used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The awkwardness of his relations with Anne Dillon wore away speedily, until he began to think as well as speak of her as his mother; for she proved with time to be a humorous and delightful mother.
abilitynounUS /əˈbɪlətiː/
the quality of being able to perform; a quality that permits or facilitates achievement or accomplishment
From this reading Her love for rich colors and gay scenes, her ability to play gracefully the awkward part which he had chosen for her, her affectionate and discreet reserve, her delicate tact and fine wit, and her half-humorous determination to invade society, showed her as a woman of parts.
affectionateadjectiveUS /əˈfekʃənət/
having or displaying warmth or affection
From this reading Her love for rich colors and gay scenes, her ability to play gracefully the awkward part which he had chosen for her, her affectionate and discreet reserve, her delicate tact and fine wit, and her half-humorous determination to invade society, showed her as a woman of parts.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The awkwardness of his relations with Anne Dillon wore away speedily, until he began to think as well as speak of her as his mother; for she proved with time to be a humorous and delightful mother.
Queen of England and Scotland and Ireland; daughter if James II and the last of the Stuart monarchs; in 1707 she was the last English ruler to exercise the royal veto over parliament (1665-1714)
From this reading The awkwardness of his relations with Anne Dillon wore away speedily, until he began to think as well as speak of her as his mother; for she proved with time to be a humorous and delightful mother.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The awkwardness of his relations with Anne Dillon wore away speedily, until he began to think as well as speak of her as his mother; for she proved with time to be a humorous and delightful mother.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading THE VILLA AT CONEY ISLAND.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading The awkwardness of his relations with Anne Dillon wore away speedily, until he began to think as well as speak of her as his mother; for she proved with time to be a humorous and delightful mother.
awkwardadjectiveUS /ˈɑːkwərd/
causing inconvenience
From this reading Her love for rich colors and gay scenes, her ability to play gracefully the awkward part which he had chosen for her, her affectionate and discreet reserve, her delicate tact and fine wit, and her half-humorous determination to invade society, showed her as a woman of parts.
awkwardnessnounUS /ˈɔːkwərdnəs/
unskillfulness resulting from a lack of training
From this reading The awkwardness of his relations with Anne Dillon wore away speedily, until he began to think as well as speak of her as his mother; for she proved with time to be a humorous and delightful mother.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The awkwardness of his relations with Anne Dillon wore away speedily, until he began to think as well as speak of her as his mother; for she proved with time to be a humorous and delightful mother.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading The awkwardness of his relations with Anne Dillon wore away speedily, until he began to think as well as speak of her as his mother; for she proved with time to be a humorous and delightful mother.
the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something
From this reading How this success should be won, and what was the circle, he did not know, nor care.
charmedadjectiveUS /tʃɑːrmd/
strongly attracted
From this reading He indulged her fancies, in particular her dream of entering the charmed circle of New York society.
one who is the object of choice; who is given preference
From this reading Her love for rich colors and gay scenes, her ability to play gracefully the awkward part which he had chosen for her, her affectionate and discreet reserve, her delicate tact and fine wit, and her half-humorous determination to invade society, showed her as a woman of parts.
ellipse in which the two axes are of equal length; a plane curve generated by one point moving at a constant distance from a fixed point
From this reading He indulged her fancies, in particular her dream of entering the charmed circle of New York society.
colorsnounUS /ˈkʌlərz/
a flag that shows its nationality
From this reading Her love for rich colors and gay scenes, her ability to play gracefully the awkward part which he had chosen for her, her affectionate and discreet reserve, her delicate tact and fine wit, and her half-humorous determination to invade society, showed her as a woman of parts.
