Chapter I

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

From this reading She lived in the Palazzo Sebastiani, a merry little old Englishwoman, the business, the passion, of whose existence it was to receive.

higher than, or over, something

From this reading All the rooms of her vast apartment on the piano nobile were arranged as reception-rooms, even the last of the suite, in the corner of which a low divan, covered by a Persian carpet, with a prie-dieu beside it, and a crucifix attached to the wall above, was understood to serve at night as Miss Belmont’s bed.

the part of the day between noon and evening

From this reading Her day, as indicated by her visiting-card, was Thursday; but to those who stood in her good books her day was every day, and—save for a brief hour in the afternoon, when, with the rest of Rome, she drove in the Villa Borghese—all day long.

in the past

From this reading John Lane: The Bodley Head London and New York Every one who knew Rome fifteen or twenty years ago must remember Miss Belmont.

(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 All the rooms of her vast apartment on the piano nobile were arranged as reception-rooms, even the last of the suite, in the corner of which a low divan, covered by a Persian carpet, with a prie-dieu beside it, and a crucifix attached to the wall above, was understood to serve at night as Miss Belmont’s bed.

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

From this reading Then almost every evening she gave a little dinner.

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

From this reading John Lane: The Bodley Head London and New York Every one who knew Rome fifteen or twenty years ago must remember Miss Belmont.

a suite of rooms usually on one floor of an apartment house

From this reading All the rooms of her vast apartment on the piano nobile were arranged as reception-rooms, even the last of the suite, in the corner of which a low divan, covered by a Persian carpet, with a prie-dieu beside it, and a crucifix attached to the wall above, was understood to serve at night as Miss Belmont’s bed.

disposed or placed in a particular kind of order

From this reading All the rooms of her vast apartment on the piano nobile were arranged as reception-rooms, even the last of the suite, in the corner of which a low divan, covered by a Persian carpet, with a prie-dieu beside it, and a crucifix attached to the wall above, was understood to serve at night as Miss Belmont’s bed.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading All the rooms of her vast apartment on the piano nobile were arranged as reception-rooms, even the last of the suite, in the corner of which a low divan, covered by a Persian carpet, with a prie-dieu beside it, and a crucifix attached to the wall above, was understood to serve at night as Miss Belmont’s bed.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading All the rooms of her vast apartment on the piano nobile were arranged as reception-rooms, even the last of the suite, in the corner of which a low divan, covered by a Persian carpet, with a prie-dieu beside it, and a crucifix attached to the wall above, was understood to serve at night as Miss Belmont’s bed.

being joined in close association

From this reading All the rooms of her vast apartment on the piano nobile were arranged as reception-rooms, even the last of the suite, in the corner of which a low divan, covered by a Persian carpet, with a prie-dieu beside it, and a crucifix attached to the wall above, was understood to serve at night as Miss Belmont’s bed.

a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep

From this reading All the rooms of her vast apartment on the piano nobile were arranged as reception-rooms, even the last of the suite, in the corner of which a low divan, covered by a Persian carpet, with a prie-dieu beside it, and a crucifix attached to the wall above, was understood to serve at night as Miss Belmont’s bed.

a racetrack for thoroughbred racing in Elmont on Long Island; site of the Belmont Stakes

From this reading John Lane: The Bodley Head London and New York Every one who knew Rome fifteen or twenty years ago must remember Miss Belmont.

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

From this reading All the rooms of her vast apartment on the piano nobile were arranged as reception-rooms, even the last of the suite, in the corner of which a low divan, covered by a Persian carpet, with a prie-dieu beside it, and a crucifix attached to the wall above, was understood to serve at night as Miss Belmont’s bed.

next to; at the side of

From this reading All the rooms of her vast apartment on the piano nobile were arranged as reception-rooms, even the last of the suite, in the corner of which a low divan, covered by a Persian carpet, with a prie-dieu beside it, and a crucifix attached to the wall above, was understood to serve at night as Miss Belmont’s bed.

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

From this reading John Lane: The Bodley Head London and New York Every one who knew Rome fifteen or twenty years ago must remember Miss Belmont.

Bound written or printed works.

From this reading Her day, as indicated by her visiting-card, was Thursday; but to those who stood in her good books her day was every day, and—save for a brief hour in the afternoon, when, with the rest of Rome, she drove in the Villa Borghese—all day long.

