used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It wants a quarter to ten, an’ you’d better hurry.”
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading This button was just too high for her left hand to reach up to, and almost too low for her right hand to reach down to, but at last she succeeded in crowding the refractory little button into its buttonhole, and, flushed with the struggle, she stood before the tiny looking-glass brushing a stray curling lock from her temple.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading It wants a quarter to ten, an’ you’d better hurry.”
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading “Yes, mother, I’m coming,” said Randy, pleasantly, and with redoubled energy she reached for the middle button of her dress waist, which was fastened at the back.
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading The glass was a poor one, and Randy’s reflection appeared to be making a most unpleasant grimace at the real girl standing there.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading “Yes, mother, I’m coming,” said Randy, pleasantly, and with redoubled energy she reached for the middle button of her dress waist, which was fastened at the back.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading “Yes, mother, I’m coming,” said Randy, pleasantly, and with redoubled energy she reached for the middle button of her dress waist, which was fastened at the back.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The glass was a poor one, and Randy’s reflection appeared to be making a most unpleasant grimace at the real girl standing there.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading This button was just too high for her left hand to reach up to, and almost too low for her right hand to reach down to, but at last she succeeded in crowding the refractory little button into its buttonhole, and, flushed with the struggle, she stood before the tiny looking-glass brushing a stray curling lock from her temple.
(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another
From this reading It wants a quarter to ten, an’ you’d better hurry.”
brushingnounUS /ˈbrʌʃɪŋ/
the act of brushing your teeth
From this reading This button was just too high for her left hand to reach up to, and almost too low for her right hand to reach down to, but at last she succeeded in crowding the refractory little button into its buttonhole, and, flushed with the struggle, she stood before the tiny looking-glass brushing a stray curling lock from her temple.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading This button was just too high for her left hand to reach up to, and almost too low for her right hand to reach down to, but at last she succeeded in crowding the refractory little button into its buttonhole, and, flushed with the struggle, she stood before the tiny looking-glass brushing a stray curling lock from her temple.
buttonnounUS /ˈbʌtən/
a round fastener sewn to shirts and coats etc to fit through buttonholes
From this reading “Yes, mother, I’m coming,” said Randy, pleasantly, and with redoubled energy she reached for the middle button of her dress waist, which was fastened at the back.
buttonholenounUS /ˈbʌtənhoʊl/
a hole through which buttons are pushed
From this reading This button was just too high for her left hand to reach up to, and almost too low for her right hand to reach down to, but at last she succeeded in crowding the refractory little button into its buttonhole, and, flushed with the struggle, she stood before the tiny looking-glass brushing a stray curling lock from her temple.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading “Come, Randy, come!
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading “Yes, mother, I’m coming,” said Randy, pleasantly, and with redoubled energy she reached for the middle button of her dress waist, which was fastened at the back.
crowdingnounUS /ˈkraʊdɪŋ/
a situation in which people or things are crowded together
From this reading This button was just too high for her left hand to reach up to, and almost too low for her right hand to reach down to, but at last she succeeded in crowding the refractory little button into its buttonhole, and, flushed with the struggle, she stood before the tiny looking-glass brushing a stray curling lock from her temple.
curlingnounUS /ˈkɜːrlɪŋ/
a game played on ice in which heavy stones with handles are slid toward a target
From this reading This button was just too high for her left hand to reach up to, and almost too low for her right hand to reach down to, but at last she succeeded in crowding the refractory little button into its buttonhole, and, flushed with the struggle, she stood before the tiny looking-glass brushing a stray curling lock from her temple.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading This button was just too high for her left hand to reach up to, and almost too low for her right hand to reach down to, but at last she succeeded in crowding the refractory little button into its buttonhole, and, flushed with the struggle, she stood before the tiny looking-glass brushing a stray curling lock from her temple.
put on clothes
From this reading “Yes, mother, I’m coming,” said Randy, pleasantly, and with redoubled energy she reached for the middle button of her dress waist, which was fastened at the back.
