used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Built before the Revolution, it was of typical English rural architecture--one-storied, with a square chimney, and with a garden which made it the delight of artists who came from far and near to paint it; in the spring crocuses starred the borders, violets studded the lawn with amethyst, pale irises and daffodils, narcissus and jonquils stood in slim beauty.
matters of personal concern
From this reading The captain lived alone, attending to his domestic affairs in a fashion which was the envy of less spick and span housekeepers.
(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 The late summer brought nasturtiums in all their richness of orange and bronze-brown, and in the fall, the dahlias blazed.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading The captain lived alone, attending to his domestic affairs in a fashion which was the envy of less spick and span housekeepers.
amethystnounUS /ˈæmɪθɪst/
a transparent purple variety of quartz; used as a gemstone
From this reading Built before the Revolution, it was of typical English rural architecture--one-storied, with a square chimney, and with a garden which made it the delight of artists who came from far and near to paint it; in the spring crocuses starred the borders, violets studded the lawn with amethyst, pale irises and daffodils, narcissus and jonquils stood in slim beauty.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Built before the Revolution, it was of typical English rural architecture--one-storied, with a square chimney, and with a garden which made it the delight of artists who came from far and near to paint it; in the spring crocuses starred the borders, violets studded the lawn with amethyst, pale irises and daffodils, narcissus and jonquils stood in slim beauty.
architecturenounUS /ˈɑːrkətektʃər/
an architectural product or work
From this reading Built before the Revolution, it was of typical English rural architecture--one-storied, with a square chimney, and with a garden which made it the delight of artists who came from far and near to paint it; in the spring crocuses starred the borders, violets studded the lawn with amethyst, pale irises and daffodils, narcissus and jonquils stood in slim beauty.
artistsnounUS /ˈɑːrtɪsts/
plural of “artist” — a person whose creative work shows sensitivity and imagination
From this reading Built before the Revolution, it was of typical English rural architecture--one-storied, with a square chimney, and with a garden which made it the delight of artists who came from far and near to paint it; in the spring crocuses starred the borders, violets studded the lawn with amethyst, pale irises and daffodils, narcissus and jonquils stood in slim beauty.
attendingnounUS /əˈtendɪŋ/
the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others
From this reading The captain lived alone, attending to his domestic affairs in a fashion which was the envy of less spick and span housekeepers.
the qualities that give pleasure to the senses
From this reading Built before the Revolution, it was of typical English rural architecture--one-storied, with a square chimney, and with a garden which made it the delight of artists who came from far and near to paint it; in the spring crocuses starred the borders, violets studded the lawn with amethyst, pale irises and daffodils, narcissus and jonquils stood in slim beauty.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Built before the Revolution, it was of typical English rural architecture--one-storied, with a square chimney, and with a garden which made it the delight of artists who came from far and near to paint it; in the spring crocuses starred the borders, violets studded the lawn with amethyst, pale irises and daffodils, narcissus and jonquils stood in slim beauty.
blazedverbUS /bleɪzd/
past form of “blaze” — shine brightly and intensively
From this reading The late summer brought nasturtiums in all their richness of orange and bronze-brown, and in the fall, the dahlias blazed.
boardsnounUS /bɔːrdz/
(used in the plural) the stage of a theater
From this reading Later came sweet peas, and the roses followed, hiding with their beauty the weather-beaten boards.
bordersnounUS /ˈbɔːrdərz/
plural of “border” — a line that indicates a boundary
From this reading Built before the Revolution, it was of typical English rural architecture--one-storied, with a square chimney, and with a garden which made it the delight of artists who came from far and near to paint it; in the spring crocuses starred the borders, violets studded the lawn with amethyst, pale irises and daffodils, narcissus and jonquils stood in slim beauty.
bronze-brown
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The late summer brought nasturtiums in all their richness of orange and bronze-brown, and in the fall, the dahlias blazed.
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading The late summer brought nasturtiums in all their richness of orange and bronze-brown, and in the fall, the dahlias blazed.