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

From this reading Her day, as indicated by her visiting-card, was Thursday; but to those who stood in her good books her day was every day, and—save for a brief hour in the afternoon, when, with the rest of Rome, she drove in the Villa Borghese—all day long.

of short duration or distance

From this reading Her day, as indicated by her visiting-card, was Thursday; but to those who stood in her good books her day was every day, and—save for a brief hour in the afternoon, when, with the rest of Rome, she drove in the Villa Borghese—all day long.

a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it

From this reading She lived in the Palazzo Sebastiani, a merry little old Englishwoman, the business, the passion, of whose existence it was to receive.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Her day, as indicated by her visiting-card, was Thursday; but to those who stood in her good books her day was every day, and—save for a brief hour in the afternoon, when, with the rest of Rome, she drove in the Villa Borghese—all day long.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading All the rooms of her vast apartment on the piano nobile were arranged as reception-rooms, even the last of the suite, in the corner of which a low divan, covered by a Persian carpet, with a prie-dieu beside it, and a crucifix attached to the wall above, was understood to serve at night as Miss Belmont’s bed.

floor covering consisting of a piece of thick heavy fabric (usually with nap or pile)

From this reading All the rooms of her vast apartment on the piano nobile were arranged as reception-rooms, even the last of the suite, in the corner of which a low divan, covered by a Persian carpet, with a prie-dieu beside it, and a crucifix attached to the wall above, was understood to serve at night as Miss Belmont’s bed.

a place off to the side of an area

From this reading All the rooms of her vast apartment on the piano nobile were arranged as reception-rooms, even the last of the suite, in the corner of which a low divan, covered by a Persian carpet, with a prie-dieu beside it, and a crucifix attached to the wall above, was understood to serve at night as Miss Belmont’s bed.

overlaid or spread or topped with or enclosed within something; sometimes used as a combining form

From this reading All the rooms of her vast apartment on the piano nobile were arranged as reception-rooms, even the last of the suite, in the corner of which a low divan, covered by a Persian carpet, with a prie-dieu beside it, and a crucifix attached to the wall above, was understood to serve at night as Miss Belmont’s bed.

representation of the cross on which Jesus died

From this reading All the rooms of her vast apartment on the piano nobile were arranged as reception-rooms, even the last of the suite, in the corner of which a low divan, covered by a Persian carpet, with a prie-dieu beside it, and a crucifix attached to the wall above, was understood to serve at night as Miss Belmont’s bed.

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading Her day, as indicated by her visiting-card, was Thursday; but to those who stood in her good books her day was every day, and—save for a brief hour in the afternoon, when, with the rest of Rome, she drove in the Villa Borghese—all day long.

the main meal of the day served in the evening or at midday

From this reading Then almost every evening she gave a little dinner.

a long backless sofa (usually with pillows against a wall)

From this reading All the rooms of her vast apartment on the piano nobile were arranged as reception-rooms, even the last of the suite, in the corner of which a low divan, covered by a Persian carpet, with a prie-dieu beside it, and a crucifix attached to the wall above, was understood to serve at night as Miss Belmont’s bed.

a group of animals (a herd or flock) moving together

From this reading Her day, as indicated by her visiting-card, was Thursday; but to those who stood in her good books her day was every day, and—save for a brief hour in the afternoon, when, with the rest of Rome, she drove in the Villa Borghese—all day long.

a woman who is a native or inhabitant of England

From this reading She lived in the Palazzo Sebastiani, a merry little old Englishwoman, the business, the passion, of whose existence it was to receive.

divisible by two

From this reading All the rooms of her vast apartment on the piano nobile were arranged as reception-rooms, even the last of the suite, in the corner of which a low divan, covered by a Persian carpet, with a prie-dieu beside it, and a crucifix attached to the wall above, was understood to serve at night as Miss Belmont’s bed.

the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)

From this reading Then almost every evening she gave a little dinner.

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading John Lane: The Bodley Head London and New York Every one who knew Rome fifteen or twenty years ago must remember Miss Belmont.

the state or fact of existing

From this reading She lived in the Palazzo Sebastiani, a merry little old Englishwoman, the business, the passion, of whose existence it was to receive.

the cardinal number that is the sum of fourteen and one

From this reading John Lane: The Bodley Head London and New York Every one who knew Rome fifteen or twenty years ago must remember Miss Belmont.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Her day, as indicated by her visiting-card, was Thursday; but to those who stood in her good books her day was every day, and—save for a brief hour in the afternoon, when, with the rest of Rome, she drove in the Villa Borghese—all day long.

inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading Then almost every evening she gave a little dinner.

having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified

From this reading Her day, as indicated by her visiting-card, was Thursday; but to those who stood in her good books her day was every day, and—save for a brief hour in the afternoon, when, with the rest of Rome, she drove in the Villa Borghese—all day long.

