh clothes.

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading Usually Jennie, the colored girl who helped Aunt Connie in the work of the house, would come into the room before Sylvia was awake with a big pitcher of hot water, and Sylvia would open her eyes to see Jennie unfastening the shutters and spreading out the fresh clothes.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Usually Jennie, the colored girl who helped Aunt Connie in the work of the house, would come into the room before Sylvia was awake with a big pitcher of hot water, and Sylvia would open her eyes to see Jennie unfastening the shutters and spreading out the fresh clothes.

soft silky fibers from cotton plants in their raw state

From this reading She was barefooted, and wore a straight garment of faded blue cotton.

a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle

From this reading A NEW FRIEND The next morning Sylvia was awakened by a tapping on her chamber door.

opinion or judgment

From this reading Usually Jennie, the colored girl who helped Aunt Connie in the work of the house, would come into the room before Sylvia was awake with a big pitcher of hot water, and Sylvia would open her eyes to see Jennie unfastening the shutters and spreading out the fresh clothes.

having lost freshness or brilliance of color

From this reading She was barefooted, and wore a straight garment of faded blue cotton.

recently made, produced, or harvested

From this reading Usually Jennie, the colored girl who helped Aunt Connie in the work of the house, would come into the room before Sylvia was awake with a big pitcher of hot water, and Sylvia would open her eyes to see Jennie unfastening the shutters and spreading out the fresh clothes.

a person you know well and regard with affection and trust

From this reading A NEW FRIEND The next morning Sylvia was awakened by a tapping on her chamber door.

an article of clothing

From this reading She was barefooted, and wore a straight garment of faded blue cotton.

a young female

From this reading Usually Jennie, the colored girl who helped Aunt Connie in the work of the house, would come into the room before Sylvia was awake with a big pitcher of hot water, and Sylvia would open her eyes to see Jennie unfastening the shutters and spreading out the fresh clothes.

the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading The door opened very slowly and a little negro girl, with a round woolly head and big startled eyes, stood peering in.

past form of “help” — give help or assistance; be of service

From this reading Usually Jennie, the colored girl who helped Aunt Connie in the work of the house, would come into the room before Sylvia was awake with a big pitcher of hot water, and Sylvia would open her eyes to see Jennie unfastening the shutters and spreading out the fresh clothes.

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading A NEW FRIEND The next morning Sylvia was awakened by a tapping on her chamber door.

used of physical heat; having a high or higher than desirable temperature or giving off heat or feeling or causing a sensation of heat or burning

From this reading Usually Jennie, the colored girl who helped Aunt Connie in the work of the house, would come into the room before Sylvia was awake with a big pitcher of hot water, and Sylvia would open her eyes to see Jennie unfastening the shutters and spreading out the fresh clothes.

a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading Usually Jennie, the colored girl who helped Aunt Connie in the work of the house, would come into the room before Sylvia was awake with a big pitcher of hot water, and Sylvia would open her eyes to see Jennie unfastening the shutters and spreading out the fresh clothes.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading Usually Jennie, the colored girl who helped Aunt Connie in the work of the house, would come into the room before Sylvia was awake with a big pitcher of hot water, and Sylvia would open her eyes to see Jennie unfastening the shutters and spreading out the fresh clothes.

moving to the inside of something

From this reading Usually Jennie, the colored girl who helped Aunt Connie in the work of the house, would come into the room before Sylvia was awake with a big pitcher of hot water, and Sylvia would open her eyes to see Jennie unfastening the shutters and spreading out the fresh clothes.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Usually Jennie, the colored girl who helped Aunt Connie in the work of the house, would come into the room before Sylvia was awake with a big pitcher of hot water, and Sylvia would open her eyes to see Jennie unfastening the shutters and spreading out the fresh clothes.

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading The door opened very slowly and a little negro girl, with a round woolly head and big startled eyes, stood peering in.

inflected form of “mean” — mean or intend to express or convey

From this reading So this morning she wondered what the tapping meant, and called out: "Come in."

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading A NEW FRIEND The next morning Sylvia was awakened by a tapping on her chamber door.

a person with African ancestry, "Negro" and "Negroid" are archaic and pejorative today

From this reading The door opened very slowly and a little negro girl, with a round woolly head and big startled eyes, stood peering in.

not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered

From this reading A NEW FRIEND The next morning Sylvia was awakened by a tapping on her chamber door.

immediately following in time or order

From this reading A NEW FRIEND The next morning Sylvia was awakened by a tapping on her chamber door.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Usually Jennie, the colored girl who helped Aunt Connie in the work of the house, would come into the room before Sylvia was awake with a big pitcher of hot water, and Sylvia would open her eyes to see Jennie unfastening the shutters and spreading out the fresh clothes.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading A NEW FRIEND The next morning Sylvia was awakened by a tapping on her chamber door.

To move from a closed position.

From this reading Usually Jennie, the colored girl who helped Aunt Connie in the work of the house, would come into the room before Sylvia was awake with a big pitcher of hot water, and Sylvia would open her eyes to see Jennie unfastening the shutters and spreading out the fresh clothes.

used of mouth or eyes

From this reading The door opened very slowly and a little negro girl, with a round woolly head and big startled eyes, stood peering in.

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading Usually Jennie, the colored girl who helped Aunt Connie in the work of the house, would come into the room before Sylvia was awake with a big pitcher of hot water, and Sylvia would open her eyes to see Jennie unfastening the shutters and spreading out the fresh clothes.