(used of soaps or cleaning agents) having a substance (an abrasive or filler) added to increase effectiveness
From this reading Built before the Revolution, it was of typical English rural architecture--one-storied, with a square chimney, and with a garden which made it the delight of artists who came from far and near to paint it; in the spring crocuses starred the borders, violets studded the lawn with amethyst, pale irises and daffodils, narcissus and jonquils stood in slim beauty.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Built before the Revolution, it was of typical English rural architecture--one-storied, with a square chimney, and with a garden which made it the delight of artists who came from far and near to paint it; in the spring crocuses starred the borders, violets studded the lawn with amethyst, pale irises and daffodils, narcissus and jonquils stood in slim beauty.
an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant
From this reading VOICES IN THE DARK Captain Stubbs' cottage was one of the show places of the town.
chimneynounUS /ˈtʃɪmni/
a vertical flue that provides a path through which smoke from a fire is carried away through the wall or roof of a building
From this reading Built before the Revolution, it was of typical English rural architecture--one-storied, with a square chimney, and with a garden which made it the delight of artists who came from far and near to paint it; in the spring crocuses starred the borders, violets studded the lawn with amethyst, pale irises and daffodils, narcissus and jonquils stood in slim beauty.
a small house with a single story
From this reading VOICES IN THE DARK Captain Stubbs' cottage was one of the show places of the town.
crocusesnounUS /ˈkroʊkjuːsɪz/
plural of “crocus” — any of numerous low-growing plants of the genus Crocus having slender grasslike leaves and white or yellow or purple flowers; native chiefly to the Mediterranean region but widely cultivated
From this reading Built before the Revolution, it was of typical English rural architecture--one-storied, with a square chimney, and with a garden which made it the delight of artists who came from far and near to paint it; in the spring crocuses starred the borders, violets studded the lawn with amethyst, pale irises and daffodils, narcissus and jonquils stood in slim beauty.
daffodilsnounUS /ˈdæfədɪlz/
plural of “daffodil” — any of numerous varieties of Narcissus plants having showy often yellow flowers with a trumpet-shaped central crown
From this reading Built before the Revolution, it was of typical English rural architecture--one-storied, with a square chimney, and with a garden which made it the delight of artists who came from far and near to paint it; in the spring crocuses starred the borders, violets studded the lawn with amethyst, pale irises and daffodils, narcissus and jonquils stood in slim beauty.
dahlias
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The late summer brought nasturtiums in all their richness of orange and bronze-brown, and in the fall, the dahlias blazed.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading VOICES IN THE DARK Captain Stubbs' cottage was one of the show places of the town.
give pleasure to or be pleasing to
From this reading Built before the Revolution, it was of typical English rural architecture--one-storied, with a square chimney, and with a garden which made it the delight of artists who came from far and near to paint it; in the spring crocuses starred the borders, violets studded the lawn with amethyst, pale irises and daffodils, narcissus and jonquils stood in slim beauty.
of concern to or concerning the internal affairs of a nation
From this reading The captain lived alone, attending to his domestic affairs in a fashion which was the envy of less spick and span housekeepers.
an Indo-European language belonging to the West Germanic branch; the official language of Britain and the United States and most of the commonwealth countries
From this reading Built before the Revolution, it was of typical English rural architecture--one-storied, with a square chimney, and with a garden which made it the delight of artists who came from far and near to paint it; in the spring crocuses starred the borders, violets studded the lawn with amethyst, pale irises and daffodils, narcissus and jonquils stood in slim beauty.
envynounUS /ˈenvi/
a feeling of grudging admiration and desire to have something that is possessed by another
From this reading The captain lived alone, attending to his domestic affairs in a fashion which was the envy of less spick and span housekeepers.
descend in free fall under the influence of gravity
From this reading The late summer brought nasturtiums in all their richness of orange and bronze-brown, and in the fall, the dahlias blazed.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading Built before the Revolution, it was of typical English rural architecture--one-storied, with a square chimney, and with a garden which made it the delight of artists who came from far and near to paint it; in the spring crocuses starred the borders, violets studded the lawn with amethyst, pale irises and daffodils, narcissus and jonquils stood in slim beauty.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading The captain lived alone, attending to his domestic affairs in a fashion which was the envy of less spick and span housekeepers.
past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading Later came sweet peas, and the roses followed, hiding with their beauty the weather-beaten boards.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Built before the Revolution, it was of typical English rural architecture--one-storied, with a square chimney, and with a garden which made it the delight of artists who came from far and near to paint it; in the spring crocuses starred the borders, violets studded the lawn with amethyst, pale irises and daffodils, narcissus and jonquils stood in slim beauty.
