adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Alanna was charmed to arrange knives and forks, to unpack oily hams and sticky cakes, and great bowls of salad, and to store them neatly away in a green room.
Alanna
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Alanna found the stage fascinating.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Now and then an audacious boy or two banged on it for the few moments that it took his mother's voice or hands to reach him.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Lunch and dinner were to be served there, for the five days of the fair, and it had been set with many chairs and tables, fenced with ferns and bamboo.
arrangeverbUS /ərˈeɪndʒ/
put into a proper or systematic order
From this reading Alanna was charmed to arrange knives and forks, to unpack oily hams and sticky cakes, and great bowls of salad, and to store them neatly away in a green room.
audaciousadjectiveUS /ɑːˈdeɪʃəs/
invulnerable to fear or intimidation
From this reading Now and then an audacious boy or two banged on it for the few moments that it took his mother's voice or hands to reach him.
awayadverbUS /əˈweɪ/
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Alanna was charmed to arrange knives and forks, to unpack oily hams and sticky cakes, and great bowls of salad, and to store them neatly away in a green room.
bamboonounUS /bæmˈbuː/
the hard woody stems of bamboo plants; used in construction and crafts and fishing poles
From this reading Lunch and dinner were to be served there, for the five days of the fair, and it had been set with many chairs and tables, fenced with ferns and bamboo.
bangedverbUS /bæŋd/
past form of “bang” — strike violently
From this reading Now and then an audacious boy or two banged on it for the few moments that it took his mother's voice or hands to reach him.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Lunch and dinner were to be served there, for the five days of the fair, and it had been set with many chairs and tables, fenced with ferns and bamboo.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Lunch and dinner were to be served there, for the five days of the fair, and it had been set with many chairs and tables, fenced with ferns and bamboo.
bowlsnounUS /boʊlz/
a bowling game played on a level lawn with biased wooden balls that are rolled at a jack
From this reading Alanna was charmed to arrange knives and forks, to unpack oily hams and sticky cakes, and great bowls of salad, and to store them neatly away in a green room.
boynounUS /bɔɪ/
a youthful male person
From this reading Now and then an audacious boy or two banged on it for the few moments that it took his mother's voice or hands to reach him.
cakesnounUS /keɪks/
plural of “cake” — a block of solid substance (such as soap or wax)
From this reading Alanna was charmed to arrange knives and forks, to unpack oily hams and sticky cakes, and great bowls of salad, and to store them neatly away in a green room.
chairsnounUS /tʃerz/
plural of “chair” — a seat for one person, with a support for the back
From this reading Lunch and dinner were to be served there, for the five days of the fair, and it had been set with many chairs and tables, fenced with ferns and bamboo.
charmedadjectiveUS /tʃɑːrmd/
strongly attracted
From this reading Alanna was charmed to arrange knives and forks, to unpack oily hams and sticky cakes, and great bowls of salad, and to store them neatly away in a green room.
daysnounUS /deɪz/
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading Lunch and dinner were to be served there, for the five days of the fair, and it had been set with many chairs and tables, fenced with ferns and bamboo.
dinnernounUS /ˈdɪnər/
the main meal of the day served in the evening or at midday
From this reading Lunch and dinner were to be served there, for the five days of the fair, and it had been set with many chairs and tables, fenced with ferns and bamboo.
downadjectiveUS /daʊn/
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading The grand piano had been moved down to the floor.
fairadjectiveUS /fer/
free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; conforming with established standards or rules
From this reading Lunch and dinner were to be served there, for the five days of the fair, and it had been set with many chairs and tables, fenced with ferns and bamboo.
fascinatingadjectiveUS /ˈfæsəneɪtɪŋ/
capable of arousing and holding the attention
From this reading Alanna found the stage fascinating.
fencedverbUS /fenst/
past form of “fence” — enclose with a fence
From this reading Lunch and dinner were to be served there, for the five days of the fair, and it had been set with many chairs and tables, fenced with ferns and bamboo.
fernsnounUS /fɜːrnz/
plural of “fern” — any of numerous flowerless and seedless vascular plants having true roots from a rhizome and fronds that uncurl upward; reproduce by spores
From this reading Lunch and dinner were to be served there, for the five days of the fair, and it had been set with many chairs and tables, fenced with ferns and bamboo.
