Chapter XXI · Chapter 21

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

From this reading Tai-yü feels dull on a windy and rainy evening, and indites verses on wind and rain.

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

From this reading Tai-yü feels dull on a windy and rainy evening, and indites verses on wind and rain.

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

From this reading "So many of you come to-day," lady Feng smiled, "that it looks as if you'd been asked to come by invitation."

past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody

From this reading "So many of you come to-day," lady Feng smiled, "that it looks as if you'd been asked to come by invitation."

the past participle of “be”

From this reading "So many of you come to-day," lady Feng smiled, "that it looks as if you'd been asked to come by invitation."

showing who or what does the action

From this reading "So many of you come to-day," lady Feng smiled, "that it looks as if you'd been asked to come by invitation."

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

From this reading T'an Ch'un was the first to speak.

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading "So many of you come to-day," lady Feng smiled, "that it looks as if you'd been asked to come by invitation."

providing freedom from worry

From this reading Lady Feng, we will now go on to explain, was engaged in comforting P'ing Erh, when upon unawares perceiving the young ladies enter the room, she hastened to make them sit down while P'ing Erh poured the tea.

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading Lady Feng, we will now go on to explain, was engaged in comforting P'ing Erh, when upon unawares perceiving the young ladies enter the room, she hastened to make them sit down while P'ing Erh poured the tea.

lacking in liveliness or animation

From this reading Tai-yü feels dull on a windy and rainy evening, and indites verses on wind and rain.

having ones attention or mind or energy engaged

From this reading Lady Feng, we will now go on to explain, was engaged in comforting P'ing Erh, when upon unawares perceiving the young ladies enter the room, she hastened to make them sit down while P'ing Erh poured the tea.

to come or go into

From this reading Lady Feng, we will now go on to explain, was engaged in comforting P'ing Erh, when upon unawares perceiving the young ladies enter the room, she hastened to make them sit down while P'ing Erh poured the tea.

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

From this reading Lady Feng, we will now go on to explain, was engaged in comforting P'ing Erh, when upon unawares perceiving the young ladies enter the room, she hastened to make them sit down while P'ing Erh poured the tea.

the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)

From this reading Tai-yü feels dull on a windy and rainy evening, and indites verses on wind and rain.

make plain and comprehensible

From this reading Lady Feng, we will now go on to explain, was engaged in comforting P'ing Erh, when upon unawares perceiving the young ladies enter the room, she hastened to make them sit down while P'ing Erh poured the tea.

plural of “feel” — an intuitive awareness

From this reading Tai-yü feels dull on a windy and rainy evening, and indites verses on wind and rain.

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

From this reading Lady Feng, we will now go on to explain, was engaged in comforting P'ing Erh, when upon unawares perceiving the young ladies enter the room, she hastened to make them sit down while P'ing Erh poured the tea.

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading T'an Ch'un was the first to speak.

plural of “friend” — a person you know well and regard with affection and trust

From this reading Friends interchange words of friendship.

the state of being friends (or friendly)

From this reading Friends interchange words of friendship.

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading Lady Feng, we will now go on to explain, was engaged in comforting P'ing Erh, when upon unawares perceiving the young ladies enter the room, she hastened to make them sit down while P'ing Erh poured the tea.

past form of “hasten” — act or move at high speed

From this reading Lady Feng, we will now go on to explain, was engaged in comforting P'ing Erh, when upon unawares perceiving the young ladies enter the room, she hastened to make them sit down while P'ing Erh poured the tea.

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading "So many of you come to-day," lady Feng smiled, "that it looks as if you'd been asked to come by invitation."

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

From this reading Lady Feng, we will now go on to explain, was engaged in comforting P'ing Erh, when upon unawares perceiving the young ladies enter the room, she hastened to make them sit down while P'ing Erh poured the tea.

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

From this reading Tai-yü feels dull on a windy and rainy evening, and indites verses on wind and rain.

a junction of highways on different levels that permits traffic to move from one to another without crossing traffic streams

From this reading Friends interchange words of friendship.

a request (spoken or written) to participate or be present or take part in something

From this reading "So many of you come to-day," lady Feng smiled, "that it looks as if you'd been asked to come by invitation."

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading "So many of you come to-day," lady Feng smiled, "that it looks as if you'd been asked to come by invitation."

plural of “lady” — a polite name for any woman

From this reading Lady Feng, we will now go on to explain, was engaged in comforting P'ing Erh, when upon unawares perceiving the young ladies enter the room, she hastened to make them sit down while P'ing Erh poured the tea.

a polite name for any woman

From this reading Lady Feng, we will now go on to explain, was engaged in comforting P'ing Erh, when upon unawares perceiving the young ladies enter the room, she hastened to make them sit down while P'ing Erh poured the tea.

plural of “look” — the feelings expressed on a person's face

From this reading "So many of you come to-day," lady Feng smiled, "that it looks as if you'd been asked to come by invitation."

engage in

From this reading Lady Feng, we will now go on to explain, was engaged in comforting P'ing Erh, when upon unawares perceiving the young ladies enter the room, she hastened to make them sit down while P'ing Erh poured the tea.

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 "So many of you come to-day," lady Feng smiled, "that it looks as if you'd been asked to come by invitation."

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading Lady Feng, we will now go on to explain, was engaged in comforting P'ing Erh, when upon unawares perceiving the young ladies enter the room, she hastened to make them sit down while P'ing Erh poured the tea.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Friends interchange words of friendship.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Tai-yü feels dull on a windy and rainy evening, and indites verses on wind and rain.

