used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading She leaned idle elbows on the porch railing and gazed down into the yard below with a look in her eyes such as no squalid Chicago back yard, with its dusty débris, could summon, even in spring-time.
adjoined
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The woman next door came out on her back porch that adjoined Rose's.
to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)
From this reading Rose's arms worked up and down energetically, then less energetically, finally ceased their motion altogether.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading When you clean closets and bureau drawers thoroughly you have to carry things out to the back porch and flap them, Rose was that sort of housekeeper.
weapons considered collectively
From this reading Rose's arms worked up and down energetically, then less energetically, finally ceased their motion altogether.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading She leaned idle elbows on the porch railing and gazed down into the yard below with a look in her eyes such as no squalid Chicago back yard, with its dusty débris, could summon, even in spring-time.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading When you clean closets and bureau drawers thoroughly you have to carry things out to the back porch and flap them, Rose was that sort of housekeeper.
belowprepositionUS /bɪˈloʊ/
at or to a lower level than something
From this reading She leaned idle elbows on the porch railing and gazed down into the yard below with a look in her eyes such as no squalid Chicago back yard, with its dusty débris, could summon, even in spring-time.
bureaunounUS /ˈbjʊroʊ/
an administrative unit of government
From this reading When you clean closets and bureau drawers thoroughly you have to carry things out to the back porch and flap them, Rose was that sort of housekeeper.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading The woman next door came out on her back porch that adjoined Rose's.
move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body
From this reading When you clean closets and bureau drawers thoroughly you have to carry things out to the back porch and flap them, Rose was that sort of housekeeper.
past form of “cease” — put an end to a state or an activity
From this reading Rose's arms worked up and down energetically, then less energetically, finally ceased their motion altogether.
ChicagonounUS /ʃəˈkɑːɡoʊ/
largest city in Illinois; a bustling Great Lakes port that extends 26 miles along the southwestern shoreline of Lake Michigan
From this reading She leaned idle elbows on the porch railing and gazed down into the yard below with a look in her eyes such as no squalid Chicago back yard, with its dusty débris, could summon, even in spring-time.
free from dirt or impurities; or having clean habits
From this reading When you clean closets and bureau drawers thoroughly you have to carry things out to the back porch and flap them, Rose was that sort of housekeeper.
closetsnounUS /ˈklɑːzəts/
plural of “closet” — a small room (or recess) or cabinet used for storage space
From this reading When you clean closets and bureau drawers thoroughly you have to carry things out to the back porch and flap them, Rose was that sort of housekeeper.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading She leaned idle elbows on the porch railing and gazed down into the yard below with a look in her eyes such as no squalid Chicago back yard, with its dusty débris, could summon, even in spring-time.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading The woman next door came out on her back porch that adjoined Rose's.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Rose's arms worked up and down energetically, then less energetically, finally ceased their motion altogether.
drawersnounUS /drɔːrz/
underpants worn by men
From this reading When you clean closets and bureau drawers thoroughly you have to carry things out to the back porch and flap them, Rose was that sort of housekeeper.
remove the dust from
From this reading She leaned over the porch railing and flapped things, so that the dust motes spun and swirled in the sunshine.
dustyadjectiveUS /ˈdʌsti/
covered with a layer of dust
From this reading She leaned idle elbows on the porch railing and gazed down into the yard below with a look in her eyes such as no squalid Chicago back yard, with its dusty débris, could summon, even in spring-time.
débris
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She leaned idle elbows on the porch railing and gazed down into the yard below with a look in her eyes such as no squalid Chicago back yard, with its dusty débris, could summon, even in spring-time.
elbowsnounUS /ˈelboʊz/
plural of “elbow” — hinge joint between the forearm and upper arm and the corresponding joint in the forelimb of a quadruped
From this reading She leaned idle elbows on the porch railing and gazed down into the yard below with a look in her eyes such as no squalid Chicago back yard, with its dusty débris, could summon, even in spring-time.
energeticallyadverbUS /ˌenərˈdʒetɪkli/
in an energetic manner
From this reading Rose's arms worked up and down energetically, then less energetically, finally ceased their motion altogether.
divisible by two
From this reading She leaned idle elbows on the porch railing and gazed down into the yard below with a look in her eyes such as no squalid Chicago back yard, with its dusty débris, could summon, even in spring-time.
