Chapter IV · Chapter 4

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

From this reading A few days after her arrival, Delia woke up in the early dawn in the large room that had been her grandmother's.

later than; following

From this reading A few days after her arrival, Delia woke up in the early dawn in the large room that had been her grandmother's.

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading On the opposite wall she saw an indifferent picture of her father as a boy of twelve on his pony; beside it a faded photograph of her mother, her beautiful mother, in her wedding dress.

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

From this reading There had never been any real sympathy between her mother and her grandmother.

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading There had never been any real sympathy between her mother and her grandmother.

accomplishment of an objective

From this reading A few days after her arrival, Delia woke up in the early dawn in the large room that had been her grandmother's.

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

From this reading On the opposite wall she saw an indifferent picture of her father as a boy of twelve on his pony; beside it a faded photograph of her mother, her beautiful mother, in her wedding dress.

delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration

From this reading On the opposite wall she saw an indifferent picture of her father as a boy of twelve on his pony; beside it a faded photograph of her mother, her beautiful mother, in her wedding dress.

a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep

From this reading She sat up in the broad white bed with its dimity curtains, her hands round her knees, peering into the half darkened room, where, however, she had thrown the windows wide open, behind the curtains, before going to sleep.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading A few days after her arrival, Delia woke up in the early dawn in the large room that had been her grandmother's.

earlier than; in front of

From this reading She sat up in the broad white bed with its dimity curtains, her hands round her knees, peering into the half darkened room, where, however, she had thrown the windows wide open, behind the curtains, before going to sleep.

at or toward the back of something

From this reading She sat up in the broad white bed with its dimity curtains, her hands round her knees, peering into the half darkened room, where, however, she had thrown the windows wide open, behind the curtains, before going to sleep.

next to; at the side of

From this reading On the opposite wall she saw an indifferent picture of her father as a boy of twelve on his pony; beside it a faded photograph of her mother, her beautiful mother, in her wedding dress.

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading There had never been any real sympathy between her mother and her grandmother.

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

From this reading Old Lady Blanchflower had resented her son's marriage with a foreign woman, with a Greek, in particular.

a youthful male person

From this reading On the opposite wall she saw an indifferent picture of her father as a boy of twelve on his pony; beside it a faded photograph of her mother, her beautiful mother, in her wedding dress.

having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other

From this reading She sat up in the broad white bed with its dimity curtains, her hands round her knees, peering into the half darkened room, where, however, she had thrown the windows wide open, behind the curtains, before going to sleep.

plural of “curtain” — hanging cloth used as a blind (especially for a window)

From this reading She sat up in the broad white bed with its dimity curtains, her hands round her knees, peering into the half darkened room, where, however, she had thrown the windows wide open, behind the curtains, before going to sleep.

(of fabrics and paper) grown dark in color over time

From this reading She sat up in the broad white bed with its dimity curtains, her hands round her knees, peering into the half darkened room, where, however, she had thrown the windows wide open, behind the curtains, before going to sleep.

the first light of day

From this reading A few days after her arrival, Delia woke up in the early dawn in the large room that had been her grandmother's.

the time during which someone's life continues

From this reading A few days after her arrival, Delia woke up in the early dawn in the large room that had been her grandmother's.

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

From this reading A few days after her arrival, Delia woke up in the early dawn in the large room that had been her grandmother's.

a strong cotton fabric with a raised pattern; used for bedcovers and curtains

From this reading She sat up in the broad white bed with its dimity curtains, her hands round her knees, peering into the half darkened room, where, however, she had thrown the windows wide open, behind the curtains, before going to sleep.

put on clothes

From this reading On the opposite wall she saw an indifferent picture of her father as a boy of twelve on his pony; beside it a faded photograph of her mother, her beautiful mother, in her wedding dress.

at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time

From this reading A few days after her arrival, Delia woke up in the early dawn in the large room that had been her grandmother's.

having lost freshness or brilliance of color

From this reading On the opposite wall she saw an indifferent picture of her father as a boy of twelve on his pony; beside it a faded photograph of her mother, her beautiful mother, in her wedding dress.

a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)

From this reading On the opposite wall she saw an indifferent picture of her father as a boy of twelve on his pony; beside it a faded photograph of her mother, her beautiful mother, in her wedding dress.

