used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A LESSON IN IGNORANCE Desirée was at the piano.
a feeling of delighted approval and liking
From this reading Caleb Conover, whose knowledge of music embraced one Sousa march and “Summer Noon” (with a somewhat hazy idea as to which was which) lounged, sprawling, on a cushion by her feet; listening in ignorant admiration to the snatches of melody.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading That anyone could coax a tune out of so complex an instrument was to him a mystery to be greeted with silent respect.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Caleb Conover, whose knowledge of music embraced one Sousa march and “Summer Noon” (with a somewhat hazy idea as to which was which) lounged, sprawling, on a cushion by her feet; listening in ignorant admiration to the snatches of melody.
any person at all
From this reading That anyone could coax a tune out of so complex an instrument was to him a mystery to be greeted with silent respect.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Caleb Conover, whose knowledge of music embraced one Sousa march and “Summer Noon” (with a somewhat hazy idea as to which was which) lounged, sprawling, on a cushion by her feet; listening in ignorant admiration to the snatches of melody.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading A LESSON IN IGNORANCE Desirée was at the piano.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading That anyone could coax a tune out of so complex an instrument was to him a mystery to be greeted with silent respect.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Caleb Conover, whose knowledge of music embraced one Sousa march and “Summer Noon” (with a somewhat hazy idea as to which was which) lounged, sprawling, on a cushion by her feet; listening in ignorant admiration to the snatches of melody.
Caleb
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Caleb Conover, whose knowledge of music embraced one Sousa march and “Summer Noon” (with a somewhat hazy idea as to which was which) lounged, sprawling, on a cushion by her feet; listening in ignorant admiration to the snatches of melody.
coaxverbUS /koʊks/
influence or urge by gentle urging, caressing, or flattering
From this reading That anyone could coax a tune out of so complex an instrument was to him a mystery to be greeted with silent respect.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading He had come to her, in the long Spring twilight, to show with naive pride an invitation he had just received.
complexnounUS /ˈkɑːmpleks/
a conceptual whole made up of complicated and related parts
From this reading That anyone could coax a tune out of so complex an instrument was to him a mystery to be greeted with silent respect.
Conover
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Caleb Conover, whose knowledge of music embraced one Sousa march and “Summer Noon” (with a somewhat hazy idea as to which was which) lounged, sprawling, on a cushion by her feet; listening in ignorant admiration to the snatches of melody.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading That anyone could coax a tune out of so complex an instrument was to him a mystery to be greeted with silent respect.
cushionnounUS /ˈkʊʃən/
a mechanical damper; absorbs energy of sudden impulses
From this reading Caleb Conover, whose knowledge of music embraced one Sousa march and “Summer Noon” (with a somewhat hazy idea as to which was which) lounged, sprawling, on a cushion by her feet; listening in ignorant admiration to the snatches of melody.
Desirée
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A LESSON IN IGNORANCE Desirée was at the piano.
embracedverbUS /emˈbreɪst/
past form of “embrace” — include in scope; include as part of something broader; have as one's sphere or territory
From this reading Caleb Conover, whose knowledge of music embraced one Sousa march and “Summer Noon” (with a somewhat hazy idea as to which was which) lounged, sprawling, on a cushion by her feet; listening in ignorant admiration to the snatches of melody.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading Caleb Conover, whose knowledge of music embraced one Sousa march and “Summer Noon” (with a somewhat hazy idea as to which was which) lounged, sprawling, on a cushion by her feet; listening in ignorant admiration to the snatches of melody.
past form of “greet” — express greetings upon meeting someone
From this reading That anyone could coax a tune out of so complex an instrument was to him a mystery to be greeted with silent respect.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had come to her, in the long Spring twilight, to show with naive pride an invitation he had just received.
hazyadjectiveUS /ˈheɪzi/
filled or abounding with fog or mist
From this reading Caleb Conover, whose knowledge of music embraced one Sousa march and “Summer Noon” (with a somewhat hazy idea as to which was which) lounged, sprawling, on a cushion by her feet; listening in ignorant admiration to the snatches of melody.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had come to her, in the long Spring twilight, to show with naive pride an invitation he had just received.
