used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading _The Country Girl._ I made haste to dress, not caring a fig that Theresa should see my beard--which to tell the truth, owing to my being fair, was scarcely perceptible--and went down-stairs, keeping a sharp lookout for O’Twist, from whom I might have I knew not what to dread.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading _Spark._ “Very droll and extravagantly comic, I must confess; ha, ha, ha!”
arrangingnounUS /ərˈeɪndʒɪŋ/
the act of arranging and adapting a piece of music
From this reading The drawing-room door was open, and on entering, I found Theresa arranging some freshly-picked flowers in a vase.
the hair growing on the lower part of a man's face
From this reading _The Country Girl._ I made haste to dress, not caring a fig that Theresa should see my beard--which to tell the truth, owing to my being fair, was scarcely perceptible--and went down-stairs, keeping a sharp lookout for O’Twist, from whom I might have I knew not what to dread.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading “I’ll knock when I wear a livery,” I replied, “not before.”
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading _The Country Girl._ I made haste to dress, not caring a fig that Theresa should see my beard--which to tell the truth, owing to my being fair, was scarcely perceptible--and went down-stairs, keeping a sharp lookout for O’Twist, from whom I might have I knew not what to dread.
caringnounUS /ˈkerɪŋ/
a loving feeling
From this reading _The Country Girl._ I made haste to dress, not caring a fig that Theresa should see my beard--which to tell the truth, owing to my being fair, was scarcely perceptible--and went down-stairs, keeping a sharp lookout for O’Twist, from whom I might have I knew not what to dread.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading She instantly dropped her work on seeing me, and exclaimed very petulantly, “I wish people would knock when they come into a room.”
comicadjectiveUS /ˈkɑːmɪk/
arousing or provoking laughter
From this reading _Spark._ “Very droll and extravagantly comic, I must confess; ha, ha, ha!”
confess to a punishable or reprehensible deed, usually under pressure
From this reading _Spark._ “Very droll and extravagantly comic, I must confess; ha, ha, ha!”
a politically organized body of people under a single government
From this reading _The Country Girl._ I made haste to dress, not caring a fig that Theresa should see my beard--which to tell the truth, owing to my being fair, was scarcely perceptible--and went down-stairs, keeping a sharp lookout for O’Twist, from whom I might have I knew not what to dread.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading The drawing-room door was open, and on entering, I found Theresa arranging some freshly-picked flowers in a vase.
down-stairs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _The Country Girl._ I made haste to dress, not caring a fig that Theresa should see my beard--which to tell the truth, owing to my being fair, was scarcely perceptible--and went down-stairs, keeping a sharp lookout for O’Twist, from whom I might have I knew not what to dread.
drawing-room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The drawing-room door was open, and on entering, I found Theresa arranging some freshly-picked flowers in a vase.
fearful expectation or anticipation
From this reading _The Country Girl._ I made haste to dress, not caring a fig that Theresa should see my beard--which to tell the truth, owing to my being fair, was scarcely perceptible--and went down-stairs, keeping a sharp lookout for O’Twist, from whom I might have I knew not what to dread.
put on clothes
From this reading _The Country Girl._ I made haste to dress, not caring a fig that Theresa should see my beard--which to tell the truth, owing to my being fair, was scarcely perceptible--and went down-stairs, keeping a sharp lookout for O’Twist, from whom I might have I knew not what to dread.
drolladjectiveUS /droʊl/
comical in an odd or whimsical manner
From this reading _Spark._ “Very droll and extravagantly comic, I must confess; ha, ha, ha!”
inflected form of “drop” — let fall to the ground
From this reading She instantly dropped her work on seeing me, and exclaimed very petulantly, “I wish people would knock when they come into a room.”
a movement into or inward
From this reading The drawing-room door was open, and on entering, I found Theresa arranging some freshly-picked flowers in a vase.
past form of “exclaim” — utter aloud; often with surprise, horror, or joy
From this reading She instantly dropped her work on seeing me, and exclaimed very petulantly, “I wish people would knock when they come into a room.”
extravagantlyadverbUS /ˌekˈstrævəɡəntli/
in an abundant manner
From this reading _Spark._ “Very droll and extravagantly comic, I must confess; ha, ha, ha!”