a plot of ground where plants are cultivated
From this reading Built before the Revolution, it was of typical English rural architecture--one-storied, with a square chimney, and with a garden which made it the delight of artists who came from far and near to paint it; in the spring crocuses starred the borders, violets studded the lawn with amethyst, pale irises and daffodils, narcissus and jonquils stood in slim beauty.
hidingnounUS /ˈhaɪdɪŋ/
the activity of keeping something secret
From this reading Later came sweet peas, and the roses followed, hiding with their beauty the weather-beaten boards.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The captain lived alone, attending to his domestic affairs in a fashion which was the envy of less spick and span housekeepers.
housekeepersnounUS /ˈhaʊskiːpərz/
plural of “housekeeper” — a servant who is employed to perform domestic task in a household
From this reading The captain lived alone, attending to his domestic affairs in a fashion which was the envy of less spick and span housekeepers.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading VOICES IN THE DARK Captain Stubbs' cottage was one of the show places of the town.
irisesnounUS /ˈaɪrəsɪz/
plural of “iris” — plants with sword-shaped leaves and erect stalks bearing bright-colored flowers composed of three petals and three drooping sepals
From this reading Built before the Revolution, it was of typical English rural architecture--one-storied, with a square chimney, and with a garden which made it the delight of artists who came from far and near to paint it; in the spring crocuses starred the borders, violets studded the lawn with amethyst, pale irises and daffodils, narcissus and jonquils stood in slim beauty.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Built before the Revolution, it was of typical English rural architecture--one-storied, with a square chimney, and with a garden which made it the delight of artists who came from far and near to paint it; in the spring crocuses starred the borders, violets studded the lawn with amethyst, pale irises and daffodils, narcissus and jonquils stood in slim beauty.
jonquils
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Built before the Revolution, it was of typical English rural architecture--one-storied, with a square chimney, and with a garden which made it the delight of artists who came from far and near to paint it; in the spring crocuses starred the borders, violets studded the lawn with amethyst, pale irises and daffodils, narcissus and jonquils stood in slim beauty.
being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time
From this reading The late summer brought nasturtiums in all their richness of orange and bronze-brown, and in the fall, the dahlias blazed.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading Later came sweet peas, and the roses followed, hiding with their beauty the weather-beaten boards.
lawnnounUS /lɔːn/
a field of cultivated and mowed grass
From this reading Built before the Revolution, it was of typical English rural architecture--one-storied, with a square chimney, and with a garden which made it the delight of artists who came from far and near to paint it; in the spring crocuses starred the borders, violets studded the lawn with amethyst, pale irises and daffodils, narcissus and jonquils stood in slim beauty.
used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs
From this reading The captain lived alone, attending to his domestic affairs in a fashion which was the envy of less spick and span housekeepers.
past form of “live” — be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading The captain lived alone, attending to his domestic affairs in a fashion which was the envy of less spick and span housekeepers.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading Built before the Revolution, it was of typical English rural architecture--one-storied, with a square chimney, and with a garden which made it the delight of artists who came from far and near to paint it; in the spring crocuses starred the borders, violets studded the lawn with amethyst, pale irises and daffodils, narcissus and jonquils stood in slim beauty.
narcissusnounUS /nɑːrˈsɪsəs/
bulbous plant having erect linear leaves and showy yellow or white flowers either solitary or in clusters
From this reading Built before the Revolution, it was of typical English rural architecture--one-storied, with a square chimney, and with a garden which made it the delight of artists who came from far and near to paint it; in the spring crocuses starred the borders, violets studded the lawn with amethyst, pale irises and daffodils, narcissus and jonquils stood in slim beauty.
nasturtiums
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The late summer brought nasturtiums in all their richness of orange and bronze-brown, and in the fall, the dahlias blazed.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading Built before the Revolution, it was of typical English rural architecture--one-storied, with a square chimney, and with a garden which made it the delight of artists who came from far and near to paint it; in the spring crocuses starred the borders, violets studded the lawn with amethyst, pale irises and daffodils, narcissus and jonquils stood in slim beauty.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading VOICES IN THE DARK Captain Stubbs' cottage was one of the show places of the town.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading VOICES IN THE DARK Captain Stubbs' cottage was one of the show places of the town.