opinion or judgment
From this reading She leaned idle elbows on the porch railing and gazed down into the yard below with a look in her eyes such as no squalid Chicago back yard, with its dusty débris, could summon, even in spring-time.
after an unspecified period of time or an especially long delay
From this reading Rose's arms worked up and down energetically, then less energetically, finally ceased their motion altogether.
flapverbUS /flæp/
move in a wavy pattern or with a rising and falling motion
From this reading When you clean closets and bureau drawers thoroughly you have to carry things out to the back porch and flap them, Rose was that sort of housekeeper.
flappedverbUS /flæpt/
inflected form of “flap” — move in a wavy pattern or with a rising and falling motion
From this reading She leaned over the porch railing and flapped things, so that the dust motes spun and swirled in the sunshine.
past form of “gaze” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading She leaned idle elbows on the porch railing and gazed down into the yard below with a look in her eyes such as no squalid Chicago back yard, with its dusty débris, could summon, even in spring-time.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading When you clean closets and bureau drawers thoroughly you have to carry things out to the back porch and flap them, Rose was that sort of housekeeper.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She leaned idle elbows on the porch railing and gazed down into the yard below with a look in her eyes such as no squalid Chicago back yard, with its dusty débris, could summon, even in spring-time.
housekeepernounUS /ˈhaʊskiːpər/
a servant who is employed to perform domestic task in a household
From this reading When you clean closets and bureau drawers thoroughly you have to carry things out to the back porch and flap them, Rose was that sort of housekeeper.
not in action or at work
From this reading She leaned idle elbows on the porch railing and gazed down into the yard below with a look in her eyes such as no squalid Chicago back yard, with its dusty débris, could summon, even in spring-time.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading She leaned over the porch railing and flapped things, so that the dust motes spun and swirled in the sunshine.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading She leaned idle elbows on the porch railing and gazed down into the yard below with a look in her eyes such as no squalid Chicago back yard, with its dusty débris, could summon, even in spring-time.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading She leaned idle elbows on the porch railing and gazed down into the yard below with a look in her eyes such as no squalid Chicago back yard, with its dusty débris, could summon, even in spring-time.
past form of “lean” — to incline or bend from a vertical position
From this reading She leaned over the porch railing and flapped things, so that the dust motes spun and swirled in the sunshine.
used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs
From this reading Rose's arms worked up and down energetically, then less energetically, finally ceased their motion altogether.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading She leaned idle elbows on the porch railing and gazed down into the yard below with a look in her eyes such as no squalid Chicago back yard, with its dusty débris, could summon, even in spring-time.
motesnounUS /moʊts/
plural of “mote” — (nontechnical usage) a tiny piece of anything
From this reading She leaned over the porch railing and flapped things, so that the dust motes spun and swirled in the sunshine.
the use of movements (especially of the hands) to communicate familiar or prearranged signals
From this reading Rose's arms worked up and down energetically, then less energetically, finally ceased their motion altogether.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading The woman next door came out on her back porch that adjoined Rose's.
not any; not one
From this reading She leaned idle elbows on the porch railing and gazed down into the yard below with a look in her eyes such as no squalid Chicago back yard, with its dusty débris, could summon, even in spring-time.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading When you clean closets and bureau drawers thoroughly you have to carry things out to the back porch and flap them, Rose was that sort of housekeeper.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading She leaned idle elbows on the porch railing and gazed down into the yard below with a look in her eyes such as no squalid Chicago back yard, with its dusty débris, could summon, even in spring-time.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading When you clean closets and bureau drawers thoroughly you have to carry things out to the back porch and flap them, Rose was that sort of housekeeper.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading She leaned over the porch railing and flapped things, so that the dust motes spun and swirled in the sunshine.
porchnounUS /pɔːrtʃ/
a structure attached to the exterior of a building often forming a covered entrance
From this reading When you clean closets and bureau drawers thoroughly you have to carry things out to the back porch and flap them, Rose was that sort of housekeeper.
railingnounUS /ˈreɪlɪŋ/
a barrier consisting of a horizontal bar and supports
From this reading She leaned over the porch railing and flapped things, so that the dust motes spun and swirled in the sunshine.
