used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Entering the hall, I discovered my Uncle Roland in a great state of embarrassment.
AlasexclamationUS /əˈlæs/
used to show sadness, pity, or regret
From this reading Alas, the maidservant was deaf!
all-fours
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The maid-servant was scrubbing the stones at the hall- door; she was naturally plump,--and it is astonishing how much more plump a female becomes when she is on all-fours!
using the voice; not silently
From this reading The maid-servant, then, was scrubbing the stones, her face turned from the Captain; and the Captain, evidently meditating a sortie, stood ruefully gazing at the obstacle before him and hemming aloud.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading As soon as I was dressed I hastened downstairs, for I longed to revisit my old haunts,--the little plot of garden I had sown with anemones and tresses; the walk by the peach wall; the pond wherein I had angled for roach and perch.
anemones
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As soon as I was dressed I hastened downstairs, for I longed to revisit my old haunts,--the little plot of garden I had sown with anemones and tresses; the walk by the peach wall; the pond wherein I had angled for roach and perch.
angledadjectiveUS /ˈæŋɡəld/
forming or set at an angle
From this reading As soon as I was dressed I hastened downstairs, for I longed to revisit my old haunts,--the little plot of garden I had sown with anemones and tresses; the walk by the peach wall; the pond wherein I had angled for roach and perch.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As soon as I was dressed I hastened downstairs, for I longed to revisit my old haunts,--the little plot of garden I had sown with anemones and tresses; the walk by the peach wall; the pond wherein I had angled for roach and perch.
astonishingadjectiveUS /əˈstɑːnɪʃɪŋ/
surprising greatly
From this reading The maid-servant was scrubbing the stones at the hall- door; she was naturally plump,--and it is astonishing how much more plump a female becomes when she is on all-fours!
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The maid-servant was scrubbing the stones at the hall- door; she was naturally plump,--and it is astonishing how much more plump a female becomes when she is on all-fours!
third-person singular of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading The maid-servant was scrubbing the stones at the hall- door; she was naturally plump,--and it is astonishing how much more plump a female becomes when she is on all-fours!
earlier than; in front of
From this reading The maid-servant, then, was scrubbing the stones, her face turned from the Captain; and the Captain, evidently meditating a sortie, stood ruefully gazing at the obstacle before him and hemming aloud.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading As soon as I was dressed I hastened downstairs, for I longed to revisit my old haunts,--the little plot of garden I had sown with anemones and tresses; the walk by the peach wall; the pond wherein I had angled for roach and perch.
an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant
From this reading The maid-servant, then, was scrubbing the stones, her face turned from the Captain; and the Captain, evidently meditating a sortie, stood ruefully gazing at the obstacle before him and hemming aloud.
deafadjectiveUS /def/
lacking or deprived of the sense of hearing wholly or in part
From this reading Alas, the maidservant was deaf!
discovered or determined by scientific observation
From this reading Entering the hall, I discovered my Uncle Roland in a great state of embarrassment.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading The maid-servant was scrubbing the stones at the hall- door; she was naturally plump,--and it is astonishing how much more plump a female becomes when she is on all-fours!
downstairsadverbUS /ˈdaʊnˈsterz/
on a floor below
From this reading As soon as I was dressed I hastened downstairs, for I longed to revisit my old haunts,--the little plot of garden I had sown with anemones and tresses; the walk by the peach wall; the pond wherein I had angled for roach and perch.
dressed or clothed especially in fine attire; often used in combination
From this reading As soon as I was dressed I hastened downstairs, for I longed to revisit my old haunts,--the little plot of garden I had sown with anemones and tresses; the walk by the peach wall; the pond wherein I had angled for roach and perch.
embarrassmentnounUS /ɪmˈberəsmənt/
the shame you feel when your inadequacy or guilt is made public
From this reading Entering the hall, I discovered my Uncle Roland in a great state of embarrassment.
a movement into or inward
From this reading Entering the hall, I discovered my Uncle Roland in a great state of embarrassment.
unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)
From this reading The maid-servant, then, was scrubbing the stones, her face turned from the Captain; and the Captain, evidently meditating a sortie, stood ruefully gazing at the obstacle before him and hemming aloud.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading The maid-servant, then, was scrubbing the stones, her face turned from the Captain; and the Captain, evidently meditating a sortie, stood ruefully gazing at the obstacle before him and hemming aloud.
being the sex (of plant or animal) that produces fertilizable gametes (ova) from which offspring develop
From this reading The maid-servant was scrubbing the stones at the hall- door; she was naturally plump,--and it is astonishing how much more plump a female becomes when she is on all-fours!
