used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading CAMERON was seated alone in her pretty drawing-room, with a book lying open, but unheeded, on her lap.
acuteadjectiveUS /əˈkjuːt/
having or experiencing a rapid onset and short but severe course
From this reading To a very acute and practised observer, there was in her countenance an expression which baffled the common eye.
(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 To the common eye it was simply vacant; the expression of a quiet, humdrum woman, who might have been thinking of some quiet humdrum household detail,--found that too much for her, and was now not thinking at all.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading CAMERON was seated alone in her pretty drawing-room, with a book lying open, but unheeded, on her lap.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading To a very acute and practised observer, there was in her countenance an expression which baffled the common eye.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading To a very acute and practised observer, there was in her countenance an expression which baffled the common eye.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading To the common eye it was simply vacant; the expression of a quiet, humdrum woman, who might have been thinking of some quiet humdrum household detail,--found that too much for her, and was now not thinking at all.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading She was looking away from its pages, seemingly into the garden without, but rather into empty space.
bafflednounUS /ˈbæfəld/
people who are frustrated and perplexed
From this reading To a very acute and practised observer, there was in her countenance an expression which baffled the common eye.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading To the common eye it was simply vacant; the expression of a quiet, humdrum woman, who might have been thinking of some quiet humdrum household detail,--found that too much for her, and was now not thinking at all.
a written work or composition that has been published (printed on pages bound together)
From this reading CAMERON was seated alone in her pretty drawing-room, with a book lying open, but unheeded, on her lap.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading CAMERON was seated alone in her pretty drawing-room, with a book lying open, but unheeded, on her lap.
CAMERON
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading CAMERON was seated alone in her pretty drawing-room, with a book lying open, but unheeded, on her lap.
belonging to or participated in by a community as a whole; public
From this reading To a very acute and practised observer, there was in her countenance an expression which baffled the common eye.
the appearance conveyed by a person's face
From this reading To a very acute and practised observer, there was in her countenance an expression which baffled the common eye.
detailnounUS /dɪˈteɪl/
an isolated fact that is considered separately from the whole
From this reading To the common eye it was simply vacant; the expression of a quiet, humdrum woman, who might have been thinking of some quiet humdrum household detail,--found that too much for her, and was now not thinking at all.
drawing-room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading CAMERON was seated alone in her pretty drawing-room, with a book lying open, but unheeded, on her lap.
make void or empty of contents
From this reading She was looking away from its pages, seemingly into the garden without, but rather into empty space.
the feelings expressed on a person's face
From this reading To a very acute and practised observer, there was in her countenance an expression which baffled the common eye.
the organ of sight
From this reading To a very acute and practised observer, there was in her countenance an expression which baffled the common eye.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading To the common eye it was simply vacant; the expression of a quiet, humdrum woman, who might have been thinking of some quiet humdrum household detail,--found that too much for her, and was now not thinking at all.
set up or found
From this reading To the common eye it was simply vacant; the expression of a quiet, humdrum woman, who might have been thinking of some quiet humdrum household detail,--found that too much for her, and was now not thinking at all.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading She was looking away from its pages, seemingly into the garden without, but rather into empty space.
a plot of ground where plants are cultivated
From this reading She was looking away from its pages, seemingly into the garden without, but rather into empty space.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading To the common eye it was simply vacant; the expression of a quiet, humdrum woman, who might have been thinking of some quiet humdrum household detail,--found that too much for her, and was now not thinking at all.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading CAMERON was seated alone in her pretty drawing-room, with a book lying open, but unheeded, on her lap.
a social unit living together
From this reading To the common eye it was simply vacant; the expression of a quiet, humdrum woman, who might have been thinking of some quiet humdrum household detail,--found that too much for her, and was now not thinking at all.
humdrumadjectiveUS /ˈhʌmdrʌm/
not challenging; dull and lacking excitement
From this reading To the common eye it was simply vacant; the expression of a quiet, humdrum woman, who might have been thinking of some quiet humdrum household detail,--found that too much for her, and was now not thinking at all.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading CAMERON was seated alone in her pretty drawing-room, with a book lying open, but unheeded, on her lap.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading She was looking away from its pages, seemingly into the garden without, but rather into empty space.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading To the common eye it was simply vacant; the expression of a quiet, humdrum woman, who might have been thinking of some quiet humdrum household detail,--found that too much for her, and was now not thinking at all.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading She was looking away from its pages, seemingly into the garden without, but rather into empty space.
lapverbUS /læp/
lie partly over or alongside of something or of one another
From this reading CAMERON was seated alone in her pretty drawing-room, with a book lying open, but unheeded, on her lap.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading She was looking away from its pages, seemingly into the garden without, but rather into empty space.