CONEYnounUS /ˈkoʊni/
black-spotted usually dusky-colored fish with reddish fins
From this reading THE VILLA AT CONEY ISLAND.
exquisitely fine and subtle and pleasing; susceptible to injury
From this reading Her love for rich colors and gay scenes, her ability to play gracefully the awkward part which he had chosen for her, her affectionate and discreet reserve, her delicate tact and fine wit, and her half-humorous determination to invade society, showed her as a woman of parts.
greatly pleasing or entertaining
From this reading The awkwardness of his relations with Anne Dillon wore away speedily, until he began to think as well as speak of her as his mother; for she proved with time to be a humorous and delightful mother.
determinationnounUS /dɪˌtɜːrməˈneɪʃən/
the act of determining the properties of something, usually by research or calculation
From this reading Her love for rich colors and gay scenes, her ability to play gracefully the awkward part which he had chosen for her, her affectionate and discreet reserve, her delicate tact and fine wit, and her half-humorous determination to invade society, showed her as a woman of parts.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading How this success should be won, and what was the circle, he did not know, nor care.
Dillon
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The awkwardness of his relations with Anne Dillon wore away speedily, until he began to think as well as speak of her as his mother; for she proved with time to be a humorous and delightful mother.
discreetadjectiveUS /dɪˈskriːt/
marked by prudence or modesty and wise self-restraint
From this reading Her love for rich colors and gay scenes, her ability to play gracefully the awkward part which he had chosen for her, her affectionate and discreet reserve, her delicate tact and fine wit, and her half-humorous determination to invade society, showed her as a woman of parts.
A series of thoughts, images, or emotions during sleep.
From this reading He indulged her fancies, in particular her dream of entering the charmed circle of New York society.
a movement into or inward
From this reading He indulged her fancies, in particular her dream of entering the charmed circle of New York society.
fanciesnounUS /ˈfænsiz/
plural of “fancy” — something many people believe that is false
From this reading He indulged her fancies, in particular her dream of entering the charmed circle of New York society.
being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition
From this reading Her love for rich colors and gay scenes, her ability to play gracefully the awkward part which he had chosen for her, her affectionate and discreet reserve, her delicate tact and fine wit, and her half-humorous determination to invade society, showed her as a woman of parts.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The awkwardness of his relations with Anne Dillon wore away speedily, until he began to think as well as speak of her as his mother; for she proved with time to be a humorous and delightful mother.
bright and pleasant; promoting a feeling of cheer
From this reading Her love for rich colors and gay scenes, her ability to play gracefully the awkward part which he had chosen for her, her affectionate and discreet reserve, her delicate tact and fine wit, and her half-humorous determination to invade society, showed her as a woman of parts.
gracefullyadverbUS /ˈɡreɪsfəli/
in a graceful manner
From this reading Her love for rich colors and gay scenes, her ability to play gracefully the awkward part which he had chosen for her, her affectionate and discreet reserve, her delicate tact and fine wit, and her half-humorous determination to invade society, showed her as a woman of parts.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Her love for rich colors and gay scenes, her ability to play gracefully the awkward part which he had chosen for her, her affectionate and discreet reserve, her delicate tact and fine wit, and her half-humorous determination to invade society, showed her as a woman of parts.
half-humorous
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her love for rich colors and gay scenes, her ability to play gracefully the awkward part which he had chosen for her, her affectionate and discreet reserve, her delicate tact and fine wit, and her half-humorous determination to invade society, showed her as a woman of parts.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The awkwardness of his relations with Anne Dillon wore away speedily, until he began to think as well as speak of her as his mother; for she proved with time to be a humorous and delightful mother.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The awkwardness of his relations with Anne Dillon wore away speedily, until he began to think as well as speak of her as his mother; for she proved with time to be a humorous and delightful mother.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The awkwardness of his relations with Anne Dillon wore away speedily, until he began to think as well as speak of her as his mother; for she proved with time to be a humorous and delightful mother.
