used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading My mother, a handsome, cold-eyed woman, who did not love me, had driven out from town to nurse's cottage.
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading I shut my eyes, and I am back in the little parlour with its spindle chairs, an old-fashioned piano with green silk front, its pink-flowered wall-paper, and the two wonderful black-and-white dogs on the mantelpiece.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading I shut my eyes, and I am back in the little parlour with its spindle chairs, an old-fashioned piano with green silk front, its pink-flowered wall-paper, and the two wonderful black-and-white dogs on the mantelpiece.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading I shut my eyes, and I am back in the little parlour with its spindle chairs, an old-fashioned piano with green silk front, its pink-flowered wall-paper, and the two wonderful black-and-white dogs on the mantelpiece.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading I shut my eyes, and I am back in the little parlour with its spindle chairs, an old-fashioned piano with green silk front, its pink-flowered wall-paper, and the two wonderful black-and-white dogs on the mantelpiece.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading The picture is clear before me of the day I first walked.
black-and-whiteadjective
lacking hue or shades of grey; part white and part black
From this reading I shut my eyes, and I am back in the little parlour with its spindle chairs, an old-fashioned piano with green silk front, its pink-flowered wall-paper, and the two wonderful black-and-white dogs on the mantelpiece.
plural of “chair” — a seat for one person, with a support for the back
From this reading I shut my eyes, and I am back in the little parlour with its spindle chairs, an old-fashioned piano with green silk front, its pink-flowered wall-paper, and the two wonderful black-and-white dogs on the mantelpiece.
rid of obstructions
From this reading The picture is clear before me of the day I first walked.
cold-eyedadjective
unaffected by strong emotion or prejudice
From this reading My mother, a handsome, cold-eyed woman, who did not love me, had driven out from town to nurse's cottage.
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading I do not remember my mother's coming or going.
a small house with a single story
From this reading My mother, a handsome, cold-eyed woman, who did not love me, had driven out from town to nurse's cottage.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading The picture is clear before me of the day I first walked.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading My mother, a handsome, cold-eyed woman, who did not love me, had driven out from town to nurse's cottage.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading I do not remember my mother's coming or going.
docknounUS /dɑːk/
an enclosure in a court of law where the defendant sits during the trial
From this reading There were two pictures I loved to gaze upon--Robert Emmett in the dock, and Mary Stuart saying farewell to France.
plural of “dog” — a member of the genus Canis (probably descended from the common wolf) that has been domesticated by man since prehistoric times; occurs in many breeds
From this reading I shut my eyes, and I am back in the little parlour with its spindle chairs, an old-fashioned piano with green silk front, its pink-flowered wall-paper, and the two wonderful black-and-white dogs on the mantelpiece.
compelled forcibly by an outside agency
From this reading My mother, a handsome, cold-eyed woman, who did not love me, had driven out from town to nurse's cottage.
Emmett
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were two pictures I loved to gaze upon--Robert Emmett in the dock, and Mary Stuart saying farewell to France.
opinion or judgment
From this reading I shut my eyes, and I am back in the little parlour with its spindle chairs, an old-fashioned piano with green silk front, its pink-flowered wall-paper, and the two wonderful black-and-white dogs on the mantelpiece.
an acknowledgment or expression of goodwill at parting
From this reading There were two pictures I loved to gaze upon--Robert Emmett in the dock, and Mary Stuart saying farewell to France.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading The picture is clear before me of the day I first walked.
a republic in western Europe; the largest country wholly in Europe
From this reading There were two pictures I loved to gaze upon--Robert Emmett in the dock, and Mary Stuart saying farewell to France.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading My mother, a handsome, cold-eyed woman, who did not love me, had driven out from town to nurse's cottage.
the side that is forward or prominent
From this reading I shut my eyes, and I am back in the little parlour with its spindle chairs, an old-fashioned piano with green silk front, its pink-flowered wall-paper, and the two wonderful black-and-white dogs on the mantelpiece.
a long fixed look
From this reading There were two pictures I loved to gaze upon--Robert Emmett in the dock, and Mary Stuart saying farewell to France.
