used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Polly may have been a clever woman, as Mr. James Brownlow had said she was, but in his catalogue of her abilities he omitted to mention her one great gift, her undeniable talent for getting things.
abilitiesnounUS /əˈbɪlətiːz/
plural of “ability” — the quality of being able to perform; a quality that permits or facilitates achievement or accomplishment
From this reading Polly may have been a clever woman, as Mr. James Brownlow had said she was, but in his catalogue of her abilities he omitted to mention her one great gift, her undeniable talent for getting things.
acceptingadjectiveUS /ækˈseptɪŋ/
tolerating without protest
From this reading But besides the collectors’ art Polly possessed the true genius for getting, not begging nor demanding, but annexing calmly as by right divine, or acquiring gracefully as bestowing a favour in accepting one.
acquiringnounUS /əˈkwaɪrɪŋ/
the act of acquiring something
From this reading She was a true collector and picker-up of trifles; she had brought this too little appreciated art to a rare perfection, and she never went anywhere without acquiring something, never came home completely empty-handed, never declined or passed by a single article or opportunity however trivial or cumbersome.
ACQUISITIVEadjectiveUS /əˈkwɪzətɪv/
eager to acquire and possess things especially material possessions or ideas
From this reading THE ACQUISITIVE FACULTY.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She was a true collector and picker-up of trifles; she had brought this too little appreciated art to a rare perfection, and she never went anywhere without acquiring something, never came home completely empty-handed, never declined or passed by a single article or opportunity however trivial or cumbersome.
annexingverbUS /əˈneksɪŋ/
-ing form of “annex” — take (territory) as if by conquest
From this reading But besides the collectors’ art Polly possessed the true genius for getting, not begging nor demanding, but annexing calmly as by right divine, or acquiring gracefully as bestowing a favour in accepting one.
at or in or to any place
From this reading She was a true collector and picker-up of trifles; she had brought this too little appreciated art to a rare perfection, and she never went anywhere without acquiring something, never came home completely empty-handed, never declined or passed by a single article or opportunity however trivial or cumbersome.
appreciatedadjectiveUS /əˈpriːʃieɪtɪd/
fully understood or grasped
From this reading She was a true collector and picker-up of trifles; she had brought this too little appreciated art to a rare perfection, and she never went anywhere without acquiring something, never came home completely empty-handed, never declined or passed by a single article or opportunity however trivial or cumbersome.
artauxiliary verbUS /ɑːrt/
an old form of “are”, used with “thou”
From this reading She was a true collector and picker-up of trifles; she had brought this too little appreciated art to a rare perfection, and she never went anywhere without acquiring something, never came home completely empty-handed, never declined or passed by a single article or opportunity however trivial or cumbersome.
nonfictional prose forming an independent part of a publication
From this reading She was a true collector and picker-up of trifles; she had brought this too little appreciated art to a rare perfection, and she never went anywhere without acquiring something, never came home completely empty-handed, never declined or passed by a single article or opportunity however trivial or cumbersome.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Polly may have been a clever woman, as Mr. James Brownlow had said she was, but in his catalogue of her abilities he omitted to mention her one great gift, her undeniable talent for getting things.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Her motto was _It might be useful._ “If she went to the Sahara,” Bill said, “she would bring home sand for the chickens’ run.”
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Polly may have been a clever woman, as Mr. James Brownlow had said she was, but in his catalogue of her abilities he omitted to mention her one great gift, her undeniable talent for getting things.
beggingnounUS /ˈbeɡɪŋ/
a solicitation for money or food (especially in the street by an apparently penniless person)
From this reading But besides the collectors’ art Polly possessed the true genius for getting, not begging nor demanding, but annexing calmly as by right divine, or acquiring gracefully as bestowing a favour in accepting one.
in addition to; as well as
From this reading But besides the collectors’ art Polly possessed the true genius for getting, not begging nor demanding, but annexing calmly as by right divine, or acquiring gracefully as bestowing a favour in accepting one.
bestowingverbUS /bɪˈstoʊɪŋ/
-ing form of “bestow” — present
From this reading But besides the collectors’ art Polly possessed the true genius for getting, not begging nor demanding, but annexing calmly as by right divine, or acquiring gracefully as bestowing a favour in accepting one.
a statute in draft before it becomes law
From this reading Her motto was _It might be useful._ “If she went to the Sahara,” Bill said, “she would bring home sand for the chickens’ run.”
take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading Her motto was _It might be useful._ “If she went to the Sahara,” Bill said, “she would bring home sand for the chickens’ run.”
