used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading And the old man whom she gave me for a teacher, finding me intelligent, taught me all he knew, I imagine, of French, of geography, and of history.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading I picked up her handkerchief when she dropped it; and, above all, I looked for her snuff-box, which she was continually mislaying.
abruptadjectiveUS /əˈbrʌpt/
marked by sudden changes in subject and sharp transitions
From this reading “I would have been happy in that pretty house at La Jonchere, if I had only had some society better suited to my age than the old women with whom I was compelled to live, and who scolded me for a loud word or a somewhat abrupt gesture.
how long something has existed
From this reading “I would have been happy in that pretty house at La Jonchere, if I had only had some society better suited to my age than the old women with whom I was compelled to live, and who scolded me for a loud word or a somewhat abrupt gesture.
(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 I picked up her handkerchief when she dropped it; and, above all, I looked for her snuff-box, which she was continually mislaying.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading I picked up her handkerchief when she dropped it; and, above all, I looked for her snuff-box, which she was continually mislaying.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading “I would have been happy in that pretty house at La Jonchere, if I had only had some society better suited to my age than the old women with whom I was compelled to live, and who scolded me for a loud word or a somewhat abrupt gesture.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading “The chambermaid, on the other hand, had been commissioned to teach me to sew, to embroider, and to execute all sorts of fancy-work; and she took the more interest in her lessons, that little by little she shifted upon me the most tedious part of her work.
(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another
From this reading “I would have been happy in that pretty house at La Jonchere, if I had only had some society better suited to my age than the old women with whom I was compelled to live, and who scolded me for a loud word or a somewhat abrupt gesture.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading “The chambermaid, on the other hand, had been commissioned to teach me to sew, to embroider, and to execute all sorts of fancy-work; and she took the more interest in her lessons, that little by little she shifted upon me the most tedious part of her work.
chambermaidnoun
a maid who is employed to clean and care for bedrooms (now primarily in hotels)
From this reading “The chambermaid, on the other hand, had been commissioned to teach me to sew, to embroider, and to execute all sorts of fancy-work; and she took the more interest in her lessons, that little by little she shifted upon me the most tedious part of her work.
commissionedadjectiveUS /kəˈmɪʃənd/
(of military officers) holding by virtue of a commission a rank of second lieutenant or ensign or above
From this reading “The chambermaid, on the other hand, had been commissioned to teach me to sew, to embroider, and to execute all sorts of fancy-work; and she took the more interest in her lessons, that little by little she shifted upon me the most tedious part of her work.
inflected form of “compel” — force somebody to do something
From this reading “I would have been happy in that pretty house at La Jonchere, if I had only had some society better suited to my age than the old women with whom I was compelled to live, and who scolded me for a loud word or a somewhat abrupt gesture.
seemingly without interruption
From this reading I picked up her handkerchief when she dropped it; and, above all, I looked for her snuff-box, which she was continually mislaying.
docilitynounUS /dɑːˈsɪləti/
the trait of being agreeably submissive and manageable
From this reading “She was pleased with my docility, took much interest in me, and, that I might read to her, she made me learn to read, for I hardly knew my letters.
inflected form of “drop” — let fall to the ground
From this reading I picked up her handkerchief when she dropped it; and, above all, I looked for her snuff-box, which she was continually mislaying.
embroiderverbUS /ɪmˈbrɔɪdər/
decorate with needlework
From this reading “The chambermaid, on the other hand, had been commissioned to teach me to sew, to embroider, and to execute all sorts of fancy-work; and she took the more interest in her lessons, that little by little she shifted upon me the most tedious part of her work.
executeverbUS /ˈeksəkjuːt/
kill as a means of socially sanctioned punishment
From this reading “The chambermaid, on the other hand, had been commissioned to teach me to sew, to embroider, and to execute all sorts of fancy-work; and she took the more interest in her lessons, that little by little she shifted upon me the most tedious part of her work.
