used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading She was charming; a Watteau shepherdess in a fashionable ball-gown.
adorableadjectiveUS /əˈdɔːrəbəl/
lovable especially in a childlike or naive way
From this reading She possessed one of those adorable chins that defy the future to double them; smooth and round, such as a man delights to curve his palm under; and I might search the several languages I know to describe fitly her red mouth.
(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 all alone in the nook at the farther end of the conservatory; and I was glad.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading She was all alone in the nook at the farther end of the conservatory; and I was glad.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She was all alone in the nook at the farther end of the conservatory; and I was glad.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading Her eyes were brown, with a glint of gold around the pupils, a kaleidoscopic iris, as it were.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Her eyes were brown, with a glint of gold around the pupils, a kaleidoscopic iris, as it were.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading She was all alone in the nook at the farther end of the conservatory; and I was glad.
ball-gown
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was charming; a Watteau shepherdess in a fashionable ball-gown.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "I should not particularize," she observed; "married or single, it would be embarrassing."
an orange of low brightness and saturation
From this reading Her eyes were brown, with a glint of gold around the pupils, a kaleidoscopic iris, as it were.
pleasing or delighting
From this reading She was charming; a Watteau shepherdess in a fashionable ball-gown.
chins
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She possessed one of those adorable chins that defy the future to double them; smooth and round, such as a man delights to curve his palm under; and I might search the several languages I know to describe fitly her red mouth.
conservatorynounUS /kənˈsɜːrvətɔːri/
the faculty and students of a school specializing in one of the fine arts
From this reading She was all alone in the nook at the farther end of the conservatory; and I was glad.
curvenounUS /kɜːrv/
the trace of a point whose direction of motion changes
From this reading She possessed one of those adorable chins that defy the future to double them; smooth and round, such as a man delights to curve his palm under; and I might search the several languages I know to describe fitly her red mouth.
defyverbUS /dɪˈfaɪ/
resist or confront with resistance
From this reading She possessed one of those adorable chins that defy the future to double them; smooth and round, such as a man delights to curve his palm under; and I might search the several languages I know to describe fitly her red mouth.
delightsnounUS /dɪˈlaɪts/
plural of “delight” — a feeling of extreme pleasure or satisfaction
From this reading She possessed one of those adorable chins that defy the future to double them; smooth and round, such as a man delights to curve his palm under; and I might search the several languages I know to describe fitly her red mouth.
give a description of
From this reading She possessed one of those adorable chins that defy the future to double them; smooth and round, such as a man delights to curve his palm under; and I might search the several languages I know to describe fitly her red mouth.
increase twofold
From this reading She possessed one of those adorable chins that defy the future to double them; smooth and round, such as a man delights to curve his palm under; and I might search the several languages I know to describe fitly her red mouth.
embarrassingadjectiveUS /ɪmˈberəsɪŋ/
hard to deal with; especially causing pain or embarrassment
From this reading "I should not particularize," she observed; "married or single, it would be embarrassing."
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading She was all alone in the nook at the farther end of the conservatory; and I was glad.
opinion or judgment
From this reading Her eyes were brown, with a glint of gold around the pupils, a kaleidoscopic iris, as it were.
more distant in especially space or time
From this reading She was all alone in the nook at the farther end of the conservatory; and I was glad.
fashionableadjectiveUS /ˈfæʃənəbəl/
being or in accordance with current social fashions
From this reading She was charming; a Watteau shepherdess in a fashionable ball-gown.
fitlyadverb
in accordance with what is appropriate or suitable for the circumstances
From this reading She possessed one of those adorable chins that defy the future to double them; smooth and round, such as a man delights to curve his palm under; and I might search the several languages I know to describe fitly her red mouth.
yet to be or coming
From this reading She possessed one of those adorable chins that defy the future to double them; smooth and round, such as a man delights to curve his palm under; and I might search the several languages I know to describe fitly her red mouth.
showing or causing joy and pleasure; especially made happy
From this reading She was all alone in the nook at the farther end of the conservatory; and I was glad.
glintverbUS /ɡlɪnt/
be shiny, as if wet
From this reading Her eyes were brown, with a glint of gold around the pupils, a kaleidoscopic iris, as it were.
coins made of gold
From this reading Her eyes were brown, with a glint of gold around the pupils, a kaleidoscopic iris, as it were.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Her eyes were brown, with a glint of gold around the pupils, a kaleidoscopic iris, as it were.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading She possessed one of those adorable chins that defy the future to double them; smooth and round, such as a man delights to curve his palm under; and I might search the several languages I know to describe fitly her red mouth.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I should not particularize," she observed; "married or single, it would be embarrassing."
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading She was charming; a Watteau shepherdess in a fashionable ball-gown.
irisnounUS /ˈaɪrəs/
plants with sword-shaped leaves and erect stalks bearing bright-colored flowers composed of three petals and three drooping sepals
From this reading Her eyes were brown, with a glint of gold around the pupils, a kaleidoscopic iris, as it were.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "I should not particularize," she observed; "married or single, it would be embarrassing."
kaleidoscopicadjective
continually shifting or rapidly changing
From this reading Her eyes were brown, with a glint of gold around the pupils, a kaleidoscopic iris, as it were.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading She possessed one of those adorable chins that defy the future to double them; smooth and round, such as a man delights to curve his palm under; and I might search the several languages I know to describe fitly her red mouth.
languagesnounUS /ˈlæŋɡwədʒəz/
plural of “language” — a systematic means of communicating by the use of sounds or conventional symbols
From this reading She possessed one of those adorable chins that defy the future to double them; smooth and round, such as a man delights to curve his palm under; and I might search the several languages I know to describe fitly her red mouth.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading She possessed one of those adorable chins that defy the future to double them; smooth and round, such as a man delights to curve his palm under; and I might search the several languages I know to describe fitly her red mouth.
joined in matrimony
From this reading "I should not particularize," she observed; "married or single, it would be embarrassing."
