used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was a clear, bird-like voice, and Mrs. Mathieson listened; at first she could not distinguish the words, but then came a refrain which was plain enough.
the part of the day between noon and evening
From this reading One afternoon Mrs. Mathieson, wanting Nettie, went to the foot of the garret stairs to call her, and stopped, hearing Nettie's voice singing.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading "Glory, glory, glory, glory, Glory be to God on high, Glory, glory, glory, glory, Sing his praises through the sky; Glory, glory, glory, glory, Glory to the Father give, Glory, glory, glory, glory, Sing his praises all that live."
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading November days drew toward an end; December was near.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading One afternoon Mrs. Mathieson, wanting Nettie, went to the foot of the garret stairs to call her, and stopped, hearing Nettie's voice singing.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading It was a clear, bird-like voice, and Mrs. Mathieson listened; at first she could not distinguish the words, but then came a refrain which was plain enough.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "Glory, glory, glory, glory, Glory be to God on high, Glory, glory, glory, glory, Sing his praises through the sky; Glory, glory, glory, glory, Glory to the Father give, Glory, glory, glory, glory, Sing his praises all that live."
bird-like
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a clear, bird-like voice, and Mrs. Mathieson listened; at first she could not distinguish the words, but then came a refrain which was plain enough.
an orange of low brightness and saturation
From this reading THE BROWN CLOAK IN NOVEMBER.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading It was a clear, bird-like voice, and Mrs. Mathieson listened; at first she could not distinguish the words, but then came a refrain which was plain enough.
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading One afternoon Mrs. Mathieson, wanting Nettie, went to the foot of the garret stairs to call her, and stopped, hearing Nettie's voice singing.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading It was a clear, bird-like voice, and Mrs. Mathieson listened; at first she could not distinguish the words, but then came a refrain which was plain enough.
rid of obstructions
From this reading It was a clear, bird-like voice, and Mrs. Mathieson listened; at first she could not distinguish the words, but then came a refrain which was plain enough.
anything that covers or conceals
From this reading THE BROWN CLOAK IN NOVEMBER.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading It was a clear, bird-like voice, and Mrs. Mathieson listened; at first she could not distinguish the words, but then came a refrain which was plain enough.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading November days drew toward an end; December was near.
DecembernounUS /dɪˈsembər/
the last (12th) month of the year
From this reading November days drew toward an end; December was near.
distinguishverbUS /dɪˈstɪŋɡwɪʃ/
mark as different
From this reading It was a clear, bird-like voice, and Mrs. Mathieson listened; at first she could not distinguish the words, but then came a refrain which was plain enough.
United States actor (born in Ireland); father of Georgiana Emma Barrymore (1827-1862)
From this reading November days drew toward an end; December was near.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading November days drew toward an end; December was near.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading It was a clear, bird-like voice, and Mrs. Mathieson listened; at first she could not distinguish the words, but then came a refrain which was plain enough.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading "Glory, glory, glory, glory, Glory be to God on high, Glory, glory, glory, glory, Sing his praises through the sky; Glory, glory, glory, glory, Glory to the Father give, Glory, glory, glory, glory, Sing his praises all that live."
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading It was a clear, bird-like voice, and Mrs. Mathieson listened; at first she could not distinguish the words, but then came a refrain which was plain enough.
the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading One afternoon Mrs. Mathieson, wanting Nettie, went to the foot of the garret stairs to call her, and stopped, hearing Nettie's voice singing.
garretnounUS /ˈɡerɪt/
floor consisting of open space at the top of a house just below roof; often used for storage
From this reading One afternoon Mrs. Mathieson, wanting Nettie, went to the foot of the garret stairs to call her, and stopped, hearing Nettie's voice singing.
cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading "Glory, glory, glory, glory, Glory be to God on high, Glory, glory, glory, glory, Sing his praises through the sky; Glory, glory, glory, glory, Glory to the Father give, Glory, glory, glory, glory, Sing his praises all that live."
a state of high honor
From this reading "Glory, glory, glory, glory, Glory be to God on high, Glory, glory, glory, glory, Sing his praises through the sky; Glory, glory, glory, glory, Glory to the Father give, Glory, glory, glory, glory, Sing his praises all that live."
the supernatural being conceived as the perfect and omnipotent and omniscient originator and ruler of the universe; the object of worship in monotheistic religions
From this reading "Glory, glory, glory, glory, Glory be to God on high, Glory, glory, glory, glory, Sing his praises through the sky; Glory, glory, glory, glory, Glory to the Father give, Glory, glory, glory, glory, Sing his praises all that live."
(law) a proceeding (usually by a court) where evidence is taken for the purpose of determining an issue of fact and reaching a decision based on that evidence
From this reading One afternoon Mrs. Mathieson, wanting Nettie, went to the foot of the garret stairs to call her, and stopped, hearing Nettie's voice singing.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading One afternoon Mrs. Mathieson, wanting Nettie, went to the foot of the garret stairs to call her, and stopped, hearing Nettie's voice singing.
greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading "Glory, glory, glory, glory, Glory be to God on high, Glory, glory, glory, glory, Sing his praises through the sky; Glory, glory, glory, glory, Glory to the Father give, Glory, glory, glory, glory, Sing his praises all that live."
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading "Glory, glory, glory, glory, Glory be to God on high, Glory, glory, glory, glory, Sing his praises through the sky; Glory, glory, glory, glory, Glory to the Father give, Glory, glory, glory, glory, Sing his praises all that live."
