used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading * * * * * Not very long ago a French writer said, “There is not, as yet, an American school of painting, but there are already many American painters, and great ones, who will in time form a school.”
in the past
From this reading * * * * * Not very long ago a French writer said, “There is not, as yet, an American school of painting, but there are already many American painters, and great ones, who will in time form a school.”
prior to a specified or implied time
From this reading * * * * * Not very long ago a French writer said, “There is not, as yet, an American school of painting, but there are already many American painters, and great ones, who will in time form a school.”
a native or inhabitant of the United States
From this reading And it was he,--Whistler,--the American, who turned the face of France towards the East, and made her see things in line and color her most vagrant fancy had never before conceived.
AmsterdamnounUS /ˈæmstərdæm/
an industrial center and the nominal capital of the Netherlands; center of the diamond-cutting industry; seat of an important stock exchange; known for its canals and art museum
From this reading Searching the shops of Amsterdam, he found the blue-and-white china which gave him inspiration to do those things beside which the finest art of France is crude and barbaric.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Before France cared very much for Velasquez, before it so much as knew there was an island called Japan on the art map, Whistler was playing with the blacks and grays of the master of Madrid and with the blues and silvery whites of the porcelains of the Orient.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Before France cared very much for Velasquez, before it so much as knew there was an island called Japan on the art map, Whistler was playing with the blacks and grays of the master of Madrid and with the blues and silvery whites of the porcelains of the Orient.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading * * * * * Not very long ago a French writer said, “There is not, as yet, an American school of painting, but there are already many American painters, and great ones, who will in time form a school.”
artauxiliary verbUS /ɑːrt/
an old form of “are”, used with “thou”
From this reading Before France cared very much for Velasquez, before it so much as knew there was an island called Japan on the art map, Whistler was playing with the blacks and grays of the master of Madrid and with the blues and silvery whites of the porcelains of the Orient.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Before France cared very much for Velasquez, before it so much as knew there was an island called Japan on the art map, Whistler was playing with the blacks and grays of the master of Madrid and with the blues and silvery whites of the porcelains of the Orient.
barbaricadjectiveUS /bɑːrˈbærɪk/
without civilizing influences
From this reading Searching the shops of Amsterdam, he found the blue-and-white china which gave him inspiration to do those things beside which the finest art of France is crude and barbaric.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Before France cared very much for Velasquez, before it so much as knew there was an island called Japan on the art map, Whistler was playing with the blacks and grays of the master of Madrid and with the blues and silvery whites of the porcelains of the Orient.
next to; at the side of
From this reading Searching the shops of Amsterdam, he found the blue-and-white china which gave him inspiration to do those things beside which the finest art of France is crude and barbaric.
blacksnounUS /blæks/
plural of “black” — the quality or state of the achromatic color of least lightness (bearing the least resemblance to white)
From this reading Before France cared very much for Velasquez, before it so much as knew there was an island called Japan on the art map, Whistler was playing with the blacks and grays of the master of Madrid and with the blues and silvery whites of the porcelains of the Orient.
blue-and-white
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Searching the shops of Amsterdam, he found the blue-and-white china which gave him inspiration to do those things beside which the finest art of France is crude and barbaric.
bluesnounUS /bluːz/
a type of folksong that originated among Black Americans at the beginning of the 20th century; has a melancholy sound from repeated use of blue notes
From this reading Before France cared very much for Velasquez, before it so much as knew there was an island called Japan on the art map, Whistler was playing with the blacks and grays of the master of Madrid and with the blues and silvery whites of the porcelains of the Orient.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading * * * * * Not very long ago a French writer said, “There is not, as yet, an American school of painting, but there are already many American painters, and great ones, who will in time form a school.”
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading Before France cared very much for Velasquez, before it so much as knew there was an island called Japan on the art map, Whistler was playing with the blacks and grays of the master of Madrid and with the blues and silvery whites of the porcelains of the Orient.
past form of “care” — feel concern or interest
From this reading Before France cared very much for Velasquez, before it so much as knew there was an island called Japan on the art map, Whistler was playing with the blacks and grays of the master of Madrid and with the blues and silvery whites of the porcelains of the Orient.
chinanounUS /ˈtʃaɪnə/
a communist nation that covers a vast territory in eastern Asia; the most populous country in the world
From this reading Searching the shops of Amsterdam, he found the blue-and-white china which gave him inspiration to do those things beside which the finest art of France is crude and barbaric.
a visual attribute of things that results from the light they emit or transmit or reflect
From this reading And it was he,--Whistler,--the American, who turned the face of France towards the East, and made her see things in line and color her most vagrant fancy had never before conceived.
conceivedverbUS /kənˈsiːvd/
past form of “conceive” — have the idea for
From this reading And it was he,--Whistler,--the American, who turned the face of France towards the East, and made her see things in line and color her most vagrant fancy had never before conceived.
