used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading In the afternoon Phillis, who was "writing up" her diary after the manner of the ancient Aztec, received a visitor.
AbrahamnounUS /ˈeɪbrəhæm/
the first of the Old Testament patriarchs and the father of Isaac; according to Genesis, God promised to give Abraham's family (the Hebrews) the land of Canaan (the Promised Land); God tested Abraham by asking him to sacrifice his son
From this reading Men she knew--chiefly men of advanced age; they came to dine with Abraham Dyson.
farther along in physical or mental development
From this reading Men she knew--chiefly men of advanced age; they came to dine with Abraham Dyson.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading In the afternoon Phillis, who was "writing up" her diary after the manner of the ancient Aztec, received a visitor.
the part of the day between noon and evening
From this reading In the afternoon Phillis, who was "writing up" her diary after the manner of the ancient Aztec, received a visitor.
how long something has existed
From this reading Men she knew--chiefly men of advanced age; they came to dine with Abraham Dyson.
Belonging to the very distant past and no longer in existence or deeply revered.
From this reading In the afternoon Phillis, who was "writing up" her diary after the manner of the ancient Aztec, received a visitor.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Women-servants she knew, for she had a French maid--imported too young to be mischievous; and there had been a cook at Highgate, with two or three maids.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Women-servants she knew, for she had a French maid--imported too young to be mischievous; and there had been a cook at Highgate, with two or three maids.
AztecnounUS /ˈæztek/
a member of the Nahuatl people who established an empire in Mexico that was overthrown by Cortes in 1519
From this reading In the afternoon Phillis, who was "writing up" her diary after the manner of the ancient Aztec, received a visitor.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Women-servants she knew, for she had a French maid--imported too young to be mischievous; and there had been a cook at Highgate, with two or three maids.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Women-servants she knew, for she had a French maid--imported too young to be mischievous; and there had been a cook at Highgate, with two or three maids.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Men she knew--chiefly men of advanced age; they came to dine with Abraham Dyson.
chieflyadverbUS /ˈtʃiːfli/
for the most part
From this reading Men she knew--chiefly men of advanced age; they came to dine with Abraham Dyson.
prepare a hot meal
From this reading Women-servants she knew, for she had a French maid--imported too young to be mischievous; and there had been a cook at Highgate, with two or three maids.
diarynounUS /ˈdaɪəri/
a daily written record of (usually personal) experiences and observations
From this reading In the afternoon Phillis, who was "writing up" her diary after the manner of the ancient Aztec, received a visitor.
dineverbUS /daɪn/
have supper; eat dinner
From this reading Men she knew--chiefly men of advanced age; they came to dine with Abraham Dyson.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading "I do not know One of my sex; no woman's face remember Save, from my glass, mine own."
Dyson
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Men she knew--chiefly men of advanced age; they came to dine with Abraham Dyson.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading "I do not know One of my sex; no woman's face remember Save, from my glass, mine own."
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading For the first time in her life the girl found herself face to face with--a lady.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For the first time in her life the girl found herself face to face with--a lady.
set up or found
From this reading For the first time in her life the girl found herself face to face with--a lady.
the Romance language spoken in France and in countries colonized by France
From this reading Women-servants she knew, for she had a French maid--imported too young to be mischievous; and there had been a cook at Highgate, with two or three maids.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading "I do not know One of my sex; no woman's face remember Save, from my glass, mine own."
a young female
From this reading For the first time in her life the girl found herself face to face with--a lady.
a brittle transparent solid with irregular atomic structure
From this reading "I do not know One of my sex; no woman's face remember Save, from my glass, mine own."
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Women-servants she knew, for she had a French maid--imported too young to be mischievous; and there had been a cook at Highgate, with two or three maids.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading In the afternoon Phillis, who was "writing up" her diary after the manner of the ancient Aztec, received a visitor.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading For the first time in her life the girl found herself face to face with--a lady.
