used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Busied with her “penance” of quilting, the next day, Thurley was summoned by a peremptory rap at the side door.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading It was Ali Baba, his shabby silk hat laid across his heart after the fashion of pictures of cavaliers which he had chanced to see in old-time novels.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading It was Ali Baba, his shabby silk hat laid across his heart after the fashion of pictures of cavaliers which he had chanced to see in old-time novels.
AlinounUS /ˈɑːli/
United States prizefighter who won the world heavyweight championship three times (born in 1942)
From this reading It was Ali Baba, his shabby silk hat laid across his heart after the fashion of pictures of cavaliers which he had chanced to see in old-time novels.
(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 Don’t refuse or we’ll all be beheaded in the tower!
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading “I’ve an invitation from the queen,” he said with a bit of dry humor.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Busied with her “penance” of quilting, the next day, Thurley was summoned by a peremptory rap at the side door.
BabanounUS /ˈbʌbə/
a small cake leavened with yeast
From this reading It was Ali Baba, his shabby silk hat laid across his heart after the fashion of pictures of cavaliers which he had chanced to see in old-time novels.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Don’t refuse or we’ll all be beheaded in the tower!
beheadedadjectiveUS /bɪˈhedɪd/
having had the head cut off
From this reading Don’t refuse or we’ll all be beheaded in the tower!
a small piece or quantity of something
From this reading “I’ve an invitation from the queen,” he said with a bit of dry humor.
BusiedverbUS /ˈbɪzid/
inflected form of “busy” — keep busy with
From this reading Busied with her “penance” of quilting, the next day, Thurley was summoned by a peremptory rap at the side door.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Busied with her “penance” of quilting, the next day, Thurley was summoned by a peremptory rap at the side door.
cavaliersnounUS /ˌkævəˈlɪrz/
plural of “cavalier” — a gallant or courtly gentleman
From this reading It was Ali Baba, his shabby silk hat laid across his heart after the fashion of pictures of cavaliers which he had chanced to see in old-time novels.
chancedverbUS /tʃænst/
past form of “chance” — be the case by chance
From this reading It was Ali Baba, his shabby silk hat laid across his heart after the fashion of pictures of cavaliers which he had chanced to see in old-time novels.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading Busied with her “penance” of quilting, the next day, Thurley was summoned by a peremptory rap at the side door.
Don't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Don’t refuse or we’ll all be beheaded in the tower!
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading Busied with her “penance” of quilting, the next day, Thurley was summoned by a peremptory rap at the side door.
free from liquid or moisture; lacking natural or normal moisture or depleted of water; or no longer wet
From this reading “I’ve an invitation from the queen,” he said with a bit of dry humor.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading It was Ali Baba, his shabby silk hat laid across his heart after the fashion of pictures of cavaliers which he had chanced to see in old-time novels.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading “I’ve an invitation from the queen,” he said with a bit of dry humor.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It was Ali Baba, his shabby silk hat laid across his heart after the fashion of pictures of cavaliers which he had chanced to see in old-time novels.
headdress that protects the head from bad weather; has shaped crown and usually a brim
From this reading It was Ali Baba, his shabby silk hat laid across his heart after the fashion of pictures of cavaliers which he had chanced to see in old-time novels.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It was Ali Baba, his shabby silk hat laid across his heart after the fashion of pictures of cavaliers which he had chanced to see in old-time novels.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading “After she heard you sing, she wants to tell you how you please her.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading It was Ali Baba, his shabby silk hat laid across his heart after the fashion of pictures of cavaliers which he had chanced to see in old-time novels.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Busied with her “penance” of quilting, the next day, Thurley was summoned by a peremptory rap at the side door.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading It was Ali Baba, his shabby silk hat laid across his heart after the fashion of pictures of cavaliers which he had chanced to see in old-time novels.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “After she heard you sing, she wants to tell you how you please her.
humornounUS /ˈhjuːmər/
a message whose ingenuity or verbal skill or incongruity has the power to evoke laughter
From this reading “I’ve an invitation from the queen,” he said with a bit of dry humor.