the act of departing
From this reading I do not remember my mother's coming or going.
green color or pigment; resembling the color of growing grass
From this reading I shut my eyes, and I am back in the little parlour with its spindle chairs, an old-fashioned piano with green silk front, its pink-flowered wall-paper, and the two wonderful black-and-white dogs on the mantelpiece.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading My mother, a handsome, cold-eyed woman, who did not love me, had driven out from town to nurse's cottage.
pleasing in appearance especially by reason of conformity to ideals of form and proportion
From this reading My mother, a handsome, cold-eyed woman, who did not love me, had driven out from town to nurse's cottage.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading The picture is clear before me of the day I first walked.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading I shut my eyes, and I am back in the little parlour with its spindle chairs, an old-fashioned piano with green silk front, its pink-flowered wall-paper, and the two wonderful black-and-white dogs on the mantelpiece.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The picture is clear before me of the day I first walked.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading I shut my eyes, and I am back in the little parlour with its spindle chairs, an old-fashioned piano with green silk front, its pink-flowered wall-paper, and the two wonderful black-and-white dogs on the mantelpiece.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading I shut my eyes, and I am back in the little parlour with its spindle chairs, an old-fashioned piano with green silk front, its pink-flowered wall-paper, and the two wonderful black-and-white dogs on the mantelpiece.
a strong positive emotion of regard and affection
From this reading My mother, a handsome, cold-eyed woman, who did not love me, had driven out from town to nurse's cottage.
held dear
From this reading There were two pictures I loved to gaze upon--Robert Emmett in the dock, and Mary Stuart saying farewell to France.
mantelpiecenoun
shelf that projects from wall above fireplace
From this reading I shut my eyes, and I am back in the little parlour with its spindle chairs, an old-fashioned piano with green silk front, its pink-flowered wall-paper, and the two wonderful black-and-white dogs on the mantelpiece.
the mother of Jesus; Christians refer to her as the Virgin Mary; she is especially honored by Roman Catholics
From this reading There were two pictures I loved to gaze upon--Robert Emmett in the dock, and Mary Stuart saying farewell to France.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The picture is clear before me of the day I first walked.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading My mother, a handsome, cold-eyed woman, who did not love me, had driven out from town to nurse's cottage.
mother'snounUS /ˈmʌðərz/
possessive form of “mother” — a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading I do not remember my mother's coming or going.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading My mother, a handsome, cold-eyed woman, who did not love me, had driven out from town to nurse's cottage.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading My mother, a handsome, cold-eyed woman, who did not love me, had driven out from town to nurse's cottage.
nurse'snounUS /ˈnɜːrsɪz/
possessive form of “nurse” — one skilled in caring for young children or the sick (usually under the supervision of a physician)
From this reading My mother, a handsome, cold-eyed woman, who did not love me, had driven out from town to nurse's cottage.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The picture is clear before me of the day I first walked.
old-fashionedadjectiveUS /ˌoʊldˈfæʃənd/
out of fashion
From this reading I shut my eyes, and I am back in the little parlour with its spindle chairs, an old-fashioned piano with green silk front, its pink-flowered wall-paper, and the two wonderful black-and-white dogs on the mantelpiece.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading I shut my eyes, and I am back in the little parlour with its spindle chairs, an old-fashioned piano with green silk front, its pink-flowered wall-paper, and the two wonderful black-and-white dogs on the mantelpiece.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading I do not remember my mother's coming or going.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading My mother, a handsome, cold-eyed woman, who did not love me, had driven out from town to nurse's cottage.
parlournounUS /ˈpɑːrlər/
reception room in an inn or club where visitors can be received
From this reading I shut my eyes, and I am back in the little parlour with its spindle chairs, an old-fashioned piano with green silk front, its pink-flowered wall-paper, and the two wonderful black-and-white dogs on the mantelpiece.
pianonounUS /piˈænoʊ/
a keyboard instrument that is played by depressing keys that cause hammers to strike tuned strings and produce sounds
From this reading I shut my eyes, and I am back in the little parlour with its spindle chairs, an old-fashioned piano with green silk front, its pink-flowered wall-paper, and the two wonderful black-and-white dogs on the mantelpiece.
