used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading One day Diana came back from a conscientious tour of the stores and found a thin and middle-aged lady sitting in the drawing-room.
the part of the day between noon and evening
From this reading “Good afternoon!
(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 She was such a middle-aged lady as might have stepped from the pages of a late Victorian novel, and Diana regarded her steadily, for she wore no hat, had the skimpy beginnings of a purple wool jumper on her knees, and in her hands two knitting needles that seemed to be operating of their own volition all the time she talked.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading One day Diana came back from a conscientious tour of the stores and found a thin and middle-aged lady sitting in the drawing-room.
aren't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading You’re Miss Ford, aren’t you, my dear?
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading She was such a middle-aged lady as might have stepped from the pages of a late Victorian novel, and Diana regarded her steadily, for she wore no hat, had the skimpy beginnings of a purple wool jumper on her knees, and in her hands two knitting needles that seemed to be operating of their own volition all the time she talked.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading One day Diana came back from a conscientious tour of the stores and found a thin and middle-aged lady sitting in the drawing-room.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading She was such a middle-aged lady as might have stepped from the pages of a late Victorian novel, and Diana regarded her steadily, for she wore no hat, had the skimpy beginnings of a purple wool jumper on her knees, and in her hands two knitting needles that seemed to be operating of their own volition all the time she talked.
beginningsnounUS /bɪˈɡɪnɪŋz/
plural of “beginning” — the event consisting of the start of something
From this reading She was such a middle-aged lady as might have stepped from the pages of a late Victorian novel, and Diana regarded her steadily, for she wore no hat, had the skimpy beginnings of a purple wool jumper on her knees, and in her hands two knitting needles that seemed to be operating of their own volition all the time she talked.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading One day Diana came back from a conscientious tour of the stores and found a thin and middle-aged lady sitting in the drawing-room.
conscientiousadjectiveUS /ˌkɑːnʃiˈenʃəs/
characterized by extreme care and great effort
From this reading One day Diana came back from a conscientious tour of the stores and found a thin and middle-aged lady sitting in the drawing-room.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading One day Diana came back from a conscientious tour of the stores and found a thin and middle-aged lady sitting in the drawing-room.
dearly loved
From this reading You’re Miss Ford, aren’t you, my dear?
deferentialadjectiveUS /ˌdefərˈentʃəl/
showing deference
From this reading She greeted Diana with a deferential smile.
DiananounUS /daɪˈænə/
English aristocrat who was the first wife of Prince Charles; her death in an automobile accident in Paris produced intense national mourning (1961-1997)
From this reading One day Diana came back from a conscientious tour of the stores and found a thin and middle-aged lady sitting in the drawing-room.
drawing-room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One day Diana came back from a conscientious tour of the stores and found a thin and middle-aged lady sitting in the drawing-room.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading She was such a middle-aged lady as might have stepped from the pages of a late Victorian novel, and Diana regarded her steadily, for she wore no hat, had the skimpy beginnings of a purple wool jumper on her knees, and in her hands two knitting needles that seemed to be operating of their own volition all the time she talked.
FordnounUS /fɔːrd/
United States film maker (1896-1973)
From this reading You’re Miss Ford, aren’t you, my dear?
set up or found
From this reading One day Diana came back from a conscientious tour of the stores and found a thin and middle-aged lady sitting in the drawing-room.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading One day Diana came back from a conscientious tour of the stores and found a thin and middle-aged lady sitting in the drawing-room.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading “Good afternoon!
past form of “greet” — express greetings upon meeting someone
From this reading She greeted Diana with a deferential smile.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading She was such a middle-aged lady as might have stepped from the pages of a late Victorian novel, and Diana regarded her steadily, for she wore no hat, had the skimpy beginnings of a purple wool jumper on her knees, and in her hands two knitting needles that seemed to be operating of their own volition all the time she talked.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading She was such a middle-aged lady as might have stepped from the pages of a late Victorian novel, and Diana regarded her steadily, for she wore no hat, had the skimpy beginnings of a purple wool jumper on her knees, and in her hands two knitting needles that seemed to be operating of their own volition all the time she talked.