I've
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I’ve an invitation from the queen,” he said with a bit of dry humor.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was Ali Baba, his shabby silk hat laid across his heart after the fashion of pictures of cavaliers which he had chanced to see in old-time novels.
a request (spoken or written) to participate or be present or take part in something
From this reading “I’ve an invitation from the queen,” he said with a bit of dry humor.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was Ali Baba, his shabby silk hat laid across his heart after the fashion of pictures of cavaliers which he had chanced to see in old-time novels.
set down according to a plan
From this reading It was Ali Baba, his shabby silk hat laid across his heart after the fashion of pictures of cavaliers which he had chanced to see in old-time novels.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading Busied with her “penance” of quilting, the next day, Thurley was summoned by a peremptory rap at the side door.
novelsnounUS /ˈnɑːvəlz/
plural of “novel” — an extended fictional work in prose; usually in the form of a story
From this reading It was Ali Baba, his shabby silk hat laid across his heart after the fashion of pictures of cavaliers which he had chanced to see in old-time novels.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Busied with her “penance” of quilting, the next day, Thurley was summoned by a peremptory rap at the side door.
old-timeadjective
attractively old-fashioned (but not necessarily authentic)
From this reading It was Ali Baba, his shabby silk hat laid across his heart after the fashion of pictures of cavaliers which he had chanced to see in old-time novels.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Don’t refuse or we’ll all be beheaded in the tower!
penancenounUS /ˈpenəns/
remorse for your past conduct
From this reading Busied with her “penance” of quilting, the next day, Thurley was summoned by a peremptory rap at the side door.
peremptoryadjectiveUS /pərˈemptəri/
offensively self-assured or given to exercising usually unwarranted power
From this reading Busied with her “penance” of quilting, the next day, Thurley was summoned by a peremptory rap at the side door.
plural of “picture” — a visual representation (of an object or scene or person or abstraction) produced on a surface
From this reading It was Ali Baba, his shabby silk hat laid across his heart after the fashion of pictures of cavaliers which he had chanced to see in old-time novels.
give pleasure to or be pleasing to
From this reading “After she heard you sing, she wants to tell you how you please her.
the only fertile female in a colony of social insects such as bees and ants and termites; its function is to lay eggs
From this reading “I’ve an invitation from the queen,” he said with a bit of dry humor.
quiltingnounUS /ˈkwɪltɪŋ/
stitching through layers of fabric and a filling so as to create a design
From this reading Busied with her “penance” of quilting, the next day, Thurley was summoned by a peremptory rap at the side door.
rapnounUS /ræp/
a reproach for some lapse or misdeed
From this reading Busied with her “penance” of quilting, the next day, Thurley was summoned by a peremptory rap at the side door.
show unwillingness towards
From this reading Don’t refuse or we’ll all be beheaded in the tower!
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “I’ve an invitation from the queen,” he said with a bit of dry humor.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading It was Ali Baba, his shabby silk hat laid across his heart after the fashion of pictures of cavaliers which he had chanced to see in old-time novels.
shabbyadjectiveUS /ˈʃæbi/
showing signs of wear and tear
From this reading It was Ali Baba, his shabby silk hat laid across his heart after the fashion of pictures of cavaliers which he had chanced to see in old-time novels.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “After she heard you sing, she wants to tell you how you please her.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading Busied with her “penance” of quilting, the next day, Thurley was summoned by a peremptory rap at the side door.
a fabric made from the fine threads produced by certain insect larvae
From this reading It was Ali Baba, his shabby silk hat laid across his heart after the fashion of pictures of cavaliers which he had chanced to see in old-time novels.
deliver by singing
From this reading “After she heard you sing, she wants to tell you how you please her.
summonedverbUS /ˈsʌmənd/
past form of “summon” — call in an official matter, such as to attend court
From this reading Busied with her “penance” of quilting, the next day, Thurley was summoned by a peremptory rap at the side door.
express in words
From this reading “After she heard you sing, she wants to tell you how you please her.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Busied with her “penance” of quilting, the next day, Thurley was summoned by a peremptory rap at the side door.
Thurley
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Busied with her “penance” of quilting, the next day, Thurley was summoned by a peremptory rap at the side door.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It was Ali Baba, his shabby silk hat laid across his heart after the fashion of pictures of cavaliers which he had chanced to see in old-time novels.
a structure taller than its diameter; can stand alone or be attached to a larger building
From this reading Don’t refuse or we’ll all be beheaded in the tower!
plural of “want” — a state of extreme poverty
From this reading “After she heard you sing, she wants to tell you how you please her.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Busied with her “penance” of quilting, the next day, Thurley was summoned by a peremptory rap at the side door.
we'll
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Don’t refuse or we’ll all be beheaded in the tower!
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading It was Ali Baba, his shabby silk hat laid across his heart after the fashion of pictures of cavaliers which he had chanced to see in old-time novels.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Busied with her “penance” of quilting, the next day, Thurley was summoned by a peremptory rap at the side door.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “After she heard you sing, she wants to tell you how you please her.
