used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading And remembering that when she had last seen herself in that mirror she had been a bride and in the glory of her youth, she could not but study the changes in herself.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading At last Serena went out, and Elizabeth was alone.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading At last Serena went out, and Elizabeth was alone.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading She had then been beautiful, in a vivid, irregular manner, and ought to have been so still, as she was but little past her thirtieth birthday.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At last Serena went out, and Elizabeth was alone.
delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration
From this reading She had then been beautiful, in a vivid, irregular manner, and ought to have been so still, as she was but little past her thirtieth birthday.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading And remembering that when she had last seen herself in that mirror she had been a bride and in the glory of her youth, she could not but study the changes in herself.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading She sat down before the little dressing–table and removed her widow’s bonnet and veil.
birthdaynounUS /ˈbɜːrθdeɪ/
an anniversary of the day on which a person was born (or the celebration of it)
From this reading She had then been beautiful, in a vivid, irregular manner, and ought to have been so still, as she was but little past her thirtieth birthday.
bonnetnounUS /ˈbɑːnət/
a hat tied under the chin
From this reading She sat down before the little dressing–table and removed her widow’s bonnet and veil.
a woman who has recently been married
From this reading And remembering that when she had last seen herself in that mirror she had been a bride and in the glory of her youth, she could not but study the changes in herself.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading And remembering that when she had last seen herself in that mirror she had been a bride and in the glory of her youth, she could not but study the changes in herself.
changesnounUS /ˈtʃeɪndʒəz/
plural of “change” — an event that occurs when something passes from one state or phase to another
From this reading And remembering that when she had last seen herself in that mirror she had been a bride and in the glory of her youth, she could not but study the changes in herself.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading And remembering that when she had last seen herself in that mirror she had been a bride and in the glory of her youth, she could not but study the changes in herself.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading She sat down before the little dressing–table and removed her widow’s bonnet and veil.
dressingnounUS /ˈdresɪŋ/
savory dressings for salads; basically of two kinds: either the thin French or vinaigrette type or the creamy mayonnaise type
From this reading She sat down before the little dressing–table and removed her widow’s bonnet and veil.
daughter of George VI who became the Queen of England and Northern Ireland in 1952 on the death of her father (1926-)
From this reading At last Serena went out, and Elizabeth was alone.
a state of high honor
From this reading And remembering that when she had last seen herself in that mirror she had been a bride and in the glory of her youth, she could not but study the changes in herself.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading And remembering that when she had last seen herself in that mirror she had been a bride and in the glory of her youth, she could not but study the changes in herself.
haggardadjectiveUS /ˈhæɡərd/
showing the wearing effects of overwork or care or suffering
From this reading But she saw plainly that she was haggard, that she was sallow, that she was painfully thin.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading She had then been beautiful, in a vivid, irregular manner, and ought to have been so still, as she was but little past her thirtieth birthday.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She sat down before the little dressing–table and removed her widow’s bonnet and veil.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading And remembering that when she had last seen herself in that mirror she had been a bride and in the glory of her youth, she could not but study the changes in herself.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading And remembering that when she had last seen herself in that mirror she had been a bride and in the glory of her youth, she could not but study the changes in herself.
irregularadjectiveUS /ˌɪˈreɡjələr/
contrary to rule or accepted order or general practice
From this reading She had then been beautiful, in a vivid, irregular manner, and ought to have been so still, as she was but little past her thirtieth birthday.
immediately past
From this reading At last Serena went out, and Elizabeth was alone.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading She sat down before the little dressing–table and removed her widow’s bonnet and veil.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading She had then been beautiful, in a vivid, irregular manner, and ought to have been so still, as she was but little past her thirtieth birthday.
mirrornounUS /ˈmɪrər/
polished surface that forms images by reflecting light
From this reading And remembering that when she had last seen herself in that mirror she had been a bride and in the glory of her youth, she could not but study the changes in herself.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading And remembering that when she had last seen herself in that mirror she had been a bride and in the glory of her youth, she could not but study the changes in herself.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading And remembering that when she had last seen herself in that mirror she had been a bride and in the glory of her youth, she could not but study the changes in herself.
