used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading She had a roguish dimple in her cheeks, and an expression of consciousness of her good looks on her face.
in addition
From this reading The children had inherited from their father blue eyes and very fair hair; they had lovely complexions, and clear, bright colour; some of them had certainly derived from him also an inertness of character which left them and their futures at the mercy of the persons and the chances that should surround or fall in their way.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The children had inherited from their father blue eyes and very fair hair; they had lovely complexions, and clear, bright colour; some of them had certainly derived from him also an inertness of character which left them and their futures at the mercy of the persons and the chances that should surround or fall in their way.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The children had inherited from their father blue eyes and very fair hair; they had lovely complexions, and clear, bright colour; some of them had certainly derived from him also an inertness of character which left them and their futures at the mercy of the persons and the chances that should surround or fall in their way.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The children had inherited from their father blue eyes and very fair hair; they had lovely complexions, and clear, bright colour; some of them had certainly derived from him also an inertness of character which left them and their futures at the mercy of the persons and the chances that should surround or fall in their way.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Kate promised to be the beauty of the family.
the qualities that give pleasure to the senses
From this reading Kate promised to be the beauty of the family.
of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky
From this reading The children had inherited from their father blue eyes and very fair hair; they had lovely complexions, and clear, bright colour; some of them had certainly derived from him also an inertness of character which left them and their futures at the mercy of the persons and the chances that should surround or fall in their way.
emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts
From this reading The children had inherited from their father blue eyes and very fair hair; they had lovely complexions, and clear, bright colour; some of them had certainly derived from him also an inertness of character which left them and their futures at the mercy of the persons and the chances that should surround or fall in their way.
an occurrence of something
From this reading This was not the case with Kate, who had character of her own, though very diverse from that of her eldest sister.
definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)
From this reading The children had inherited from their father blue eyes and very fair hair; they had lovely complexions, and clear, bright colour; some of them had certainly derived from him also an inertness of character which left them and their futures at the mercy of the persons and the chances that should surround or fall in their way.
plural of “chance” — a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances
From this reading The children had inherited from their father blue eyes and very fair hair; they had lovely complexions, and clear, bright colour; some of them had certainly derived from him also an inertness of character which left them and their futures at the mercy of the persons and the chances that should surround or fall in their way.
an imaginary person represented in a work of fiction (play or film or story)
From this reading The children had inherited from their father blue eyes and very fair hair; they had lovely complexions, and clear, bright colour; some of them had certainly derived from him also an inertness of character which left them and their futures at the mercy of the persons and the chances that should surround or fall in their way.
plural of “cheek” — either side of the face below the eyes
From this reading She had a roguish dimple in her cheeks, and an expression of consciousness of her good looks on her face.
plural of “child” — a young person of either sex
From this reading The children had inherited from their father blue eyes and very fair hair; they had lovely complexions, and clear, bright colour; some of them had certainly derived from him also an inertness of character which left them and their futures at the mercy of the persons and the chances that should surround or fall in their way.
rid of obstructions
From this reading The children had inherited from their father blue eyes and very fair hair; they had lovely complexions, and clear, bright colour; some of them had certainly derived from him also an inertness of character which left them and their futures at the mercy of the persons and the chances that should surround or fall in their way.
having or capable of producing colors
From this reading The children had inherited from their father blue eyes and very fair hair; they had lovely complexions, and clear, bright colour; some of them had certainly derived from him also an inertness of character which left them and their futures at the mercy of the persons and the chances that should surround or fall in their way.
complexionsnounUS /kəmˈplekʃənz/
plural of “complexion” — the coloring of a person's face
From this reading The children had inherited from their father blue eyes and very fair hair; they had lovely complexions, and clear, bright colour; some of them had certainly derived from him also an inertness of character which left them and their futures at the mercy of the persons and the chances that should surround or fall in their way.
an alert cognitive state in which you are aware of yourself and your situation
From this reading She had a roguish dimple in her cheeks, and an expression of consciousness of her good looks on her face.
derivedadjectiveUS /dərˈaɪvd/
formed or developed from something else; not original
From this reading The children had inherited from their father blue eyes and very fair hair; they had lovely complexions, and clear, bright colour; some of them had certainly derived from him also an inertness of character which left them and their futures at the mercy of the persons and the chances that should surround or fall in their way.
dimplenounUS /ˈdɪmpəl/
a chad that has been punched or dimpled but all four corners are still attached
From this reading She had a roguish dimple in her cheeks, and an expression of consciousness of her good looks on her face.
diverseadjectiveUS /daɪˈvɜːrs/
many and different
From this reading This was not the case with Kate, who had character of her own, though very diverse from that of her eldest sister.
eldestadjectiveUS /ˈeldəst/
first in order of birth
From this reading This was not the case with Kate, who had character of her own, though very diverse from that of her eldest sister.
the feelings expressed on a person's face
From this reading She had a roguish dimple in her cheeks, and an expression of consciousness of her good looks on her face.