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading When you clean closets and bureau drawers thoroughly you have to carry things out to the back porch and flap them, Rose was that sort of housekeeper.
Rose'snounUS /ˈroʊzɪz/
possessive form of “rose” — any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading Rose's arms worked up and down energetically, then less energetically, finally ceased their motion altogether.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She leaned over the porch railing and flapped things, so that the dust motes spun and swirled in the sunshine.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading She leaned over the porch railing and flapped things, so that the dust motes spun and swirled in the sunshine.
a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
From this reading When you clean closets and bureau drawers thoroughly you have to carry things out to the back porch and flap them, Rose was that sort of housekeeper.
spring-time
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She leaned idle elbows on the porch railing and gazed down into the yard below with a look in her eyes such as no squalid Chicago back yard, with its dusty débris, could summon, even in spring-time.
spunverbUS /spʌn/
inflected form of “spin” — revolve quickly and repeatedly around one's own axis
From this reading She leaned over the porch railing and flapped things, so that the dust motes spun and swirled in the sunshine.
squalidadjectiveUS /ˈskwɑːləd/
morally degraded
From this reading She leaned idle elbows on the porch railing and gazed down into the yard below with a look in her eyes such as no squalid Chicago back yard, with its dusty débris, could summon, even in spring-time.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading She leaned idle elbows on the porch railing and gazed down into the yard below with a look in her eyes such as no squalid Chicago back yard, with its dusty débris, could summon, even in spring-time.
summonverbUS /ˈsʌmən/
call in an official matter, such as to attend court
From this reading She leaned idle elbows on the porch railing and gazed down into the yard below with a look in her eyes such as no squalid Chicago back yard, with its dusty débris, could summon, even in spring-time.
the rays of the sun
From this reading She leaned over the porch railing and flapped things, so that the dust motes spun and swirled in the sunshine.
swirledverbUS /swɜːrld/
past form of “swirl” — turn in a twisting or spinning motion
From this reading She leaned over the porch railing and flapped things, so that the dust motes spun and swirled in the sunshine.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading When you clean closets and bureau drawers thoroughly you have to carry things out to the back porch and flap them, Rose was that sort of housekeeper.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading When you clean closets and bureau drawers thoroughly you have to carry things out to the back porch and flap them, Rose was that sort of housekeeper.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Rose's arms worked up and down energetically, then less energetically, finally ceased their motion altogether.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading When you clean closets and bureau drawers thoroughly you have to carry things out to the back porch and flap them, Rose was that sort of housekeeper.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Rose's arms worked up and down energetically, then less energetically, finally ceased their motion altogether.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading When you clean closets and bureau drawers thoroughly you have to carry things out to the back porch and flap them, Rose was that sort of housekeeper.
in an exhaustive manner
From this reading When you clean closets and bureau drawers thoroughly you have to carry things out to the back porch and flap them, Rose was that sort of housekeeper.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading When you clean closets and bureau drawers thoroughly you have to carry things out to the back porch and flap them, Rose was that sort of housekeeper.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Rose's arms worked up and down energetically, then less energetically, finally ceased their motion altogether.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading When you clean closets and bureau drawers thoroughly you have to carry things out to the back porch and flap them, Rose was that sort of housekeeper.
at the time that
From this reading When you clean closets and bureau drawers thoroughly you have to carry things out to the back porch and flap them, Rose was that sort of housekeeper.
in the company of; together with
From this reading She leaned idle elbows on the porch railing and gazed down into the yard below with a look in her eyes such as no squalid Chicago back yard, with its dusty débris, could summon, even in spring-time.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading The woman next door came out on her back porch that adjoined Rose's.
past form of “work” — exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading Rose's arms worked up and down energetically, then less energetically, finally ceased their motion altogether.
a unit of length equal to 3 feet; defined as 91.44 centimeters; originally taken to be the average length of a stride
From this reading She leaned idle elbows on the porch railing and gazed down into the yard below with a look in her eyes such as no squalid Chicago back yard, with its dusty débris, could summon, even in spring-time.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading When you clean closets and bureau drawers thoroughly you have to carry things out to the back porch and flap them, Rose was that sort of housekeeper.
