used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading MIRANDA Miss Terry returned to the fireside, fumbled in the box, and drew out a doll.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading She was an ugly, old-fashioned doll, with bruised waxen face of no particular color.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading MIRANDA Miss Terry returned to the fireside, fumbled in the box, and drew out a doll.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading She was a strange, dead-looking figure, with pale eyelids closed, as Miss Terry dragged her from the box.
the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others
From this reading Her mop of flaxen hair was straggling and uneven, much the worse for the attention of generations of moths.
bonnetnounUS /ˈbɑːnət/
a hat tied under the chin
From this reading She wore a faded green silk dress in the style of Lincoln's day, and a primitive bonnet, evidently made by childish hands.
a (usually rectangular) container; may have a lid
From this reading MIRANDA Miss Terry returned to the fireside, fumbled in the box, and drew out a doll.
bruisedverbUS /bruːzd/
past form of “bruise” — injure the underlying soft tissue or bone of
From this reading She was an ugly, old-fashioned doll, with bruised waxen face of no particular color.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading She wore a faded green silk dress in the style of Lincoln's day, and a primitive bonnet, evidently made by childish hands.
childishadjectiveUS /ˈtʃaɪldɪʃ/
indicating a lack of maturity
From this reading She wore a faded green silk dress in the style of Lincoln's day, and a primitive bonnet, evidently made by childish hands.
not open or affording passage or access
From this reading She was a strange, dead-looking figure, with pale eyelids closed, as Miss Terry dragged her from the box.
a visual attribute of things that results from the light they emit or transmit or reflect
From this reading She was an ugly, old-fashioned doll, with bruised waxen face of no particular color.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading She wore a faded green silk dress in the style of Lincoln's day, and a primitive bonnet, evidently made by childish hands.
dead-looking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was a strange, dead-looking figure, with pale eyelids closed, as Miss Terry dragged her from the box.
dollnounUS /dɑːl/
a small replica of a person; used as a toy
From this reading MIRANDA Miss Terry returned to the fireside, fumbled in the box, and drew out a doll.
inflected form of “drag” — pull, as against a resistance
From this reading She was a strange, dead-looking figure, with pale eyelids closed, as Miss Terry dragged her from the box.
put on clothes
From this reading She wore a faded green silk dress in the style of Lincoln's day, and a primitive bonnet, evidently made by childish hands.
United States actor (born in Ireland); father of Georgiana Emma Barrymore (1827-1862)
From this reading MIRANDA Miss Terry returned to the fireside, fumbled in the box, and drew out a doll.
unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)
From this reading She wore a faded green silk dress in the style of Lincoln's day, and a primitive bonnet, evidently made by childish hands.
eyelidsnounUS /ˈaɪlɪdz/
plural of “eyelid” — either of two folds of skin that can be moved to cover or open the eye
From this reading She was a strange, dead-looking figure, with pale eyelids closed, as Miss Terry dragged her from the box.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading She was an ugly, old-fashioned doll, with bruised waxen face of no particular color.
fadedadjectiveUS /ˈfeɪdəd/
having lost freshness or brilliance of color
From this reading She wore a faded green silk dress in the style of Lincoln's day, and a primitive bonnet, evidently made by childish hands.
a diagram or picture illustrating textual material
From this reading She was a strange, dead-looking figure, with pale eyelids closed, as Miss Terry dragged her from the box.
firesidenounUS /ˈfaɪərsaɪd/
an area near a fireplace (usually paved and extending out into a room)
From this reading MIRANDA Miss Terry returned to the fireside, fumbled in the box, and drew out a doll.
flaxenadjective
of hair color; pale yellowish to yellowish brown
From this reading Her mop of flaxen hair was straggling and uneven, much the worse for the attention of generations of moths.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Her mop of flaxen hair was straggling and uneven, much the worse for the attention of generations of moths.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading She was a strange, dead-looking figure, with pale eyelids closed, as Miss Terry dragged her from the box.
fumbledverbUS /ˈfʌmbəld/
past form of “fumble” — feel about uncertainly or blindly
From this reading MIRANDA Miss Terry returned to the fireside, fumbled in the box, and drew out a doll.
generationsnounUS /ˌdʒenərˈeɪʃənz/
plural of “generation” — all the people living at the same time or of approximately the same age
From this reading Her mop of flaxen hair was straggling and uneven, much the worse for the attention of generations of moths.
green color or pigment; resembling the color of growing grass
From this reading She wore a faded green silk dress in the style of Lincoln's day, and a primitive bonnet, evidently made by childish hands.
