used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The snow seldom lay long there, and only a few wisps of it gleamed beneath the northern edge of the pines.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Mrs. Acton, as usual, had gathered a number of guests about her, and Violet Hamilton sat talking with one of them in the great drawing-room one evening.
Acton
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Acton, as usual, had gathered a number of guests about her, and Violet Hamilton sat talking with one of them in the great drawing-room one evening.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The snow seldom lay long there, and only a few wisps of it gleamed beneath the northern edge of the pines.
aromaticadjectiveUS /ˌerəˈmætɪk/
(chemistry) of or relating to or containing one or more benzene rings
From this reading A fire of snapping pine-logs blazed in the big English hearth, and a faint aromatic fragrance crept into the room.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Mrs. Acton, as usual, had gathered a number of guests about her, and Violet Hamilton sat talking with one of them in the great drawing-room one evening.
Directly under; in or to a lower position than.
From this reading The snow seldom lay long there, and only a few wisps of it gleamed beneath the northern edge of the pines.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading A fire of snapping pine-logs blazed in the big English hearth, and a faint aromatic fragrance crept into the room.
marked by strong resentment or cynicism
From this reading REALITIES Though there was bitter frost in the ranges, it had but lightly touched the sheltered forests that shut in Bonavista.
blazedverbUS /bleɪzd/
past form of “blaze” — shine brightly and intensively
From this reading A fire of snapping pine-logs blazed in the big English hearth, and a faint aromatic fragrance crept into the room.
Bonavista
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading REALITIES Though there was bitter frost in the ranges, it had but lightly touched the sheltered forests that shut in Bonavista.
brilliantlyadverbUS /ˈbrɪljəntli/
with brightness
From this reading The room was brilliantly lighted, and the soft radiance gleamed upon the polished parquetry floor, on which rugs of costly skins were scattered.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading REALITIES Though there was bitter frost in the ranges, it had but lightly touched the sheltered forests that shut in Bonavista.
costlyadjectiveUS /ˈkɑːstli/
entailing great loss or sacrifice
From this reading The room was brilliantly lighted, and the soft radiance gleamed upon the polished parquetry floor, on which rugs of costly skins were scattered.
inflected form of “creep” — move slowly; in the case of people or animals with the body near the ground
From this reading A fire of snapping pine-logs blazed in the big English hearth, and a faint aromatic fragrance crept into the room.
drawing-room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Acton, as usual, had gathered a number of guests about her, and Violet Hamilton sat talking with one of them in the great drawing-room one evening.
the boundary of a surface
From this reading The snow seldom lay long there, and only a few wisps of it gleamed beneath the northern edge of the pines.
an Indo-European language belonging to the West Germanic branch; the official language of Britain and the United States and most of the commonwealth countries
From this reading A fire of snapping pine-logs blazed in the big English hearth, and a faint aromatic fragrance crept into the room.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading Mrs. Acton, as usual, had gathered a number of guests about her, and Violet Hamilton sat talking with one of them in the great drawing-room one evening.
deficient in magnitude; barely perceptible; lacking clarity or brightness or loudness etc
From this reading A fire of snapping pine-logs blazed in the big English hearth, and a faint aromatic fragrance crept into the room.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading The snow seldom lay long there, and only a few wisps of it gleamed beneath the northern edge of the pines.
start firing a weapon
From this reading A fire of snapping pine-logs blazed in the big English hearth, and a faint aromatic fragrance crept into the room.
the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)
From this reading The room was brilliantly lighted, and the soft radiance gleamed upon the polished parquetry floor, on which rugs of costly skins were scattered.
forestsnounUS /ˈfɔːrəsts/
plural of “forest” — the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
From this reading REALITIES Though there was bitter frost in the ranges, it had but lightly touched the sheltered forests that shut in Bonavista.
fragrancenounUS /ˈfreɪɡrəns/
a distinctive odor that is pleasant
From this reading A fire of snapping pine-logs blazed in the big English hearth, and a faint aromatic fragrance crept into the room.
frostnounUS /frɔːst/
ice crystals forming a white deposit (especially on objects outside)
From this reading REALITIES Though there was bitter frost in the ranges, it had but lightly touched the sheltered forests that shut in Bonavista.
brought together in one place
From this reading Mrs. Acton, as usual, had gathered a number of guests about her, and Violet Hamilton sat talking with one of them in the great drawing-room one evening.
gleamedverbUS /ɡliːmd/
past form of “gleam” — be shiny, as if wet
From this reading The snow seldom lay long there, and only a few wisps of it gleamed beneath the northern edge of the pines.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading Mrs. Acton, as usual, had gathered a number of guests about her, and Violet Hamilton sat talking with one of them in the great drawing-room one evening.
plural of “guest” — a visitor to whom hospitality is extended
From this reading Mrs. Acton, as usual, had gathered a number of guests about her, and Violet Hamilton sat talking with one of them in the great drawing-room one evening.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading REALITIES Though there was bitter frost in the ranges, it had but lightly touched the sheltered forests that shut in Bonavista.
