aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Now that she was alone she wondered whether what Julia Peyton had said about Muriel Harding was strictly true.
anew
From this reading DEFEATING HER OWN HAPPINESS When the door had closed on her gossiping caller Doris sat down again at the table.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading Now that she was alone she wondered whether what Julia Peyton had said about Muriel Harding was strictly true.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She leaned her beautiful head on her white, dimpled arms and gave herself up to brief disconsolate reverie.
weapons considered collectively
From this reading She leaned her beautiful head on her white, dimpled arms and gave herself up to brief disconsolate reverie.
make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading She would ask Muriel point-blank if it were true that four off-campus girls had refused her invitation.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading DEFEATING HER OWN HAPPINESS When the door had closed on her gossiping caller Doris sat down again at the table.
delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration
From this reading She leaned her beautiful head on her white, dimpled arms and gave herself up to brief disconsolate reverie.
of short duration or distance
From this reading She leaned her beautiful head on her white, dimpled arms and gave herself up to brief disconsolate reverie.
callernounUS /ˈkɔːlər/
a social or business visitor
From this reading DEFEATING HER OWN HAPPINESS When the door had closed on her gossiping caller Doris sat down again at the table.
certaintynounUS /ˈsɜːrtənti/
the state of being certain
From this reading There was one way in which she could find out with certainty.
not open or affording passage or access
From this reading DEFEATING HER OWN HAPPINESS When the door had closed on her gossiping caller Doris sat down again at the table.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading There was one way in which she could find out with certainty.
DEFEATINGverbUS /dɪˈfiːtɪŋ/
-ing form of “defeat” — win a victory over
From this reading DEFEATING HER OWN HAPPINESS When the door had closed on her gossiping caller Doris sat down again at the table.
dimpledverbUS /ˈdɪmpəld/
past form of “dimple” — mark with, or as if with, dimples
From this reading She leaned her beautiful head on her white, dimpled arms and gave herself up to brief disconsolate reverie.
disconsolateadjective
sad beyond comforting; incapable of being consoled
From this reading She leaned her beautiful head on her white, dimpled arms and gave herself up to brief disconsolate reverie.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading DEFEATING HER OWN HAPPINESS When the door had closed on her gossiping caller Doris sat down again at the table.
DorisnounUS /ˈdɔːrəs/
(Greek mythology) wife of Nereus and mother of the Nereids
From this reading DEFEATING HER OWN HAPPINESS When the door had closed on her gossiping caller Doris sat down again at the table.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading DEFEATING HER OWN HAPPINESS When the door had closed on her gossiping caller Doris sat down again at the table.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading There was one way in which she could find out with certainty.
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading She would ask Muriel point-blank if it were true that four off-campus girls had refused her invitation.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading She leaned her beautiful head on her white, dimpled arms and gave herself up to brief disconsolate reverie.
plural of “girl” — a young female
From this reading She would ask Muriel point-blank if it were true that four off-campus girls had refused her invitation.
gossipingnounUS /ˈɡɑːsəpɪŋ/
a conversation that spreads personal information about other people
From this reading DEFEATING HER OWN HAPPINESS When the door had closed on her gossiping caller Doris sat down again at the table.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading DEFEATING HER OWN HAPPINESS When the door had closed on her gossiping caller Doris sat down again at the table.
state of well-being characterized by emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy
From this reading DEFEATING HER OWN HAPPINESS When the door had closed on her gossiping caller Doris sat down again at the table.
HardingnounUS /ˈhɑːrdɪŋ/
29th President of the United States; two of his appointees were involved in the Teapot Dome scandal (1865-1823)
From this reading Now that she was alone she wondered whether what Julia Peyton had said about Muriel Harding was strictly true.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading She leaned her beautiful head on her white, dimpled arms and gave herself up to brief disconsolate reverie.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading DEFEATING HER OWN HAPPINESS When the door had closed on her gossiping caller Doris sat down again at the table.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading She leaned her beautiful head on her white, dimpled arms and gave herself up to brief disconsolate reverie.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading She would ask Muriel point-blank if it were true that four off-campus girls had refused her invitation.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading There was one way in which she could find out with certainty.
a request (spoken or written) to participate or be present or take part in something
From this reading She would ask Muriel point-blank if it were true that four off-campus girls had refused her invitation.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading She would ask Muriel point-blank if it were true that four off-campus girls had refused her invitation.