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading She was a true collector and picker-up of trifles; she had brought this too little appreciated art to a rare perfection, and she never went anywhere without acquiring something, never came home completely empty-handed, never declined or passed by a single article or opportunity however trivial or cumbersome.
Brownlow
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Polly may have been a clever woman, as Mr. James Brownlow had said she was, but in his catalogue of her abilities he omitted to mention her one great gift, her undeniable talent for getting things.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Polly may have been a clever woman, as Mr. James Brownlow had said she was, but in his catalogue of her abilities he omitted to mention her one great gift, her undeniable talent for getting things.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading She was a true collector and picker-up of trifles; she had brought this too little appreciated art to a rare perfection, and she never went anywhere without acquiring something, never came home completely empty-handed, never declined or passed by a single article or opportunity however trivial or cumbersome.
with self-possession (especially in times of stress)
From this reading But besides the collectors’ art Polly possessed the true genius for getting, not begging nor demanding, but annexing calmly as by right divine, or acquiring gracefully as bestowing a favour in accepting one.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading She was a true collector and picker-up of trifles; she had brought this too little appreciated art to a rare perfection, and she never went anywhere without acquiring something, never came home completely empty-handed, never declined or passed by a single article or opportunity however trivial or cumbersome.
catalogueverbUS /ˈkætəlɔːɡ/
make an itemized list or catalog of; classify
From this reading Polly may have been a clever woman, as Mr. James Brownlow had said she was, but in his catalogue of her abilities he omitted to mention her one great gift, her undeniable talent for getting things.
chickensnounUS /ˈtʃɪkənz/
plural of “chicken” — the flesh of a chicken used for food
From this reading Her motto was _It might be useful._ “If she went to the Sahara,” Bill said, “she would bring home sand for the chickens’ run.”
showing self-interest and shrewdness in dealing with others
From this reading Polly may have been a clever woman, as Mr. James Brownlow had said she was, but in his catalogue of her abilities he omitted to mention her one great gift, her undeniable talent for getting things.
collectornounUS /kəˈlektər/
a person who collects things
From this reading She was a true collector and picker-up of trifles; she had brought this too little appreciated art to a rare perfection, and she never went anywhere without acquiring something, never came home completely empty-handed, never declined or passed by a single article or opportunity however trivial or cumbersome.
collectorsnounUS /kəˈlektərz/
plural of “collector” — a person who collects things
From this reading But besides the collectors’ art Polly possessed the true genius for getting, not begging nor demanding, but annexing calmly as by right divine, or acquiring gracefully as bestowing a favour in accepting one.
to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)
From this reading She was a true collector and picker-up of trifles; she had brought this too little appreciated art to a rare perfection, and she never went anywhere without acquiring something, never came home completely empty-handed, never declined or passed by a single article or opportunity however trivial or cumbersome.
cumbersomeadjectiveUS /ˈkʌmbərsəm/
difficult to handle or use especially because of size or weight
From this reading She was a true collector and picker-up of trifles; she had brought this too little appreciated art to a rare perfection, and she never went anywhere without acquiring something, never came home completely empty-handed, never declined or passed by a single article or opportunity however trivial or cumbersome.
declinedverbUS /dɪˈklaɪnd/
past form of “decline” — grow worse
From this reading She was a true collector and picker-up of trifles; she had brought this too little appreciated art to a rare perfection, and she never went anywhere without acquiring something, never came home completely empty-handed, never declined or passed by a single article or opportunity however trivial or cumbersome.
demandingadjectiveUS /dɪˈmændɪŋ/
requiring more than usually expected or thought due; especially great patience and effort and skill
From this reading But besides the collectors’ art Polly possessed the true genius for getting, not begging nor demanding, but annexing calmly as by right divine, or acquiring gracefully as bestowing a favour in accepting one.
emanating from God
From this reading But besides the collectors’ art Polly possessed the true genius for getting, not begging nor demanding, but annexing calmly as by right divine, or acquiring gracefully as bestowing a favour in accepting one.
empty-handedadjectiveUS /ˈemptiˈhændɪd/
having acquired or gained nothing
From this reading She was a true collector and picker-up of trifles; she had brought this too little appreciated art to a rare perfection, and she never went anywhere without acquiring something, never came home completely empty-handed, never declined or passed by a single article or opportunity however trivial or cumbersome.
