used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "Now, Sir Horace, show us some of those wonderful Serpentine figures," cried Cecil, balancing herself with the grace of a curlew, and whirling here, there, and everywhere at her will as easily as if she were on a chalked ball-room floor.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading More than one man had lost his own balance looking after her.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "Now, Sir Horace, show us some of those wonderful Serpentine figures," cried Cecil, balancing herself with the grace of a curlew, and whirling here, there, and everywhere at her will as easily as if she were on a chalked ball-room floor.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading Cos wasn't started yet; one pair of skates were too large, another pair too small; if he'd thought of it he'd have had his own sent over.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading "Now, Sir Horace, show us some of those wonderful Serpentine figures," cried Cecil, balancing herself with the grace of a curlew, and whirling here, there, and everywhere at her will as easily as if she were on a chalked ball-room floor.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading "Now, Sir Horace, show us some of those wonderful Serpentine figures," cried Cecil, balancing herself with the grace of a curlew, and whirling here, there, and everywhere at her will as easily as if she were on a chalked ball-room floor.
balanceverbUS /ˈbæləns/
bring into balance or equilibrium
From this reading More than one man had lost his own balance looking after her.
balancingnounUS /ˈbælənsɪŋ/
getting two things to correspond
From this reading "Now, Sir Horace, show us some of those wonderful Serpentine figures," cried Cecil, balancing herself with the grace of a curlew, and whirling here, there, and everywhere at her will as easily as if she were on a chalked ball-room floor.
ball-room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Now, Sir Horace, show us some of those wonderful Serpentine figures," cried Cecil, balancing herself with the grace of a curlew, and whirling here, there, and everywhere at her will as easily as if she were on a chalked ball-room floor.
brinknounUS /brɪŋk/
a region marking a boundary
From this reading He stood on the brink much as Winkle, of Pickwickian memory, trembled in Weller's grasp.
Cecil
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Now, Sir Horace, show us some of those wonderful Serpentine figures," cried Cecil, balancing herself with the grace of a curlew, and whirling here, there, and everywhere at her will as easily as if she were on a chalked ball-room floor.
chalkedverbUS /tʃɔːkt/
past form of “chalk” — write, draw, or trace with chalk
From this reading "Now, Sir Horace, show us some of those wonderful Serpentine figures," cried Cecil, balancing herself with the grace of a curlew, and whirling here, there, and everywhere at her will as easily as if she were on a chalked ball-room floor.
CosnounUS /kɔːs/
ratio of the adjacent side to the hypotenuse of a right-angled triangle
From this reading Cos wasn't started yet; one pair of skates were too large, another pair too small; if he'd thought of it he'd have had his own sent over.
inflected form of “cry” — utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading "Now, Sir Horace, show us some of those wonderful Serpentine figures," cried Cecil, balancing herself with the grace of a curlew, and whirling here, there, and everywhere at her will as easily as if she were on a chalked ball-room floor.
curlewnoun
large migratory shorebirds of the sandpiper family; closely related to woodcocks but having a down-curved bill
From this reading "Now, Sir Horace, show us some of those wonderful Serpentine figures," cried Cecil, balancing herself with the grace of a curlew, and whirling here, there, and everywhere at her will as easily as if she were on a chalked ball-room floor.
with ease (“easy” is sometimes used informally for “easily”)
From this reading "Now, Sir Horace, show us some of those wonderful Serpentine figures," cried Cecil, balancing herself with the grace of a curlew, and whirling here, there, and everywhere at her will as easily as if she were on a chalked ball-room floor.
to or in any or all places
From this reading "Now, Sir Horace, show us some of those wonderful Serpentine figures," cried Cecil, balancing herself with the grace of a curlew, and whirling here, there, and everywhere at her will as easily as if she were on a chalked ball-room floor.
plural of “figure” — a diagram or picture illustrating textual material
From this reading "Now, Sir Horace, show us some of those wonderful Serpentine figures," cried Cecil, balancing herself with the grace of a curlew, and whirling here, there, and everywhere at her will as easily as if she were on a chalked ball-room floor.
the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)
From this reading "Now, Sir Horace, show us some of those wonderful Serpentine figures," cried Cecil, balancing herself with the grace of a curlew, and whirling here, there, and everywhere at her will as easily as if she were on a chalked ball-room floor.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading She hadn't skated and sledged on the Ontario for nothing.
