used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Daisy slept on, until a bustle and sounds of voices and laughter in the hall, and boots clattering over the marble and up the staircase, at last found their way into her ears.
(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 The sun was low, and shining from the western mountains over the tops of all the trees.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Daisy slept on, until a bustle and sounds of voices and laughter in the hall, and boots clattering over the marble and up the staircase, at last found their way into her ears.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Daisy slept on, until a bustle and sounds of voices and laughter in the hall, and boots clattering over the marble and up the staircase, at last found their way into her ears.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading It was certainly near dinner-time; the cool glittering look of the light on the trees and shrubs could not be earlier than that.
plural of “boot” — footwear that covers the whole foot and lower leg
From this reading Daisy slept on, until a bustle and sounds of voices and laughter in the hall, and boots clattering over the marble and up the staircase, at last found their way into her ears.
bustlenounUS /ˈbʌsəl/
a rapid active commotion
From this reading Daisy slept on, until a bustle and sounds of voices and laughter in the hall, and boots clattering over the marble and up the staircase, at last found their way into her ears.
definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)
From this reading It was certainly near dinner-time; the cool glittering look of the light on the trees and shrubs could not be earlier than that.
clatteringverbUS /ˈklætərɪŋ/
-ing form of “clatter” — make a rattling sound
From this reading Daisy slept on, until a bustle and sounds of voices and laughter in the hall, and boots clattering over the marble and up the staircase, at last found their way into her ears.
neither warm nor very cold; giving relief from heat
From this reading It was certainly near dinner-time; the cool glittering look of the light on the trees and shrubs could not be earlier than that.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading It was certainly near dinner-time; the cool glittering look of the light on the trees and shrubs could not be earlier than that.
DaisynounUS /ˈdeɪzi/
any of numerous composite plants having flower heads with well-developed ray flowers usually arranged in a single whorl
From this reading Daisy slept on, until a bustle and sounds of voices and laughter in the hall, and boots clattering over the marble and up the staircase, at last found their way into her ears.
dinner-time
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was certainly near dinner-time; the cool glittering look of the light on the trees and shrubs could not be earlier than that.
earlier in time; previously
From this reading It was certainly near dinner-time; the cool glittering look of the light on the trees and shrubs could not be earlier than that.
plural of “ear” — the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium
From this reading Daisy slept on, until a bustle and sounds of voices and laughter in the hall, and boots clattering over the marble and up the staircase, at last found their way into her ears.
opinion or judgment
From this reading Daisy sat up and rubbed her eyes and looked out.
set up or found
From this reading Daisy slept on, until a bustle and sounds of voices and laughter in the hall, and boots clattering over the marble and up the staircase, at last found their way into her ears.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The sun was low, and shining from the western mountains over the tops of all the trees.
glitteringadjectiveUS /ˈɡlɪtərɪŋ/
having brief brilliant points or flashes of light
From this reading It was certainly near dinner-time; the cool glittering look of the light on the trees and shrubs could not be earlier than that.
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading The riding party had got home.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The riding party had got home.
an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open
From this reading Daisy slept on, until a bustle and sounds of voices and laughter in the hall, and boots clattering over the marble and up the staircase, at last found their way into her ears.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Daisy slept on, until a bustle and sounds of voices and laughter in the hall, and boots clattering over the marble and up the staircase, at last found their way into her ears.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading The riding party had got home.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Daisy slept on, until a bustle and sounds of voices and laughter in the hall, and boots clattering over the marble and up the staircase, at last found their way into her ears.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Daisy slept on, until a bustle and sounds of voices and laughter in the hall, and boots clattering over the marble and up the staircase, at last found their way into her ears.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was certainly near dinner-time; the cool glittering look of the light on the trees and shrubs could not be earlier than that.
immediately past
From this reading Daisy slept on, until a bustle and sounds of voices and laughter in the hall, and boots clattering over the marble and up the staircase, at last found their way into her ears.
the sound of laughing
From this reading Daisy slept on, until a bustle and sounds of voices and laughter in the hall, and boots clattering over the marble and up the staircase, at last found their way into her ears.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading It was certainly near dinner-time; the cool glittering look of the light on the trees and shrubs could not be earlier than that.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading It was certainly near dinner-time; the cool glittering look of the light on the trees and shrubs could not be earlier than that.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading Daisy sat up and rubbed her eyes and looked out.
