used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was an artist's studio, a poor, shabby little place, with a latticed window facing the north.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading A few tarnished gold frames leaned against the gaudily-papered wall, and the only picture stood on the dilapidated easel in the middle of the floor, a small canvas of a woman's head, a gentle Madonna face, with large supplicating eyes, and a sensitive, sad mouth, which seemed to mourn over the desolation of the place.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading It was an artist's studio, a poor, shabby little place, with a latticed window facing the north.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A few tarnished gold frames leaned against the gaudily-papered wall, and the only picture stood on the dilapidated easel in the middle of the floor, a small canvas of a woman's head, a gentle Madonna face, with large supplicating eyes, and a sensitive, sad mouth, which seemed to mourn over the desolation of the place.
arrangementnounUS /ərˈeɪndʒmənt/
the thing arranged or agreed to
From this reading There was nothing in the furnishing or arrangement of the room to suggest successful work, or even artistic taste.
a person whose creative work shows sensitivity and imagination
From this reading The palette and a few worn brushes were scattered on the floor, where the artist had laid them down for ever.
artist'snounUS /ˈɑːrtəsts/
possessive form of “artist” — a person whose creative work shows sensitivity and imagination
From this reading It was an artist's studio, a poor, shabby little place, with a latticed window facing the north.
artisticadjectiveUS /ɑːrˈtɪstɪk/
relating to or characteristic of art or artists
From this reading There was nothing in the furnishing or arrangement of the room to suggest successful work, or even artistic taste.
brushesnounUS /ˈbrʌʃɪz/
plural of “brush” — a dense growth of bushes
From this reading The palette and a few worn brushes were scattered on the floor, where the artist had laid them down for ever.
canvasnounUS /ˈkænvəs/
a heavy, closely woven fabric (used for clothing or chairs or sails or tents)
From this reading A few tarnished gold frames leaned against the gaudily-papered wall, and the only picture stood on the dilapidated easel in the middle of the floor, a small canvas of a woman's head, a gentle Madonna face, with large supplicating eyes, and a sensitive, sad mouth, which seemed to mourn over the desolation of the place.
desolationnounUS /ˌdesəˈleɪʃən/
the state of being decayed or destroyed
From this reading A few tarnished gold frames leaned against the gaudily-papered wall, and the only picture stood on the dilapidated easel in the middle of the floor, a small canvas of a woman's head, a gentle Madonna face, with large supplicating eyes, and a sensitive, sad mouth, which seemed to mourn over the desolation of the place.
dilapidatedadjectiveUS /dəˈlæpədeɪtɪd/
in deplorable condition
From this reading A few tarnished gold frames leaned against the gaudily-papered wall, and the only picture stood on the dilapidated easel in the middle of the floor, a small canvas of a woman's head, a gentle Madonna face, with large supplicating eyes, and a sensitive, sad mouth, which seemed to mourn over the desolation of the place.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading The palette and a few worn brushes were scattered on the floor, where the artist had laid them down for ever.
easelnounUS /ˈiːzəl/
an upright tripod for displaying something (usually an artist's canvas)
From this reading A few tarnished gold frames leaned against the gaudily-papered wall, and the only picture stood on the dilapidated easel in the middle of the floor, a small canvas of a woman's head, a gentle Madonna face, with large supplicating eyes, and a sensitive, sad mouth, which seemed to mourn over the desolation of the place.
divisible by two
From this reading There was nothing in the furnishing or arrangement of the room to suggest successful work, or even artistic taste.
at any time
From this reading The palette and a few worn brushes were scattered on the floor, where the artist had laid them down for ever.
opinion or judgment
From this reading A few tarnished gold frames leaned against the gaudily-papered wall, and the only picture stood on the dilapidated easel in the middle of the floor, a small canvas of a woman's head, a gentle Madonna face, with large supplicating eyes, and a sensitive, sad mouth, which seemed to mourn over the desolation of the place.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading A few tarnished gold frames leaned against the gaudily-papered wall, and the only picture stood on the dilapidated easel in the middle of the floor, a small canvas of a woman's head, a gentle Madonna face, with large supplicating eyes, and a sensitive, sad mouth, which seemed to mourn over the desolation of the place.
facingnounUS /ˈfeɪsɪŋ/
a lining applied to the edge of a garment for ornamentation or strengthening
From this reading It was an artist's studio, a poor, shabby little place, with a latticed window facing the north.
