used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading On the second of these Madge had fallen back behind her mother, throwing the dark cloak which she wore on to a chair.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The studio was at the top of the house, and two landings had to be passed and three staircases surmounted before it was reached.
announcementnounUS /əˈnaʊnsmənt/
a formal public statement
From this reading The maid had preceded them both, and threw the door of the studio open without announcement of names.
a human limb; technically the part of the superior limb between the shoulder and the elbow but commonly used to refer to the whole superior limb
From this reading The scarlet opera cloak she had on her arm.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The studio was at the top of the house, and two landings had to be passed and three staircases surmounted before it was reached.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading On the second of these Madge had fallen back behind her mother, throwing the dark cloak which she wore on to a chair.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The studio was at the top of the house, and two landings had to be passed and three staircases surmounted before it was reached.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading The studio was at the top of the house, and two landings had to be passed and three staircases surmounted before it was reached.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading On the second of these Madge had fallen back behind her mother, throwing the dark cloak which she wore on to a chair.
the two together, not just one
From this reading The maid had preceded them both, and threw the door of the studio open without announcement of names.
a seat for one person, with a support for the back
From this reading On the second of these Madge had fallen back behind her mother, throwing the dark cloak which she wore on to a chair.
anything that covers or conceals
From this reading On the second of these Madge had fallen back behind her mother, throwing the dark cloak which she wore on to a chair.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading On the second of these Madge had fallen back behind her mother, throwing the dark cloak which she wore on to a chair.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading The maid had preceded them both, and threw the door of the studio open without announcement of names.
EllingtonnounUS /ˈelɪŋtən/
United States jazz composer and piano player and bandleader (1899-1974)
From this reading "We will go upstairs," said Lady Ellington.
having dropped by the force of gravity
From this reading On the second of these Madge had fallen back behind her mother, throwing the dark cloak which she wore on to a chair.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading "We will go upstairs," said Lady Ellington.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The studio was at the top of the house, and two landings had to be passed and three staircases surmounted before it was reached.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading On the second of these Madge had fallen back behind her mother, throwing the dark cloak which she wore on to a chair.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading The studio was at the top of the house, and two landings had to be passed and three staircases surmounted before it was reached.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The studio was at the top of the house, and two landings had to be passed and three staircases surmounted before it was reached.
a polite name for any woman
From this reading "We will go upstairs," said Lady Ellington.
landingsnounUS /ˈlændɪŋz/
plural of “landing” — an intermediate platform in a staircase
From this reading The studio was at the top of the house, and two landings had to be passed and three staircases surmounted before it was reached.
Madge
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On the second of these Madge had fallen back behind her mother, throwing the dark cloak which she wore on to a chair.
a female domestic
From this reading The maid had preceded them both, and threw the door of the studio open without announcement of names.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading On the second of these Madge had fallen back behind her mother, throwing the dark cloak which she wore on to a chair.
verbal abuse; a crude substitute for argument
From this reading The maid had preceded them both, and threw the door of the studio open without announcement of names.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The studio was at the top of the house, and two landings had to be passed and three staircases surmounted before it was reached.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading On the second of these Madge had fallen back behind her mother, throwing the dark cloak which she wore on to a chair.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading The maid had preceded them both, and threw the door of the studio open without announcement of names.
operanounUS /ˈɑːprə/
a drama set to music; consists of singing with orchestral accompaniment and an orchestral overture and interludes
From this reading The scarlet opera cloak she had on her arm.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading The studio was at the top of the house, and two landings had to be passed and three staircases surmounted before it was reached.
precededverbUS /prɪˈsiːdɪd/
past form of “precede” — be earlier in time; go back further
From this reading The maid had preceded them both, and threw the door of the studio open without announcement of names.
past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading The studio was at the top of the house, and two landings had to be passed and three staircases surmounted before it was reached.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "We will go upstairs," said Lady Ellington.
scarletnounUS /ˈskɑːrlət/
a variable color that is vivid red but sometimes with an orange tinge
From this reading The scarlet opera cloak she had on her arm.
1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading On the second of these Madge had fallen back behind her mother, throwing the dark cloak which she wore on to a chair.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading On the second of these Madge had fallen back behind her mother, throwing the dark cloak which she wore on to a chair.
staircasesnounUS /ˈsterkeɪsɪz/
plural of “staircase” — a way of access (upward and downward) consisting of a set of steps
From this reading The studio was at the top of the house, and two landings had to be passed and three staircases surmounted before it was reached.
studionounUS /ˈstuːdioʊ/
workplace for the teaching or practice of an art
From this reading The studio was at the top of the house, and two landings had to be passed and three staircases surmounted before it was reached.
surmountedadjectiveUS /sərˈmaʊntɪd/
having something on top
From this reading The studio was at the top of the house, and two landings had to be passed and three staircases surmounted before it was reached.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The studio was at the top of the house, and two landings had to be passed and three staircases surmounted before it was reached.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The maid had preceded them both, and threw the door of the studio open without announcement of names.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading On the second of these Madge had fallen back behind her mother, throwing the dark cloak which she wore on to a chair.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading The studio was at the top of the house, and two landings had to be passed and three staircases surmounted before it was reached.
inflected form of “throw” — propel through the air
From this reading The maid had preceded them both, and threw the door of the studio open without announcement of names.
-ing form of “throw” — propel through the air
From this reading On the second of these Madge had fallen back behind her mother, throwing the dark cloak which she wore on to a chair.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The studio was at the top of the house, and two landings had to be passed and three staircases surmounted before it was reached.
the upper part of anything
From this reading The studio was at the top of the house, and two landings had to be passed and three staircases surmounted before it was reached.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading The studio was at the top of the house, and two landings had to be passed and three staircases surmounted before it was reached.
on a floor above
From this reading "We will go upstairs," said Lady Ellington.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The studio was at the top of the house, and two landings had to be passed and three staircases surmounted before it was reached.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading "We will go upstairs," said Lady Ellington.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading On the second of these Madge had fallen back behind her mother, throwing the dark cloak which she wore on to a chair.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading "We will go upstairs," said Lady Ellington.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading The maid had preceded them both, and threw the door of the studio open without announcement of names.
inflected form of “wear” — be dressed in
From this reading On the second of these Madge had fallen back behind her mother, throwing the dark cloak which she wore on to a chair.