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading As soon as I was dressed I hastened downstairs, for I longed to revisit my old haunts,--the little plot of garden I had sown with anemones and tresses; the walk by the peach wall; the pond wherein I had angled for roach and perch.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The maid-servant, then, was scrubbing the stones, her face turned from the Captain; and the Captain, evidently meditating a sortie, stood ruefully gazing at the obstacle before him and hemming aloud.
a plot of ground where plants are cultivated
From this reading As soon as I was dressed I hastened downstairs, for I longed to revisit my old haunts,--the little plot of garden I had sown with anemones and tresses; the walk by the peach wall; the pond wherein I had angled for roach and perch.
-ing form of “gaze” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading The maid-servant, then, was scrubbing the stones, her face turned from the Captain; and the Captain, evidently meditating a sortie, stood ruefully gazing at the obstacle before him and hemming aloud.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading Entering the hall, I discovered my Uncle Roland in a great state of embarrassment.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading As soon as I was dressed I hastened downstairs, for I longed to revisit my old haunts,--the little plot of garden I had sown with anemones and tresses; the walk by the peach wall; the pond wherein I had angled for roach and perch.
an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open
From this reading Entering the hall, I discovered my Uncle Roland in a great state of embarrassment.
past form of “hasten” — act or move at high speed
From this reading As soon as I was dressed I hastened downstairs, for I longed to revisit my old haunts,--the little plot of garden I had sown with anemones and tresses; the walk by the peach wall; the pond wherein I had angled for roach and perch.
hauntsnounUS /hɔːnts/
plural of “haunt” — a frequently visited place
From this reading As soon as I was dressed I hastened downstairs, for I longed to revisit my old haunts,--the little plot of garden I had sown with anemones and tresses; the walk by the peach wall; the pond wherein I had angled for roach and perch.
hemmingverbUS /ˈhemɪŋ/
inflected form of “hem” — fold over and sew together to provide with a hem
From this reading The maid-servant, then, was scrubbing the stones, her face turned from the Captain; and the Captain, evidently meditating a sortie, stood ruefully gazing at the obstacle before him and hemming aloud.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The maid-servant, then, was scrubbing the stones, her face turned from the Captain; and the Captain, evidently meditating a sortie, stood ruefully gazing at the obstacle before him and hemming aloud.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The maid-servant, then, was scrubbing the stones, her face turned from the Captain; and the Captain, evidently meditating a sortie, stood ruefully gazing at the obstacle before him and hemming aloud.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The maid-servant was scrubbing the stones at the hall- door; she was naturally plump,--and it is astonishing how much more plump a female becomes when she is on all-fours!
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading As soon as I was dressed I hastened downstairs, for I longed to revisit my old haunts,--the little plot of garden I had sown with anemones and tresses; the walk by the peach wall; the pond wherein I had angled for roach and perch.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Entering the hall, I discovered my Uncle Roland in a great state of embarrassment.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The maid-servant was scrubbing the stones at the hall- door; she was naturally plump,--and it is astonishing how much more plump a female becomes when she is on all-fours!
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The maid-servant was scrubbing the stones at the hall- door; she was naturally plump,--and it is astonishing how much more plump a female becomes when she is on all-fours!
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading As soon as I was dressed I hastened downstairs, for I longed to revisit my old haunts,--the little plot of garden I had sown with anemones and tresses; the walk by the peach wall; the pond wherein I had angled for roach and perch.
past form of “long” — desire strongly or persistently
From this reading As soon as I was dressed I hastened downstairs, for I longed to revisit my old haunts,--the little plot of garden I had sown with anemones and tresses; the walk by the peach wall; the pond wherein I had angled for roach and perch.
maid-servant
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The maid-servant was scrubbing the stones at the hall- door; she was naturally plump,--and it is astonishing how much more plump a female becomes when she is on all-fours!
maidservantnoun
a female domestic
From this reading Alas, the maidservant was deaf!
