used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading She was very proud of her hair; her own beauty was a great pleasure to this mountain-reared maiden.
(sentence connectors) because of the reason given
From this reading The grief must have been terrible, the anxiety intense, that could have made Phemie Keller indifferent to her personal appearance; and, accordingly, in spite of all her sorrow and indecision, the young lady took Peggy’s advice kindly, and—followed it.
a proposal for an appropriate course of action
From this reading The grief must have been terrible, the anxiety intense, that could have made Phemie Keller indifferent to her personal appearance; and, accordingly, in spite of all her sorrow and indecision, the young lady took Peggy’s advice kindly, and—followed it.
(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 The grief must have been terrible, the anxiety intense, that could have made Phemie Keller indifferent to her personal appearance; and, accordingly, in spite of all her sorrow and indecision, the young lady took Peggy’s advice kindly, and—followed it.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The grief must have been terrible, the anxiety intense, that could have made Phemie Keller indifferent to her personal appearance; and, accordingly, in spite of all her sorrow and indecision, the young lady took Peggy’s advice kindly, and—followed it.
(psychiatry) a relatively permanent state of worry and nervousness occurring in a variety of mental disorders, usually accompanied by compulsive behavior or attacks of panic
From this reading The grief must have been terrible, the anxiety intense, that could have made Phemie Keller indifferent to her personal appearance; and, accordingly, in spite of all her sorrow and indecision, the young lady took Peggy’s advice kindly, and—followed it.
outward or visible aspect of a person or thing
From this reading The grief must have been terrible, the anxiety intense, that could have made Phemie Keller indifferent to her personal appearance; and, accordingly, in spite of all her sorrow and indecision, the young lady took Peggy’s advice kindly, and—followed it.
arrangingnounUS /ərˈeɪndʒɪŋ/
the act of arranging and adapting a piece of music
From this reading She would not have been the girl who, full of innocent vanity, stood before her little glass, arranging her plaits and braids in the most becoming manner she could devise.
bathedverbUS /beɪðd/
past form of “bathe” — cleanse the entire body
From this reading She bathed her face, and then removed the traces of tears by breathing on her handkerchief and holding it to her eyes; she unfastened her hair, and let it fall down in thick luxuriant waves, which she combed and brushed caressingly.
the qualities that give pleasure to the senses
From this reading She was very proud of her hair; her own beauty was a great pleasure to this mountain-reared maiden.
according with custom or propriety
From this reading She would not have been the girl who, full of innocent vanity, stood before her little glass, arranging her plaits and braids in the most becoming manner she could devise.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The grief must have been terrible, the anxiety intense, that could have made Phemie Keller indifferent to her personal appearance; and, accordingly, in spite of all her sorrow and indecision, the young lady took Peggy’s advice kindly, and—followed it.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading She would not have been the girl who, full of innocent vanity, stood before her little glass, arranging her plaits and braids in the most becoming manner she could devise.
braidsnounUS /breɪdz/
plural of “braid” — a hairdo formed by braiding or twisting the hair
From this reading She would not have been the girl who, full of innocent vanity, stood before her little glass, arranging her plaits and braids in the most becoming manner she could devise.
the bodily process of inhalation and exhalation; the process of taking in oxygen from inhaled air and releasing carbon dioxide by exhalation
From this reading She bathed her face, and then removed the traces of tears by breathing on her handkerchief and holding it to her eyes; she unfastened her hair, and let it fall down in thick luxuriant waves, which she combed and brushed caressingly.
brushedadjectiveUS /brʌʃt/
touched lightly in passing; grazed against
From this reading She bathed her face, and then removed the traces of tears by breathing on her handkerchief and holding it to her eyes; she unfastened her hair, and let it fall down in thick luxuriant waves, which she combed and brushed caressingly.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Perhaps she would have been a more perfect character had she not taken such delight in her own loveliness; but then she would not have been Phemie Keller.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading She bathed her face, and then removed the traces of tears by breathing on her handkerchief and holding it to her eyes; she unfastened her hair, and let it fall down in thick luxuriant waves, which she combed and brushed caressingly.
