used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading I also went to nunneries for a week or two, and in one of them, on the Volga, I hurt my foot with an ax one day while chopping wood.
(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 The monastery was not large, but rich, and the sisters all had a prosperous and dignified appearance.
in addition
From this reading I also went to nunneries for a week or two, and in one of them, on the Volga, I hurt my foot with an ax one day while chopping wood.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading I also went to nunneries for a week or two, and in one of them, on the Volga, I hurt my foot with an ax one day while chopping wood.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading I also went to nunneries for a week or two, and in one of them, on the Volga, I hurt my foot with an ax one day while chopping wood.
outward or visible aspect of a person or thing
From this reading The monastery was not large, but rich, and the sisters all had a prosperous and dignified appearance.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Once, as I stood at vespers, I heard one of the women in the choir sing divinely.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Once, as I stood at vespers, I heard one of the women in the choir sing divinely.
axnounUS /æks/
an edge tool with a heavy bladed head mounted across a handle
From this reading I also went to nunneries for a week or two, and in one of them, on the Volga, I hurt my foot with an ax one day while chopping wood.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The monastery was not large, but rich, and the sisters all had a prosperous and dignified appearance.
choirnounUS /ˈkwaɪər/
a chorus that sings as part of a religious ceremony
From this reading Once, as I stood at vespers, I heard one of the women in the choir sing divinely.
choppingverbUS /ˈtʃɑːpɪŋ/
inflected form of “chop” — cut into pieces
From this reading I also went to nunneries for a week or two, and in one of them, on the Volga, I hurt my foot with an ax one day while chopping wood.
cropsnounUS /krɑːps/
plural of “crop” — the yield from plants in a single growing season
From this reading They irritated me, with their sweetness and their honied smiles and their fat crops.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading I also went to nunneries for a week or two, and in one of them, on the Volga, I hurt my foot with an ax one day while chopping wood.
dignifiedadjectiveUS /ˈdɪɡnəfaɪd/
having or expressing dignity; especially formality or stateliness in bearing or appearance
From this reading The monastery was not large, but rich, and the sisters all had a prosperous and dignified appearance.
divinelyadverbUS /dɪˈvaɪnli/
by divine means
From this reading Once, as I stood at vespers, I heard one of the women in the choir sing divinely.
having an (over)abundance of flesh
From this reading They irritated me, with their sweetness and their honied smiles and their fat crops.
the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading I also went to nunneries for a week or two, and in one of them, on the Volga, I hurt my foot with an ax one day while chopping wood.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading I also went to nunneries for a week or two, and in one of them, on the Volga, I hurt my foot with an ax one day while chopping wood.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading Mother Theoktista, a good little old woman, nursed me.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The monastery was not large, but rich, and the sisters all had a prosperous and dignified appearance.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading Once, as I stood at vespers, I heard one of the women in the choir sing divinely.
honiedadjective
with honey added
From this reading They irritated me, with their sweetness and their honied smiles and their fat crops.
be the source of pain
From this reading I also went to nunneries for a week or two, and in one of them, on the Volga, I hurt my foot with an ax one day while chopping wood.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I also went to nunneries for a week or two, and in one of them, on the Volga, I hurt my foot with an ax one day while chopping wood.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading I also went to nunneries for a week or two, and in one of them, on the Volga, I hurt my foot with an ax one day while chopping wood.
irritatedadjectiveUS /ˈɪrəteɪtəd/
aroused to impatience or anger
From this reading They irritated me, with their sweetness and their honied smiles and their fat crops.