Julia
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now that she was alone she wondered whether what Julia Peyton had said about Muriel Harding was strictly true.
past form of “lean” — to incline or bend from a vertical position
From this reading She leaned her beautiful head on her white, dimpled arms and gave herself up to brief disconsolate reverie.
Muriel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now that she was alone she wondered whether what Julia Peyton had said about Muriel Harding was strictly true.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Now that she was alone she wondered whether what Julia Peyton had said about Muriel Harding was strictly true.
off-campus
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She would ask Muriel point-blank if it were true that four off-campus girls had refused her invitation.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading DEFEATING HER OWN HAPPINESS When the door had closed on her gossiping caller Doris sat down again at the table.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading There was one way in which she could find out with certainty.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading There was one way in which she could find out with certainty.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading DEFEATING HER OWN HAPPINESS When the door had closed on her gossiping caller Doris sat down again at the table.
Peyton
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now that she was alone she wondered whether what Julia Peyton had said about Muriel Harding was strictly true.
point-blankadjective
characterized by directness in manner or speech; without subtlety or evasion
From this reading She would ask Muriel point-blank if it were true that four off-campus girls had refused her invitation.
past form of “refuse” — show unwillingness towards
From this reading She would ask Muriel point-blank if it were true that four off-campus girls had refused her invitation.
reverienounUS /ˈrevəri/
absentminded dreaming while awake
From this reading She leaned her beautiful head on her white, dimpled arms and gave herself up to brief disconsolate reverie.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading Now that she was alone she wondered whether what Julia Peyton had said about Muriel Harding was strictly true.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading DEFEATING HER OWN HAPPINESS When the door had closed on her gossiping caller Doris sat down again at the table.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She leaned her beautiful head on her white, dimpled arms and gave herself up to brief disconsolate reverie.
strictlyadverbUS /ˈstrɪktli/
restricted to something
From this reading Now that she was alone she wondered whether what Julia Peyton had said about Muriel Harding was strictly true.
a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading DEFEATING HER OWN HAPPINESS When the door had closed on her gossiping caller Doris sat down again at the table.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Now that she was alone she wondered whether what Julia Peyton had said about Muriel Harding was strictly true.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading DEFEATING HER OWN HAPPINESS When the door had closed on her gossiping caller Doris sat down again at the table.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was one way in which she could find out with certainty.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading She leaned her beautiful head on her white, dimpled arms and gave herself up to brief disconsolate reverie.
consistent with fact or reality; not false
From this reading Now that she was alone she wondered whether what Julia Peyton had said about Muriel Harding was strictly true.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading She leaned her beautiful head on her white, dimpled arms and gave herself up to brief disconsolate reverie.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Now that she was alone she wondered whether what Julia Peyton had said about Muriel Harding was strictly true.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading There was one way in which she could find out with certainty.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading She would ask Muriel point-blank if it were true that four off-campus girls had refused her invitation.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading Now that she was alone she wondered whether what Julia Peyton had said about Muriel Harding was strictly true.
at the time that
From this reading DEFEATING HER OWN HAPPINESS When the door had closed on her gossiping caller Doris sat down again at the table.
used to introduce two or more possibilities
From this reading Now that she was alone she wondered whether what Julia Peyton had said about Muriel Harding was strictly true.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading There was one way in which she could find out with certainty.
a Caucasian
From this reading She leaned her beautiful head on her white, dimpled arms and gave herself up to brief disconsolate reverie.
in the company of; together with
From this reading There was one way in which she could find out with certainty.
past form of “wonder” — have a wish or desire to know something
From this reading Now that she was alone she wondered whether what Julia Peyton had said about Muriel Harding was strictly true.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading She would ask Muriel point-blank if it were true that four off-campus girls had refused her invitation.
