Chapter I · Chapter 1

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading It was a brilliant summer afternoon, and though the shutters were half closed on the beating Parisian sunlight, the hotel sitting-room looked, in its brightness, hardly shadowed.

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading Unpinning her hat, laying it on the table beside her, passing her hands over the undisordered folds of her hair, Miss Jakes looked about her at the old-gold brocade of the furniture, the many mirrors in ornate gold frames, the photographs from Bougereau, the long, crisp lace curtains.

later than; following

From this reading Miss Althea Jakes was tired after her long journey from Basle.

the part of the day between noon and evening

From this reading It was a brilliant summer afternoon, and though the shutters were half closed on the beating Parisian sunlight, the hotel sitting-room looked, in its brightness, hardly shadowed.

in the past

From this reading It was the same sitting-room that she had had last year, the same that she had had the year before last--the same, indeed, to which she had been conducted on her first stay at the Hotel Talleyrand, eight years ago.

any of various plants of the genus Althaea; similar to but having smaller flowers than genus Alcea

From this reading Miss Althea Jakes was tired after her long journey from Basle.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading It was a brilliant summer afternoon, and though the shutters were half closed on the beating Parisian sunlight, the hotel sitting-room looked, in its brightness, hardly shadowed.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading The brocade looked as new, the gilded frames as glittering, the lace curtains as snowy as ever.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Unpinning her hat, laying it on the table beside her, passing her hands over the undisordered folds of her hair, Miss Jakes looked about her at the old-gold brocade of the furniture, the many mirrors in ornate gold frames, the photographs from Bougereau, the long, crisp lace curtains.

a city in northwestern Switzerland

From this reading Miss Althea Jakes was tired after her long journey from Basle.

the act of overcoming or outdoing

From this reading It was a brilliant summer afternoon, and though the shutters were half closed on the beating Parisian sunlight, the hotel sitting-room looked, in its brightness, hardly shadowed.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading It was the same sitting-room that she had had last year, the same that she had had the year before last--the same, indeed, to which she had been conducted on her first stay at the Hotel Talleyrand, eight years ago.

earlier than; in front of

From this reading It was the same sitting-room that she had had last year, the same that she had had the year before last--the same, indeed, to which she had been conducted on her first stay at the Hotel Talleyrand, eight years ago.

next to; at the side of

From this reading Unpinning her hat, laying it on the table beside her, passing her hands over the undisordered folds of her hair, Miss Jakes looked about her at the old-gold brocade of the furniture, the many mirrors in ornate gold frames, the photographs from Bougereau, the long, crisp lace curtains.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Unpinning her hat, laying it on the table beside her, passing her hands over the undisordered folds of her hair, Miss Jakes looked about her at the old-gold brocade of the furniture, the many mirrors in ornate gold frames, the photographs from Bougereau, the long, crisp lace curtains.

the location of a visual perception along a continuum from black to white

From this reading It was a brilliant summer afternoon, and though the shutters were half closed on the beating Parisian sunlight, the hotel sitting-room looked, in its brightness, hardly shadowed.

of surpassing excellence

From this reading It was a brilliant summer afternoon, and though the shutters were half closed on the beating Parisian sunlight, the hotel sitting-room looked, in its brightness, hardly shadowed.

thick heavy expensive material with a raised pattern

From this reading Unpinning her hat, laying it on the table beside her, passing her hands over the undisordered folds of her hair, Miss Jakes looked about her at the old-gold brocade of the furniture, the many mirrors in ornate gold frames, the photographs from Bougereau, the long, crisp lace curtains.

not open or affording passage or access

From this reading It was a brilliant summer afternoon, and though the shutters were half closed on the beating Parisian sunlight, the hotel sitting-room looked, in its brightness, hardly shadowed.

past form of “conduct” — direct the course of; manage or control

From this reading It was the same sitting-room that she had had last year, the same that she had had the year before last--the same, indeed, to which she had been conducted on her first stay at the Hotel Talleyrand, eight years ago.