less than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading The sun was low, and shining from the western mountains over the tops of all the trees.
a hard crystalline metamorphic rock that takes a high polish; used for sculpture and as building material
From this reading Daisy slept on, until a bustle and sounds of voices and laughter in the hall, and boots clattering over the marble and up the staircase, at last found their way into her ears.
plural of “mountain” — a land mass that projects well above its surroundings; higher than a hill
From this reading The sun was low, and shining from the western mountains over the tops of all the trees.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading It was certainly near dinner-time; the cool glittering look of the light on the trees and shrubs could not be earlier than that.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading It was certainly near dinner-time; the cool glittering look of the light on the trees and shrubs could not be earlier than that.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Daisy slept on, until a bustle and sounds of voices and laughter in the hall, and boots clattering over the marble and up the staircase, at last found their way into her ears.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Daisy slept on, until a bustle and sounds of voices and laughter in the hall, and boots clattering over the marble and up the staircase, at last found their way into her ears.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Daisy sat up and rubbed her eyes and looked out.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Daisy slept on, until a bustle and sounds of voices and laughter in the hall, and boots clattering over the marble and up the staircase, at last found their way into her ears.
an organization to gain political power
From this reading The riding party had got home.
the sport of sitting on the back of a horse while controlling its movements
From this reading The riding party had got home.
rubbedverbUS /rʌbd/
inflected form of “rub” — move over something with pressure
From this reading Daisy sat up and rubbed her eyes and looked out.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading Daisy sat up and rubbed her eyes and looked out.
marked by exceptional merit
From this reading The sun was low, and shining from the western mountains over the tops of all the trees.
shrubsnounUS /ʃrʌbz/
plural of “shrub” — a low woody perennial plant usually having several major stems
From this reading It was certainly near dinner-time; the cool glittering look of the light on the trees and shrubs could not be earlier than that.
inflected form of “sleep” — be asleep
From this reading Daisy slept on, until a bustle and sounds of voices and laughter in the hall, and boots clattering over the marble and up the staircase, at last found their way into her ears.
plural of “sound” — the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading Daisy slept on, until a bustle and sounds of voices and laughter in the hall, and boots clattering over the marble and up the staircase, at last found their way into her ears.
a way of access (upward and downward) consisting of a set of steps
From this reading Daisy slept on, until a bustle and sounds of voices and laughter in the hall, and boots clattering over the marble and up the staircase, at last found their way into her ears.
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading The sun was low, and shining from the western mountains over the tops of all the trees.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading It was certainly near dinner-time; the cool glittering look of the light on the trees and shrubs could not be earlier than that.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was certainly near dinner-time; the cool glittering look of the light on the trees and shrubs could not be earlier than that.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Daisy slept on, until a bustle and sounds of voices and laughter in the hall, and boots clattering over the marble and up the staircase, at last found their way into her ears.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Daisy slept on, until a bustle and sounds of voices and laughter in the hall, and boots clattering over the marble and up the staircase, at last found their way into her ears.
topsadjectiveUS /tɑːps/
of the highest quality
From this reading The sun was low, and shining from the western mountains over the tops of all the trees.
plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading The sun was low, and shining from the western mountains over the tops of all the trees.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading Daisy slept on, until a bustle and sounds of voices and laughter in the hall, and boots clattering over the marble and up the staircase, at last found their way into her ears.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Daisy slept on, until a bustle and sounds of voices and laughter in the hall, and boots clattering over the marble and up the staircase, at last found their way into her ears.
plural of “voice” — the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading Daisy slept on, until a bustle and sounds of voices and laughter in the hall, and boots clattering over the marble and up the staircase, at last found their way into her ears.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The sun was low, and shining from the western mountains over the tops of all the trees.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading Daisy slept on, until a bustle and sounds of voices and laughter in the hall, and boots clattering over the marble and up the staircase, at last found their way into her ears.
relating to or characteristic of the western parts of the world or the West as opposed to the eastern or oriental parts
From this reading The sun was low, and shining from the western mountains over the tops of all the trees.