FACULTYnounUS /ˈfækəlti/
one of the inherent cognitive or perceptual powers of the mind
From this reading THE ACQUISITIVE FACULTY.
a feeling of favorable regard
From this reading But besides the collectors’ art Polly possessed the true genius for getting, not begging nor demanding, but annexing calmly as by right divine, or acquiring gracefully as bestowing a favour in accepting one.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Polly may have been a clever woman, as Mr. James Brownlow had said she was, but in his catalogue of her abilities he omitted to mention her one great gift, her undeniable talent for getting things.
someone who has exceptional intellectual ability and originality
From this reading But besides the collectors’ art Polly possessed the true genius for getting, not begging nor demanding, but annexing calmly as by right divine, or acquiring gracefully as bestowing a favour in accepting one.
the act of acquiring something
From this reading Polly may have been a clever woman, as Mr. James Brownlow had said she was, but in his catalogue of her abilities he omitted to mention her one great gift, her undeniable talent for getting things.
something acquired without compensation
From this reading Polly may have been a clever woman, as Mr. James Brownlow had said she was, but in his catalogue of her abilities he omitted to mention her one great gift, her undeniable talent for getting things.
gracefullyadverbUS /ˈɡreɪsfəli/
in a graceful manner
From this reading But besides the collectors’ art Polly possessed the true genius for getting, not begging nor demanding, but annexing calmly as by right divine, or acquiring gracefully as bestowing a favour in accepting one.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading Polly may have been a clever woman, as Mr. James Brownlow had said she was, but in his catalogue of her abilities he omitted to mention her one great gift, her undeniable talent for getting things.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Polly may have been a clever woman, as Mr. James Brownlow had said she was, but in his catalogue of her abilities he omitted to mention her one great gift, her undeniable talent for getting things.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Polly may have been a clever woman, as Mr. James Brownlow had said she was, but in his catalogue of her abilities he omitted to mention her one great gift, her undeniable talent for getting things.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Polly may have been a clever woman, as Mr. James Brownlow had said she was, but in his catalogue of her abilities he omitted to mention her one great gift, her undeniable talent for getting things.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Polly may have been a clever woman, as Mr. James Brownlow had said she was, but in his catalogue of her abilities he omitted to mention her one great gift, her undeniable talent for getting things.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Polly may have been a clever woman, as Mr. James Brownlow had said she was, but in his catalogue of her abilities he omitted to mention her one great gift, her undeniable talent for getting things.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading She was a true collector and picker-up of trifles; she had brought this too little appreciated art to a rare perfection, and she never went anywhere without acquiring something, never came home completely empty-handed, never declined or passed by a single article or opportunity however trivial or cumbersome.
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading She was a true collector and picker-up of trifles; she had brought this too little appreciated art to a rare perfection, and she never went anywhere without acquiring something, never came home completely empty-handed, never declined or passed by a single article or opportunity however trivial or cumbersome.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Her motto was _It might be useful._ “If she went to the Sahara,” Bill said, “she would bring home sand for the chickens’ run.”
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Polly may have been a clever woman, as Mr. James Brownlow had said she was, but in his catalogue of her abilities he omitted to mention her one great gift, her undeniable talent for getting things.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Her motto was _It might be useful._ “If she went to the Sahara,” Bill said, “she would bring home sand for the chickens’ run.”
a Stuart king of Scotland who married a daughter of Henry VII; when England and France went to war in 1513 he invaded England and died in defeat at Flodden (1473-1513)
From this reading Polly may have been a clever woman, as Mr. James Brownlow had said she was, but in his catalogue of her abilities he omitted to mention her one great gift, her undeniable talent for getting things.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading She was a true collector and picker-up of trifles; she had brought this too little appreciated art to a rare perfection, and she never went anywhere without acquiring something, never came home completely empty-handed, never declined or passed by a single article or opportunity however trivial or cumbersome.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading Polly may have been a clever woman, as Mr. James Brownlow had said she was, but in his catalogue of her abilities he omitted to mention her one great gift, her undeniable talent for getting things.
make reference to
From this reading Polly may have been a clever woman, as Mr. James Brownlow had said she was, but in his catalogue of her abilities he omitted to mention her one great gift, her undeniable talent for getting things.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading Her motto was _It might be useful._ “If she went to the Sahara,” Bill said, “she would bring home sand for the chickens’ run.”