meditatingverbUS /ˈmedəteɪtɪŋ/
-ing form of “meditate” — reflect deeply on a subject
From this reading The maid-servant, then, was scrubbing the stones, her face turned from the Captain; and the Captain, evidently meditating a sortie, stood ruefully gazing at the obstacle before him and hemming aloud.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading The maid-servant was scrubbing the stones at the hall- door; she was naturally plump,--and it is astonishing how much more plump a female becomes when she is on all-fours!
to a great degree or extent
From this reading The maid-servant was scrubbing the stones at the hall- door; she was naturally plump,--and it is astonishing how much more plump a female becomes when she is on all-fours!
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading As soon as I was dressed I hastened downstairs, for I longed to revisit my old haunts,--the little plot of garden I had sown with anemones and tresses; the walk by the peach wall; the pond wherein I had angled for roach and perch.
as might be expected
From this reading The maid-servant was scrubbing the stones at the hall- door; she was naturally plump,--and it is astonishing how much more plump a female becomes when she is on all-fours!
obstaclenounUS /ˈɑːbstəkəl/
something immaterial that stands in the way and must be circumvented or surmounted
From this reading The maid-servant, then, was scrubbing the stones, her face turned from the Captain; and the Captain, evidently meditating a sortie, stood ruefully gazing at the obstacle before him and hemming aloud.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading As soon as I was dressed I hastened downstairs, for I longed to revisit my old haunts,--the little plot of garden I had sown with anemones and tresses; the walk by the peach wall; the pond wherein I had angled for roach and perch.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading As soon as I was dressed I hastened downstairs, for I longed to revisit my old haunts,--the little plot of garden I had sown with anemones and tresses; the walk by the peach wall; the pond wherein I had angled for roach and perch.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The maid-servant was scrubbing the stones at the hall- door; she was naturally plump,--and it is astonishing how much more plump a female becomes when she is on all-fours!
peachnounUS /piːtʃ/
cultivated in temperate regions
From this reading As soon as I was dressed I hastened downstairs, for I longed to revisit my old haunts,--the little plot of garden I had sown with anemones and tresses; the walk by the peach wall; the pond wherein I had angled for roach and perch.
perchnounUS /pɜːrtʃ/
support consisting of a branch or rod that serves as a resting place (especially for a bird)
From this reading As soon as I was dressed I hastened downstairs, for I longed to revisit my old haunts,--the little plot of garden I had sown with anemones and tresses; the walk by the peach wall; the pond wherein I had angled for roach and perch.
plotnounUS /plɑːt/
a secret scheme to do something (especially something underhand or illegal)
From this reading As soon as I was dressed I hastened downstairs, for I longed to revisit my old haunts,--the little plot of garden I had sown with anemones and tresses; the walk by the peach wall; the pond wherein I had angled for roach and perch.
plumpadjectiveUS /plʌmp/
sufficiently fat so as to have a pleasing fullness of figure
From this reading The maid-servant was scrubbing the stones at the hall- door; she was naturally plump,--and it is astonishing how much more plump a female becomes when she is on all-fours!
pondnounUS /pɑːnd/
a small lake
From this reading As soon as I was dressed I hastened downstairs, for I longed to revisit my old haunts,--the little plot of garden I had sown with anemones and tresses; the walk by the peach wall; the pond wherein I had angled for roach and perch.
revisitverbUS /riˈvɪzɪt/
visit again
From this reading As soon as I was dressed I hastened downstairs, for I longed to revisit my old haunts,--the little plot of garden I had sown with anemones and tresses; the walk by the peach wall; the pond wherein I had angled for roach and perch.
roachnounUS /roʊtʃ/
a roll of hair brushed back from the forehead
From this reading As soon as I was dressed I hastened downstairs, for I longed to revisit my old haunts,--the little plot of garden I had sown with anemones and tresses; the walk by the peach wall; the pond wherein I had angled for roach and perch.
Roland
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Entering the hall, I discovered my Uncle Roland in a great state of embarrassment.
ruefullyadverbUS /ˈruːfəli/
in a rueful manner
From this reading The maid-servant, then, was scrubbing the stones, her face turned from the Captain; and the Captain, evidently meditating a sortie, stood ruefully gazing at the obstacle before him and hemming aloud.
scrubbingnounUS /ˈskrʌbɪŋ/
the act of cleaning a surface by rubbing it with a brush and soap and water
From this reading The maid-servant was scrubbing the stones at the hall- door; she was naturally plump,--and it is astonishing how much more plump a female becomes when she is on all-fours!
