andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Through the open doorway morning met her, crisp and cool, with sunshine touching grass and green branch, still wet with dew.
announcedadjectiveUS /əˈnaʊnst/
declared publicly; made widely known
From this reading "Bertuccio has returned," he announced.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading It was nine o'clock as the Signorina descended the stairs.
AtprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At the bottom of the stairs, Giacomo met her, his face wreathed in smiles.
Bertuccio
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Bertuccio has returned," he announced.
bottomnounUS /ˈbɑːtəm/
the lower side of anything
From this reading At the bottom of the stairs, Giacomo met her, his face wreathed in smiles.
branchnounUS /bræntʃ/
a division of some larger or more complex organization
From this reading Through the open doorway morning met her, crisp and cool, with sunshine touching grass and green branch, still wet with dew.
cooladjectiveUS /kuːl/
neither warm nor very cold; giving relief from heat
From this reading Through the open doorway morning met her, crisp and cool, with sunshine touching grass and green branch, still wet with dew.
crispadjectiveUS /krɪsp/
(of something seen or heard) clearly defined
From this reading Through the open doorway morning met her, crisp and cool, with sunshine touching grass and green branch, still wet with dew.
descendedverbUS /dɪˈsendəd/
past form of “descend” — move downward and lower, but not necessarily all the way
From this reading It was nine o'clock as the Signorina descended the stairs.
dewnounUS /duː/
water that has condensed on a cool surface overnight from water vapor in the air
From this reading Through the open doorway morning met her, crisp and cool, with sunshine touching grass and green branch, still wet with dew.
doorwaynounUS /ˈdɔːrweɪ/
the entrance (the space in a wall) through which you enter or leave a room or building; the space that a door can close
From this reading Through the open doorway morning met her, crisp and cool, with sunshine touching grass and green branch, still wet with dew.
eageradjectiveUS /ˈiːɡər/
having or showing keen interest or intense desire or impatient expectancy
From this reading The very footfalls of the girl on the shallow marble steps were eager and expectant, and her face was gayer than those of the nymphs in the frescoes on the wall.
expectantadjectiveUS /ɪkˈspektənt/
marked by eager anticipation
From this reading The very footfalls of the girl on the shallow marble steps were eager and expectant, and her face was gayer than those of the nymphs in the frescoes on the wall.
facenounUS /feɪs/
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading The very footfalls of the girl on the shallow marble steps were eager and expectant, and her face was gayer than those of the nymphs in the frescoes on the wall.
footfalls
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The very footfalls of the girl on the shallow marble steps were eager and expectant, and her face was gayer than those of the nymphs in the frescoes on the wall.
frescoesnounUS /ˈfreskoʊz/
plural of “fresco” — a mural done with watercolors on wet plaster
From this reading The very footfalls of the girl on the shallow marble steps were eager and expectant, and her face was gayer than those of the nymphs in the frescoes on the wall.
gayeradjectiveUS /ˈɡeɪər/
comparative of “gay” — bright and pleasant; promoting a feeling of cheer
From this reading The very footfalls of the girl on the shallow marble steps were eager and expectant, and her face was gayer than those of the nymphs in the frescoes on the wall.
Giacomo
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At the bottom of the stairs, Giacomo met her, his face wreathed in smiles.
girlnounUS /ɡɜːrl/
a young female
From this reading The very footfalls of the girl on the shallow marble steps were eager and expectant, and her face was gayer than those of the nymphs in the frescoes on the wall.
grassverbUS /ɡræs/
shoot down, of birds
From this reading Through the open doorway morning met her, crisp and cool, with sunshine touching grass and green branch, still wet with dew.
greennounUS /ɡriːn/
green color or pigment; resembling the color of growing grass
From this reading Through the open doorway morning met her, crisp and cool, with sunshine touching grass and green branch, still wet with dew.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "Bertuccio has returned," he announced.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Bertuccio has returned," he announced.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Through the open doorway morning met her, crisp and cool, with sunshine touching grass and green branch, still wet with dew.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading At the bottom of the stairs, Giacomo met her, his face wreathed in smiles.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The very footfalls of the girl on the shallow marble steps were eager and expectant, and her face was gayer than those of the nymphs in the frescoes on the wall.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was nine o'clock as the Signorina descended the stairs.
marblenounUS /ˈmɑːrbəl/
a hard crystalline metamorphic rock that takes a high polish; used for sculpture and as building material
From this reading The very footfalls of the girl on the shallow marble steps were eager and expectant, and her face was gayer than those of the nymphs in the frescoes on the wall.
