used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Victoria greeted James Vale with a kindly smile, and looking at him closely, she imagined she could trace a likeness in the sad, careworn face to that of her father as she remembered it; and then she turned her attention to little Dora, who sat upon her grandfather’s knee, silent and shy.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Her great, blue eyes gazed in wonder at all the strange things she saw about her.
achingadjectiveUS /ˈeɪkɪŋ/
causing a dull and steady pain
From this reading Victoria longed to take the little form in her arms; to press it tightly to her aching heart; to murmur loving words over the soft, golden curls so much like her darling’s.
(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 Her great, blue eyes gazed in wonder at all the strange things she saw about her.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Victoria greeted James Vale with a kindly smile, and looking at him closely, she imagined she could trace a likeness in the sad, careworn face to that of her father as she remembered it; and then she turned her attention to little Dora, who sat upon her grandfather’s knee, silent and shy.
weapons considered collectively
From this reading Victoria longed to take the little form in her arms; to press it tightly to her aching heart; to murmur loving words over the soft, golden curls so much like her darling’s.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Victoria greeted James Vale with a kindly smile, and looking at him closely, she imagined she could trace a likeness in the sad, careworn face to that of her father as she remembered it; and then she turned her attention to little Dora, who sat upon her grandfather’s knee, silent and shy.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Victoria greeted James Vale with a kindly smile, and looking at him closely, she imagined she could trace a likeness in the sad, careworn face to that of her father as she remembered it; and then she turned her attention to little Dora, who sat upon her grandfather’s knee, silent and shy.
the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others
From this reading Victoria greeted James Vale with a kindly smile, and looking at him closely, she imagined she could trace a likeness in the sad, careworn face to that of her father as she remembered it; and then she turned her attention to little Dora, who sat upon her grandfather’s knee, silent and shy.
delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration
From this reading She was a dainty little maiden, frail as a tender flower, and as beautiful.
of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky
From this reading Her great, blue eyes gazed in wonder at all the strange things she saw about her.
carewornadjective
showing the wearing effects of overwork or care or suffering
From this reading Victoria greeted James Vale with a kindly smile, and looking at him closely, she imagined she could trace a likeness in the sad, careworn face to that of her father as she remembered it; and then she turned her attention to little Dora, who sat upon her grandfather’s knee, silent and shy.
in a close relation or position in time or space
From this reading Victoria greeted James Vale with a kindly smile, and looking at him closely, she imagined she could trace a likeness in the sad, careworn face to that of her father as she remembered it; and then she turned her attention to little Dora, who sat upon her grandfather’s knee, silent and shy.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Victoria greeted James Vale with a kindly smile, and looking at him closely, she imagined she could trace a likeness in the sad, careworn face to that of her father as she remembered it; and then she turned her attention to little Dora, who sat upon her grandfather’s knee, silent and shy.
curlsnounUS /kɜːrlz/
plural of “curl” — a round shape formed by a series of concentric circles (as formed by leaves or flower petals)
From this reading Victoria longed to take the little form in her arms; to press it tightly to her aching heart; to murmur loving words over the soft, golden curls so much like her darling’s.
daintyadjectiveUS /ˈdeɪnti/
delicately beautiful
From this reading She was a dainty little maiden, frail as a tender flower, and as beautiful.
darling's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Victoria longed to take the little form in her arms; to press it tightly to her aching heart; to murmur loving words over the soft, golden curls so much like her darling’s.
Dora
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Victoria greeted James Vale with a kindly smile, and looking at him closely, she imagined she could trace a likeness in the sad, careworn face to that of her father as she remembered it; and then she turned her attention to little Dora, who sat upon her grandfather’s knee, silent and shy.
opinion or judgment
From this reading Her great, blue eyes gazed in wonder at all the strange things she saw about her.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading Victoria greeted James Vale with a kindly smile, and looking at him closely, she imagined she could trace a likeness in the sad, careworn face to that of her father as she remembered it; and then she turned her attention to little Dora, who sat upon her grandfather’s knee, silent and shy.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading Victoria greeted James Vale with a kindly smile, and looking at him closely, she imagined she could trace a likeness in the sad, careworn face to that of her father as she remembered it; and then she turned her attention to little Dora, who sat upon her grandfather’s knee, silent and shy.
