adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading This domestic life, once so monotonous, was now quickened with the intense interest of a secret that bound these women intimately together.
absorbedadjectiveUS /əbˈzɔːrbd/
giving or marked by complete attention to
From this reading One Sunday morning her mother surprised her as she stood absorbed in finding her cousin’s features in his mother’s face.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading For them Charles lived and moved beneath the grim gray rafters of the hall.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading One Sunday morning her mother surprised her as she stood absorbed in finding her cousin’s features in his mother’s face.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Night and morning Eugenie opened the dressing-case and gazed at the portrait of her aunt.
auntnounUS /ænt/
the sister of your father or mother; the wife of your uncle
From this reading Night and morning Eugenie opened the dressing-case and gazed at the portrait of her aunt.
beneathprepositionUS /bɪˈniːθ/
Directly under; in or to a lower position than.
From this reading For them Charles lived and moved beneath the grim gray rafters of the hall.
boundadjectiveUS /baʊnd/
confined by bonds
From this reading This domestic life, once so monotonous, was now quickened with the intense interest of a secret that bound these women intimately together.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading X Two months went by.
CharlesnounUS /tʃɑːrlz/
King of France from 1560 to 1574 whose reign was dominated by his mother Catherine de Medicis (1550-1574)
From this reading For them Charles lived and moved beneath the grim gray rafters of the hall.
cousin'snounUS /ˈkʌzənz/
possessive form of “cousin” — the child of your aunt or uncle
From this reading One Sunday morning her mother surprised her as she stood absorbed in finding her cousin’s features in his mother’s face.
domesticadjectiveUS /dəˈmestɪk/
of concern to or concerning the internal affairs of a nation
From this reading This domestic life, once so monotonous, was now quickened with the intense interest of a secret that bound these women intimately together.
dressing-case
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Night and morning Eugenie opened the dressing-case and gazed at the portrait of her aunt.
Eugenie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Night and morning Eugenie opened the dressing-case and gazed at the portrait of her aunt.
facenounUS /feɪs/
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading One Sunday morning her mother surprised her as she stood absorbed in finding her cousin’s features in his mother’s face.
featuresnounUS /ˈfiːtʃərz/
plural of “feature” — a prominent attribute or aspect of something
From this reading One Sunday morning her mother surprised her as she stood absorbed in finding her cousin’s features in his mother’s face.
findingnounUS /ˈfaɪndɪŋ/
the act of determining the properties of something, usually by research or calculation
From this reading One Sunday morning her mother surprised her as she stood absorbed in finding her cousin’s features in his mother’s face.
ForprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For them Charles lived and moved beneath the grim gray rafters of the hall.
gazedverbUS /ɡeɪzd/
past form of “gaze” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading Night and morning Eugenie opened the dressing-case and gazed at the portrait of her aunt.
graynounUS /ɡreɪ/
a neutral achromatic color midway between white and black
From this reading For them Charles lived and moved beneath the grim gray rafters of the hall.
grimadjectiveUS /ɡrɪm/
not to be placated or appeased or moved by entreaty
From this reading For them Charles lived and moved beneath the grim gray rafters of the hall.
hallnounUS /hɔːl/
an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open
From this reading For them Charles lived and moved beneath the grim gray rafters of the hall.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Night and morning Eugenie opened the dressing-case and gazed at the portrait of her aunt.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading One Sunday morning her mother surprised her as she stood absorbed in finding her cousin’s features in his mother’s face.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading One Sunday morning her mother surprised her as she stood absorbed in finding her cousin’s features in his mother’s face.
intenseadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈtens/
possessing or displaying a distinctive feature to a heightened degree
From this reading This domestic life, once so monotonous, was now quickened with the intense interest of a secret that bound these women intimately together.
interestnounUS /ˈɪntrəst/
a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something
From this reading This domestic life, once so monotonous, was now quickened with the intense interest of a secret that bound these women intimately together.
intimatelyadverbUS /ˈɪntəmətli/
in a close manner
From this reading This domestic life, once so monotonous, was now quickened with the intense interest of a secret that bound these women intimately together.
lifenounUS /laɪf/
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading This domestic life, once so monotonous, was now quickened with the intense interest of a secret that bound these women intimately together.
livedverbUS /lɪvd/
past form of “live” — be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading For them Charles lived and moved beneath the grim gray rafters of the hall.