mottonounUS /ˈmɑːtoʊ/
a favorite saying of a sect or political group
From this reading Her motto was _It might be useful._ “If she went to the Sahara,” Bill said, “she would bring home sand for the chickens’ run.”
a form of address for a man
From this reading Polly may have been a clever woman, as Mr. James Brownlow had said she was, but in his catalogue of her abilities he omitted to mention her one great gift, her undeniable talent for getting things.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading She was a true collector and picker-up of trifles; she had brought this too little appreciated art to a rare perfection, and she never went anywhere without acquiring something, never came home completely empty-handed, never declined or passed by a single article or opportunity however trivial or cumbersome.
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading But besides the collectors’ art Polly possessed the true genius for getting, not begging nor demanding, but annexing calmly as by right divine, or acquiring gracefully as bestowing a favour in accepting one.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading But besides the collectors’ art Polly possessed the true genius for getting, not begging nor demanding, but annexing calmly as by right divine, or acquiring gracefully as bestowing a favour in accepting one.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Polly may have been a clever woman, as Mr. James Brownlow had said she was, but in his catalogue of her abilities he omitted to mention her one great gift, her undeniable talent for getting things.
omittedverbUS /oʊˈmɪtəd/
inflected form of “omit” — prevent from being included or considered or accepted
From this reading Polly may have been a clever woman, as Mr. James Brownlow had said she was, but in his catalogue of her abilities he omitted to mention her one great gift, her undeniable talent for getting things.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Polly may have been a clever woman, as Mr. James Brownlow had said she was, but in his catalogue of her abilities he omitted to mention her one great gift, her undeniable talent for getting things.
a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances
From this reading She was a true collector and picker-up of trifles; she had brought this too little appreciated art to a rare perfection, and she never went anywhere without acquiring something, never came home completely empty-handed, never declined or passed by a single article or opportunity however trivial or cumbersome.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading She was a true collector and picker-up of trifles; she had brought this too little appreciated art to a rare perfection, and she never went anywhere without acquiring something, never came home completely empty-handed, never declined or passed by a single article or opportunity however trivial or cumbersome.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading She was a true collector and picker-up of trifles; she had brought this too little appreciated art to a rare perfection, and she never went anywhere without acquiring something, never came home completely empty-handed, never declined or passed by a single article or opportunity however trivial or cumbersome.
perfectionnounUS /pərˈfekʃən/
the state of being without a flaw or defect
From this reading She was a true collector and picker-up of trifles; she had brought this too little appreciated art to a rare perfection, and she never went anywhere without acquiring something, never came home completely empty-handed, never declined or passed by a single article or opportunity however trivial or cumbersome.
picker-up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was a true collector and picker-up of trifles; she had brought this too little appreciated art to a rare perfection, and she never went anywhere without acquiring something, never came home completely empty-handed, never declined or passed by a single article or opportunity however trivial or cumbersome.
Polly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Polly may have been a clever woman, as Mr. James Brownlow had said she was, but in his catalogue of her abilities he omitted to mention her one great gift, her undeniable talent for getting things.
influenced or controlled by a powerful force such as a strong emotion
From this reading But besides the collectors’ art Polly possessed the true genius for getting, not begging nor demanding, but annexing calmly as by right divine, or acquiring gracefully as bestowing a favour in accepting one.
not widely known; especially valued for its uncommonness
From this reading She was a true collector and picker-up of trifles; she had brought this too little appreciated art to a rare perfection, and she never went anywhere without acquiring something, never came home completely empty-handed, never declined or passed by a single article or opportunity however trivial or cumbersome.
precisely, exactly
From this reading But besides the collectors’ art Polly possessed the true genius for getting, not begging nor demanding, but annexing calmly as by right divine, or acquiring gracefully as bestowing a favour in accepting one.
move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading Her motto was _It might be useful._ “If she went to the Sahara,” Bill said, “she would bring home sand for the chickens’ run.”
SaharanounUS /səˈherə/
the world's largest desert (3,500,000 square miles) in northern Africa
From this reading Her motto was _It might be useful._ “If she went to the Sahara,” Bill said, “she would bring home sand for the chickens’ run.”
