used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading When she saw her own reflection in the little mirror she was shocked, for it seemed to her a strange thing that she should have passed through so many hours of intense experience and show so little for it.
(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 Her blouse was torn and her skirt caked with black mud, but that was all.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading But it hadn’t: only, when she took it down, she was puzzled for a moment by an unfamiliar perfume which seemed to have been imprisoned in its folds.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading I NOW it was far too light for her to think of sleep, and so she went into the house to change her clothes and to make herself clean.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading She would not have been surprised if she had found that her hair had turned white.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading Her blouse was torn and her skirt caked with black mud, but that was all.
blousenounUS /blaʊs/
a top worn by women
From this reading Her blouse was torn and her skirt caked with black mud, but that was all.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Her blouse was torn and her skirt caked with black mud, but that was all.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading But it hadn’t: only, when she took it down, she was puzzled for a moment by an unfamiliar perfume which seemed to have been imprisoned in its folds.
cakedverbUS /keɪkt/
past form of “cake” — form a coat over
From this reading Her blouse was torn and her skirt caked with black mud, but that was all.
cause to change; make different; cause a transformation
From this reading I NOW it was far too light for her to think of sleep, and so she went into the house to change her clothes and to make herself clean.
free from dirt or impurities; or having clean habits
From this reading I NOW it was far too light for her to think of sleep, and so she went into the house to change her clothes and to make herself clean.
clothing in general
From this reading I NOW it was far too light for her to think of sleep, and so she went into the house to change her clothes and to make herself clean.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading But it hadn’t: only, when she took it down, she was puzzled for a moment by an unfamiliar perfume which seemed to have been imprisoned in its folds.
undergo or live through a difficult experience
From this reading When she saw her own reflection in the little mirror she was shocked, for it seemed to her a strange thing that she should have passed through so many hours of intense experience and show so little for it.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading I NOW it was far too light for her to think of sleep, and so she went into the house to change her clothes and to make herself clean.
foldsnounUS /foʊldz/
plural of “fold” — an angular or rounded shape made by folding
From this reading But it hadn’t: only, when she took it down, she was puzzled for a moment by an unfamiliar perfume which seemed to have been imprisoned in its folds.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading I NOW it was far too light for her to think of sleep, and so she went into the house to change her clothes and to make herself clean.
set up or found
From this reading She would not have been surprised if she had found that her hair had turned white.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading She would not have been surprised if she had found that her hair had turned white.
hadn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But it hadn’t: only, when she took it down, she was puzzled for a moment by an unfamiliar perfume which seemed to have been imprisoned in its folds.
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 She would not have been surprised if she had found that her hair had turned white.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading When she saw her own reflection in the little mirror she was shocked, for it seemed to her a strange thing that she should have passed through so many hours of intense experience and show so little for it.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading I NOW it was far too light for her to think of sleep, and so she went into the house to change her clothes and to make herself clean.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading I NOW it was far too light for her to think of sleep, and so she went into the house to change her clothes and to make herself clean.
a period of time assigned for work
From this reading When she saw her own reflection in the little mirror she was shocked, for it seemed to her a strange thing that she should have passed through so many hours of intense experience and show so little for it.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading I NOW it was far too light for her to think of sleep, and so she went into the house to change her clothes and to make herself clean.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I NOW it was far too light for her to think of sleep, and so she went into the house to change her clothes and to make herself clean.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading She would not have been surprised if she had found that her hair had turned white.
imprisonedadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈprɪzənd/
being in captivity
From this reading But it hadn’t: only, when she took it down, she was puzzled for a moment by an unfamiliar perfume which seemed to have been imprisoned in its folds.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading When she saw her own reflection in the little mirror she was shocked, for it seemed to her a strange thing that she should have passed through so many hours of intense experience and show so little for it.
possessing or displaying a distinctive feature to a heightened degree
From this reading When she saw her own reflection in the little mirror she was shocked, for it seemed to her a strange thing that she should have passed through so many hours of intense experience and show so little for it.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading I NOW it was far too light for her to think of sleep, and so she went into the house to change her clothes and to make herself clean.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading I NOW it was far too light for her to think of sleep, and so she went into the house to change her clothes and to make herself clean.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading But it hadn’t: only, when she took it down, she was puzzled for a moment by an unfamiliar perfume which seemed to have been imprisoned in its folds.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading I NOW it was far too light for her to think of sleep, and so she went into the house to change her clothes and to make herself clean.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading When she saw her own reflection in the little mirror she was shocked, for it seemed to her a strange thing that she should have passed through so many hours of intense experience and show so little for it.
engage in
From this reading I NOW it was far too light for her to think of sleep, and so she went into the house to change her clothes and to make herself clean.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading When she saw her own reflection in the little mirror she was shocked, for it seemed to her a strange thing that she should have passed through so many hours of intense experience and show so little for it.
mirrornounUS /ˈmɪrər/
polished surface that forms images by reflecting light
From this reading When she saw her own reflection in the little mirror she was shocked, for it seemed to her a strange thing that she should have passed through so many hours of intense experience and show so little for it.
a particular point in time
From this reading But it hadn’t: only, when she took it down, she was puzzled for a moment by an unfamiliar perfume which seemed to have been imprisoned in its folds.
