used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading However, when the bell rang, she was wearing her new Chinese red housecoat, had just lustered her nails to a blinding scarlet, and Harry Junior was sleeping like an angel.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading _Anyone can make an error, but the higher the society ... the more disastrous the mistake!_ Half an hour before, while she had been engrossed in the current soap opera and Harry Junior was screaming in his crib, Melinda would naturally have slammed the front door in the little man's face.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading _Anyone can make an error, but the higher the society ... the more disastrous the mistake!_ Half an hour before, while she had been engrossed in the current soap opera and Harry Junior was screaming in his crib, Melinda would naturally have slammed the front door in the little man's face.
spiritual being attendant upon God
From this reading However, when the bell rang, she was wearing her new Chinese red housecoat, had just lustered her nails to a blinding scarlet, and Harry Junior was sleeping like an angel.
past form of “answer” — react verbally
From this reading Yawning, Melinda answered the door and the little man said, beaming, "Excellent day.
any person at all
From this reading _Anyone can make an error, but the higher the society ... the more disastrous the mistake!_ Half an hour before, while she had been engrossed in the current soap opera and Harry Junior was screaming in his crib, Melinda would naturally have slammed the front door in the little man's face.
beamingadjectiveUS /ˈbiːmɪŋ/
cheerful and bright
From this reading Yawning, Melinda answered the door and the little man said, beaming, "Excellent day.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading _Anyone can make an error, but the higher the society ... the more disastrous the mistake!_ Half an hour before, while she had been engrossed in the current soap opera and Harry Junior was screaming in his crib, Melinda would naturally have slammed the front door in the little man's face.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading _Anyone can make an error, but the higher the society ... the more disastrous the mistake!_ Half an hour before, while she had been engrossed in the current soap opera and Harry Junior was screaming in his crib, Melinda would naturally have slammed the front door in the little man's face.
a hollow device made of metal that makes a ringing sound when struck
From this reading However, when the bell rang, she was wearing her new Chinese red housecoat, had just lustered her nails to a blinding scarlet, and Harry Junior was sleeping like an angel.
blindingadjectiveUS /ˈblaɪndɪŋ/
shining intensely
From this reading However, when the bell rang, she was wearing her new Chinese red housecoat, had just lustered her nails to a blinding scarlet, and Harry Junior was sleeping like an angel.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading _Anyone can make an error, but the higher the society ... the more disastrous the mistake!_ Half an hour before, while she had been engrossed in the current soap opera and Harry Junior was screaming in his crib, Melinda would naturally have slammed the front door in the little man's face.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading _Anyone can make an error, but the higher the society ... the more disastrous the mistake!_ Half an hour before, while she had been engrossed in the current soap opera and Harry Junior was screaming in his crib, Melinda would naturally have slammed the front door in the little man's face.
ChinesenounUS /tʃaɪˈniːz/
any of the Sino-Tibetan languages spoken in China; regarded as dialects of a single language (even though they are mutually unintelligible) because they share an ideographic writing system
From this reading However, when the bell rang, she was wearing her new Chinese red housecoat, had just lustered her nails to a blinding scarlet, and Harry Junior was sleeping like an angel.
cribnounUS /krɪb/
baby bed with high sides made of slats
From this reading _Anyone can make an error, but the higher the society ... the more disastrous the mistake!_ Half an hour before, while she had been engrossed in the current soap opera and Harry Junior was screaming in his crib, Melinda would naturally have slammed the front door in the little man's face.
a flow of electricity through a conductor
From this reading _Anyone can make an error, but the higher the society ... the more disastrous the mistake!_ Half an hour before, while she had been engrossed in the current soap opera and Harry Junior was screaming in his crib, Melinda would naturally have slammed the front door in the little man's face.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading Yawning, Melinda answered the door and the little man said, beaming, "Excellent day.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Melinda did not quite recoil.