one-storied
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Built before the Revolution, it was of typical English rural architecture--one-storied, with a square chimney, and with a garden which made it the delight of artists who came from far and near to paint it; in the spring crocuses starred the borders, violets studded the lawn with amethyst, pale irises and daffodils, narcissus and jonquils stood in slim beauty.
orangenounUS /ˈɔːrəndʒ/
round yellow to orange fruit of any of several citrus trees
From this reading The late summer brought nasturtiums in all their richness of orange and bronze-brown, and in the fall, the dahlias blazed.
make a painting
From this reading Built before the Revolution, it was of typical English rural architecture--one-storied, with a square chimney, and with a garden which made it the delight of artists who came from far and near to paint it; in the spring crocuses starred the borders, violets studded the lawn with amethyst, pale irises and daffodils, narcissus and jonquils stood in slim beauty.
very light colored; highly diluted with white
From this reading Built before the Revolution, it was of typical English rural architecture--one-storied, with a square chimney, and with a garden which made it the delight of artists who came from far and near to paint it; in the spring crocuses starred the borders, violets studded the lawn with amethyst, pale irises and daffodils, narcissus and jonquils stood in slim beauty.
peasnounUS /piːz/
plural of “pea” — seed of a pea plant used for food
From this reading Later came sweet peas, and the roses followed, hiding with their beauty the weather-beaten boards.
plural of “place” — a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading VOICES IN THE DARK Captain Stubbs' cottage was one of the show places of the town.
RevolutionnounUS /ˌrevəˈluːʃən/
a drastic and far-reaching change in ways of thinking and behaving
From this reading Built before the Revolution, it was of typical English rural architecture--one-storied, with a square chimney, and with a garden which made it the delight of artists who came from far and near to paint it; in the spring crocuses starred the borders, violets studded the lawn with amethyst, pale irises and daffodils, narcissus and jonquils stood in slim beauty.
richnessnounUS /ˈrɪtʃnəs/
the property of being extremely abundant
From this reading The late summer brought nasturtiums in all their richness of orange and bronze-brown, and in the fall, the dahlias blazed.
plural of “rose” — any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading Later came sweet peas, and the roses followed, hiding with their beauty the weather-beaten boards.
ruraladjectiveUS /ˈrʊrəl/
living in or characteristic of farming or country life
From this reading Built before the Revolution, it was of typical English rural architecture--one-storied, with a square chimney, and with a garden which made it the delight of artists who came from far and near to paint it; in the spring crocuses starred the borders, violets studded the lawn with amethyst, pale irises and daffodils, narcissus and jonquils stood in slim beauty.
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading VOICES IN THE DARK Captain Stubbs' cottage was one of the show places of the town.
slimadjectiveUS /slɪm/
being of delicate or slender build
From this reading Built before the Revolution, it was of typical English rural architecture--one-storied, with a square chimney, and with a garden which made it the delight of artists who came from far and near to paint it; in the spring crocuses starred the borders, violets studded the lawn with amethyst, pale irises and daffodils, narcissus and jonquils stood in slim beauty.
spannounUS /spæn/
the complete duration of something
From this reading The captain lived alone, attending to his domestic affairs in a fashion which was the envy of less spick and span housekeepers.
spicknoun
(ethnic slur) offensive term for persons of Latin American descent
From this reading The captain lived alone, attending to his domestic affairs in a fashion which was the envy of less spick and span housekeepers.
the season of growth
From this reading Built before the Revolution, it was of typical English rural architecture--one-storied, with a square chimney, and with a garden which made it the delight of artists who came from far and near to paint it; in the spring crocuses starred the borders, violets studded the lawn with amethyst, pale irises and daffodils, narcissus and jonquils stood in slim beauty.
make square
From this reading Built before the Revolution, it was of typical English rural architecture--one-storied, with a square chimney, and with a garden which made it the delight of artists who came from far and near to paint it; in the spring crocuses starred the borders, violets studded the lawn with amethyst, pale irises and daffodils, narcissus and jonquils stood in slim beauty.