(of something seen or heard) clearly defined

From this reading Unpinning her hat, laying it on the table beside her, passing her hands over the undisordered folds of her hair, Miss Jakes looked about her at the old-gold brocade of the furniture, the many mirrors in ornate gold frames, the photographs from Bougereau, the long, crisp lace curtains.

plural of “curtain” — hanging cloth used as a blind (especially for a window)

From this reading Unpinning her hat, laying it on the table beside her, passing her hands over the undisordered folds of her hair, Miss Jakes looked about her at the old-gold brocade of the furniture, the many mirrors in ornate gold frames, the photographs from Bougereau, the long, crisp lace curtains.

being one more than seven

From this reading It was the same sitting-room that she had had last year, the same that she had had the year before last--the same, indeed, to which she had been conducted on her first stay at the Hotel Talleyrand, eight years ago.

at any time

From this reading The brocade looked as new, the gilded frames as glittering, the lace curtains as snowy as ever.

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading It was the same sitting-room that she had had last year, the same that she had had the year before last--the same, indeed, to which she had been conducted on her first stay at the Hotel Talleyrand, eight years ago.

plural of “fold” — an angular or rounded shape made by folding

From this reading Unpinning her hat, laying it on the table beside her, passing her hands over the undisordered folds of her hair, Miss Jakes looked about her at the old-gold brocade of the furniture, the many mirrors in ornate gold frames, the photographs from Bougereau, the long, crisp lace curtains.

plural of “frame” — the framework for a pair of eyeglasses

From this reading Unpinning her hat, laying it on the table beside her, passing her hands over the undisordered folds of her hair, Miss Jakes looked about her at the old-gold brocade of the furniture, the many mirrors in ornate gold frames, the photographs from Bougereau, the long, crisp lace curtains.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Miss Althea Jakes was tired after her long journey from Basle.

furnishings that make a room or other area ready for occupancy

From this reading Unpinning her hat, laying it on the table beside her, passing her hands over the undisordered folds of her hair, Miss Jakes looked about her at the old-gold brocade of the furniture, the many mirrors in ornate gold frames, the photographs from Bougereau, the long, crisp lace curtains.

having the deep slightly brownish color of gold

From this reading The brocade looked as new, the gilded frames as glittering, the lace curtains as snowy as ever.

having brief brilliant points or flashes of light

From this reading The brocade looked as new, the gilded frames as glittering, the lace curtains as snowy as ever.

coins made of gold

From this reading Unpinning her hat, laying it on the table beside her, passing her hands over the undisordered folds of her hair, Miss Jakes looked about her at the old-gold brocade of the furniture, the many mirrors in ornate gold frames, the photographs from Bougereau, the long, crisp lace curtains.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading It was the same sitting-room that she had had last year, the same that she had had the year before last--the same, indeed, to which she had been conducted on her first stay at the Hotel Talleyrand, eight years ago.

a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss

From this reading Unpinning her hat, laying it on the table beside her, passing her hands over the undisordered folds of her hair, Miss Jakes looked about her at the old-gold brocade of the furniture, the many mirrors in ornate gold frames, the photographs from Bougereau, the long, crisp lace curtains.

consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity

From this reading It was a brilliant summer afternoon, and though the shutters were half closed on the beating Parisian sunlight, the hotel sitting-room looked, in its brightness, hardly shadowed.

(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child

From this reading Unpinning her hat, laying it on the table beside her, passing her hands over the undisordered folds of her hair, Miss Jakes looked about her at the old-gold brocade of the furniture, the many mirrors in ornate gold frames, the photographs from Bougereau, the long, crisp lace curtains.

only a very short time before

From this reading It was a brilliant summer afternoon, and though the shutters were half closed on the beating Parisian sunlight, the hotel sitting-room looked, in its brightness, hardly shadowed.

headdress that protects the head from bad weather; has shaped crown and usually a brim

From this reading Unpinning her hat, laying it on the table beside her, passing her hands over the undisordered folds of her hair, Miss Jakes looked about her at the old-gold brocade of the furniture, the many mirrors in ornate gold frames, the photographs from Bougereau, the long, crisp lace curtains.

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading Miss Althea Jakes was tired after her long journey from Basle.

a building where travelers can pay for lodging and meals and other services

From this reading It was a brilliant summer afternoon, and though the shutters were half closed on the beating Parisian sunlight, the hotel sitting-room looked, in its brightness, hardly shadowed.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading It was a brilliant summer afternoon, and though the shutters were half closed on the beating Parisian sunlight, the hotel sitting-room looked, in its brightness, hardly shadowed.

in truth (often tends to intensify)

From this reading It was the same sitting-room that she had had last year, the same that she had had the year before last--the same, indeed, to which she had been conducted on her first stay at the Hotel Talleyrand, eight years ago.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was a brilliant summer afternoon, and though the shutters were half closed on the beating Parisian sunlight, the hotel sitting-room looked, in its brightness, hardly shadowed.

