used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A little sweeping and dusting about the cottage, I suppose, and the gathering of fresh flowers (which were only too abundant everywhere), and arranging them in vases--and poor little Pandora's day's work was over.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading A little sweeping and dusting about the cottage, I suppose, and the gathering of fresh flowers (which were only too abundant everywhere), and arranging them in vases--and poor little Pandora's day's work was over.
completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers
From this reading There was absolutely nothing to do.
abundantadjectiveUS /əˈbʌndənt/
present in great quantity
From this reading A little sweeping and dusting about the cottage, I suppose, and the gathering of fresh flowers (which were only too abundant everywhere), and arranging them in vases--and poor little Pandora's day's work was over.
AfterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading After all, I am not quite sure that the box was not a blessing to her in its way.
(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 When life is all sport, toil is the real play.
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading After all, I am not quite sure that the box was not a blessing to her in its way.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A little sweeping and dusting about the cottage, I suppose, and the gathering of fresh flowers (which were only too abundant everywhere), and arranging them in vases--and poor little Pandora's day's work was over.
arrangingnounUS /ərˈeɪndʒɪŋ/
the act of arranging and adapting a piece of music
From this reading A little sweeping and dusting about the cottage, I suppose, and the gathering of fresh flowers (which were only too abundant everywhere), and arranging them in vases--and poor little Pandora's day's work was over.
blessingnounUS /ˈblesɪŋ/
the formal act of approving
From this reading After all, I am not quite sure that the box was not a blessing to her in its way.
a (usually rectangular) container; may have a lid
From this reading And then, for the rest of the day, there was the box!
a small house with a single story
From this reading A little sweeping and dusting about the cottage, I suppose, and the gathering of fresh flowers (which were only too abundant everywhere), and arranging them in vases--and poor little Pandora's day's work was over.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading And then, for the rest of the day, there was the box!
day'snounUS /deɪz/
possessive form of “day” — time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading A little sweeping and dusting about the cottage, I suppose, and the gathering of fresh flowers (which were only too abundant everywhere), and arranging them in vases--and poor little Pandora's day's work was over.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading There was absolutely nothing to do.
dustingverbUS /ˈdʌstɪŋ/
-ing form of “dust” — remove the dust from
From this reading A little sweeping and dusting about the cottage, I suppose, and the gathering of fresh flowers (which were only too abundant everywhere), and arranging them in vases--and poor little Pandora's day's work was over.
to or in any or all places
From this reading A little sweeping and dusting about the cottage, I suppose, and the gathering of fresh flowers (which were only too abundant everywhere), and arranging them in vases--and poor little Pandora's day's work was over.
plural of “flower” — a plant cultivated for its blooms or blossoms
From this reading A little sweeping and dusting about the cottage, I suppose, and the gathering of fresh flowers (which were only too abundant everywhere), and arranging them in vases--and poor little Pandora's day's work was over.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading And then, for the rest of the day, there was the box!
recently made, produced, or harvested
From this reading A little sweeping and dusting about the cottage, I suppose, and the gathering of fresh flowers (which were only too abundant everywhere), and arranging them in vases--and poor little Pandora's day's work was over.
a group of persons together in one place
From this reading A little sweeping and dusting about the cottage, I suppose, and the gathering of fresh flowers (which were only too abundant everywhere), and arranging them in vases--and poor little Pandora's day's work was over.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading After all, I am not quite sure that the box was not a blessing to her in its way.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading A little sweeping and dusting about the cottage, I suppose, and the gathering of fresh flowers (which were only too abundant everywhere), and arranging them in vases--and poor little Pandora's day's work was over.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A little sweeping and dusting about the cottage, I suppose, and the gathering of fresh flowers (which were only too abundant everywhere), and arranging them in vases--and poor little Pandora's day's work was over.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading When life is all sport, toil is the real play.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading After all, I am not quite sure that the box was not a blessing to her in its way.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading When life is all sport, toil is the real play.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading A little sweeping and dusting about the cottage, I suppose, and the gathering of fresh flowers (which were only too abundant everywhere), and arranging them in vases--and poor little Pandora's day's work was over.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading After all, I am not quite sure that the box was not a blessing to her in its way.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading There was absolutely nothing to do.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A little sweeping and dusting about the cottage, I suppose, and the gathering of fresh flowers (which were only too abundant everywhere), and arranging them in vases--and poor little Pandora's day's work was over.
