used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading She took a long time over her bath, an almost longer time in doing her hair; out of the chest of drawers, which she had used as a child, and which still stood in its old place--out of its lowest drawer she took her finest underlinen.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading She took a long time over her bath, an almost longer time in doing her hair; out of the chest of drawers, which she had used as a child, and which still stood in its old place--out of its lowest drawer she took her finest underlinen.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading She took a long time over her bath, an almost longer time in doing her hair; out of the chest of drawers, which she had used as a child, and which still stood in its old place--out of its lowest drawer she took her finest underlinen.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She took a long time over her bath, an almost longer time in doing her hair; out of the chest of drawers, which she had used as a child, and which still stood in its old place--out of its lowest drawer she took her finest underlinen.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading Not one garment which she put on had ever been touched by any one but herself.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading She took a long time over her bath, an almost longer time in doing her hair; out of the chest of drawers, which she had used as a child, and which still stood in its old place--out of its lowest drawer she took her finest underlinen.
bathnounUS /bæθ/
a vessel containing liquid in which something is immersed (as to process it or to maintain it at a constant temperature or to lubricate it)
From this reading She took a long time over her bath, an almost longer time in doing her hair; out of the chest of drawers, which she had used as a child, and which still stood in its old place--out of its lowest drawer she took her finest underlinen.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading She wished to be what she had been in her dreams.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Not one garment which she put on had ever been touched by any one but herself.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading She had never worn it but once--on her wedding-day--before the desecration, never since.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading She had never worn it but once--on her wedding-day--before the desecration, never since.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Not one garment which she put on had ever been touched by any one but herself.
the part of the human torso between the neck and the diaphragm or the corresponding part in other vertebrates
From this reading She took a long time over her bath, an almost longer time in doing her hair; out of the chest of drawers, which she had used as a child, and which still stood in its old place--out of its lowest drawer she took her finest underlinen.
a young person of either sex
From this reading She took a long time over her bath, an almost longer time in doing her hair; out of the chest of drawers, which she had used as a child, and which still stood in its old place--out of its lowest drawer she took her finest underlinen.
desecrationnounUS /desəˈkreɪʃən/
blasphemous behavior; the act of depriving something of its sacred character
From this reading She had never worn it but once--on her wedding-day--before the desecration, never since.
-ing form of “do” — engage in
From this reading She took a long time over her bath, an almost longer time in doing her hair; out of the chest of drawers, which she had used as a child, and which still stood in its old place--out of its lowest drawer she took her finest underlinen.
drawernounUS /drɔːr/
a boxlike container in a piece of furniture; made so as to slide in and out
From this reading She took a long time over her bath, an almost longer time in doing her hair; out of the chest of drawers, which she had used as a child, and which still stood in its old place--out of its lowest drawer she took her finest underlinen.
drawersnounUS /drɔːrz/
underpants worn by men
From this reading She took a long time over her bath, an almost longer time in doing her hair; out of the chest of drawers, which she had used as a child, and which still stood in its old place--out of its lowest drawer she took her finest underlinen.
plural of “dream” — a series of mental images and emotions occurring during sleep
From this reading She wished to be what she had been in her dreams.
at any time
From this reading Not one garment which she put on had ever been touched by any one but herself.
finestadjectiveUS /ˈfaɪnəst/
superlative of “fine” — being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition
From this reading She took a long time over her bath, an almost longer time in doing her hair; out of the chest of drawers, which she had used as a child, and which still stood in its old place--out of its lowest drawer she took her finest underlinen.
garmentnounUS /ˈɡɑːrmənt/
an article of clothing
From this reading Not one garment which she put on had ever been touched by any one but herself.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading She took a long time over her bath, an almost longer time in doing her hair; out of the chest of drawers, which she had used as a child, and which still stood in its old place--out of its lowest drawer she took her finest underlinen.
a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss
From this reading She took a long time over her bath, an almost longer time in doing her hair; out of the chest of drawers, which she had used as a child, and which still stood in its old place--out of its lowest drawer she took her finest underlinen.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She took a long time over her bath, an almost longer time in doing her hair; out of the chest of drawers, which she had used as a child, and which still stood in its old place--out of its lowest drawer she took her finest underlinen.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading Not one garment which she put on had ever been touched by any one but herself.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading She took a long time over her bath, an almost longer time in doing her hair; out of the chest of drawers, which she had used as a child, and which still stood in its old place--out of its lowest drawer she took her finest underlinen.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading She had never worn it but once--on her wedding-day--before the desecration, never since.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading She took a long time over her bath, an almost longer time in doing her hair; out of the chest of drawers, which she had used as a child, and which still stood in its old place--out of its lowest drawer she took her finest underlinen.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading She took a long time over her bath, an almost longer time in doing her hair; out of the chest of drawers, which she had used as a child, and which still stood in its old place--out of its lowest drawer she took her finest underlinen.