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THE BROWN CLOAK IN NOVEMBER.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was a clear, bird-like voice, and Mrs. Mathieson listened; at first she could not distinguish the words, but then came a refrain which was plain enough.
past form of “listen” — hear with intention
From this reading It was a clear, bird-like voice, and Mrs. Mathieson listened; at first she could not distinguish the words, but then came a refrain which was plain enough.
be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading "Glory, glory, glory, glory, Glory be to God on high, Glory, glory, glory, glory, Sing his praises through the sky; Glory, glory, glory, glory, Glory to the Father give, Glory, glory, glory, glory, Sing his praises all that live."
Mathieson
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One afternoon Mrs. Mathieson, wanting Nettie, went to the foot of the garret stairs to call her, and stopped, hearing Nettie's voice singing.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading One afternoon Mrs. Mathieson, wanting Nettie, went to the foot of the garret stairs to call her, and stopped, hearing Nettie's voice singing.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading November days drew toward an end; December was near.
Nettie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One afternoon Mrs. Mathieson, wanting Nettie, went to the foot of the garret stairs to call her, and stopped, hearing Nettie's voice singing.
Nettie's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One afternoon Mrs. Mathieson, wanting Nettie, went to the foot of the garret stairs to call her, and stopped, hearing Nettie's voice singing.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading It was a clear, bird-like voice, and Mrs. Mathieson listened; at first she could not distinguish the words, but then came a refrain which was plain enough.
NOVEMBERnounUS /noʊˈvembər/
the month following October and preceding December
From this reading THE BROWN CLOAK IN NOVEMBER.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading One afternoon Mrs. Mathieson, wanting Nettie, went to the foot of the garret stairs to call her, and stopped, hearing Nettie's voice singing.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading "Glory, glory, glory, glory, Glory be to God on high, Glory, glory, glory, glory, Sing his praises through the sky; Glory, glory, glory, glory, Glory to the Father give, Glory, glory, glory, glory, Sing his praises all that live."
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading One afternoon Mrs. Mathieson, wanting Nettie, went to the foot of the garret stairs to call her, and stopped, hearing Nettie's voice singing.
clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment
From this reading It was a clear, bird-like voice, and Mrs. Mathieson listened; at first she could not distinguish the words, but then came a refrain which was plain enough.
praisesnounUS /ˈpreɪzəz/
plural of “praise” — an expression of approval and commendation
From this reading "Glory, glory, glory, glory, Glory be to God on high, Glory, glory, glory, glory, Sing his praises through the sky; Glory, glory, glory, glory, Glory to the Father give, Glory, glory, glory, glory, Sing his praises all that live."
refrainverbUS /rɪˈfreɪn/
resist doing something
From this reading It was a clear, bird-like voice, and Mrs. Mathieson listened; at first she could not distinguish the words, but then came a refrain which was plain enough.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It was a clear, bird-like voice, and Mrs. Mathieson listened; at first she could not distinguish the words, but then came a refrain which was plain enough.
deliver by singing
From this reading "Glory, glory, glory, glory, Glory be to God on high, Glory, glory, glory, glory, Sing his praises through the sky; Glory, glory, glory, glory, Glory to the Father give, Glory, glory, glory, glory, Sing his praises all that live."
the act of singing vocal music
From this reading One afternoon Mrs. Mathieson, wanting Nettie, went to the foot of the garret stairs to call her, and stopped, hearing Nettie's voice singing.
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading "Glory, glory, glory, glory, Glory be to God on high, Glory, glory, glory, glory, Sing his praises through the sky; Glory, glory, glory, glory, Glory to the Father give, Glory, glory, glory, glory, Sing his praises all that live."
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading One afternoon Mrs. Mathieson, wanting Nettie, went to the foot of the garret stairs to call her, and stopped, hearing Nettie's voice singing.
(of a nose) blocked
From this reading One afternoon Mrs. Mathieson, wanting Nettie, went to the foot of the garret stairs to call her, and stopped, hearing Nettie's voice singing.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "Glory, glory, glory, glory, Glory be to God on high, Glory, glory, glory, glory, Sing his praises through the sky; Glory, glory, glory, glory, Glory to the Father give, Glory, glory, glory, glory, Sing his praises all that live."
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE BROWN CLOAK IN NOVEMBER.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading It was a clear, bird-like voice, and Mrs. Mathieson listened; at first she could not distinguish the words, but then came a refrain which was plain enough.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading "Glory, glory, glory, glory, Glory be to God on high, Glory, glory, glory, glory, Sing his praises through the sky; Glory, glory, glory, glory, Glory to the Father give, Glory, glory, glory, glory, Sing his praises all that live."
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading One afternoon Mrs. Mathieson, wanting Nettie, went to the foot of the garret stairs to call her, and stopped, hearing Nettie's voice singing.
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading November days drew toward an end; December was near.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading One afternoon Mrs. Mathieson, wanting Nettie, went to the foot of the garret stairs to call her, and stopped, hearing Nettie's voice singing.
nonexistent
From this reading One afternoon Mrs. Mathieson, wanting Nettie, went to the foot of the garret stairs to call her, and stopped, hearing Nettie's voice singing.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading November days drew toward an end; December was near.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading One afternoon Mrs. Mathieson, wanting Nettie, went to the foot of the garret stairs to call her, and stopped, hearing Nettie's voice singing.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading It was a clear, bird-like voice, and Mrs. Mathieson listened; at first she could not distinguish the words, but then came a refrain which was plain enough.
the words that are spoken
From this reading It was a clear, bird-like voice, and Mrs. Mathieson listened; at first she could not distinguish the words, but then came a refrain which was plain enough.
