used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading She had a beautiful little treat for him to-day, chicken broth with rice, and some little bits of tender breast-meat on toast, with a quivering spoonful of currant jelly.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Miss Marilla tiptoed softly up the hall, and listened at the door of the spare bedroom.
in a state of sleep
From this reading If the boy was asleep, she could usually tell by his regular breathing; but, though she listened with a keen ear, she could not hear it to-day.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Miss Marilla tiptoed softly up the hall, and listened at the door of the spare bedroom.
delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration
From this reading She had a beautiful little treat for him to-day, chicken broth with rice, and some little bits of tender breast-meat on toast, with a quivering spoonful of currant jelly.
a room used primarily for sleeping
From this reading Miss Marilla tiptoed softly up the hall, and listened at the door of the spare bedroom.
belowprepositionUS /bɪˈloʊ/
at or to a lower level than something
From this reading It was very still in the spare room, so still that a falling coal from the grate of the Franklin heater made a hollow sound when it fell into the pan below.
bitsnounUS /bɪts/
plural of “bit” — a small piece or quantity of something
From this reading She had a beautiful little treat for him to-day, chicken broth with rice, and some little bits of tender breast-meat on toast, with a quivering spoonful of currant jelly.
a youthful male person
From this reading If the boy was asleep, she could usually tell by his regular breathing; but, though she listened with a keen ear, she could not hear it to-day.
breast-meat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had a beautiful little treat for him to-day, chicken broth with rice, and some little bits of tender breast-meat on toast, with a quivering spoonful of currant jelly.
the bodily process of inhalation and exhalation; the process of taking in oxygen from inhaled air and releasing carbon dioxide by exhalation
From this reading If the boy was asleep, she could usually tell by his regular breathing; but, though she listened with a keen ear, she could not hear it to-day.
brothnounUS /brɔːθ/
liquid in which meat and vegetables are simmered; used as a basis for e.g. soups or sauces
From this reading She had a beautiful little treat for him to-day, chicken broth with rice, and some little bits of tender breast-meat on toast, with a quivering spoonful of currant jelly.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading If the boy was asleep, she could usually tell by his regular breathing; but, though she listened with a keen ear, she could not hear it to-day.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading If the boy was asleep, she could usually tell by his regular breathing; but, though she listened with a keen ear, she could not hear it to-day.
chickennounUS /ˈtʃɪkən/
the flesh of a chicken used for food
From this reading She had a beautiful little treat for him to-day, chicken broth with rice, and some little bits of tender breast-meat on toast, with a quivering spoonful of currant jelly.
coalnounUS /koʊl/
fossil fuel consisting of carbonized vegetable matter deposited in the Carboniferous period
From this reading It was very still in the spare room, so still that a falling coal from the grate of the Franklin heater made a hollow sound when it fell into the pan below.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading If the boy was asleep, she could usually tell by his regular breathing; but, though she listened with a keen ear, she could not hear it to-day.
currantnoun
any of several tart red or black berries used primarily for jellies and jams
From this reading She had a beautiful little treat for him to-day, chicken broth with rice, and some little bits of tender breast-meat on toast, with a quivering spoonful of currant jelly.
the main meal of the day served in the evening or at midday
From this reading It was time her soldier-boy woke up and had some dinner.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading Miss Marilla tiptoed softly up the hall, and listened at the door of the spare bedroom.
the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium
From this reading If the boy was asleep, she could usually tell by his regular breathing; but, though she listened with a keen ear, she could not hear it to-day.
decreasing in amount or degree
From this reading It was very still in the spare room, so still that a falling coal from the grate of the Franklin heater made a hollow sound when it fell into the pan below.
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading It was very still in the spare room, so still that a falling coal from the grate of the Franklin heater made a hollow sound when it fell into the pan below.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading She had a beautiful little treat for him to-day, chicken broth with rice, and some little bits of tender breast-meat on toast, with a quivering spoonful of currant jelly.
