used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "If the signorina were a cook now, there are many people in need of cooks," the young man behind the counter had said smilingly, and she had thanked him and come away.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading She had been to an office in the Piazza di Spagna and had there been assured for the seventh time that there was nothing on the books.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She had been to an office in the Piazza di Spagna and had there been assured for the seventh time that there was nothing on the books.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "If the signorina were a cook now, there are many people in need of cooks," the young man behind the counter had said smilingly, and she had thanked him and come away.
marked by assurance; exhibiting confidence
From this reading She had been to an office in the Piazza di Spagna and had there been assured for the seventh time that there was nothing on the books.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading "If the signorina were a cook now, there are many people in need of cooks," the young man behind the counter had said smilingly, and she had thanked him and come away.
completely unclothed
From this reading It was getting late, and a fading light filtered through the bare interwoven branches of the planes.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading She had been to an office in the Piazza di Spagna and had there been assured for the seventh time that there was nothing on the books.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading "If the signorina were a cook now, there are many people in need of cooks," the young man behind the counter had said smilingly, and she had thanked him and come away.
benchesnounUS /ˈbentʃɪz/
plural of “bench” — a long seat for more than one person
From this reading Olive sat idly on one of the benches near the great wall in the Pincian gardens.
Bound written or printed works.
From this reading She had been to an office in the Piazza di Spagna and had there been assured for the seventh time that there was nothing on the books.
plural of “branch” — a division of some larger or more complex organization
From this reading It was getting late, and a fading light filtered through the bare interwoven branches of the planes.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading "If the signorina were a cook now, there are many people in need of cooks," the young man behind the counter had said smilingly, and she had thanked him and come away.
prepare a hot meal
From this reading "If the signorina were a cook now, there are many people in need of cooks," the young man behind the counter had said smilingly, and she had thanked him and come away.
cooksnounUS /kʊks/
plural of “cook” — someone who cooks food
From this reading "If the signorina were a cook now, there are many people in need of cooks," the young man behind the counter had said smilingly, and she had thanked him and come away.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading What else could she do?
counternounUS /ˈkaʊntər/
table consisting of a horizontal surface over which business is transacted
From this reading "If the signorina were a cook now, there are many people in need of cooks," the young man behind the counter had said smilingly, and she had thanked him and come away.
di
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had been to an office in the Piazza di Spagna and had there been assured for the seventh time that there was nothing on the books.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading What else could she do?
else
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What else could she do?
fadingnounUS /ˈfeɪdɪŋ/
weakening in force or intensity
From this reading It was getting late, and a fading light filtered through the bare interwoven branches of the planes.
filteredverbUS /ˈfɪltərd/
past form of “filter” — remove by passing through a filter
From this reading It was getting late, and a fading light filtered through the bare interwoven branches of the planes.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading She had been to an office in the Piazza di Spagna and had there been assured for the seventh time that there was nothing on the books.
plural of “garden” — a plot of ground where plants are cultivated
From this reading Olive sat idly on one of the benches near the great wall in the Pincian gardens.
the act of acquiring something
From this reading It was getting late, and a fading light filtered through the bare interwoven branches of the planes.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading Olive sat idly on one of the benches near the great wall in the Pincian gardens.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading She had been to an office in the Piazza di Spagna and had there been assured for the seventh time that there was nothing on the books.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "If the signorina were a cook now, there are many people in need of cooks," the young man behind the counter had said smilingly, and she had thanked him and come away.
idlyadverbUS /ˈaɪdli/
in an idle manner
From this reading Olive sat idly on one of the benches near the great wall in the Pincian gardens.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading "If the signorina were a cook now, there are many people in need of cooks," the young man behind the counter had said smilingly, and she had thanked him and come away.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Olive sat idly on one of the benches near the great wall in the Pincian gardens.
interwovenadjectiveUS /ˌɪntərˈwoʊvən/
linked or locked closely together as by dovetailing
From this reading It was getting late, and a fading light filtered through the bare interwoven branches of the planes.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was getting late, and a fading light filtered through the bare interwoven branches of the planes.
