used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A week passed away, and again it was the night of Mrs. de Vere’s weekly reception.
ablazeadjectiveUS /əˈbleɪz/
keenly excited (especially sexually) or indicating excitement
From this reading The magnificent house was ablaze with light, and a band of music in the broad hall filled the air with strains of sweetest music.
admirersnounUS /ədˈmaɪrərz/
plural of “admirer” — a person who backs a politician or a team etc.
From this reading The trying costume was relieved by the warm hue of her eyes and hair, and her admirers declared that she was looking her loveliest.
anew
From this reading A week passed away, and again it was the night of Mrs. de Vere’s weekly reception.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading The magnificent house was ablaze with light, and a band of music in the broad hall filled the air with strains of sweetest music.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A week passed away, and again it was the night of Mrs. de Vere’s weekly reception.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Mrs. de Vere was looking stately and beautiful as usual in a costume of trailing dead-white silk, with a necklace of pearls.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading A week passed away, and again it was the night of Mrs. de Vere’s weekly reception.
an unofficial association of people or groups
From this reading The magnificent house was ablaze with light, and a band of music in the broad hall filled the air with strains of sweetest music.
delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration
From this reading Mrs. de Vere was looking stately and beautiful as usual in a costume of trailing dead-white silk, with a necklace of pearls.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading The magnificent house was ablaze with light, and a band of music in the broad hall filled the air with strains of sweetest music.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The trying costume was relieved by the warm hue of her eyes and hair, and her admirers declared that she was looking her loveliest.
costumenounUS /kɑːˈstuːm/
the attire worn in a play or at a fancy dress ball
From this reading Mrs. de Vere was looking stately and beautiful as usual in a costume of trailing dead-white silk, with a necklace of pearls.
a Mid-Atlantic state; one of the original 13 colonies
From this reading A week passed away, and again it was the night of Mrs. de Vere’s weekly reception.
dead-white
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. de Vere was looking stately and beautiful as usual in a costume of trailing dead-white silk, with a necklace of pearls.
made known or openly avowed
From this reading The trying costume was relieved by the warm hue of her eyes and hair, and her admirers declared that she was looking her loveliest.
dispersedadjectiveUS /dɪˈspɜːrst/
distributed or spread over a considerable extent
From this reading In the drawing-room the friends of the hostess--fair women and gallant men--were dispersed in social groups, having just returned from the supper-room.
drawing-room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the drawing-room the friends of the hostess--fair women and gallant men--were dispersed in social groups, having just returned from the supper-room.
opinion or judgment
From this reading The trying costume was relieved by the warm hue of her eyes and hair, and her admirers declared that she was looking her loveliest.
free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; conforming with established standards or rules
From this reading In the drawing-room the friends of the hostess--fair women and gallant men--were dispersed in social groups, having just returned from the supper-room.
(usually followed by “with” or used as a combining form) generously supplied with
From this reading The magnificent house was ablaze with light, and a band of music in the broad hall filled the air with strains of sweetest music.
plural of “friend” — a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading In the drawing-room the friends of the hostess--fair women and gallant men--were dispersed in social groups, having just returned from the supper-room.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading In the drawing-room the friends of the hostess--fair women and gallant men--were dispersed in social groups, having just returned from the supper-room.
unflinching in battle or action
From this reading In the drawing-room the friends of the hostess--fair women and gallant men--were dispersed in social groups, having just returned from the supper-room.
groupsnounUS /ɡruːps/
plural of “group” — any number of entities (members) considered as a unit
From this reading In the drawing-room the friends of the hostess--fair women and gallant men--were dispersed in social groups, having just returned from the supper-room.
a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss
From this reading The trying costume was relieved by the warm hue of her eyes and hair, and her admirers declared that she was looking her loveliest.
an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open
From this reading The magnificent house was ablaze with light, and a band of music in the broad hall filled the air with strains of sweetest music.
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading In the drawing-room the friends of the hostess--fair women and gallant men--were dispersed in social groups, having just returned from the supper-room.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The trying costume was relieved by the warm hue of her eyes and hair, and her admirers declared that she was looking her loveliest.
hostessnounUS /ˈhoʊstəs/
a woman host
From this reading In the drawing-room the friends of the hostess--fair women and gallant men--were dispersed in social groups, having just returned from the supper-room.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading The magnificent house was ablaze with light, and a band of music in the broad hall filled the air with strains of sweetest music.
huenounUS /hjuː/
the quality of a color as determined by its dominant wavelength
From this reading The trying costume was relieved by the warm hue of her eyes and hair, and her admirers declared that she was looking her loveliest.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The magnificent house was ablaze with light, and a band of music in the broad hall filled the air with strains of sweetest music.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading A week passed away, and again it was the night of Mrs. de Vere’s weekly reception.
and nothing more
From this reading In the drawing-room the friends of the hostess--fair women and gallant men--were dispersed in social groups, having just returned from the supper-room.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading The magnificent house was ablaze with light, and a band of music in the broad hall filled the air with strains of sweetest music.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading Mrs. de Vere was looking stately and beautiful as usual in a costume of trailing dead-white silk, with a necklace of pearls.
