used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A moment after, a shadow crossed the window, and Phillis came in.
ABOUTprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading "TELL US ALL ABOUT IT, NAN."
(of mail) marked with a destination
From this reading Nan overslept herself, and was rather late the next morning; but as she entered the parlor, with an exclamation of penitence for her tardiness, she found her little speech was addressed to the empty walls.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading A moment after, a shadow crossed the window, and Phillis came in.
(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 "TELL US ALL ABOUT IT, NAN."
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Nan overslept herself, and was rather late the next morning; but as she entered the parlor, with an exclamation of penitence for her tardiness, she found her little speech was addressed to the empty walls.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Nan overslept herself, and was rather late the next morning; but as she entered the parlor, with an exclamation of penitence for her tardiness, she found her little speech was addressed to the empty walls.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Nan overslept herself, and was rather late the next morning; but as she entered the parlor, with an exclamation of penitence for her tardiness, she found her little speech was addressed to the empty walls.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Nan overslept herself, and was rather late the next morning; but as she entered the parlor, with an exclamation of penitence for her tardiness, she found her little speech was addressed to the empty walls.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading A moment after, a shadow crossed the window, and Phillis came in.
placed crosswise
From this reading A moment after, a shadow crossed the window, and Phillis came in.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading "Oh, you lazy girl!" she said; "leaving me all the hard work to do.
make void or empty of contents
From this reading Nan overslept herself, and was rather late the next morning; but as she entered the parlor, with an exclamation of penitence for her tardiness, she found her little speech was addressed to the empty walls.
past form of “enter” — to come or go into
From this reading Nan overslept herself, and was rather late the next morning; but as she entered the parlor, with an exclamation of penitence for her tardiness, she found her little speech was addressed to the empty walls.
exclamationnounUS /ˌekskləˈmeɪʃən/
an abrupt excited utterance
From this reading Nan overslept herself, and was rather late the next morning; but as she entered the parlor, with an exclamation of penitence for her tardiness, she found her little speech was addressed to the empty walls.
opinion or judgment
From this reading She went up to Nan and kissed her, and there was a gleam of fun in her eyes.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Nan overslept herself, and was rather late the next morning; but as she entered the parlor, with an exclamation of penitence for her tardiness, she found her little speech was addressed to the empty walls.
set up or found
From this reading Nan overslept herself, and was rather late the next morning; but as she entered the parlor, with an exclamation of penitence for her tardiness, she found her little speech was addressed to the empty walls.
activities that are enjoyable or amusing
From this reading She went up to Nan and kissed her, and there was a gleam of fun in her eyes.
a young female
From this reading "Oh, you lazy girl!" she said; "leaving me all the hard work to do.
gleamverbUS /ɡliːm/
be shiny, as if wet
From this reading She went up to Nan and kissed her, and there was a gleam of fun in her eyes.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading "Oh, you lazy girl!" she said; "leaving me all the hard work to do.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Nan overslept herself, and was rather late the next morning; but as she entered the parlor, with an exclamation of penitence for her tardiness, she found her little speech was addressed to the empty walls.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading Nan overslept herself, and was rather late the next morning; but as she entered the parlor, with an exclamation of penitence for her tardiness, she found her little speech was addressed to the empty walls.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A moment after, a shadow crossed the window, and Phillis came in.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "TELL US ALL ABOUT IT, NAN."
past form of “kiss” — touch with the lips or press the lips (against someone's mouth or other body part) as an expression of love, greeting, etc.
From this reading She went up to Nan and kissed her, and there was a gleam of fun in her eyes.
being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time
From this reading Nan overslept herself, and was rather late the next morning; but as she entered the parlor, with an exclamation of penitence for her tardiness, she found her little speech was addressed to the empty walls.
lazyadjectiveUS /ˈleɪzi/
moving slowly and gently
From this reading "Oh, you lazy girl!" she said; "leaving me all the hard work to do.
the act of departing
From this reading "Oh, you lazy girl!" she said; "leaving me all the hard work to do.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Nan overslept herself, and was rather late the next morning; but as she entered the parlor, with an exclamation of penitence for her tardiness, she found her little speech was addressed to the empty walls.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "Oh, you lazy girl!" she said; "leaving me all the hard work to do.
a particular point in time
From this reading A moment after, a shadow crossed the window, and Phillis came in.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading Nan overslept herself, and was rather late the next morning; but as she entered the parlor, with an exclamation of penitence for her tardiness, she found her little speech was addressed to the empty walls.
