used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "I suppose I am not very wise in such matters, but one of the nicest ladies I ever knew was a little Irish sewing woman who made buttonholes.
in the past
From this reading It was one summer when I went South, more years ago than I care to count; and Winnie--her name was Winnie--came to the house to renovate my riding habit for me."
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading "I suppose I am not very wise in such matters, but one of the nicest ladies I ever knew was a little Irish sewing woman who made buttonholes.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "The lady and the gentleman," answered Polly's grandmother.
past form of “answer” — react verbally
From this reading "The lady and the gentleman," answered Polly's grandmother.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The speaker paused as if she did not care to say more.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading "I suppose I am not very wise in such matters, but one of the nicest ladies I ever knew was a little Irish sewing woman who made buttonholes.
buttonholesnounUS /ˈbʌtənhoʊlz/
plural of “buttonhole” — a hole through which buttons are pushed
From this reading "I suppose I am not very wise in such matters, but one of the nicest ladies I ever knew was a little Irish sewing woman who made buttonholes.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading It was one summer when I went South, more years ago than I care to count; and Winnie--her name was Winnie--came to the house to renovate my riding habit for me."
the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something
From this reading It was one summer when I went South, more years ago than I care to count; and Winnie--her name was Winnie--came to the house to renovate my riding habit for me."
determine the number or amount of
From this reading It was one summer when I went South, more years ago than I care to count; and Winnie--her name was Winnie--came to the house to renovate my riding habit for me."
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading The speaker paused as if she did not care to say more.
doesauxiliary verbUS /dʌz/
the form of “do” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "Oh, does it?" said the other, softly.
at any time
From this reading "I suppose I am not very wise in such matters, but one of the nicest ladies I ever knew was a little Irish sewing woman who made buttonholes.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It was one summer when I went South, more years ago than I care to count; and Winnie--her name was Winnie--came to the house to renovate my riding habit for me."
a man of refinement
From this reading "The lady and the gentleman," answered Polly's grandmother.
the mother of your father or mother
From this reading "The lady and the gentleman," answered Polly's grandmother.
an established custom
From this reading It was one summer when I went South, more years ago than I care to count; and Winnie--her name was Winnie--came to the house to renovate my riding habit for me."
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading It was one summer when I went South, more years ago than I care to count; and Winnie--her name was Winnie--came to the house to renovate my riding habit for me."
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading It was one summer when I went South, more years ago than I care to count; and Winnie--her name was Winnie--came to the house to renovate my riding habit for me."
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I suppose I am not very wise in such matters, but one of the nicest ladies I ever knew was a little Irish sewing woman who made buttonholes.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading The speaker paused as if she did not care to say more.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "I suppose I am not very wise in such matters, but one of the nicest ladies I ever knew was a little Irish sewing woman who made buttonholes.
people of Ireland or of Irish extraction
From this reading "I suppose I am not very wise in such matters, but one of the nicest ladies I ever knew was a little Irish sewing woman who made buttonholes.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "Oh, does it?" said the other, softly.
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 "I suppose I am not very wise in such matters, but one of the nicest ladies I ever knew was a little Irish sewing woman who made buttonholes.
plural of “lady” — a polite name for any woman
From this reading "I suppose I am not very wise in such matters, but one of the nicest ladies I ever knew was a little Irish sewing woman who made buttonholes.
a polite name for any woman
From this reading "The lady and the gentleman," answered Polly's grandmother.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading "I suppose I am not very wise in such matters, but one of the nicest ladies I ever knew was a little Irish sewing woman who made buttonholes.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading "I suppose I am not very wise in such matters, but one of the nicest ladies I ever knew was a little Irish sewing woman who made buttonholes.
plural of “matter” — a vaguely specified concern
From this reading "I suppose I am not very wise in such matters, but one of the nicest ladies I ever knew was a little Irish sewing woman who made buttonholes.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading It was one summer when I went South, more years ago than I care to count; and Winnie--her name was Winnie--came to the house to renovate my riding habit for me."
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading It was one summer when I went South, more years ago than I care to count; and Winnie--her name was Winnie--came to the house to renovate my riding habit for me."
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading It was one summer when I went South, more years ago than I care to count; and Winnie--her name was Winnie--came to the house to renovate my riding habit for me."