starredadjectiveUS /stɑːrd/
marked with an asterisk
From this reading Built before the Revolution, it was of typical English rural architecture--one-storied, with a square chimney, and with a garden which made it the delight of artists who came from far and near to paint it; in the spring crocuses starred the borders, violets studded the lawn with amethyst, pale irises and daffodils, narcissus and jonquils stood in slim beauty.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading Built before the Revolution, it was of typical English rural architecture--one-storied, with a square chimney, and with a garden which made it the delight of artists who came from far and near to paint it; in the spring crocuses starred the borders, violets studded the lawn with amethyst, pale irises and daffodils, narcissus and jonquils stood in slim beauty.
StubbsnounUS /stʌbz/
English historian noted for his constitutional history of medieval England (1825-1901)
From this reading VOICES IN THE DARK Captain Stubbs' cottage was one of the show places of the town.
studdedadjectiveUS /ˈstʌdɪd/
dotted or adorned with or as with studs or nailheads; usually used in combination
From this reading Built before the Revolution, it was of typical English rural architecture--one-storied, with a square chimney, and with a garden which made it the delight of artists who came from far and near to paint it; in the spring crocuses starred the borders, violets studded the lawn with amethyst, pale irises and daffodils, narcissus and jonquils stood in slim beauty.
the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox
From this reading The late summer brought nasturtiums in all their richness of orange and bronze-brown, and in the fall, the dahlias blazed.
having or denoting the characteristic taste of sugar
From this reading Later came sweet peas, and the roses followed, hiding with their beauty the weather-beaten boards.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading VOICES IN THE DARK Captain Stubbs' cottage was one of the show places of the town.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Later came sweet peas, and the roses followed, hiding with their beauty the weather-beaten boards.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Built before the Revolution, it was of typical English rural architecture--one-storied, with a square chimney, and with a garden which made it the delight of artists who came from far and near to paint it; in the spring crocuses starred the borders, violets studded the lawn with amethyst, pale irises and daffodils, narcissus and jonquils stood in slim beauty.
an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading VOICES IN THE DARK Captain Stubbs' cottage was one of the show places of the town.
typicaladjectiveUS /ˈtɪpəkəl/
exhibiting the qualities or characteristics that identify a group or kind or category
From this reading Built before the Revolution, it was of typical English rural architecture--one-storied, with a square chimney, and with a garden which made it the delight of artists who came from far and near to paint it; in the spring crocuses starred the borders, violets studded the lawn with amethyst, pale irises and daffodils, narcissus and jonquils stood in slim beauty.
violetsnounUS /ˈvaɪələts/
plural of “violet” — any of numerous low-growing violas with small flowers
From this reading Built before the Revolution, it was of typical English rural architecture--one-storied, with a square chimney, and with a garden which made it the delight of artists who came from far and near to paint it; in the spring crocuses starred the borders, violets studded the lawn with amethyst, pale irises and daffodils, narcissus and jonquils stood in slim beauty.
plural of “voice” — the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading VOICES IN THE DARK Captain Stubbs' cottage was one of the show places of the town.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading VOICES IN THE DARK Captain Stubbs' cottage was one of the show places of the town.
weather-beatenadjective
tanned and coarsened from being outdoors
From this reading Later came sweet peas, and the roses followed, hiding with their beauty the weather-beaten boards.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Built before the Revolution, it was of typical English rural architecture--one-storied, with a square chimney, and with a garden which made it the delight of artists who came from far and near to paint it; in the spring crocuses starred the borders, violets studded the lawn with amethyst, pale irises and daffodils, narcissus and jonquils stood in slim beauty.
which person or people
From this reading Built before the Revolution, it was of typical English rural architecture--one-storied, with a square chimney, and with a garden which made it the delight of artists who came from far and near to paint it; in the spring crocuses starred the borders, violets studded the lawn with amethyst, pale irises and daffodils, narcissus and jonquils stood in slim beauty.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Built before the Revolution, it was of typical English rural architecture--one-storied, with a square chimney, and with a garden which made it the delight of artists who came from far and near to paint it; in the spring crocuses starred the borders, violets studded the lawn with amethyst, pale irises and daffodils, narcissus and jonquils stood in slim beauty.