free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; conforming with established standards or rules
From this reading _The Country Girl._ I made haste to dress, not caring a fig that Theresa should see my beard--which to tell the truth, owing to my being fair, was scarcely perceptible--and went down-stairs, keeping a sharp lookout for O’Twist, from whom I might have I knew not what to dread.
fignounUS /fɪɡ/
a diagram or picture illustrating textual material
From this reading _The Country Girl._ I made haste to dress, not caring a fig that Theresa should see my beard--which to tell the truth, owing to my being fair, was scarcely perceptible--and went down-stairs, keeping a sharp lookout for O’Twist, from whom I might have I knew not what to dread.
plural of “flower” — a plant cultivated for its blooms or blossoms
From this reading The drawing-room door was open, and on entering, I found Theresa arranging some freshly-picked flowers in a vase.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading _The Country Girl._ I made haste to dress, not caring a fig that Theresa should see my beard--which to tell the truth, owing to my being fair, was scarcely perceptible--and went down-stairs, keeping a sharp lookout for O’Twist, from whom I might have I knew not what to dread.
set up or found
From this reading The drawing-room door was open, and on entering, I found Theresa arranging some freshly-picked flowers in a vase.
freshly-picked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The drawing-room door was open, and on entering, I found Theresa arranging some freshly-picked flowers in a vase.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading _The Country Girl._ I made haste to dress, not caring a fig that Theresa should see my beard--which to tell the truth, owing to my being fair, was scarcely perceptible--and went down-stairs, keeping a sharp lookout for O’Twist, from whom I might have I knew not what to dread.
a young female
From this reading _The Country Girl._ I made haste to dress, not caring a fig that Theresa should see my beard--which to tell the truth, owing to my being fair, was scarcely perceptible--and went down-stairs, keeping a sharp lookout for O’Twist, from whom I might have I knew not what to dread.
(astronomy) the angular distance of a celestial point measured westward along the celestial equator from the zenith crossing; the right ascension for an observer at a particular location and time of day
From this reading _Spark._ “Very droll and extravagantly comic, I must confess; ha, ha, ha!”
overly eager speed (and possible carelessness)
From this reading _The Country Girl._ I made haste to dress, not caring a fig that Theresa should see my beard--which to tell the truth, owing to my being fair, was scarcely perceptible--and went down-stairs, keeping a sharp lookout for O’Twist, from whom I might have I knew not what to dread.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading _The Country Girl._ I made haste to dress, not caring a fig that Theresa should see my beard--which to tell the truth, owing to my being fair, was scarcely perceptible--and went down-stairs, keeping a sharp lookout for O’Twist, from whom I might have I knew not what to dread.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She instantly dropped her work on seeing me, and exclaimed very petulantly, “I wish people would knock when they come into a room.”
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading _Spark._ “Very droll and extravagantly comic, I must confess; ha, ha, ha!”
I'll
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I’ll knock when I wear a livery,” I replied, “not before.”
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The drawing-room door was open, and on entering, I found Theresa arranging some freshly-picked flowers in a vase.
without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening
From this reading She instantly dropped her work on seeing me, and exclaimed very petulantly, “I wish people would knock when they come into a room.”
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading She instantly dropped her work on seeing me, and exclaimed very petulantly, “I wish people would knock when they come into a room.”
conformity or harmony
From this reading _The Country Girl._ I made haste to dress, not caring a fig that Theresa should see my beard--which to tell the truth, owing to my being fair, was scarcely perceptible--and went down-stairs, keeping a sharp lookout for O’Twist, from whom I might have I knew not what to dread.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading _The Country Girl._ I made haste to dress, not caring a fig that Theresa should see my beard--which to tell the truth, owing to my being fair, was scarcely perceptible--and went down-stairs, keeping a sharp lookout for O’Twist, from whom I might have I knew not what to dread.
deliver a sharp blow or push
From this reading She instantly dropped her work on seeing me, and exclaimed very petulantly, “I wish people would knock when they come into a room.”
liverynounUS /ˈlɪvəri/
uniform worn by some menservants and chauffeurs
From this reading “I’ll knock when I wear a livery,” I replied, “not before.”
lookoutnounUS /ˈlʊkaʊt/
a person employed to keep watch for some anticipated event
From this reading _The Country Girl._ I made haste to dress, not caring a fig that Theresa should see my beard--which to tell the truth, owing to my being fair, was scarcely perceptible--and went down-stairs, keeping a sharp lookout for O’Twist, from whom I might have I knew not what to dread.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading _The Country Girl._ I made haste to dress, not caring a fig that Theresa should see my beard--which to tell the truth, owing to my being fair, was scarcely perceptible--and went down-stairs, keeping a sharp lookout for O’Twist, from whom I might have I knew not what to dread.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading She instantly dropped her work on seeing me, and exclaimed very petulantly, “I wish people would knock when they come into a room.”