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading It was one summer when I went South, more years ago than I care to count; and Winnie--her name was Winnie--came to the house to renovate my riding habit for me."
nicestadjectiveUS /ˈnaɪsɪst/
superlative of “nice” — pleasant or pleasing or agreeable in nature or appearance
From this reading "I suppose I am not very wise in such matters, but one of the nicest ladies I ever knew was a little Irish sewing woman who made buttonholes.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "I suppose I am not very wise in such matters, but one of the nicest ladies I ever knew was a little Irish sewing woman who made buttonholes.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "I suppose I am not very wise in such matters, but one of the nicest ladies I ever knew was a little Irish sewing woman who made buttonholes.
a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region
From this reading "Oh, does it?" said the other, softly.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading "I suppose I am not very wise in such matters, but one of the nicest ladies I ever knew was a little Irish sewing woman who made buttonholes.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading "Oh, does it?" said the other, softly.
past form of “pause” — interrupt temporarily an activity before continuing
From this reading The speaker paused as if she did not care to say more.
Polly's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "The lady and the gentleman," answered Polly's grandmother.
renovateverbUS /ˈrenəveɪt/
restore to a previous or better condition
From this reading It was one summer when I went South, more years ago than I care to count; and Winnie--her name was Winnie--came to the house to renovate my riding habit for me."
the sport of sitting on the back of a horse while controlling its movements
From this reading It was one summer when I went South, more years ago than I care to count; and Winnie--her name was Winnie--came to the house to renovate my riding habit for me."
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "Oh, does it?" said the other, softly.
express in words
From this reading The speaker paused as if she did not care to say more.
sewingnounUS /ˈsoʊɪŋ/
joining or attaching by stitches
From this reading "I suppose I am not very wise in such matters, but one of the nicest ladies I ever knew was a little Irish sewing woman who made buttonholes.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The speaker paused as if she did not care to say more.
with low volume
From this reading "Oh, does it?" said the other, softly.
the region of the United States lying to the south of the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading It was one summer when I went South, more years ago than I care to count; and Winnie--her name was Winnie--came to the house to renovate my riding habit for me."
speakernounUS /ˈspiːkər/
someone who expresses in language; someone who talks (especially someone who delivers a public speech or someone especially garrulous)
From this reading The speaker paused as if she did not care to say more.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading "I suppose I am not very wise in such matters, but one of the nicest ladies I ever knew was a little Irish sewing woman who made buttonholes.
the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox
From this reading It was one summer when I went South, more years ago than I care to count; and Winnie--her name was Winnie--came to the house to renovate my riding habit for me."
express a supposition
From this reading "I suppose I am not very wise in such matters, but one of the nicest ladies I ever knew was a little Irish sewing woman who made buttonholes.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading It was one summer when I went South, more years ago than I care to count; and Winnie--her name was Winnie--came to the house to renovate my riding habit for me."
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "The lady and the gentleman," answered Polly's grandmother.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It was one summer when I went South, more years ago than I care to count; and Winnie--her name was Winnie--came to the house to renovate my riding habit for me."
precisely as stated
From this reading "I suppose I am not very wise in such matters, but one of the nicest ladies I ever knew was a little Irish sewing woman who made buttonholes.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "I suppose I am not very wise in such matters, but one of the nicest ladies I ever knew was a little Irish sewing woman who made buttonholes.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading It was one summer when I went South, more years ago than I care to count; and Winnie--her name was Winnie--came to the house to renovate my riding habit for me."
at the time that
From this reading It was one summer when I went South, more years ago than I care to count; and Winnie--her name was Winnie--came to the house to renovate my riding habit for me."
which person or people
From this reading "I suppose I am not very wise in such matters, but one of the nicest ladies I ever knew was a little Irish sewing woman who made buttonholes.
Winnie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was one summer when I went South, more years ago than I care to count; and Winnie--her name was Winnie--came to the house to renovate my riding habit for me."
having or prompted by wisdom or discernment
From this reading "I suppose I am not very wise in such matters, but one of the nicest ladies I ever knew was a little Irish sewing woman who made buttonholes.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading "I suppose I am not very wise in such matters, but one of the nicest ladies I ever knew was a little Irish sewing woman who made buttonholes.
a late time of life
From this reading It was one summer when I went South, more years ago than I care to count; and Winnie--her name was Winnie--came to the house to renovate my riding habit for me."