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 Now and then an audacious boy or two banged on it for the few moments that it took his mother's voice or hands to reach him.
fivenounUS /faɪv/
the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one
From this reading Lunch and dinner were to be served there, for the five days of the fair, and it had been set with many chairs and tables, fenced with ferns and bamboo.
floornounUS /flɔːr/
the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)
From this reading The grand piano had been moved down to the floor.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Lunch and dinner were to be served there, for the five days of the fair, and it had been set with many chairs and tables, fenced with ferns and bamboo.
forksnounUS /fɔːrks/
plural of “fork” — cutlery used for serving and eating food
From this reading Alanna was charmed to arrange knives and forks, to unpack oily hams and sticky cakes, and great bowls of salad, and to store them neatly away in a green room.
foundverbUS /faʊnd/
set up or found
From this reading Alanna found the stage fascinating.
grandadjectiveUS /ɡrænd/
of behavior that is impressive and ambitious in scale or scope
From this reading The grand piano had been moved down to the floor.
greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading Alanna was charmed to arrange knives and forks, to unpack oily hams and sticky cakes, and great bowls of salad, and to store them neatly away in a green room.
greennounUS /ɡriːn/
green color or pigment; resembling the color of growing grass
From this reading Alanna was charmed to arrange knives and forks, to unpack oily hams and sticky cakes, and great bowls of salad, and to store them neatly away in a green room.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Lunch and dinner were to be served there, for the five days of the fair, and it had been set with many chairs and tables, fenced with ferns and bamboo.
hamsnounUS /hæmz/
plural of “ham” — meat cut from the thigh of a hog (usually smoked)
From this reading Alanna was charmed to arrange knives and forks, to unpack oily hams and sticky cakes, and great bowls of salad, and to store them neatly away in a green room.
handsnounUS /hændz/
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading Now and then an audacious boy or two banged on it for the few moments that it took his mother's voice or hands to reach him.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Now and then an audacious boy or two banged on it for the few moments that it took his mother's voice or hands to reach him.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Now and then an audacious boy or two banged on it for the few moments that it took his mother's voice or hands to reach him.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Alanna was charmed to arrange knives and forks, to unpack oily hams and sticky cakes, and great bowls of salad, and to store them neatly away in a green room.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Lunch and dinner were to be served there, for the five days of the fair, and it had been set with many chairs and tables, fenced with ferns and bamboo.
knivesnounUS /naɪvz/
plural of “knife” — edge tool used as a cutting instrument; has a pointed blade with a sharp edge and a handle
From this reading Alanna was charmed to arrange knives and forks, to unpack oily hams and sticky cakes, and great bowls of salad, and to store them neatly away in a green room.
LunchverbUS /lʌntʃ/
take the midday meal
From this reading Lunch and dinner were to be served there, for the five days of the fair, and it had been set with many chairs and tables, fenced with ferns and bamboo.
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 Lunch and dinner were to be served there, for the five days of the fair, and it had been set with many chairs and tables, fenced with ferns and bamboo.
momentsnounUS /ˈmoʊmənts/
plural of “moment” — a particular point in time
From this reading Now and then an audacious boy or two banged on it for the few moments that it took his mother's voice or hands to reach him.
mother'snounUS /ˈmʌðərz/
possessive form of “mother” — a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading Now and then an audacious boy or two banged on it for the few moments that it took his mother's voice or hands to reach him.
movedadjectiveUS /muːvd/
being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion
From this reading The grand piano had been moved down to the floor.
neatlyadverbUS /ˈniːtli/
with neatness
From this reading Alanna was charmed to arrange knives and forks, to unpack oily hams and sticky cakes, and great bowls of salad, and to store them neatly away in a green room.