disastrousadjectiveUS /dɪˈzæstrəs/
(of events) having extremely unfortunate or dire consequences; bringing ruin
From this reading _Anyone can make an error, but the higher the society ... the more disastrous the mistake!_ Half an hour before, while she had been engrossed in the current soap opera and Harry Junior was screaming in his crib, Melinda would naturally have slammed the front door in the little man's face.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading _Anyone can make an error, but the higher the society ... the more disastrous the mistake!_ Half an hour before, while she had been engrossed in the current soap opera and Harry Junior was screaming in his crib, Melinda would naturally have slammed the front door in the little man's face.
engrossedadjectiveUS /ɪnˈɡroʊst/
giving or marked by complete attention to
From this reading _Anyone can make an error, but the higher the society ... the more disastrous the mistake!_ Half an hour before, while she had been engrossed in the current soap opera and Harry Junior was screaming in his crib, Melinda would naturally have slammed the front door in the little man's face.
errornounUS /ˈerər/
a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention
From this reading _Anyone can make an error, but the higher the society ... the more disastrous the mistake!_ Half an hour before, while she had been engrossed in the current soap opera and Harry Junior was screaming in his crib, Melinda would naturally have slammed the front door in the little man's face.
very good; of the highest quality
From this reading Yawning, Melinda answered the door and the little man said, beaming, "Excellent day.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading _Anyone can make an error, but the higher the society ... the more disastrous the mistake!_ Half an hour before, while she had been engrossed in the current soap opera and Harry Junior was screaming in his crib, Melinda would naturally have slammed the front door in the little man's face.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading I have geegaws for information."
the side that is forward or prominent
From this reading _Anyone can make an error, but the higher the society ... the more disastrous the mistake!_ Half an hour before, while she had been engrossed in the current soap opera and Harry Junior was screaming in his crib, Melinda would naturally have slammed the front door in the little man's face.
geegaws
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I have geegaws for information."
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading _Anyone can make an error, but the higher the society ... the more disastrous the mistake!_ Half an hour before, while she had been engrossed in the current soap opera and Harry Junior was screaming in his crib, Melinda would naturally have slammed the front door in the little man's face.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading _Anyone can make an error, but the higher the society ... the more disastrous the mistake!_ Half an hour before, while she had been engrossed in the current soap opera and Harry Junior was screaming in his crib, Melinda would naturally have slammed the front door in the little man's face.
annoy continually or chronically
From this reading _Anyone can make an error, but the higher the society ... the more disastrous the mistake!_ Half an hour before, while she had been engrossed in the current soap opera and Harry Junior was screaming in his crib, Melinda would naturally have slammed the front door in the little man's face.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading _Anyone can make an error, but the higher the society ... the more disastrous the mistake!_ Half an hour before, while she had been engrossed in the current soap opera and Harry Junior was screaming in his crib, Melinda would naturally have slammed the front door in the little man's face.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading However, when the bell rang, she was wearing her new Chinese red housecoat, had just lustered her nails to a blinding scarlet, and Harry Junior was sleeping like an angel.
advanced in complexity or elaboration
From this reading _Anyone can make an error, but the higher the society ... the more disastrous the mistake!_ Half an hour before, while she had been engrossed in the current soap opera and Harry Junior was screaming in his crib, Melinda would naturally have slammed the front door in the little man's face.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading _Anyone can make an error, but the higher the society ... the more disastrous the mistake!_ Half an hour before, while she had been engrossed in the current soap opera and Harry Junior was screaming in his crib, Melinda would naturally have slammed the front door in the little man's face.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading _Anyone can make an error, but the higher the society ... the more disastrous the mistake!_ Half an hour before, while she had been engrossed in the current soap opera and Harry Junior was screaming in his crib, Melinda would naturally have slammed the front door in the little man's face.
housecoatnoun
a loose dressing gown for women
From this reading However, when the bell rang, she was wearing her new Chinese red housecoat, had just lustered her nails to a blinding scarlet, and Harry Junior was sleeping like an angel.
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading However, when the bell rang, she was wearing her new Chinese red housecoat, had just lustered her nails to a blinding scarlet, and Harry Junior was sleeping like an angel.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I have geegaws for information."
