used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The Vicolo Agnus Dei--a blind alley of low jutting houses over arcades, full of squalor, pink wash, children, and cats--was on this early morning ablaze with colour and music.
ablazeadjectiveUS /əˈbleɪz/
keenly excited (especially sexually) or indicating excitement
From this reading The Vicolo Agnus Dei--a blind alley of low jutting houses over arcades, full of squalor, pink wash, children, and cats--was on this early morning ablaze with colour and music.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading Tousled heads from above looked down curiously on heads elaborately frizzed, on scarlet caps, on plumes, on garlands, on jewelled necks.
Agnus
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Vicolo Agnus Dei--a blind alley of low jutting houses over arcades, full of squalor, pink wash, children, and cats--was on this early morning ablaze with colour and music.
alleynounUS /ˈæli/
a narrow street with walls on both sides
From this reading The Vicolo Agnus Dei--a blind alley of low jutting houses over arcades, full of squalor, pink wash, children, and cats--was on this early morning ablaze with colour and music.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading The shoulders of the ladies at play were no barer than those of the slatterns who gaped at them playing; but for Ippolita, who had always been a decent girl, let us hope her blushes were a cloak.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The Vicolo Agnus Dei--a blind alley of low jutting houses over arcades, full of squalor, pink wash, children, and cats--was on this early morning ablaze with colour and music.
arcadesnounUS /ɑːrˈkeɪdz/
plural of “arcade” — a covered passageway with shops and stalls on either side
From this reading The Vicolo Agnus Dei--a blind alley of low jutting houses over arcades, full of squalor, pink wash, children, and cats--was on this early morning ablaze with colour and music.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Poverty and riches touch at their extremes, like houses in the South.
barer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The shoulders of the ladies at play were no barer than those of the slatterns who gaped at them playing; but for Ippolita, who had always been a decent girl, let us hope her blushes were a cloak.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The shoulders of the ladies at play were no barer than those of the slatterns who gaped at them playing; but for Ippolita, who had always been a decent girl, let us hope her blushes were a cloak.
people who have severe visual impairments, considered as a group
From this reading The Vicolo Agnus Dei--a blind alley of low jutting houses over arcades, full of squalor, pink wash, children, and cats--was on this early morning ablaze with colour and music.
blushesnounUS /ˈblʌʃəz/
plural of “blush” — a rosy color (especially in the cheeks) taken as a sign of good health
From this reading The shoulders of the ladies at play were no barer than those of the slatterns who gaped at them playing; but for Ippolita, who had always been a decent girl, let us hope her blushes were a cloak.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The shoulders of the ladies at play were no barer than those of the slatterns who gaped at them playing; but for Ippolita, who had always been a decent girl, let us hope her blushes were a cloak.
capsnounUS /kæps/
plural of “cap” — a tight-fitting headdress
From this reading Tousled heads from above looked down curiously on heads elaborately frizzed, on scarlet caps, on plumes, on garlands, on jewelled necks.
catsnounUS /kæts/
plural of “cat” — feline mammal usually having thick soft fur and no ability to roar: domestic cats; wildcats
From this reading The Vicolo Agnus Dei--a blind alley of low jutting houses over arcades, full of squalor, pink wash, children, and cats--was on this early morning ablaze with colour and music.
plural of “child” — a young person of either sex
From this reading The Vicolo Agnus Dei--a blind alley of low jutting houses over arcades, full of squalor, pink wash, children, and cats--was on this early morning ablaze with colour and music.
anything that covers or conceals
From this reading The shoulders of the ladies at play were no barer than those of the slatterns who gaped at them playing; but for Ippolita, who had always been a decent girl, let us hope her blushes were a cloak.
having or capable of producing colors
From this reading The Vicolo Agnus Dei--a blind alley of low jutting houses over arcades, full of squalor, pink wash, children, and cats--was on this early morning ablaze with colour and music.
curiouslyadverbUS /ˈkjʊriəsli/
in a manner differing from the usual or expected
From this reading Tousled heads from above looked down curiously on heads elaborately frizzed, on scarlet caps, on plumes, on garlands, on jewelled necks.
decentadjectiveUS /ˈdiːsənt/
socially or conventionally correct; refined or virtuous
From this reading The shoulders of the ladies at play were no barer than those of the slatterns who gaped at them playing; but for Ippolita, who had always been a decent girl, let us hope her blushes were a cloak.