FATHERLESSadjectiveUS /ˈfɑːðərləs/
having no living father
From this reading FATHERLESS.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading A few tarnished gold frames leaned against the gaudily-papered wall, and the only picture stood on the dilapidated easel in the middle of the floor, a small canvas of a woman's head, a gentle Madonna face, with large supplicating eyes, and a sensitive, sad mouth, which seemed to mourn over the desolation of the place.
the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)
From this reading A few tarnished gold frames leaned against the gaudily-papered wall, and the only picture stood on the dilapidated easel in the middle of the floor, a small canvas of a woman's head, a gentle Madonna face, with large supplicating eyes, and a sensitive, sad mouth, which seemed to mourn over the desolation of the place.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The palette and a few worn brushes were scattered on the floor, where the artist had laid them down for ever.
framesnounUS /freɪmz/
plural of “frame” — the framework for a pair of eyeglasses
From this reading A few tarnished gold frames leaned against the gaudily-papered wall, and the only picture stood on the dilapidated easel in the middle of the floor, a small canvas of a woman's head, a gentle Madonna face, with large supplicating eyes, and a sensitive, sad mouth, which seemed to mourn over the desolation of the place.
furnishingnounUS /ˈfɜːrnɪʃɪŋ/
(usually plural) accessory wearing apparel
From this reading There was nothing in the furnishing or arrangement of the room to suggest successful work, or even artistic taste.
gaudily-papered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A few tarnished gold frames leaned against the gaudily-papered wall, and the only picture stood on the dilapidated easel in the middle of the floor, a small canvas of a woman's head, a gentle Madonna face, with large supplicating eyes, and a sensitive, sad mouth, which seemed to mourn over the desolation of the place.
soft and mild; not harsh or stern or severe
From this reading A few tarnished gold frames leaned against the gaudily-papered wall, and the only picture stood on the dilapidated easel in the middle of the floor, a small canvas of a woman's head, a gentle Madonna face, with large supplicating eyes, and a sensitive, sad mouth, which seemed to mourn over the desolation of the place.
coins made of gold
From this reading A few tarnished gold frames leaned against the gaudily-papered wall, and the only picture stood on the dilapidated easel in the middle of the floor, a small canvas of a woman's head, a gentle Madonna face, with large supplicating eyes, and a sensitive, sad mouth, which seemed to mourn over the desolation of the place.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The palette and a few worn brushes were scattered on the floor, where the artist had laid them down for ever.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading A few tarnished gold frames leaned against the gaudily-papered wall, and the only picture stood on the dilapidated easel in the middle of the floor, a small canvas of a woman's head, a gentle Madonna face, with large supplicating eyes, and a sensitive, sad mouth, which seemed to mourn over the desolation of the place.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading There was nothing in the furnishing or arrangement of the room to suggest successful work, or even artistic taste.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was an artist's studio, a poor, shabby little place, with a latticed window facing the north.
set down according to a plan
From this reading The palette and a few worn brushes were scattered on the floor, where the artist had laid them down for ever.
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading A few tarnished gold frames leaned against the gaudily-papered wall, and the only picture stood on the dilapidated easel in the middle of the floor, a small canvas of a woman's head, a gentle Madonna face, with large supplicating eyes, and a sensitive, sad mouth, which seemed to mourn over the desolation of the place.
latticedadjective
having a pattern of fretwork or latticework
From this reading It was an artist's studio, a poor, shabby little place, with a latticed window facing the north.
past form of “lean” — to incline or bend from a vertical position
From this reading A few tarnished gold frames leaned against the gaudily-papered wall, and the only picture stood on the dilapidated easel in the middle of the floor, a small canvas of a woman's head, a gentle Madonna face, with large supplicating eyes, and a sensitive, sad mouth, which seemed to mourn over the desolation of the place.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading It was an artist's studio, a poor, shabby little place, with a latticed window facing the north.