caressingly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She bathed her face, and then removed the traces of tears by breathing on her handkerchief and holding it to her eyes; she unfastened her hair, and let it fall down in thick luxuriant waves, which she combed and brushed caressingly.
an imaginary person represented in a work of fiction (play or film or story)
From this reading Perhaps she would have been a more perfect character had she not taken such delight in her own loveliness; but then she would not have been Phemie Keller.
combedadjectiveUS /koʊmd/
(of hair) made tidy with a comb
From this reading She bathed her face, and then removed the traces of tears by breathing on her handkerchief and holding it to her eyes; she unfastened her hair, and let it fall down in thick luxuriant waves, which she combed and brushed caressingly.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading The grief must have been terrible, the anxiety intense, that could have made Phemie Keller indifferent to her personal appearance; and, accordingly, in spite of all her sorrow and indecision, the young lady took Peggy’s advice kindly, and—followed it.
give pleasure to or be pleasing to
From this reading Perhaps she would have been a more perfect character had she not taken such delight in her own loveliness; but then she would not have been Phemie Keller.
deviseverbUS /dɪˈvaɪz/
come up with (an idea, plan, explanation, theory, or principle) after a mental effort
From this reading She would not have been the girl who, full of innocent vanity, stood before her little glass, arranging her plaits and braids in the most becoming manner she could devise.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading She bathed her face, and then removed the traces of tears by breathing on her handkerchief and holding it to her eyes; she unfastened her hair, and let it fall down in thick luxuriant waves, which she combed and brushed caressingly.
opinion or judgment
From this reading She bathed her face, and then removed the traces of tears by breathing on her handkerchief and holding it to her eyes; she unfastened her hair, and let it fall down in thick luxuriant waves, which she combed and brushed caressingly.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading She bathed her face, and then removed the traces of tears by breathing on her handkerchief and holding it to her eyes; she unfastened her hair, and let it fall down in thick luxuriant waves, which she combed and brushed caressingly.
descend in free fall under the influence of gravity
From this reading She bathed her face, and then removed the traces of tears by breathing on her handkerchief and holding it to her eyes; she unfastened her hair, and let it fall down in thick luxuriant waves, which she combed and brushed caressingly.
past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading The grief must have been terrible, the anxiety intense, that could have made Phemie Keller indifferent to her personal appearance; and, accordingly, in spite of all her sorrow and indecision, the young lady took Peggy’s advice kindly, and—followed it.
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading She would not have been the girl who, full of innocent vanity, stood before her little glass, arranging her plaits and braids in the most becoming manner she could devise.
a young female
From this reading She would not have been the girl who, full of innocent vanity, stood before her little glass, arranging her plaits and braids in the most becoming manner she could devise.
a brittle transparent solid with irregular atomic structure
From this reading She would not have been the girl who, full of innocent vanity, stood before her little glass, arranging her plaits and braids in the most becoming manner she could devise.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading She was very proud of her hair; her own beauty was a great pleasure to this mountain-reared maiden.
intense sorrow caused by loss of a loved one (especially by death)
From this reading The grief must have been terrible, the anxiety intense, that could have made Phemie Keller indifferent to her personal appearance; and, accordingly, in spite of all her sorrow and indecision, the young lady took Peggy’s advice kindly, and—followed it.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Perhaps she would have been a more perfect character had she not taken such delight in her own loveliness; but then she would not have been Phemie Keller.
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 She bathed her face, and then removed the traces of tears by breathing on her handkerchief and holding it to her eyes; she unfastened her hair, and let it fall down in thick luxuriant waves, which she combed and brushed caressingly.
a square piece of cloth used for wiping the eyes or nose or as a costume accessory
From this reading She bathed her face, and then removed the traces of tears by breathing on her handkerchief and holding it to her eyes; she unfastened her hair, and let it fall down in thick luxuriant waves, which she combed and brushed caressingly.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading The grief must have been terrible, the anxiety intense, that could have made Phemie Keller indifferent to her personal appearance; and, accordingly, in spite of all her sorrow and indecision, the young lady took Peggy’s advice kindly, and—followed it.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The grief must have been terrible, the anxiety intense, that could have made Phemie Keller indifferent to her personal appearance; and, accordingly, in spite of all her sorrow and indecision, the young lady took Peggy’s advice kindly, and—followed it.
