adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading AN old lady, in a high drawing-room, had had her chair moved close to the fire, where she sat knitting and warming her knees.
activeadjectiveUS /ˈæktɪv/
tending to become more severe or wider in scope
From this reading She was far from the lamp, but though her eyes were fixed upon her active needles she was not looking at them.
affairsnounUS /əˈferz/
matters of personal concern
From this reading What she really saw was quite another train of affairs.
ANdeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading AN old lady, in a high drawing-room, had had her chair moved close to the fire, where she sat knitting and warming her knees.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading AN old lady, in a high drawing-room, had had her chair moved close to the fire, where she sat knitting and warming her knees.
anotherdeterminerUS /əˈnʌðər/
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading What she really saw was quite another train of affairs.
assumedadjectiveUS /əˈsuːmd/
adopted in order to deceive
From this reading She was dressed in deep mourning; her face had a faded nobleness, tempered, however, by the somewhat illiberal compression assumed by her lips in obedience to something that was passing in her mind.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading She was far from the lamp, but though her eyes were fixed upon her active needles she was not looking at them.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading She was far from the lamp, but though her eyes were fixed upon her active needles she was not looking at them.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading She was dressed in deep mourning; her face had a faded nobleness, tempered, however, by the somewhat illiberal compression assumed by her lips in obedience to something that was passing in her mind.
chairnounUS /tʃer/
a seat for one person, with a support for the back
From this reading AN old lady, in a high drawing-room, had had her chair moved close to the fire, where she sat knitting and warming her knees.
CHAPERONnoun
one who accompanies and supervises a young woman or gatherings of young people
From this reading THE CHAPERON.
closeadjectiveUS /kloʊs/
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading AN old lady, in a high drawing-room, had had her chair moved close to the fire, where she sat knitting and warming her knees.
compressionnounUS /kəmˈpreʃən/
an increase in the density of something
From this reading She was dressed in deep mourning; her face had a faded nobleness, tempered, however, by the somewhat illiberal compression assumed by her lips in obedience to something that was passing in her mind.
deepadjectiveUS /diːp/
relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply
From this reading She was dressed in deep mourning; her face had a faded nobleness, tempered, however, by the somewhat illiberal compression assumed by her lips in obedience to something that was passing in her mind.
drawing-room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AN old lady, in a high drawing-room, had had her chair moved close to the fire, where she sat knitting and warming her knees.
dressedadjectiveUS /drest/
dressed or clothed especially in fine attire; often used in combination
From this reading She was dressed in deep mourning; her face had a faded nobleness, tempered, however, by the somewhat illiberal compression assumed by her lips in obedience to something that was passing in her mind.
eyesnounUS /aɪz/
opinion or judgment
From this reading She was far from the lamp, but though her eyes were fixed upon her active needles she was not looking at them.
facenounUS /feɪs/
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading She was dressed in deep mourning; her face had a faded nobleness, tempered, however, by the somewhat illiberal compression assumed by her lips in obedience to something that was passing in her mind.
fadedadjectiveUS /ˈfeɪdəd/
having lost freshness or brilliance of color
From this reading She was dressed in deep mourning; her face had a faded nobleness, tempered, however, by the somewhat illiberal compression assumed by her lips in obedience to something that was passing in her mind.
faradverbUS /fɑːr/
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading She was far from the lamp, but though her eyes were fixed upon her active needles she was not looking at them.
fireverbUS /ˈfaɪər/
start firing a weapon
From this reading AN old lady, in a high drawing-room, had had her chair moved close to the fire, where she sat knitting and warming her knees.
fixedadjectiveUS /fɪkst/
(of a number) having a fixed and unchanging value
From this reading She was far from the lamp, but though her eyes were fixed upon her active needles she was not looking at them.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading She was far from the lamp, but though her eyes were fixed upon her active needles she was not looking at them.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading AN old lady, in a high drawing-room, had had her chair moved close to the fire, where she sat knitting and warming her knees.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading AN old lady, in a high drawing-room, had had her chair moved close to the fire, where she sat knitting and warming her knees.
highadjectiveUS /haɪ/
greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading AN old lady, in a high drawing-room, had had her chair moved close to the fire, where she sat knitting and warming her knees.
howeveradverbUS /ˌhaʊˈevər/
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading She was dressed in deep mourning; her face had a faded nobleness, tempered, however, by the somewhat illiberal compression assumed by her lips in obedience to something that was passing in her mind.
illiberaladjective
narrow-minded about cherished opinions
From this reading She was dressed in deep mourning; her face had a faded nobleness, tempered, however, by the somewhat illiberal compression assumed by her lips in obedience to something that was passing in her mind.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading AN old lady, in a high drawing-room, had had her chair moved close to the fire, where she sat knitting and warming her knees.
kneesnounUS /niːz/
plural of “knee” — hinge joint in the human leg connecting the tibia and fibula with the femur and protected in front by the patella
From this reading AN old lady, in a high drawing-room, had had her chair moved close to the fire, where she sat knitting and warming her knees.
knittingnounUS /ˈnɪtɪŋ/
needlework created by interlacing yarn in a series of connected loops using straight eyeless needles or by machine
From this reading AN old lady, in a high drawing-room, had had her chair moved close to the fire, where she sat knitting and warming her knees.
