used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Many sacrifices of a similar kind, however, were now required of Charney.
achievingverbUS /əˈtʃiːvɪŋ/
-ing form of “achieve” — to gain with effort
From this reading The fertile flowers lay aside their beauty, like matrons who, in achieving their maternal triumphs, begin to disdain for themselves the vain adornments of coquetry.
adornments
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The fertile flowers lay aside their beauty, like matrons who, in achieving their maternal triumphs, begin to disdain for themselves the vain adornments of coquetry.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading The brilliant petals of many of the flowers have fallen, and their stamens become useless: decaying, like the cotyledons, after the first leaves had attained maturity.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The brilliant petals of many of the flowers have fallen, and their stamens become useless: decaying, like the cotyledons, after the first leaves had attained maturity.
past form of “arrive” — reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress
From this reading The epoch of fructification is arrived.
on or to one side
From this reading The fertile flowers lay aside their beauty, like matrons who, in achieving their maternal triumphs, begin to disdain for themselves the vain adornments of coquetry.
attainedadjectiveUS /əˈteɪnd/
achieved or reached
From this reading The brilliant petals of many of the flowers have fallen, and their stamens become useless: decaying, like the cotyledons, after the first leaves had attained maturity.
the qualities that give pleasure to the senses
From this reading The fertile flowers lay aside their beauty, like matrons who, in achieving their maternal triumphs, begin to disdain for themselves the vain adornments of coquetry.
enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading The brilliant petals of many of the flowers have fallen, and their stamens become useless: decaying, like the cotyledons, after the first leaves had attained maturity.
take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading The fertile flowers lay aside their beauty, like matrons who, in achieving their maternal triumphs, begin to disdain for themselves the vain adornments of coquetry.
beginsnounUS /bɪˈɡɪnz/
plural of “begin” — Israeli statesman (born in Russia) who (as prime minister of Israel) negotiated a peace treaty with Anwar Sadat (then the president of Egypt) (1913-1992)
From this reading The ovary containing the germ of the seeds begins to enlarge within the calyx.
of surpassing excellence
From this reading The brilliant petals of many of the flowers have fallen, and their stamens become useless: decaying, like the cotyledons, after the first leaves had attained maturity.
calyxnounUS /ˈkælɪks/
(botany) the whorl of sepals of a flower collectively forming the outer floral envelope or layer of the perianth enclosing and supporting the developing bud; usually green
From this reading The ovary containing the germ of the seeds begins to enlarge within the calyx.
Charney
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Many sacrifices of a similar kind, however, were now required of Charney.
containingverbUS /kənˈteɪnɪŋ/
-ing form of “contain” — include or contain; have as a component
From this reading The ovary containing the germ of the seeds begins to enlarge within the calyx.
coquetrynoun
playful behavior intended to arouse sexual interest
From this reading The fertile flowers lay aside their beauty, like matrons who, in achieving their maternal triumphs, begin to disdain for themselves the vain adornments of coquetry.
cotyledons
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The brilliant petals of many of the flowers have fallen, and their stamens become useless: decaying, like the cotyledons, after the first leaves had attained maturity.
decayingverbUS /dɪˈkeɪɪŋ/
-ing form of “decay” — lose a stored charge, magnetic flux, or current
From this reading The brilliant petals of many of the flowers have fallen, and their stamens become useless: decaying, like the cotyledons, after the first leaves had attained maturity.
disdainverbUS /dɪsˈdeɪn/
look down on with disdain
From this reading The fertile flowers lay aside their beauty, like matrons who, in achieving their maternal triumphs, begin to disdain for themselves the vain adornments of coquetry.
enlargeverbUS /ˌenˈlɑːrdʒ/
make larger
From this reading The ovary containing the germ of the seeds begins to enlarge within the calyx.
epochnounUS /ˈepək/
a period marked by distinctive character or reckoned from a fixed point or event
From this reading The epoch of fructification is arrived.
having dropped by the force of gravity
From this reading The brilliant petals of many of the flowers have fallen, and their stamens become useless: decaying, like the cotyledons, after the first leaves had attained maturity.
fertileadjectiveUS /ˈfɜːrtəl/
capable of reproducing
From this reading The fertile flowers lay aside their beauty, like matrons who, in achieving their maternal triumphs, begin to disdain for themselves the vain adornments of coquetry.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading The brilliant petals of many of the flowers have fallen, and their stamens become useless: decaying, like the cotyledons, after the first leaves had attained maturity.
plural of “flower” — a plant cultivated for its blooms or blossoms
From this reading The brilliant petals of many of the flowers have fallen, and their stamens become useless: decaying, like the cotyledons, after the first leaves had attained maturity.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The fertile flowers lay aside their beauty, like matrons who, in achieving their maternal triumphs, begin to disdain for themselves the vain adornments of coquetry.
fructificationnoun
the bearing of fruit
From this reading The epoch of fructification is arrived.
germnounUS /dʒɜːrm/
anything that provides inspiration for later work
From this reading The ovary containing the germ of the seeds begins to enlarge within the calyx.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The brilliant petals of many of the flowers have fallen, and their stamens become useless: decaying, like the cotyledons, after the first leaves had attained maturity.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading The brilliant petals of many of the flowers have fallen, and their stamens become useless: decaying, like the cotyledons, after the first leaves had attained maturity.