for more time
From this reading She took a long time over her bath, an almost longer time in doing her hair; out of the chest of drawers, which she had used as a child, and which still stood in its old place--out of its lowest drawer she took her finest underlinen.
lowestadjectiveUS /ˈloʊəst/
lowest in rank or importance
From this reading She took a long time over her bath, an almost longer time in doing her hair; out of the chest of drawers, which she had used as a child, and which still stood in its old place--out of its lowest drawer she took her finest underlinen.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading She had never worn it but once--on her wedding-day--before the desecration, never since.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Not one garment which she put on had ever been touched by any one but herself.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading But to-day--Now, now, now!
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading She took a long time over her bath, an almost longer time in doing her hair; out of the chest of drawers, which she had used as a child, and which still stood in its old place--out of its lowest drawer she took her finest underlinen.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading She took a long time over her bath, an almost longer time in doing her hair; out of the chest of drawers, which she had used as a child, and which still stood in its old place--out of its lowest drawer she took her finest underlinen.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading She had never worn it but once--on her wedding-day--before the desecration, never since.
on one occasion
From this reading She had never worn it but once--on her wedding-day--before the desecration, never since.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Not one garment which she put on had ever been touched by any one but herself.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading She took a long time over her bath, an almost longer time in doing her hair; out of the chest of drawers, which she had used as a child, and which still stood in its old place--out of its lowest drawer she took her finest underlinen.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading She took a long time over her bath, an almost longer time in doing her hair; out of the chest of drawers, which she had used as a child, and which still stood in its old place--out of its lowest drawer she took her finest underlinen.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading She took a long time over her bath, an almost longer time in doing her hair; out of the chest of drawers, which she had used as a child, and which still stood in its old place--out of its lowest drawer she took her finest underlinen.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Not one garment which she put on had ever been touched by any one but herself.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She took a long time over her bath, an almost longer time in doing her hair; out of the chest of drawers, which she had used as a child, and which still stood in its old place--out of its lowest drawer she took her finest underlinen.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading She had never worn it but once--on her wedding-day--before the desecration, never since.
not in physical motion
From this reading She took a long time over her bath, an almost longer time in doing her hair; out of the chest of drawers, which she had used as a child, and which still stood in its old place--out of its lowest drawer she took her finest underlinen.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading She took a long time over her bath, an almost longer time in doing her hair; out of the chest of drawers, which she had used as a child, and which still stood in its old place--out of its lowest drawer she took her finest underlinen.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading She took a long time over her bath, an almost longer time in doing her hair; out of the chest of drawers, which she had used as a child, and which still stood in its old place--out of its lowest drawer she took her finest underlinen.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading She took a long time over her bath, an almost longer time in doing her hair; out of the chest of drawers, which she had used as a child, and which still stood in its old place--out of its lowest drawer she took her finest underlinen.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading She wished to be what she had been in her dreams.
to-day
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But to-day--Now, now, now!
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading She took a long time over her bath, an almost longer time in doing her hair; out of the chest of drawers, which she had used as a child, and which still stood in its old place--out of its lowest drawer she took her finest underlinen.
having come into contact
From this reading Not one garment which she put on had ever been touched by any one but herself.
underlinen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She took a long time over her bath, an almost longer time in doing her hair; out of the chest of drawers, which she had used as a child, and which still stood in its old place--out of its lowest drawer she took her finest underlinen.
employed in accomplishing something
From this reading She took a long time over her bath, an almost longer time in doing her hair; out of the chest of drawers, which she had used as a child, and which still stood in its old place--out of its lowest drawer she took her finest underlinen.
wedding-day
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had never worn it but once--on her wedding-day--before the desecration, never since.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading She wished to be what she had been in her dreams.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading She took a long time over her bath, an almost longer time in doing her hair; out of the chest of drawers, which she had used as a child, and which still stood in its old place--out of its lowest drawer she took her finest underlinen.
past form of “wish” — hope for; have a wish
From this reading She wished to be what she had been in her dreams.
Damaged or thinned by continuous use.
From this reading She had never worn it but once--on her wedding-day--before the desecration, never since.