NANnounUS /næn/
your grandmother
From this reading "TELL US ALL ABOUT IT, NAN."
immediately following in time or order
From this reading Nan overslept herself, and was rather late the next morning; but as she entered the parlor, with an exclamation of penitence for her tardiness, she found her little speech was addressed to the empty walls.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Nan overslept herself, and was rather late the next morning; but as she entered the parlor, with an exclamation of penitence for her tardiness, she found her little speech was addressed to the empty walls.
a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region
From this reading "Oh, you lazy girl!" she said; "leaving me all the hard work to do.
oversleptverbUS /ˌoʊvərˈslept/
inflected form of “oversleep” — sleep longer than intended
From this reading Nan overslept herself, and was rather late the next morning; but as she entered the parlor, with an exclamation of penitence for her tardiness, she found her little speech was addressed to the empty walls.
parlornounUS /ˈpɑːrlər/
reception room in an inn or club where visitors can be received
From this reading Nan overslept herself, and was rather late the next morning; but as she entered the parlor, with an exclamation of penitence for her tardiness, she found her little speech was addressed to the empty walls.
penitencenoun
remorse for your past conduct
From this reading Nan overslept herself, and was rather late the next morning; but as she entered the parlor, with an exclamation of penitence for her tardiness, she found her little speech was addressed to the empty walls.
Phillis
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A moment after, a shadow crossed the window, and Phillis came in.
on the contrary
From this reading Nan overslept herself, and was rather late the next morning; but as she entered the parlor, with an exclamation of penitence for her tardiness, she found her little speech was addressed to the empty walls.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "Oh, you lazy girl!" she said; "leaving me all the hard work to do.
A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.
From this reading A moment after, a shadow crossed the window, and Phillis came in.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Nan overslept herself, and was rather late the next morning; but as she entered the parlor, with an exclamation of penitence for her tardiness, she found her little speech was addressed to the empty walls.
the act of delivering a formal spoken communication to an audience
From this reading Nan overslept herself, and was rather late the next morning; but as she entered the parlor, with an exclamation of penitence for her tardiness, she found her little speech was addressed to the empty walls.
tardinessnounUS /ˈtɑːrdinəs/
the quality or habit of not adhering to a correct or usual or expected time
From this reading Nan overslept herself, and was rather late the next morning; but as she entered the parlor, with an exclamation of penitence for her tardiness, she found her little speech was addressed to the empty walls.
express in words
From this reading "TELL US ALL ABOUT IT, NAN."
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Nan overslept herself, and was rather late the next morning; but as she entered the parlor, with an exclamation of penitence for her tardiness, she found her little speech was addressed to the empty walls.
in or at that place or location
From this reading She went up to Nan and kissed her, and there was a gleam of fun in her eyes.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Nan overslept herself, and was rather late the next morning; but as she entered the parlor, with an exclamation of penitence for her tardiness, she found her little speech was addressed to the empty walls.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading She went up to Nan and kissed her, and there was a gleam of fun in her eyes.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "TELL US ALL ABOUT IT, NAN."
plural of “wall” — 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 Nan overslept herself, and was rather late the next morning; but as she entered the parlor, with an exclamation of penitence for her tardiness, she found her little speech was addressed to the empty walls.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Nan overslept herself, and was rather late the next morning; but as she entered the parlor, with an exclamation of penitence for her tardiness, she found her little speech was addressed to the empty walls.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading She went up to Nan and kissed her, and there was a gleam of fun in her eyes.
a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air
From this reading A moment after, a shadow crossed the window, and Phillis came in.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Nan overslept herself, and was rather late the next morning; but as she entered the parlor, with an exclamation of penitence for her tardiness, she found her little speech was addressed to the empty walls.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading "Oh, you lazy girl!" she said; "leaving me all the hard work to do.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Oh, you lazy girl!" she said; "leaving me all the hard work to do.