the act of retaining something
From this reading She bathed her face, and then removed the traces of tears by breathing on her handkerchief and holding it to her eyes; she unfastened her hair, and let it fall down in thick luxuriant waves, which she combed and brushed caressingly.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The grief must have been terrible, the anxiety intense, that could have made Phemie Keller indifferent to her personal appearance; and, accordingly, in spite of all her sorrow and indecision, the young lady took Peggy’s advice kindly, and—followed it.
indecisionnounUS /ˌɪndɪˈsɪʒən/
doubt concerning two or more possible alternatives or courses of action
From this reading The grief must have been terrible, the anxiety intense, that could have made Phemie Keller indifferent to her personal appearance; and, accordingly, in spite of all her sorrow and indecision, the young lady took Peggy’s advice kindly, and—followed it.
indifferentadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈdɪfrənt/
marked by a lack of interest
From this reading The grief must have been terrible, the anxiety intense, that could have made Phemie Keller indifferent to her personal appearance; and, accordingly, in spite of all her sorrow and indecision, the young lady took Peggy’s advice kindly, and—followed it.
free from evil or guilt
From this reading She would not have been the girl who, full of innocent vanity, stood before her little glass, arranging her plaits and braids in the most becoming manner she could devise.
possessing or displaying a distinctive feature to a heightened degree
From this reading The grief must have been terrible, the anxiety intense, that could have made Phemie Keller indifferent to her personal appearance; and, accordingly, in spite of all her sorrow and indecision, the young lady took Peggy’s advice kindly, and—followed it.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The grief must have been terrible, the anxiety intense, that could have made Phemie Keller indifferent to her personal appearance; and, accordingly, in spite of all her sorrow and indecision, the young lady took Peggy’s advice kindly, and—followed it.
KellernounUS /ˈkelər/
United States lecturer and writer who was blind and deaf from the age of 19 months
From this reading The grief must have been terrible, the anxiety intense, that could have made Phemie Keller indifferent to her personal appearance; and, accordingly, in spite of all her sorrow and indecision, the young lady took Peggy’s advice kindly, and—followed it.
showing or motivated by sympathy and understanding and generosity
From this reading The grief must have been terrible, the anxiety intense, that could have made Phemie Keller indifferent to her personal appearance; and, accordingly, in spite of all her sorrow and indecision, the young lady took Peggy’s advice kindly, and—followed it.
a polite name for any woman
From this reading The grief must have been terrible, the anxiety intense, that could have made Phemie Keller indifferent to her personal appearance; and, accordingly, in spite of all her sorrow and indecision, the young lady took Peggy’s advice kindly, and—followed it.
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading She bathed her face, and then removed the traces of tears by breathing on her handkerchief and holding it to her eyes; she unfastened her hair, and let it fall down in thick luxuriant waves, which she combed and brushed caressingly.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading She would not have been the girl who, full of innocent vanity, stood before her little glass, arranging her plaits and braids in the most becoming manner she could devise.
lovelinessnoun
the quality of being good looking and attractive
From this reading Perhaps she would have been a more perfect character had she not taken such delight in her own loveliness; but then she would not have been Phemie Keller.
luxuriantadjectiveUS /ləɡˈʒɜːriənt/
marked by complexity and richness of detail
From this reading She bathed her face, and then removed the traces of tears by breathing on her handkerchief and holding it to her eyes; she unfastened her hair, and let it fall down in thick luxuriant waves, which she combed and brushed caressingly.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading The grief must have been terrible, the anxiety intense, that could have made Phemie Keller indifferent to her personal appearance; and, accordingly, in spite of all her sorrow and indecision, the young lady took Peggy’s advice kindly, and—followed it.
an unmarried girl (especially a virgin)
From this reading She was very proud of her hair; her own beauty was a great pleasure to this mountain-reared maiden.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading She would not have been the girl who, full of innocent vanity, stood before her little glass, arranging her plaits and braids in the most becoming manner she could devise.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Perhaps she would have been a more perfect character had she not taken such delight in her own loveliness; but then she would not have been Phemie Keller.