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading It was a brilliant summer afternoon, and though the shutters were half closed on the beating Parisian sunlight, the hotel sitting-room looked, in its brightness, hardly shadowed.

a small outbuilding with a bench having holes through which a user can defecate

From this reading Miss Althea Jakes was tired after her long journey from Basle.

undertake a journey or trip

From this reading Miss Althea Jakes was tired after her long journey from Basle.

spin, wind, or twist together

From this reading Unpinning her hat, laying it on the table beside her, passing her hands over the undisordered folds of her hair, Miss Jakes looked about her at the old-gold brocade of the furniture, the many mirrors in ornate gold frames, the photographs from Bougereau, the long, crisp lace curtains.

immediately past

From this reading It was the same sitting-room that she had had last year, the same that she had had the year before last--the same, indeed, to which she had been conducted on her first stay at the Hotel Talleyrand, eight years ago.

the production of eggs (especially in birds)

From this reading Unpinning her hat, laying it on the table beside her, passing her hands over the undisordered folds of her hair, Miss Jakes looked about her at the old-gold brocade of the furniture, the many mirrors in ornate gold frames, the photographs from Bougereau, the long, crisp lace curtains.

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading Miss Althea Jakes was tired after her long journey from Basle.

past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading It was a brilliant summer afternoon, and though the shutters were half closed on the beating Parisian sunlight, the hotel sitting-room looked, in its brightness, hardly shadowed.

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 Unpinning her hat, laying it on the table beside her, passing her hands over the undisordered folds of her hair, Miss Jakes looked about her at the old-gold brocade of the furniture, the many mirrors in ornate gold frames, the photographs from Bougereau, the long, crisp lace curtains.

plural of “mirror” — polished surface that forms images by reflecting light

From this reading Unpinning her hat, laying it on the table beside her, passing her hands over the undisordered folds of her hair, Miss Jakes looked about her at the old-gold brocade of the furniture, the many mirrors in ornate gold frames, the photographs from Bougereau, the long, crisp lace curtains.

fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind

From this reading Miss Althea Jakes was tired after her long journey from Basle.

not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered

From this reading The brocade looked as new, the gilded frames as glittering, the lace curtains as snowy as ever.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Unpinning her hat, laying it on the table beside her, passing her hands over the undisordered folds of her hair, Miss Jakes looked about her at the old-gold brocade of the furniture, the many mirrors in ornate gold frames, the photographs from Bougereau, the long, crisp lace curtains.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Unpinning her hat, laying it on the table beside her, passing her hands over the undisordered folds of her hair, Miss Jakes looked about her at the old-gold brocade of the furniture, the many mirrors in ornate gold frames, the photographs from Bougereau, the long, crisp lace curtains.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading It was a brilliant summer afternoon, and though the shutters were half closed on the beating Parisian sunlight, the hotel sitting-room looked, in its brightness, hardly shadowed.

marked by elaborate rhetoric and elaborated with decorative details

From this reading Unpinning her hat, laying it on the table beside her, passing her hands over the undisordered folds of her hair, Miss Jakes looked about her at the old-gold brocade of the furniture, the many mirrors in ornate gold frames, the photographs from Bougereau, the long, crisp lace curtains.

above and across; more than

From this reading Unpinning her hat, laying it on the table beside her, passing her hands over the undisordered folds of her hair, Miss Jakes looked about her at the old-gold brocade of the furniture, the many mirrors in ornate gold frames, the photographs from Bougereau, the long, crisp lace curtains.

of or relating to or characteristic of Paris or its inhabitants

From this reading It was a brilliant summer afternoon, and though the shutters were half closed on the beating Parisian sunlight, the hotel sitting-room looked, in its brightness, hardly shadowed.

(American football) a play that involves one player throwing the ball to a teammate

From this reading Unpinning her hat, laying it on the table beside her, passing her hands over the undisordered folds of her hair, Miss Jakes looked about her at the old-gold brocade of the furniture, the many mirrors in ornate gold frames, the photographs from Bougereau, the long, crisp lace curtains.

plural of “photograph” — a representation of a person or scene in the form of a print or transparent slide or in digital format

From this reading Unpinning her hat, laying it on the table beside her, passing her hands over the undisordered folds of her hair, Miss Jakes looked about her at the old-gold brocade of the furniture, the many mirrors in ornate gold frames, the photographs from Bougereau, the long, crisp lace curtains.