HamiltonnounUS /ˈhæməltən/
Irish mathematician (1806-1865)
From this reading Mrs. Acton, as usual, had gathered a number of guests about her, and Violet Hamilton sat talking with one of them in the great drawing-room one evening.
hearthnounUS /hɑːrθ/
an open recess in a wall at the base of a chimney where a fire can be built
From this reading A fire of snapping pine-logs blazed in the big English hearth, and a faint aromatic fragrance crept into the room.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Mrs. Acton, as usual, had gathered a number of guests about her, and Violet Hamilton sat talking with one of them in the great drawing-room one evening.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading REALITIES Though there was bitter frost in the ranges, it had but lightly touched the sheltered forests that shut in Bonavista.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading A fire of snapping pine-logs blazed in the big English hearth, and a faint aromatic fragrance crept into the room.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading REALITIES Though there was bitter frost in the ranges, it had but lightly touched the sheltered forests that shut in Bonavista.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading The snow seldom lay long there, and only a few wisps of it gleamed beneath the northern edge of the pines.
set afire or burning
From this reading The room was brilliantly lighted, and the soft radiance gleamed upon the polished parquetry floor, on which rugs of costly skins were scattered.
without good reason
From this reading REALITIES Though there was bitter frost in the ranges, it had but lightly touched the sheltered forests that shut in Bonavista.
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 The snow seldom lay long there, and only a few wisps of it gleamed beneath the northern edge of the pines.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading Mrs. Acton, as usual, had gathered a number of guests about her, and Violet Hamilton sat talking with one of them in the great drawing-room one evening.
in or characteristic of a region of the United States north of (approximately) the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading The snow seldom lay long there, and only a few wisps of it gleamed beneath the northern edge of the pines.
the property possessed by a sum or total or indefinite quantity of units or individuals
From this reading Mrs. Acton, as usual, had gathered a number of guests about her, and Violet Hamilton sat talking with one of them in the great drawing-room one evening.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The snow seldom lay long there, and only a few wisps of it gleamed beneath the northern edge of the pines.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The room was brilliantly lighted, and the soft radiance gleamed upon the polished parquetry floor, on which rugs of costly skins were scattered.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Mrs. Acton, as usual, had gathered a number of guests about her, and Violet Hamilton sat talking with one of them in the great drawing-room one evening.
and nothing more
From this reading The snow seldom lay long there, and only a few wisps of it gleamed beneath the northern edge of the pines.
parquetrynoun
a patterned wood inlay used to cover a floor
From this reading The room was brilliantly lighted, and the soft radiance gleamed upon the polished parquetry floor, on which rugs of costly skins were scattered.
pine-logs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A fire of snapping pine-logs blazed in the big English hearth, and a faint aromatic fragrance crept into the room.
pinesnounUS /paɪnz/
plural of “pine” — a coniferous tree
From this reading The snow seldom lay long there, and only a few wisps of it gleamed beneath the northern edge of the pines.
polishedadjectiveUS /ˈpɑːlɪʃt/
perfected or made shiny and smooth
From this reading The room was brilliantly lighted, and the soft radiance gleamed upon the polished parquetry floor, on which rugs of costly skins were scattered.
radiancenounUS /ˈreɪdiːəns/
the amount of electromagnetic radiation leaving or arriving at a point on a surface
From this reading The room was brilliantly lighted, and the soft radiance gleamed upon the polished parquetry floor, on which rugs of costly skins were scattered.
rangesnounUS /ˈreɪndʒəz/
plural of “range” — an area in which something acts or operates or has power or control: "the range of a supersonic jet"
From this reading REALITIES Though there was bitter frost in the ranges, it had but lightly touched the sheltered forests that shut in Bonavista.