FranklinnounUS /ˈfræŋklɪn/
United States historian noted for studies of Black American history (born in 1915)
From this reading It was very still in the spare room, so still that a falling coal from the grate of the Franklin heater made a hollow sound when it fell into the pan below.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading It was very still in the spare room, so still that a falling coal from the grate of the Franklin heater made a hollow sound when it fell into the pan below.
gratenounUS /ɡreɪt/
a frame of iron bars to hold a fire
From this reading It was very still in the spare room, so still that a falling coal from the grate of the Franklin heater made a hollow sound when it fell into the pan below.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It was time her soldier-boy woke up and had some dinner.
an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open
From this reading Miss Marilla tiptoed softly up the hall, and listened at the door of the spare bedroom.
perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
From this reading If the boy was asleep, she could usually tell by his regular breathing; but, though she listened with a keen ear, she could not hear it to-day.
heaternounUS /ˈhiːtər/
device that heats water or supplies warmth to a room
From this reading It was very still in the spare room, so still that a falling coal from the grate of the Franklin heater made a hollow sound when it fell into the pan below.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading It was time her soldier-boy woke up and had some dinner.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading She had a beautiful little treat for him to-day, chicken broth with rice, and some little bits of tender breast-meat on toast, with a quivering spoonful of currant jelly.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading If the boy was asleep, she could usually tell by his regular breathing; but, though she listened with a keen ear, she could not hear it to-day.
not solid; having a space or gap or cavity
From this reading It was very still in the spare room, so still that a falling coal from the grate of the Franklin heater made a hollow sound when it fell into the pan below.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If the boy was asleep, she could usually tell by his regular breathing; but, though she listened with a keen ear, she could not hear it to-day.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was very still in the spare room, so still that a falling coal from the grate of the Franklin heater made a hollow sound when it fell into the pan below.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading It was very still in the spare room, so still that a falling coal from the grate of the Franklin heater made a hollow sound when it fell into the pan below.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was time her soldier-boy woke up and had some dinner.
jellynounUS /ˈdʒeli/
an edible jelly (sweet or pungent) made with gelatin and used as a dessert or salad base or a coating for foods
From this reading She had a beautiful little treat for him to-day, chicken broth with rice, and some little bits of tender breast-meat on toast, with a quivering spoonful of currant jelly.
having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions
From this reading If the boy was asleep, she could usually tell by his regular breathing; but, though she listened with a keen ear, she could not hear it to-day.
past form of “listen” — hear with intention
From this reading Miss Marilla tiptoed softly up the hall, and listened at the door of the spare bedroom.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading She had a beautiful little treat for him to-day, chicken broth with rice, and some little bits of tender breast-meat on toast, with a quivering spoonful of currant jelly.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading It was very still in the spare room, so still that a falling coal from the grate of the Franklin heater made a hollow sound when it fell into the pan below.
Marilla
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Miss Marilla tiptoed softly up the hall, and listened at the door of the spare bedroom.
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading Miss Marilla tiptoed softly up the hall, and listened at the door of the spare bedroom.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading If the boy was asleep, she could usually tell by his regular breathing; but, though she listened with a keen ear, she could not hear it to-day.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Miss Marilla tiptoed softly up the hall, and listened at the door of the spare bedroom.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading She had a beautiful little treat for him to-day, chicken broth with rice, and some little bits of tender breast-meat on toast, with a quivering spoonful of currant jelly.
panverbUS /pæn/
make a sweeping movement
From this reading It was very still in the spare room, so still that a falling coal from the grate of the Franklin heater made a hollow sound when it fell into the pan below.
quiveringnounUS /ˈkwɪvərɪŋ/
a shaky motion
From this reading She had a beautiful little treat for him to-day, chicken broth with rice, and some little bits of tender breast-meat on toast, with a quivering spoonful of currant jelly.
in accordance with fixed order or procedure or principle
From this reading If the boy was asleep, she could usually tell by his regular breathing; but, though she listened with a keen ear, she could not hear it to-day.