water soaked soil; soft wet earth
From this reading Her blouse was torn and her skirt caked with black mud, but that was all.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading She would not have been surprised if she had found that her hair had turned white.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading I NOW it was far too light for her to think of sleep, and so she went into the house to change her clothes and to make herself clean.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading I NOW it was far too light for her to think of sleep, and so she went into the house to change her clothes and to make herself clean.
and nothing more
From this reading But it hadn’t: only, when she took it down, she was puzzled for a moment by an unfamiliar perfume which seemed to have been imprisoned in its folds.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading When she saw her own reflection in the little mirror she was shocked, for it seemed to her a strange thing that she should have passed through so many hours of intense experience and show so little for it.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading When she saw her own reflection in the little mirror she was shocked, for it seemed to her a strange thing that she should have passed through so many hours of intense experience and show so little for it.
perfumenounUS /pərˈfjuːm/
a distinctive odor that is pleasant
From this reading But it hadn’t: only, when she took it down, she was puzzled for a moment by an unfamiliar perfume which seemed to have been imprisoned in its folds.
filled with bewilderment
From this reading But it hadn’t: only, when she took it down, she was puzzled for a moment by an unfamiliar perfume which seemed to have been imprisoned in its folds.
a calm, lengthy, intent consideration
From this reading When she saw her own reflection in the little mirror she was shocked, for it seemed to her a strange thing that she should have passed through so many hours of intense experience and show so little for it.
cut with a saw
From this reading When she saw her own reflection in the little mirror she was shocked, for it seemed to her a strange thing that she should have passed through so many hours of intense experience and show so little for it.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading When she saw her own reflection in the little mirror she was shocked, for it seemed to her a strange thing that she should have passed through so many hours of intense experience and show so little for it.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading I NOW it was far too light for her to think of sleep, and so she went into the house to change her clothes and to make herself clean.
shockedadjectiveUS /ʃɑːkt/
struck with fear, dread, or consternation
From this reading When she saw her own reflection in the little mirror she was shocked, for it seemed to her a strange thing that she should have passed through so many hours of intense experience and show so little for it.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading When she saw her own reflection in the little mirror she was shocked, for it seemed to her a strange thing that she should have passed through so many hours of intense experience and show so little for it.
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading When she saw her own reflection in the little mirror she was shocked, for it seemed to her a strange thing that she should have passed through so many hours of intense experience and show so little for it.
skirtnounUS /skɜːrt/
cloth covering that forms the part of a garment below the waist
From this reading Her blouse was torn and her skirt caked with black mud, but that was all.
a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended
From this reading I NOW it was far too light for her to think of sleep, and so she went into the house to change her clothes and to make herself clean.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading I NOW it was far too light for her to think of sleep, and so she went into the house to change her clothes and to make herself clean.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading When she saw her own reflection in the little mirror she was shocked, for it seemed to her a strange thing that she should have passed through so many hours of intense experience and show so little for it.
taken unawares or suddenly and feeling wonder or astonishment
From this reading She would not have been surprised if she had found that her hair had turned white.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading When she saw her own reflection in the little mirror she was shocked, for it seemed to her a strange thing that she should have passed through so many hours of intense experience and show so little for it.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading I NOW it was far too light for her to think of sleep, and so she went into the house to change her clothes and to make herself clean.
a special situation
From this reading When she saw her own reflection in the little mirror she was shocked, for it seemed to her a strange thing that she should have passed through so many hours of intense experience and show so little for it.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading I NOW it was far too light for her to think of sleep, and so she went into the house to change her clothes and to make herself clean.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading When she saw her own reflection in the little mirror she was shocked, for it seemed to her a strange thing that she should have passed through so many hours of intense experience and show so little for it.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I NOW it was far too light for her to think of sleep, and so she went into the house to change her clothes and to make herself clean.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading I NOW it was far too light for her to think of sleep, and so she went into the house to change her clothes and to make herself clean.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading But it hadn’t: only, when she took it down, she was puzzled for a moment by an unfamiliar perfume which seemed to have been imprisoned in its folds.
having edges that are jagged from injury
From this reading Her blouse was torn and her skirt caked with black mud, but that was all.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading She would not have been surprised if she had found that her hair had turned white.
unfamiliaradjectiveUS /ˌʌnfəˈmɪljər/
not known or well known
From this reading But it hadn’t: only, when she took it down, she was puzzled for a moment by an unfamiliar perfume which seemed to have been imprisoned in its folds.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading I NOW it was far too light for her to think of sleep, and so she went into the house to change her clothes and to make herself clean.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading I NOW it was far too light for her to think of sleep, and so she went into the house to change her clothes and to make herself clean.
at the time that
From this reading When she saw her own reflection in the little mirror she was shocked, for it seemed to her a strange thing that she should have passed through so many hours of intense experience and show so little for it.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading But it hadn’t: only, when she took it down, she was puzzled for a moment by an unfamiliar perfume which seemed to have been imprisoned in its folds.
a Caucasian
From this reading She would not have been surprised if she had found that her hair had turned white.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Her blouse was torn and her skirt caked with black mud, but that was all.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading She would not have been surprised if she had found that her hair had turned white.
