used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The girls smoked in silence for a time, the Archduchess staring hard before her, after her habit, as if she were poring over the cryptogram of the future.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading “I suppose it will be wise to pay my new friend the compliment of asking his advice about my Hungarian household--about the Obersthofmeisterin, at all events.
a proposal for an appropriate course of action
From this reading “I suppose it will be wise to pay my new friend the compliment of asking his advice about my Hungarian household--about the Obersthofmeisterin, at all events.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading The girls smoked in silence for a time, the Archduchess staring hard before her, after her habit, as if she were poring over the cryptogram of the future.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading “I suppose it will be wise to pay my new friend the compliment of asking his advice about my Hungarian household--about the Obersthofmeisterin, at all events.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading “Let us forget William--and Austria.
Archduchessnoun
a wife or widow of an archduke or a princess of the former ruling house of Austria
From this reading The girls smoked in silence for a time, the Archduchess staring hard before her, after her habit, as if she were poring over the cryptogram of the future.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Where are the cigarettes?”
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The girls smoked in silence for a time, the Archduchess staring hard before her, after her habit, as if she were poring over the cryptogram of the future.
the verbal act of requesting
From this reading “I suppose it will be wise to pay my new friend the compliment of asking his advice about my Hungarian household--about the Obersthofmeisterin, at all events.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading “I suppose it will be wise to pay my new friend the compliment of asking his advice about my Hungarian household--about the Obersthofmeisterin, at all events.
AustrianounUS /ˈɔːstriə/
a mountainous republic in central Europe; under the Habsburgs (1278-1918) Austria maintained control of the Holy Roman Empire and was a leader in European politics until the 19th century
From this reading “Let us forget William--and Austria.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading “I suppose it will be wise to pay my new friend the compliment of asking his advice about my Hungarian household--about the Obersthofmeisterin, at all events.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading The girls smoked in silence for a time, the Archduchess staring hard before her, after her habit, as if she were poring over the cryptogram of the future.
treated by heating to a high temperature but below the melting or fusing point
From this reading When the short Russian cigarette had burned to its mouth-piece she returned to the present.
cigarettenounUS /ˌsɪɡərˈet/
finely ground tobacco wrapped in paper; for smoking
From this reading When the short Russian cigarette had burned to its mouth-piece she returned to the present.
cigarettesnounUS /ˌsɪɡərˈets/
plural of “cigarette” — finely ground tobacco wrapped in paper; for smoking
From this reading Where are the cigarettes?”
complimentverbUS /ˈkɑːmpləment/
say something to someone that expresses praise
From this reading “I suppose it will be wise to pay my new friend the compliment of asking his advice about my Hungarian household--about the Obersthofmeisterin, at all events.
cryptogramnoun
a piece of writing in code or cipher
From this reading The girls smoked in silence for a time, the Archduchess staring hard before her, after her habit, as if she were poring over the cryptogram of the future.
plural of “event” — something that happens at a given place and time
From this reading “I suppose it will be wise to pay my new friend the compliment of asking his advice about my Hungarian household--about the Obersthofmeisterin, at all events.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The girls smoked in silence for a time, the Archduchess staring hard before her, after her habit, as if she were poring over the cryptogram of the future.
dismiss from the mind; stop remembering
From this reading “Let us forget William--and Austria.
a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading “I suppose it will be wise to pay my new friend the compliment of asking his advice about my Hungarian household--about the Obersthofmeisterin, at all events.
yet to be or coming
From this reading The girls smoked in silence for a time, the Archduchess staring hard before her, after her habit, as if she were poring over the cryptogram of the future.
plural of “girl” — a young female
From this reading The girls smoked in silence for a time, the Archduchess staring hard before her, after her habit, as if she were poring over the cryptogram of the future.
an established custom
From this reading The girls smoked in silence for a time, the Archduchess staring hard before her, after her habit, as if she were poring over the cryptogram of the future.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading When the short Russian cigarette had burned to its mouth-piece she returned to the present.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading The girls smoked in silence for a time, the Archduchess staring hard before her, after her habit, as if she were poring over the cryptogram of the future.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The girls smoked in silence for a time, the Archduchess staring hard before her, after her habit, as if she were poring over the cryptogram of the future.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading “I suppose it will be wise to pay my new friend the compliment of asking his advice about my Hungarian household--about the Obersthofmeisterin, at all events.
a social unit living together
From this reading “I suppose it will be wise to pay my new friend the compliment of asking his advice about my Hungarian household--about the Obersthofmeisterin, at all events.