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading She possessed one of those adorable chins that defy the future to double them; smooth and round, such as a man delights to curve his palm under; and I might search the several languages I know to describe fitly her red mouth.
the opening through which food is taken in and vocalizations emerge
From this reading She possessed one of those adorable chins that defy the future to double them; smooth and round, such as a man delights to curve his palm under; and I might search the several languages I know to describe fitly her red mouth.
nooknounUS /nʊk/
a sheltered and secluded place
From this reading She was all alone in the nook at the farther end of the conservatory; and I was glad.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "I should not particularize," she observed; "married or single, it would be embarrassing."
discovered or determined by scientific observation
From this reading "I should not particularize," she observed; "married or single, it would be embarrassing."
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading She was all alone in the nook at the farther end of the conservatory; and I was glad.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading She possessed one of those adorable chins that defy the future to double them; smooth and round, such as a man delights to curve his palm under; and I might search the several languages I know to describe fitly her red mouth.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading "I should not particularize," she observed; "married or single, it would be embarrassing."
palmnounUS /pɑːm/
the inner surface of the hand from the wrist to the base of the fingers
From this reading She possessed one of those adorable chins that defy the future to double them; smooth and round, such as a man delights to curve his palm under; and I might search the several languages I know to describe fitly her red mouth.
particularizeverb
be specific about
From this reading "I should not particularize," she observed; "married or single, it would be embarrassing."
influenced or controlled by a powerful force such as a strong emotion
From this reading She possessed one of those adorable chins that defy the future to double them; smooth and round, such as a man delights to curve his palm under; and I might search the several languages I know to describe fitly her red mouth.
pupilsnounUS /ˈpjuːpəlz/
plural of “pupil” — a learner who is enrolled in an educational institution
From this reading Her eyes were brown, with a glint of gold around the pupils, a kaleidoscopic iris, as it were.
red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood
From this reading She possessed one of those adorable chins that defy the future to double them; smooth and round, such as a man delights to curve his palm under; and I might search the several languages I know to describe fitly her red mouth.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading She possessed one of those adorable chins that defy the future to double them; smooth and round, such as a man delights to curve his palm under; and I might search the several languages I know to describe fitly her red mouth.
try to locate or discover, or try to establish the existence of
From this reading She possessed one of those adorable chins that defy the future to double them; smooth and round, such as a man delights to curve his palm under; and I might search the several languages I know to describe fitly her red mouth.
(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many
From this reading She possessed one of those adorable chins that defy the future to double them; smooth and round, such as a man delights to curve his palm under; and I might search the several languages I know to describe fitly her red mouth.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "I should not particularize," she observed; "married or single, it would be embarrassing."
shepherdessnoun
a woman shepherd
From this reading She was charming; a Watteau shepherdess in a fashionable ball-gown.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading "I should not particularize," she observed; "married or single, it would be embarrassing."
being or characteristic of a single thing or person
From this reading "I should not particularize," she observed; "married or single, it would be embarrassing."
having a surface free from roughness or bumps or ridges or irregularities
From this reading She possessed one of those adorable chins that defy the future to double them; smooth and round, such as a man delights to curve his palm under; and I might search the several languages I know to describe fitly her red mouth.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading She possessed one of those adorable chins that defy the future to double them; smooth and round, such as a man delights to curve his palm under; and I might search the several languages I know to describe fitly her red mouth.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading She possessed one of those adorable chins that defy the future to double them; smooth and round, such as a man delights to curve his palm under; and I might search the several languages I know to describe fitly her red mouth.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading She was all alone in the nook at the farther end of the conservatory; and I was glad.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading She possessed one of those adorable chins that defy the future to double them; smooth and round, such as a man delights to curve his palm under; and I might search the several languages I know to describe fitly her red mouth.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading She possessed one of those adorable chins that defy the future to double them; smooth and round, such as a man delights to curve his palm under; and I might search the several languages I know to describe fitly her red mouth.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading She possessed one of those adorable chins that defy the future to double them; smooth and round, such as a man delights to curve his palm under; and I might search the several languages I know to describe fitly her red mouth.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading She possessed one of those adorable chins that defy the future to double them; smooth and round, such as a man delights to curve his palm under; and I might search the several languages I know to describe fitly her red mouth.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading She was charming; a Watteau shepherdess in a fashionable ball-gown.
Watteaunoun
French painter (1684-1721)
From this reading She was charming; a Watteau shepherdess in a fashionable ball-gown.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Her eyes were brown, with a glint of gold around the pupils, a kaleidoscopic iris, as it were.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Her eyes were brown, with a glint of gold around the pupils, a kaleidoscopic iris, as it were.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading "I should not particularize," she observed; "married or single, it would be embarrassing."
