used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading At least, as much as a room furnished with cane-seated chairs, a threadbare carpet not half covering the boards, and a stained green-baize table-cover, can be smartened.
Alice
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Frank Raynor and his wife had come down to wish her many happy returns of it and to take tea with her; Alice had been invited; Charles had said he would be home early.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading At least, as much as a room furnished with cane-seated chairs, a threadbare carpet not half covering the boards, and a stained green-baize table-cover, can be smartened.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading At least, as much as a room furnished with cane-seated chairs, a threadbare carpet not half covering the boards, and a stained green-baize table-cover, can be smartened.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At least, as much as a room furnished with cane-seated chairs, a threadbare carpet not half covering the boards, and a stained green-baize table-cover, can be smartened.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading At least, as much as a room furnished with cane-seated chairs, a threadbare carpet not half covering the boards, and a stained green-baize table-cover, can be smartened.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Frank Raynor and his wife had come down to wish her many happy returns of it and to take tea with her; Alice had been invited; Charles had said he would be home early.
birthdaynounUS /ˈbɜːrθdeɪ/
an anniversary of the day on which a person was born (or the celebration of it)
From this reading It was Mrs. Raynor's birthday.
boardsnounUS /bɔːrdz/
(used in the plural) the stage of a theater
From this reading At least, as much as a room furnished with cane-seated chairs, a threadbare carpet not half covering the boards, and a stained green-baize table-cover, can be smartened.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading At least, as much as a room furnished with cane-seated chairs, a threadbare carpet not half covering the boards, and a stained green-baize table-cover, can be smartened.
cane-seated
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At least, as much as a room furnished with cane-seated chairs, a threadbare carpet not half covering the boards, and a stained green-baize table-cover, can be smartened.
carpetnounUS /ˈkɑːrpət/
floor covering consisting of a piece of thick heavy fabric (usually with nap or pile)
From this reading At least, as much as a room furnished with cane-seated chairs, a threadbare carpet not half covering the boards, and a stained green-baize table-cover, can be smartened.
plural of “chair” — a seat for one person, with a support for the back
From this reading At least, as much as a room furnished with cane-seated chairs, a threadbare carpet not half covering the boards, and a stained green-baize table-cover, can be smartened.
King of France from 1560 to 1574 whose reign was dominated by his mother Catherine de Medicis (1550-1574)
From this reading Frank Raynor and his wife had come down to wish her many happy returns of it and to take tea with her; Alice had been invited; Charles had said he would be home early.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Frank Raynor and his wife had come down to wish her many happy returns of it and to take tea with her; Alice had been invited; Charles had said he would be home early.
coveringnounUS /ˈkʌvərɪŋ/
a natural object that covers or envelops
From this reading At least, as much as a room furnished with cane-seated chairs, a threadbare carpet not half covering the boards, and a stained green-baize table-cover, can be smartened.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Frank Raynor and his wife had come down to wish her many happy returns of it and to take tea with her; Alice had been invited; Charles had said he would be home early.
earlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/
at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time
From this reading Frank Raynor and his wife had come down to wish her many happy returns of it and to take tea with her; Alice had been invited; Charles had said he would be home early.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The room was smartened up for the occasion.
characterized by directness in manner or speech; without subtlety or evasion
From this reading Frank Raynor and his wife had come down to wish her many happy returns of it and to take tea with her; Alice had been invited; Charles had said he would be home early.
provided with whatever is necessary for a purpose (as furniture or equipment or authority)
From this reading At least, as much as a room furnished with cane-seated chairs, a threadbare carpet not half covering the boards, and a stained green-baize table-cover, can be smartened.
green-baize
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At least, as much as a room furnished with cane-seated chairs, a threadbare carpet not half covering the boards, and a stained green-baize table-cover, can be smartened.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Frank Raynor and his wife had come down to wish her many happy returns of it and to take tea with her; Alice had been invited; Charles had said he would be home early.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading At least, as much as a room furnished with cane-seated chairs, a threadbare carpet not half covering the boards, and a stained green-baize table-cover, can be smartened.
enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure
From this reading Frank Raynor and his wife had come down to wish her many happy returns of it and to take tea with her; Alice had been invited; Charles had said he would be home early.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Frank Raynor and his wife had come down to wish her many happy returns of it and to take tea with her; Alice had been invited; Charles had said he would be home early.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Frank Raynor and his wife had come down to wish her many happy returns of it and to take tea with her; Alice had been invited; Charles had said he would be home early.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Frank Raynor and his wife had come down to wish her many happy returns of it and to take tea with her; Alice had been invited; Charles had said he would be home early.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading Frank Raynor and his wife had come down to wish her many happy returns of it and to take tea with her; Alice had been invited; Charles had said he would be home early.
past form of “invite” — increase the likelihood of
From this reading Frank Raynor and his wife had come down to wish her many happy returns of it and to take tea with her; Alice had been invited; Charles had said he would be home early.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was Mrs. Raynor's birthday.
JEALOUSYnounUS /ˈdʒeləsi/
a feeling of jealous envy (especially of a rival)
From this reading JEALOUSY.
the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree
From this reading At least, as much as a room furnished with cane-seated chairs, a threadbare carpet not half covering the boards, and a stained green-baize table-cover, can be smartened.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading Frank Raynor and his wife had come down to wish her many happy returns of it and to take tea with her; Alice had been invited; Charles had said he would be home early.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading It was Mrs. Raynor's birthday.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading At least, as much as a room furnished with cane-seated chairs, a threadbare carpet not half covering the boards, and a stained green-baize table-cover, can be smartened.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading At least, as much as a room furnished with cane-seated chairs, a threadbare carpet not half covering the boards, and a stained green-baize table-cover, can be smartened.
an event that occurs at a critical time
From this reading The room was smartened up for the occasion.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Frank Raynor and his wife had come down to wish her many happy returns of it and to take tea with her; Alice had been invited; Charles had said he would be home early.
Raynor
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Frank Raynor and his wife had come down to wish her many happy returns of it and to take tea with her; Alice had been invited; Charles had said he would be home early.
Raynor's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was Mrs. Raynor's birthday.
returnsnounUS /rɪˈtɜːrnz/
plural of “return” — document giving the tax collector information about the taxpayer's tax liability
From this reading Frank Raynor and his wife had come down to wish her many happy returns of it and to take tea with her; Alice had been invited; Charles had said he would be home early.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading The room was smartened up for the occasion.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading Frank Raynor and his wife had come down to wish her many happy returns of it and to take tea with her; Alice had been invited; Charles had said he would be home early.
smartened
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The room was smartened up for the occasion.
stainedadjectiveUS /steɪnd/
marked or dyed or discolored with foreign matter
From this reading At least, as much as a room furnished with cane-seated chairs, a threadbare carpet not half covering the boards, and a stained green-baize table-cover, can be smartened.
table-cover
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At least, as much as a room furnished with cane-seated chairs, a threadbare carpet not half covering the boards, and a stained green-baize table-cover, can be smartened.
carry out
From this reading Frank Raynor and his wife had come down to wish her many happy returns of it and to take tea with her; Alice had been invited; Charles had said he would be home early.
a beverage made by steeping tea leaves in water
From this reading Frank Raynor and his wife had come down to wish her many happy returns of it and to take tea with her; Alice had been invited; Charles had said he would be home early.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The room was smartened up for the occasion.
threadbareadjectiveUS /ˈθredber/
repeated too often; overfamiliar through overuse
From this reading At least, as much as a room furnished with cane-seated chairs, a threadbare carpet not half covering the boards, and a stained green-baize table-cover, can be smartened.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Frank Raynor and his wife had come down to wish her many happy returns of it and to take tea with her; Alice had been invited; Charles had said he would be home early.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading The room was smartened up for the occasion.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The room was smartened up for the occasion.
a married woman; a man's partner in marriage
From this reading Frank Raynor and his wife had come down to wish her many happy returns of it and to take tea with her; Alice had been invited; Charles had said he would be home early.
hope for; have a wish
From this reading Frank Raynor and his wife had come down to wish her many happy returns of it and to take tea with her; Alice had been invited; Charles had said he would be home early.
in the company of; together with
From this reading At least, as much as a room furnished with cane-seated chairs, a threadbare carpet not half covering the boards, and a stained green-baize table-cover, can be smartened.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Frank Raynor and his wife had come down to wish her many happy returns of it and to take tea with her; Alice had been invited; Charles had said he would be home early.
