used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It seemed to fill the maternal element of her character, and though she was a wee little mother, a veritable mother she was, and it was amusing to watch her quaint ways with it.
agedadjectiveUS /eɪdʒd/
advanced in years; (“aged” is pronounced as two syllables)
From this reading Compare them with the stiff wooden monsters of fifty years ago, with their back hair done up like that of aged matrons, surmounted with high yellow combs!
in the past
From this reading Compare them with the stiff wooden monsters of fifty years ago, with their back hair done up like that of aged matrons, surmounted with high yellow combs!
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading Mabel's "baby" (she never called it dolly) was almost always nestling in her arms.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading Mabel's "baby" (she never called it dolly) was almost always nestling in her arms.
amusingadjectiveUS /əˈmjuːzɪŋ/
providing enjoyment; pleasantly entertaining
From this reading It seemed to fill the maternal element of her character, and though she was a wee little mother, a veritable mother she was, and it was amusing to watch her quaint ways with it.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It seemed to fill the maternal element of her character, and though she was a wee little mother, a veritable mother she was, and it was amusing to watch her quaint ways with it.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading What marvels of art are their generation, nowadays!
weapons considered collectively
From this reading Mabel's "baby" (she never called it dolly) was almost always nestling in her arms.
artauxiliary verbUS /ɑːrt/
an old form of “are”, used with “thou”
From this reading What marvels of art are their generation, nowadays!
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The march of improvement had taken up dolls, as well as everything else.
a very young child (birth to 1 year) who has not yet begun to walk or talk
From this reading Mabel's "baby" (she never called it dolly) was almost always nestling in her arms.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading Compare them with the stiff wooden monsters of fifty years ago, with their back hair done up like that of aged matrons, surmounted with high yellow combs!
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading Mabel's "baby" (she never called it dolly) was almost always nestling in her arms.
an imaginary person represented in a work of fiction (play or film or story)
From this reading It seemed to fill the maternal element of her character, and though she was a wee little mother, a veritable mother she was, and it was amusing to watch her quaint ways with it.
combsnounUS /koʊmz/
plural of “comb” — a flat device with narrow pointed teeth on one edge; disentangles or arranges hair
From this reading Compare them with the stiff wooden monsters of fifty years ago, with their back hair done up like that of aged matrons, surmounted with high yellow combs!
CompareverbUS /kəmˈper/
examine and note the similarities or differences of
From this reading Compare them with the stiff wooden monsters of fifty years ago, with their back hair done up like that of aged matrons, surmounted with high yellow combs!
dollsnounUS /dɑːlz/
plural of “doll” — a small replica of a person; used as a toy
From this reading The march of improvement had taken up dolls, as well as everything else.
dollynounUS /ˈdɑːli/
conveyance consisting of a wheeled support on which a camera can be mounted
From this reading Mabel's "baby" (she never called it dolly) was almost always nestling in her arms.
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading Compare them with the stiff wooden monsters of fifty years ago, with their back hair done up like that of aged matrons, surmounted with high yellow combs!
elementnounUS /ˈeləmənt/
an abstract part of something
From this reading It seemed to fill the maternal element of her character, and though she was a wee little mother, a veritable mother she was, and it was amusing to watch her quaint ways with it.
else
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The march of improvement had taken up dolls, as well as everything else.
all things; all of a situation
From this reading The march of improvement had taken up dolls, as well as everything else.
the cardinal number that is the product of ten and five
From this reading Compare them with the stiff wooden monsters of fifty years ago, with their back hair done up like that of aged matrons, surmounted with high yellow combs!
make full, also in a metaphorical sense
From this reading It seemed to fill the maternal element of her character, and though she was a wee little mother, a veritable mother she was, and it was amusing to watch her quaint ways with it.
generationnounUS /ˌdʒenərˈeɪʃən/
all the people living at the same time or of approximately the same age
From this reading What marvels of art are their generation, nowadays!
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The march of improvement had taken up dolls, as well as everything else.
a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss
From this reading Compare them with the stiff wooden monsters of fifty years ago, with their back hair done up like that of aged matrons, surmounted with high yellow combs!
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Mabel's "baby" (she never called it dolly) was almost always nestling in her arms.
greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading Compare them with the stiff wooden monsters of fifty years ago, with their back hair done up like that of aged matrons, surmounted with high yellow combs!
improvementnounUS /ˌɪmˈpruːvmənt/
a change for the better; progress in development
From this reading The march of improvement had taken up dolls, as well as everything else.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Mabel's "baby" (she never called it dolly) was almost always nestling in her arms.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Mabel's "baby" (she never called it dolly) was almost always nestling in her arms.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Compare them with the stiff wooden monsters of fifty years ago, with their back hair done up like that of aged matrons, surmounted with high yellow combs!
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading It seemed to fill the maternal element of her character, and though she was a wee little mother, a veritable mother she was, and it was amusing to watch her quaint ways with it.