crudeadjectiveUS /kruːd/
not carefully or expertly made
From this reading Searching the shops of Amsterdam, he found the blue-and-white china which gave him inspiration to do those things beside which the finest art of France is crude and barbaric.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading Searching the shops of Amsterdam, he found the blue-and-white china which gave him inspiration to do those things beside which the finest art of France is crude and barbaric.
the cardinal compass point that is at 90 degrees
From this reading And it was he,--Whistler,--the American, who turned the face of France towards the East, and made her see things in line and color her most vagrant fancy had never before conceived.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading And it was he,--Whistler,--the American, who turned the face of France towards the East, and made her see things in line and color her most vagrant fancy had never before conceived.
something many people believe that is false
From this reading And it was he,--Whistler,--the American, who turned the face of France towards the East, and made her see things in line and color her most vagrant fancy had never before conceived.
finestadjectiveUS /ˈfaɪnəst/
superlative of “fine” — being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition
From this reading Searching the shops of Amsterdam, he found the blue-and-white china which gave him inspiration to do those things beside which the finest art of France is crude and barbaric.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Before France cared very much for Velasquez, before it so much as knew there was an island called Japan on the art map, Whistler was playing with the blacks and grays of the master of Madrid and with the blues and silvery whites of the porcelains of the Orient.
the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something
From this reading * * * * * Not very long ago a French writer said, “There is not, as yet, an American school of painting, but there are already many American painters, and great ones, who will in time form a school.”
set up or found
From this reading Searching the shops of Amsterdam, he found the blue-and-white china which gave him inspiration to do those things beside which the finest art of France is crude and barbaric.
a republic in western Europe; the largest country wholly in Europe
From this reading Before France cared very much for Velasquez, before it so much as knew there was an island called Japan on the art map, Whistler was playing with the blacks and grays of the master of Madrid and with the blues and silvery whites of the porcelains of the Orient.
the Romance language spoken in France and in countries colonized by France
From this reading * * * * * Not very long ago a French writer said, “There is not, as yet, an American school of painting, but there are already many American painters, and great ones, who will in time form a school.”
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading Searching the shops of Amsterdam, he found the blue-and-white china which gave him inspiration to do those things beside which the finest art of France is crude and barbaric.
graysnounUS /ɡreɪz/
plural of “gray” — a neutral achromatic color midway between white and black
From this reading Before France cared very much for Velasquez, before it so much as knew there was an island called Japan on the art map, Whistler was playing with the blacks and grays of the master of Madrid and with the blues and silvery whites of the porcelains of the Orient.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading * * * * * Not very long ago a French writer said, “There is not, as yet, an American school of painting, but there are already many American painters, and great ones, who will in time form a school.”
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading And it was he,--Whistler,--the American, who turned the face of France towards the East, and made her see things in line and color her most vagrant fancy had never before conceived.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading And it was he,--Whistler,--the American, who turned the face of France towards the East, and made her see things in line and color her most vagrant fancy had never before conceived.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading And it was he,--Whistler,--the American, who turned the face of France towards the East, and made her see things in line and color her most vagrant fancy had never before conceived.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Searching the shops of Amsterdam, he found the blue-and-white china which gave him inspiration to do those things beside which the finest art of France is crude and barbaric.
a specific instance of feeling hopeful
From this reading Let us hope not.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading And it was he,--Whistler,--the American, who turned the face of France towards the East, and made her see things in line and color her most vagrant fancy had never before conceived.
inspirationnounUS /ˌɪnspərˈeɪʃən/
arousal of the mind to special unusual activity or creativity
From this reading Searching the shops of Amsterdam, he found the blue-and-white china which gave him inspiration to do those things beside which the finest art of France is crude and barbaric.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Searching the shops of Amsterdam, he found the blue-and-white china which gave him inspiration to do those things beside which the finest art of France is crude and barbaric.
a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water
From this reading Before France cared very much for Velasquez, before it so much as knew there was an island called Japan on the art map, Whistler was playing with the blacks and grays of the master of Madrid and with the blues and silvery whites of the porcelains of the Orient.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Before France cared very much for Velasquez, before it so much as knew there was an island called Japan on the art map, Whistler was playing with the blacks and grays of the master of Madrid and with the blues and silvery whites of the porcelains of the Orient.
JapannounUS /dʒəˈpæn/
a string of more than 3,000 islands to the east of Asia extending 1,300 miles between the Sea of Japan and the western Pacific Ocean
From this reading Before France cared very much for Velasquez, before it so much as knew there was an island called Japan on the art map, Whistler was playing with the blacks and grays of the master of Madrid and with the blues and silvery whites of the porcelains of the Orient.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading Before France cared very much for Velasquez, before it so much as knew there was an island called Japan on the art map, Whistler was playing with the blacks and grays of the master of Madrid and with the blues and silvery whites of the porcelains of the Orient.
Letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading Let us hope not.
a formation of people or things one beside another
From this reading And it was he,--Whistler,--the American, who turned the face of France towards the East, and made her see things in line and color her most vagrant fancy had never before conceived.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading * * * * * Not very long ago a French writer said, “There is not, as yet, an American school of painting, but there are already many American painters, and great ones, who will in time form a school.”
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading And it was he,--Whistler,--the American, who turned the face of France towards the East, and made her see things in line and color her most vagrant fancy had never before conceived.
MadridnounUS /məˈdrɪd/
the capital and largest city situated centrally in Spain; home of an outstanding art museum
From this reading Before France cared very much for Velasquez, before it so much as knew there was an island called Japan on the art map, Whistler was playing with the blacks and grays of the master of Madrid and with the blues and silvery whites of the porcelains of the Orient.
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 * * * * * Not very long ago a French writer said, “There is not, as yet, an American school of painting, but there are already many American painters, and great ones, who will in time form a school.”
mapverbUS /mæp/
make a map of; show or establish the features of details of
From this reading Before France cared very much for Velasquez, before it so much as knew there was an island called Japan on the art map, Whistler was playing with the blacks and grays of the master of Madrid and with the blues and silvery whites of the porcelains of the Orient.
an artist of consummate skill
From this reading Before France cared very much for Velasquez, before it so much as knew there was an island called Japan on the art map, Whistler was playing with the blacks and grays of the master of Madrid and with the blues and silvery whites of the porcelains of the Orient.
used to form the superlative
From this reading And it was he,--Whistler,--the American, who turned the face of France towards the East, and made her see things in line and color her most vagrant fancy had never before conceived.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading Before France cared very much for Velasquez, before it so much as knew there was an island called Japan on the art map, Whistler was playing with the blacks and grays of the master of Madrid and with the blues and silvery whites of the porcelains of the Orient.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading And it was he,--Whistler,--the American, who turned the face of France towards the East, and made her see things in line and color her most vagrant fancy had never before conceived.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading * * * * * Not very long ago a French writer said, “There is not, as yet, an American school of painting, but there are already many American painters, and great ones, who will in time form a school.”
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Before France cared very much for Velasquez, before it so much as knew there was an island called Japan on the art map, Whistler was playing with the blacks and grays of the master of Madrid and with the blues and silvery whites of the porcelains of the Orient.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Before France cared very much for Velasquez, before it so much as knew there was an island called Japan on the art map, Whistler was playing with the blacks and grays of the master of Madrid and with the blues and silvery whites of the porcelains of the Orient.
plural of “one” — the smallest whole number or a numeral representing this number
From this reading * * * * * Not very long ago a French writer said, “There is not, as yet, an American school of painting, but there are already many American painters, and great ones, who will in time form a school.”
OrientverbUS /ˈɔːrient/
be oriented
From this reading Before France cared very much for Velasquez, before it so much as knew there was an island called Japan on the art map, Whistler was playing with the blacks and grays of the master of Madrid and with the blues and silvery whites of the porcelains of the Orient.
paintersnounUS /ˈpeɪntərz/
plural of “painter” — an artist who paints
From this reading * * * * * Not very long ago a French writer said, “There is not, as yet, an American school of painting, but there are already many American painters, and great ones, who will in time form a school.”
paintingnounUS /ˈpeɪntɪŋ/
graphic art consisting of an artistic composition made by applying paints to a surface
From this reading * * * * * Not very long ago a French writer said, “There is not, as yet, an American school of painting, but there are already many American painters, and great ones, who will in time form a school.”
the act of playing a musical instrument
From this reading Before France cared very much for Velasquez, before it so much as knew there was an island called Japan on the art map, Whistler was playing with the blacks and grays of the master of Madrid and with the blues and silvery whites of the porcelains of the Orient.
porcelainsnounUS /ˈpɔːrsələnz/
plural of “porcelain” — ceramic ware made of a more or less translucent ceramic
From this reading Before France cared very much for Velasquez, before it so much as knew there was an island called Japan on the art map, Whistler was playing with the blacks and grays of the master of Madrid and with the blues and silvery whites of the porcelains of the Orient.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading * * * * * Not very long ago a French writer said, “There is not, as yet, an American school of painting, but there are already many American painters, and great ones, who will in time form a school.”
an educational institution
From this reading * * * * * Not very long ago a French writer said, “There is not, as yet, an American school of painting, but there are already many American painters, and great ones, who will in time form a school.”
