used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "Louisa, dear," had set her biscuits down with a sharp thud, reckless of results.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading Clear and shrill above the confusion rose Mrs. George Pye's voice.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading A sharp, metallic tinkle sounded at the closet where Sara had struck the edge of her tray against a shelf.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The sound seemed to loosen the paralyzed tongues, and everybody began talking and exclaiming at once.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading A sharp, metallic tinkle sounded at the closet where Sara had struck the edge of her tray against a shelf.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading The sound seemed to loosen the paralyzed tongues, and everybody began talking and exclaiming at once.
biscuitsnounUS /ˈbɪskəts/
plural of “biscuit” — small round bread leavened with baking-powder or soda
From this reading "Louisa, dear," had set her biscuits down with a sharp thud, reckless of results.
rid of obstructions
From this reading Clear and shrill above the confusion rose Mrs. George Pye's voice.
closetnounUS /ˈklɑːzət/
a small room (or recess) or cabinet used for storage space
From this reading A sharp, metallic tinkle sounded at the closet where Sara had struck the edge of her tray against a shelf.
disorder resulting from a failure to behave predictably
From this reading Clear and shrill above the confusion rose Mrs. George Pye's voice.
dearly loved
From this reading "Louisa, dear," had set her biscuits down with a sharp thud, reckless of results.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading "Louisa, dear," had set her biscuits down with a sharp thud, reckless of results.
the boundary of a surface
From this reading A sharp, metallic tinkle sounded at the closet where Sara had struck the edge of her tray against a shelf.
every person
From this reading The sound seemed to loosen the paralyzed tongues, and everybody began talking and exclaiming at once.
exclaimingnounUS /ɪkˈskleɪmɪŋ/
an abrupt excited utterance
From this reading The sound seemed to loosen the paralyzed tongues, and everybody began talking and exclaiming at once.
Christian martyr; patron saint of England; hero of the legend of Saint George and the Dragon in which he slew a dragon and saved a princess (?-303)
From this reading Clear and shrill above the confusion rose Mrs. George Pye's voice.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading "Louisa, dear," had set her biscuits down with a sharp thud, reckless of results.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading "Louisa, dear," had set her biscuits down with a sharp thud, reckless of results.
in truth (often tends to intensify)
From this reading "Yes, indeed, you may well say so.
loosenverbUS /ˈluːsən/
make loose or looser
From this reading The sound seemed to loosen the paralyzed tongues, and everybody began talking and exclaiming at once.
Louisa
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Louisa, dear," had set her biscuits down with a sharp thud, reckless of results.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading "Yes, indeed, you may well say so.
metallicadjectiveUS /məˈtælɪk/
containing or made of or resembling or characteristic of a metal
From this reading A sharp, metallic tinkle sounded at the closet where Sara had struck the edge of her tray against a shelf.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading Clear and shrill above the confusion rose Mrs. George Pye's voice.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "Louisa, dear," had set her biscuits down with a sharp thud, reckless of results.
on one occasion
From this reading The sound seemed to loosen the paralyzed tongues, and everybody began talking and exclaiming at once.
paralyzedadjectiveUS /ˈperəlaɪzd/
affected with paralysis
From this reading The sound seemed to loosen the paralyzed tongues, and everybody began talking and exclaiming at once.
Pye's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Clear and shrill above the confusion rose Mrs. George Pye's voice.
recklessadjectiveUS /ˈrekləs/
marked by defiant disregard for danger or consequences
From this reading "Louisa, dear," had set her biscuits down with a sharp thud, reckless of results.
resultsnounUS /rɪˈzʌlts/
plural of “result” — a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon
From this reading "Louisa, dear," had set her biscuits down with a sharp thud, reckless of results.
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading Clear and shrill above the confusion rose Mrs. George Pye's voice.
Sara
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A sharp, metallic tinkle sounded at the closet where Sara had struck the edge of her tray against a shelf.
express in words
From this reading "Yes, indeed, you may well say so.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading The sound seemed to loosen the paralyzed tongues, and everybody began talking and exclaiming at once.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading "Louisa, dear," had set her biscuits down with a sharp thud, reckless of results.
(of something seen or heard) clearly defined
From this reading "Louisa, dear," had set her biscuits down with a sharp thud, reckless of results.
shelfnounUS /ʃelf/
A flat horizontal plane used to hold books or scrolls in a library.
From this reading A sharp, metallic tinkle sounded at the closet where Sara had struck the edge of her tray against a shelf.
shrilladjectiveUS /ʃrɪl/
having or emitting a high-pitched and sharp tone or tones
From this reading Clear and shrill above the confusion rose Mrs. George Pye's voice.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading "Yes, indeed, you may well say so.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading The sound seemed to loosen the paralyzed tongues, and everybody began talking and exclaiming at once.
past form of “sound” — appear in a certain way
From this reading A sharp, metallic tinkle sounded at the closet where Sara had struck the edge of her tray against a shelf.
(used in combination) affected by something overwhelming
From this reading A sharp, metallic tinkle sounded at the closet where Sara had struck the edge of her tray against a shelf.
an exchange of ideas via conversation
From this reading The sound seemed to loosen the paralyzed tongues, and everybody began talking and exclaiming at once.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A sharp, metallic tinkle sounded at the closet where Sara had struck the edge of her tray against a shelf.
thudverbUS /θʌd/
make a dull sound
From this reading "Louisa, dear," had set her biscuits down with a sharp thud, reckless of results.
tinklenounUS /ˈtɪŋkəl/
a light clear metallic sound as of a small bell
From this reading A sharp, metallic tinkle sounded at the closet where Sara had struck the edge of her tray against a shelf.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The sound seemed to loosen the paralyzed tongues, and everybody began talking and exclaiming at once.
tonguesnounUS /tʌŋz/
plural of “tongue” — a mobile mass of muscular tissue covered with mucous membrane and located in the oral cavity
From this reading The sound seemed to loosen the paralyzed tongues, and everybody began talking and exclaiming at once.
traynounUS /treɪ/
an open receptacle for holding or displaying or serving articles or food
From this reading A sharp, metallic tinkle sounded at the closet where Sara had struck the edge of her tray against a shelf.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading Clear and shrill above the confusion rose Mrs. George Pye's voice.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading "Yes, indeed, you may well say so.
in or at the place that
From this reading A sharp, metallic tinkle sounded at the closet where Sara had struck the edge of her tray against a shelf.
in the company of; together with
From this reading "Louisa, dear," had set her biscuits down with a sharp thud, reckless of results.
an affirmative
From this reading "Yes, indeed, you may well say so.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Yes, indeed, you may well say so.