Dei
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Vicolo Agnus Dei--a blind alley of low jutting houses over arcades, full of squalor, pink wash, children, and cats--was on this early morning ablaze with colour and music.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Tousled heads from above looked down curiously on heads elaborately frizzed, on scarlet caps, on plumes, on garlands, on jewelled necks.
earlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/
at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time
From this reading The Vicolo Agnus Dei--a blind alley of low jutting houses over arcades, full of squalor, pink wash, children, and cats--was on this early morning ablaze with colour and music.
being one more than seven
From this reading From wall to wall (and eight feet will measure that) it seemed packed with the nobility.
elaboratelyadverbUS /ɪˈlæbrətli/
with elaboration
From this reading Tousled heads from above looked down curiously on heads elaborately frizzed, on scarlet caps, on plumes, on garlands, on jewelled necks.
extremesnounUS /ekˈstriːmz/
plural of “extreme” — the furthest or highest degree of something
From this reading Poverty and riches touch at their extremes, like houses in the South.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading From wall to wall (and eight feet will measure that) it seemed packed with the nobility.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The shoulders of the ladies at play were no barer than those of the slatterns who gaped at them playing; but for Ippolita, who had always been a decent girl, let us hope her blushes were a cloak.
frizzed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Tousled heads from above looked down curiously on heads elaborately frizzed, on scarlet caps, on plumes, on garlands, on jewelled necks.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading From wall to wall (and eight feet will measure that) it seemed packed with the nobility.
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading The Vicolo Agnus Dei--a blind alley of low jutting houses over arcades, full of squalor, pink wash, children, and cats--was on this early morning ablaze with colour and music.
gaped
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The shoulders of the ladies at play were no barer than those of the slatterns who gaped at them playing; but for Ippolita, who had always been a decent girl, let us hope her blushes were a cloak.
garlands
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Tousled heads from above looked down curiously on heads elaborately frizzed, on scarlet caps, on plumes, on garlands, on jewelled necks.
a young female
From this reading The shoulders of the ladies at play were no barer than those of the slatterns who gaped at them playing; but for Ippolita, who had always been a decent girl, let us hope her blushes were a cloak.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The shoulders of the ladies at play were no barer than those of the slatterns who gaped at them playing; but for Ippolita, who had always been a decent girl, let us hope her blushes were a cloak.
plural of “head” — the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading Tousled heads from above looked down curiously on heads elaborately frizzed, on scarlet caps, on plumes, on garlands, on jewelled necks.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The shoulders of the ladies at play were no barer than those of the slatterns who gaped at them playing; but for Ippolita, who had always been a decent girl, let us hope her blushes were a cloak.
a specific instance of feeling hopeful
From this reading The shoulders of the ladies at play were no barer than those of the slatterns who gaped at them playing; but for Ippolita, who had always been a decent girl, let us hope her blushes were a cloak.
plural of “house” — a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading The Vicolo Agnus Dei--a blind alley of low jutting houses over arcades, full of squalor, pink wash, children, and cats--was on this early morning ablaze with colour and music.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Poverty and riches touch at their extremes, like houses in the South.
