andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Her prettiness was on the wane--powder and rouge, late hours, and excesses of many kinds, had played havoc with it, even in these few months.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Her boots themselves, unclean and down at heel, told the story.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The woman who had been Peter Ruff’s first love had fallen upon evil days.
bootsnounUS /buːts/
plural of “boot” — footwear that covers the whole foot and lower leg
From this reading Her boots themselves, unclean and down at heel, told the story.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Her clothes were showy but cheap.
cheapadjectiveUS /tʃiːp/
relatively low in price or charging low prices
From this reading Her clothes were showy but cheap.
clothesnounUS /kloʊðz/
clothing in general
From this reading Her clothes were showy but cheap.
daysnounUS /deɪz/
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading The woman who had been Peter Ruff’s first love had fallen upon evil days.
defiantlyadverbUS /dɪˈfaɪəntli/
in a rebellious manner
From this reading She stood upon the threshold of Peter Ruff’s office, and looked half defiantly, half doubtfully at Violet, who was its sole occupant.
doubtfullyadverb
in a doubtful manner
From this reading She stood upon the threshold of Peter Ruff’s office, and looked half defiantly, half doubtfully at Violet, who was its sole occupant.
downadjectiveUS /daʊn/
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Her boots themselves, unclean and down at heel, told the story.
evenadjectiveUS /ˈiːvɪn/
divisible by two
From this reading Her prettiness was on the wane--powder and rouge, late hours, and excesses of many kinds, had played havoc with it, even in these few months.
evilnounUS /ˈiːvəl/
morally objectionable behavior
From this reading The woman who had been Peter Ruff’s first love had fallen upon evil days.
excessesnounUS /ˌekˈsesɪz/
plural of “excess” — a quantity much larger than is needed
From this reading Her prettiness was on the wane--powder and rouge, late hours, and excesses of many kinds, had played havoc with it, even in these few months.
fallenadjectiveUS /ˈfɑːlən/
having dropped by the force of gravity
From this reading The woman who had been Peter Ruff’s first love had fallen upon evil days.
fewadjectiveUS /fjuː/
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading Her prettiness was on the wane--powder and rouge, late hours, and excesses of many kinds, had played havoc with it, even in these few months.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading The woman who had been Peter Ruff’s first love had fallen upon evil days.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The woman who had been Peter Ruff’s first love had fallen upon evil days.
halfadjectiveUS /hæf/
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading She stood upon the threshold of Peter Ruff’s office, and looked half defiantly, half doubtfully at Violet, who was its sole occupant.
havocnounUS /ˈhævək/
violent and needless disturbance
From this reading Her prettiness was on the wane--powder and rouge, late hours, and excesses of many kinds, had played havoc with it, even in these few months.
heelnounUS /hiːl/
the bottom of a shoe or boot; the back part of a shoe or boot that touches the ground and provides elevation
From this reading Her boots themselves, unclean and down at heel, told the story.
HerdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Her prettiness was on the wane--powder and rouge, late hours, and excesses of many kinds, had played havoc with it, even in these few months.
hoursnounUS /ˈaʊərz/
a period of time assigned for work
From this reading Her prettiness was on the wane--powder and rouge, late hours, and excesses of many kinds, had played havoc with it, even in these few months.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Her prettiness was on the wane--powder and rouge, late hours, and excesses of many kinds, had played havoc with it, even in these few months.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Her prettiness was on the wane--powder and rouge, late hours, and excesses of many kinds, had played havoc with it, even in these few months.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading She stood upon the threshold of Peter Ruff’s office, and looked half defiantly, half doubtfully at Violet, who was its sole occupant.
kindsnounUS /kaɪndz/
plural of “kind” — a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
From this reading Her prettiness was on the wane--powder and rouge, late hours, and excesses of many kinds, had played havoc with it, even in these few months.
lateadjectiveUS /leɪt/
being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time
From this reading Her prettiness was on the wane--powder and rouge, late hours, and excesses of many kinds, had played havoc with it, even in these few months.
lookedverbUS /lʊkt/
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading She stood upon the threshold of Peter Ruff’s office, and looked half defiantly, half doubtfully at Violet, who was its sole occupant.
lovenounUS /lʌv/
a strong positive emotion of regard and affection
From this reading The woman who had been Peter Ruff’s first love had fallen upon evil days.
manyadjectiveUS /ˈmeni/
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 Her prettiness was on the wane--powder and rouge, late hours, and excesses of many kinds, had played havoc with it, even in these few months.
