used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A STAB IN THE DARK Mrs. Malling fumbled her glasses out of her pocket and adjusted them on her nose.
adjustedadjectiveUS /əˈdʒʌstɪd/
altered to accommodate to certain requirements or bring into a proper relation
From this reading A STAB IN THE DARK Mrs. Malling fumbled her glasses out of her pocket and adjusted them on her nose.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A STAB IN THE DARK Mrs. Malling fumbled her glasses out of her pocket and adjusted them on her nose.
beadsnounUS /biːdz/
several beads threaded together on a string
From this reading The great cook-stove, throwing off a fearful heat, helped to heighten the brilliancy of the farm-wife's complexion, and brought beads of perspiration out upon her forehead.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading She had paused in her work to receive her letters, which had just been brought from Lakeville.
brilliancynoun
a quality that outshines the usual
From this reading The great cook-stove, throwing off a fearful heat, helped to heighten the brilliancy of the farm-wife's complexion, and brought beads of perspiration out upon her forehead.
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading She had paused in her work to receive her letters, which had just been brought from Lakeville.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The girls stood by waiting to learn the news.
complexionnounUS /kəmˈplekʃən/
the coloring of a person's face
From this reading The great cook-stove, throwing off a fearful heat, helped to heighten the brilliancy of the farm-wife's complexion, and brought beads of perspiration out upon her forehead.
cook-stove
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The great cook-stove, throwing off a fearful heat, helped to heighten the brilliancy of the farm-wife's complexion, and brought beads of perspiration out upon her forehead.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading A STAB IN THE DARK Mrs. Malling fumbled her glasses out of her pocket and adjusted them on her nose.
farm-wife's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The great cook-stove, throwing off a fearful heat, helped to heighten the brilliancy of the farm-wife's complexion, and brought beads of perspiration out upon her forehead.
experiencing or showing fear
From this reading The great cook-stove, throwing off a fearful heat, helped to heighten the brilliancy of the farm-wife's complexion, and brought beads of perspiration out upon her forehead.
the part of the face above the eyes
From this reading The great cook-stove, throwing off a fearful heat, helped to heighten the brilliancy of the farm-wife's complexion, and brought beads of perspiration out upon her forehead.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading She had paused in her work to receive her letters, which had just been brought from Lakeville.
fumbledverbUS /ˈfʌmbəld/
past form of “fumble” — feel about uncertainly or blindly
From this reading A STAB IN THE DARK Mrs. Malling fumbled her glasses out of her pocket and adjusted them on her nose.
plural of “girl” — a young female
From this reading The girls stood by waiting to learn the news.
(plural) optical instrument consisting of a frame that holds a pair of lenses for correcting defective vision
From this reading A STAB IN THE DARK Mrs. Malling fumbled her glasses out of her pocket and adjusted them on her nose.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading The great cook-stove, throwing off a fearful heat, helped to heighten the brilliancy of the farm-wife's complexion, and brought beads of perspiration out upon her forehead.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading She had paused in her work to receive her letters, which had just been brought from Lakeville.
a form of energy that is transferred by a difference in temperature
From this reading The great cook-stove, throwing off a fearful heat, helped to heighten the brilliancy of the farm-wife's complexion, and brought beads of perspiration out upon her forehead.
heightenverbUS /ˈhaɪtən/
become more extreme
From this reading The great cook-stove, throwing off a fearful heat, helped to heighten the brilliancy of the farm-wife's complexion, and brought beads of perspiration out upon her forehead.
past form of “help” — give help or assistance; be of service
From this reading The great cook-stove, throwing off a fearful heat, helped to heighten the brilliancy of the farm-wife's complexion, and brought beads of perspiration out upon her forehead.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading A STAB IN THE DARK Mrs. Malling fumbled her glasses out of her pocket and adjusted them on her nose.
used of physical heat; having a high or higher than desirable temperature or giving off heat or feeling or causing a sensation of heat or burning
From this reading The summer kitchen was stifling hot.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A STAB IN THE DARK Mrs. Malling fumbled her glasses out of her pocket and adjusted them on her nose.
and nothing more
From this reading She had paused in her work to receive her letters, which had just been brought from Lakeville.
a room equipped for preparing meals
From this reading The summer kitchen was stifling hot.
Lakeville
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had paused in her work to receive her letters, which had just been brought from Lakeville.
gain knowledge or skills
From this reading The girls stood by waiting to learn the news.
the literary culture
From this reading She had paused in her work to receive her letters, which had just been brought from Lakeville.
Malling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A STAB IN THE DARK Mrs. Malling fumbled her glasses out of her pocket and adjusted them on her nose.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading A STAB IN THE DARK Mrs. Malling fumbled her glasses out of her pocket and adjusted them on her nose.
information about recent and important events
From this reading The girls stood by waiting to learn the news.
the organ of smell and entrance to the respiratory tract; the prominent part of the face of man or other mammals
From this reading A STAB IN THE DARK Mrs. Malling fumbled her glasses out of her pocket and adjusted them on her nose.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A STAB IN THE DARK Mrs. Malling fumbled her glasses out of her pocket and adjusted them on her nose.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading The great cook-stove, throwing off a fearful heat, helped to heighten the brilliancy of the farm-wife's complexion, and brought beads of perspiration out upon her forehead.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading A STAB IN THE DARK Mrs. Malling fumbled her glasses out of her pocket and adjusted them on her nose.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading A STAB IN THE DARK Mrs. Malling fumbled her glasses out of her pocket and adjusted them on her nose.
past form of “pause” — interrupt temporarily an activity before continuing
From this reading She had paused in her work to receive her letters, which had just been brought from Lakeville.
perspirationnounUS /ˌpɜːrspərˈeɪʃən/
salty fluid secreted by sweat glands
From this reading The great cook-stove, throwing off a fearful heat, helped to heighten the brilliancy of the farm-wife's complexion, and brought beads of perspiration out upon her forehead.
a small pouch inside a garment for carrying small articles
From this reading A STAB IN THE DARK Mrs. Malling fumbled her glasses out of her pocket and adjusted them on her nose.
get something; come into possession of
From this reading She had paused in her work to receive her letters, which had just been brought from Lakeville.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She had paused in her work to receive her letters, which had just been brought from Lakeville.
STABverbUS /stæb/
use a knife on
From this reading A STAB IN THE DARK Mrs. Malling fumbled her glasses out of her pocket and adjusted them on her nose.
stiflingnounUS /ˈstaɪflɪŋ/
forceful prevention; putting down by power or authority
From this reading The summer kitchen was stifling hot.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading The girls stood by waiting to learn the news.
the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox
From this reading The summer kitchen was stifling hot.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A STAB IN THE DARK Mrs. Malling fumbled her glasses out of her pocket and adjusted them on her nose.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading A STAB IN THE DARK Mrs. Malling fumbled her glasses out of her pocket and adjusted them on her nose.
-ing form of “throw” — propel through the air
From this reading The great cook-stove, throwing off a fearful heat, helped to heighten the brilliancy of the farm-wife's complexion, and brought beads of perspiration out upon her forehead.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading She had paused in her work to receive her letters, which had just been brought from Lakeville.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading The great cook-stove, throwing off a fearful heat, helped to heighten the brilliancy of the farm-wife's complexion, and brought beads of perspiration out upon her forehead.
the act of waiting (remaining inactive in one place while expecting something)
From this reading The girls stood by waiting to learn the news.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The summer kitchen was stifling hot.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading She had paused in her work to receive her letters, which had just been brought from Lakeville.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading She had paused in her work to receive her letters, which had just been brought from Lakeville.