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The maid-servant was scrubbing the stones at the hall- door; she was naturally plump,--and it is astonishing how much more plump a female becomes when she is on all-fours!
in the near future
From this reading As soon as I was dressed I hastened downstairs, for I longed to revisit my old haunts,--the little plot of garden I had sown with anemones and tresses; the walk by the peach wall; the pond wherein I had angled for roach and perch.
sortienounUS /ˈsɔːrti/
a military action in which besieged troops burst forth from their position
From this reading The maid-servant, then, was scrubbing the stones, her face turned from the Captain; and the Captain, evidently meditating a sortie, stood ruefully gazing at the obstacle before him and hemming aloud.
sownadjectiveUS /soʊn/
sprinkled with seed
From this reading As soon as I was dressed I hastened downstairs, for I longed to revisit my old haunts,--the little plot of garden I had sown with anemones and tresses; the walk by the peach wall; the pond wherein I had angled for roach and perch.
the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation
From this reading Entering the hall, I discovered my Uncle Roland in a great state of embarrassment.
plural of “stone” — a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading The maid-servant was scrubbing the stones at the hall- door; she was naturally plump,--and it is astonishing how much more plump a female becomes when she is on all-fours!
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading The maid-servant, then, was scrubbing the stones, her face turned from the Captain; and the Captain, evidently meditating a sortie, stood ruefully gazing at the obstacle before him and hemming aloud.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading As soon as I was dressed I hastened downstairs, for I longed to revisit my old haunts,--the little plot of garden I had sown with anemones and tresses; the walk by the peach wall; the pond wherein I had angled for roach and perch.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading The maid-servant, then, was scrubbing the stones, her face turned from the Captain; and the Captain, evidently meditating a sortie, stood ruefully gazing at the obstacle before him and hemming aloud.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading As soon as I was dressed I hastened downstairs, for I longed to revisit my old haunts,--the little plot of garden I had sown with anemones and tresses; the walk by the peach wall; the pond wherein I had angled for roach and perch.
tressesnounUS /ˈtresɪz/
plural of “tress” — a hairdo formed by braiding or twisting the hair
From this reading As soon as I was dressed I hastened downstairs, for I longed to revisit my old haunts,--the little plot of garden I had sown with anemones and tresses; the walk by the peach wall; the pond wherein I had angled for roach and perch.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading The maid-servant, then, was scrubbing the stones, her face turned from the Captain; and the Captain, evidently meditating a sortie, stood ruefully gazing at the obstacle before him and hemming aloud.
the brother of your father or mother; the husband of your aunt
From this reading Entering the hall, I discovered my Uncle Roland in a great state of embarrassment.
the act of traveling by foot
From this reading As soon as I was dressed I hastened downstairs, for I longed to revisit my old haunts,--the little plot of garden I had sown with anemones and tresses; the walk by the peach wall; the pond wherein I had angled for roach and perch.
an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure
From this reading As soon as I was dressed I hastened downstairs, for I longed to revisit my old haunts,--the little plot of garden I had sown with anemones and tresses; the walk by the peach wall; the pond wherein I had angled for roach and perch.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading As soon as I was dressed I hastened downstairs, for I longed to revisit my old haunts,--the little plot of garden I had sown with anemones and tresses; the walk by the peach wall; the pond wherein I had angled for roach and perch.
at the time that
From this reading The maid-servant was scrubbing the stones at the hall- door; she was naturally plump,--and it is astonishing how much more plump a female becomes when she is on all-fours!
wherein
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As soon as I was dressed I hastened downstairs, for I longed to revisit my old haunts,--the little plot of garden I had sown with anemones and tresses; the walk by the peach wall; the pond wherein I had angled for roach and perch.
in the company of; together with
From this reading As soon as I was dressed I hastened downstairs, for I longed to revisit my old haunts,--the little plot of garden I had sown with anemones and tresses; the walk by the peach wall; the pond wherein I had angled for roach and perch.
