used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading In her faded print dress, with a dusting cap drooping limply over one ear, she presented herself on the porch, hastily drawing on a kid glove, her sole make-up for her rôle.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading COMPANY MANNERS Agatha took leave of Forbes about two hours before Warren's train was due.
Agatha
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading COMPANY MANNERS Agatha took leave of Forbes about two hours before Warren's train was due.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading She had patched the worst places in the carpet, provided two chairs with seats of cretonne, and brought all the pictures from her own quarters to help disguise the defaced condition of the guest-room walls.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She had patched the worst places in the carpet, provided two chairs with seats of cretonne, and brought all the pictures from her own quarters to help disguise the defaced condition of the guest-room walls.
approximatelyadverbUS /əˈprɑːksəmətli/
(of quantities) imprecise but fairly close to correct
From this reading She had worked valiantly most of the morning to render the room he was to occupy approximately presentable.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading COMPANY MANNERS Agatha took leave of Forbes about two hours before Warren's train was due.
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading She had patched the worst places in the carpet, provided two chairs with seats of cretonne, and brought all the pictures from her own quarters to help disguise the defaced condition of the guest-room walls.
a tight-fitting headdress
From this reading In her faded print dress, with a dusting cap drooping limply over one ear, she presented herself on the porch, hastily drawing on a kid glove, her sole make-up for her rôle.
carpetnounUS /ˈkɑːrpət/
floor covering consisting of a piece of thick heavy fabric (usually with nap or pile)
From this reading She had patched the worst places in the carpet, provided two chairs with seats of cretonne, and brought all the pictures from her own quarters to help disguise the defaced condition of the guest-room walls.
plural of “chair” — a seat for one person, with a support for the back
From this reading She had patched the worst places in the carpet, provided two chairs with seats of cretonne, and brought all the pictures from her own quarters to help disguise the defaced condition of the guest-room walls.
an institution created to conduct business
From this reading COMPANY MANNERS Agatha took leave of Forbes about two hours before Warren's train was due.
a state at a particular time
From this reading She had patched the worst places in the carpet, provided two chairs with seats of cretonne, and brought all the pictures from her own quarters to help disguise the defaced condition of the guest-room walls.
cretonnenoun
an unglazed heavy fabric; brightly printed; used for slipcovers and draperies
From this reading She had patched the worst places in the carpet, provided two chairs with seats of cretonne, and brought all the pictures from her own quarters to help disguise the defaced condition of the guest-room walls.
defacedverbUS /dɪˈfeɪst/
past form of “deface” — mar or spoil the appearance of
From this reading She had patched the worst places in the carpet, provided two chairs with seats of cretonne, and brought all the pictures from her own quarters to help disguise the defaced condition of the guest-room walls.
disguisenounUS /dɪsˈɡaɪz/
A means of altering one's appearance to conceal one's identity.
From this reading She had patched the worst places in the carpet, provided two chairs with seats of cretonne, and brought all the pictures from her own quarters to help disguise the defaced condition of the guest-room walls.
dissatisfactionnounUS /ˌdɪsætɪˈsfækʃən/
the feeling of being displeased and discontent
From this reading Her feeling of dissatisfaction with the result, rather than her labors, had tired her, and she had no heart for making the most of the dramatic possibilities of the farewell.
dramaticadjectiveUS /drəˈmætɪk/
suitable to or characteristic of drama
From this reading Her feeling of dissatisfaction with the result, rather than her labors, had tired her, and she had no heart for making the most of the dramatic possibilities of the farewell.
an illustration that is drawn by hand and published in a book, magazine, or newspaper
From this reading In her faded print dress, with a dusting cap drooping limply over one ear, she presented herself on the porch, hastily drawing on a kid glove, her sole make-up for her rôle.
put on clothes
From this reading In her faded print dress, with a dusting cap drooping limply over one ear, she presented herself on the porch, hastily drawing on a kid glove, her sole make-up for her rôle.