NowadverbUS /naʊ/
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Now and then an audacious boy or two banged on it for the few moments that it took his mother's voice or hands to reach him.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Lunch and dinner were to be served there, for the five days of the fair, and it had been set with many chairs and tables, fenced with ferns and bamboo.
oilyadjectiveUS /ˈɔɪli/
containing an unusual amount of grease or oil
From this reading Alanna was charmed to arrange knives and forks, to unpack oily hams and sticky cakes, and great bowls of salad, and to store them neatly away in a green room.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Now and then an audacious boy or two banged on it for the few moments that it took his mother's voice or hands to reach him.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Now and then an audacious boy or two banged on it for the few moments that it took his mother's voice or hands to reach him.
pianonounUS /piˈænoʊ/
a keyboard instrument that is played by depressing keys that cause hammers to strike tuned strings and produce sounds
From this reading The grand piano had been moved down to the floor.
reachverbUS /riːtʃ/
reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading Now and then an audacious boy or two banged on it for the few moments that it took his mother's voice or hands to reach him.
roomnounUS /ruːm/
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading Alanna was charmed to arrange knives and forks, to unpack oily hams and sticky cakes, and great bowls of salad, and to store them neatly away in a green room.
saladnounUS /ˈsæləd/
food mixtures either arranged on a plate or tossed and served with a moist dressing; usually consisting of or including greens
From this reading Alanna was charmed to arrange knives and forks, to unpack oily hams and sticky cakes, and great bowls of salad, and to store them neatly away in a green room.
servedverbUS /sɜːrvd/
past form of “serve” — serve a purpose, role, or function
From this reading Lunch and dinner were to be served there, for the five days of the fair, and it had been set with many chairs and tables, fenced with ferns and bamboo.
setverbUS /set/
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Lunch and dinner were to be served there, for the five days of the fair, and it had been set with many chairs and tables, fenced with ferns and bamboo.
stagenounUS /steɪdʒ/
any distinct time period in a sequence of events
From this reading Alanna found the stage fascinating.
stickyadjectiveUS /ˈstɪki/
having the sticky properties of an adhesive
From this reading Alanna was charmed to arrange knives and forks, to unpack oily hams and sticky cakes, and great bowls of salad, and to store them neatly away in a green room.
storenounUS /stɔːr/
a mercantile establishment for the retail sale of goods or services
From this reading Alanna was charmed to arrange knives and forks, to unpack oily hams and sticky cakes, and great bowls of salad, and to store them neatly away in a green room.
tablesnounUS /ˈteɪbəlz/
plural of “table” — a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading Lunch and dinner were to be served there, for the five days of the fair, and it had been set with many chairs and tables, fenced with ferns and bamboo.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Now and then an audacious boy or two banged on it for the few moments that it took his mother's voice or hands to reach him.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Alanna found the stage fascinating.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Alanna was charmed to arrange knives and forks, to unpack oily hams and sticky cakes, and great bowls of salad, and to store them neatly away in a green room.
thenadverbUS /ðen/
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Now and then an audacious boy or two banged on it for the few moments that it took his mother's voice or hands to reach him.
thereadverbUS /ðer/
in or at that place or location
From this reading Lunch and dinner were to be served there, for the five days of the fair, and it had been set with many chairs and tables, fenced with ferns and bamboo.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Lunch and dinner were to be served there, for the five days of the fair, and it had been set with many chairs and tables, fenced with ferns and bamboo.
tookverbUS /tʊk/
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading Now and then an audacious boy or two banged on it for the few moments that it took his mother's voice or hands to reach him.
twonounUS /tuː/
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading Now and then an audacious boy or two banged on it for the few moments that it took his mother's voice or hands to reach him.
unpackverbUS /ənˈpæk/
remove from its packing
From this reading Alanna was charmed to arrange knives and forks, to unpack oily hams and sticky cakes, and great bowls of salad, and to store them neatly away in a green room.
voicenounUS /vɔɪs/
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading Now and then an audacious boy or two banged on it for the few moments that it took his mother's voice or hands to reach him.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Alanna was charmed to arrange knives and forks, to unpack oily hams and sticky cakes, and great bowls of salad, and to store them neatly away in a green room.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Lunch and dinner were to be served there, for the five days of the fair, and it had been set with many chairs and tables, fenced with ferns and bamboo.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Lunch and dinner were to be served there, for the five days of the fair, and it had been set with many chairs and tables, fenced with ferns and bamboo.