fancy-work
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “The chambermaid, on the other hand, had been commissioned to teach me to sew, to embroider, and to execute all sorts of fancy-work; and she took the more interest in her lessons, that little by little she shifted upon me the most tedious part of her work.
the act of determining the properties of something, usually by research or calculation
From this reading And the old man whom she gave me for a teacher, finding me intelligent, taught me all he knew, I imagine, of French, of geography, and of history.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading I picked up her handkerchief when she dropped it; and, above all, I looked for her snuff-box, which she was continually mislaying.
the Romance language spoken in France and in countries colonized by France
From this reading And the old man whom she gave me for a teacher, finding me intelligent, taught me all he knew, I imagine, of French, of geography, and of history.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading And the old man whom she gave me for a teacher, finding me intelligent, taught me all he knew, I imagine, of French, of geography, and of history.
geographynounUS /dʒiˈɑːɡrəfi/
study of the earth's surface; includes people's responses to topography and climate and soil and vegetation
From this reading And the old man whom she gave me for a teacher, finding me intelligent, taught me all he knew, I imagine, of French, of geography, and of history.
motion of hands or body to emphasize or help to express a thought or feeling
From this reading “I would have been happy in that pretty house at La Jonchere, if I had only had some society better suited to my age than the old women with whom I was compelled to live, and who scolded me for a loud word or a somewhat abrupt gesture.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading “The chambermaid, on the other hand, had been commissioned to teach me to sew, to embroider, and to execute all sorts of fancy-work; and she took the more interest in her lessons, that little by little she shifted upon me the most tedious part of her work.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading “The chambermaid, on the other hand, had been commissioned to teach me to sew, to embroider, and to execute all sorts of fancy-work; and she took the more interest in her lessons, that little by little she shifted upon me the most tedious part of her work.
a square piece of cloth used for wiping the eyes or nose or as a costume accessory
From this reading I picked up her handkerchief when she dropped it; and, above all, I looked for her snuff-box, which she was continually mislaying.
enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure
From this reading “I would have been happy in that pretty house at La Jonchere, if I had only had some society better suited to my age than the old women with whom I was compelled to live, and who scolded me for a loud word or a somewhat abrupt gesture.
only a very short time before
From this reading “She was pleased with my docility, took much interest in me, and, that I might read to her, she made me learn to read, for I hardly knew my letters.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “I would have been happy in that pretty house at La Jonchere, if I had only had some society better suited to my age than the old women with whom I was compelled to live, and who scolded me for a loud word or a somewhat abrupt gesture.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading And the old man whom she gave me for a teacher, finding me intelligent, taught me all he knew, I imagine, of French, of geography, and of history.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading I picked up her handkerchief when she dropped it; and, above all, I looked for her snuff-box, which she was continually mislaying.
the aggregate of past events
From this reading And the old man whom she gave me for a teacher, finding me intelligent, taught me all he knew, I imagine, of French, of geography, and of history.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading “I would have been happy in that pretty house at La Jonchere, if I had only had some society better suited to my age than the old women with whom I was compelled to live, and who scolded me for a loud word or a somewhat abrupt gesture.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I picked up her handkerchief when she dropped it; and, above all, I looked for her snuff-box, which she was continually mislaying.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading “I would have been happy in that pretty house at La Jonchere, if I had only had some society better suited to my age than the old women with whom I was compelled to live, and who scolded me for a loud word or a somewhat abrupt gesture.
form a mental image of something that is not present or that is not the case
From this reading And the old man whom she gave me for a teacher, finding me intelligent, taught me all he knew, I imagine, of French, of geography, and of history.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading “She was pleased with my docility, took much interest in me, and, that I might read to her, she made me learn to read, for I hardly knew my letters.
intelligentadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈtelədʒənt/
having the capacity for thought and reason especially to a high degree
From this reading And the old man whom she gave me for a teacher, finding me intelligent, taught me all he knew, I imagine, of French, of geography, and of history.
a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something
From this reading “She was pleased with my docility, took much interest in me, and, that I might read to her, she made me learn to read, for I hardly knew my letters.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading I picked up her handkerchief when she dropped it; and, above all, I looked for her snuff-box, which she was continually mislaying.