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

From this reading John Lane: The Bodley Head London and New York Every one who knew Rome fifteen or twenty years ago must remember Miss Belmont.

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

From this reading All the rooms of her vast apartment on the piano nobile were arranged as reception-rooms, even the last of the suite, in the corner of which a low divan, covered by a Persian carpet, with a prie-dieu beside it, and a crucifix attached to the wall above, was understood to serve at night as Miss Belmont’s bed.

a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day

From this reading Her day, as indicated by her visiting-card, was Thursday; but to those who stood in her good books her day was every day, and—save for a brief hour in the afternoon, when, with the rest of Rome, she drove in the Villa Borghese—all day long.

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

From this reading She lived in the Palazzo Sebastiani, a merry little old Englishwoman, the business, the passion, of whose existence it was to receive.

past form of “indicate” — be a signal for or a symptom of

From this reading Her day, as indicated by her visiting-card, was Thursday; but to those who stood in her good books her day was every day, and—save for a brief hour in the afternoon, when, with the rest of Rome, she drove in the Villa Borghese—all day long.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading She lived in the Palazzo Sebastiani, a merry little old Englishwoman, the business, the passion, of whose existence it was to receive.

a room or building equipped with one or more toilets

From this reading John Lane: The Bodley Head London and New York Every one who knew Rome fifteen or twenty years ago must remember Miss Belmont.

inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading John Lane: The Bodley Head London and New York Every one who knew Rome fifteen or twenty years ago must remember Miss Belmont.

a narrow way or road

From this reading John Lane: The Bodley Head London and New York Every one who knew Rome fifteen or twenty years ago must remember Miss Belmont.

immediately past

From this reading All the rooms of her vast apartment on the piano nobile were arranged as reception-rooms, even the last of the suite, in the corner of which a low divan, covered by a Persian carpet, with a prie-dieu beside it, and a crucifix attached to the wall above, was understood to serve at night as Miss Belmont’s bed.

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

From this reading She lived in the Palazzo Sebastiani, a merry little old Englishwoman, the business, the passion, of whose existence it was to receive.

past form of “live” — be an inhabitant of or reside in

From this reading She lived in the Palazzo Sebastiani, a merry little old Englishwoman, the business, the passion, of whose existence it was to receive.

the capital and largest city of England; located on the Thames in southeastern England; financial and industrial and cultural center

From this reading John Lane: The Bodley Head London and New York Every one who knew Rome fifteen or twenty years ago must remember Miss Belmont.

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading Her day, as indicated by her visiting-card, was Thursday; but to those who stood in her good books her day was every day, and—save for a brief hour in the afternoon, when, with the rest of Rome, she drove in the Villa Borghese—all day long.

less than normal in degree or intensity or amount

From this reading All the rooms of her vast apartment on the piano nobile were arranged as reception-rooms, even the last of the suite, in the corner of which a low divan, covered by a Persian carpet, with a prie-dieu beside it, and a crucifix attached to the wall above, was understood to serve at night as Miss Belmont’s bed.

full of or showing high-spirited merriment

From this reading She lived in the Palazzo Sebastiani, a merry little old Englishwoman, the business, the passion, of whose existence it was to receive.

fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind

From this reading John Lane: The Bodley Head London and New York Every one who knew Rome fifteen or twenty years ago must remember Miss Belmont.

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading John Lane: The Bodley Head London and New York Every one who knew Rome fifteen or twenty years ago must remember Miss Belmont.

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

From this reading John Lane: The Bodley Head London and New York Every one who knew Rome fifteen or twenty years ago must remember Miss Belmont.

the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading All the rooms of her vast apartment on the piano nobile were arranged as reception-rooms, even the last of the suite, in the corner of which a low divan, covered by a Persian carpet, with a prie-dieu beside it, and a crucifix attached to the wall above, was understood to serve at night as Miss Belmont’s bed.

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

From this reading All the rooms of her vast apartment on the piano nobile were arranged as reception-rooms, even the last of the suite, in the corner of which a low divan, covered by a Persian carpet, with a prie-dieu beside it, and a crucifix attached to the wall above, was understood to serve at night as Miss Belmont’s bed.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading She lived in the Palazzo Sebastiani, a merry little old Englishwoman, the business, the passion, of whose existence it was to receive.