ricenounUS /raɪs/
grains used as food either unpolished or more often polished
From this reading She had a beautiful little treat for him to-day, chicken broth with rice, and some little bits of tender breast-meat on toast, with a quivering spoonful of currant jelly.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading It was very still in the spare room, so still that a falling coal from the grate of the Franklin heater made a hollow sound when it fell into the pan below.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She had a beautiful little treat for him to-day, chicken broth with rice, and some little bits of tender breast-meat on toast, with a quivering spoonful of currant jelly.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading It was very still in the spare room, so still that a falling coal from the grate of the Franklin heater made a hollow sound when it fell into the pan below.
with low volume
From this reading Miss Marilla tiptoed softly up the hall, and listened at the door of the spare bedroom.
soldier-boy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was time her soldier-boy woke up and had some dinner.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading It was time her soldier-boy woke up and had some dinner.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading It was very still in the spare room, so still that a falling coal from the grate of the Franklin heater made a hollow sound when it fell into the pan below.
refrain from harming
From this reading Miss Marilla tiptoed softly up the hall, and listened at the door of the spare bedroom.
spoonfulnounUS /ˈspuːnfʊl/
as much as a spoon will hold
From this reading She had a beautiful little treat for him to-day, chicken broth with rice, and some little bits of tender breast-meat on toast, with a quivering spoonful of currant jelly.
not in physical motion
From this reading It was very still in the spare room, so still that a falling coal from the grate of the Franklin heater made a hollow sound when it fell into the pan below.
express in words
From this reading If the boy was asleep, she could usually tell by his regular breathing; but, though she listened with a keen ear, she could not hear it to-day.
given to sympathy or gentleness or sentimentality
From this reading She had a beautiful little treat for him to-day, chicken broth with rice, and some little bits of tender breast-meat on toast, with a quivering spoonful of currant jelly.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was very still in the spare room, so still that a falling coal from the grate of the Franklin heater made a hollow sound when it fell into the pan below.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Miss Marilla tiptoed softly up the hall, and listened at the door of the spare bedroom.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading If the boy was asleep, she could usually tell by his regular breathing; but, though she listened with a keen ear, she could not hear it to-day.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading It was time her soldier-boy woke up and had some dinner.
tiptoedverbUS /ˈtɪptoʊd/
past form of “tiptoe” — walk on one's toes
From this reading Miss Marilla tiptoed softly up the hall, and listened at the door of the spare bedroom.
to-day
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had a beautiful little treat for him to-day, chicken broth with rice, and some little bits of tender breast-meat on toast, with a quivering spoonful of currant jelly.
toastverbUS /toʊst/
make brown and crisp by heating
From this reading She had a beautiful little treat for him to-day, chicken broth with rice, and some little bits of tender breast-meat on toast, with a quivering spoonful of currant jelly.
interact in a certain way
From this reading She had a beautiful little treat for him to-day, chicken broth with rice, and some little bits of tender breast-meat on toast, with a quivering spoonful of currant jelly.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Miss Marilla tiptoed softly up the hall, and listened at the door of the spare bedroom.
under normal conditions
From this reading If the boy was asleep, she could usually tell by his regular breathing; but, though she listened with a keen ear, she could not hear it to-day.
precisely as stated
From this reading It was very still in the spare room, so still that a falling coal from the grate of the Franklin heater made a hollow sound when it fell into the pan below.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was time her soldier-boy woke up and had some dinner.
at the time that
From this reading It was very still in the spare room, so still that a falling coal from the grate of the Franklin heater made a hollow sound when it fell into the pan below.
in the company of; together with
From this reading She had a beautiful little treat for him to-day, chicken broth with rice, and some little bits of tender breast-meat on toast, with a quivering spoonful of currant jelly.
wokeverbUS /woʊk/
inflected form of “wake” — be awake, be alert, be there
From this reading It was time her soldier-boy woke up and had some dinner.