Mabel's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mabel's "baby" (she never called it dolly) was almost always nestling in her arms.
march in a procession
From this reading The march of improvement had taken up dolls, as well as everything else.
marvelsnounUS /ˈmɑːrvəlz/
plural of “marvel” — something that causes feelings of wonder
From this reading What marvels of art are their generation, nowadays!
maternaladjectiveUS /məˈtɜːrnəl/
characteristic of a mother
From this reading It seemed to fill the maternal element of her character, and though she was a wee little mother, a veritable mother she was, and it was amusing to watch her quaint ways with it.
matronsnounUS /ˈmeɪtrənz/
plural of “matron” — a married woman (usually middle-aged with children) who is staid and dignified
From this reading Compare them with the stiff wooden monsters of fifty years ago, with their back hair done up like that of aged matrons, surmounted with high yellow combs!
monstersnounUS /ˈmɑːnstərz/
plural of “monster” — an imaginary creature usually having various human and animal parts
From this reading Compare them with the stiff wooden monsters of fifty years ago, with their back hair done up like that of aged matrons, surmounted with high yellow combs!
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading It seemed to fill the maternal element of her character, and though she was a wee little mother, a veritable mother she was, and it was amusing to watch her quaint ways with it.
nestlingnounUS /ˈnestlɪŋ/
young bird not yet fledged
From this reading Mabel's "baby" (she never called it dolly) was almost always nestling in her arms.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading Mabel's "baby" (she never called it dolly) was almost always nestling in her arms.
nowadaysnounUS /ˈnaʊədeɪz/
the period of time that is happening now; any continuous stretch of time including the moment of speech
From this reading What marvels of art are their generation, nowadays!
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It seemed to fill the maternal element of her character, and though she was a wee little mother, a veritable mother she was, and it was amusing to watch her quaint ways with it.
quaintadjectiveUS /kweɪnt/
strange in an interesting or pleasing way
From this reading It seemed to fill the maternal element of her character, and though she was a wee little mother, a veritable mother she was, and it was amusing to watch her quaint ways with it.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading It seemed to fill the maternal element of her character, and though she was a wee little mother, a veritable mother she was, and it was amusing to watch her quaint ways with it.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Mabel's "baby" (she never called it dolly) was almost always nestling in her arms.
not moving or operating freely
From this reading Compare them with the stiff wooden monsters of fifty years ago, with their back hair done up like that of aged matrons, surmounted with high yellow combs!
surmountedadjectiveUS /sərˈmaʊntɪd/
having something on top
From this reading Compare them with the stiff wooden monsters of fifty years ago, with their back hair done up like that of aged matrons, surmounted with high yellow combs!
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading The march of improvement had taken up dolls, as well as everything else.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Compare them with the stiff wooden monsters of fifty years ago, with their back hair done up like that of aged matrons, surmounted with high yellow combs!
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It seemed to fill the maternal element of her character, and though she was a wee little mother, a veritable mother she was, and it was amusing to watch her quaint ways with it.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading What marvels of art are their generation, nowadays!
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Compare them with the stiff wooden monsters of fifty years ago, with their back hair done up like that of aged matrons, surmounted with high yellow combs!
in spite of the fact that
From this reading It seemed to fill the maternal element of her character, and though she was a wee little mother, a veritable mother she was, and it was amusing to watch her quaint ways with it.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It seemed to fill the maternal element of her character, and though she was a wee little mother, a veritable mother she was, and it was amusing to watch her quaint ways with it.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading The march of improvement had taken up dolls, as well as everything else.
veritableadjectiveUS /ˈverɪtəbəl/
often used as intensifiers
From this reading It seemed to fill the maternal element of her character, and though she was a wee little mother, a veritable mother she was, and it was amusing to watch her quaint ways with it.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Mabel's "baby" (she never called it dolly) was almost always nestling in her arms.
look attentively
From this reading It seemed to fill the maternal element of her character, and though she was a wee little mother, a veritable mother she was, and it was amusing to watch her quaint ways with it.
structure consisting of a sloping way down to the water from the place where ships are built or repaired
From this reading It seemed to fill the maternal element of her character, and though she was a wee little mother, a veritable mother she was, and it was amusing to watch her quaint ways with it.
weeadjectiveUS /wiː/
(used informally) very small
From this reading It seemed to fill the maternal element of her character, and though she was a wee little mother, a veritable mother she was, and it was amusing to watch her quaint ways with it.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading The march of improvement had taken up dolls, as well as everything else.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading What marvels of art are their generation, nowadays!
in the company of; together with
From this reading It seemed to fill the maternal element of her character, and though she was a wee little mother, a veritable mother she was, and it was amusing to watch her quaint ways with it.
made or consisting of (entirely or in part) or employing wood
From this reading Compare them with the stiff wooden monsters of fifty years ago, with their back hair done up like that of aged matrons, surmounted with high yellow combs!
a late time of life
From this reading Compare them with the stiff wooden monsters of fifty years ago, with their back hair done up like that of aged matrons, surmounted with high yellow combs!
of the color intermediate between green and orange in the color spectrum; of something resembling the color of an egg yolk
From this reading Compare them with the stiff wooden monsters of fifty years ago, with their back hair done up like that of aged matrons, surmounted with high yellow combs!