headdress that protects the head from bad weather; has shaped crown and usually a brim
From this reading She was such a middle-aged lady as might have stepped from the pages of a late Victorian novel, and Diana regarded her steadily, for she wore no hat, had the skimpy beginnings of a purple wool jumper on her knees, and in her hands two knitting needles that seemed to be operating of their own volition all the time she talked.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading She was such a middle-aged lady as might have stepped from the pages of a late Victorian novel, and Diana regarded her steadily, for she wore no hat, had the skimpy beginnings of a purple wool jumper on her knees, and in her hands two knitting needles that seemed to be operating of their own volition all the time she talked.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She was such a middle-aged lady as might have stepped from the pages of a late Victorian novel, and Diana regarded her steadily, for she wore no hat, had the skimpy beginnings of a purple wool jumper on her knees, and in her hands two knitting needles that seemed to be operating of their own volition all the time she talked.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading One day Diana came back from a conscientious tour of the stores and found a thin and middle-aged lady sitting in the drawing-room.
jumpernounUS /ˈdʒʌmpər/
a person who jumps
From this reading She was such a middle-aged lady as might have stepped from the pages of a late Victorian novel, and Diana regarded her steadily, for she wore no hat, had the skimpy beginnings of a purple wool jumper on her knees, and in her hands two knitting needles that seemed to be operating of their own volition all the time she talked.
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 was such a middle-aged lady as might have stepped from the pages of a late Victorian novel, and Diana regarded her steadily, for she wore no hat, had the skimpy beginnings of a purple wool jumper on her knees, and in her hands two knitting needles that seemed to be operating of their own volition all the time she talked.
knittingnounUS /ˈnɪtɪŋ/
needlework created by interlacing yarn in a series of connected loops using straight eyeless needles or by machine
From this reading She was such a middle-aged lady as might have stepped from the pages of a late Victorian novel, and Diana regarded her steadily, for she wore no hat, had the skimpy beginnings of a purple wool jumper on her knees, and in her hands two knitting needles that seemed to be operating of their own volition all the time she talked.
a polite name for any woman
From this reading One day Diana came back from a conscientious tour of the stores and found a thin and middle-aged lady sitting in the drawing-room.
being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time
From this reading She was such a middle-aged lady as might have stepped from the pages of a late Victorian novel, and Diana regarded her steadily, for she wore no hat, had the skimpy beginnings of a purple wool jumper on her knees, and in her hands two knitting needles that seemed to be operating of their own volition all the time she talked.
middle-agedadjectiveUS /ˈmɪdəleɪɡd/
being roughly between 45 and 65 years old
From this reading One day Diana came back from a conscientious tour of the stores and found a thin and middle-aged lady sitting in the drawing-room.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading She was such a middle-aged lady as might have stepped from the pages of a late Victorian novel, and Diana regarded her steadily, for she wore no hat, had the skimpy beginnings of a purple wool jumper on her knees, and in her hands two knitting needles that seemed to be operating of their own volition all the time she talked.
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading You’re Miss Ford, aren’t you, my dear?
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading You’re Miss Ford, aren’t you, my dear?
needlesnounUS /ˈniːdəlz/
plural of “needle” — the leaf of a conifer
From this reading She was such a middle-aged lady as might have stepped from the pages of a late Victorian novel, and Diana regarded her steadily, for she wore no hat, had the skimpy beginnings of a purple wool jumper on her knees, and in her hands two knitting needles that seemed to be operating of their own volition all the time she talked.
not any; not one
From this reading She was such a middle-aged lady as might have stepped from the pages of a late Victorian novel, and Diana regarded her steadily, for she wore no hat, had the skimpy beginnings of a purple wool jumper on her knees, and in her hands two knitting needles that seemed to be operating of their own volition all the time she talked.