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading _Anyone can make an error, but the higher the society ... the more disastrous the mistake!_ Half an hour before, while she had been engrossed in the current soap opera and Harry Junior was screaming in his crib, Melinda would naturally have slammed the front door in the little man's face.
a message received and understood
From this reading I have geegaws for information."
JuniornounUS /ˈdʒuːnjər/
term of address for a disrespectful and annoying male
From this reading _Anyone can make an error, but the higher the society ... the more disastrous the mistake!_ Half an hour before, while she had been engrossed in the current soap opera and Harry Junior was screaming in his crib, Melinda would naturally have slammed the front door in the little man's face.
and nothing more
From this reading However, when the bell rang, she was wearing her new Chinese red housecoat, had just lustered her nails to a blinding scarlet, and Harry Junior was sleeping like an angel.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading However, when the bell rang, she was wearing her new Chinese red housecoat, had just lustered her nails to a blinding scarlet, and Harry Junior was sleeping like an angel.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading _Anyone can make an error, but the higher the society ... the more disastrous the mistake!_ Half an hour before, while she had been engrossed in the current soap opera and Harry Junior was screaming in his crib, Melinda would naturally have slammed the front door in the little man's face.
lustered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading However, when the bell rang, she was wearing her new Chinese red housecoat, had just lustered her nails to a blinding scarlet, and Harry Junior was sleeping like an angel.
engage in
From this reading _Anyone can make an error, but the higher the society ... the more disastrous the mistake!_ Half an hour before, while she had been engrossed in the current soap opera and Harry Junior was screaming in his crib, Melinda would naturally have slammed the front door in the little man's face.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading Yawning, Melinda answered the door and the little man said, beaming, "Excellent day.
man'snounUS /mænz/
possessive form of “man” — an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading _Anyone can make an error, but the higher the society ... the more disastrous the mistake!_ Half an hour before, while she had been engrossed in the current soap opera and Harry Junior was screaming in his crib, Melinda would naturally have slammed the front door in the little man's face.
Melinda
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _Anyone can make an error, but the higher the society ... the more disastrous the mistake!_ Half an hour before, while she had been engrossed in the current soap opera and Harry Junior was screaming in his crib, Melinda would naturally have slammed the front door in the little man's face.
a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention
From this reading _Anyone can make an error, but the higher the society ... the more disastrous the mistake!_ Half an hour before, while she had been engrossed in the current soap opera and Harry Junior was screaming in his crib, Melinda would naturally have slammed the front door in the little man's face.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading _Anyone can make an error, but the higher the society ... the more disastrous the mistake!_ Half an hour before, while she had been engrossed in the current soap opera and Harry Junior was screaming in his crib, Melinda would naturally have slammed the front door in the little man's face.
nailsnounUS /neɪlz/
plural of “nail” — horny plate covering and protecting part of the dorsal surface of the digits
From this reading However, when the bell rang, she was wearing her new Chinese red housecoat, had just lustered her nails to a blinding scarlet, and Harry Junior was sleeping like an angel.
as might be expected
From this reading _Anyone can make an error, but the higher the society ... the more disastrous the mistake!_ Half an hour before, while she had been engrossed in the current soap opera and Harry Junior was screaming in his crib, Melinda would naturally have slammed the front door in the little man's face.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading However, when the bell rang, she was wearing her new Chinese red housecoat, had just lustered her nails to a blinding scarlet, and Harry Junior was sleeping like an angel.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Melinda did not quite recoil.
operanounUS /ˈɑːprə/
a drama set to music; consists of singing with orchestral accompaniment and an orchestral overture and interludes
From this reading _Anyone can make an error, but the higher the society ... the more disastrous the mistake!_ Half an hour before, while she had been engrossed in the current soap opera and Harry Junior was screaming in his crib, Melinda would naturally have slammed the front door in the little man's face.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading Melinda did not quite recoil.
inflected form of “ring” — sound loudly and sonorously
From this reading However, when the bell rang, she was wearing her new Chinese red housecoat, had just lustered her nails to a blinding scarlet, and Harry Junior was sleeping like an angel.