used to form the superlative
From this reading She would not have been the girl who, full of innocent vanity, stood before her little glass, arranging her plaits and braids in the most becoming manner she could devise.
mountain-reared
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was very proud of her hair; her own beauty was a great pleasure to this mountain-reared maiden.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading The grief must have been terrible, the anxiety intense, that could have made Phemie Keller indifferent to her personal appearance; and, accordingly, in spite of all her sorrow and indecision, the young lady took Peggy’s advice kindly, and—followed it.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Perhaps she would have been a more perfect character had she not taken such delight in her own loveliness; but then she would not have been Phemie Keller.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The grief must have been terrible, the anxiety intense, that could have made Phemie Keller indifferent to her personal appearance; and, accordingly, in spite of all her sorrow and indecision, the young lady took Peggy’s advice kindly, and—followed it.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading She bathed her face, and then removed the traces of tears by breathing on her handkerchief and holding it to her eyes; she unfastened her hair, and let it fall down in thick luxuriant waves, which she combed and brushed caressingly.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading She was very proud of her hair; her own beauty was a great pleasure to this mountain-reared maiden.
Peggy's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The grief must have been terrible, the anxiety intense, that could have made Phemie Keller indifferent to her personal appearance; and, accordingly, in spite of all her sorrow and indecision, the young lady took Peggy’s advice kindly, and—followed it.
being complete of its kind and without defect or blemish
From this reading Perhaps she would have been a more perfect character had she not taken such delight in her own loveliness; but then she would not have been Phemie Keller.
by chance
From this reading Perhaps she would have been a more perfect character had she not taken such delight in her own loveliness; but then she would not have been Phemie Keller.
concerning or affecting a particular person or his or her private life and personality
From this reading The grief must have been terrible, the anxiety intense, that could have made Phemie Keller indifferent to her personal appearance; and, accordingly, in spite of all her sorrow and indecision, the young lady took Peggy’s advice kindly, and—followed it.
Phemie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The grief must have been terrible, the anxiety intense, that could have made Phemie Keller indifferent to her personal appearance; and, accordingly, in spite of all her sorrow and indecision, the young lady took Peggy’s advice kindly, and—followed it.
plaitsnounUS /pleɪts/
plural of “plait” — a hairdo formed by braiding or twisting the hair
From this reading She would not have been the girl who, full of innocent vanity, stood before her little glass, arranging her plaits and braids in the most becoming manner she could devise.
a fundamental feeling that is hard to define but that people desire to experience
From this reading She was very proud of her hair; her own beauty was a great pleasure to this mountain-reared maiden.
feeling self-respect or pleasure in something by which you measure your self-worth; or being a reason for pride
From this reading She was very proud of her hair; her own beauty was a great pleasure to this mountain-reared maiden.
separated in relationship by a given degree of descent
From this reading She bathed her face, and then removed the traces of tears by breathing on her handkerchief and holding it to her eyes; she unfastened her hair, and let it fall down in thick luxuriant waves, which she combed and brushed caressingly.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She bathed her face, and then removed the traces of tears by breathing on her handkerchief and holding it to her eyes; she unfastened her hair, and let it fall down in thick luxuriant waves, which she combed and brushed caressingly.
an emotion of great sadness associated with loss or bereavement
From this reading The grief must have been terrible, the anxiety intense, that could have made Phemie Keller indifferent to her personal appearance; and, accordingly, in spite of all her sorrow and indecision, the young lady took Peggy’s advice kindly, and—followed it.
feeling a need to see others suffer
From this reading The grief must have been terrible, the anxiety intense, that could have made Phemie Keller indifferent to her personal appearance; and, accordingly, in spite of all her sorrow and indecision, the young lady took Peggy’s advice kindly, and—followed it.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading She would not have been the girl who, full of innocent vanity, stood before her little glass, arranging her plaits and braids in the most becoming manner she could devise.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading Perhaps she would have been a more perfect character had she not taken such delight in her own loveliness; but then she would not have been Phemie Keller.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading Perhaps she would have been a more perfect character had she not taken such delight in her own loveliness; but then she would not have been Phemie Keller.