REALITIESnounUS /ˌriːˈælətiːz/
plural of “reality” — all of your experiences that determine how things appear to you
From this reading REALITIES Though there was bitter frost in the ranges, it had but lightly touched the sheltered forests that shut in Bonavista.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading The room was brilliantly lighted, and the soft radiance gleamed upon the polished parquetry floor, on which rugs of costly skins were scattered.
rugsnounUS /rʌɡz/
plural of “rug” — floor covering consisting of a piece of thick heavy fabric (usually with nap or pile)
From this reading The room was brilliantly lighted, and the soft radiance gleamed upon the polished parquetry floor, on which rugs of costly skins were scattered.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading Mrs. Acton, as usual, had gathered a number of guests about her, and Violet Hamilton sat talking with one of them in the great drawing-room one evening.
occurring or distributed over widely spaced and irregular intervals in time or space
From this reading The room was brilliantly lighted, and the soft radiance gleamed upon the polished parquetry floor, on which rugs of costly skins were scattered.
not often
From this reading The snow seldom lay long there, and only a few wisps of it gleamed beneath the northern edge of the pines.
shelteredadjectiveUS /ˈʃeltərd/
protected from danger or bad weather
From this reading REALITIES Though there was bitter frost in the ranges, it had but lightly touched the sheltered forests that shut in Bonavista.
move so that an opening or passage is obstructed; make shut
From this reading REALITIES Though there was bitter frost in the ranges, it had but lightly touched the sheltered forests that shut in Bonavista.
skinsnounUS /skɪnz/
plural of “skin” — a natural protective body covering and site of the sense of touch
From this reading The room was brilliantly lighted, and the soft radiance gleamed upon the polished parquetry floor, on which rugs of costly skins were scattered.
snappingverbUS /ˈsnæpɪŋ/
inflected form of “snap” — utter in an angry, sharp, or abrupt tone
From this reading A fire of snapping pine-logs blazed in the big English hearth, and a faint aromatic fragrance crept into the room.
precipitation falling from clouds in the form of ice crystals
From this reading The snow seldom lay long there, and only a few wisps of it gleamed beneath the northern edge of the pines.
yielding readily to pressure or weight
From this reading The room was brilliantly lighted, and the soft radiance gleamed upon the polished parquetry floor, on which rugs of costly skins were scattered.
an exchange of ideas via conversation
From this reading Mrs. Acton, as usual, had gathered a number of guests about her, and Violet Hamilton sat talking with one of them in the great drawing-room one evening.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading REALITIES Though there was bitter frost in the ranges, it had but lightly touched the sheltered forests that shut in Bonavista.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading REALITIES Though there was bitter frost in the ranges, it had but lightly touched the sheltered forests that shut in Bonavista.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Mrs. Acton, as usual, had gathered a number of guests about her, and Violet Hamilton sat talking with one of them in the great drawing-room one evening.
in or at that place or location
From this reading REALITIES Though there was bitter frost in the ranges, it had but lightly touched the sheltered forests that shut in Bonavista.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading REALITIES Though there was bitter frost in the ranges, it had but lightly touched the sheltered forests that shut in Bonavista.
having come into contact
From this reading REALITIES Though there was bitter frost in the ranges, it had but lightly touched the sheltered forests that shut in Bonavista.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading The room was brilliantly lighted, and the soft radiance gleamed upon the polished parquetry floor, on which rugs of costly skins were scattered.
usualadjectiveUS /ˈjuːʒəwəl/
occurring or encountered or experienced or observed frequently or in accordance with regular practice or procedure
From this reading Mrs. Acton, as usual, had gathered a number of guests about her, and Violet Hamilton sat talking with one of them in the great drawing-room one evening.
VioletnounUS /ˈvaɪəlɪt/
any of numerous low-growing violas with small flowers
From this reading Mrs. Acton, as usual, had gathered a number of guests about her, and Violet Hamilton sat talking with one of them in the great drawing-room one evening.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading REALITIES Though there was bitter frost in the ranges, it had but lightly touched the sheltered forests that shut in Bonavista.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The room was brilliantly lighted, and the soft radiance gleamed upon the polished parquetry floor, on which rugs of costly skins were scattered.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The room was brilliantly lighted, and the soft radiance gleamed upon the polished parquetry floor, on which rugs of costly skins were scattered.
wisps
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The snow seldom lay long there, and only a few wisps of it gleamed beneath the northern edge of the pines.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Mrs. Acton, as usual, had gathered a number of guests about her, and Violet Hamilton sat talking with one of them in the great drawing-room one evening.