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

From this reading Lady Feng, we will now go on to explain, was engaged in comforting P'ing Erh, when upon unawares perceiving the young ladies enter the room, she hastened to make them sit down while P'ing Erh poured the tea.

-ing form of “perceive” — to become aware of through the senses

From this reading Lady Feng, we will now go on to explain, was engaged in comforting P'ing Erh, when upon unawares perceiving the young ladies enter the room, she hastened to make them sit down while P'ing Erh poured the tea.

past form of “pour” — cause to run

From this reading Lady Feng, we will now go on to explain, was engaged in comforting P'ing Erh, when upon unawares perceiving the young ladies enter the room, she hastened to make them sit down while P'ing Erh poured the tea.

water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere

From this reading Tai-yü feels dull on a windy and rainy evening, and indites verses on wind and rain.

(of weather) wet by periods of rain

From this reading Tai-yü feels dull on a windy and rainy evening, and indites verses on wind and rain.

an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling

From this reading Lady Feng, we will now go on to explain, was engaged in comforting P'ing Erh, when upon unawares perceiving the young ladies enter the room, she hastened to make them sit down while P'ing Erh poured the tea.

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

From this reading Lady Feng, we will now go on to explain, was engaged in comforting P'ing Erh, when upon unawares perceiving the young ladies enter the room, she hastened to make them sit down while P'ing Erh poured the tea.

be seated

From this reading Lady Feng, we will now go on to explain, was engaged in comforting P'ing Erh, when upon unawares perceiving the young ladies enter the room, she hastened to make them sit down while P'ing Erh poured the tea.

past form of “smile” — change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure

From this reading "So many of you come to-day," lady Feng smiled, "that it looks as if you'd been asked to come by invitation."

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading "So many of you come to-day," lady Feng smiled, "that it looks as if you'd been asked to come by invitation."

express in speech

From this reading T'an Ch'un was the first to speak.

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

From this reading T'an Ch'un was the first to speak.

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

From this reading Tai-yü feels dull on a windy and rainy evening, and indites verses on wind and rain.

a beverage made by steeping tea leaves in water

From this reading Lady Feng, we will now go on to explain, was engaged in comforting P'ing Erh, when upon unawares perceiving the young ladies enter the room, she hastened to make them sit down while P'ing Erh poured the tea.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading "So many of you come to-day," lady Feng smiled, "that it looks as if you'd been asked to come by invitation."

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

From this reading Lady Feng, we will now go on to explain, was engaged in comforting P'ing Erh, when upon unawares perceiving the young ladies enter the room, she hastened to make them sit down while P'ing Erh poured the tea.

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading Lady Feng, we will now go on to explain, was engaged in comforting P'ing Erh, when upon unawares perceiving the young ladies enter the room, she hastened to make them sit down while P'ing Erh poured the tea.

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

From this reading Lady Feng, we will now go on to explain, was engaged in comforting P'ing Erh, when upon unawares perceiving the young ladies enter the room, she hastened to make them sit down while P'ing Erh poured the tea.

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

From this reading "So many of you come to-day," lady Feng smiled, "that it looks as if you'd been asked to come by invitation."

without forethought or plan; inadvertently

From this reading Lady Feng, we will now go on to explain, was engaged in comforting P'ing Erh, when upon unawares perceiving the young ladies enter the room, she hastened to make them sit down while P'ing Erh poured the tea.

a formal word for “on”

From this reading Lady Feng, we will now go on to explain, was engaged in comforting P'ing Erh, when upon unawares perceiving the young ladies enter the room, she hastened to make them sit down while P'ing Erh poured the tea.

plural of “verse” — literature in metrical form

From this reading Tai-yü feels dull on a windy and rainy evening, and indites verses on wind and rain.

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

From this reading Lady Feng, we will now go on to explain, was engaged in comforting P'ing Erh, when upon unawares perceiving the young ladies enter the room, she hastened to make them sit down while P'ing Erh poured the tea.

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading Lady Feng, we will now go on to explain, was engaged in comforting P'ing Erh, when upon unawares perceiving the young ladies enter the room, she hastened to make them sit down while P'ing Erh poured the tea.

at the time that

From this reading Lady Feng, we will now go on to explain, was engaged in comforting P'ing Erh, when upon unawares perceiving the young ladies enter the room, she hastened to make them sit down while P'ing Erh poured the tea.

during the time that

From this reading Lady Feng, we will now go on to explain, was engaged in comforting P'ing Erh, when upon unawares perceiving the young ladies enter the room, she hastened to make them sit down while P'ing Erh poured the tea.

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading Lady Feng, we will now go on to explain, was engaged in comforting P'ing Erh, when upon unawares perceiving the young ladies enter the room, she hastened to make them sit down while P'ing Erh poured the tea.

air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure

From this reading Tai-yü feels dull on a windy and rainy evening, and indites verses on wind and rain.

abounding in or exposed to the wind or breezes

From this reading Tai-yü feels dull on a windy and rainy evening, and indites verses on wind and rain.

the words that are spoken

From this reading Friends interchange words of friendship.

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "So many of you come to-day," lady Feng smiled, "that it looks as if you'd been asked to come by invitation."

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

From this reading "So many of you come to-day," lady Feng smiled, "that it looks as if you'd been asked to come by invitation."

(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

From this reading Lady Feng, we will now go on to explain, was engaged in comforting P'ing Erh, when upon unawares perceiving the young ladies enter the room, she hastened to make them sit down while P'ing Erh poured the tea.