How
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How this success should be won, and what was the circle, he did not know, nor care.
humorousadjectiveUS /ˈhjuːmərəs/
full of or characterized by humor
From this reading The awkwardness of his relations with Anne Dillon wore away speedily, until he began to think as well as speak of her as his mother; for she proved with time to be a humorous and delightful mother.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He indulged her fancies, in particular her dream of entering the charmed circle of New York society.
indulgedverbUS /ˌɪnˈdʌldʒd/
past form of “indulge” — give free rein to
From this reading He indulged her fancies, in particular her dream of entering the charmed circle of New York society.
invadeverbUS /ˌɪnˈveɪd/
march aggressively into another's territory by military force for the purposes of conquest and occupation
From this reading Her love for rich colors and gay scenes, her ability to play gracefully the awkward part which he had chosen for her, her affectionate and discreet reserve, her delicate tact and fine wit, and her half-humorous determination to invade society, showed her as a woman of parts.
a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water
From this reading THE VILLA AT CONEY ISLAND.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading How this success should be won, and what was the circle, he did not know, nor care.
a strong positive emotion of regard and affection
From this reading Her love for rich colors and gay scenes, her ability to play gracefully the awkward part which he had chosen for her, her affectionate and discreet reserve, her delicate tact and fine wit, and her half-humorous determination to invade society, showed her as a woman of parts.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading The awkwardness of his relations with Anne Dillon wore away speedily, until he began to think as well as speak of her as his mother; for she proved with time to be a humorous and delightful mother.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading He indulged her fancies, in particular her dream of entering the charmed circle of New York society.
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading How this success should be won, and what was the circle, he did not know, nor care.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading How this success should be won, and what was the circle, he did not know, nor care.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The awkwardness of his relations with Anne Dillon wore away speedily, until he began to think as well as speak of her as his mother; for she proved with time to be a humorous and delightful mother.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading Her love for rich colors and gay scenes, her ability to play gracefully the awkward part which he had chosen for her, her affectionate and discreet reserve, her delicate tact and fine wit, and her half-humorous determination to invade society, showed her as a woman of parts.
unique or specific to a person or thing or category
From this reading He indulged her fancies, in particular her dream of entering the charmed circle of New York society.
the local environment
From this reading Her love for rich colors and gay scenes, her ability to play gracefully the awkward part which he had chosen for her, her affectionate and discreet reserve, her delicate tact and fine wit, and her half-humorous determination to invade society, showed her as a woman of parts.
participate in games or sport
From this reading Her love for rich colors and gay scenes, her ability to play gracefully the awkward part which he had chosen for her, her affectionate and discreet reserve, her delicate tact and fine wit, and her half-humorous determination to invade society, showed her as a woman of parts.
established beyond doubt
From this reading The awkwardness of his relations with Anne Dillon wore away speedily, until he began to think as well as speak of her as his mother; for she proved with time to be a humorous and delightful mother.
mutual dealings or connections or communications among persons or groups
From this reading The awkwardness of his relations with Anne Dillon wore away speedily, until he began to think as well as speak of her as his mother; for she proved with time to be a humorous and delightful mother.
reservenounUS /rɪˈzɜːrv/
formality and propriety of manner
From this reading Her love for rich colors and gay scenes, her ability to play gracefully the awkward part which he had chosen for her, her affectionate and discreet reserve, her delicate tact and fine wit, and her half-humorous determination to invade society, showed her as a woman of parts.
possessing material wealth
From this reading Her love for rich colors and gay scenes, her ability to play gracefully the awkward part which he had chosen for her, her affectionate and discreet reserve, her delicate tact and fine wit, and her half-humorous determination to invade society, showed her as a woman of parts.
plural of “scene” — the place where some action occurs
From this reading Her love for rich colors and gay scenes, her ability to play gracefully the awkward part which he had chosen for her, her affectionate and discreet reserve, her delicate tact and fine wit, and her half-humorous determination to invade society, showed her as a woman of parts.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The awkwardness of his relations with Anne Dillon wore away speedily, until he began to think as well as speak of her as his mother; for she proved with time to be a humorous and delightful mother.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading How this success should be won, and what was the circle, he did not know, nor care.
