Chapter IV · Chapter 4

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

From this reading You really mustn't keep her away from us at Christmas--on the contrary, we ought to make some opportunities for watching her dance; she must be as pretty as a sprite."

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading "That she is," agreed Joanna, warming and mollified, "and I've bought her a new gown that pulls out like an accordion, so as she can wave her skirts about when she dances."

a portable box-shaped free-reed instrument; the reeds are made to vibrate by air from the bellows controlled by the player

From this reading "That she is," agreed Joanna, warming and mollified, "and I've bought her a new gown that pulls out like an accordion, so as she can wave her skirts about when she dances."

united by being of the same opinion

From this reading "That she is," agreed Joanna, warming and mollified, "and I've bought her a new gown that pulls out like an accordion, so as she can wave her skirts about when she dances."

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading "That she is," agreed Joanna, warming and mollified, "and I've bought her a new gown that pulls out like an accordion, so as she can wave her skirts about when she dances."

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

From this reading "She's learning how to dance and make curtsies right down to the floor," said Joanna.

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

From this reading You really mustn't keep her away from us at Christmas--on the contrary, we ought to make some opportunities for watching her dance; she must be as pretty as a sprite."

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading You really mustn't keep her away from us at Christmas--on the contrary, we ought to make some opportunities for watching her dance; she must be as pretty as a sprite."

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading You really mustn't keep her away from us at Christmas--on the contrary, we ought to make some opportunities for watching her dance; she must be as pretty as a sprite."

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

From this reading "Well, the drawing-room at North Farthing would make an excellent ball-room ... we must see about that--eh, Martin?"

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading You really mustn't keep her away from us at Christmas--on the contrary, we ought to make some opportunities for watching her dance; she must be as pretty as a sprite."

inflected form of “buy” — obtain by purchase; acquire by means of a financial transaction

From this reading "That she is," agreed Joanna, warming and mollified, "and I've bought her a new gown that pulls out like an accordion, so as she can wave her skirts about when she dances."

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading "That she is," agreed Joanna, warming and mollified, "and I've bought her a new gown that pulls out like an accordion, so as she can wave her skirts about when she dances."

period extending from Dec. 24 to Jan. 6

From this reading You really mustn't keep her away from us at Christmas--on the contrary, we ought to make some opportunities for watching her dance; she must be as pretty as a sprite."

very opposed in nature or character or purpose

From this reading You really mustn't keep her away from us at Christmas--on the contrary, we ought to make some opportunities for watching her dance; she must be as pretty as a sprite."

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

From this reading "She's learning how to dance and make curtsies right down to the floor," said Joanna.

an artistic form of nonverbal communication

From this reading "She's learning how to dance and make curtsies right down to the floor," said Joanna.

plural of “dance” — an artistic form of nonverbal communication

From this reading "That she is," agreed Joanna, warming and mollified, "and I've bought her a new gown that pulls out like an accordion, so as she can wave her skirts about when she dances."

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading "She's learning how to dance and make curtsies right down to the floor," said Joanna.

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

From this reading "Well, the drawing-room at North Farthing would make an excellent ball-room ... we must see about that--eh, Martin?"

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

From this reading "Well, the drawing-room at North Farthing would make an excellent ball-room ... we must see about that--eh, Martin?"

very good; of the highest quality

From this reading "Well, the drawing-room at North Farthing would make an excellent ball-room ... we must see about that--eh, Martin?"

a former British bronze coin worth a quarter of a penny

From this reading "Well, the drawing-room at North Farthing would make an excellent ball-room ... we must see about that--eh, Martin?"

be agreeable or acceptable to

From this reading "Then she's fit to see the Queen.

the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)

From this reading "She's learning how to dance and make curtsies right down to the floor," said Joanna.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading You really mustn't keep her away from us at Christmas--on the contrary, we ought to make some opportunities for watching her dance; she must be as pretty as a sprite."

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading You really mustn't keep her away from us at Christmas--on the contrary, we ought to make some opportunities for watching her dance; she must be as pretty as a sprite."

a woman's dress, usually with a close-fitting bodice and a long flared skirt, often worn on formal occasions

From this reading "That she is," agreed Joanna, warming and mollified, "and I've bought her a new gown that pulls out like an accordion, so as she can wave her skirts about when she dances."

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading You really mustn't keep her away from us at Christmas--on the contrary, we ought to make some opportunities for watching her dance; she must be as pretty as a sprite."

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

From this reading "She's learning how to dance and make curtsies right down to the floor," said Joanna.

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

From this reading "That she is," agreed Joanna, warming and mollified, "and I've bought her a new gown that pulls out like an accordion, so as she can wave her skirts about when she dances."

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

From this reading "That she is," agreed Joanna, warming and mollified, "and I've bought her a new gown that pulls out like an accordion, so as she can wave her skirts about when she dances."

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

From this reading "She's learning how to dance and make curtsies right down to the floor," said Joanna.

cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”

From this reading You really mustn't keep her away from us at Christmas--on the contrary, we ought to make some opportunities for watching her dance; she must be as pretty as a sprite."

the cognitive process of acquiring skill or knowledge

From this reading "She's learning how to dance and make curtsies right down to the floor," said Joanna.

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading "That she is," agreed Joanna, warming and mollified, "and I've bought her a new gown that pulls out like an accordion, so as she can wave her skirts about when she dances."

engage in

From this reading "She's learning how to dance and make curtsies right down to the floor," said Joanna.