for this reason
From this reading An invitation to the musicale-dinner at the Standishes’, three nights hence.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Caleb Conover, whose knowledge of music embraced one Sousa march and “Summer Noon” (with a somewhat hazy idea as to which was which) lounged, sprawling, on a cushion by her feet; listening in ignorant admiration to the snatches of melody.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading That anyone could coax a tune out of so complex an instrument was to him a mystery to be greeted with silent respect.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading Caleb Conover, whose knowledge of music embraced one Sousa march and “Summer Noon” (with a somewhat hazy idea as to which was which) lounged, sprawling, on a cushion by her feet; listening in ignorant admiration to the snatches of melody.
the lack of knowledge or education
From this reading A LESSON IN IGNORANCE Desirée was at the piano.
uneducated in general; lacking knowledge or sophistication
From this reading Caleb Conover, whose knowledge of music embraced one Sousa march and “Summer Noon” (with a somewhat hazy idea as to which was which) lounged, sprawling, on a cushion by her feet; listening in ignorant admiration to the snatches of melody.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A LESSON IN IGNORANCE Desirée was at the piano.
instrumentnounUS /ˈɪnstrəmənt/
a device that requires skill for proper use
From this reading That anyone could coax a tune out of so complex an instrument was to him a mystery to be greeted with silent respect.
a request (spoken or written) to participate or be present or take part in something
From this reading He had come to her, in the long Spring twilight, to show with naive pride an invitation he had just received.
and nothing more
From this reading He had come to her, in the long Spring twilight, to show with naive pride an invitation he had just received.
the psychological result of perception and learning and reasoning
From this reading Caleb Conover, whose knowledge of music embraced one Sousa march and “Summer Noon” (with a somewhat hazy idea as to which was which) lounged, sprawling, on a cushion by her feet; listening in ignorant admiration to the snatches of melody.
a unit of instruction
From this reading A LESSON IN IGNORANCE Desirée was at the piano.
the act of hearing attentively
From this reading Caleb Conover, whose knowledge of music embraced one Sousa march and “Summer Noon” (with a somewhat hazy idea as to which was which) lounged, sprawling, on a cushion by her feet; listening in ignorant admiration to the snatches of melody.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading He had come to her, in the long Spring twilight, to show with naive pride an invitation he had just received.
lounged
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Caleb Conover, whose knowledge of music embraced one Sousa march and “Summer Noon” (with a somewhat hazy idea as to which was which) lounged, sprawling, on a cushion by her feet; listening in ignorant admiration to the snatches of melody.
march in a procession
From this reading Caleb Conover, whose knowledge of music embraced one Sousa march and “Summer Noon” (with a somewhat hazy idea as to which was which) lounged, sprawling, on a cushion by her feet; listening in ignorant admiration to the snatches of melody.
melodynounUS /ˈmelədi/
a succession of notes forming a distinctive sequence
From this reading Caleb Conover, whose knowledge of music embraced one Sousa march and “Summer Noon” (with a somewhat hazy idea as to which was which) lounged, sprawling, on a cushion by her feet; listening in ignorant admiration to the snatches of melody.
an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner
From this reading Caleb Conover, whose knowledge of music embraced one Sousa march and “Summer Noon” (with a somewhat hazy idea as to which was which) lounged, sprawling, on a cushion by her feet; listening in ignorant admiration to the snatches of melody.
musicale-dinner
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading An invitation to the musicale-dinner at the Standishes’, three nights hence.
something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained
From this reading That anyone could coax a tune out of so complex an instrument was to him a mystery to be greeted with silent respect.
naiveadjectiveUS /ˌnaɪˈiːv/
marked by or showing unaffected simplicity and lack of guile or worldly experience
From this reading He had come to her, in the long Spring twilight, to show with naive pride an invitation he had just received.
Periods of darkness between sunset and sunrise.
From this reading An invitation to the musicale-dinner at the Standishes’, three nights hence.
the middle of the day
From this reading Caleb Conover, whose knowledge of music embraced one Sousa march and “Summer Noon” (with a somewhat hazy idea as to which was which) lounged, sprawling, on a cushion by her feet; listening in ignorant admiration to the snatches of melody.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Caleb Conover, whose knowledge of music embraced one Sousa march and “Summer Noon” (with a somewhat hazy idea as to which was which) lounged, sprawling, on a cushion by her feet; listening in ignorant admiration to the snatches of melody.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Caleb Conover, whose knowledge of music embraced one Sousa march and “Summer Noon” (with a somewhat hazy idea as to which was which) lounged, sprawling, on a cushion by her feet; listening in ignorant admiration to the snatches of melody.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Caleb Conover, whose knowledge of music embraced one Sousa march and “Summer Noon” (with a somewhat hazy idea as to which was which) lounged, sprawling, on a cushion by her feet; listening in ignorant admiration to the snatches of melody.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading That anyone could coax a tune out of so complex an instrument was to him a mystery to be greeted with silent respect.
pianonounUS /piˈænoʊ/
a keyboard instrument that is played by depressing keys that cause hammers to strike tuned strings and produce sounds
From this reading A LESSON IN IGNORANCE Desirée was at the piano.
a feeling of self-respect and personal worth
From this reading He had come to her, in the long Spring twilight, to show with naive pride an invitation he had just received.
conforming to the established language usage of educated native speakers
From this reading He had come to her, in the long Spring twilight, to show with naive pride an invitation he had just received.
