used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The tom-boy of fourteen, with her excess of animal spirits, had developed into a bright and dainty girl of eighteen, with a grace and bloom about her like that of a flower just opening to the light.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading The tom-boy of fourteen, with her excess of animal spirits, had developed into a bright and dainty girl of eighteen, with a grace and bloom about her like that of a flower just opening to the light.
anew
From this reading It was four years before Phyllis came to live at home again; and the transformation was complete.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE SON AND HEIR.
a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading The tom-boy of fourteen, with her excess of animal spirits, had developed into a bright and dainty girl of eighteen, with a grace and bloom about her like that of a flower just opening to the light.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading It was four years before Phyllis came to live at home again; and the transformation was complete.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Her face was prettier, and her figure more graceful than even her mother had expected them to be.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading It was four years before Phyllis came to live at home again; and the transformation was complete.
bloomnounUS /bluːm/
the organic process of bearing flowers
From this reading The tom-boy of fourteen, with her excess of animal spirits, had developed into a bright and dainty girl of eighteen, with a grace and bloom about her like that of a flower just opening to the light.
emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts
From this reading The tom-boy of fourteen, with her excess of animal spirits, had developed into a bright and dainty girl of eighteen, with a grace and bloom about her like that of a flower just opening to the light.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading It was four years before Phyllis came to live at home again; and the transformation was complete.
rid of obstructions
From this reading She could sing well, with a sweet, clear voice, that suggested the spontaneous joyousness of a song-bird.
come or bring to a finish or an end
From this reading It was four years before Phyllis came to live at home again; and the transformation was complete.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading She could sing well, with a sweet, clear voice, that suggested the spontaneous joyousness of a song-bird.
daintyadjectiveUS /ˈdeɪnti/
delicately beautiful
From this reading The tom-boy of fourteen, with her excess of animal spirits, had developed into a bright and dainty girl of eighteen, with a grace and bloom about her like that of a flower just opening to the light.
developedadjectiveUS /dɪˈveləpt/
being changed over time so as to be e.g. stronger or more complete or more useful
From this reading The tom-boy of fourteen, with her excess of animal spirits, had developed into a bright and dainty girl of eighteen, with a grace and bloom about her like that of a flower just opening to the light.
eighteenadjectiveUS /eɪˈtiːn/
being one more than seventeen
From this reading The tom-boy of fourteen, with her excess of animal spirits, had developed into a bright and dainty girl of eighteen, with a grace and bloom about her like that of a flower just opening to the light.
divisible by two
From this reading Her face was prettier, and her figure more graceful than even her mother had expected them to be.
excessnounUS /ˈekses/
a quantity much larger than is needed
From this reading The tom-boy of fourteen, with her excess of animal spirits, had developed into a bright and dainty girl of eighteen, with a grace and bloom about her like that of a flower just opening to the light.
considered likely or probable to happen or arrive
From this reading Her face was prettier, and her figure more graceful than even her mother had expected them to be.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading Her face was prettier, and her figure more graceful than even her mother had expected them to be.
a diagram or picture illustrating textual material
From this reading Her face was prettier, and her figure more graceful than even her mother had expected them to be.
a plant cultivated for its blooms or blossoms
From this reading The tom-boy of fourteen, with her excess of animal spirits, had developed into a bright and dainty girl of eighteen, with a grace and bloom about her like that of a flower just opening to the light.
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading It was four years before Phyllis came to live at home again; and the transformation was complete.
fourteennounUS /ˈfɔːrˈtiːn/
the cardinal number that is the sum of thirteen and one
From this reading The tom-boy of fourteen, with her excess of animal spirits, had developed into a bright and dainty girl of eighteen, with a grace and bloom about her like that of a flower just opening to the light.
a young female
From this reading The tom-boy of fourteen, with her excess of animal spirits, had developed into a bright and dainty girl of eighteen, with a grace and bloom about her like that of a flower just opening to the light.
(Christian theology) a state of sanctification by God; the state of one who is under such divine influence
From this reading The tom-boy of fourteen, with her excess of animal spirits, had developed into a bright and dainty girl of eighteen, with a grace and bloom about her like that of a flower just opening to the light.
characterized by beauty of movement, style, form, or execution
From this reading Her face was prettier, and her figure more graceful than even her mother had expected them to be.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The tom-boy of fourteen, with her excess of animal spirits, had developed into a bright and dainty girl of eighteen, with a grace and bloom about her like that of a flower just opening to the light.
HEIRnounUS /er/
A person legally or magically entitled to the property or rank of another on that person's death.