a plant cultivated for its blooms or blossoms
From this reading She was a dainty little maiden, frail as a tender flower, and as beautiful.
the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something
From this reading Victoria longed to take the little form in her arms; to press it tightly to her aching heart; to murmur loving words over the soft, golden curls so much like her darling’s.
frailadjectiveUS /freɪl/
physically weak
From this reading She was a dainty little maiden, frail as a tender flower, and as beautiful.
past form of “gaze” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading Her great, blue eyes gazed in wonder at all the strange things she saw about her.
having the deep slightly brownish color of gold
From this reading Victoria longed to take the little form in her arms; to press it tightly to her aching heart; to murmur loving words over the soft, golden curls so much like her darling’s.
grandfather'snounUS /ˈɡrændfɑːðərz/
possessive form of “grandfather” — the father of your father or mother
From this reading Victoria greeted James Vale with a kindly smile, and looking at him closely, she imagined she could trace a likeness in the sad, careworn face to that of her father as she remembered it; and then she turned her attention to little Dora, who sat upon her grandfather’s knee, silent and shy.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading Her great, blue eyes gazed in wonder at all the strange things she saw about her.
past form of “greet” — express greetings upon meeting someone
From this reading Victoria greeted James Vale with a kindly smile, and looking at him closely, she imagined she could trace a likeness in the sad, careworn face to that of her father as she remembered it; and then she turned her attention to little Dora, who sat upon her grandfather’s knee, silent and shy.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading She held out her hand.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading Victoria longed to take the little form in her arms; to press it tightly to her aching heart; to murmur loving words over the soft, golden curls so much like her darling’s.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading She held out her hand.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Victoria greeted James Vale with a kindly smile, and looking at him closely, she imagined she could trace a likeness in the sad, careworn face to that of her father as she remembered it; and then she turned her attention to little Dora, who sat upon her grandfather’s knee, silent and shy.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Victoria greeted James Vale with a kindly smile, and looking at him closely, she imagined she could trace a likeness in the sad, careworn face to that of her father as she remembered it; and then she turned her attention to little Dora, who sat upon her grandfather’s knee, silent and shy.
past form of “imagine” — form a mental image of something that is not present or that is not the case
From this reading Victoria greeted James Vale with a kindly smile, and looking at him closely, she imagined she could trace a likeness in the sad, careworn face to that of her father as she remembered it; and then she turned her attention to little Dora, who sat upon her grandfather’s knee, silent and shy.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Victoria greeted James Vale with a kindly smile, and looking at him closely, she imagined she could trace a likeness in the sad, careworn face to that of her father as she remembered it; and then she turned her attention to little Dora, who sat upon her grandfather’s knee, silent and shy.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Victoria greeted James Vale with a kindly smile, and looking at him closely, she imagined she could trace a likeness in the sad, careworn face to that of her father as she remembered it; and then she turned her attention to little Dora, who sat upon her grandfather’s knee, silent and shy.
a Stuart king of Scotland who married a daughter of Henry VII; when England and France went to war in 1513 he invaded England and died in defeat at Flodden (1473-1513)
From this reading Victoria greeted James Vale with a kindly smile, and looking at him closely, she imagined she could trace a likeness in the sad, careworn face to that of her father as she remembered it; and then she turned her attention to little Dora, who sat upon her grandfather’s knee, silent and shy.
showing or motivated by sympathy and understanding and generosity
From this reading Victoria greeted James Vale with a kindly smile, and looking at him closely, she imagined she could trace a likeness in the sad, careworn face to that of her father as she remembered it; and then she turned her attention to little Dora, who sat upon her grandfather’s knee, silent and shy.
hinge joint in the human leg connecting the tibia and fibula with the femur and protected in front by the patella
From this reading Victoria greeted James Vale with a kindly smile, and looking at him closely, she imagined she could trace a likeness in the sad, careworn face to that of her father as she remembered it; and then she turned her attention to little Dora, who sat upon her grandfather’s knee, silent and shy.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Victoria longed to take the little form in her arms; to press it tightly to her aching heart; to murmur loving words over the soft, golden curls so much like her darling’s.