MadonnanounUS /məˈdɑːnə/
the mother of Jesus; Christians refer to her as the Virgin Mary; she is especially honored by Roman Catholics
From this reading A few tarnished gold frames leaned against the gaudily-papered wall, and the only picture stood on the dilapidated easel in the middle of the floor, a small canvas of a woman's head, a gentle Madonna face, with large supplicating eyes, and a sensitive, sad mouth, which seemed to mourn over the desolation of the place.
an area that is approximately central within some larger region
From this reading A few tarnished gold frames leaned against the gaudily-papered wall, and the only picture stood on the dilapidated easel in the middle of the floor, a small canvas of a woman's head, a gentle Madonna face, with large supplicating eyes, and a sensitive, sad mouth, which seemed to mourn over the desolation of the place.
mournverbUS /mɔːrn/
feel sadness
From this reading A few tarnished gold frames leaned against the gaudily-papered wall, and the only picture stood on the dilapidated easel in the middle of the floor, a small canvas of a woman's head, a gentle Madonna face, with large supplicating eyes, and a sensitive, sad mouth, which seemed to mourn over the desolation of the place.
the opening through which food is taken in and vocalizations emerge
From this reading A few tarnished gold frames leaned against the gaudily-papered wall, and the only picture stood on the dilapidated easel in the middle of the floor, a small canvas of a woman's head, a gentle Madonna face, with large supplicating eyes, and a sensitive, sad mouth, which seemed to mourn over the desolation of the place.
the region of the United States lying to the north of the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading It was an artist's studio, a poor, shabby little place, with a latticed window facing the north.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading There was nothing in the furnishing or arrangement of the room to suggest successful work, or even artistic taste.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading There was nothing in the furnishing or arrangement of the room to suggest successful work, or even artistic taste.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading A few tarnished gold frames leaned against the gaudily-papered wall, and the only picture stood on the dilapidated easel in the middle of the floor, a small canvas of a woman's head, a gentle Madonna face, with large supplicating eyes, and a sensitive, sad mouth, which seemed to mourn over the desolation of the place.
and nothing more
From this reading A few tarnished gold frames leaned against the gaudily-papered wall, and the only picture stood on the dilapidated easel in the middle of the floor, a small canvas of a woman's head, a gentle Madonna face, with large supplicating eyes, and a sensitive, sad mouth, which seemed to mourn over the desolation of the place.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading There was nothing in the furnishing or arrangement of the room to suggest successful work, or even artistic taste.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading A few tarnished gold frames leaned against the gaudily-papered wall, and the only picture stood on the dilapidated easel in the middle of the floor, a small canvas of a woman's head, a gentle Madonna face, with large supplicating eyes, and a sensitive, sad mouth, which seemed to mourn over the desolation of the place.
palettenounUS /ˈpælət/
the range of colour characteristic of a particular artist or painting or school of art
From this reading The palette and a few worn brushes were scattered on the floor, where the artist had laid them down for ever.
a visual representation (of an object or scene or person or abstraction) produced on a surface
From this reading A few tarnished gold frames leaned against the gaudily-papered wall, and the only picture stood on the dilapidated easel in the middle of the floor, a small canvas of a woman's head, a gentle Madonna face, with large supplicating eyes, and a sensitive, sad mouth, which seemed to mourn over the desolation of the place.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading It was an artist's studio, a poor, shabby little place, with a latticed window facing the north.
deserving or inciting pity
From this reading It was an artist's studio, a poor, shabby little place, with a latticed window facing the north.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading There was nothing in the furnishing or arrangement of the room to suggest successful work, or even artistic taste.
experiencing or showing sorrow or unhappiness
From this reading A few tarnished gold frames leaned against the gaudily-papered wall, and the only picture stood on the dilapidated easel in the middle of the floor, a small canvas of a woman's head, a gentle Madonna face, with large supplicating eyes, and a sensitive, sad mouth, which seemed to mourn over the desolation of the place.
occurring or distributed over widely spaced and irregular intervals in time or space
From this reading The palette and a few worn brushes were scattered on the floor, where the artist had laid them down for ever.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading A few tarnished gold frames leaned against the gaudily-papered wall, and the only picture stood on the dilapidated easel in the middle of the floor, a small canvas of a woman's head, a gentle Madonna face, with large supplicating eyes, and a sensitive, sad mouth, which seemed to mourn over the desolation of the place.
sensitiveadjectiveUS /ˈsensətɪv/
responsive to physical stimuli
From this reading A few tarnished gold frames leaned against the gaudily-papered wall, and the only picture stood on the dilapidated easel in the middle of the floor, a small canvas of a woman's head, a gentle Madonna face, with large supplicating eyes, and a sensitive, sad mouth, which seemed to mourn over the desolation of the place.
