used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading She had a proud, conscious mouth, and her teeth were large.
how long something has existed
From this reading Genevieve was Phœbe’s own age, but stockily built, with an up-turning Irish nose, reddish corkscrew curls, and freckles.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading Her eyes were almost as red as her hair, and small.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Genevieve was Phœbe’s own age, but stockily built, with an up-turning Irish nose, reddish corkscrew curls, and freckles.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Genevieve was Phœbe’s own age, but stockily built, with an up-turning Irish nose, reddish corkscrew curls, and freckles.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading Around them the skin crinkled up when she laughed, shutting them away completely.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Her eyes were almost as red as her hair, and small.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Around them the skin crinkled up when she laughed, shutting them away completely.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading When she had something important to say, she had a trick of throwing her head back with a toss of the curls.
(used of soaps or cleaning agents) having a substance (an abrasive or filler) added to increase effectiveness
From this reading Genevieve was Phœbe’s own age, but stockily built, with an up-turning Irish nose, reddish corkscrew curls, and freckles.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Genevieve was Phœbe’s own age, but stockily built, with an up-turning Irish nose, reddish corkscrew curls, and freckles.
to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)
From this reading Around them the skin crinkled up when she laughed, shutting them away completely.
intentionally conceived
From this reading She had a proud, conscious mouth, and her teeth were large.
corkscrewnounUS /ˈkɔːrkskruː/
a bottle opener that pulls corks
From this reading Genevieve was Phœbe’s own age, but stockily built, with an up-turning Irish nose, reddish corkscrew curls, and freckles.
crinkledadjective
uneven by virtue of having wrinkles or waves
From this reading Around them the skin crinkled up when she laughed, shutting them away completely.
curlsnounUS /kɜːrlz/
plural of “curl” — a round shape formed by a series of concentric circles (as formed by leaves or flower petals)
From this reading Genevieve was Phœbe’s own age, but stockily built, with an up-turning Irish nose, reddish corkscrew curls, and freckles.
opinion or judgment
From this reading Her eyes were almost as red as her hair, and small.
frecklesnounUS /ˈfrekəlz/
plural of “freckle” — a small brownish spot (of the pigment melanin) on the skin
From this reading Genevieve was Phœbe’s own age, but stockily built, with an up-turning Irish nose, reddish corkscrew curls, and freckles.
Genevieve
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Genevieve was Phœbe’s own age, but stockily built, with an up-turning Irish nose, reddish corkscrew curls, and freckles.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading She had a proud, conscious mouth, and her teeth were large.
a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss
From this reading Her eyes were almost as red as her hair, and small.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading When she had something important to say, she had a trick of throwing her head back with a toss of the curls.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She had a proud, conscious mouth, and her teeth were large.
of great significance or value
From this reading When she had something important to say, she had a trick of throwing her head back with a toss of the curls.
people of Ireland or of Irish extraction
From this reading Genevieve was Phœbe’s own age, but stockily built, with an up-turning Irish nose, reddish corkscrew curls, and freckles.
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading She had a proud, conscious mouth, and her teeth were large.
past form of “laugh” — produce laughter
From this reading Around them the skin crinkled up when she laughed, shutting them away completely.
the opening through which food is taken in and vocalizations emerge
From this reading She had a proud, conscious mouth, and her teeth were large.
the organ of smell and entrance to the respiratory tract; the prominent part of the face of man or other mammals
From this reading Genevieve was Phœbe’s own age, but stockily built, with an up-turning Irish nose, reddish corkscrew curls, and freckles.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading When she had something important to say, she had a trick of throwing her head back with a toss of the curls.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading Genevieve was Phœbe’s own age, but stockily built, with an up-turning Irish nose, reddish corkscrew curls, and freckles.
Phœbe's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Genevieve was Phœbe’s own age, but stockily built, with an up-turning Irish nose, reddish corkscrew curls, and freckles.
feeling self-respect or pleasure in something by which you measure your self-worth; or being a reason for pride
From this reading She had a proud, conscious mouth, and her teeth were large.
red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood
From this reading Her eyes were almost as red as her hair, and small.
reddishadjectiveUS /ˈredɪʃ/
of a color at the end of the color spectrum (next to orange); resembling the color of blood or cherries or tomatoes or rubies
From this reading Genevieve was Phœbe’s own age, but stockily built, with an up-turning Irish nose, reddish corkscrew curls, and freckles.
express in words
From this reading When she had something important to say, she had a trick of throwing her head back with a toss of the curls.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She had a proud, conscious mouth, and her teeth were large.
shuttingnounUS /ˈʃʌtɪŋ/
the act of closing something
From this reading Around them the skin crinkled up when she laughed, shutting them away completely.
a natural protective body covering and site of the sense of touch
From this reading Around them the skin crinkled up when she laughed, shutting them away completely.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Her eyes were almost as red as her hair, and small.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading When she had something important to say, she had a trick of throwing her head back with a toss of the curls.
stockilyadverb
so as to be stocky
From this reading Genevieve was Phœbe’s own age, but stockily built, with an up-turning Irish nose, reddish corkscrew curls, and freckles.
the kind and number and arrangement of teeth (collectively) in a person or animal
From this reading She had a proud, conscious mouth, and her teeth were large.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Around them the skin crinkled up when she laughed, shutting them away completely.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Around them the skin crinkled up when she laughed, shutting them away completely.
-ing form of “throw” — propel through the air
From this reading When she had something important to say, she had a trick of throwing her head back with a toss of the curls.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading When she had something important to say, she had a trick of throwing her head back with a toss of the curls.
tossverbUS /tɔːs/
throw or toss with a light motion
From this reading When she had something important to say, she had a trick of throwing her head back with a toss of the curls.
a cunning or deceitful action or device
From this reading When she had something important to say, she had a trick of throwing her head back with a toss of the curls.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Around them the skin crinkled up when she laughed, shutting them away completely.
up-turning
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Genevieve was Phœbe’s own age, but stockily built, with an up-turning Irish nose, reddish corkscrew curls, and freckles.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Genevieve was Phœbe’s own age, but stockily built, with an up-turning Irish nose, reddish corkscrew curls, and freckles.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading She had a proud, conscious mouth, and her teeth were large.
at the time that
From this reading Around them the skin crinkled up when she laughed, shutting them away completely.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Genevieve was Phœbe’s own age, but stockily built, with an up-turning Irish nose, reddish corkscrew curls, and freckles.