(physics) a thermodynamic quantity equivalent to the capacity of a physical system to do work; the units of energy are joules or ergs
From this reading “Yes, mother, I’m coming,” said Randy, pleasantly, and with redoubled energy she reached for the middle button of her dress waist, which was fastened at the back.
firmly closed or secured
From this reading “Yes, mother, I’m coming,” said Randy, pleasantly, and with redoubled energy she reached for the middle button of her dress waist, which was fastened at the back.
having the pinkish flush of health
From this reading This button was just too high for her left hand to reach up to, and almost too low for her right hand to reach down to, but at last she succeeded in crowding the refractory little button into its buttonhole, and, flushed with the struggle, she stood before the tiny looking-glass brushing a stray curling lock from her temple.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading “Yes, mother, I’m coming,” said Randy, pleasantly, and with redoubled energy she reached for the middle button of her dress waist, which was fastened at the back.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading This button was just too high for her left hand to reach up to, and almost too low for her right hand to reach down to, but at last she succeeded in crowding the refractory little button into its buttonhole, and, flushed with the struggle, she stood before the tiny looking-glass brushing a stray curling lock from her temple.
a young female
From this reading The glass was a poor one, and Randy’s reflection appeared to be making a most unpleasant grimace at the real girl standing there.
a brittle transparent solid with irregular atomic structure
From this reading The glass was a poor one, and Randy’s reflection appeared to be making a most unpleasant grimace at the real girl standing there.
grimaceverbUS /ˈɡrɪməs/
contort the face to indicate a certain mental or emotional state
From this reading The glass was a poor one, and Randy’s reflection appeared to be making a most unpleasant grimace at the real girl standing there.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading This button was just too high for her left hand to reach up to, and almost too low for her right hand to reach down to, but at last she succeeded in crowding the refractory little button into its buttonhole, and, flushed with the struggle, she stood before the tiny looking-glass brushing a stray curling lock from her temple.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading “Yes, mother, I’m coming,” said Randy, pleasantly, and with redoubled energy she reached for the middle button of her dress waist, which was fastened at the back.
greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading This button was just too high for her left hand to reach up to, and almost too low for her right hand to reach down to, but at last she succeeded in crowding the refractory little button into its buttonhole, and, flushed with the struggle, she stood before the tiny looking-glass brushing a stray curling lock from her temple.
a condition of urgency making it necessary to hurry
From this reading It wants a quarter to ten, an’ you’d better hurry.”
I'm
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Yes, mother, I’m coming,” said Randy, pleasantly, and with redoubled energy she reached for the middle button of her dress waist, which was fastened at the back.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading This button was just too high for her left hand to reach up to, and almost too low for her right hand to reach down to, but at last she succeeded in crowding the refractory little button into its buttonhole, and, flushed with the struggle, she stood before the tiny looking-glass brushing a stray curling lock from her temple.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading This button was just too high for her left hand to reach up to, and almost too low for her right hand to reach down to, but at last she succeeded in crowding the refractory little button into its buttonhole, and, flushed with the struggle, she stood before the tiny looking-glass brushing a stray curling lock from her temple.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It wants a quarter to ten, an’ you’d better hurry.”
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading This button was just too high for her left hand to reach up to, and almost too low for her right hand to reach down to, but at last she succeeded in crowding the refractory little button into its buttonhole, and, flushed with the struggle, she stood before the tiny looking-glass brushing a stray curling lock from her temple.
and nothing more
From this reading This button was just too high for her left hand to reach up to, and almost too low for her right hand to reach down to, but at last she succeeded in crowding the refractory little button into its buttonhole, and, flushed with the struggle, she stood before the tiny looking-glass brushing a stray curling lock from her temple.
immediately past
From this reading This button was just too high for her left hand to reach up to, and almost too low for her right hand to reach down to, but at last she succeeded in crowding the refractory little button into its buttonhole, and, flushed with the struggle, she stood before the tiny looking-glass brushing a stray curling lock from her temple.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading This button was just too high for her left hand to reach up to, and almost too low for her right hand to reach down to, but at last she succeeded in crowding the refractory little button into its buttonhole, and, flushed with the struggle, she stood before the tiny looking-glass brushing a stray curling lock from her temple.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading This button was just too high for her left hand to reach up to, and almost too low for her right hand to reach down to, but at last she succeeded in crowding the refractory little button into its buttonhole, and, flushed with the struggle, she stood before the tiny looking-glass brushing a stray curling lock from her temple.