(Christian theology) a state of sanctification by God; the state of one who is under such divine influence
From this reading "Now, Sir Horace, show us some of those wonderful Serpentine figures," cried Cecil, balancing herself with the grace of a curlew, and whirling here, there, and everywhere at her will as easily as if she were on a chalked ball-room floor.
hold firmly
From this reading He stood on the brink much as Winkle, of Pickwickian memory, trembled in Weller's grasp.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading More than one man had lost his own balance looking after her.
hadn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She hadn't skated and sledged on the Ontario for nothing.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Cos wasn't started yet; one pair of skates were too large, another pair too small; if he'd thought of it he'd have had his own sent over.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He stood on the brink much as Winkle, of Pickwickian memory, trembled in Weller's grasp.
he'd
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cos wasn't started yet; one pair of skates were too large, another pair too small; if he'd thought of it he'd have had his own sent over.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading "Now, Sir Horace, show us some of those wonderful Serpentine figures," cried Cecil, balancing herself with the grace of a curlew, and whirling here, there, and everywhere at her will as easily as if she were on a chalked ball-room floor.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading "Now, Sir Horace, show us some of those wonderful Serpentine figures," cried Cecil, balancing herself with the grace of a curlew, and whirling here, there, and everywhere at her will as easily as if she were on a chalked ball-room floor.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading "Now, Sir Horace, show us some of those wonderful Serpentine figures," cried Cecil, balancing herself with the grace of a curlew, and whirling here, there, and everywhere at her will as easily as if she were on a chalked ball-room floor.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading More than one man had lost his own balance looking after her.
HoracenounUS /ˈhɔːrəs/
Roman lyric poet said to have influenced English poetry (65-8 BC)
From this reading "Now, Sir Horace, show us some of those wonderful Serpentine figures," cried Cecil, balancing herself with the grace of a curlew, and whirling here, there, and everywhere at her will as easily as if she were on a chalked ball-room floor.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading "Now, Sir Horace, show us some of those wonderful Serpentine figures," cried Cecil, balancing herself with the grace of a curlew, and whirling here, there, and everywhere at her will as easily as if she were on a chalked ball-room floor.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He stood on the brink much as Winkle, of Pickwickian memory, trembled in Weller's grasp.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Cos wasn't started yet; one pair of skates were too large, another pair too small; if he'd thought of it he'd have had his own sent over.
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Cos wasn't started yet; one pair of skates were too large, another pair too small; if he'd thought of it he'd have had his own sent over.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading More than one man had lost his own balance looking after her.
no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered
From this reading More than one man had lost his own balance looking after her.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading More than one man had lost his own balance looking after her.
The faculty by which the mind stores and remembers information and knowledge.
From this reading He stood on the brink much as Winkle, of Pickwickian memory, trembled in Weller's grasp.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading More than one man had lost his own balance looking after her.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading He stood on the brink much as Winkle, of Pickwickian memory, trembled in Weller's grasp.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading She hadn't skated and sledged on the Ontario for nothing.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading "Now, Sir Horace, show us some of those wonderful Serpentine figures," cried Cecil, balancing herself with the grace of a curlew, and whirling here, there, and everywhere at her will as easily as if she were on a chalked ball-room floor.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "Now, Sir Horace, show us some of those wonderful Serpentine figures," cried Cecil, balancing herself with the grace of a curlew, and whirling here, there, and everywhere at her will as easily as if she were on a chalked ball-room floor.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading "Now, Sir Horace, show us some of those wonderful Serpentine figures," cried Cecil, balancing herself with the grace of a curlew, and whirling here, there, and everywhere at her will as easily as if she were on a chalked ball-room floor.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading More than one man had lost his own balance looking after her.
OntarionounUS /ɑːnˈterioʊ/
the smallest of the Great Lakes
From this reading She hadn't skated and sledged on the Ontario for nothing.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Cos wasn't started yet; one pair of skates were too large, another pair too small; if he'd thought of it he'd have had his own sent over.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading More than one man had lost his own balance looking after her.
a set of two similar things considered as a unit
From this reading Cos wasn't started yet; one pair of skates were too large, another pair too small; if he'd thought of it he'd have had his own sent over.
Pickwickian
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He stood on the brink much as Winkle, of Pickwickian memory, trembled in Weller's grasp.
100 senti equal 1 kroon in Estonia
From this reading Cos wasn't started yet; one pair of skates were too large, another pair too small; if he'd thought of it he'd have had his own sent over.
SerpentineadjectiveUS /ˈsɜːrpəntaɪn/
resembling a serpent in form
From this reading "Now, Sir Horace, show us some of those wonderful Serpentine figures," cried Cecil, balancing herself with the grace of a curlew, and whirling here, there, and everywhere at her will as easily as if she were on a chalked ball-room floor.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Now, Sir Horace, show us some of those wonderful Serpentine figures," cried Cecil, balancing herself with the grace of a curlew, and whirling here, there, and everywhere at her will as easily as if she were on a chalked ball-room floor.