monthsnounUS /mʌnθs/
plural of “month” — one of the twelve divisions of the calendar year
From this reading Her prettiness was on the wane--powder and rouge, late hours, and excesses of many kinds, had played havoc with it, even in these few months.
occupantnounUS /ˈɑːkjəpənt/
someone who lives at a particular place for a prolonged period or who was born there
From this reading She stood upon the threshold of Peter Ruff’s office, and looked half defiantly, half doubtfully at Violet, who was its sole occupant.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Her prettiness was on the wane--powder and rouge, late hours, and excesses of many kinds, had played havoc with it, even in these few months.
officenounUS /ˈɔːfɪs/
place of business where professional or clerical duties are performed
From this reading She stood upon the threshold of Peter Ruff’s office, and looked half defiantly, half doubtfully at Violet, who was its sole occupant.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Her prettiness was on the wane--powder and rouge, late hours, and excesses of many kinds, had played havoc with it, even in these few months.
PeternounUS /ˈpiːtər/
disciple of Jesus and leader of the Apostles; regarded by Catholics as the vicar of Christ on earth and first Pope
From this reading The woman who had been Peter Ruff’s first love had fallen upon evil days.
playedadjectiveUS /pleɪd/
(of games) engaged in
From this reading Her prettiness was on the wane--powder and rouge, late hours, and excesses of many kinds, had played havoc with it, even in these few months.
powdernounUS /ˈpaʊdər/
a solid substance in the form of tiny loose particles; a solid that has been pulverized
From this reading Her prettiness was on the wane--powder and rouge, late hours, and excesses of many kinds, had played havoc with it, even in these few months.
prettinessnoun
the quality of being appealing in a delicate or graceful way (of a girl or young woman)
From this reading Her prettiness was on the wane--powder and rouge, late hours, and excesses of many kinds, had played havoc with it, even in these few months.
rougenounUS /ruːʒ/
makeup consisting of a pink or red powder applied to the cheeks
From this reading Her prettiness was on the wane--powder and rouge, late hours, and excesses of many kinds, had played havoc with it, even in these few months.
Ruff's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The woman who had been Peter Ruff’s first love had fallen upon evil days.
ShepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She stood upon the threshold of Peter Ruff’s office, and looked half defiantly, half doubtfully at Violet, who was its sole occupant.
showyadjectiveUS /ˈʃoʊi/
marked by ostentation but often tasteless
From this reading Her clothes were showy but cheap.
solenounUS /soʊl/
the underside of footwear or a golf club
From this reading She stood upon the threshold of Peter Ruff’s office, and looked half defiantly, half doubtfully at Violet, who was its sole occupant.
stoodverbUS /stʊd/
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading She stood upon the threshold of Peter Ruff’s office, and looked half defiantly, half doubtfully at Violet, who was its sole occupant.
storynounUS /ˈstɔːri/
a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading Her boots themselves, unclean and down at heel, told the story.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The woman who had been Peter Ruff’s first love had fallen upon evil days.
themselvespronounUS /ðemˈselvz/
used when the people doing the action are also its object
From this reading Her boots themselves, unclean and down at heel, told the story.
thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading Her prettiness was on the wane--powder and rouge, late hours, and excesses of many kinds, had played havoc with it, even in these few months.
thresholdnounUS /ˈθreʃoʊld/
the starting point for a new state or experience
From this reading She stood upon the threshold of Peter Ruff’s office, and looked half defiantly, half doubtfully at Violet, who was its sole occupant.
toldverbUS /toʊld/
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading Her boots themselves, unclean and down at heel, told the story.
uncleanadjectiveUS /ənˈkliːn/
soiled or likely to soil with dirt or grime
From this reading Her boots themselves, unclean and down at heel, told the story.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading The woman who had been Peter Ruff’s first love had fallen upon evil days.
VioletnounUS /ˈvaɪəlɪt/
any of numerous low-growing violas with small flowers
From this reading She stood upon the threshold of Peter Ruff’s office, and looked half defiantly, half doubtfully at Violet, who was its sole occupant.
waneverbUS /weɪn/
grow smaller
From this reading Her prettiness was on the wane--powder and rouge, late hours, and excesses of many kinds, had played havoc with it, even in these few months.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Her prettiness was on the wane--powder and rouge, late hours, and excesses of many kinds, had played havoc with it, even in these few months.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Her clothes were showy but cheap.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading The woman who had been Peter Ruff’s first love had fallen upon evil days.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Her prettiness was on the wane--powder and rouge, late hours, and excesses of many kinds, had played havoc with it, even in these few months.
womannounUS /ˈwʊmən/
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading The woman who had been Peter Ruff’s first love had fallen upon evil days.
