used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The people the drab-coated footman escorted to the first-class carriage were a mother and daughter.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading She wore an extremely smart travelling-dress and a wonderful dust-cloak of cool, pale, thin silk.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The people the drab-coated footman escorted to the first-class carriage were a mother and daughter.
appointmentsnounUS /əˈpɔɪntmənts/
plural of “appointment” — the act of putting a person into a non-elective position
From this reading She was not an elegant person, but her appointments were luxurious and self-indulgent.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The mother had regular little features, and would have been pretty if she had not been much too plump.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading She was not an elegant person, but her appointments were luxurious and self-indulgent.
a railcar where passengers ride
From this reading The people the drab-coated footman escorted to the first-class carriage were a mother and daughter.
neither warm nor very cold; giving relief from heat
From this reading She wore an extremely smart travelling-dress and a wonderful dust-cloak of cool, pale, thin silk.
a female human offspring
From this reading The people the drab-coated footman escorted to the first-class carriage were a mother and daughter.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Even the servants' hall was likely to know less of prices than this one guest did.
drab-coated
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The people the drab-coated footman escorted to the first-class carriage were a mother and daughter.
dust-cloak
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She wore an extremely smart travelling-dress and a wonderful dust-cloak of cool, pale, thin silk.
elegantadjectiveUS /ˈeləɡənt/
refined and tasteful in appearance or behavior or style
From this reading She was not an elegant person, but her appointments were luxurious and self-indulgent.
escortedverbUS /eˈskɔːrtɪd/
past form of “escort” — accompany as an escort
From this reading The people the drab-coated footman escorted to the first-class carriage were a mother and daughter.
divisible by two
From this reading Even the servants' hall was likely to know less of prices than this one guest did.
to a high degree or extent; favorably or with much respect
From this reading She wore an extremely smart travelling-dress and a wonderful dust-cloak of cool, pale, thin silk.
plural of “feature” — a prominent attribute or aspect of something
From this reading The mother had regular little features, and would have been pretty if she had not been much too plump.
first-classadjectiveUS /ˌfɜːrstˈklæs/
very good; of the highest quality
From this reading The people the drab-coated footman escorted to the first-class carriage were a mother and daughter.
footmannounUS /ˈfʊtmən/
a man employed as a servant in a large establishment (as a palace) to run errands and do chores
From this reading The people the drab-coated footman escorted to the first-class carriage were a mother and daughter.
a visitor to whom hospitality is extended
From this reading Even the servants' hall was likely to know less of prices than this one guest did.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The mother had regular little features, and would have been pretty if she had not been much too plump.
an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open
From this reading Even the servants' hall was likely to know less of prices than this one guest did.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading The mother had regular little features, and would have been pretty if she had not been much too plump.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She was not an elegant person, but her appointments were luxurious and self-indulgent.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading The mother had regular little features, and would have been pretty if she had not been much too plump.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading Even the servants' hall was likely to know less of prices than this one guest did.
used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs
From this reading Even the servants' hall was likely to know less of prices than this one guest did.
has a good chance of being the case or of coming about
From this reading Even the servants' hall was likely to know less of prices than this one guest did.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The mother had regular little features, and would have been pretty if she had not been much too plump.
luxuriousadjectiveUS /ləɡˈʒɜːriəs/
displaying luxury and furnishing gratification to the senses
From this reading She was not an elegant person, but her appointments were luxurious and self-indulgent.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading The people the drab-coated footman escorted to the first-class carriage were a mother and daughter.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading The mother had regular little features, and would have been pretty if she had not been much too plump.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The mother had regular little features, and would have been pretty if she had not been much too plump.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Even the servants' hall was likely to know less of prices than this one guest did.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Even the servants' hall was likely to know less of prices than this one guest did.
very light colored; highly diluted with white
From this reading She wore an extremely smart travelling-dress and a wonderful dust-cloak of cool, pale, thin silk.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading The people the drab-coated footman escorted to the first-class carriage were a mother and daughter.
a human being
From this reading She was not an elegant person, but her appointments were luxurious and self-indulgent.
plumpadjectiveUS /plʌmp/
sufficiently fat so as to have a pleasing fullness of figure
From this reading The mother had regular little features, and would have been pretty if she had not been much too plump.
pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing
From this reading The mother had regular little features, and would have been pretty if she had not been much too plump.
pricesnounUS /ˈpraɪsəz/
plural of “price” — the property of having material worth (often indicated by the amount of money something would bring if sold)
From this reading Even the servants' hall was likely to know less of prices than this one guest did.
in accordance with fixed order or procedure or principle
From this reading The mother had regular little features, and would have been pretty if she had not been much too plump.
self-indulgentadjective
indulgent of your own appetites and desires
From this reading She was not an elegant person, but her appointments were luxurious and self-indulgent.
plural of “servant” — a person working in the service of another (especially in the household)
From this reading Even the servants' hall was likely to know less of prices than this one guest did.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The mother had regular little features, and would have been pretty if she had not been much too plump.
a fabric made from the fine threads produced by certain insect larvae
From this reading She wore an extremely smart travelling-dress and a wonderful dust-cloak of cool, pale, thin silk.
smartadjectiveUS /smɑːrt/
showing mental alertness and calculation and resourcefulness
From this reading She wore an extremely smart travelling-dress and a wonderful dust-cloak of cool, pale, thin silk.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Even the servants' hall was likely to know less of prices than this one guest did.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Even the servants' hall was likely to know less of prices than this one guest did.
Having little thickness or extent.
From this reading She wore an extremely smart travelling-dress and a wonderful dust-cloak of cool, pale, thin silk.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Even the servants' hall was likely to know less of prices than this one guest did.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Even the servants' hall was likely to know less of prices than this one guest did.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading The mother had regular little features, and would have been pretty if she had not been much too plump.
travelling-dress
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She wore an extremely smart travelling-dress and a wonderful dust-cloak of cool, pale, thin silk.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Even the servants' hall was likely to know less of prices than this one guest did.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The people the drab-coated footman escorted to the first-class carriage were a mother and daughter.
extraordinarily good or great; used especially as intensifiers
From this reading She wore an extremely smart travelling-dress and a wonderful dust-cloak of cool, pale, thin silk.
inflected form of “wear” — be dressed in
From this reading She wore an extremely smart travelling-dress and a wonderful dust-cloak of cool, pale, thin silk.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading The mother had regular little features, and would have been pretty if she had not been much too plump.