likenessnounUS /ˈlaɪknəs/
similarity in appearance or character or nature between persons or things
From this reading Victoria greeted James Vale with a kindly smile, and looking at him closely, she imagined she could trace a likeness in the sad, careworn face to that of her father as she remembered it; and then she turned her attention to little Dora, who sat upon her grandfather’s knee, silent and shy.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Victoria greeted James Vale with a kindly smile, and looking at him closely, she imagined she could trace a likeness in the sad, careworn face to that of her father as she remembered it; and then she turned her attention to little Dora, who sat upon her grandfather’s knee, silent and shy.
longedverbUS /lɔːŋd/
past form of “long” — desire strongly or persistently
From this reading Victoria longed to take the little form in her arms; to press it tightly to her aching heart; to murmur loving words over the soft, golden curls so much like her darling’s.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading Victoria greeted James Vale with a kindly smile, and looking at him closely, she imagined she could trace a likeness in the sad, careworn face to that of her father as she remembered it; and then she turned her attention to little Dora, who sat upon her grandfather’s knee, silent and shy.
feeling or showing love and affection
From this reading Victoria longed to take the little form in her arms; to press it tightly to her aching heart; to murmur loving words over the soft, golden curls so much like her darling’s.
an unmarried girl (especially a virgin)
From this reading She was a dainty little maiden, frail as a tender flower, and as beautiful.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading Victoria longed to take the little form in her arms; to press it tightly to her aching heart; to murmur loving words over the soft, golden curls so much like her darling’s.
murmurnounUS /ˈmɜːrmər/
a low continuous indistinct sound; often accompanied by movement of the lips without the production of articulate speech
From this reading Victoria longed to take the little form in her arms; to press it tightly to her aching heart; to murmur loving words over the soft, golden curls so much like her darling’s.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Victoria greeted James Vale with a kindly smile, and looking at him closely, she imagined she could trace a likeness in the sad, careworn face to that of her father as she remembered it; and then she turned her attention to little Dora, who sat upon her grandfather’s knee, silent and shy.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading She held out her hand.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Victoria longed to take the little form in her arms; to press it tightly to her aching heart; to murmur loving words over the soft, golden curls so much like her darling’s.
exert pressure or force to or upon
From this reading Victoria longed to take the little form in her arms; to press it tightly to her aching heart; to murmur loving words over the soft, golden curls so much like her darling’s.
past form of “remember” — recall knowledge from memory; have a recollection
From this reading Victoria greeted James Vale with a kindly smile, and looking at him closely, she imagined she could trace a likeness in the sad, careworn face to that of her father as she remembered it; and then she turned her attention to little Dora, who sat upon her grandfather’s knee, silent and shy.
experiencing or showing sorrow or unhappiness
From this reading Victoria greeted James Vale with a kindly smile, and looking at him closely, she imagined she could trace a likeness in the sad, careworn face to that of her father as she remembered it; and then she turned her attention to little Dora, who sat upon her grandfather’s knee, silent and shy.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading Victoria greeted James Vale with a kindly smile, and looking at him closely, she imagined she could trace a likeness in the sad, careworn face to that of her father as she remembered it; and then she turned her attention to little Dora, who sat upon her grandfather’s knee, silent and shy.
cut with a saw
From this reading Her great, blue eyes gazed in wonder at all the strange things she saw about her.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Victoria greeted James Vale with a kindly smile, and looking at him closely, she imagined she could trace a likeness in the sad, careworn face to that of her father as she remembered it; and then she turned her attention to little Dora, who sat upon her grandfather’s knee, silent and shy.
shyverbUS /ʃaɪ/
start suddenly, as from fright
From this reading Victoria greeted James Vale with a kindly smile, and looking at him closely, she imagined she could trace a likeness in the sad, careworn face to that of her father as she remembered it; and then she turned her attention to little Dora, who sat upon her grandfather’s knee, silent and shy.
marked by absence of sound
From this reading Victoria greeted James Vale with a kindly smile, and looking at him closely, she imagined she could trace a likeness in the sad, careworn face to that of her father as she remembered it; and then she turned her attention to little Dora, who sat upon her grandfather’s knee, silent and shy.
change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure
From this reading Victoria greeted James Vale with a kindly smile, and looking at him closely, she imagined she could trace a likeness in the sad, careworn face to that of her father as she remembered it; and then she turned her attention to little Dora, who sat upon her grandfather’s knee, silent and shy.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Victoria longed to take the little form in her arms; to press it tightly to her aching heart; to murmur loving words over the soft, golden curls so much like her darling’s.