diligent and thorough in inquiry or investigation
From this reading Searching the shops of Amsterdam, he found the blue-and-white china which gave him inspiration to do those things beside which the finest art of France is crude and barbaric.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading And it was he,--Whistler,--the American, who turned the face of France towards the East, and made her see things in line and color her most vagrant fancy had never before conceived.
shopsnounUS /ʃɑːps/
plural of “shop” — a mercantile establishment for the retail sale of goods or services
From this reading Searching the shops of Amsterdam, he found the blue-and-white china which gave him inspiration to do those things beside which the finest art of France is crude and barbaric.
silveryadjectiveUS /ˈsɪlvəri/
resembling or reminiscent of silver
From this reading Before France cared very much for Velasquez, before it so much as knew there was an island called Japan on the art map, Whistler was playing with the blacks and grays of the master of Madrid and with the blues and silvery whites of the porcelains of the Orient.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Before France cared very much for Velasquez, before it so much as knew there was an island called Japan on the art map, Whistler was playing with the blacks and grays of the master of Madrid and with the blues and silvery whites of the porcelains of the Orient.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Before France cared very much for Velasquez, before it so much as knew there was an island called Japan on the art map, Whistler was playing with the blacks and grays of the master of Madrid and with the blues and silvery whites of the porcelains of the Orient.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Before France cared very much for Velasquez, before it so much as knew there was an island called Japan on the art map, Whistler was playing with the blacks and grays of the master of Madrid and with the blues and silvery whites of the porcelains of the Orient.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading And it was he,--Whistler,--the American, who turned the face of France towards the East, and made her see things in line and color her most vagrant fancy had never before conceived.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading Searching the shops of Amsterdam, he found the blue-and-white china which gave him inspiration to do those things beside which the finest art of France is crude and barbaric.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading * * * * * Not very long ago a French writer said, “There is not, as yet, an American school of painting, but there are already many American painters, and great ones, who will in time form a school.”
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Searching the shops of Amsterdam, he found the blue-and-white china which gave him inspiration to do those things beside which the finest art of France is crude and barbaric.
in the direction of
From this reading And it was he,--Whistler,--the American, who turned the face of France towards the East, and made her see things in line and color her most vagrant fancy had never before conceived.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading And it was he,--Whistler,--the American, who turned the face of France towards the East, and made her see things in line and color her most vagrant fancy had never before conceived.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Let us hope not.
vagrantnounUS /ˈveɪɡrənt/
a wanderer who has no established residence or visible means of support
From this reading And it was he,--Whistler,--the American, who turned the face of France towards the East, and made her see things in line and color her most vagrant fancy had never before conceived.
Velasquez
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before France cared very much for Velasquez, before it so much as knew there was an island called Japan on the art map, Whistler was playing with the blacks and grays of the master of Madrid and with the blues and silvery whites of the porcelains of the Orient.
precisely as stated
From this reading Before France cared very much for Velasquez, before it so much as knew there was an island called Japan on the art map, Whistler was playing with the blacks and grays of the master of Madrid and with the blues and silvery whites of the porcelains of the Orient.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Before France cared very much for Velasquez, before it so much as knew there was an island called Japan on the art map, Whistler was playing with the blacks and grays of the master of Madrid and with the blues and silvery whites of the porcelains of the Orient.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Searching the shops of Amsterdam, he found the blue-and-white china which gave him inspiration to do those things beside which the finest art of France is crude and barbaric.
WhistlernounUS /ˈwɪslər/
United States painter (1834-1903)
From this reading Before France cared very much for Velasquez, before it so much as knew there was an island called Japan on the art map, Whistler was playing with the blacks and grays of the master of Madrid and with the blues and silvery whites of the porcelains of the Orient.
whitesnounUS /waɪts/
plural of “white” — a Caucasian
From this reading Before France cared very much for Velasquez, before it so much as knew there was an island called Japan on the art map, Whistler was playing with the blacks and grays of the master of Madrid and with the blues and silvery whites of the porcelains of the Orient.
which person or people
From this reading And it was he,--Whistler,--the American, who turned the face of France towards the East, and made her see things in line and color her most vagrant fancy had never before conceived.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading * * * * * Not very long ago a French writer said, “There is not, as yet, an American school of painting, but there are already many American painters, and great ones, who will in time form a school.”
in the company of; together with
From this reading Before France cared very much for Velasquez, before it so much as knew there was an island called Japan on the art map, Whistler was playing with the blacks and grays of the master of Madrid and with the blues and silvery whites of the porcelains of the Orient.
writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)
From this reading * * * * * Not very long ago a French writer said, “There is not, as yet, an American school of painting, but there are already many American painters, and great ones, who will in time form a school.”
but in spite of that
From this reading * * * * * Not very long ago a French writer said, “There is not, as yet, an American school of painting, but there are already many American painters, and great ones, who will in time form a school.”