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 Her mop of flaxen hair was straggling and uneven, much the worse for the attention of generations of moths.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading She wore a faded green silk dress in the style of Lincoln's day, and a primitive bonnet, evidently made by childish hands.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Her mop of flaxen hair was straggling and uneven, much the worse for the attention of generations of moths.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading MIRANDA Miss Terry returned to the fireside, fumbled in the box, and drew out a doll.
Lincoln'snounUS /ˈlɪŋkənz/
possessive form of “lincoln” — 16th President of the United States; saved the Union during the American Civil War and emancipated the slaves; was assassinated by Booth (1809-1865)
From this reading She wore a faded green silk dress in the style of Lincoln's day, and a primitive bonnet, evidently made by childish hands.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading She wore a faded green silk dress in the style of Lincoln's day, and a primitive bonnet, evidently made by childish hands.
MIRANDA
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading MIRANDA Miss Terry returned to the fireside, fumbled in the box, and drew out a doll.
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading MIRANDA Miss Terry returned to the fireside, fumbled in the box, and drew out a doll.
mopverbUS /mɑːp/
to wash or wipe with or as if with a mop
From this reading Her mop of flaxen hair was straggling and uneven, much the worse for the attention of generations of moths.
mothsnounUS /mɔːθs/
plural of “moth” — typically crepuscular or nocturnal insect having a stout body and feathery or hairlike antennae
From this reading Her mop of flaxen hair was straggling and uneven, much the worse for the attention of generations of moths.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading Her mop of flaxen hair was straggling and uneven, much the worse for the attention of generations of moths.
not any; not one
From this reading She was an ugly, old-fashioned doll, with bruised waxen face of no particular color.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading She was an ugly, old-fashioned doll, with bruised waxen face of no particular color.
old-fashionedadjectiveUS /ˌoʊldˈfæʃənd/
out of fashion
From this reading She was an ugly, old-fashioned doll, with bruised waxen face of no particular color.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading MIRANDA Miss Terry returned to the fireside, fumbled in the box, and drew out a doll.
very light colored; highly diluted with white
From this reading She was a strange, dead-looking figure, with pale eyelids closed, as Miss Terry dragged her from the box.
unique or specific to a person or thing or category
From this reading She was an ugly, old-fashioned doll, with bruised waxen face of no particular color.
primitiveadjectiveUS /ˈprɪmətɪv/
belonging to an early stage of technical development; characterized by simplicity and (often) crudeness
From this reading She wore a faded green silk dress in the style of Lincoln's day, and a primitive bonnet, evidently made by childish hands.
past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading MIRANDA Miss Terry returned to the fireside, fumbled in the box, and drew out a doll.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She was an ugly, old-fashioned doll, with bruised waxen face of no particular color.
a fabric made from the fine threads produced by certain insect larvae
From this reading She wore a faded green silk dress in the style of Lincoln's day, and a primitive bonnet, evidently made by childish hands.
stragglingadjective
spreading out in different directions or distributed irregularly
From this reading Her mop of flaxen hair was straggling and uneven, much the worse for the attention of generations of moths.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading She was a strange, dead-looking figure, with pale eyelids closed, as Miss Terry dragged her from the box.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading She wore a faded green silk dress in the style of Lincoln's day, and a primitive bonnet, evidently made by childish hands.
TerrynounUS /ˈteri/
English actress (1847-1928)
From this reading MIRANDA Miss Terry returned to the fireside, fumbled in the box, and drew out a doll.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading MIRANDA Miss Terry returned to the fireside, fumbled in the box, and drew out a doll.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading MIRANDA Miss Terry returned to the fireside, fumbled in the box, and drew out a doll.
displeasing to the senses
From this reading She was an ugly, old-fashioned doll, with bruised waxen face of no particular color.
unevenadjectiveUS /əˈniːvən/
not even or uniform as e.g. in shape or texture
From this reading Her mop of flaxen hair was straggling and uneven, much the worse for the attention of generations of moths.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading She was an ugly, old-fashioned doll, with bruised waxen face of no particular color.
waxenadjective
made of or covered with wax
From this reading She was an ugly, old-fashioned doll, with bruised waxen face of no particular color.
in the company of; together with
From this reading She was an ugly, old-fashioned doll, with bruised waxen face of no particular color.
inflected form of “wear” — be dressed in
From this reading She wore a faded green silk dress in the style of Lincoln's day, and a primitive bonnet, evidently made by childish hands.
(comparative of “bad”) inferior to another in quality or condition or desirability
From this reading Her mop of flaxen hair was straggling and uneven, much the worse for the attention of generations of moths.