yielding readily to pressure or weight
From this reading Victoria longed to take the little form in her arms; to press it tightly to her aching heart; to murmur loving words over the soft, golden curls so much like her darling’s.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading Her great, blue eyes gazed in wonder at all the strange things she saw about her.
carry out
From this reading Victoria longed to take the little form in her arms; to press it tightly to her aching heart; to murmur loving words over the soft, golden curls so much like her darling’s.
given to sympathy or gentleness or sentimentality
From this reading She was a dainty little maiden, frail as a tender flower, and as beautiful.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Victoria greeted James Vale with a kindly smile, and looking at him closely, she imagined she could trace a likeness in the sad, careworn face to that of her father as she remembered it; and then she turned her attention to little Dora, who sat upon her grandfather’s knee, silent and shy.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Victoria greeted James Vale with a kindly smile, and looking at him closely, she imagined she could trace a likeness in the sad, careworn face to that of her father as she remembered it; and then she turned her attention to little Dora, who sat upon her grandfather’s knee, silent and shy.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Victoria greeted James Vale with a kindly smile, and looking at him closely, she imagined she could trace a likeness in the sad, careworn face to that of her father as she remembered it; and then she turned her attention to little Dora, who sat upon her grandfather’s knee, silent and shy.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading Her great, blue eyes gazed in wonder at all the strange things she saw about her.
tightlyadverbUS /ˈtaɪtli/
in a tight or constricted manner
From this reading Victoria longed to take the little form in her arms; to press it tightly to her aching heart; to murmur loving words over the soft, golden curls so much like her darling’s.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Victoria greeted James Vale with a kindly smile, and looking at him closely, she imagined she could trace a likeness in the sad, careworn face to that of her father as she remembered it; and then she turned her attention to little Dora, who sat upon her grandfather’s knee, silent and shy.
a just detectable amount
From this reading Victoria greeted James Vale with a kindly smile, and looking at him closely, she imagined she could trace a likeness in the sad, careworn face to that of her father as she remembered it; and then she turned her attention to little Dora, who sat upon her grandfather’s knee, silent and shy.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading Victoria greeted James Vale with a kindly smile, and looking at him closely, she imagined she could trace a likeness in the sad, careworn face to that of her father as she remembered it; and then she turned her attention to little Dora, who sat upon her grandfather’s knee, silent and shy.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Victoria greeted James Vale with a kindly smile, and looking at him closely, she imagined she could trace a likeness in the sad, careworn face to that of her father as she remembered it; and then she turned her attention to little Dora, who sat upon her grandfather’s knee, silent and shy.
ValenounUS /veɪl/
a long depression in the surface of the land that usually contains a river
From this reading Victoria greeted James Vale with a kindly smile, and looking at him closely, she imagined she could trace a likeness in the sad, careworn face to that of her father as she remembered it; and then she turned her attention to little Dora, who sat upon her grandfather’s knee, silent and shy.
VictorianounUS /vɪkˈtɔːriə/
queen of Great Britain and Ireland and empress of India from 1837 to 1901; the last Hanoverian ruler of England (1819-1901)
From this reading Victoria greeted James Vale with a kindly smile, and looking at him closely, she imagined she could trace a likeness in the sad, careworn face to that of her father as she remembered it; and then she turned her attention to little Dora, who sat upon her grandfather’s knee, silent and shy.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading She was a dainty little maiden, frail as a tender flower, and as beautiful.
which person or people
From this reading Victoria greeted James Vale with a kindly smile, and looking at him closely, she imagined she could trace a likeness in the sad, careworn face to that of her father as she remembered it; and then she turned her attention to little Dora, who sat upon her grandfather’s knee, silent and shy.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Victoria greeted James Vale with a kindly smile, and looking at him closely, she imagined she could trace a likeness in the sad, careworn face to that of her father as she remembered it; and then she turned her attention to little Dora, who sat upon her grandfather’s knee, silent and shy.
the feeling aroused by something strange and surprising
From this reading Her great, blue eyes gazed in wonder at all the strange things she saw about her.
the words that are spoken
From this reading Victoria longed to take the little form in her arms; to press it tightly to her aching heart; to murmur loving words over the soft, golden curls so much like her darling’s.