Ippolita
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The shoulders of the ladies at play were no barer than those of the slatterns who gaped at them playing; but for Ippolita, who had always been a decent girl, let us hope her blushes were a cloak.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading From wall to wall (and eight feet will measure that) it seemed packed with the nobility.
jewelledadjective
covered with beads or jewels or sequins
From this reading Tousled heads from above looked down curiously on heads elaborately frizzed, on scarlet caps, on plumes, on garlands, on jewelled necks.
juttingadjectiveUS /ˈdʒʌtɪŋ/
extending out above or beyond a surface or boundary
From this reading The Vicolo Agnus Dei--a blind alley of low jutting houses over arcades, full of squalor, pink wash, children, and cats--was on this early morning ablaze with colour and music.
plural of “lady” — a polite name for any woman
From this reading The shoulders of the ladies at play were no barer than those of the slatterns who gaped at them playing; but for Ippolita, who had always been a decent girl, let us hope her blushes were a cloak.
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading The shoulders of the ladies at play were no barer than those of the slatterns who gaped at them playing; but for Ippolita, who had always been a decent girl, let us hope her blushes were a cloak.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Poverty and riches touch at their extremes, like houses in the South.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading Tousled heads from above looked down curiously on heads elaborately frizzed, on scarlet caps, on plumes, on garlands, on jewelled necks.
less than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading The Vicolo Agnus Dei--a blind alley of low jutting houses over arcades, full of squalor, pink wash, children, and cats--was on this early morning ablaze with colour and music.
any maneuver made as part of progress toward a goal
From this reading From wall to wall (and eight feet will measure that) it seemed packed with the nobility.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading The Vicolo Agnus Dei--a blind alley of low jutting houses over arcades, full of squalor, pink wash, children, and cats--was on this early morning ablaze with colour and music.
an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner
From this reading The Vicolo Agnus Dei--a blind alley of low jutting houses over arcades, full of squalor, pink wash, children, and cats--was on this early morning ablaze with colour and music.
necksnounUS /neks/
plural of “neck” — the part of an organism (human or animal) that connects the head to the rest of the body
From this reading Tousled heads from above looked down curiously on heads elaborately frizzed, on scarlet caps, on plumes, on garlands, on jewelled necks.
not any; not one
From this reading The shoulders of the ladies at play were no barer than those of the slatterns who gaped at them playing; but for Ippolita, who had always been a decent girl, let us hope her blushes were a cloak.
nobilitynounUS /noʊˈbɪləti/
a privileged class holding hereditary titles
From this reading From wall to wall (and eight feet will measure that) it seemed packed with the nobility.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The Vicolo Agnus Dei--a blind alley of low jutting houses over arcades, full of squalor, pink wash, children, and cats--was on this early morning ablaze with colour and music.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The Vicolo Agnus Dei--a blind alley of low jutting houses over arcades, full of squalor, pink wash, children, and cats--was on this early morning ablaze with colour and music.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading The Vicolo Agnus Dei--a blind alley of low jutting houses over arcades, full of squalor, pink wash, children, and cats--was on this early morning ablaze with colour and music.
packedadjectiveUS /pækt/
extremely crowed or filled to capacity
From this reading From wall to wall (and eight feet will measure that) it seemed packed with the nobility.
a light shade of red
From this reading The Vicolo Agnus Dei--a blind alley of low jutting houses over arcades, full of squalor, pink wash, children, and cats--was on this early morning ablaze with colour and music.
participate in games or sport
From this reading The shoulders of the ladies at play were no barer than those of the slatterns who gaped at them playing; but for Ippolita, who had always been a decent girl, let us hope her blushes were a cloak.
the act of playing a musical instrument
From this reading The shoulders of the ladies at play were no barer than those of the slatterns who gaped at them playing; but for Ippolita, who had always been a decent girl, let us hope her blushes were a cloak.
plumesnounUS /pluːmz/
plural of “plume” — anything that resembles a feather in shape or lightness
From this reading Tousled heads from above looked down curiously on heads elaborately frizzed, on scarlet caps, on plumes, on garlands, on jewelled necks.
the state of having little or no money and few or no material possessions
From this reading Poverty and riches touch at their extremes, like houses in the South.
richesnounUS /ˈrɪtʃəz/
an abundance of material possessions and resources
From this reading Poverty and riches touch at their extremes, like houses in the South.
