used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The slow, thrilling crescendo of May had lifted the heart up to a devout certainty of June.
alluringadjectiveUS /əˈlʊrɪŋ/
highly attractive and able to arouse hope or desire
From this reading Every woman was in a bright-colored, thin summer dress, and every young woman looked alluring.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Every woman was in a bright-colored, thin summer dress, and every young woman looked alluring.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The young men wore their hats tilted to one side, swung jaunty canes as they walked, and peered hopefully under the brim of every flowered feminine headdress.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading SYLVIA COMES TO THE WICKET-GATE Three weeks passed before his letter came.
bright-colored
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Every woman was in a bright-colored, thin summer dress, and every young woman looked alluring.
brimnounUS /brɪm/
the top edge of a vessel or other container
From this reading The young men wore their hats tilted to one side, swung jaunty canes as they walked, and peered hopefully under the brim of every flowered feminine headdress.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading SYLVIA COMES TO THE WICKET-GATE Three weeks passed before his letter came.
canesnounUS /keɪnz/
plural of “cane” — a stick that people can lean on to help them walk
From this reading The young men wore their hats tilted to one side, swung jaunty canes as they walked, and peered hopefully under the brim of every flowered feminine headdress.
castingnounUS /ˈkæstɪŋ/
object formed by a mold
From this reading The leaves were fully out, casting a light, new shadow on the sprinkled streets.
certaintynounUS /ˈsɜːrtənti/
the state of being certain
From this reading The slow, thrilling crescendo of May had lifted the heart up to a devout certainty of June.
plural of “come” — the thick white fluid containing spermatozoa that is ejaculated by the male genital tract
From this reading SYLVIA COMES TO THE WICKET-GATE Three weeks passed before his letter came.
crescendonounUS /krɪˈʃendoʊ/
(music) a gradual increase in loudness
From this reading The slow, thrilling crescendo of May had lifted the heart up to a devout certainty of June.
devoutadjectiveUS /dɪˈvaʊt/
deeply religious
From this reading The slow, thrilling crescendo of May had lifted the heart up to a devout certainty of June.
put on clothes
From this reading Every woman was in a bright-colored, thin summer dress, and every young woman looked alluring.
EverydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading Every woman was in a bright-colored, thin summer dress, and every young woman looked alluring.
feminineadjectiveUS /ˈfemənən/
associated with women and not with men
From this reading The young men wore their hats tilted to one side, swung jaunty canes as they walked, and peered hopefully under the brim of every flowered feminine headdress.
floweredadjectiveUS /ˈflaʊərd/
resembling or made of or suggestive of flowers
From this reading The young men wore their hats tilted to one side, swung jaunty canes as they walked, and peered hopefully under the brim of every flowered feminine headdress.
to the greatest degree or extent; completely or entirely; (“full” in this sense is used as a combining form)
From this reading The leaves were fully out, casting a light, new shadow on the sprinkled streets.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The slow, thrilling crescendo of May had lifted the heart up to a devout certainty of June.
hatsnounUS /hæts/
plural of “hat” — headdress that protects the head from bad weather; has shaped crown and usually a brim
From this reading The young men wore their hats tilted to one side, swung jaunty canes as they walked, and peered hopefully under the brim of every flowered feminine headdress.
headdressnounUS /ˈhedres/
clothing for the head
From this reading The young men wore their hats tilted to one side, swung jaunty canes as they walked, and peered hopefully under the brim of every flowered feminine headdress.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading The slow, thrilling crescendo of May had lifted the heart up to a devout certainty of June.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading SYLVIA COMES TO THE WICKET-GATE Three weeks passed before his letter came.
hopefullyadverbUS /ˈhoʊpfəli/
with hope; in a hopeful manner
From this reading The young men wore their hats tilted to one side, swung jaunty canes as they walked, and peered hopefully under the brim of every flowered feminine headdress.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Every woman was in a bright-colored, thin summer dress, and every young woman looked alluring.
jauntyadjectiveUS /ˈdʒɔːnti/
marked by up-to-dateness in dress and manners
From this reading The young men wore their hats tilted to one side, swung jaunty canes as they walked, and peered hopefully under the brim of every flowered feminine headdress.
the month following May and preceding July
From this reading The slow, thrilling crescendo of May had lifted the heart up to a devout certainty of June.
plural of “leaf” — the main organ of photosynthesis and transpiration in higher plants
From this reading The leaves were fully out, casting a light, new shadow on the sprinkled streets.
a written message addressed to a person or organization
From this reading SYLVIA COMES TO THE WICKET-GATE Three weeks passed before his letter came.