a visual representation (of an object or scene or person or abstraction) produced on a surface
From this reading The picture is clear before me of the day I first walked.
plural of “picture” — a visual representation (of an object or scene or person or abstraction) produced on a surface
From this reading There were two pictures I loved to gaze upon--Robert Emmett in the dock, and Mary Stuart saying farewell to France.
pink-flowered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I shut my eyes, and I am back in the little parlour with its spindle chairs, an old-fashioned piano with green silk front, its pink-flowered wall-paper, and the two wonderful black-and-white dogs on the mantelpiece.
To recall to mind.
From this reading I do not remember my mother's coming or going.
United States parliamentary authority and author (in 1876) of Robert's Rules of Order (1837-1923)
From this reading There were two pictures I loved to gaze upon--Robert Emmett in the dock, and Mary Stuart saying farewell to France.
a word or phrase that particular people use in particular situations
From this reading There were two pictures I loved to gaze upon--Robert Emmett in the dock, and Mary Stuart saying farewell to France.
move so that an opening or passage is obstructed; make shut
From this reading I shut my eyes, and I am back in the little parlour with its spindle chairs, an old-fashioned piano with green silk front, its pink-flowered wall-paper, and the two wonderful black-and-white dogs on the mantelpiece.
a fabric made from the fine threads produced by certain insect larvae
From this reading I shut my eyes, and I am back in the little parlour with its spindle chairs, an old-fashioned piano with green silk front, its pink-flowered wall-paper, and the two wonderful black-and-white dogs on the mantelpiece.
spindlenounUS /ˈspɪndəl/
(biology) tiny fibers that are seen in cell division; the fibers radiate from two poles and meet at the equator in the middle
From this reading I shut my eyes, and I am back in the little parlour with its spindle chairs, an old-fashioned piano with green silk front, its pink-flowered wall-paper, and the two wonderful black-and-white dogs on the mantelpiece.
StuartnounUS /ˈstuːərt/
United States painter best known for his portraits of George Washington (1755-1828)
From this reading There were two pictures I loved to gaze upon--Robert Emmett in the dock, and Mary Stuart saying farewell to France.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The picture is clear before me of the day I first walked.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There were two pictures I loved to gaze upon--Robert Emmett in the dock, and Mary Stuart saying farewell to France.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading My mother, a handsome, cold-eyed woman, who did not love me, had driven out from town to nurse's cottage.
an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading My mother, a handsome, cold-eyed woman, who did not love me, had driven out from town to nurse's cottage.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading I shut my eyes, and I am back in the little parlour with its spindle chairs, an old-fashioned piano with green silk front, its pink-flowered wall-paper, and the two wonderful black-and-white dogs on the mantelpiece.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading There were two pictures I loved to gaze upon--Robert Emmett in the dock, and Mary Stuart saying farewell to France.
past form of “walk” — use one's feet to advance; advance by steps
From this reading The picture is clear before me of the day I first walked.
wall-paper
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I shut my eyes, and I am back in the little parlour with its spindle chairs, an old-fashioned piano with green silk front, its pink-flowered wall-paper, and the two wonderful black-and-white dogs on the mantelpiece.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading There were two pictures I loved to gaze upon--Robert Emmett in the dock, and Mary Stuart saying farewell to France.
which person or people
From this reading My mother, a handsome, cold-eyed woman, who did not love me, had driven out from town to nurse's cottage.
in the company of; together with
From this reading I shut my eyes, and I am back in the little parlour with its spindle chairs, an old-fashioned piano with green silk front, its pink-flowered wall-paper, and the two wonderful black-and-white dogs on the mantelpiece.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading My mother, a handsome, cold-eyed woman, who did not love me, had driven out from town to nurse's cottage.
extraordinarily good or great; used especially as intensifiers
From this reading I shut my eyes, and I am back in the little parlour with its spindle chairs, an old-fashioned piano with green silk front, its pink-flowered wall-paper, and the two wonderful black-and-white dogs on the mantelpiece.