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading "Now, Sir Horace, show us some of those wonderful Serpentine figures," cried Cecil, balancing herself with the grace of a curlew, and whirling here, there, and everywhere at her will as easily as if she were on a chalked ball-room floor.
term of address for a man
From this reading "Now, Sir Horace, show us some of those wonderful Serpentine figures," cried Cecil, balancing herself with the grace of a curlew, and whirling here, there, and everywhere at her will as easily as if she were on a chalked ball-room floor.
skatedverbUS /ˈskeɪtɪd/
past form of “skate” — move along on skates
From this reading She hadn't skated and sledged on the Ontario for nothing.
skatesnounUS /skeɪts/
plural of “skate” — sports equipment that is worn on the feet to enable the wearer to glide along and to be propelled by the alternate actions of the legs
From this reading Cos wasn't started yet; one pair of skates were too large, another pair too small; if he'd thought of it he'd have had his own sent over.
sledged
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She hadn't skated and sledged on the Ontario for nothing.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Cos wasn't started yet; one pair of skates were too large, another pair too small; if he'd thought of it he'd have had his own sent over.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading "Now, Sir Horace, show us some of those wonderful Serpentine figures," cried Cecil, balancing herself with the grace of a curlew, and whirling here, there, and everywhere at her will as easily as if she were on a chalked ball-room floor.
past form of “start” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading Cos wasn't started yet; one pair of skates were too large, another pair too small; if he'd thought of it he'd have had his own sent over.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading He stood on the brink much as Winkle, of Pickwickian memory, trembled in Weller's grasp.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading More than one man had lost his own balance looking after her.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "Now, Sir Horace, show us some of those wonderful Serpentine figures," cried Cecil, balancing herself with the grace of a curlew, and whirling here, there, and everywhere at her will as easily as if she were on a chalked ball-room floor.
in or at that place or location
From this reading "Now, Sir Horace, show us some of those wonderful Serpentine figures," cried Cecil, balancing herself with the grace of a curlew, and whirling here, there, and everywhere at her will as easily as if she were on a chalked ball-room floor.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading "Now, Sir Horace, show us some of those wonderful Serpentine figures," cried Cecil, balancing herself with the grace of a curlew, and whirling here, there, and everywhere at her will as easily as if she were on a chalked ball-room floor.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading Cos wasn't started yet; one pair of skates were too large, another pair too small; if he'd thought of it he'd have had his own sent over.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading Cos wasn't started yet; one pair of skates were too large, another pair too small; if he'd thought of it he'd have had his own sent over.
past form of “tremble” — move or jerk quickly and involuntarily up and down or sideways
From this reading He stood on the brink much as Winkle, of Pickwickian memory, trembled in Weller's grasp.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "Now, Sir Horace, show us some of those wonderful Serpentine figures," cried Cecil, balancing herself with the grace of a curlew, and whirling here, there, and everywhere at her will as easily as if she were on a chalked ball-room floor.
wasn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cos wasn't started yet; one pair of skates were too large, another pair too small; if he'd thought of it he'd have had his own sent over.
Weller's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He stood on the brink much as Winkle, of Pickwickian memory, trembled in Weller's grasp.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "Now, Sir Horace, show us some of those wonderful Serpentine figures," cried Cecil, balancing herself with the grace of a curlew, and whirling here, there, and everywhere at her will as easily as if she were on a chalked ball-room floor.
whirlingnounUS /ˈwɜːrlɪŋ/
the act of rotating in a circle or spiral
From this reading "Now, Sir Horace, show us some of those wonderful Serpentine figures," cried Cecil, balancing herself with the grace of a curlew, and whirling here, there, and everywhere at her will as easily as if she were on a chalked ball-room floor.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading "Now, Sir Horace, show us some of those wonderful Serpentine figures," cried Cecil, balancing herself with the grace of a curlew, and whirling here, there, and everywhere at her will as easily as if she were on a chalked ball-room floor.
WinkleverbUS /ˈwɪŋkəl/
emit or reflect light in a flickering manner
From this reading He stood on the brink much as Winkle, of Pickwickian memory, trembled in Weller's grasp.
in the company of; together with
From this reading "Now, Sir Horace, show us some of those wonderful Serpentine figures," cried Cecil, balancing herself with the grace of a curlew, and whirling here, there, and everywhere at her will as easily as if she were on a chalked ball-room floor.
extraordinarily good or great; used especially as intensifiers
From this reading "Now, Sir Horace, show us some of those wonderful Serpentine figures," cried Cecil, balancing herself with the grace of a curlew, and whirling here, there, and everywhere at her will as easily as if she were on a chalked ball-room floor.
but in spite of that
From this reading Cos wasn't started yet; one pair of skates were too large, another pair too small; if he'd thought of it he'd have had his own sent over.