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The monastery was not large, but rich, and the sisters all had a prosperous and dignified appearance.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Mother Theoktista, a good little old woman, nursed me.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Mother Theoktista, a good little old woman, nursed me.
monasterynounUS /ˈmɑːnəsteri/
the residence of a religious community
From this reading The monastery was not large, but rich, and the sisters all had a prosperous and dignified appearance.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading Mother Theoktista, a good little old woman, nursed me.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading I also went to nunneries for a week or two, and in one of them, on the Volga, I hurt my foot with an ax one day while chopping wood.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The monastery was not large, but rich, and the sisters all had a prosperous and dignified appearance.
nunneries
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I also went to nunneries for a week or two, and in one of them, on the Volga, I hurt my foot with an ax one day while chopping wood.
nursedadjectiveUS /nɜːrst/
(of an infant) breast-fed
From this reading Mother Theoktista, a good little old woman, nursed me.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading I also went to nunneries for a week or two, and in one of them, on the Volga, I hurt my foot with an ax one day while chopping wood.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading Mother Theoktista, a good little old woman, nursed me.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading I also went to nunneries for a week or two, and in one of them, on the Volga, I hurt my foot with an ax one day while chopping wood.
on one occasion
From this reading Once, as I stood at vespers, I heard one of the women in the choir sing divinely.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading I also went to nunneries for a week or two, and in one of them, on the Volga, I hurt my foot with an ax one day while chopping wood.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading I also went to nunneries for a week or two, and in one of them, on the Volga, I hurt my foot with an ax one day while chopping wood.
prosperousadjectiveUS /ˈprɑːspərəs/
in fortunate circumstances financially; moderately rich
From this reading The monastery was not large, but rich, and the sisters all had a prosperous and dignified appearance.
possessing material wealth
From this reading The monastery was not large, but rich, and the sisters all had a prosperous and dignified appearance.
deliver by singing
From this reading Once, as I stood at vespers, I heard one of the women in the choir sing divinely.
plural of “sister” — a female person who has the same parents as another person
From this reading The monastery was not large, but rich, and the sisters all had a prosperous and dignified appearance.
smilesnounUS /smaɪlz/
plural of “smile” — a facial expression characterized by turning up the corners of the mouth; usually shows pleasure or amusement
From this reading They irritated me, with their sweetness and their honied smiles and their fat crops.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading Once, as I stood at vespers, I heard one of the women in the choir sing divinely.
sweetnessnounUS /ˈswiːtnəs/
the taste experience when sugar dissolves in the mouth
From this reading They irritated me, with their sweetness and their honied smiles and their fat crops.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading I also went to nunneries for a week or two, and in one of them, on the Volga, I hurt my foot with an ax one day while chopping wood.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading They irritated me, with their sweetness and their honied smiles and their fat crops.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading I also went to nunneries for a week or two, and in one of them, on the Volga, I hurt my foot with an ax one day while chopping wood.
Theoktista
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mother Theoktista, a good little old woman, nursed me.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They irritated me, with their sweetness and their honied smiles and their fat crops.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I also went to nunneries for a week or two, and in one of them, on the Volga, I hurt my foot with an ax one day while chopping wood.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading I also went to nunneries for a week or two, and in one of them, on the Volga, I hurt my foot with an ax one day while chopping wood.
vespersnoun
the sixth of the seven canonical hours of the divine office; early evening; now often made a public service on Sundays
From this reading Once, as I stood at vespers, I heard one of the women in the choir sing divinely.
VolganounUS /ˈvɑːlɡə/
a Russian river; the longest river in Europe; flows into the Caspian Sea
From this reading I also went to nunneries for a week or two, and in one of them, on the Volga, I hurt my foot with an ax one day while chopping wood.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The monastery was not large, but rich, and the sisters all had a prosperous and dignified appearance.
any period of seven consecutive days
From this reading I also went to nunneries for a week or two, and in one of them, on the Volga, I hurt my foot with an ax one day while chopping wood.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading I also went to nunneries for a week or two, and in one of them, on the Volga, I hurt my foot with an ax one day while chopping wood.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading I also went to nunneries for a week or two, and in one of them, on the Volga, I hurt my foot with an ax one day while chopping wood.
in the company of; together with
From this reading I also went to nunneries for a week or two, and in one of them, on the Volga, I hurt my foot with an ax one day while chopping wood.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading Mother Theoktista, a good little old woman, nursed me.
plural of “woman” — an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading Once, as I stood at vespers, I heard one of the women in the choir sing divinely.
the hard fibrous lignified substance under the bark of trees
From this reading I also went to nunneries for a week or two, and in one of them, on the Volga, I hurt my foot with an ax one day while chopping wood.