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading _The Country Girl._ I made haste to dress, not caring a fig that Theresa should see my beard--which to tell the truth, owing to my being fair, was scarcely perceptible--and went down-stairs, keeping a sharp lookout for O’Twist, from whom I might have I knew not what to dread.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading _Spark._ “Very droll and extravagantly comic, I must confess; ha, ha, ha!”
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading _The Country Girl._ I made haste to dress, not caring a fig that Theresa should see my beard--which to tell the truth, owing to my being fair, was scarcely perceptible--and went down-stairs, keeping a sharp lookout for O’Twist, from whom I might have I knew not what to dread.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading _The Country Girl._ I made haste to dress, not caring a fig that Theresa should see my beard--which to tell the truth, owing to my being fair, was scarcely perceptible--and went down-stairs, keeping a sharp lookout for O’Twist, from whom I might have I knew not what to dread.
O'Twist
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _The Country Girl._ I made haste to dress, not caring a fig that Theresa should see my beard--which to tell the truth, owing to my being fair, was scarcely perceptible--and went down-stairs, keeping a sharp lookout for O’Twist, from whom I might have I knew not what to dread.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The drawing-room door was open, and on entering, I found Theresa arranging some freshly-picked flowers in a vase.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading The drawing-room door was open, and on entering, I found Theresa arranging some freshly-picked flowers in a vase.
owingadjectiveUS /ˈoʊɪŋ/
owed as a debt
From this reading _The Country Girl._ I made haste to dress, not caring a fig that Theresa should see my beard--which to tell the truth, owing to my being fair, was scarcely perceptible--and went down-stairs, keeping a sharp lookout for O’Twist, from whom I might have I knew not what to dread.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading She instantly dropped her work on seeing me, and exclaimed very petulantly, “I wish people would knock when they come into a room.”
perceptibleadjectiveUS /pərˈseptəbəl/
capable of being perceived by the mind or senses
From this reading _The Country Girl._ I made haste to dress, not caring a fig that Theresa should see my beard--which to tell the truth, owing to my being fair, was scarcely perceptible--and went down-stairs, keeping a sharp lookout for O’Twist, from whom I might have I knew not what to dread.
petulantlyadverb
in a petulant manner
From this reading She instantly dropped her work on seeing me, and exclaimed very petulantly, “I wish people would knock when they come into a room.”
inflected form of “reply” — react verbally
From this reading “I’ll knock when I wear a livery,” I replied, “not before.”
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading She instantly dropped her work on seeing me, and exclaimed very petulantly, “I wish people would knock when they come into a room.”
only a very short time before
From this reading _The Country Girl._ I made haste to dress, not caring a fig that Theresa should see my beard--which to tell the truth, owing to my being fair, was scarcely perceptible--and went down-stairs, keeping a sharp lookout for O’Twist, from whom I might have I knew not what to dread.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading _The Country Girl._ I made haste to dress, not caring a fig that Theresa should see my beard--which to tell the truth, owing to my being fair, was scarcely perceptible--and went down-stairs, keeping a sharp lookout for O’Twist, from whom I might have I knew not what to dread.
perception by means of the eyes
From this reading She instantly dropped her work on seeing me, and exclaimed very petulantly, “I wish people would knock when they come into a room.”
(of something seen or heard) clearly defined
From this reading _The Country Girl._ I made haste to dress, not caring a fig that Theresa should see my beard--which to tell the truth, owing to my being fair, was scarcely perceptible--and went down-stairs, keeping a sharp lookout for O’Twist, from whom I might have I knew not what to dread.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She instantly dropped her work on seeing me, and exclaimed very petulantly, “I wish people would knock when they come into a room.”
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading _The Country Girl._ I made haste to dress, not caring a fig that Theresa should see my beard--which to tell the truth, owing to my being fair, was scarcely perceptible--and went down-stairs, keeping a sharp lookout for O’Twist, from whom I might have I knew not what to dread.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading The drawing-room door was open, and on entering, I found Theresa arranging some freshly-picked flowers in a vase.