loveliest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The trying costume was relieved by the warm hue of her eyes and hair, and her admirers declared that she was looking her loveliest.
characterized by grandeur
From this reading The magnificent house was ablaze with light, and a band of music in the broad hall filled the air with strains of sweetest music.
the force of workers available
From this reading In the drawing-room the friends of the hostess--fair women and gallant men--were dispersed in social groups, having just returned from the supper-room.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading A week passed away, and again it was the night of Mrs. de Vere’s weekly reception.
an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner
From this reading The magnificent house was ablaze with light, and a band of music in the broad hall filled the air with strains of sweetest music.
necklacenounUS /ˈnekləs/
jewelry consisting of a cord or chain (often bearing gems) worn about the neck as an ornament (especially by women)
From this reading Mrs. de Vere was looking stately and beautiful as usual in a costume of trailing dead-white silk, with a necklace of pearls.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading A week passed away, and again it was the night of Mrs. de Vere’s weekly reception.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A week passed away, and again it was the night of Mrs. de Vere’s weekly reception.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading A week passed away, and again it was the night of Mrs. de Vere’s weekly reception.
pearlsnounUS /pɜːrlz/
plural of “pearl” — a smooth lustrous round structure inside the shell of a clam or oyster; much valued as a jewel
From this reading Mrs. de Vere was looking stately and beautiful as usual in a costume of trailing dead-white silk, with a necklace of pearls.
receptionnounUS /rɪˈsepʃən/
the manner in which something is greeted
From this reading A week passed away, and again it was the night of Mrs. de Vere’s weekly reception.
(of pain or sorrow) made easier to bear
From this reading The trying costume was relieved by the warm hue of her eyes and hair, and her admirers declared that she was looking her loveliest.
past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading In the drawing-room the friends of the hostess--fair women and gallant men--were dispersed in social groups, having just returned from the supper-room.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The trying costume was relieved by the warm hue of her eyes and hair, and her admirers declared that she was looking her loveliest.
a fabric made from the fine threads produced by certain insect larvae
From this reading Mrs. de Vere was looking stately and beautiful as usual in a costume of trailing dead-white silk, with a necklace of pearls.
relating to human society and its members
From this reading In the drawing-room the friends of the hostess--fair women and gallant men--were dispersed in social groups, having just returned from the supper-room.
statelyadjectiveUS /ˈsteɪtli/
impressive in appearance
From this reading Mrs. de Vere was looking stately and beautiful as usual in a costume of trailing dead-white silk, with a necklace of pearls.
strainsnounUS /streɪnz/
plural of “strain” — (physics) deformation of a physical body under the action of applied forces
From this reading The magnificent house was ablaze with light, and a band of music in the broad hall filled the air with strains of sweetest music.
supper-room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the drawing-room the friends of the hostess--fair women and gallant men--were dispersed in social groups, having just returned from the supper-room.
sweetestadjectiveUS /ˈswiːtəst/
superlative of “sweet” — having or denoting the characteristic taste of sugar
From this reading The magnificent house was ablaze with light, and a band of music in the broad hall filled the air with strains of sweetest music.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The trying costume was relieved by the warm hue of her eyes and hair, and her admirers declared that she was looking her loveliest.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A week passed away, and again it was the night of Mrs. de Vere’s weekly reception.
trailingnounUS /ˈtreɪlɪŋ/
the pursuit (of a person or animal) by following tracks or marks they left behind
From this reading Mrs. de Vere was looking stately and beautiful as usual in a costume of trailing dead-white silk, with a necklace of pearls.
hard to endure
From this reading The trying costume was relieved by the warm hue of her eyes and hair, and her admirers declared that she was looking her loveliest.
usualadjectiveUS /ˈjuːʒəwəl/
occurring or encountered or experienced or observed frequently or in accordance with regular practice or procedure
From this reading Mrs. de Vere was looking stately and beautiful as usual in a costume of trailing dead-white silk, with a necklace of pearls.
Vere
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. de Vere was looking stately and beautiful as usual in a costume of trailing dead-white silk, with a necklace of pearls.
Vere's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A week passed away, and again it was the night of Mrs. de Vere’s weekly reception.
having or producing a comfortable and agreeable degree of heat or imparting or maintaining heat
From this reading The trying costume was relieved by the warm hue of her eyes and hair, and her admirers declared that she was looking her loveliest.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A week passed away, and again it was the night of Mrs. de Vere’s weekly reception.
any period of seven consecutive days
From this reading A week passed away, and again it was the night of Mrs. de Vere’s weekly reception.
weeklynounUS /ˈwiːkli/
a periodical that is published every week (or 52 issues per year)
From this reading A week passed away, and again it was the night of Mrs. de Vere’s weekly reception.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading In the drawing-room the friends of the hostess--fair women and gallant men--were dispersed in social groups, having just returned from the supper-room.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The magnificent house was ablaze with light, and a band of music in the broad hall filled the air with strains of sweetest music.
plural of “woman” — an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading In the drawing-room the friends of the hostess--fair women and gallant men--were dispersed in social groups, having just returned from the supper-room.