fasten with a lock
From this reading This button was just too high for her left hand to reach up to, and almost too low for her right hand to reach down to, but at last she succeeded in crowding the refractory little button into its buttonhole, and, flushed with the struggle, she stood before the tiny looking-glass brushing a stray curling lock from her temple.
looking-glass
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This button was just too high for her left hand to reach up to, and almost too low for her right hand to reach down to, but at last she succeeded in crowding the refractory little button into its buttonhole, and, flushed with the struggle, she stood before the tiny looking-glass brushing a stray curling lock from her temple.
less than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading This button was just too high for her left hand to reach up to, and almost too low for her right hand to reach down to, but at last she succeeded in crowding the refractory little button into its buttonhole, and, flushed with the struggle, she stood before the tiny looking-glass brushing a stray curling lock from her temple.
the act that results in something coming to be
From this reading The glass was a poor one, and Randy’s reflection appeared to be making a most unpleasant grimace at the real girl standing there.
an area that is approximately central within some larger region
From this reading “Yes, mother, I’m coming,” said Randy, pleasantly, and with redoubled energy she reached for the middle button of her dress waist, which was fastened at the back.
used to form the superlative
From this reading The glass was a poor one, and Randy’s reflection appeared to be making a most unpleasant grimace at the real girl standing there.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading “Yes, mother, I’m coming,” said Randy, pleasantly, and with redoubled energy she reached for the middle button of her dress waist, which was fastened at the back.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “Yes, mother, I’m coming,” said Randy, pleasantly, and with redoubled energy she reached for the middle button of her dress waist, which was fastened at the back.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The glass was a poor one, and Randy’s reflection appeared to be making a most unpleasant grimace at the real girl standing there.
pleasantlyadverbUS /ˈplezəntli/
in a cheerful manner
From this reading “Yes, mother, I’m coming,” said Randy, pleasantly, and with redoubled energy she reached for the middle button of her dress waist, which was fastened at the back.
deserving or inciting pity
From this reading The glass was a poor one, and Randy’s reflection appeared to be making a most unpleasant grimace at the real girl standing there.
one of four equal parts
From this reading It wants a quarter to ten, an’ you’d better hurry.”
RandyadjectiveUS /ˈrændi/
feeling great sexual desire
From this reading “Come, Randy, come!
Randy's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The glass was a poor one, and Randy’s reflection appeared to be making a most unpleasant grimace at the real girl standing there.
reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading This button was just too high for her left hand to reach up to, and almost too low for her right hand to reach down to, but at last she succeeded in crowding the refractory little button into its buttonhole, and, flushed with the struggle, she stood before the tiny looking-glass brushing a stray curling lock from her temple.
past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading “Yes, mother, I’m coming,” said Randy, pleasantly, and with redoubled energy she reached for the middle button of her dress waist, which was fastened at the back.
being or occurring in fact or actuality; having verified existence; not illusory
From this reading The glass was a poor one, and Randy’s reflection appeared to be making a most unpleasant grimace at the real girl standing there.
redoubledadjectiveUS /riˈdʌbəld/
become much greater in intensity or size or amount
From this reading “Yes, mother, I’m coming,” said Randy, pleasantly, and with redoubled energy she reached for the middle button of her dress waist, which was fastened at the back.
a calm, lengthy, intent consideration
From this reading The glass was a poor one, and Randy’s reflection appeared to be making a most unpleasant grimace at the real girl standing there.
refractoryadjectiveUS /rəˈfræktəri/
not responding to treatment
From this reading This button was just too high for her left hand to reach up to, and almost too low for her right hand to reach down to, but at last she succeeded in crowding the refractory little button into its buttonhole, and, flushed with the struggle, she stood before the tiny looking-glass brushing a stray curling lock from her temple.
precisely, exactly
From this reading This button was just too high for her left hand to reach up to, and almost too low for her right hand to reach down to, but at last she succeeded in crowding the refractory little button into its buttonhole, and, flushed with the struggle, she stood before the tiny looking-glass brushing a stray curling lock from her temple.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “Yes, mother, I’m coming,” said Randy, pleasantly, and with redoubled energy she reached for the middle button of her dress waist, which was fastened at the back.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “Yes, mother, I’m coming,” said Randy, pleasantly, and with redoubled energy she reached for the middle button of her dress waist, which was fastened at the back.