SparknounUS /spɑːrk/
a momentary flash of light
From this reading _Spark._ “Very droll and extravagantly comic, I must confess; ha, ha, ha!”
express in words
From this reading _The Country Girl._ I made haste to dress, not caring a fig that Theresa should see my beard--which to tell the truth, owing to my being fair, was scarcely perceptible--and went down-stairs, keeping a sharp lookout for O’Twist, from whom I might have I knew not what to dread.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading _The Country Girl._ I made haste to dress, not caring a fig that Theresa should see my beard--which to tell the truth, owing to my being fair, was scarcely perceptible--and went down-stairs, keeping a sharp lookout for O’Twist, from whom I might have I knew not what to dread.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading _The Country Girl._ I made haste to dress, not caring a fig that Theresa should see my beard--which to tell the truth, owing to my being fair, was scarcely perceptible--and went down-stairs, keeping a sharp lookout for O’Twist, from whom I might have I knew not what to dread.
TheresanounUS /tərˈiːsə/
Indian nun and missionary in the Roman Catholic Church (born of Albanian parents in what is now Macedonia); dedicated to helping the poor in India (1910-1997)
From this reading _The Country Girl._ I made haste to dress, not caring a fig that Theresa should see my beard--which to tell the truth, owing to my being fair, was scarcely perceptible--and went down-stairs, keeping a sharp lookout for O’Twist, from whom I might have I knew not what to dread.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She instantly dropped her work on seeing me, and exclaimed very petulantly, “I wish people would knock when they come into a room.”
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading _The Country Girl._ I made haste to dress, not caring a fig that Theresa should see my beard--which to tell the truth, owing to my being fair, was scarcely perceptible--and went down-stairs, keeping a sharp lookout for O’Twist, from whom I might have I knew not what to dread.
a fact that has been verified
From this reading _The Country Girl._ I made haste to dress, not caring a fig that Theresa should see my beard--which to tell the truth, owing to my being fair, was scarcely perceptible--and went down-stairs, keeping a sharp lookout for O’Twist, from whom I might have I knew not what to dread.
vasenounUS /veɪs/
an open jar of glass or porcelain used as an ornament or to hold flowers
From this reading The drawing-room door was open, and on entering, I found Theresa arranging some freshly-picked flowers in a vase.
precisely as stated
From this reading _Spark._ “Very droll and extravagantly comic, I must confess; ha, ha, ha!”
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading _The Country Girl._ I made haste to dress, not caring a fig that Theresa should see my beard--which to tell the truth, owing to my being fair, was scarcely perceptible--and went down-stairs, keeping a sharp lookout for O’Twist, from whom I might have I knew not what to dread.
be dressed in
From this reading “I’ll knock when I wear a livery,” I replied, “not before.”
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading _The Country Girl._ I made haste to dress, not caring a fig that Theresa should see my beard--which to tell the truth, owing to my being fair, was scarcely perceptible--and went down-stairs, keeping a sharp lookout for O’Twist, from whom I might have I knew not what to dread.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading _The Country Girl._ I made haste to dress, not caring a fig that Theresa should see my beard--which to tell the truth, owing to my being fair, was scarcely perceptible--and went down-stairs, keeping a sharp lookout for O’Twist, from whom I might have I knew not what to dread.
at the time that
From this reading She instantly dropped her work on seeing me, and exclaimed very petulantly, “I wish people would knock when they come into a room.”
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading _The Country Girl._ I made haste to dress, not caring a fig that Theresa should see my beard--which to tell the truth, owing to my being fair, was scarcely perceptible--and went down-stairs, keeping a sharp lookout for O’Twist, from whom I might have I knew not what to dread.
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading _The Country Girl._ I made haste to dress, not caring a fig that Theresa should see my beard--which to tell the truth, owing to my being fair, was scarcely perceptible--and went down-stairs, keeping a sharp lookout for O’Twist, from whom I might have I knew not what to dread.
hope for; have a wish
From this reading She instantly dropped her work on seeing me, and exclaimed very petulantly, “I wish people would knock when they come into a room.”
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading She instantly dropped her work on seeing me, and exclaimed very petulantly, “I wish people would knock when they come into a room.”
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading She instantly dropped her work on seeing me, and exclaimed very petulantly, “I wish people would knock when they come into a room.”