droopingadjectiveUS /ˈdruːpɪŋ/
weak from exhaustion
From this reading In her faded print dress, with a dusting cap drooping limply over one ear, she presented herself on the porch, hastily drawing on a kid glove, her sole make-up for her rôle.
owed and payable immediately or on demand
From this reading COMPANY MANNERS Agatha took leave of Forbes about two hours before Warren's train was due.
dustingverbUS /ˈdʌstɪŋ/
-ing form of “dust” — remove the dust from
From this reading In her faded print dress, with a dusting cap drooping limply over one ear, she presented herself on the porch, hastily drawing on a kid glove, her sole make-up for her rôle.
the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium
From this reading In her faded print dress, with a dusting cap drooping limply over one ear, she presented herself on the porch, hastily drawing on a kid glove, her sole make-up for her rôle.
fadedadjectiveUS /ˈfeɪdəd/
having lost freshness or brilliance of color
From this reading In her faded print dress, with a dusting cap drooping limply over one ear, she presented herself on the porch, hastily drawing on a kid glove, her sole make-up for her rôle.
an acknowledgment or expression of goodwill at parting
From this reading Her feeling of dissatisfaction with the result, rather than her labors, had tired her, and she had no heart for making the most of the dramatic possibilities of the farewell.
the experiencing of affective and emotional states
From this reading Her feeling of dissatisfaction with the result, rather than her labors, had tired her, and she had no heart for making the most of the dramatic possibilities of the farewell.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Her feeling of dissatisfaction with the result, rather than her labors, had tired her, and she had no heart for making the most of the dramatic possibilities of the farewell.
Forbes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading COMPANY MANNERS Agatha took leave of Forbes about two hours before Warren's train was due.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading She had patched the worst places in the carpet, provided two chairs with seats of cretonne, and brought all the pictures from her own quarters to help disguise the defaced condition of the guest-room walls.
glovenounUS /ɡlʌv/
the handwear used by fielders in playing baseball
From this reading In her faded print dress, with a dusting cap drooping limply over one ear, she presented herself on the porch, hastily drawing on a kid glove, her sole make-up for her rôle.
guest-room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had patched the worst places in the carpet, provided two chairs with seats of cretonne, and brought all the pictures from her own quarters to help disguise the defaced condition of the guest-room walls.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading She had worked valiantly most of the morning to render the room he was to occupy approximately presentable.
in a hurried or hasty manner
From this reading In her faded print dress, with a dusting cap drooping limply over one ear, she presented herself on the porch, hastily drawing on a kid glove, her sole make-up for her rôle.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She had worked valiantly most of the morning to render the room he was to occupy approximately presentable.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading Her feeling of dissatisfaction with the result, rather than her labors, had tired her, and she had no heart for making the most of the dramatic possibilities of the farewell.
give help or assistance; be of service
From this reading She had patched the worst places in the carpet, provided two chairs with seats of cretonne, and brought all the pictures from her own quarters to help disguise the defaced condition of the guest-room walls.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She had patched the worst places in the carpet, provided two chairs with seats of cretonne, and brought all the pictures from her own quarters to help disguise the defaced condition of the guest-room walls.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading In her faded print dress, with a dusting cap drooping limply over one ear, she presented herself on the porch, hastily drawing on a kid glove, her sole make-up for her rôle.
a period of time assigned for work
From this reading COMPANY MANNERS Agatha took leave of Forbes about two hours before Warren's train was due.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading She had patched the worst places in the carpet, provided two chairs with seats of cretonne, and brought all the pictures from her own quarters to help disguise the defaced condition of the guest-room walls.
kidverbUS /kɪd/
tell false information to for fun
From this reading In her faded print dress, with a dusting cap drooping limply over one ear, she presented herself on the porch, hastily drawing on a kid glove, her sole make-up for her rôle.