monotonousadjectiveUS /məˈnɑːtənəs/
tediously repetitious or lacking in variety
From this reading This domestic life, once so monotonous, was now quickened with the intense interest of a secret that bound these women intimately together.
monthsnounUS /mʌnθs/
plural of “month” — one of the twelve divisions of the calendar year
From this reading X Two months went by.
morningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading Night and morning Eugenie opened the dressing-case and gazed at the portrait of her aunt.
mothernounUS /ˈmʌðər/
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading One Sunday morning her mother surprised her as she stood absorbed in finding her cousin’s features in his mother’s face.
mother'snounUS /ˈmʌðərz/
possessive form of “mother” — a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading One Sunday morning her mother surprised her as she stood absorbed in finding her cousin’s features in his mother’s face.
movedadjectiveUS /muːvd/
being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion
From this reading For them Charles lived and moved beneath the grim gray rafters of the hall.
NightnounUS /naɪt/
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading Night and morning Eugenie opened the dressing-case and gazed at the portrait of her aunt.
nowadverbUS /naʊ/
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading This domestic life, once so monotonous, was now quickened with the intense interest of a secret that bound these women intimately together.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading This domestic life, once so monotonous, was now quickened with the intense interest of a secret that bound these women intimately together.
onceadverbUS /wʌns/
on one occasion
From this reading This domestic life, once so monotonous, was now quickened with the intense interest of a secret that bound these women intimately together.
OnepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading One Sunday morning her mother surprised her as she stood absorbed in finding her cousin’s features in his mother’s face.
openedadjectiveUS /ˈoʊpənd/
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading Night and morning Eugenie opened the dressing-case and gazed at the portrait of her aunt.
portraitnounUS /ˈpɔːrtrət/
a word picture of a person's appearance and character
From this reading Night and morning Eugenie opened the dressing-case and gazed at the portrait of her aunt.
quickenedverbUS /ˈkwɪkənd/
past form of “quicken” — move faster
From this reading This domestic life, once so monotonous, was now quickened with the intense interest of a secret that bound these women intimately together.
raftersnounUS /ˈræftərz/
plural of “rafter” — one of several parallel sloping beams that support a roof
From this reading For them Charles lived and moved beneath the grim gray rafters of the hall.
secretnounUS /ˈsiː.krət/
Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.
From this reading This domestic life, once so monotonous, was now quickened with the intense interest of a secret that bound these women intimately together.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading One Sunday morning her mother surprised her as she stood absorbed in finding her cousin’s features in his mother’s face.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading This domestic life, once so monotonous, was now quickened with the intense interest of a secret that bound these women intimately together.
stoodverbUS /stʊd/
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading One Sunday morning her mother surprised her as she stood absorbed in finding her cousin’s features in his mother’s face.
SundaynounUS /ˈsʌndeɪ/
first day of the week; observed as a day of rest and worship by most Christians
From this reading One Sunday morning her mother surprised her as she stood absorbed in finding her cousin’s features in his mother’s face.
surprisedadjectiveUS /sərˈpraɪzd/
taken unawares or suddenly and feeling wonder or astonishment
From this reading One Sunday morning her mother surprised her as she stood absorbed in finding her cousin’s features in his mother’s face.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading This domestic life, once so monotonous, was now quickened with the intense interest of a secret that bound these women intimately together.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading This domestic life, once so monotonous, was now quickened with the intense interest of a secret that bound these women intimately together.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading For them Charles lived and moved beneath the grim gray rafters of the hall.
thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading This domestic life, once so monotonous, was now quickened with the intense interest of a secret that bound these women intimately together.
ThisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This domestic life, once so monotonous, was now quickened with the intense interest of a secret that bound these women intimately together.
togetheradverbUS /təˈɡeðər/
in contact with each other or in proximity
From this reading This domestic life, once so monotonous, was now quickened with the intense interest of a secret that bound these women intimately together.
TwonounUS /tuː/
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading X Two months went by.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading This domestic life, once so monotonous, was now quickened with the intense interest of a secret that bound these women intimately together.
wentverbUS /went/
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading X Two months went by.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading This domestic life, once so monotonous, was now quickened with the intense interest of a secret that bound these women intimately together.
womennounUS /ˈwɪmən/
plural of “woman” — an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading This domestic life, once so monotonous, was now quickened with the intense interest of a secret that bound these women intimately together.
XnounUS /eks/
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading X Two months went by.