shabbyadjectiveUS /ˈʃæbi/
showing signs of wear and tear
From this reading It was an artist's studio, a poor, shabby little place, with a latticed window facing the north.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading A few tarnished gold frames leaned against the gaudily-papered wall, and the only picture stood on the dilapidated easel in the middle of the floor, a small canvas of a woman's head, a gentle Madonna face, with large supplicating eyes, and a sensitive, sad mouth, which seemed to mourn over the desolation of the place.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading A few tarnished gold frames leaned against the gaudily-papered wall, and the only picture stood on the dilapidated easel in the middle of the floor, a small canvas of a woman's head, a gentle Madonna face, with large supplicating eyes, and a sensitive, sad mouth, which seemed to mourn over the desolation of the place.
studionounUS /ˈstuːdioʊ/
workplace for the teaching or practice of an art
From this reading It was an artist's studio, a poor, shabby little place, with a latticed window facing the north.
having succeeded or being marked by a favorable outcome
From this reading There was nothing in the furnishing or arrangement of the room to suggest successful work, or even artistic taste.
suggestverbUS /səˈdʒest/
make a proposal, declare a plan for something
From this reading There was nothing in the furnishing or arrangement of the room to suggest successful work, or even artistic taste.
supplicating
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A few tarnished gold frames leaned against the gaudily-papered wall, and the only picture stood on the dilapidated easel in the middle of the floor, a small canvas of a woman's head, a gentle Madonna face, with large supplicating eyes, and a sensitive, sad mouth, which seemed to mourn over the desolation of the place.
tarnishedverbUS /ˈtɑːrnɪʃt/
past form of “tarnish” — make dirty or spotty, as by exposure to air; also used metaphorically
From this reading A few tarnished gold frames leaned against the gaudily-papered wall, and the only picture stood on the dilapidated easel in the middle of the floor, a small canvas of a woman's head, a gentle Madonna face, with large supplicating eyes, and a sensitive, sad mouth, which seemed to mourn over the desolation of the place.
To perceive flavor through the mouth.
From this reading There was nothing in the furnishing or arrangement of the room to suggest successful work, or even artistic taste.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It was an artist's studio, a poor, shabby little place, with a latticed window facing the north.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The palette and a few worn brushes were scattered on the floor, where the artist had laid them down for ever.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was nothing in the furnishing or arrangement of the room to suggest successful work, or even artistic taste.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading There was nothing in the furnishing or arrangement of the room to suggest successful work, or even artistic taste.
an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure
From this reading A few tarnished gold frames leaned against the gaudily-papered wall, and the only picture stood on the dilapidated easel in the middle of the floor, a small canvas of a woman's head, a gentle Madonna face, with large supplicating eyes, and a sensitive, sad mouth, which seemed to mourn over the desolation of the place.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was an artist's studio, a poor, shabby little place, with a latticed window facing the north.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The palette and a few worn brushes were scattered on the floor, where the artist had laid them down for ever.
in or at the place that
From this reading The palette and a few worn brushes were scattered on the floor, where the artist had laid them down for ever.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading A few tarnished gold frames leaned against the gaudily-papered wall, and the only picture stood on the dilapidated easel in the middle of the floor, a small canvas of a woman's head, a gentle Madonna face, with large supplicating eyes, and a sensitive, sad mouth, which seemed to mourn over the desolation of the place.
a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air
From this reading It was an artist's studio, a poor, shabby little place, with a latticed window facing the north.
in the company of; together with
From this reading It was an artist's studio, a poor, shabby little place, with a latticed window facing the north.
woman'snounUS /ˈwʊmənz/
possessive form of “woman” — an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading A few tarnished gold frames leaned against the gaudily-papered wall, and the only picture stood on the dilapidated easel in the middle of the floor, a small canvas of a woman's head, a gentle Madonna face, with large supplicating eyes, and a sensitive, sad mouth, which seemed to mourn over the desolation of the place.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading There was nothing in the furnishing or arrangement of the room to suggest successful work, or even artistic taste.
Damaged or thinned by continuous use.
From this reading The palette and a few worn brushes were scattered on the floor, where the artist had laid them down for ever.