(usually preceded by “in”) a detail or point
From this reading That anyone could coax a tune out of so complex an instrument was to him a mystery to be greeted with silent respect.
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading He had come to her, in the long Spring twilight, to show with naive pride an invitation he had just received.
marked by absence of sound
From this reading That anyone could coax a tune out of so complex an instrument was to him a mystery to be greeted with silent respect.
snatchesnounUS /ˈsnætʃɪz/
plural of “snatch” — a small fragment
From this reading Caleb Conover, whose knowledge of music embraced one Sousa march and “Summer Noon” (with a somewhat hazy idea as to which was which) lounged, sprawling, on a cushion by her feet; listening in ignorant admiration to the snatches of melody.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading That anyone could coax a tune out of so complex an instrument was to him a mystery to be greeted with silent respect.
to a small degree or extent
From this reading Caleb Conover, whose knowledge of music embraced one Sousa march and “Summer Noon” (with a somewhat hazy idea as to which was which) lounged, sprawling, on a cushion by her feet; listening in ignorant admiration to the snatches of melody.
SousanounUS /ˈsuːzə/
a United States bandmaster and composer of military marches (1854-1932)
From this reading Caleb Conover, whose knowledge of music embraced one Sousa march and “Summer Noon” (with a somewhat hazy idea as to which was which) lounged, sprawling, on a cushion by her feet; listening in ignorant admiration to the snatches of melody.
sprawlingnounUS /ˈsprɔːlɪŋ/
an ungainly posture with arms and legs spread about
From this reading Caleb Conover, whose knowledge of music embraced one Sousa march and “Summer Noon” (with a somewhat hazy idea as to which was which) lounged, sprawling, on a cushion by her feet; listening in ignorant admiration to the snatches of melody.
the season of growth
From this reading He had come to her, in the long Spring twilight, to show with naive pride an invitation he had just received.
Standishes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading An invitation to the musicale-dinner at the Standishes’, three nights hence.
the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox
From this reading Caleb Conover, whose knowledge of music embraced one Sousa march and “Summer Noon” (with a somewhat hazy idea as to which was which) lounged, sprawling, on a cushion by her feet; listening in ignorant admiration to the snatches of melody.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading That anyone could coax a tune out of so complex an instrument was to him a mystery to be greeted with silent respect.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A LESSON IN IGNORANCE Desirée was at the piano.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading An invitation to the musicale-dinner at the Standishes’, three nights hence.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Caleb Conover, whose knowledge of music embraced one Sousa march and “Summer Noon” (with a somewhat hazy idea as to which was which) lounged, sprawling, on a cushion by her feet; listening in ignorant admiration to the snatches of melody.
tunenounUS /tuːn/
a succession of notes forming a distinctive sequence
From this reading That anyone could coax a tune out of so complex an instrument was to him a mystery to be greeted with silent respect.
twilightnounUS /ˈtwaɪlaɪt/
the time of day immediately following sunset
From this reading He had come to her, in the long Spring twilight, to show with naive pride an invitation he had just received.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A LESSON IN IGNORANCE Desirée was at the piano.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Caleb Conover, whose knowledge of music embraced one Sousa march and “Summer Noon” (with a somewhat hazy idea as to which was which) lounged, sprawling, on a cushion by her feet; listening in ignorant admiration to the snatches of melody.
belonging to which person
From this reading Caleb Conover, whose knowledge of music embraced one Sousa march and “Summer Noon” (with a somewhat hazy idea as to which was which) lounged, sprawling, on a cushion by her feet; listening in ignorant admiration to the snatches of melody.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Caleb Conover, whose knowledge of music embraced one Sousa march and “Summer Noon” (with a somewhat hazy idea as to which was which) lounged, sprawling, on a cushion by her feet; listening in ignorant admiration to the snatches of melody.