and nothing more
From this reading A little sweeping and dusting about the cottage, I suppose, and the gathering of fresh flowers (which were only too abundant everywhere), and arranging them in vases--and poor little Pandora's day's work was over.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading A little sweeping and dusting about the cottage, I suppose, and the gathering of fresh flowers (which were only too abundant everywhere), and arranging them in vases--and poor little Pandora's day's work was over.
Pandora'snounUS /pænˈdɔːrəz/
possessive form of “pandora” — (Greek mythology) the first woman; created by Hephaestus on orders from Zeus who presented her to Epimetheus along with a box filled with evils
From this reading A little sweeping and dusting about the cottage, I suppose, and the gathering of fresh flowers (which were only too abundant everywhere), and arranging them in vases--and poor little Pandora's day's work was over.
participate in games or sport
From this reading When life is all sport, toil is the real play.
deserving or inciting pity
From this reading A little sweeping and dusting about the cottage, I suppose, and the gathering of fresh flowers (which were only too abundant everywhere), and arranging them in vases--and poor little Pandora's day's work was over.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading After all, I am not quite sure that the box was not a blessing to her in its way.
being or occurring in fact or actuality; having verified existence; not illusory
From this reading When life is all sport, toil is the real play.
not move; be in a resting position
From this reading And then, for the rest of the day, there was the box!
an active diversion requiring physical exertion and competition
From this reading When life is all sport, toil is the real play.
express a supposition
From this reading A little sweeping and dusting about the cottage, I suppose, and the gathering of fresh flowers (which were only too abundant everywhere), and arranging them in vases--and poor little Pandora's day's work was over.
having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured
From this reading After all, I am not quite sure that the box was not a blessing to her in its way.
sweepingadjectiveUS /ˈswiːpɪŋ/
taking in or moving over (or as if over) a wide area; often used in combination
From this reading A little sweeping and dusting about the cottage, I suppose, and the gathering of fresh flowers (which were only too abundant everywhere), and arranging them in vases--and poor little Pandora's day's work was over.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading After all, I am not quite sure that the box was not a blessing to her in its way.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading When life is all sport, toil is the real play.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading A little sweeping and dusting about the cottage, I suppose, and the gathering of fresh flowers (which were only too abundant everywhere), and arranging them in vases--and poor little Pandora's day's work was over.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading And then, for the rest of the day, there was the box!
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was absolutely nothing to do.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading There was absolutely nothing to do.
toilverbUS /tɔɪl/
work hard
From this reading When life is all sport, toil is the real play.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading A little sweeping and dusting about the cottage, I suppose, and the gathering of fresh flowers (which were only too abundant everywhere), and arranging them in vases--and poor little Pandora's day's work was over.
vasesnounUS /ˈveɪsəz/
plural of “vas” — a tube in which a body fluid circulates
From this reading A little sweeping and dusting about the cottage, I suppose, and the gathering of fresh flowers (which were only too abundant everywhere), and arranging them in vases--and poor little Pandora's day's work was over.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was absolutely nothing to do.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading After all, I am not quite sure that the box was not a blessing to her in its way.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading A little sweeping and dusting about the cottage, I suppose, and the gathering of fresh flowers (which were only too abundant everywhere), and arranging them in vases--and poor little Pandora's day's work was over.
at the time that
From this reading When life is all sport, toil is the real play.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading A little sweeping and dusting about the cottage, I suppose, and the gathering of fresh flowers (which were only too abundant everywhere), and arranging them in vases--and poor little Pandora's day's work was over.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading A little sweeping and dusting about the cottage, I suppose, and the gathering of fresh flowers (which were only too abundant everywhere), and arranging them in vases--and poor little Pandora's day's work was over.