having a supporting base
From this reading The glass was a poor one, and Randy’s reflection appeared to be making a most unpleasant grimace at the real girl standing there.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading This button was just too high for her left hand to reach up to, and almost too low for her right hand to reach down to, but at last she succeeded in crowding the refractory little button into its buttonhole, and, flushed with the struggle, she stood before the tiny looking-glass brushing a stray curling lock from her temple.
strayverbUS /streɪ/
move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment
From this reading This button was just too high for her left hand to reach up to, and almost too low for her right hand to reach down to, but at last she succeeded in crowding the refractory little button into its buttonhole, and, flushed with the struggle, she stood before the tiny looking-glass brushing a stray curling lock from her temple.
make a strenuous or labored effort
From this reading This button was just too high for her left hand to reach up to, and almost too low for her right hand to reach down to, but at last she succeeded in crowding the refractory little button into its buttonhole, and, flushed with the struggle, she stood before the tiny looking-glass brushing a stray curling lock from her temple.
past form of “succeed” — attain success or reach a desired goal
From this reading This button was just too high for her left hand to reach up to, and almost too low for her right hand to reach down to, but at last she succeeded in crowding the refractory little button into its buttonhole, and, flushed with the struggle, she stood before the tiny looking-glass brushing a stray curling lock from her temple.
place of worship consisting of an edifice for the worship of a deity
From this reading This button was just too high for her left hand to reach up to, and almost too low for her right hand to reach down to, but at last she succeeded in crowding the refractory little button into its buttonhole, and, flushed with the struggle, she stood before the tiny looking-glass brushing a stray curling lock from her temple.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading It wants a quarter to ten, an’ you’d better hurry.”
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “Yes, mother, I’m coming,” said Randy, pleasantly, and with redoubled energy she reached for the middle button of her dress waist, which was fastened at the back.
in or at that place or location
From this reading The glass was a poor one, and Randy’s reflection appeared to be making a most unpleasant grimace at the real girl standing there.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This button was just too high for her left hand to reach up to, and almost too low for her right hand to reach down to, but at last she succeeded in crowding the refractory little button into its buttonhole, and, flushed with the struggle, she stood before the tiny looking-glass brushing a stray curling lock from her temple.
very small
From this reading This button was just too high for her left hand to reach up to, and almost too low for her right hand to reach down to, but at last she succeeded in crowding the refractory little button into its buttonhole, and, flushed with the struggle, she stood before the tiny looking-glass brushing a stray curling lock from her temple.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It wants a quarter to ten, an’ you’d better hurry.”
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading This button was just too high for her left hand to reach up to, and almost too low for her right hand to reach down to, but at last she succeeded in crowding the refractory little button into its buttonhole, and, flushed with the struggle, she stood before the tiny looking-glass brushing a stray curling lock from her temple.
offensive or disagreeable; causing discomfort or unhappiness
From this reading The glass was a poor one, and Randy’s reflection appeared to be making a most unpleasant grimace at the real girl standing there.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading This button was just too high for her left hand to reach up to, and almost too low for her right hand to reach down to, but at last she succeeded in crowding the refractory little button into its buttonhole, and, flushed with the struggle, she stood before the tiny looking-glass brushing a stray curling lock from her temple.
the narrowing of the body between the ribs and hips
From this reading “Yes, mother, I’m coming,” said Randy, pleasantly, and with redoubled energy she reached for the middle button of her dress waist, which was fastened at the back.
plural of “want” — a state of extreme poverty
From this reading It wants a quarter to ten, an’ you’d better hurry.”
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “Yes, mother, I’m coming,” said Randy, pleasantly, and with redoubled energy she reached for the middle button of her dress waist, which was fastened at the back.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading “Yes, mother, I’m coming,” said Randy, pleasantly, and with redoubled energy she reached for the middle button of her dress waist, which was fastened at the back.
in the company of; together with
From this reading “Yes, mother, I’m coming,” said Randy, pleasantly, and with redoubled energy she reached for the middle button of her dress waist, which was fastened at the back.
an affirmative
From this reading “Yes, mother, I’m coming,” said Randy, pleasantly, and with redoubled energy she reached for the middle button of her dress waist, which was fastened at the back.
you'd
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It wants a quarter to ten, an’ you’d better hurry.”