past form of “show” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading Her love for rich colors and gay scenes, her ability to play gracefully the awkward part which he had chosen for her, her affectionate and discreet reserve, her delicate tact and fine wit, and her half-humorous determination to invade society, showed her as a woman of parts.
an extended social group having a distinctive cultural and economic organization
From this reading Her love for rich colors and gay scenes, her ability to play gracefully the awkward part which he had chosen for her, her affectionate and discreet reserve, her delicate tact and fine wit, and her half-humorous determination to invade society, showed her as a woman of parts.
express in speech
From this reading The awkwardness of his relations with Anne Dillon wore away speedily, until he began to think as well as speak of her as his mother; for she proved with time to be a humorous and delightful mother.
speedilyadverbUS /ˈspiːdəli/
with speed
From this reading The awkwardness of his relations with Anne Dillon wore away speedily, until he began to think as well as speak of her as his mother; for she proved with time to be a humorous and delightful mother.
an event that accomplishes its intended purpose
From this reading How this success should be won, and what was the circle, he did not know, nor care.
tactnounUS /tækt/
consideration in dealing with others and avoiding giving offense
From this reading Her love for rich colors and gay scenes, her ability to play gracefully the awkward part which he had chosen for her, her affectionate and discreet reserve, her delicate tact and fine wit, and her half-humorous determination to invade society, showed her as a woman of parts.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE VILLA AT CONEY ISLAND.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading The awkwardness of his relations with Anne Dillon wore away speedily, until he began to think as well as speak of her as his mother; for she proved with time to be a humorous and delightful mother.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading How this success should be won, and what was the circle, he did not know, nor care.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading The awkwardness of his relations with Anne Dillon wore away speedily, until he began to think as well as speak of her as his mother; for she proved with time to be a humorous and delightful mother.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The awkwardness of his relations with Anne Dillon wore away speedily, until he began to think as well as speak of her as his mother; for she proved with time to be a humorous and delightful mother.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading The awkwardness of his relations with Anne Dillon wore away speedily, until he began to think as well as speak of her as his mother; for she proved with time to be a humorous and delightful mother.
VILLAnounUS /ˈvɪlə/
Mexican revolutionary leader (1877-1923)
From this reading THE VILLA AT CONEY ISLAND.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading How this success should be won, and what was the circle, he did not know, nor care.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading The awkwardness of his relations with Anne Dillon wore away speedily, until he began to think as well as speak of her as his mother; for she proved with time to be a humorous and delightful mother.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading How this success should be won, and what was the circle, he did not know, nor care.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Her love for rich colors and gay scenes, her ability to play gracefully the awkward part which he had chosen for her, her affectionate and discreet reserve, her delicate tact and fine wit, and her half-humorous determination to invade society, showed her as a woman of parts.
a message whose ingenuity or verbal skill or incongruity has the power to evoke laughter
From this reading Her love for rich colors and gay scenes, her ability to play gracefully the awkward part which he had chosen for her, her affectionate and discreet reserve, her delicate tact and fine wit, and her half-humorous determination to invade society, showed her as a woman of parts.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The awkwardness of his relations with Anne Dillon wore away speedily, until he began to think as well as speak of her as his mother; for she proved with time to be a humorous and delightful mother.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading Her love for rich colors and gay scenes, her ability to play gracefully the awkward part which he had chosen for her, her affectionate and discreet reserve, her delicate tact and fine wit, and her half-humorous determination to invade society, showed her as a woman of parts.
the basic unit of money in South Korea
From this reading How this success should be won, and what was the circle, he did not know, nor care.
inflected form of “wear” — be dressed in
From this reading The awkwardness of his relations with Anne Dillon wore away speedily, until he began to think as well as speak of her as his mother; for she proved with time to be a humorous and delightful mother.
the English royal house (a branch of the Plantagenet line) that reigned from 1461 to 1485; its emblem was a white rose
From this reading He indulged her fancies, in particular her dream of entering the charmed circle of New York society.