metverbUS /met/
inflected form of “meet” — come together
From this reading Through the open doorway morning met her, crisp and cool, with sunshine touching grass and green branch, still wet with dew.
morningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading Through the open doorway morning met her, crisp and cool, with sunshine touching grass and green branch, still wet with dew.
ninenounUS /naɪn/
the cardinal number that is the sum of eight and one
From this reading It was nine o'clock as the Signorina descended the stairs.
nymphsnounUS /nɪmfs/
plural of “nymph” — (classical mythology) a minor nature goddess usually depicted as a beautiful maiden
From this reading The very footfalls of the girl on the shallow marble steps were eager and expectant, and her face was gayer than those of the nymphs in the frescoes on the wall.
o'clockadverbUS /əˈklɑːk/
according to the clock
From this reading It was nine o'clock as the Signorina descended the stairs.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The very footfalls of the girl on the shallow marble steps were eager and expectant, and her face was gayer than those of the nymphs in the frescoes on the wall.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The very footfalls of the girl on the shallow marble steps were eager and expectant, and her face was gayer than those of the nymphs in the frescoes on the wall.
openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/
To move from a closed position.
From this reading Through the open doorway morning met her, crisp and cool, with sunshine touching grass and green branch, still wet with dew.
returnedverbUS /rɪˈtɜːrnd/
past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading "Bertuccio has returned," he announced.
shallowadjectiveUS /ˈʃæloʊ/
lacking physical depth; having little spatial extension downward or inward from an outer surface or backward or outward from a center
From this reading The very footfalls of the girl on the shallow marble steps were eager and expectant, and her face was gayer than those of the nymphs in the frescoes on the wall.
Signorinanoun
an Italian courtesy title for an unmarried woman; equivalent to “Miss”, it is either used alone or before a name
From this reading It was nine o'clock as the Signorina descended the stairs.
smilesnounUS /smaɪlz/
plural of “smile” — a facial expression characterized by turning up the corners of the mouth; usually shows pleasure or amusement
From this reading At the bottom of the stairs, Giacomo met her, his face wreathed in smiles.
stairsnounUS /sterz/
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading It was nine o'clock as the Signorina descended the stairs.
stepsnounUS /steps/
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading The very footfalls of the girl on the shallow marble steps were eager and expectant, and her face was gayer than those of the nymphs in the frescoes on the wall.
stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/
not in physical motion
From this reading Through the open doorway morning met her, crisp and cool, with sunshine touching grass and green branch, still wet with dew.
sunshinenounUS /ˈsʌnʃaɪn/
the rays of the sun
From this reading Through the open doorway morning met her, crisp and cool, with sunshine touching grass and green branch, still wet with dew.
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading The very footfalls of the girl on the shallow marble steps were eager and expectant, and her face was gayer than those of the nymphs in the frescoes on the wall.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It was nine o'clock as the Signorina descended the stairs.
thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading The very footfalls of the girl on the shallow marble steps were eager and expectant, and her face was gayer than those of the nymphs in the frescoes on the wall.
ThroughprepositionUS /θruː/
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading Through the open doorway morning met her, crisp and cool, with sunshine touching grass and green branch, still wet with dew.
touchingadjectiveUS /ˈtʌtʃɪŋ/
arousing affect
From this reading Through the open doorway morning met her, crisp and cool, with sunshine touching grass and green branch, still wet with dew.
veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/
precisely as stated
From this reading The very footfalls of the girl on the shallow marble steps were eager and expectant, and her face was gayer than those of the nymphs in the frescoes on the wall.
wallnounUS /wɔːl/
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 The very footfalls of the girl on the shallow marble steps were eager and expectant, and her face was gayer than those of the nymphs in the frescoes on the wall.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was nine o'clock as the Signorina descended the stairs.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The very footfalls of the girl on the shallow marble steps were eager and expectant, and her face was gayer than those of the nymphs in the frescoes on the wall.
wetadjectiveUS /wet/
covered or soaked with a liquid such as water
From this reading Through the open doorway morning met her, crisp and cool, with sunshine touching grass and green branch, still wet with dew.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Through the open doorway morning met her, crisp and cool, with sunshine touching grass and green branch, still wet with dew.
wreathed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At the bottom of the stairs, Giacomo met her, his face wreathed in smiles.