Jonchere
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I would have been happy in that pretty house at La Jonchere, if I had only had some society better suited to my age than the old women with whom I was compelled to live, and who scolded me for a loud word or a somewhat abrupt gesture.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading “She was pleased with my docility, took much interest in me, and, that I might read to her, she made me learn to read, for I hardly knew my letters.
a white soft metallic element that tarnishes readily; occurs in rare earth minerals and is usually classified as a rare earth
From this reading “I would have been happy in that pretty house at La Jonchere, if I had only had some society better suited to my age than the old women with whom I was compelled to live, and who scolded me for a loud word or a somewhat abrupt gesture.
gain knowledge or skills
From this reading “She was pleased with my docility, took much interest in me, and, that I might read to her, she made me learn to read, for I hardly knew my letters.
lessonsnounUS /ˈlesənz/
plural of “lesson” — a unit of instruction
From this reading “The chambermaid, on the other hand, had been commissioned to teach me to sew, to embroider, and to execute all sorts of fancy-work; and she took the more interest in her lessons, that little by little she shifted upon me the most tedious part of her work.
the literary culture
From this reading “She was pleased with my docility, took much interest in me, and, that I might read to her, she made me learn to read, for I hardly knew my letters.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading “The chambermaid, on the other hand, had been commissioned to teach me to sew, to embroider, and to execute all sorts of fancy-work; and she took the more interest in her lessons, that little by little she shifted upon me the most tedious part of her work.
be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading “I would have been happy in that pretty house at La Jonchere, if I had only had some society better suited to my age than the old women with whom I was compelled to live, and who scolded me for a loud word or a somewhat abrupt gesture.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading I picked up her handkerchief when she dropped it; and, above all, I looked for her snuff-box, which she was continually mislaying.
characterized by or producing sound of great volume or intensity
From this reading “I would have been happy in that pretty house at La Jonchere, if I had only had some society better suited to my age than the old women with whom I was compelled to live, and who scolded me for a loud word or a somewhat abrupt gesture.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading “She was pleased with my docility, took much interest in me, and, that I might read to her, she made me learn to read, for I hardly knew my letters.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading And the old man whom she gave me for a teacher, finding me intelligent, taught me all he knew, I imagine, of French, of geography, and of history.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “She was pleased with my docility, took much interest in me, and, that I might read to her, she made me learn to read, for I hardly knew my letters.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading “She was pleased with my docility, took much interest in me, and, that I might read to her, she made me learn to read, for I hardly knew my letters.
mislaying
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I picked up her handkerchief when she dropped it; and, above all, I looked for her snuff-box, which she was continually mislaying.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading “The chambermaid, on the other hand, had been commissioned to teach me to sew, to embroider, and to execute all sorts of fancy-work; and she took the more interest in her lessons, that little by little she shifted upon me the most tedious part of her work.
used to form the superlative
From this reading “The chambermaid, on the other hand, had been commissioned to teach me to sew, to embroider, and to execute all sorts of fancy-work; and she took the more interest in her lessons, that little by little she shifted upon me the most tedious part of her work.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading “She was pleased with my docility, took much interest in me, and, that I might read to her, she made me learn to read, for I hardly knew my letters.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading “She was pleased with my docility, took much interest in me, and, that I might read to her, she made me learn to read, for I hardly knew my letters.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading And the old man whom she gave me for a teacher, finding me intelligent, taught me all he knew, I imagine, of French, of geography, and of history.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading And the old man whom she gave me for a teacher, finding me intelligent, taught me all he knew, I imagine, of French, of geography, and of history.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading “The chambermaid, on the other hand, had been commissioned to teach me to sew, to embroider, and to execute all sorts of fancy-work; and she took the more interest in her lessons, that little by little she shifted upon me the most tedious part of her work.