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number

From this reading A few days after her arrival, Delia woke up in the early dawn in the large room that had been her grandmother's.

of concern to or concerning the affairs of other nations (other than your own)

From this reading Old Lady Blanchflower had resented her son's marriage with a foreign woman, with a Greek, in particular.

the act of departing

From this reading She sat up in the broad white bed with its dimity curtains, her hands round her knees, peering into the half darkened room, where, however, she had thrown the windows wide open, behind the curtains, before going to sleep.

the mother of your father or mother

From this reading There had never been any real sympathy between her mother and her grandmother.

possessive form of “grandmother” — the mother of your father or mother

From this reading A few days after her arrival, Delia woke up in the early dawn in the large room that had been her grandmother's.

the Hellenic branch of the Indo-European family of languages

From this reading Old Lady Blanchflower had resented her son's marriage with a foreign woman, with a Greek, in particular.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading A few days after her arrival, Delia woke up in the early dawn in the large room that had been her grandmother's.

consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity

From this reading She sat up in the broad white bed with its dimity curtains, her hands round her knees, peering into the half darkened room, where, however, she had thrown the windows wide open, behind the curtains, before going to sleep.

(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child

From this reading She sat up in the broad white bed with its dimity curtains, her hands round her knees, peering into the half darkened room, where, however, she had thrown the windows wide open, behind the curtains, before going to sleep.

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

From this reading A few days after her arrival, Delia woke up in the early dawn in the large room that had been her grandmother's.

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading On the opposite wall she saw an indifferent picture of her father as a boy of twelve on his pony; beside it a faded photograph of her mother, her beautiful mother, in her wedding dress.

used to add a contrasting statement

From this reading She sat up in the broad white bed with its dimity curtains, her hands round her knees, peering into the half darkened room, where, however, she had thrown the windows wide open, behind the curtains, before going to sleep.

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

From this reading A few days after her arrival, Delia woke up in the early dawn in the large room that had been her grandmother's.

marked by a lack of interest

From this reading On the opposite wall she saw an indifferent picture of her father as a boy of twelve on his pony; beside it a faded photograph of her mother, her beautiful mother, in her wedding dress.

moving to the inside of something

From this reading She sat up in the broad white bed with its dimity curtains, her hands round her knees, peering into the half darkened room, where, however, she had thrown the windows wide open, behind the curtains, before going to sleep.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading On the opposite wall she saw an indifferent picture of her father as a boy of twelve on his pony; beside it a faded photograph of her mother, her beautiful mother, in her wedding dress.

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading She sat up in the broad white bed with its dimity curtains, her hands round her knees, peering into the half darkened room, where, however, she had thrown the windows wide open, behind the curtains, before going to sleep.

plural of “knee” — hinge joint in the human leg connecting the tibia and fibula with the femur and protected in front by the patella

From this reading She sat up in the broad white bed with its dimity curtains, her hands round her knees, peering into the half darkened room, where, however, she had thrown the windows wide open, behind the curtains, before going to sleep.

a polite name for any woman

From this reading Old Lady Blanchflower had resented her son's marriage with a foreign woman, with a Greek, in particular.

above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading A few days after her arrival, Delia woke up in the early dawn in the large room that had been her grandmother's.

the state of being a married couple voluntarily joined for life (or until divorce)

From this reading Old Lady Blanchflower had resented her son's marriage with a foreign woman, with a Greek, in particular.

a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)

From this reading On the opposite wall she saw an indifferent picture of her father as a boy of twelve on his pony; beside it a faded photograph of her mother, her beautiful mother, in her wedding dress.

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading There had never been any real sympathy between her mother and her grandmother.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading On the opposite wall she saw an indifferent picture of her father as a boy of twelve on his pony; beside it a faded photograph of her mother, her beautiful mother, in her wedding dress.

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

From this reading Old Lady Blanchflower had resented her son's marriage with a foreign woman, with a Greek, in particular.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading On the opposite wall she saw an indifferent picture of her father as a boy of twelve on his pony; beside it a faded photograph of her mother, her beautiful mother, in her wedding dress.

To move from a closed position.

From this reading She sat up in the broad white bed with its dimity curtains, her hands round her knees, peering into the half darkened room, where, however, she had thrown the windows wide open, behind the curtains, before going to sleep.

being directly across from each other; facing

From this reading On the opposite wall she saw an indifferent picture of her father as a boy of twelve on his pony; beside it a faded photograph of her mother, her beautiful mother, in her wedding dress.

unique or specific to a person or thing or category

From this reading Old Lady Blanchflower had resented her son's marriage with a foreign woman, with a Greek, in particular.