an extended fictional work in prose; usually in the form of a story
From this reading She was such a middle-aged lady as might have stepped from the pages of a late Victorian novel, and Diana regarded her steadily, for she wore no hat, had the skimpy beginnings of a purple wool jumper on her knees, and in her hands two knitting needles that seemed to be operating of their own volition all the time she talked.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading One day Diana came back from a conscientious tour of the stores and found a thin and middle-aged lady sitting in the drawing-room.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading She was such a middle-aged lady as might have stepped from the pages of a late Victorian novel, and Diana regarded her steadily, for she wore no hat, had the skimpy beginnings of a purple wool jumper on her knees, and in her hands two knitting needles that seemed to be operating of their own volition all the time she talked.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading One day Diana came back from a conscientious tour of the stores and found a thin and middle-aged lady sitting in the drawing-room.
operatingadjectiveUS /ˈɑːpəreɪtɪŋ/
involved in a kind of operation
From this reading She was such a middle-aged lady as might have stepped from the pages of a late Victorian novel, and Diana regarded her steadily, for she wore no hat, had the skimpy beginnings of a purple wool jumper on her knees, and in her hands two knitting needles that seemed to be operating of their own volition all the time she talked.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading She was such a middle-aged lady as might have stepped from the pages of a late Victorian novel, and Diana regarded her steadily, for she wore no hat, had the skimpy beginnings of a purple wool jumper on her knees, and in her hands two knitting needles that seemed to be operating of their own volition all the time she talked.
plural of “page” — one side of one leaf (of a book or magazine or newspaper or letter etc.) or the written or pictorial matter it contains
From this reading She was such a middle-aged lady as might have stepped from the pages of a late Victorian novel, and Diana regarded her steadily, for she wore no hat, had the skimpy beginnings of a purple wool jumper on her knees, and in her hands two knitting needles that seemed to be operating of their own volition all the time she talked.
a purple color or pigment
From this reading She was such a middle-aged lady as might have stepped from the pages of a late Victorian novel, and Diana regarded her steadily, for she wore no hat, had the skimpy beginnings of a purple wool jumper on her knees, and in her hands two knitting needles that seemed to be operating of their own volition all the time she talked.
past form of “regard” — deem to be
From this reading She was such a middle-aged lady as might have stepped from the pages of a late Victorian novel, and Diana regarded her steadily, for she wore no hat, had the skimpy beginnings of a purple wool jumper on her knees, and in her hands two knitting needles that seemed to be operating of their own volition all the time she talked.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading She was such a middle-aged lady as might have stepped from the pages of a late Victorian novel, and Diana regarded her steadily, for she wore no hat, had the skimpy beginnings of a purple wool jumper on her knees, and in her hands two knitting needles that seemed to be operating of their own volition all the time she talked.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She greeted Diana with a deferential smile.
(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)
From this reading One day Diana came back from a conscientious tour of the stores and found a thin and middle-aged lady sitting in the drawing-room.
skimpyadjectiveUS /ˈskɪmpi/
containing little excess
From this reading She was such a middle-aged lady as might have stepped from the pages of a late Victorian novel, and Diana regarded her steadily, for she wore no hat, had the skimpy beginnings of a purple wool jumper on her knees, and in her hands two knitting needles that seemed to be operating of their own volition all the time she talked.
change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure
From this reading She greeted Diana with a deferential smile.
at a steady rate or pace
From this reading She was such a middle-aged lady as might have stepped from the pages of a late Victorian novel, and Diana regarded her steadily, for she wore no hat, had the skimpy beginnings of a purple wool jumper on her knees, and in her hands two knitting needles that seemed to be operating of their own volition all the time she talked.
inflected form of “step” — shift or move by taking a step
From this reading She was such a middle-aged lady as might have stepped from the pages of a late Victorian novel, and Diana regarded her steadily, for she wore no hat, had the skimpy beginnings of a purple wool jumper on her knees, and in her hands two knitting needles that seemed to be operating of their own volition all the time she talked.
storesnounUS /stɔːrz/
plural of “store” — a mercantile establishment for the retail sale of goods or services
From this reading One day Diana came back from a conscientious tour of the stores and found a thin and middle-aged lady sitting in the drawing-room.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading She was such a middle-aged lady as might have stepped from the pages of a late Victorian novel, and Diana regarded her steadily, for she wore no hat, had the skimpy beginnings of a purple wool jumper on her knees, and in her hands two knitting needles that seemed to be operating of their own volition all the time she talked.