and nothing more
From this reading “I would have been happy in that pretty house at La Jonchere, if I had only had some society better suited to my age than the old women with whom I was compelled to live, and who scolded me for a loud word or a somewhat abrupt gesture.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading “I would have been happy in that pretty house at La Jonchere, if I had only had some society better suited to my age than the old women with whom I was compelled to live, and who scolded me for a loud word or a somewhat abrupt gesture.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading “The chambermaid, on the other hand, had been commissioned to teach me to sew, to embroider, and to execute all sorts of fancy-work; and she took the more interest in her lessons, that little by little she shifted upon me the most tedious part of her work.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading “The chambermaid, on the other hand, had been commissioned to teach me to sew, to embroider, and to execute all sorts of fancy-work; and she took the more interest in her lessons, that little by little she shifted upon me the most tedious part of her work.
past form of “pick” — select carefully from a group
From this reading I picked up her handkerchief when she dropped it; and, above all, I looked for her snuff-box, which she was continually mislaying.
experiencing or manifesting pleasure
From this reading “She was pleased with my docility, took much interest in me, and, that I might read to her, she made me learn to read, for I hardly knew my letters.
pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing
From this reading “I would have been happy in that pretty house at La Jonchere, if I had only had some society better suited to my age than the old women with whom I was compelled to live, and who scolded me for a loud word or a somewhat abrupt gesture.
interpret something that is written or printed
From this reading “She was pleased with my docility, took much interest in me, and, that I might read to her, she made me learn to read, for I hardly knew my letters.
scoldedverbUS /ˈskoʊldɪd/
past form of “scold” — censure severely or angrily
From this reading “I would have been happy in that pretty house at La Jonchere, if I had only had some society better suited to my age than the old women with whom I was compelled to live, and who scolded me for a loud word or a somewhat abrupt gesture.
sewverbUS /soʊ/
fasten by sewing; do needlework
From this reading “The chambermaid, on the other hand, had been commissioned to teach me to sew, to embroider, and to execute all sorts of fancy-work; and she took the more interest in her lessons, that little by little she shifted upon me the most tedious part of her work.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading I picked up her handkerchief when she dropped it; and, above all, I looked for her snuff-box, which she was continually mislaying.
shiftedverbUS /ˈʃɪftɪd/
past form of “shift” — make a shift in or exchange of
From this reading “The chambermaid, on the other hand, had been commissioned to teach me to sew, to embroider, and to execute all sorts of fancy-work; and she took the more interest in her lessons, that little by little she shifted upon me the most tedious part of her work.
snuff-box
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I picked up her handkerchief when she dropped it; and, above all, I looked for her snuff-box, which she was continually mislaying.
an extended social group having a distinctive cultural and economic organization
From this reading “I would have been happy in that pretty house at La Jonchere, if I had only had some society better suited to my age than the old women with whom I was compelled to live, and who scolded me for a loud word or a somewhat abrupt gesture.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading “I would have been happy in that pretty house at La Jonchere, if I had only had some society better suited to my age than the old women with whom I was compelled to live, and who scolded me for a loud word or a somewhat abrupt gesture.
to a small degree or extent
From this reading “I would have been happy in that pretty house at La Jonchere, if I had only had some society better suited to my age than the old women with whom I was compelled to live, and who scolded me for a loud word or a somewhat abrupt gesture.
plural of “sort” — a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
From this reading “The chambermaid, on the other hand, had been commissioned to teach me to sew, to embroider, and to execute all sorts of fancy-work; and she took the more interest in her lessons, that little by little she shifted upon me the most tedious part of her work.