From this reading THE SON AND HEIR.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The tom-boy of fourteen, with her excess of animal spirits, had developed into a bright and dainty girl of eighteen, with a grace and bloom about her like that of a flower just opening to the light.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading It was four years before Phyllis came to live at home again; and the transformation was complete.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading The tom-boy of fourteen, with her excess of animal spirits, had developed into a bright and dainty girl of eighteen, with a grace and bloom about her like that of a flower just opening to the light.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was four years before Phyllis came to live at home again; and the transformation was complete.
joyousnessnoun
the emotion of great happiness
From this reading She could sing well, with a sweet, clear voice, that suggested the spontaneous joyousness of a song-bird.
and nothing more
From this reading The tom-boy of fourteen, with her excess of animal spirits, had developed into a bright and dainty girl of eighteen, with a grace and bloom about her like that of a flower just opening to the light.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading The tom-boy of fourteen, with her excess of animal spirits, had developed into a bright and dainty girl of eighteen, with a grace and bloom about her like that of a flower just opening to the light.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading The tom-boy of fourteen, with her excess of animal spirits, had developed into a bright and dainty girl of eighteen, with a grace and bloom about her like that of a flower just opening to the light.
be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading It was four years before Phyllis came to live at home again; and the transformation was complete.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Her face was prettier, and her figure more graceful than even her mother had expected them to be.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading Her face was prettier, and her figure more graceful than even her mother had expected them to be.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The tom-boy of fourteen, with her excess of animal spirits, had developed into a bright and dainty girl of eighteen, with a grace and bloom about her like that of a flower just opening to the light.
an open or empty space in or between things
From this reading The tom-boy of fourteen, with her excess of animal spirits, had developed into a bright and dainty girl of eighteen, with a grace and bloom about her like that of a flower just opening to the light.
Phyllis
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was four years before Phyllis came to live at home again; and the transformation was complete.
prettieradjectiveUS /ˈprɪtiər/
comparative of “pretty” — pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing
From this reading Her face was prettier, and her figure more graceful than even her mother had expected them to be.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She could sing well, with a sweet, clear voice, that suggested the spontaneous joyousness of a song-bird.
deliver by singing
From this reading She could sing well, with a sweet, clear voice, that suggested the spontaneous joyousness of a song-bird.
a male human offspring
From this reading THE SON AND HEIR.
song-bird
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She could sing well, with a sweet, clear voice, that suggested the spontaneous joyousness of a song-bird.
an alcoholic beverage that is distilled rather than fermented
From this reading The tom-boy of fourteen, with her excess of animal spirits, had developed into a bright and dainty girl of eighteen, with a grace and bloom about her like that of a flower just opening to the light.
spontaneousadjectiveUS /spɑːnˈteɪniəs/
happening or arising without apparent external cause
From this reading She could sing well, with a sweet, clear voice, that suggested the spontaneous joyousness of a song-bird.
past form of “suggest” — make a proposal, declare a plan for something
From this reading She could sing well, with a sweet, clear voice, that suggested the spontaneous joyousness of a song-bird.
having or denoting the characteristic taste of sugar
From this reading She could sing well, with a sweet, clear voice, that suggested the spontaneous joyousness of a song-bird.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Her face was prettier, and her figure more graceful than even her mother had expected them to be.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The tom-boy of fourteen, with her excess of animal spirits, had developed into a bright and dainty girl of eighteen, with a grace and bloom about her like that of a flower just opening to the light.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE SON AND HEIR.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Her face was prettier, and her figure more graceful than even her mother had expected them to be.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It was four years before Phyllis came to live at home again; and the transformation was complete.
tom-boy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The tom-boy of fourteen, with her excess of animal spirits, had developed into a bright and dainty girl of eighteen, with a grace and bloom about her like that of a flower just opening to the light.
transformationnounUS /ˌtrænsfərˈmeɪʃən/
a qualitative change
From this reading It was four years before Phyllis came to live at home again; and the transformation was complete.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading She could sing well, with a sweet, clear voice, that suggested the spontaneous joyousness of a song-bird.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was four years before Phyllis came to live at home again; and the transformation was complete.
(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 She could sing well, with a sweet, clear voice, that suggested the spontaneous joyousness of a song-bird.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The tom-boy of fourteen, with her excess of animal spirits, had developed into a bright and dainty girl of eighteen, with a grace and bloom about her like that of a flower just opening to the light.
a late time of life
From this reading It was four years before Phyllis came to live at home again; and the transformation was complete.