being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time
From this reading It was getting late, and a fading light filtered through the bare interwoven branches of the planes.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading It was getting late, and a fading light filtered through the bare interwoven branches of the planes.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading "If the signorina were a cook now, there are many people in need of cooks," the young man behind the counter had said smilingly, and she had thanked him and come away.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading "If the signorina were a cook now, there are many people in need of cooks," the young man behind the counter had said smilingly, and she had thanked him and come away.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading Olive sat idly on one of the benches near the great wall in the Pincian gardens.
a condition requiring relief
From this reading "If the signorina were a cook now, there are many people in need of cooks," the young man behind the counter had said smilingly, and she had thanked him and come away.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading She had been to an office in the Piazza di Spagna and had there been assured for the seventh time that there was nothing on the books.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading "If the signorina were a cook now, there are many people in need of cooks," the young man behind the counter had said smilingly, and she had thanked him and come away.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Olive sat idly on one of the benches near the great wall in the Pincian gardens.
place of business where professional or clerical duties are performed
From this reading She had been to an office in the Piazza di Spagna and had there been assured for the seventh time that there was nothing on the books.
OliveadjectiveUS /ˈɑːləv/
of a yellow-green color similar to that of an unripe olive
From this reading Olive sat idly on one of the benches near the great wall in the Pincian gardens.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Olive sat idly on one of the benches near the great wall in the Pincian gardens.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Olive sat idly on one of the benches near the great wall in the Pincian gardens.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading "If the signorina were a cook now, there are many people in need of cooks," the young man behind the counter had said smilingly, and she had thanked him and come away.
PiazzanounUS /piˈæzə/
a public square with room for pedestrians
From this reading She had been to an office in the Piazza di Spagna and had there been assured for the seventh time that there was nothing on the books.
Pincian
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Olive sat idly on one of the benches near the great wall in the Pincian gardens.
planesnounUS /pleɪnz/
plural of “plane” — an aircraft that has a fixed wing and is powered by propellers or jets
From this reading It was getting late, and a fading light filtered through the bare interwoven branches of the planes.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "If the signorina were a cook now, there are many people in need of cooks," the young man behind the counter had said smilingly, and she had thanked him and come away.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading Olive sat idly on one of the benches near the great wall in the Pincian gardens.
seventhadjectiveUS /ˈsevənθ/
coming next after the sixth and just before the eighth in position
From this reading She had been to an office in the Piazza di Spagna and had there been assured for the seventh time that there was nothing on the books.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She had been to an office in the Piazza di Spagna and had there been assured for the seventh time that there was nothing on the books.
signorinanoun
an Italian courtesy title for an unmarried woman; equivalent to “Miss”, it is either used alone or before a name
From this reading "If the signorina were a cook now, there are many people in need of cooks," the young man behind the counter had said smilingly, and she had thanked him and come away.
smilinglyadverbUS /ˈsmaɪlɪŋli/
with smiles; in a smiling manner
From this reading "If the signorina were a cook now, there are many people in need of cooks," the young man behind the counter had said smilingly, and she had thanked him and come away.
Spagna
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had been to an office in the Piazza di Spagna and had there been assured for the seventh time that there was nothing on the books.
past form of “thank” — express gratitude or show appreciation to
From this reading "If the signorina were a cook now, there are many people in need of cooks," the young man behind the counter had said smilingly, and she had thanked him and come away.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading She had been to an office in the Piazza di Spagna and had there been assured for the seventh time that there was nothing on the books.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Olive sat idly on one of the benches near the great wall in the Pincian gardens.
in or at that place or location
From this reading She had been to an office in the Piazza di Spagna and had there been assured for the seventh time that there was nothing on the books.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading It was getting late, and a fading light filtered through the bare interwoven branches of the planes.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading She had been to an office in the Piazza di Spagna and had there been assured for the seventh time that there was nothing on the books.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading She had been to an office in the Piazza di Spagna and had there been assured for the seventh time that there was nothing on the books.
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 Olive sat idly on one of the benches near the great wall in the Pincian gardens.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading She had been to an office in the Piazza di Spagna and had there been assured for the seventh time that there was nothing on the books.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "If the signorina were a cook now, there are many people in need of cooks," the young man behind the counter had said smilingly, and she had thanked him and come away.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading What else could she do?
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading "If the signorina were a cook now, there are many people in need of cooks," the young man behind the counter had said smilingly, and she had thanked him and come away.