held up in the air
From this reading The slow, thrilling crescendo of May had lifted the heart up to a devout certainty of June.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading The leaves were fully out, casting a light, new shadow on the sprinkled streets.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading Every woman was in a bright-colored, thin summer dress, and every young woman looked alluring.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading The slow, thrilling crescendo of May had lifted the heart up to a devout certainty of June.
the force of workers available
From this reading The young men wore their hats tilted to one side, swung jaunty canes as they walked, and peered hopefully under the brim of every flowered feminine headdress.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading The leaves were fully out, casting a light, new shadow on the sprinkled streets.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The slow, thrilling crescendo of May had lifted the heart up to a devout certainty of June.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The leaves were fully out, casting a light, new shadow on the sprinkled streets.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The young men wore their hats tilted to one side, swung jaunty canes as they walked, and peered hopefully under the brim of every flowered feminine headdress.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading The leaves were fully out, casting a light, new shadow on the sprinkled streets.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading SYLVIA COMES TO THE WICKET-GATE Three weeks passed before his letter came.
peeredverbUS /pɪrd/
past form of “peer” — look searchingly
From this reading The young men wore their hats tilted to one side, swung jaunty canes as they walked, and peered hopefully under the brim of every flowered feminine headdress.
A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.
From this reading The leaves were fully out, casting a light, new shadow on the sprinkled streets.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading The young men wore their hats tilted to one side, swung jaunty canes as they walked, and peered hopefully under the brim of every flowered feminine headdress.
not moving quickly; taking a comparatively long time
From this reading The slow, thrilling crescendo of May had lifted the heart up to a devout certainty of June.
sprinkledverbUS /ˈsprɪŋkəld/
past form of “sprinkle” — distribute loosely
From this reading The leaves were fully out, casting a light, new shadow on the sprinkled streets.
plural of “street” — a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading The leaves were fully out, casting a light, new shadow on the sprinkled streets.
the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox
From this reading Every woman was in a bright-colored, thin summer dress, and every young woman looked alluring.
inflected form of “swing” — move in a curve or arc, usually with the intent of hitting
From this reading The young men wore their hats tilted to one side, swung jaunty canes as they walked, and peered hopefully under the brim of every flowered feminine headdress.
SYLVIA
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading SYLVIA COMES TO THE WICKET-GATE Three weeks passed before his letter came.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading SYLVIA COMES TO THE WICKET-GATE Three weeks passed before his letter came.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The young men wore their hats tilted to one side, swung jaunty canes as they walked, and peered hopefully under the brim of every flowered feminine headdress.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The young men wore their hats tilted to one side, swung jaunty canes as they walked, and peered hopefully under the brim of every flowered feminine headdress.
Having little thickness or extent.
From this reading Every woman was in a bright-colored, thin summer dress, and every young woman looked alluring.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading SYLVIA COMES TO THE WICKET-GATE Three weeks passed before his letter came.
thrillingadjectiveUS /ˈθrɪlɪŋ/
causing a surge of emotion or excitement
From this reading The slow, thrilling crescendo of May had lifted the heart up to a devout certainty of June.
tiltedadjectiveUS /ˈtɪltɪd/
departing or being caused to depart from the true vertical or horizontal
From this reading The young men wore their hats tilted to one side, swung jaunty canes as they walked, and peered hopefully under the brim of every flowered feminine headdress.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading SYLVIA COMES TO THE WICKET-GATE Three weeks passed before his letter came.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading The young men wore their hats tilted to one side, swung jaunty canes as they walked, and peered hopefully under the brim of every flowered feminine headdress.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading The slow, thrilling crescendo of May had lifted the heart up to a devout certainty of June.
past form of “walk” — use one's feet to advance; advance by steps
From this reading The young men wore their hats tilted to one side, swung jaunty canes as they walked, and peered hopefully under the brim of every flowered feminine headdress.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Every woman was in a bright-colored, thin summer dress, and every young woman looked alluring.
plural of “week” — any period of seven consecutive days
From this reading SYLVIA COMES TO THE WICKET-GATE Three weeks passed before his letter came.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The leaves were fully out, casting a light, new shadow on the sprinkled streets.
WICKET-GATE
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading SYLVIA COMES TO THE WICKET-GATE Three weeks passed before his letter came.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading Every woman was in a bright-colored, thin summer dress, and every young woman looked alluring.
inflected form of “wear” — be dressed in
From this reading The young men wore their hats tilted to one side, swung jaunty canes as they walked, and peered hopefully under the brim of every flowered feminine headdress.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading Every woman was in a bright-colored, thin summer dress, and every young woman looked alluring.