Identical; not different.

From this reading It was the same sitting-room that she had had last year, the same that she had had the year before last--the same, indeed, to which she had been conducted on her first stay at the Hotel Talleyrand, eight years ago.

filled with shade

From this reading It was a brilliant summer afternoon, and though the shutters were half closed on the beating Parisian sunlight, the hotel sitting-room looked, in its brightness, hardly shadowed.

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading It was the same sitting-room that she had had last year, the same that she had had the year before last--the same, indeed, to which she had been conducted on her first stay at the Hotel Talleyrand, eight years ago.

plural of “shutter” — a mechanical device on a camera that opens and closes to control the time of a photographic exposure

From this reading It was a brilliant summer afternoon, and though the shutters were half closed on the beating Parisian sunlight, the hotel sitting-room looked, in its brightness, hardly shadowed.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was a brilliant summer afternoon, and though the shutters were half closed on the beating Parisian sunlight, the hotel sitting-room looked, in its brightness, hardly shadowed.

marked by the presence of snow

From this reading The brocade looked as new, the gilded frames as glittering, the lace curtains as snowy as ever.

stay the same; remain in a certain state

From this reading It was the same sitting-room that she had had last year, the same that she had had the year before last--the same, indeed, to which she had been conducted on her first stay at the Hotel Talleyrand, eight years ago.

the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox

From this reading It was a brilliant summer afternoon, and though the shutters were half closed on the beating Parisian sunlight, the hotel sitting-room looked, in its brightness, hardly shadowed.

the rays of the sun

From this reading It was a brilliant summer afternoon, and though the shutters were half closed on the beating Parisian sunlight, the hotel sitting-room looked, in its brightness, hardly shadowed.

a set of data arranged in rows and columns

From this reading Unpinning her hat, laying it on the table beside her, passing her hands over the undisordered folds of her hair, Miss Jakes looked about her at the old-gold brocade of the furniture, the many mirrors in ornate gold frames, the photographs from Bougereau, the long, crisp lace curtains.

French statesman (1754-1838)

From this reading It was the same sitting-room that she had had last year, the same that she had had the year before last--the same, indeed, to which she had been conducted on her first stay at the Hotel Talleyrand, eight years ago.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading It was the same sitting-room that she had had last year, the same that she had had the year before last--the same, indeed, to which she had been conducted on her first stay at the Hotel Talleyrand, eight years ago.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading It was a brilliant summer afternoon, and though the shutters were half closed on the beating Parisian sunlight, the hotel sitting-room looked, in its brightness, hardly shadowed.

in spite of the fact that

From this reading It was a brilliant summer afternoon, and though the shutters were half closed on the beating Parisian sunlight, the hotel sitting-room looked, in its brightness, hardly shadowed.

depleted of strength or energy

From this reading Miss Althea Jakes was tired after her long journey from Basle.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading It was the same sitting-room that she had had last year, the same that she had had the year before last--the same, indeed, to which she had been conducted on her first stay at the Hotel Talleyrand, eight years ago.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Unpinning her hat, laying it on the table beside her, passing her hands over the undisordered folds of her hair, Miss Jakes looked about her at the old-gold brocade of the furniture, the many mirrors in ornate gold frames, the photographs from Bougereau, the long, crisp lace curtains.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Unpinning her hat, laying it on the table beside her, passing her hands over the undisordered folds of her hair, Miss Jakes looked about her at the old-gold brocade of the furniture, the many mirrors in ornate gold frames, the photographs from Bougereau, the long, crisp lace curtains.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading Miss Althea Jakes was tired after her long journey from Basle.

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading It was a brilliant summer afternoon, and though the shutters were half closed on the beating Parisian sunlight, the hotel sitting-room looked, in its brightness, hardly shadowed.

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading It was the same sitting-room that she had had last year, the same that she had had the year before last--the same, indeed, to which she had been conducted on her first stay at the Hotel Talleyrand, eight years ago.

a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days

From this reading It was the same sitting-room that she had had last year, the same that she had had the year before last--the same, indeed, to which she had been conducted on her first stay at the Hotel Talleyrand, eight years ago.

a late time of life

From this reading It was the same sitting-room that she had had last year, the same that she had had the year before last--the same, indeed, to which she had been conducted on her first stay at the Hotel Talleyrand, eight years ago.