the process of shedding tears (usually accompanied by sobs or other inarticulate sounds)
From this reading She bathed her face, and then removed the traces of tears by breathing on her handkerchief and holding it to her eyes; she unfastened her hair, and let it fall down in thick luxuriant waves, which she combed and brushed caressingly.
causing fear or dread or terror
From this reading The grief must have been terrible, the anxiety intense, that could have made Phemie Keller indifferent to her personal appearance; and, accordingly, in spite of all her sorrow and indecision, the young lady took Peggy’s advice kindly, and—followed it.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The grief must have been terrible, the anxiety intense, that could have made Phemie Keller indifferent to her personal appearance; and, accordingly, in spite of all her sorrow and indecision, the young lady took Peggy’s advice kindly, and—followed it.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The grief must have been terrible, the anxiety intense, that could have made Phemie Keller indifferent to her personal appearance; and, accordingly, in spite of all her sorrow and indecision, the young lady took Peggy’s advice kindly, and—followed it.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading She bathed her face, and then removed the traces of tears by breathing on her handkerchief and holding it to her eyes; she unfastened her hair, and let it fall down in thick luxuriant waves, which she combed and brushed caressingly.
not thin; of a specific thickness or of relatively great extent from one surface to the opposite usually in the smallest of the three solid dimensions
From this reading She bathed her face, and then removed the traces of tears by breathing on her handkerchief and holding it to her eyes; she unfastened her hair, and let it fall down in thick luxuriant waves, which she combed and brushed caressingly.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading She was very proud of her hair; her own beauty was a great pleasure to this mountain-reared maiden.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The grief must have been terrible, the anxiety intense, that could have made Phemie Keller indifferent to her personal appearance; and, accordingly, in spite of all her sorrow and indecision, the young lady took Peggy’s advice kindly, and—followed it.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading The grief must have been terrible, the anxiety intense, that could have made Phemie Keller indifferent to her personal appearance; and, accordingly, in spite of all her sorrow and indecision, the young lady took Peggy’s advice kindly, and—followed it.
tracesnounUS /ˈtreɪsəz/
plural of “trace” — a just detectable amount
From this reading She bathed her face, and then removed the traces of tears by breathing on her handkerchief and holding it to her eyes; she unfastened her hair, and let it fall down in thick luxuriant waves, which she combed and brushed caressingly.
unfastenedadjective
not closed or secured
From this reading She bathed her face, and then removed the traces of tears by breathing on her handkerchief and holding it to her eyes; she unfastened her hair, and let it fall down in thick luxuriant waves, which she combed and brushed caressingly.
vanitynounUS /ˈvænəti/
feelings of excessive pride
From this reading She would not have been the girl who, full of innocent vanity, stood before her little glass, arranging her plaits and braids in the most becoming manner she could devise.
precisely as stated
From this reading She was very proud of her hair; her own beauty was a great pleasure to this mountain-reared maiden.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading She was very proud of her hair; her own beauty was a great pleasure to this mountain-reared maiden.
plural of “wave” — one of a series of ridges that moves across the surface of a liquid (especially across a large body of water)
From this reading She bathed her face, and then removed the traces of tears by breathing on her handkerchief and holding it to her eyes; she unfastened her hair, and let it fall down in thick luxuriant waves, which she combed and brushed caressingly.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading She bathed her face, and then removed the traces of tears by breathing on her handkerchief and holding it to her eyes; she unfastened her hair, and let it fall down in thick luxuriant waves, which she combed and brushed caressingly.
which person or people
From this reading She would not have been the girl who, full of innocent vanity, stood before her little glass, arranging her plaits and braids in the most becoming manner she could devise.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Perhaps she would have been a more perfect character had she not taken such delight in her own loveliness; but then she would not have been Phemie Keller.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading The grief must have been terrible, the anxiety intense, that could have made Phemie Keller indifferent to her personal appearance; and, accordingly, in spite of all her sorrow and indecision, the young lady took Peggy’s advice kindly, and—followed it.