laborsnounUS /ˈleɪbərz/
plural of “labor” — a social class comprising those who do manual labor or work for wages
From this reading Her feeling of dissatisfaction with the result, rather than her labors, had tired her, and she had no heart for making the most of the dramatic possibilities of the farewell.
go away from a place
From this reading COMPANY MANNERS Agatha took leave of Forbes about two hours before Warren's train was due.
limplyadverb
without rigidity
From this reading In her faded print dress, with a dusting cap drooping limply over one ear, she presented herself on the porch, hastily drawing on a kid glove, her sole make-up for her rôle.
make-upnounUS /ˈmeɪkʌp/
an event that is substituted for a previously cancelled event
From this reading In her faded print dress, with a dusting cap drooping limply over one ear, she presented herself on the porch, hastily drawing on a kid glove, her sole make-up for her rôle.
the act that results in something coming to be
From this reading Her feeling of dissatisfaction with the result, rather than her labors, had tired her, and she had no heart for making the most of the dramatic possibilities of the farewell.
social deportment
From this reading COMPANY MANNERS Agatha took leave of Forbes about two hours before Warren's train was due.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading She had worked valiantly most of the morning to render the room he was to occupy approximately presentable.
used to form the superlative
From this reading She had worked valiantly most of the morning to render the room he was to occupy approximately presentable.
not any; not one
From this reading Her feeling of dissatisfaction with the result, rather than her labors, had tired her, and she had no heart for making the most of the dramatic possibilities of the farewell.
occupyverbUS /ˈɑːkjəpaɪ/
keep busy with
From this reading She had worked valiantly most of the morning to render the room he was to occupy approximately presentable.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading COMPANY MANNERS Agatha took leave of Forbes about two hours before Warren's train was due.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading In her faded print dress, with a dusting cap drooping limply over one ear, she presented herself on the porch, hastily drawing on a kid glove, her sole make-up for her rôle.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading In her faded print dress, with a dusting cap drooping limply over one ear, she presented herself on the porch, hastily drawing on a kid glove, her sole make-up for her rôle.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading In her faded print dress, with a dusting cap drooping limply over one ear, she presented herself on the porch, hastily drawing on a kid glove, her sole make-up for her rôle.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading She had patched the worst places in the carpet, provided two chairs with seats of cretonne, and brought all the pictures from her own quarters to help disguise the defaced condition of the guest-room walls.
patchedadjectiveUS /pætʃt/
mended usually clumsily by covering a hole with a patch
From this reading She had patched the worst places in the carpet, provided two chairs with seats of cretonne, and brought all the pictures from her own quarters to help disguise the defaced condition of the guest-room walls.
plural of “picture” — a visual representation (of an object or scene or person or abstraction) produced on a surface
From this reading She had patched the worst places in the carpet, provided two chairs with seats of cretonne, and brought all the pictures from her own quarters to help disguise the defaced condition of the guest-room walls.
plural of “place” — a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading She had patched the worst places in the carpet, provided two chairs with seats of cretonne, and brought all the pictures from her own quarters to help disguise the defaced condition of the guest-room walls.
a structure attached to the exterior of a building often forming a covered entrance
From this reading In her faded print dress, with a dusting cap drooping limply over one ear, she presented herself on the porch, hastily drawing on a kid glove, her sole make-up for her rôle.
possibilitiesnounUS /ˌpɑːsəˈbɪlətiz/
plural of “possibility” — a future prospect or potential
From this reading Her feeling of dissatisfaction with the result, rather than her labors, had tired her, and she had no heart for making the most of the dramatic possibilities of the farewell.
presentableadjectiveUS /prəˈzentəbəl/
fit to be seen
From this reading She had worked valiantly most of the morning to render the room he was to occupy approximately presentable.
past form of “present” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading In her faded print dress, with a dusting cap drooping limply over one ear, she presented herself on the porch, hastily drawing on a kid glove, her sole make-up for her rôle.