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading Polly may have been a clever woman, as Mr. James Brownlow had said she was, but in his catalogue of her abilities he omitted to mention her one great gift, her undeniable talent for getting things.
a loose material consisting of grains of rock or coral
From this reading Her motto was _It might be useful._ “If she went to the Sahara,” Bill said, “she would bring home sand for the chickens’ run.”
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Polly may have been a clever woman, as Mr. James Brownlow had said she was, but in his catalogue of her abilities he omitted to mention her one great gift, her undeniable talent for getting things.
being or characteristic of a single thing or person
From this reading She was a true collector and picker-up of trifles; she had brought this too little appreciated art to a rare perfection, and she never went anywhere without acquiring something, never came home completely empty-handed, never declined or passed by a single article or opportunity however trivial or cumbersome.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading She was a true collector and picker-up of trifles; she had brought this too little appreciated art to a rare perfection, and she never went anywhere without acquiring something, never came home completely empty-handed, never declined or passed by a single article or opportunity however trivial or cumbersome.
talentnounUS /ˈtælənt/
natural abilities or qualities
From this reading Polly may have been a clever woman, as Mr. James Brownlow had said she was, but in his catalogue of her abilities he omitted to mention her one great gift, her undeniable talent for getting things.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE ACQUISITIVE FACULTY.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading Polly may have been a clever woman, as Mr. James Brownlow had said she was, but in his catalogue of her abilities he omitted to mention her one great gift, her undeniable talent for getting things.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading She was a true collector and picker-up of trifles; she had brought this too little appreciated art to a rare perfection, and she never went anywhere without acquiring something, never came home completely empty-handed, never declined or passed by a single article or opportunity however trivial or cumbersome.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Polly may have been a clever woman, as Mr. James Brownlow had said she was, but in his catalogue of her abilities he omitted to mention her one great gift, her undeniable talent for getting things.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading She was a true collector and picker-up of trifles; she had brought this too little appreciated art to a rare perfection, and she never went anywhere without acquiring something, never came home completely empty-handed, never declined or passed by a single article or opportunity however trivial or cumbersome.
triflesnounUS /ˈtraɪfəlz/
plural of “trifle” — a cold pudding made of layers of sponge cake spread with fruit or jelly; may be decorated with nuts, cream, or chocolate
From this reading She was a true collector and picker-up of trifles; she had brought this too little appreciated art to a rare perfection, and she never went anywhere without acquiring something, never came home completely empty-handed, never declined or passed by a single article or opportunity however trivial or cumbersome.
trivialadjectiveUS /ˈtrɪviəl/
(informal) small and of little importance
From this reading She was a true collector and picker-up of trifles; she had brought this too little appreciated art to a rare perfection, and she never went anywhere without acquiring something, never came home completely empty-handed, never declined or passed by a single article or opportunity however trivial or cumbersome.
consistent with fact or reality; not false
From this reading She was a true collector and picker-up of trifles; she had brought this too little appreciated art to a rare perfection, and she never went anywhere without acquiring something, never came home completely empty-handed, never declined or passed by a single article or opportunity however trivial or cumbersome.
undeniableadjectiveUS /ˌʌndɪˈnaɪəbəl/
not possible to deny
From this reading Polly may have been a clever woman, as Mr. James Brownlow had said she was, but in his catalogue of her abilities he omitted to mention her one great gift, her undeniable talent for getting things.
being of use or service
From this reading Her motto was _It might be useful._ “If she went to the Sahara,” Bill said, “she would bring home sand for the chickens’ run.”
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Polly may have been a clever woman, as Mr. James Brownlow had said she was, but in his catalogue of her abilities he omitted to mention her one great gift, her undeniable talent for getting things.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading She was a true collector and picker-up of trifles; she had brought this too little appreciated art to a rare perfection, and she never went anywhere without acquiring something, never came home completely empty-handed, never declined or passed by a single article or opportunity however trivial or cumbersome.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading She was a true collector and picker-up of trifles; she had brought this too little appreciated art to a rare perfection, and she never went anywhere without acquiring something, never came home completely empty-handed, never declined or passed by a single article or opportunity however trivial or cumbersome.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading Polly may have been a clever woman, as Mr. James Brownlow had said she was, but in his catalogue of her abilities he omitted to mention her one great gift, her undeniable talent for getting things.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Her motto was _It might be useful._ “If she went to the Sahara,” Bill said, “she would bring home sand for the chickens’ run.”