opinion or judgment
From this reading The children had inherited from their father blue eyes and very fair hair; they had lovely complexions, and clear, bright colour; some of them had certainly derived from him also an inertness of character which left them and their futures at the mercy of the persons and the chances that should surround or fall in their way.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading She had a roguish dimple in her cheeks, and an expression of consciousness of her good looks on her face.
free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; conforming with established standards or rules
From this reading The children had inherited from their father blue eyes and very fair hair; they had lovely complexions, and clear, bright colour; some of them had certainly derived from him also an inertness of character which left them and their futures at the mercy of the persons and the chances that should surround or fall in their way.
descend in free fall under the influence of gravity
From this reading The children had inherited from their father blue eyes and very fair hair; they had lovely complexions, and clear, bright colour; some of them had certainly derived from him also an inertness of character which left them and their futures at the mercy of the persons and the chances that should surround or fall in their way.
a social unit living together
From this reading Kate promised to be the beauty of the family.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading The children had inherited from their father blue eyes and very fair hair; they had lovely complexions, and clear, bright colour; some of them had certainly derived from him also an inertness of character which left them and their futures at the mercy of the persons and the chances that should surround or fall in their way.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The children had inherited from their father blue eyes and very fair hair; they had lovely complexions, and clear, bright colour; some of them had certainly derived from him also an inertness of character which left them and their futures at the mercy of the persons and the chances that should surround or fall in their way.
futuresnounUS /ˈfjuːtʃərz/
plural of “future” — the time yet to come
From this reading The children had inherited from their father blue eyes and very fair hair; they had lovely complexions, and clear, bright colour; some of them had certainly derived from him also an inertness of character which left them and their futures at the mercy of the persons and the chances that should surround or fall in their way.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading She had a roguish dimple in her cheeks, and an expression of consciousness of her good looks on her face.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The children had inherited from their father blue eyes and very fair hair; they had lovely complexions, and clear, bright colour; some of them had certainly derived from him also an inertness of character which left them and their futures at the mercy of the persons and the chances that should surround or fall in their way.
a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss
From this reading The children had inherited from their father blue eyes and very fair hair; they had lovely complexions, and clear, bright colour; some of them had certainly derived from him also an inertness of character which left them and their futures at the mercy of the persons and the chances that should surround or fall in their way.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading This was not the case with Kate, who had character of her own, though very diverse from that of her eldest sister.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The children had inherited from their father blue eyes and very fair hair; they had lovely complexions, and clear, bright colour; some of them had certainly derived from him also an inertness of character which left them and their futures at the mercy of the persons and the chances that should surround or fall in their way.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The children had inherited from their father blue eyes and very fair hair; they had lovely complexions, and clear, bright colour; some of them had certainly derived from him also an inertness of character which left them and their futures at the mercy of the persons and the chances that should surround or fall in their way.
inertnessnounUS /ˌɪˈnɜːrtnəs/
immobility by virtue of being inert
From this reading The children had inherited from their father blue eyes and very fair hair; they had lovely complexions, and clear, bright colour; some of them had certainly derived from him also an inertness of character which left them and their futures at the mercy of the persons and the chances that should surround or fall in their way.
inheritedadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈherətɪd/
occurring among members of a family usually by heredity
From this reading The children had inherited from their father blue eyes and very fair hair; they had lovely complexions, and clear, bright colour; some of them had certainly derived from him also an inertness of character which left them and their futures at the mercy of the persons and the chances that should surround or fall in their way.
Kate
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was not the case with Kate, who had character of her own, though very diverse from that of her eldest sister.
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 The children had inherited from their father blue eyes and very fair hair; they had lovely complexions, and clear, bright colour; some of them had certainly derived from him also an inertness of character which left them and their futures at the mercy of the persons and the chances that should surround or fall in their way.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Her blue eyes twinkled with mirth and mischief, like summer seas.
plural of “look” — the feelings expressed on a person's face
From this reading She had a roguish dimple in her cheeks, and an expression of consciousness of her good looks on her face.
appealing to the emotions as well as the eye
From this reading The children had inherited from their father blue eyes and very fair hair; they had lovely complexions, and clear, bright colour; some of them had certainly derived from him also an inertness of character which left them and their futures at the mercy of the persons and the chances that should surround or fall in their way.
leniency and compassion shown toward offenders by a person or agency charged with administering justice
From this reading The children had inherited from their father blue eyes and very fair hair; they had lovely complexions, and clear, bright colour; some of them had certainly derived from him also an inertness of character which left them and their futures at the mercy of the persons and the chances that should surround or fall in their way.
mirthnounUS /mɜːrθ/
great merriment
From this reading Her blue eyes twinkled with mirth and mischief, like summer seas.