HungarianadjectiveUS /həŋˈɡeriən/
relating to or characteristic of Hungary
From this reading “I suppose it will be wise to pay my new friend the compliment of asking his advice about my Hungarian household--about the Obersthofmeisterin, at all events.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “I suppose it will be wise to pay my new friend the compliment of asking his advice about my Hungarian household--about the Obersthofmeisterin, at all events.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading The girls smoked in silence for a time, the Archduchess staring hard before her, after her habit, as if she were poring over the cryptogram of the future.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The girls smoked in silence for a time, the Archduchess staring hard before her, after her habit, as if she were poring over the cryptogram of the future.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “I suppose it will be wise to pay my new friend the compliment of asking his advice about my Hungarian household--about the Obersthofmeisterin, at all events.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading When the short Russian cigarette had burned to its mouth-piece she returned to the present.
Letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading “Let us forget William--and Austria.
mouth-piece
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When the short Russian cigarette had burned to its mouth-piece she returned to the present.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading “I suppose it will be wise to pay my new friend the compliment of asking his advice about my Hungarian household--about the Obersthofmeisterin, at all events.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading “I suppose it will be wise to pay my new friend the compliment of asking his advice about my Hungarian household--about the Obersthofmeisterin, at all events.
Obersthofmeisterin
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I suppose it will be wise to pay my new friend the compliment of asking his advice about my Hungarian household--about the Obersthofmeisterin, at all events.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The girls smoked in silence for a time, the Archduchess staring hard before her, after her habit, as if she were poring over the cryptogram of the future.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading The girls smoked in silence for a time, the Archduchess staring hard before her, after her habit, as if she were poring over the cryptogram of the future.
give money, usually in exchange for goods or services
From this reading “I suppose it will be wise to pay my new friend the compliment of asking his advice about my Hungarian household--about the Obersthofmeisterin, at all events.
poringverbUS /ˈpɔːrɪŋ/
-ing form of “pore” — direct one's attention on something
From this reading The girls smoked in silence for a time, the Archduchess staring hard before her, after her habit, as if she were poring over the cryptogram of the future.
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading When the short Russian cigarette had burned to its mouth-piece she returned to the present.
past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading When the short Russian cigarette had burned to its mouth-piece she returned to the present.
RussiannounUS /ˈrʌʃən/
a native or inhabitant of Russia
From this reading When the short Russian cigarette had burned to its mouth-piece she returned to the present.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The girls smoked in silence for a time, the Archduchess staring hard before her, after her habit, as if she were poring over the cryptogram of the future.
primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration
From this reading When the short Russian cigarette had burned to its mouth-piece she returned to the present.
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading The girls smoked in silence for a time, the Archduchess staring hard before her, after her habit, as if she were poring over the cryptogram of the future.
smokedadjectiveUS /smoʊkt/
(used especially of meats and fish) dried and cured by hanging in wood smoke
From this reading The girls smoked in silence for a time, the Archduchess staring hard before her, after her habit, as if she were poring over the cryptogram of the future.
(used of eyes) open and fixed as if in fear or wonder
From this reading The girls smoked in silence for a time, the Archduchess staring hard before her, after her habit, as if she were poring over the cryptogram of the future.
express a supposition
From this reading “I suppose it will be wise to pay my new friend the compliment of asking his advice about my Hungarian household--about the Obersthofmeisterin, at all events.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Where are the cigarettes?”
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading The girls smoked in silence for a time, the Archduchess staring hard before her, after her habit, as if she were poring over the cryptogram of the future.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading When the short Russian cigarette had burned to its mouth-piece she returned to the present.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “Let us forget William--and Austria.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The girls smoked in silence for a time, the Archduchess staring hard before her, after her habit, as if she were poring over the cryptogram of the future.
at the time that
From this reading When the short Russian cigarette had burned to its mouth-piece she returned to the present.
in or at the place that
From this reading Where are the cigarettes?”
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading “I suppose it will be wise to pay my new friend the compliment of asking his advice about my Hungarian household--about the Obersthofmeisterin, at all events.
William
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Let us forget William--and Austria.
having or prompted by wisdom or discernment
From this reading “I suppose it will be wise to pay my new friend the compliment of asking his advice about my Hungarian household--about the Obersthofmeisterin, at all events.