ladynounUS /ˈleɪdi/
a polite name for any woman
From this reading AN old lady, in a high drawing-room, had had her chair moved close to the fire, where she sat knitting and warming her knees.
lampnounUS /læmp/
an artificial source of visible illumination
From this reading She was far from the lamp, but though her eyes were fixed upon her active needles she was not looking at them.
lipsnounUS /lɪps/
plural of “lip” — either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking
From this reading She was dressed in deep mourning; her face had a faded nobleness, tempered, however, by the somewhat illiberal compression assumed by her lips in obedience to something that was passing in her mind.
lookingnounUS /ˈlʊkɪŋ/
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading She was far from the lamp, but though her eyes were fixed upon her active needles she was not looking at them.
mindnounUS /maɪnd/
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading She was dressed in deep mourning; her face had a faded nobleness, tempered, however, by the somewhat illiberal compression assumed by her lips in obedience to something that was passing in her mind.
mourningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/
state of sorrow over the death or departure of a loved one
From this reading She was dressed in deep mourning; her face had a faded nobleness, tempered, however, by the somewhat illiberal compression assumed by her lips in obedience to something that was passing in her mind.
movedadjectiveUS /muːvd/
being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion
From this reading AN old lady, in a high drawing-room, had had her chair moved close to the fire, where she sat knitting and warming her knees.
needlesnounUS /ˈniːdəlz/
plural of “needle” — the leaf of a conifer
From this reading She was far from the lamp, but though her eyes were fixed upon her active needles she was not looking at them.
noblenessnoun
the quality of elevation of mind and exaltation of character or ideals or conduct
From this reading She was dressed in deep mourning; her face had a faded nobleness, tempered, however, by the somewhat illiberal compression assumed by her lips in obedience to something that was passing in her mind.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading She was far from the lamp, but though her eyes were fixed upon her active needles she was not looking at them.
obediencenounUS /oʊˈbiːdiəns/
the act of obeying; dutiful or submissive behavior with respect to another person
From this reading She was dressed in deep mourning; her face had a faded nobleness, tempered, however, by the somewhat illiberal compression assumed by her lips in obedience to something that was passing in her mind.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading What she really saw was quite another train of affairs.
oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading AN old lady, in a high drawing-room, had had her chair moved close to the fire, where she sat knitting and warming her knees.
passingnounUS /ˈpæsɪŋ/
(American football) a play that involves one player throwing the ball to a teammate
From this reading She was dressed in deep mourning; her face had a faded nobleness, tempered, however, by the somewhat illiberal compression assumed by her lips in obedience to something that was passing in her mind.
quiteadverbUS /kwaɪt/
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading What she really saw was quite another train of affairs.
reallyadverbUS /ˈrɪli/
in accordance with truth or fact or reality
From this reading What she really saw was quite another train of affairs.
satnounUS /sæt/
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading AN old lady, in a high drawing-room, had had her chair moved close to the fire, where she sat knitting and warming her knees.
sawverbUS /sɔː/
cut with a saw
From this reading What she really saw was quite another train of affairs.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading AN old lady, in a high drawing-room, had had her chair moved close to the fire, where she sat knitting and warming her knees.
somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/
a thing, without saying which
From this reading She was dressed in deep mourning; her face had a faded nobleness, tempered, however, by the somewhat illiberal compression assumed by her lips in obedience to something that was passing in her mind.
somewhatadverbUS /ˈsʌmˈwʌt/
to a small degree or extent
From this reading She was dressed in deep mourning; her face had a faded nobleness, tempered, however, by the somewhat illiberal compression assumed by her lips in obedience to something that was passing in her mind.
temperedadjectiveUS /ˈtempərd/
made hard or flexible or resilient especially by heat treatment
From this reading She was dressed in deep mourning; her face had a faded nobleness, tempered, however, by the somewhat illiberal compression assumed by her lips in obedience to something that was passing in her mind.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading She was dressed in deep mourning; her face had a faded nobleness, tempered, however, by the somewhat illiberal compression assumed by her lips in obedience to something that was passing in her mind.
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE CHAPERON.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading She was far from the lamp, but though her eyes were fixed upon her active needles she was not looking at them.
thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/
in spite of the fact that
From this reading She was far from the lamp, but though her eyes were fixed upon her active needles she was not looking at them.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading AN old lady, in a high drawing-room, had had her chair moved close to the fire, where she sat knitting and warming her knees.
trainverbUS /treɪn/
create by training and teaching
From this reading What she really saw was quite another train of affairs.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading She was far from the lamp, but though her eyes were fixed upon her active needles she was not looking at them.
warmingadjectiveUS /ˈwɔːrmɪŋ/
imparting heat
From this reading AN old lady, in a high drawing-room, had had her chair moved close to the fire, where she sat knitting and warming her knees.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading She was dressed in deep mourning; her face had a faded nobleness, tempered, however, by the somewhat illiberal compression assumed by her lips in obedience to something that was passing in her mind.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading She was far from the lamp, but though her eyes were fixed upon her active needles she was not looking at them.
WhatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading What she really saw was quite another train of affairs.
whereconjunctionUS /wer/
in or at the place that
From this reading AN old lady, in a high drawing-room, had had her chair moved close to the fire, where she sat knitting and warming her knees.
