used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE HOUSE IN WASHINGTON SQUARE A rainy night was followed by a rainy morning.
alcovenounUS /ˈælkoʊv/
a small recess opening off a larger room
From this reading Between the looped curtains of the alcove window the ground of the square could be seen soggy and wet.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Rachel leaned an arm on the dining room mantel.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Between the looped curtains of the alcove window the ground of the square could be seen soggy and wet.
ArchnounUS /ɑːrtʃ/
a curved shape in the vertical plane that spans an opening
From this reading The marble of Washington Arch showed dark streaks of moisture.
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 Rachel leaned an arm on the dining room mantel.
basementnounUS /ˈbeɪsmənt/
the lowermost portion of a structure partly or wholly below ground level; often used for storage
From this reading The housekeeper had been complaining of a litter of kittens in the basement which she could get no one to destroy.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Between the looped curtains of the alcove window the ground of the square could be seen soggy and wet.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The housekeeper had been complaining of a litter of kittens in the basement which she could get no one to destroy.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading Between the looped curtains of the alcove window the ground of the square could be seen soggy and wet.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading THE HOUSE IN WASHINGTON SQUARE A rainy night was followed by a rainy morning.
complainingadjectiveUS /kəmˈpleɪnɪŋ/
expressing pain or dissatisfaction of resentment
From this reading The housekeeper had been complaining of a litter of kittens in the basement which she could get no one to destroy.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Between the looped curtains of the alcove window the ground of the square could be seen soggy and wet.
curtainsnounUS /ˈkɜːrtənz/
plural of “curtain” — hanging cloth used as a blind (especially for a window)
From this reading Between the looped curtains of the alcove window the ground of the square could be seen soggy and wet.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading The marble of Washington Arch showed dark streaks of moisture.
do away with, cause the destruction or undoing of
From this reading The housekeeper had been complaining of a litter of kittens in the basement which she could get no one to destroy.
diningnounUS /ˈdaɪnɪŋ/
the act of eating dinner
From this reading Rachel leaned an arm on the dining room mantel.
past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading THE HOUSE IN WASHINGTON SQUARE A rainy night was followed by a rainy morning.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading The housekeeper had been complaining of a litter of kittens in the basement which she could get no one to destroy.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading Between the looped curtains of the alcove window the ground of the square could be seen soggy and wet.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The housekeeper had been complaining of a litter of kittens in the basement which she could get no one to destroy.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading THE HOUSE IN WASHINGTON SQUARE A rainy night was followed by a rainy morning.
housekeepernounUS /ˈhaʊskiːpər/
a servant who is employed to perform domestic task in a household
From this reading The housekeeper had been complaining of a litter of kittens in the basement which she could get no one to destroy.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THE HOUSE IN WASHINGTON SQUARE A rainy night was followed by a rainy morning.
kittensnounUS /ˈkɪtənz/
plural of “kitten” — young domestic cat
From this reading The housekeeper had been complaining of a litter of kittens in the basement which she could get no one to destroy.
past form of “lean” — to incline or bend from a vertical position
From this reading Rachel leaned an arm on the dining room mantel.
litternounUS /ˈlɪtər/
the offspring at one birth of a multiparous mammal
From this reading The housekeeper had been complaining of a litter of kittens in the basement which she could get no one to destroy.
loopedverbUS /luːpt/
past form of “loop” — move in loops
From this reading Between the looped curtains of the alcove window the ground of the square could be seen soggy and wet.
mantelnounUS /ˈmæntəl/
shelf that projects from wall above fireplace
From this reading Rachel leaned an arm on the dining room mantel.
a hard crystalline metamorphic rock that takes a high polish; used for sculpture and as building material
From this reading The marble of Washington Arch showed dark streaks of moisture.
moisturenounUS /ˈmɔɪstʃər/
wetness caused by water
From this reading The marble of Washington Arch showed dark streaks of moisture.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading THE HOUSE IN WASHINGTON SQUARE A rainy night was followed by a rainy morning.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading THE HOUSE IN WASHINGTON SQUARE A rainy night was followed by a rainy morning.
not any; not one
From this reading The housekeeper had been complaining of a litter of kittens in the basement which she could get no one to destroy.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Between the looped curtains of the alcove window the ground of the square could be seen soggy and wet.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Rachel leaned an arm on the dining room mantel.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The housekeeper had been complaining of a litter of kittens in the basement which she could get no one to destroy.
RachelnounUS /ˈreɪtʃəl/
(Old Testament) the second wife of Jacob and mother of Joseph and Benjamin
From this reading Rachel leaned an arm on the dining room mantel.
rainyadjectiveUS /ˈreɪni/
(of weather) wet by periods of rain
From this reading THE HOUSE IN WASHINGTON SQUARE A rainy night was followed by a rainy morning.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading Rachel leaned an arm on the dining room mantel.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading Between the looped curtains of the alcove window the ground of the square could be seen soggy and wet.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The housekeeper had been complaining of a litter of kittens in the basement which she could get no one to destroy.
past form of “show” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading The marble of Washington Arch showed dark streaks of moisture.
soggyadjectiveUS /ˈsɑːɡi/
(of soil) soft and watery
From this reading Between the looped curtains of the alcove window the ground of the square could be seen soggy and wet.
make square
From this reading THE HOUSE IN WASHINGTON SQUARE A rainy night was followed by a rainy morning.
streaksnounUS /striːks/
plural of “streak” — an unbroken series of events
From this reading The marble of Washington Arch showed dark streaks of moisture.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE HOUSE IN WASHINGTON SQUARE A rainy night was followed by a rainy morning.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The housekeeper had been complaining of a litter of kittens in the basement which she could get no one to destroy.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading THE HOUSE IN WASHINGTON SQUARE A rainy night was followed by a rainy morning.
the capital of the United States in the District of Columbia and a tourist mecca; George Washington commissioned Charles L'Enfant to lay out the city in 1791
From this reading THE HOUSE IN WASHINGTON SQUARE A rainy night was followed by a rainy morning.
covered or soaked with a liquid such as water
From this reading Between the looped curtains of the alcove window the ground of the square could be seen soggy and wet.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The housekeeper had been complaining of a litter of kittens in the basement which she could get no one to destroy.
a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air
From this reading Between the looped curtains of the alcove window the ground of the square could be seen soggy and wet.