past form of “talk” — exchange thoughts; talk with
From this reading She was such a middle-aged lady as might have stepped from the pages of a late Victorian novel, and Diana regarded her steadily, for she wore no hat, had the skimpy beginnings of a purple wool jumper on her knees, and in her hands two knitting needles that seemed to be operating of their own volition all the time she talked.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading She was such a middle-aged lady as might have stepped from the pages of a late Victorian novel, and Diana regarded her steadily, for she wore no hat, had the skimpy beginnings of a purple wool jumper on her knees, and in her hands two knitting needles that seemed to be operating of their own volition all the time she talked.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading One day Diana came back from a conscientious tour of the stores and found a thin and middle-aged lady sitting in the drawing-room.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading She was such a middle-aged lady as might have stepped from the pages of a late Victorian novel, and Diana regarded her steadily, for she wore no hat, had the skimpy beginnings of a purple wool jumper on her knees, and in her hands two knitting needles that seemed to be operating of their own volition all the time she talked.
Having little thickness or extent.
From this reading One day Diana came back from a conscientious tour of the stores and found a thin and middle-aged lady sitting in the drawing-room.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading She was such a middle-aged lady as might have stepped from the pages of a late Victorian novel, and Diana regarded her steadily, for she wore no hat, had the skimpy beginnings of a purple wool jumper on her knees, and in her hands two knitting needles that seemed to be operating of their own volition all the time she talked.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading She was such a middle-aged lady as might have stepped from the pages of a late Victorian novel, and Diana regarded her steadily, for she wore no hat, had the skimpy beginnings of a purple wool jumper on her knees, and in her hands two knitting needles that seemed to be operating of their own volition all the time she talked.
tournounUS /tʊr/
a journey or route all the way around a particular place or area
From this reading One day Diana came back from a conscientious tour of the stores and found a thin and middle-aged lady sitting in the drawing-room.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading She was such a middle-aged lady as might have stepped from the pages of a late Victorian novel, and Diana regarded her steadily, for she wore no hat, had the skimpy beginnings of a purple wool jumper on her knees, and in her hands two knitting needles that seemed to be operating of their own volition all the time she talked.
VictorianadjectiveUS /vɪkˈtɔːriən/
of or relating to Queen Victoria of Great Britain or to the age in which she ruled
From this reading She was such a middle-aged lady as might have stepped from the pages of a late Victorian novel, and Diana regarded her steadily, for she wore no hat, had the skimpy beginnings of a purple wool jumper on her knees, and in her hands two knitting needles that seemed to be operating of their own volition all the time she talked.
volitionnounUS /voʊˈlɪʃən/
the capability of conscious choice and decision and intention
From this reading She was such a middle-aged lady as might have stepped from the pages of a late Victorian novel, and Diana regarded her steadily, for she wore no hat, had the skimpy beginnings of a purple wool jumper on her knees, and in her hands two knitting needles that seemed to be operating of their own volition all the time she talked.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading She was such a middle-aged lady as might have stepped from the pages of a late Victorian novel, and Diana regarded her steadily, for she wore no hat, had the skimpy beginnings of a purple wool jumper on her knees, and in her hands two knitting needles that seemed to be operating of their own volition all the time she talked.
in the company of; together with
From this reading She greeted Diana with a deferential smile.
woolnounUS /wʊl/
a fabric made from the hair of sheep
From this reading She was such a middle-aged lady as might have stepped from the pages of a late Victorian novel, and Diana regarded her steadily, for she wore no hat, had the skimpy beginnings of a purple wool jumper on her knees, and in her hands two knitting needles that seemed to be operating of their own volition all the time she talked.
inflected form of “wear” — be dressed in
From this reading She was such a middle-aged lady as might have stepped from the pages of a late Victorian novel, and Diana regarded her steadily, for she wore no hat, had the skimpy beginnings of a purple wool jumper on her knees, and in her hands two knitting needles that seemed to be operating of their own volition all the time she talked.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading You’re Miss Ford, aren’t you, my dear?
You're
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading You’re Miss Ford, aren’t you, my dear?