recoilverbUS /riˈkɔɪl/
draw back, as with fear or pain
From this reading Melinda did not quite recoil.
red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood
From this reading However, when the bell rang, she was wearing her new Chinese red housecoat, had just lustered her nails to a blinding scarlet, and Harry Junior was sleeping like an angel.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading Yawning, Melinda answered the door and the little man said, beaming, "Excellent day.
scarletnounUS /ˈskɑːrlət/
a variable color that is vivid red but sometimes with an orange tinge
From this reading However, when the bell rang, she was wearing her new Chinese red housecoat, had just lustered her nails to a blinding scarlet, and Harry Junior was sleeping like an angel.
screamingadjectiveUS /ˈskriːmɪŋ/
so extremely intense as to evoke screams
From this reading _Anyone can make an error, but the higher the society ... the more disastrous the mistake!_ Half an hour before, while she had been engrossed in the current soap opera and Harry Junior was screaming in his crib, Melinda would naturally have slammed the front door in the little man's face.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading _Anyone can make an error, but the higher the society ... the more disastrous the mistake!_ Half an hour before, while she had been engrossed in the current soap opera and Harry Junior was screaming in his crib, Melinda would naturally have slammed the front door in the little man's face.
slammedverbUS /slæmd/
inflected form of “slam” — close violently
From this reading _Anyone can make an error, but the higher the society ... the more disastrous the mistake!_ Half an hour before, while she had been engrossed in the current soap opera and Harry Junior was screaming in his crib, Melinda would naturally have slammed the front door in the little man's face.
the state of being asleep
From this reading However, when the bell rang, she was wearing her new Chinese red housecoat, had just lustered her nails to a blinding scarlet, and Harry Junior was sleeping like an angel.
soapnounUS /soʊp/
a cleansing agent made from the salts of vegetable or animal fats
From this reading _Anyone can make an error, but the higher the society ... the more disastrous the mistake!_ Half an hour before, while she had been engrossed in the current soap opera and Harry Junior was screaming in his crib, Melinda would naturally have slammed the front door in the little man's face.
an extended social group having a distinctive cultural and economic organization
From this reading _Anyone can make an error, but the higher the society ... the more disastrous the mistake!_ Half an hour before, while she had been engrossed in the current soap opera and Harry Junior was screaming in his crib, Melinda would naturally have slammed the front door in the little man's face.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading _Anyone can make an error, but the higher the society ... the more disastrous the mistake!_ Half an hour before, while she had been engrossed in the current soap opera and Harry Junior was screaming in his crib, Melinda would naturally have slammed the front door in the little man's face.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading However, when the bell rang, she was wearing her new Chinese red housecoat, had just lustered her nails to a blinding scarlet, and Harry Junior was sleeping like an angel.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading _Anyone can make an error, but the higher the society ... the more disastrous the mistake!_ Half an hour before, while she had been engrossed in the current soap opera and Harry Junior was screaming in his crib, Melinda would naturally have slammed the front door in the little man's face.
(geology) the mechanical process of wearing or grinding something down (as by particles washing over it)
From this reading However, when the bell rang, she was wearing her new Chinese red housecoat, had just lustered her nails to a blinding scarlet, and Harry Junior was sleeping like an angel.
at the time that
From this reading However, when the bell rang, she was wearing her new Chinese red housecoat, had just lustered her nails to a blinding scarlet, and Harry Junior was sleeping like an angel.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading _Anyone can make an error, but the higher the society ... the more disastrous the mistake!_ Half an hour before, while she had been engrossed in the current soap opera and Harry Junior was screaming in his crib, Melinda would naturally have slammed the front door in the little man's face.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading _Anyone can make an error, but the higher the society ... the more disastrous the mistake!_ Half an hour before, while she had been engrossed in the current soap opera and Harry Junior was screaming in his crib, Melinda would naturally have slammed the front door in the little man's face.
YawningadjectiveUS /ˈjɔːnɪŋ/
gaping open as if threatening to engulf someone or something
From this reading Yawning, Melinda answered the door and the little man said, beaming, "Excellent day.