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading She lived in the Palazzo Sebastiani, a merry little old Englishwoman, the business, the passion, of whose existence it was to receive.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading All the rooms of her vast apartment on the piano nobile were arranged as reception-rooms, even the last of the suite, in the corner of which a low divan, covered by a Persian carpet, with a prie-dieu beside it, and a crucifix attached to the wall above, was understood to serve at night as Miss Belmont’s bed.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading John Lane: The Bodley Head London and New York Every one who knew Rome fifteen or twenty years ago must remember Miss Belmont.

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading John Lane: The Bodley Head London and New York Every one who knew Rome fifteen or twenty years ago must remember Miss Belmont.

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

From this reading She lived in the Palazzo Sebastiani, a merry little old Englishwoman, the business, the passion, of whose existence it was to receive.

a strong feeling or emotion

From this reading She lived in the Palazzo Sebastiani, a merry little old Englishwoman, the business, the passion, of whose existence it was to receive.

a native or inhabitant of Iran

From this reading All the rooms of her vast apartment on the piano nobile were arranged as reception-rooms, even the last of the suite, in the corner of which a low divan, covered by a Persian carpet, with a prie-dieu beside it, and a crucifix attached to the wall above, was understood to serve at night as Miss Belmont’s bed.

a keyboard instrument that is played by depressing keys that cause hammers to strike tuned strings and produce sounds

From this reading All the rooms of her vast apartment on the piano nobile were arranged as reception-rooms, even the last of the suite, in the corner of which a low divan, covered by a Persian carpet, with a prie-dieu beside it, and a crucifix attached to the wall above, was understood to serve at night as Miss Belmont’s bed.

low bench for kneeling on

From this reading All the rooms of her vast apartment on the piano nobile were arranged as reception-rooms, even the last of the suite, in the corner of which a low divan, covered by a Persian carpet, with a prie-dieu beside it, and a crucifix attached to the wall above, was understood to serve at night as Miss Belmont’s bed.

get something; come into possession of

From this reading She lived in the Palazzo Sebastiani, a merry little old Englishwoman, the business, the passion, of whose existence it was to receive.

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

From this reading All the rooms of her vast apartment on the piano nobile were arranged as reception-rooms, even the last of the suite, in the corner of which a low divan, covered by a Persian carpet, with a prie-dieu beside it, and a crucifix attached to the wall above, was understood to serve at night as Miss Belmont’s bed.

To recall to mind.

From this reading John Lane: The Bodley Head London and New York Every one who knew Rome fifteen or twenty years ago must remember Miss Belmont.

not move; be in a resting position

From this reading Her day, as indicated by her visiting-card, was Thursday; but to those who stood in her good books her day was every day, and—save for a brief hour in the afternoon, when, with the rest of Rome, she drove in the Villa Borghese—all day long.

capital and largest city of Italy; on the Tiber; seat of the Roman Catholic Church; formerly the capital of the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire

From this reading John Lane: The Bodley Head London and New York Every one who knew Rome fifteen or twenty years ago must remember Miss Belmont.

apartment consisting of a series of connected rooms used as a living unit (as in a hotel)

From this reading All the rooms of her vast apartment on the piano nobile were arranged as reception-rooms, even the last of the suite, in the corner of which a low divan, covered by a Persian carpet, with a prie-dieu beside it, and a crucifix attached to the wall above, was understood to serve at night as Miss Belmont’s bed.

except for; apart from

From this reading Her day, as indicated by her visiting-card, was Thursday; but to those who stood in her good books her day was every day, and—save for a brief hour in the afternoon, when, with the rest of Rome, she drove in the Villa Borghese—all day long.

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

From this reading She lived in the Palazzo Sebastiani, a merry little old Englishwoman, the business, the passion, of whose existence it was to receive.

serve a purpose, role, or function

From this reading All the rooms of her vast apartment on the piano nobile were arranged as reception-rooms, even the last of the suite, in the corner of which a low divan, covered by a Persian carpet, with a prie-dieu beside it, and a crucifix attached to the wall above, was understood to serve at night as Miss Belmont’s bed.

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

From this reading She lived in the Palazzo Sebastiani, a merry little old Englishwoman, the business, the passion, of whose existence it was to receive.

Maintained an upright posture.

From this reading Her day, as indicated by her visiting-card, was Thursday; but to those who stood in her good books her day was every day, and—save for a brief hour in the afternoon, when, with the rest of Rome, she drove in the Villa Borghese—all day long.

a musical composition of several movements only loosely connected

From this reading All the rooms of her vast apartment on the piano nobile were arranged as reception-rooms, even the last of the suite, in the corner of which a low divan, covered by a Persian carpet, with a prie-dieu beside it, and a crucifix attached to the wall above, was understood to serve at night as Miss Belmont’s bed.