printnounUS /prɪnt/
the text appearing in a book, newspaper, or other printed publication
From this reading In her faded print dress, with a dusting cap drooping limply over one ear, she presented herself on the porch, hastily drawing on a kid glove, her sole make-up for her rôle.
past form of “provide” — give something useful or necessary to
From this reading She had patched the worst places in the carpet, provided two chairs with seats of cretonne, and brought all the pictures from her own quarters to help disguise the defaced condition of the guest-room walls.
housing available for people to live in
From this reading She had patched the worst places in the carpet, provided two chairs with seats of cretonne, and brought all the pictures from her own quarters to help disguise the defaced condition of the guest-room walls.
on the contrary
From this reading Her feeling of dissatisfaction with the result, rather than her labors, had tired her, and she had no heart for making the most of the dramatic possibilities of the farewell.
renderverbUS /ˈrendər/
cause to become
From this reading She had worked valiantly most of the morning to render the room he was to occupy approximately presentable.
a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon
From this reading Her feeling of dissatisfaction with the result, rather than her labors, had tired her, and she had no heart for making the most of the dramatic possibilities of the farewell.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading She had worked valiantly most of the morning to render the room he was to occupy approximately presentable.
rôle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In her faded print dress, with a dusting cap drooping limply over one ear, she presented herself on the porch, hastily drawing on a kid glove, her sole make-up for her rôle.
seatsnounUS /siːts/
an area that includes places where several people can sit
From this reading She had patched the worst places in the carpet, provided two chairs with seats of cretonne, and brought all the pictures from her own quarters to help disguise the defaced condition of the guest-room walls.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She had worked valiantly most of the morning to render the room he was to occupy approximately presentable.
solenounUS /soʊl/
the underside of footwear or a golf club
From this reading In her faded print dress, with a dusting cap drooping limply over one ear, she presented herself on the porch, hastily drawing on a kid glove, her sole make-up for her rôle.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Her feeling of dissatisfaction with the result, rather than her labors, had tired her, and she had no heart for making the most of the dramatic possibilities of the farewell.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading She had worked valiantly most of the morning to render the room he was to occupy approximately presentable.
tiredadjectiveUS /ˈtaɪərd/
depleted of strength or energy
From this reading Her feeling of dissatisfaction with the result, rather than her labors, had tired her, and she had no heart for making the most of the dramatic possibilities of the farewell.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading She had worked valiantly most of the morning to render the room he was to occupy approximately presentable.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading COMPANY MANNERS Agatha took leave of Forbes about two hours before Warren's train was due.
create by training and teaching
From this reading COMPANY MANNERS Agatha took leave of Forbes about two hours before Warren's train was due.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading COMPANY MANNERS Agatha took leave of Forbes about two hours before Warren's train was due.
valiantlyadverbUS /ˈvæljəntli/
with valor; in a valiant manner
From this reading She had worked valiantly most of the morning to render the room he was to occupy approximately presentable.
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 She had patched the worst places in the carpet, provided two chairs with seats of cretonne, and brought all the pictures from her own quarters to help disguise the defaced condition of the guest-room walls.
Warren'snounUS /ˈwɔːrənz/
possessive form of “warren” — United States writer and poet (1905-1989)
From this reading COMPANY MANNERS Agatha took leave of Forbes about two hours before Warren's train was due.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading COMPANY MANNERS Agatha took leave of Forbes about two hours before Warren's train was due.
in the company of; together with
From this reading She had patched the worst places in the carpet, provided two chairs with seats of cretonne, and brought all the pictures from her own quarters to help disguise the defaced condition of the guest-room walls.
past form of “work” — exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading She had worked valiantly most of the morning to render the room he was to occupy approximately presentable.
the least favorable outcome
From this reading She had patched the worst places in the carpet, provided two chairs with seats of cretonne, and brought all the pictures from her own quarters to help disguise the defaced condition of the guest-room walls.