-ing form of “peer” — look searchingly

From this reading The door opened very slowly and a little negro girl, with a round woolly head and big startled eyes, stood peering in.

(baseball) the person who does the pitching

From this reading Usually Jennie, the colored girl who helped Aunt Connie in the work of the house, would come into the room before Sylvia was awake with a big pitcher of hot water, and Sylvia would open her eyes to see Jennie unfastening the shutters and spreading out the fresh clothes.

an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling

From this reading Usually Jennie, the colored girl who helped Aunt Connie in the work of the house, would come into the room before Sylvia was awake with a big pitcher of hot water, and Sylvia would open her eyes to see Jennie unfastening the shutters and spreading out the fresh clothes.

a charge of ammunition for a single shot

From this reading The door opened very slowly and a little negro girl, with a round woolly head and big startled eyes, stood peering in.

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading Usually Jennie, the colored girl who helped Aunt Connie in the work of the house, would come into the room before Sylvia was awake with a big pitcher of hot water, and Sylvia would open her eyes to see Jennie unfastening the shutters and spreading out the fresh clothes.

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading So this morning she wondered what the tapping meant, and called out: "Come in."

plural of “shutter” — a mechanical device on a camera that opens and closes to control the time of a photographic exposure

From this reading Usually Jennie, the colored girl who helped Aunt Connie in the work of the house, would come into the room before Sylvia was awake with a big pitcher of hot water, and Sylvia would open her eyes to see Jennie unfastening the shutters and spreading out the fresh clothes.

without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)

From this reading The door opened very slowly and a little negro girl, with a round woolly head and big startled eyes, stood peering in.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading So this morning she wondered what the tapping meant, and called out: "Come in."

process or result of distributing or extending over a wide expanse of space

From this reading Usually Jennie, the colored girl who helped Aunt Connie in the work of the house, would come into the room before Sylvia was awake with a big pitcher of hot water, and Sylvia would open her eyes to see Jennie unfastening the shutters and spreading out the fresh clothes.

excited by sudden surprise or alarm and making a quick involuntary movement

From this reading The door opened very slowly and a little negro girl, with a round woolly head and big startled eyes, stood peering in.

Maintained an upright posture.

From this reading The door opened very slowly and a little negro girl, with a round woolly head and big startled eyes, stood peering in.

successive (without a break)

From this reading She was barefooted, and wore a straight garment of faded blue cotton.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A NEW FRIEND The next morning Sylvia was awakened by a tapping on her chamber door.

the sound of light blow or knock

From this reading A NEW FRIEND The next morning Sylvia was awakened by a tapping on her chamber door.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading A NEW FRIEND The next morning Sylvia was awakened by a tapping on her chamber door.

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading So this morning she wondered what the tapping meant, and called out: "Come in."

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading Usually Jennie, the colored girl who helped Aunt Connie in the work of the house, would come into the room before Sylvia was awake with a big pitcher of hot water, and Sylvia would open her eyes to see Jennie unfastening the shutters and spreading out the fresh clothes.

loosening the ties that fasten something

From this reading Usually Jennie, the colored girl who helped Aunt Connie in the work of the house, would come into the room before Sylvia was awake with a big pitcher of hot water, and Sylvia would open her eyes to see Jennie unfastening the shutters and spreading out the fresh clothes.

under normal conditions

From this reading Usually Jennie, the colored girl who helped Aunt Connie in the work of the house, would come into the room before Sylvia was awake with a big pitcher of hot water, and Sylvia would open her eyes to see Jennie unfastening the shutters and spreading out the fresh clothes.

precisely as stated

From this reading The door opened very slowly and a little negro girl, with a round woolly head and big startled eyes, stood peering in.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading A NEW FRIEND The next morning Sylvia was awakened by a tapping on her chamber door.

binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent

From this reading Usually Jennie, the colored girl who helped Aunt Connie in the work of the house, would come into the room before Sylvia was awake with a big pitcher of hot water, and Sylvia would open her eyes to see Jennie unfastening the shutters and spreading out the fresh clothes.

used to ask for information about something

From this reading So this morning she wondered what the tapping meant, and called out: "Come in."

which person or people

From this reading Usually Jennie, the colored girl who helped Aunt Connie in the work of the house, would come into the room before Sylvia was awake with a big pitcher of hot water, and Sylvia would open her eyes to see Jennie unfastening the shutters and spreading out the fresh clothes.

in the company of; together with

From this reading Usually Jennie, the colored girl who helped Aunt Connie in the work of the house, would come into the room before Sylvia was awake with a big pitcher of hot water, and Sylvia would open her eyes to see Jennie unfastening the shutters and spreading out the fresh clothes.

past form of “wonder” — have a wish or desire to know something

From this reading So this morning she wondered what the tapping meant, and called out: "Come in."

having a fluffy character or appearance

From this reading The door opened very slowly and a little negro girl, with a round woolly head and big startled eyes, stood peering in.

inflected form of “wear” — be dressed in

From this reading She was barefooted, and wore a straight garment of faded blue cotton.

exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity

From this reading Usually Jennie, the colored girl who helped Aunt Connie in the work of the house, would come into the room before Sylvia was awake with a big pitcher of hot water, and Sylvia would open her eyes to see Jennie unfastening the shutters and spreading out the fresh clothes.

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading Usually Jennie, the colored girl who helped Aunt Connie in the work of the house, would come into the room before Sylvia was awake with a big pitcher of hot water, and Sylvia would open her eyes to see Jennie unfastening the shutters and spreading out the fresh clothes.