the deliberate act of deviating from the truth
From this reading CAMERON was seated alone in her pretty drawing-room, with a book lying open, but unheeded, on her lap.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading To the common eye it was simply vacant; the expression of a quiet, humdrum woman, who might have been thinking of some quiet humdrum household detail,--found that too much for her, and was now not thinking at all.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading MRS.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading To the common eye it was simply vacant; the expression of a quiet, humdrum woman, who might have been thinking of some quiet humdrum household detail,--found that too much for her, and was now not thinking at all.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading To the common eye it was simply vacant; the expression of a quiet, humdrum woman, who might have been thinking of some quiet humdrum household detail,--found that too much for her, and was now not thinking at all.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading To the common eye it was simply vacant; the expression of a quiet, humdrum woman, who might have been thinking of some quiet humdrum household detail,--found that too much for her, and was now not thinking at all.
observernounUS /əbˈzɜːrvər/
a person who becomes aware (of things or events) through the senses
From this reading To a very acute and practised observer, there was in her countenance an expression which baffled the common eye.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading To the common eye it was simply vacant; the expression of a quiet, humdrum woman, who might have been thinking of some quiet humdrum household detail,--found that too much for her, and was now not thinking at all.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading CAMERON was seated alone in her pretty drawing-room, with a book lying open, but unheeded, on her lap.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading CAMERON was seated alone in her pretty drawing-room, with a book lying open, but unheeded, on her lap.
plural of “page” — one side of one leaf (of a book or magazine or newspaper or letter etc.) or the written or pictorial matter it contains
From this reading She was looking away from its pages, seemingly into the garden without, but rather into empty space.
practisedadjectiveUS /ˈpræktɪst/
skillful after much practice
From this reading To a very acute and practised observer, there was in her countenance an expression which baffled the common eye.
pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing
From this reading CAMERON was seated alone in her pretty drawing-room, with a book lying open, but unheeded, on her lap.
quietadjectiveUS /ˈkwaɪət/
characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity
From this reading To the common eye it was simply vacant; the expression of a quiet, humdrum woman, who might have been thinking of some quiet humdrum household detail,--found that too much for her, and was now not thinking at all.
on the contrary
From this reading She was looking away from its pages, seemingly into the garden without, but rather into empty space.
(of persons) having the torso erect and legs bent with the body supported on the buttocks
From this reading CAMERON was seated alone in her pretty drawing-room, with a book lying open, but unheeded, on her lap.
seeminglyadverbUS /ˈsiːmɪŋli/
from appearances alone
From this reading She was looking away from its pages, seemingly into the garden without, but rather into empty space.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She was looking away from its pages, seemingly into the garden without, but rather into empty space.
and nothing more
From this reading To the common eye it was simply vacant; the expression of a quiet, humdrum woman, who might have been thinking of some quiet humdrum household detail,--found that too much for her, and was now not thinking at all.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading To the common eye it was simply vacant; the expression of a quiet, humdrum woman, who might have been thinking of some quiet humdrum household detail,--found that too much for her, and was now not thinking at all.
the unlimited expanse in which everything is located
From this reading She was looking away from its pages, seemingly into the garden without, but rather into empty space.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading To the common eye it was simply vacant; the expression of a quiet, humdrum woman, who might have been thinking of some quiet humdrum household detail,--found that too much for her, and was now not thinking at all.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading She was looking away from its pages, seemingly into the garden without, but rather into empty space.
in or at that place or location
From this reading To a very acute and practised observer, there was in her countenance an expression which baffled the common eye.
the process of using your mind to consider something carefully
From this reading To the common eye it was simply vacant; the expression of a quiet, humdrum woman, who might have been thinking of some quiet humdrum household detail,--found that too much for her, and was now not thinking at all.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading To a very acute and practised observer, there was in her countenance an expression which baffled the common eye.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading To the common eye it was simply vacant; the expression of a quiet, humdrum woman, who might have been thinking of some quiet humdrum household detail,--found that too much for her, and was now not thinking at all.
unheededadjectiveUS /ənˈhiːdɪd/
disregarded
From this reading CAMERON was seated alone in her pretty drawing-room, with a book lying open, but unheeded, on her lap.
vacantadjectiveUS /ˈveɪkənt/
void of intelligence or thought
From this reading To the common eye it was simply vacant; the expression of a quiet, humdrum woman, who might have been thinking of some quiet humdrum household detail,--found that too much for her, and was now not thinking at all.
precisely as stated
From this reading To a very acute and practised observer, there was in her countenance an expression which baffled the common eye.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading CAMERON was seated alone in her pretty drawing-room, with a book lying open, but unheeded, on her lap.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading To a very acute and practised observer, there was in her countenance an expression which baffled the common eye.
which person or people
From this reading To the common eye it was simply vacant; the expression of a quiet, humdrum woman, who might have been thinking of some quiet humdrum household detail,--found that too much for her, and was now not thinking at all.
in the company of; together with
From this reading CAMERON was seated alone in her pretty drawing-room, with a book lying open, but unheeded, on her lap.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading She was looking away from its pages, seemingly into the garden without, but rather into empty space.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading To the common eye it was simply vacant; the expression of a quiet, humdrum woman, who might have been thinking of some quiet humdrum household detail,--found that too much for her, and was now not thinking at all.