Highgate
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Women-servants she knew, for she had a French maid--imported too young to be mischievous; and there had been a cook at Highgate, with two or three maids.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I do not know One of my sex; no woman's face remember Save, from my glass, mine own."
importedadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpɔːrtɪd/
used of especially merchandise brought from a foreign source
From this reading Women-servants she knew, for she had a French maid--imported too young to be mischievous; and there had been a cook at Highgate, with two or three maids.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In the afternoon Phillis, who was "writing up" her diary after the manner of the ancient Aztec, received a visitor.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading Men she knew--chiefly men of advanced age; they came to dine with Abraham Dyson.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading "I do not know One of my sex; no woman's face remember Save, from my glass, mine own."
a polite name for any woman
From this reading For the first time in her life the girl found herself face to face with--a lady.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading For the first time in her life the girl found herself face to face with--a lady.
a female domestic
From this reading Women-servants she knew, for she had a French maid--imported too young to be mischievous; and there had been a cook at Highgate, with two or three maids.
maidsnounUS /meɪdz/
plural of “maid” — a female domestic
From this reading Women-servants she knew, for she had a French maid--imported too young to be mischievous; and there had been a cook at Highgate, with two or three maids.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading In the afternoon Phillis, who was "writing up" her diary after the manner of the ancient Aztec, received a visitor.
the force of workers available
From this reading Men she knew--chiefly men of advanced age; they came to dine with Abraham Dyson.
the one or ones belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "I do not know One of my sex; no woman's face remember Save, from my glass, mine own."
mischievousadjectiveUS /ˈmɪstʃəvəs/
naughtily or annoyingly playful
From this reading Women-servants she knew, for she had a French maid--imported too young to be mischievous; and there had been a cook at Highgate, with two or three maids.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "I do not know One of my sex; no woman's face remember Save, from my glass, mine own."
not any; not one
From this reading "I do not know One of my sex; no woman's face remember Save, from my glass, mine own."
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "I do not know One of my sex; no woman's face remember Save, from my glass, mine own."
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "I do not know One of my sex; no woman's face remember Save, from my glass, mine own."
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading "I do not know One of my sex; no woman's face remember Save, from my glass, mine own."
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Women-servants she knew, for she had a French maid--imported too young to be mischievous; and there had been a cook at Highgate, with two or three maids.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading "I do not know One of my sex; no woman's face remember Save, from my glass, mine own."
Phillis
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the afternoon Phillis, who was "writing up" her diary after the manner of the ancient Aztec, received a visitor.
conforming to the established language usage of educated native speakers
From this reading In the afternoon Phillis, who was "writing up" her diary after the manner of the ancient Aztec, received a visitor.
To recall to mind.
From this reading "I do not know One of my sex; no woman's face remember Save, from my glass, mine own."
except for; apart from
From this reading "I do not know One of my sex; no woman's face remember Save, from my glass, mine own."
activities associated with sexual intercourse
From this reading "I do not know One of my sex; no woman's face remember Save, from my glass, mine own."
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Men she knew--chiefly men of advanced age; they came to dine with Abraham Dyson.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading In the afternoon Phillis, who was "writing up" her diary after the manner of the ancient Aztec, received a visitor.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Women-servants she knew, for she had a French maid--imported too young to be mischievous; and there had been a cook at Highgate, with two or three maids.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Men she knew--chiefly men of advanced age; they came to dine with Abraham Dyson.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading Women-servants she knew, for she had a French maid--imported too young to be mischievous; and there had been a cook at Highgate, with two or three maids.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading For the first time in her life the girl found herself face to face with--a lady.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading For the first time in her life the girl found herself face to face with--a lady.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading Women-servants she knew, for she had a French maid--imported too young to be mischievous; and there had been a cook at Highgate, with two or three maids.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading Women-servants she knew, for she had a French maid--imported too young to be mischievous; and there had been a cook at Highgate, with two or three maids.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading In the afternoon Phillis, who was "writing up" her diary after the manner of the ancient Aztec, received a visitor.
someone who visits
From this reading In the afternoon Phillis, who was "writing up" her diary after the manner of the ancient Aztec, received a visitor.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading In the afternoon Phillis, who was "writing up" her diary after the manner of the ancient Aztec, received a visitor.
which person or people
From this reading In the afternoon Phillis, who was "writing up" her diary after the manner of the ancient Aztec, received a visitor.
in the company of; together with
From this reading For the first time in her life the girl found herself face to face with--a lady.
woman'snounUS /ˈwʊmənz/
possessive form of “woman” — an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading "I do not know One of my sex; no woman's face remember Save, from my glass, mine own."
Women-servants
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Women-servants she knew, for she had a French maid--imported too young to be mischievous; and there had been a cook at Highgate, with two or three maids.
the act of creating written works
From this reading In the afternoon Phillis, who was "writing up" her diary after the manner of the ancient Aztec, received a visitor.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading Women-servants she knew, for she had a French maid--imported too young to be mischievous; and there had been a cook at Highgate, with two or three maids.