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

From this reading John Lane: The Bodley Head London and New York Every one who knew Rome fifteen or twenty years ago must remember Miss Belmont.

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading Then almost every evening she gave a little dinner.

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading Her day, as indicated by her visiting-card, was Thursday; but to those who stood in her good books her day was every day, and—save for a brief hour in the afternoon, when, with the rest of Rome, she drove in the Villa Borghese—all day long.

the fifth day of the week; the fourth working day

From this reading Her day, as indicated by her visiting-card, was Thursday; but to those who stood in her good books her day was every day, and—save for a brief hour in the afternoon, when, with the rest of Rome, she drove in the Villa Borghese—all day long.

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

From this reading She lived in the Palazzo Sebastiani, a merry little old Englishwoman, the business, the passion, of whose existence it was to receive.

the cardinal number that is the sum of nineteen and one

From this reading John Lane: The Bodley Head London and New York Every one who knew Rome fifteen or twenty years ago must remember Miss Belmont.

fully apprehended as to purport or meaning or explanation

From this reading All the rooms of her vast apartment on the piano nobile were arranged as reception-rooms, even the last of the suite, in the corner of which a low divan, covered by a Persian carpet, with a prie-dieu beside it, and a crucifix attached to the wall above, was understood to serve at night as Miss Belmont’s bed.

unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope

From this reading All the rooms of her vast apartment on the piano nobile were arranged as reception-rooms, even the last of the suite, in the corner of which a low divan, covered by a Persian carpet, with a prie-dieu beside it, and a crucifix attached to the wall above, was understood to serve at night as Miss Belmont’s bed.

Mexican revolutionary leader (1877-1923)

From this reading Her day, as indicated by her visiting-card, was Thursday; but to those who stood in her good books her day was every day, and—save for a brief hour in the afternoon, when, with the rest of Rome, she drove in the Villa Borghese—all day long.

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

From this reading Her day, as indicated by her visiting-card, was Thursday; but to those who stood in her good books her day was every day, and—save for a brief hour in the afternoon, when, with the rest of Rome, she drove in the Villa Borghese—all day long.

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 All the rooms of her vast apartment on the piano nobile were arranged as reception-rooms, even the last of the suite, in the corner of which a low divan, covered by a Persian carpet, with a prie-dieu beside it, and a crucifix attached to the wall above, was understood to serve at night as Miss Belmont’s bed.

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

From this reading She lived in the Palazzo Sebastiani, a merry little old Englishwoman, the business, the passion, of whose existence it was to receive.

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading All the rooms of her vast apartment on the piano nobile were arranged as reception-rooms, even the last of the suite, in the corner of which a low divan, covered by a Persian carpet, with a prie-dieu beside it, and a crucifix attached to the wall above, was understood to serve at night as Miss Belmont’s bed.

at the time that

From this reading Her day, as indicated by her visiting-card, was Thursday; but to those who stood in her good books her day was every day, and—save for a brief hour in the afternoon, when, with the rest of Rome, she drove in the Villa Borghese—all day long.

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading All the rooms of her vast apartment on the piano nobile were arranged as reception-rooms, even the last of the suite, in the corner of which a low divan, covered by a Persian carpet, with a prie-dieu beside it, and a crucifix attached to the wall above, was understood to serve at night as Miss Belmont’s bed.

which person or people

From this reading John Lane: The Bodley Head London and New York Every one who knew Rome fifteen or twenty years ago must remember Miss Belmont.

belonging to which person

From this reading She lived in the Palazzo Sebastiani, a merry little old Englishwoman, the business, the passion, of whose existence it was to receive.

in the company of; together with

From this reading All the rooms of her vast apartment on the piano nobile were arranged as reception-rooms, even the last of the suite, in the corner of which a low divan, covered by a Persian carpet, with a prie-dieu beside it, and a crucifix attached to the wall above, was understood to serve at night as Miss Belmont’s bed.

a late time of life

From this reading John Lane: The Bodley Head London and New York Every one who knew Rome fifteen or twenty years ago must remember Miss Belmont.

the English royal house (a branch of the Plantagenet line) that reigned from 1461 to 1485; its emblem was a white rose

From this reading John Lane: The Bodley Head London and New York Every one who knew Rome fifteen or twenty years ago must remember Miss Belmont.