reckless or malicious behavior that causes discomfort or annoyance in others
From this reading Her blue eyes twinkled with mirth and mischief, like summer seas.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading This was not the case with Kate, who had character of her own, though very diverse from that of her eldest sister.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The children had inherited from their father blue eyes and very fair hair; they had lovely complexions, and clear, bright colour; some of them had certainly derived from him also an inertness of character which left them and their futures at the mercy of the persons and the chances that should surround or fall in their way.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading She had a roguish dimple in her cheeks, and an expression of consciousness of her good looks on her face.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading The children had inherited from their father blue eyes and very fair hair; they had lovely complexions, and clear, bright colour; some of them had certainly derived from him also an inertness of character which left them and their futures at the mercy of the persons and the chances that should surround or fall in their way.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading This was not the case with Kate, who had character of her own, though very diverse from that of her eldest sister.
plural of “person” — a human being
From this reading The children had inherited from their father blue eyes and very fair hair; they had lovely complexions, and clear, bright colour; some of them had certainly derived from him also an inertness of character which left them and their futures at the mercy of the persons and the chances that should surround or fall in their way.
past form of “promise” — make a promise or commitment
From this reading Kate promised to be the beauty of the family.
roguishadjective
playful in an appealingly bold way
From this reading She had a roguish dimple in her cheeks, and an expression of consciousness of her good looks on her face.
plural of “sea” — a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading Her blue eyes twinkled with mirth and mischief, like summer seas.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She had a roguish dimple in her cheeks, and an expression of consciousness of her good looks on her face.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading The children had inherited from their father blue eyes and very fair hair; they had lovely complexions, and clear, bright colour; some of them had certainly derived from him also an inertness of character which left them and their futures at the mercy of the persons and the chances that should surround or fall in their way.
a female person who has the same parents as another person
From this reading This was not the case with Kate, who had character of her own, though very diverse from that of her eldest sister.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading The children had inherited from their father blue eyes and very fair hair; they had lovely complexions, and clear, bright colour; some of them had certainly derived from him also an inertness of character which left them and their futures at the mercy of the persons and the chances that should surround or fall in their way.
the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox
From this reading Her blue eyes twinkled with mirth and mischief, like summer seas.
surroundverbUS /sərˈaʊnd/
extend on all sides of simultaneously; encircle
From this reading The children had inherited from their father blue eyes and very fair hair; they had lovely complexions, and clear, bright colour; some of them had certainly derived from him also an inertness of character which left them and their futures at the mercy of the persons and the chances that should surround or fall in their way.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The children had inherited from their father blue eyes and very fair hair; they had lovely complexions, and clear, bright colour; some of them had certainly derived from him also an inertness of character which left them and their futures at the mercy of the persons and the chances that should surround or fall in their way.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The children had inherited from their father blue eyes and very fair hair; they had lovely complexions, and clear, bright colour; some of them had certainly derived from him also an inertness of character which left them and their futures at the mercy of the persons and the chances that should surround or fall in their way.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The children had inherited from their father blue eyes and very fair hair; they had lovely complexions, and clear, bright colour; some of them had certainly derived from him also an inertness of character which left them and their futures at the mercy of the persons and the chances that should surround or fall in their way.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The children had inherited from their father blue eyes and very fair hair; they had lovely complexions, and clear, bright colour; some of them had certainly derived from him also an inertness of character which left them and their futures at the mercy of the persons and the chances that should surround or fall in their way.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The children had inherited from their father blue eyes and very fair hair; they had lovely complexions, and clear, bright colour; some of them had certainly derived from him also an inertness of character which left them and their futures at the mercy of the persons and the chances that should surround or fall in their way.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This was not the case with Kate, who had character of her own, though very diverse from that of her eldest sister.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading This was not the case with Kate, who had character of her own, though very diverse from that of her eldest sister.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Kate promised to be the beauty of the family.
twinkledverbUS /ˈtwɪŋkəld/
past form of “twinkle” — gleam or glow intermittently
From this reading Her blue eyes twinkled with mirth and mischief, like summer seas.
precisely as stated
From this reading The children had inherited from their father blue eyes and very fair hair; they had lovely complexions, and clear, bright colour; some of them had certainly derived from him also an inertness of character which left them and their futures at the mercy of the persons and the chances that should surround or fall in their way.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading This was not the case with Kate, who had character of her own, though very diverse from that of her eldest sister.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading The children had inherited from their father blue eyes and very fair hair; they had lovely complexions, and clear, bright colour; some of them had certainly derived from him also an inertness of character which left them and their futures at the mercy of the persons and the chances that should surround or fall in their way.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The children had inherited from their father blue eyes and very fair hair; they had lovely complexions, and clear, bright colour; some of them had certainly derived from him also an inertness of character which left them and their futures at the mercy of the persons and the chances that should surround or fall in their way.
which person or people
From this reading This was not the case with Kate, who had character of her own, though very diverse from that of her eldest sister.
in the company of; together with
From this reading This was not the case with Kate, who had character of her own, though very diverse from that of her eldest sister.
