adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading I SLEPT in a little bed in a corner of the room, and my Father in the ancestral four-poster nearer to the door.
abruptlyadverbUS /əˈbrʌptli/
quickly and without warning
From this reading It began abruptly by his asking me whether I should like to have a new mamma.
ancestraladjectiveUS /ænˈsestrəl/
inherited or inheritable by established rules (usually legal rules) of descent
From this reading I SLEPT in a little bed in a corner of the room, and my Father in the ancestral four-poster nearer to the door.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading I SLEPT in a little bed in a corner of the room, and my Father in the ancestral four-poster nearer to the door.
answeredverbUS /ˈænsərd/
past form of “answer” — react verbally
From this reading I was never a sentimentalist, and I therefore answered, cannily, that that would depend on who she was.
askingnounUS /ˈæskɪŋ/
the verbal act of requesting
From this reading It began abruptly by his asking me whether I should like to have a new mamma.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Very early one bright September morning at the close of my eleventh year, my Father called me over to him.
bednounUS /bed/
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading I SLEPT in a little bed in a corner of the room, and my Father in the ancestral four-poster nearer to the door.
beganverbUS /bɪˈɡæn/
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading It began abruptly by his asking me whether I should like to have a new mamma.
brightadjectiveUS /braɪt/
emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts
From this reading Very early one bright September morning at the close of my eleventh year, my Father called me over to him.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading It began abruptly by his asking me whether I should like to have a new mamma.
calledverbUS /kɔːld/
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading Very early one bright September morning at the close of my eleventh year, my Father called me over to him.
cannilyadverb
with foresight
From this reading I was never a sentimentalist, and I therefore answered, cannily, that that would depend on who she was.
climbedverbUS /klaɪmd/
past form of “climb” — go upward with gradual or continuous progress
From this reading I climbed up, and was snugly wrapped in the coverlid; and then we held a momentous conversation.
closeadjectiveUS /kloʊs/
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading Very early one bright September morning at the close of my eleventh year, my Father called me over to him.
conversationnounUS /ˌkɑːnvərˈseɪʃən/
the use of speech for informal exchange of views or ideas or information etc.
From this reading I climbed up, and was snugly wrapped in the coverlid; and then we held a momentous conversation.
cornernounUS /ˈkɔːrnər/
a place off to the side of an area
From this reading I SLEPT in a little bed in a corner of the room, and my Father in the ancestral four-poster nearer to the door.
coverlid
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I climbed up, and was snugly wrapped in the coverlid; and then we held a momentous conversation.
dependverbUS /dɪˈpend/
be contingent upon (something that is elided)
From this reading I was never a sentimentalist, and I therefore answered, cannily, that that would depend on who she was.
doornounUS /dɔːr/
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading I SLEPT in a little bed in a corner of the room, and my Father in the ancestral four-poster nearer to the door.
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 Very early one bright September morning at the close of my eleventh year, my Father called me over to him.
eleventhadjectiveUS /ɪˈlevənθ/
coming next after the tenth and just before the twelfth in position
From this reading Very early one bright September morning at the close of my eleventh year, my Father called me over to him.
FathernounUS /ˈfɑːðər/
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading I SLEPT in a little bed in a corner of the room, and my Father in the ancestral four-poster nearer to the door.
four-posternoun
a bed with posts at the four corners that can be used to support a canopy or curtains
From this reading I SLEPT in a little bed in a corner of the room, and my Father in the ancestral four-poster nearer to the door.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading It began abruptly by his asking me whether I should like to have a new mamma.
heldadjectiveUS /held/
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading I climbed up, and was snugly wrapped in the coverlid; and then we held a momentous conversation.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Very early one bright September morning at the close of my eleventh year, my Father called me over to him.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading It began abruptly by his asking me whether I should like to have a new mamma.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I SLEPT in a little bed in a corner of the room, and my Father in the ancestral four-poster nearer to the door.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading I SLEPT in a little bed in a corner of the room, and my Father in the ancestral four-poster nearer to the door.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It began abruptly by his asking me whether I should like to have a new mamma.
likeverbUS /laɪk/
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading It began abruptly by his asking me whether I should like to have a new mamma.
littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading I SLEPT in a little bed in a corner of the room, and my Father in the ancestral four-poster nearer to the door.
mammanounUS /ˈmɑːmə/
informal terms for a mother
From this reading It began abruptly by his asking me whether I should like to have a new mamma.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Very early one bright September morning at the close of my eleventh year, my Father called me over to him.
momentousadjectiveUS /moʊˈmentəs/
of very great significance
From this reading I climbed up, and was snugly wrapped in the coverlid; and then we held a momentous conversation.
morningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading Very early one bright September morning at the close of my eleventh year, my Father called me over to him.
mydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading I SLEPT in a little bed in a corner of the room, and my Father in the ancestral four-poster nearer to the door.
neareradverbUS /ˈnɪrər/
(comparative of “near” or “close”) within a shorter distance
From this reading I SLEPT in a little bed in a corner of the room, and my Father in the ancestral four-poster nearer to the door.
neveradverbUS /ˈnevər/
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading I was never a sentimentalist, and I therefore answered, cannily, that that would depend on who she was.
newadjectiveUS /nuː/
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading It began abruptly by his asking me whether I should like to have a new mamma.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading I SLEPT in a little bed in a corner of the room, and my Father in the ancestral four-poster nearer to the door.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading I was never a sentimentalist, and I therefore answered, cannily, that that would depend on who she was.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Very early one bright September morning at the close of my eleventh year, my Father called me over to him.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Very early one bright September morning at the close of my eleventh year, my Father called me over to him.
roomnounUS /ruːm/
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading I SLEPT in a little bed in a corner of the room, and my Father in the ancestral four-poster nearer to the door.
sentimentalistnoun
someone who indulges in excessive sentimentality
From this reading I was never a sentimentalist, and I therefore answered, cannily, that that would depend on who she was.
SeptembernounUS /sepˈtembər/
the month following August and preceding October
From this reading Very early one bright September morning at the close of my eleventh year, my Father called me over to him.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading I was never a sentimentalist, and I therefore answered, cannily, that that would depend on who she was.
shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading It began abruptly by his asking me whether I should like to have a new mamma.
SLEPTverbUS /slept/
inflected form of “sleep” — be asleep
From this reading I SLEPT in a little bed in a corner of the room, and my Father in the ancestral four-poster nearer to the door.
snuglyadverbUS /ˈsnʌɡli/
fitting closely
From this reading I climbed up, and was snugly wrapped in the coverlid; and then we held a momentous conversation.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading I was never a sentimentalist, and I therefore answered, cannily, that that would depend on who she was.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading I SLEPT in a little bed in a corner of the room, and my Father in the ancestral four-poster nearer to the door.
thenadverbUS /ðen/
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading I climbed up, and was snugly wrapped in the coverlid; and then we held a momentous conversation.
thereforeadverbUS /ˈðerfɔːr/
for that reason; as a result
From this reading I was never a sentimentalist, and I therefore answered, cannily, that that would depend on who she was.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I SLEPT in a little bed in a corner of the room, and my Father in the ancestral four-poster nearer to the door.
upadjectiveUS /ʌp/
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading I climbed up, and was snugly wrapped in the coverlid; and then we held a momentous conversation.
VeryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/
precisely as stated
From this reading Very early one bright September morning at the close of my eleventh year, my Father called me over to him.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading I climbed up, and was snugly wrapped in the coverlid; and then we held a momentous conversation.
wepronounUS /wiː/
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading I climbed up, and was snugly wrapped in the coverlid; and then we held a momentous conversation.
whetherconjunctionUS /ˈweðər/
used to introduce two or more possibilities
From this reading It began abruptly by his asking me whether I should like to have a new mamma.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading I was never a sentimentalist, and I therefore answered, cannily, that that would depend on who she was.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading I was never a sentimentalist, and I therefore answered, cannily, that that would depend on who she was.
wrappedadjectiveUS /ræpt/
covered with or as if with clothes or a wrap or cloak
From this reading I climbed up, and was snugly wrapped in the coverlid; and then we held a momentous conversation.
yearnounUS /jɪr/
a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days
From this reading Very early one bright September morning at the close of my eleventh year, my Father called me over to him.