French bishop who is a patron saint of France (died in 397)

From this reading "Well, the drawing-room at North Farthing would make an excellent ball-room ... we must see about that--eh, Martin?"

inflected form of “mollify” — cause to be more favorably inclined; gain the good will of

From this reading "That she is," agreed Joanna, warming and mollified, "and I've bought her a new gown that pulls out like an accordion, so as she can wave her skirts about when she dances."

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading You really mustn't keep her away from us at Christmas--on the contrary, we ought to make some opportunities for watching her dance; she must be as pretty as a sprite."

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

From this reading You really mustn't keep her away from us at Christmas--on the contrary, we ought to make some opportunities for watching her dance; she must be as pretty as a sprite."

not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered

From this reading "That she is," agreed Joanna, warming and mollified, "and I've bought her a new gown that pulls out like an accordion, so as she can wave her skirts about when she dances."

the region of the United States lying to the north of the Mason-Dixon line

From this reading "Well, the drawing-room at North Farthing would make an excellent ball-room ... we must see about that--eh, Martin?"

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading You really mustn't keep her away from us at Christmas--on the contrary, we ought to make some opportunities for watching her dance; she must be as pretty as a sprite."

plural of “opportunity” — a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances

From this reading You really mustn't keep her away from us at Christmas--on the contrary, we ought to make some opportunities for watching her dance; she must be as pretty as a sprite."

used with “to” to say what is right or advisable

From this reading You really mustn't keep her away from us at Christmas--on the contrary, we ought to make some opportunities for watching her dance; she must be as pretty as a sprite."

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading "That she is," agreed Joanna, warming and mollified, "and I've bought her a new gown that pulls out like an accordion, so as she can wave her skirts about when she dances."

pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing

From this reading You really mustn't keep her away from us at Christmas--on the contrary, we ought to make some opportunities for watching her dance; she must be as pretty as a sprite."

plural of “pull” — the act of pulling; applying force to move something toward or with you

From this reading "That she is," agreed Joanna, warming and mollified, "and I've bought her a new gown that pulls out like an accordion, so as she can wave her skirts about when she dances."

the only fertile female in a colony of social insects such as bees and ants and termites; its function is to lay eggs

From this reading "Then she's fit to see the Queen.

in accordance with truth or fact or reality

From this reading You really mustn't keep her away from us at Christmas--on the contrary, we ought to make some opportunities for watching her dance; she must be as pretty as a sprite."

precisely, exactly

From this reading "She's learning how to dance and make curtsies right down to the floor," said Joanna.

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading "She's learning how to dance and make curtsies right down to the floor," said Joanna.

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading "Then she's fit to see the Queen.

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

From this reading You really mustn't keep her away from us at Christmas--on the contrary, we ought to make some opportunities for watching her dance; she must be as pretty as a sprite."

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

From this reading "She's learning how to dance and make curtsies right down to the floor," said Joanna.

plural of “skirt” — cloth covering that forms the part of a garment below the waist

From this reading "That she is," agreed Joanna, warming and mollified, "and I've bought her a new gown that pulls out like an accordion, so as she can wave her skirts about when she dances."

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading "That she is," agreed Joanna, warming and mollified, "and I've bought her a new gown that pulls out like an accordion, so as she can wave her skirts about when she dances."

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading You really mustn't keep her away from us at Christmas--on the contrary, we ought to make some opportunities for watching her dance; she must be as pretty as a sprite."

a small being, human in form, playful and having magical powers

From this reading You really mustn't keep her away from us at Christmas--on the contrary, we ought to make some opportunities for watching her dance; she must be as pretty as a sprite."

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading "That she is," agreed Joanna, warming and mollified, "and I've bought her a new gown that pulls out like an accordion, so as she can wave her skirts about when she dances."

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

From this reading "She's learning how to dance and make curtsies right down to the floor," said Joanna.

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading "Then she's fit to see the Queen.

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

From this reading "She's learning how to dance and make curtsies right down to the floor," said Joanna.

the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading You really mustn't keep her away from us at Christmas--on the contrary, we ought to make some opportunities for watching her dance; she must be as pretty as a sprite."

imparting heat

From this reading "That she is," agreed Joanna, warming and mollified, "and I've bought her a new gown that pulls out like an accordion, so as she can wave her skirts about when she dances."

the act of observing; taking a patient look

From this reading You really mustn't keep her away from us at Christmas--on the contrary, we ought to make some opportunities for watching her dance; she must be as pretty as a sprite."

one of a series of ridges that moves across the surface of a liquid (especially across a large body of water)

From this reading "That she is," agreed Joanna, warming and mollified, "and I've bought her a new gown that pulls out like an accordion, so as she can wave her skirts about when she dances."

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading You really mustn't keep her away from us at Christmas--on the contrary, we ought to make some opportunities for watching her dance; she must be as pretty as a sprite."

(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 "Well, the drawing-room at North Farthing would make an excellent ball-room ... we must see about that--eh, Martin?"

at the time that

From this reading "That she is," agreed Joanna, warming and mollified, "and I've bought her a new gown that pulls out like an accordion, so as she can wave her skirts about when she dances."

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading "Well, the drawing-room at North Farthing would make an excellent ball-room ... we must see about that--eh, Martin?"

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading You really mustn't keep her away from us at Christmas--on the contrary, we ought to make some opportunities for watching her dance; she must be as pretty as a sprite."