used with “to” to say what is right or advisable
From this reading She had then been beautiful, in a vivid, irregular manner, and ought to have been so still, as she was but little past her thirtieth birthday.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading At last Serena went out, and Elizabeth was alone.
painfullyadverbUS /ˈpeɪnfəli/
unpleasantly
From this reading But she saw plainly that she was haggard, that she was sallow, that she was painfully thin.
the time that has elapsed
From this reading She had then been beautiful, in a vivid, irregular manner, and ought to have been so still, as she was but little past her thirtieth birthday.
unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)
From this reading But she saw plainly that she was haggard, that she was sallow, that she was painfully thin.
rememberingnounUS /rɪˈmembərɪŋ/
the cognitive processes whereby past experience is remembered
From this reading And remembering that when she had last seen herself in that mirror she had been a bride and in the glory of her youth, she could not but study the changes in herself.
separated in relationship by a given degree of descent
From this reading She sat down before the little dressing–table and removed her widow’s bonnet and veil.
sallowadjective
unhealthy looking
From this reading But she saw plainly that she was haggard, that she was sallow, that she was painfully thin.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading She sat down before the little dressing–table and removed her widow’s bonnet and veil.
cut with a saw
From this reading But she saw plainly that she was haggard, that she was sallow, that she was painfully thin.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading And remembering that when she had last seen herself in that mirror she had been a bride and in the glory of her youth, she could not but study the changes in herself.
Serena
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At last Serena went out, and Elizabeth was alone.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She sat down before the little dressing–table and removed her widow’s bonnet and veil.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading She had then been beautiful, in a vivid, irregular manner, and ought to have been so still, as she was but little past her thirtieth birthday.
not in physical motion
From this reading She had then been beautiful, in a vivid, irregular manner, and ought to have been so still, as she was but little past her thirtieth birthday.
a detailed critical inspection
From this reading And remembering that when she had last seen herself in that mirror she had been a bride and in the glory of her youth, she could not but study the changes in herself.
a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading She sat down before the little dressing–table and removed her widow’s bonnet and veil.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading And remembering that when she had last seen herself in that mirror she had been a bride and in the glory of her youth, she could not but study the changes in herself.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading She sat down before the little dressing–table and removed her widow’s bonnet and veil.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading She had then been beautiful, in a vivid, irregular manner, and ought to have been so still, as she was but little past her thirtieth birthday.
Having little thickness or extent.
From this reading But she saw plainly that she was haggard, that she was sallow, that she was painfully thin.
thirtiethadjectiveUS /ˈθɜːrtiəθ/
coming next after the twenty-ninth in position
From this reading She had then been beautiful, in a vivid, irregular manner, and ought to have been so still, as she was but little past her thirtieth birthday.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading She had then been beautiful, in a vivid, irregular manner, and ought to have been so still, as she was but little past her thirtieth birthday.
a garment that covers the head and face
From this reading She sat down before the little dressing–table and removed her widow’s bonnet and veil.
vividadjectiveUS /ˈvɪvəd/
evoking lifelike images within the mind
From this reading She had then been beautiful, in a vivid, irregular manner, and ought to have been so still, as she was but little past her thirtieth birthday.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading At last Serena went out, and Elizabeth was alone.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading At last Serena went out, and Elizabeth was alone.
at the time that
From this reading And remembering that when she had last seen herself in that mirror she had been a bride and in the glory of her youth, she could not but study the changes in herself.
widow'snounUS /ˈwɪdoʊz/
possessive form of “widow” — a woman whose husband is dead especially one who has not remarried
From this reading She sat down before the little dressing–table and removed her widow’s bonnet and veil.
a young person (especially a young man or boy)
From this reading And remembering that when she had last seen herself in that mirror she had been a bride and in the glory of her youth, she could not but study the changes in herself.