-ing form of “peer” — look searchingly

From this reading She sat up in the broad white bed with its dimity curtains, her hands round her knees, peering into the half darkened room, where, however, she had thrown the windows wide open, behind the curtains, before going to sleep.

record on photographic film

From this reading On the opposite wall she saw an indifferent picture of her father as a boy of twelve on his pony; beside it a faded photograph of her mother, her beautiful mother, in her wedding dress.

a visual representation (of an object or scene or person or abstraction) produced on a surface

From this reading On the opposite wall she saw an indifferent picture of her father as a boy of twelve on his pony; beside it a faded photograph of her mother, her beautiful mother, in her wedding dress.

a range horse of the western United States

From this reading On the opposite wall she saw an indifferent picture of her father as a boy of twelve on his pony; beside it a faded photograph of her mother, her beautiful mother, in her wedding dress.

being or occurring in fact or actuality; having verified existence; not illusory

From this reading There had never been any real sympathy between her mother and her grandmother.

past form of “resent” — feel bitter or indignant about

From this reading Old Lady Blanchflower had resented her son's marriage with a foreign woman, with a Greek, in particular.

an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling

From this reading A few days after her arrival, Delia woke up in the early dawn in the large room that had been her grandmother's.

a charge of ammunition for a single shot

From this reading She sat up in the broad white bed with its dimity curtains, her hands round her knees, peering into the half darkened room, where, however, she had thrown the windows wide open, behind the curtains, before going to sleep.

the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians

From this reading She sat up in the broad white bed with its dimity curtains, her hands round her knees, peering into the half darkened room, where, however, she had thrown the windows wide open, behind the curtains, before going to sleep.

cut with a saw

From this reading On the opposite wall she saw an indifferent picture of her father as a boy of twelve on his pony; beside it a faded photograph of her mother, her beautiful mother, in her wedding dress.

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

From this reading She sat up in the broad white bed with its dimity curtains, her hands round her knees, peering into the half darkened room, where, however, she had thrown the windows wide open, behind the curtains, before going to sleep.

a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended

From this reading She sat up in the broad white bed with its dimity curtains, her hands round her knees, peering into the half darkened room, where, however, she had thrown the windows wide open, behind the curtains, before going to sleep.

possessive form of “son” — a male human offspring

From this reading Old Lady Blanchflower had resented her son's marriage with a foreign woman, with a Greek, in particular.

an inclination to support or be loyal to or to agree with an opinion

From this reading There had never been any real sympathy between her mother and her grandmother.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading A few days after her arrival, Delia woke up in the early dawn in the large room that had been her grandmother's.

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

From this reading A few days after her arrival, Delia woke up in the early dawn in the large room that had been her grandmother's.

in or at that place or location

From this reading There had never been any real sympathy between her mother and her grandmother.

caused to fall to the ground

From this reading She sat up in the broad white bed with its dimity curtains, her hands round her knees, peering into the half darkened room, where, however, she had thrown the windows wide open, behind the curtains, before going to sleep.

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

From this reading She sat up in the broad white bed with its dimity curtains, her hands round her knees, peering into the half darkened room, where, however, she had thrown the windows wide open, behind the curtains, before going to sleep.

the cardinal number that is the sum of eleven and one

From this reading On the opposite wall she saw an indifferent picture of her father as a boy of twelve on his pony; beside it a faded photograph of her mother, her beautiful mother, in her wedding dress.

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading A few days after her arrival, Delia woke up in the early dawn in the large room that had been her grandmother's.

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 On the opposite wall she saw an indifferent picture of her father as a boy of twelve on his pony; beside it a faded photograph of her mother, her beautiful mother, in her wedding dress.

the social event at which the ceremony of marriage is performed

From this reading On the opposite wall she saw an indifferent picture of her father as a boy of twelve on his pony; beside it a faded photograph of her mother, her beautiful mother, in her wedding dress.

in or at the place that

From this reading She sat up in the broad white bed with its dimity curtains, her hands round her knees, peering into the half darkened room, where, however, she had thrown the windows wide open, behind the curtains, before going to sleep.

a Caucasian

From this reading She sat up in the broad white bed with its dimity curtains, her hands round her knees, peering into the half darkened room, where, however, she had thrown the windows wide open, behind the curtains, before going to sleep.

having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other

From this reading She sat up in the broad white bed with its dimity curtains, her hands round her knees, peering into the half darkened room, where, however, she had thrown the windows wide open, behind the curtains, before going to sleep.

(trademark) an operating system with a graphical user interface

From this reading She sat up in the broad white bed with its dimity curtains, her hands round her knees, peering into the half darkened room, where, however, she had thrown the windows wide open, behind the curtains, before going to sleep.

in the company of; together with

From this reading She sat up in the broad white bed with its dimity curtains, her hands round her knees, peering into the half darkened room, where, however, she had thrown the windows wide open, behind the curtains, before going to sleep.

inflected form of “wake” — be awake, be alert, be there

From this reading A few days after her arrival, Delia woke up in the early dawn in the large room that had been her grandmother's.

an adult female person (as opposed to a man)

From this reading Old Lady Blanchflower had resented her son's marriage with a foreign woman, with a Greek, in particular.