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading Many sacrifices of a similar kind, however, were now required of Charney.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The fertile flowers lay aside their beauty, like matrons who, in achieving their maternal triumphs, begin to disdain for themselves the vain adornments of coquetry.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The epoch of fructification is arrived.
having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior
From this reading Many sacrifices of a similar kind, however, were now required of Charney.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading The fertile flowers lay aside their beauty, like matrons who, in achieving their maternal triumphs, begin to disdain for themselves the vain adornments of coquetry.
plural of “leaf” — the main organ of photosynthesis and transpiration in higher plants
From this reading The brilliant petals of many of the flowers have fallen, and their stamens become useless: decaying, like the cotyledons, after the first leaves had attained maturity.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading The brilliant petals of many of the flowers have fallen, and their stamens become useless: decaying, like the cotyledons, after the first leaves had attained maturity.
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 Many sacrifices of a similar kind, however, were now required of Charney.
maternaladjectiveUS /məˈtɜːrnəl/
characteristic of a mother
From this reading The fertile flowers lay aside their beauty, like matrons who, in achieving their maternal triumphs, begin to disdain for themselves the vain adornments of coquetry.
matronsnounUS /ˈmeɪtrənz/
plural of “matron” — a married woman (usually middle-aged with children) who is staid and dignified
From this reading The fertile flowers lay aside their beauty, like matrons who, in achieving their maternal triumphs, begin to disdain for themselves the vain adornments of coquetry.
maturitynounUS /məˈtʃʊrəti/
the period of time in your life after your physical growth has stopped and you are fully developed
From this reading The brilliant petals of many of the flowers have fallen, and their stamens become useless: decaying, like the cotyledons, after the first leaves had attained maturity.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Many sacrifices of a similar kind, however, were now required of Charney.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Many sacrifices of a similar kind, however, were now required of Charney.
ovarynounUS /ˈoʊvɜːri/
the organ that bears the ovules of a flower
From this reading The ovary containing the germ of the seeds begins to enlarge within the calyx.
petalsnounUS /ˈpetəlz/
plural of “petal” — part of the perianth that is usually brightly colored
From this reading The brilliant petals of many of the flowers have fallen, and their stamens become useless: decaying, like the cotyledons, after the first leaves had attained maturity.
necessary for relief or supply
From this reading Many sacrifices of a similar kind, however, were now required of Charney.
sacrificesnounUS /ˈsækrəfaɪsɪz/
plural of “sacrifice” — the act of losing or surrendering something as a penalty for a mistake or fault or failure to perform etc.
From this reading Many sacrifices of a similar kind, however, were now required of Charney.
seedsnounUS /siːdz/
plural of “seed” — a small hard fruit
From this reading The ovary containing the germ of the seeds begins to enlarge within the calyx.
marked by correspondence or resemblance
From this reading Many sacrifices of a similar kind, however, were now required of Charney.
stamens
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The brilliant petals of many of the flowers have fallen, and their stamens become useless: decaying, like the cotyledons, after the first leaves had attained maturity.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The epoch of fructification is arrived.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The brilliant petals of many of the flowers have fallen, and their stamens become useless: decaying, like the cotyledons, after the first leaves had attained maturity.
used when the people doing the action are also its object
From this reading The fertile flowers lay aside their beauty, like matrons who, in achieving their maternal triumphs, begin to disdain for themselves the vain adornments of coquetry.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The ovary containing the germ of the seeds begins to enlarge within the calyx.
triumphsnounUS /ˈtraɪəmfs/
plural of “triumph” — a successful ending of a struggle or contest
From this reading The fertile flowers lay aside their beauty, like matrons who, in achieving their maternal triumphs, begin to disdain for themselves the vain adornments of coquetry.
having no beneficial use or incapable of functioning usefully
From this reading The brilliant petals of many of the flowers have fallen, and their stamens become useless: decaying, like the cotyledons, after the first leaves had attained maturity.
characteristic of false pride; having an exaggerated sense of self-importance
From this reading The fertile flowers lay aside their beauty, like matrons who, in achieving their maternal triumphs, begin to disdain for themselves the vain adornments of coquetry.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Many sacrifices of a similar kind, however, were now required of Charney.
which person or people
From this reading The fertile flowers lay aside their beauty, like matrons who, in achieving their maternal triumphs, begin to disdain for themselves the vain adornments of coquetry.
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading The ovary containing the germ of the seeds begins to enlarge within the calyx.