scarletnounUS /ˈskɑːrlət/
a variable color that is vivid red but sometimes with an orange tinge
From this reading Tousled heads from above looked down curiously on heads elaborately frizzed, on scarlet caps, on plumes, on garlands, on jewelled necks.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading From wall to wall (and eight feet will measure that) it seemed packed with the nobility.
plural of “shoulder” — the part of the body between the neck and the upper arm
From this reading The shoulders of the ladies at play were no barer than those of the slatterns who gaped at them playing; but for Ippolita, who had always been a decent girl, let us hope her blushes were a cloak.
slatterns
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The shoulders of the ladies at play were no barer than those of the slatterns who gaped at them playing; but for Ippolita, who had always been a decent girl, let us hope her blushes were a cloak.
the region of the United States lying to the south of the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading Poverty and riches touch at their extremes, like houses in the South.
squalornounUS /ˈskwɑːlər/
sordid dirtiness
From this reading The Vicolo Agnus Dei--a blind alley of low jutting houses over arcades, full of squalor, pink wash, children, and cats--was on this early morning ablaze with colour and music.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading The shoulders of the ladies at play were no barer than those of the slatterns who gaped at them playing; but for Ippolita, who had always been a decent girl, let us hope her blushes were a cloak.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading From wall to wall (and eight feet will measure that) it seemed packed with the nobility.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The Vicolo Agnus Dei--a blind alley of low jutting houses over arcades, full of squalor, pink wash, children, and cats--was on this early morning ablaze with colour and music.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Poverty and riches touch at their extremes, like houses in the South.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The shoulders of the ladies at play were no barer than those of the slatterns who gaped at them playing; but for Ippolita, who had always been a decent girl, let us hope her blushes were a cloak.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading The Vicolo Agnus Dei--a blind alley of low jutting houses over arcades, full of squalor, pink wash, children, and cats--was on this early morning ablaze with colour and music.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading The shoulders of the ladies at play were no barer than those of the slatterns who gaped at them playing; but for Ippolita, who had always been a decent girl, let us hope her blushes were a cloak.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading From wall to wall (and eight feet will measure that) it seemed packed with the nobility.
make physical contact with, come in contact with
From this reading Poverty and riches touch at their extremes, like houses in the South.
Tousledadjective
in disarray; extremely disorderly
From this reading Tousled heads from above looked down curiously on heads elaborately frizzed, on scarlet caps, on plumes, on garlands, on jewelled necks.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The shoulders of the ladies at play were no barer than those of the slatterns who gaped at them playing; but for Ippolita, who had always been a decent girl, let us hope her blushes were a cloak.
Vicolo
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Vicolo Agnus Dei--a blind alley of low jutting houses over arcades, full of squalor, pink wash, children, and cats--was on this early morning ablaze with colour and music.
an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure
From this reading From wall to wall (and eight feet will measure that) it seemed packed with the nobility.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The Vicolo Agnus Dei--a blind alley of low jutting houses over arcades, full of squalor, pink wash, children, and cats--was on this early morning ablaze with colour and music.
washverbUS /wɑːʃ/
clean with some chemical process
From this reading The Vicolo Agnus Dei--a blind alley of low jutting houses over arcades, full of squalor, pink wash, children, and cats--was on this early morning ablaze with colour and music.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The shoulders of the ladies at play were no barer than those of the slatterns who gaped at them playing; but for Ippolita, who had always been a decent girl, let us hope her blushes were a cloak.
which person or people
From this reading The shoulders of the ladies at play were no barer than those of the slatterns who gaped at them playing; but for Ippolita, who had always been a decent girl, let us hope her blushes were a cloak.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading From wall to wall (and eight feet will measure that) it seemed packed with the nobility.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The Vicolo Agnus Dei--a blind alley of low jutting houses over arcades, full of squalor, pink wash, children, and cats--was on this early morning ablaze with colour and music.