suitedadjectiveUS /ˈsuːtɪd/
meant or adapted for an occasion or use
From this reading “I would have been happy in that pretty house at La Jonchere, if I had only had some society better suited to my age than the old women with whom I was compelled to live, and who scolded me for a loud word or a somewhat abrupt gesture.
inflected form of “teach” — impart skills or knowledge to
From this reading And the old man whom she gave me for a teacher, finding me intelligent, taught me all he knew, I imagine, of French, of geography, and of history.
impart skills or knowledge to
From this reading “The chambermaid, on the other hand, had been commissioned to teach me to sew, to embroider, and to execute all sorts of fancy-work; and she took the more interest in her lessons, that little by little she shifted upon me the most tedious part of her work.
teachernounUS /ˈtiːtʃər/
a person whose occupation is teaching
From this reading And the old man whom she gave me for a teacher, finding me intelligent, taught me all he knew, I imagine, of French, of geography, and of history.
tediousadjectiveUS /ˈtiːdiəs/
so lacking in interest as to cause mental weariness
From this reading “The chambermaid, on the other hand, had been commissioned to teach me to sew, to embroider, and to execute all sorts of fancy-work; and she took the more interest in her lessons, that little by little she shifted upon me the most tedious part of her work.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading “I would have been happy in that pretty house at La Jonchere, if I had only had some society better suited to my age than the old women with whom I was compelled to live, and who scolded me for a loud word or a somewhat abrupt gesture.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading “She was pleased with my docility, took much interest in me, and, that I might read to her, she made me learn to read, for I hardly knew my letters.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading And the old man whom she gave me for a teacher, finding me intelligent, taught me all he knew, I imagine, of French, of geography, and of history.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “She was pleased with my docility, took much interest in me, and, that I might read to her, she made me learn to read, for I hardly knew my letters.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading “She was pleased with my docility, took much interest in me, and, that I might read to her, she made me learn to read, for I hardly knew my letters.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading I picked up her handkerchief when she dropped it; and, above all, I looked for her snuff-box, which she was continually mislaying.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading “The chambermaid, on the other hand, had been commissioned to teach me to sew, to embroider, and to execute all sorts of fancy-work; and she took the more interest in her lessons, that little by little she shifted upon me the most tedious part of her work.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading I picked up her handkerchief when she dropped it; and, above all, I looked for her snuff-box, which she was continually mislaying.
at the time that
From this reading I picked up her handkerchief when she dropped it; and, above all, I looked for her snuff-box, which she was continually mislaying.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading I picked up her handkerchief when she dropped it; and, above all, I looked for her snuff-box, which she was continually mislaying.
which person or people
From this reading “I would have been happy in that pretty house at La Jonchere, if I had only had some society better suited to my age than the old women with whom I was compelled to live, and who scolded me for a loud word or a somewhat abrupt gesture.
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading And the old man whom she gave me for a teacher, finding me intelligent, taught me all he knew, I imagine, of French, of geography, and of history.
in the company of; together with
From this reading “She was pleased with my docility, took much interest in me, and, that I might read to her, she made me learn to read, for I hardly knew my letters.
plural of “woman” — an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading “I would have been happy in that pretty house at La Jonchere, if I had only had some society better suited to my age than the old women with whom I was compelled to live, and who scolded me for a loud word or a somewhat abrupt gesture.
a unit of language that native speakers can identify
From this reading “I would have been happy in that pretty house at La Jonchere, if I had only had some society better suited to my age than the old women with whom I was compelled to live, and who scolded me for a loud word or a somewhat abrupt gesture.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading “The chambermaid, on the other hand, had been commissioned to teach me to sew, to embroider, and to execute all sorts of fancy-work; and she took the more interest in her lessons, that little by little she shifted upon me the most tedious part of her work.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading “I would have been happy in that pretty house at La Jonchere, if I had only had some society better suited to my age than the old women with whom I was compelled to live, and who scolded me for a loud word or a somewhat abrupt gesture.
