used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was not a very easy matter to draw Sarah into a conversation, especially in the evening.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading At ten exactly the door opened in the dark distance, and Ellis came rumbling along through the dim depths behind the screen with the sherry and biscuits.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading Just at the same moment Sarah smoothed out the paper carefully, laid it down, as she always did, on the top of her wool-basket, and held out her hands to warm them at the fire.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading At ten exactly the door opened in the dark distance, and Ellis came rumbling along through the dim depths behind the screen with the sherry and biscuits.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Just at the same moment Sarah smoothed out the paper carefully, laid it down, as she always did, on the top of her wool-basket, and held out her hands to warm them at the fire.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At ten exactly the door opened in the dark distance, and Ellis came rumbling along through the dim depths behind the screen with the sherry and biscuits.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading At ten exactly the door opened in the dark distance, and Ellis came rumbling along through the dim depths behind the screen with the sherry and biscuits.
biscuitsnounUS /ˈbɪskəts/
plural of “biscuit” — small round bread leavened with baking-powder or soda
From this reading At ten exactly the door opened in the dark distance, and Ellis came rumbling along through the dim depths behind the screen with the sherry and biscuits.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading They were very thin hands in their black lace mits, and they were a little rheumatic sometimes, though she did not like to confess it.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading At ten exactly the door opened in the dark distance, and Ellis came rumbling along through the dim depths behind the screen with the sherry and biscuits.
taking care or paying attention
From this reading I had to watch my opportunity very carefully.
confess to a punishable or reprehensible deed, usually under pressure
From this reading They were very thin hands in their black lace mits, and they were a little rheumatic sometimes, though she did not like to confess it.
the use of speech for informal exchange of views or ideas or information etc.
From this reading It was not a very easy matter to draw Sarah into a conversation, especially in the evening.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading At ten exactly the door opened in the dark distance, and Ellis came rumbling along through the dim depths behind the screen with the sherry and biscuits.
(plural) the deepest and most remote part
From this reading At ten exactly the door opened in the dark distance, and Ellis came rumbling along through the dim depths behind the screen with the sherry and biscuits.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Just at the same moment Sarah smoothed out the paper carefully, laid it down, as she always did, on the top of her wool-basket, and held out her hands to warm them at the fire.
lacking in light; not bright or harsh
From this reading At ten exactly the door opened in the dark distance, and Ellis came rumbling along through the dim depths behind the screen with the sherry and biscuits.
the property created by the space between two objects or points
From this reading At ten exactly the door opened in the dark distance, and Ellis came rumbling along through the dim depths behind the screen with the sherry and biscuits.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading At ten exactly the door opened in the dark distance, and Ellis came rumbling along through the dim depths behind the screen with the sherry and biscuits.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Just at the same moment Sarah smoothed out the paper carefully, laid it down, as she always did, on the top of her wool-basket, and held out her hands to warm them at the fire.
cause to move by pulling
From this reading It was not a very easy matter to draw Sarah into a conversation, especially in the evening.
posing no difficulty; requiring little effort
From this reading It was not a very easy matter to draw Sarah into a conversation, especially in the evening.
EllisnounUS /ˈelɪs/
plural of “elli” — (Norse mythology) goddess of old age who defeated Thor in a wrestling match
From this reading At ten exactly the door opened in the dark distance, and Ellis came rumbling along through the dim depths behind the screen with the sherry and biscuits.
to a distinctly greater extent or degree than is common
From this reading It was not a very easy matter to draw Sarah into a conversation, especially in the evening.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading It was not a very easy matter to draw Sarah into a conversation, especially in the evening.
indicating exactness or preciseness
From this reading At ten exactly the door opened in the dark distance, and Ellis came rumbling along through the dim depths behind the screen with the sherry and biscuits.
start firing a weapon
From this reading Just at the same moment Sarah smoothed out the paper carefully, laid it down, as she always did, on the top of her wool-basket, and held out her hands to warm them at the fire.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading I had to watch my opportunity very carefully.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading Just at the same moment Sarah smoothed out the paper carefully, laid it down, as she always did, on the top of her wool-basket, and held out her hands to warm them at the fire.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading Just at the same moment Sarah smoothed out the paper carefully, laid it down, as she always did, on the top of her wool-basket, and held out her hands to warm them at the fire.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Just at the same moment Sarah smoothed out the paper carefully, laid it down, as she always did, on the top of her wool-basket, and held out her hands to warm them at the fire.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I had to watch my opportunity very carefully.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was not a very easy matter to draw Sarah into a conversation, especially in the evening.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading It was not a very easy matter to draw Sarah into a conversation, especially in the evening.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was not a very easy matter to draw Sarah into a conversation, especially in the evening.
and nothing more
From this reading Just at the same moment Sarah smoothed out the paper carefully, laid it down, as she always did, on the top of her wool-basket, and held out her hands to warm them at the fire.
laceverbUS /leɪs/
spin, wind, or twist together
From this reading They were very thin hands in their black lace mits, and they were a little rheumatic sometimes, though she did not like to confess it.
set down according to a plan
From this reading Just at the same moment Sarah smoothed out the paper carefully, laid it down, as she always did, on the top of her wool-basket, and held out her hands to warm them at the fire.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading They were very thin hands in their black lace mits, and they were a little rheumatic sometimes, though she did not like to confess it.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading They were very thin hands in their black lace mits, and they were a little rheumatic sometimes, though she did not like to confess it.
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading It was not a very easy matter to draw Sarah into a conversation, especially in the evening.
mits
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were very thin hands in their black lace mits, and they were a little rheumatic sometimes, though she did not like to confess it.
a particular point in time
From this reading Just at the same moment Sarah smoothed out the paper carefully, laid it down, as she always did, on the top of her wool-basket, and held out her hands to warm them at the fire.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading I had to watch my opportunity very carefully.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading It was not a very easy matter to draw Sarah into a conversation, especially in the evening.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Just at the same moment Sarah smoothed out the paper carefully, laid it down, as she always did, on the top of her wool-basket, and held out her hands to warm them at the fire.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Just at the same moment Sarah smoothed out the paper carefully, laid it down, as she always did, on the top of her wool-basket, and held out her hands to warm them at the fire.
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading At ten exactly the door opened in the dark distance, and Ellis came rumbling along through the dim depths behind the screen with the sherry and biscuits.
a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances
From this reading I had to watch my opportunity very carefully.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Just at the same moment Sarah smoothed out the paper carefully, laid it down, as she always did, on the top of her wool-basket, and held out her hands to warm them at the fire.
a material made of cellulose pulp derived mainly from wood or rags or certain grasses
From this reading Just at the same moment Sarah smoothed out the paper carefully, laid it down, as she always did, on the top of her wool-basket, and held out her hands to warm them at the fire.
rheumaticnounUS /ruːˈmætɪk/
a person suffering with rheumatism
From this reading They were very thin hands in their black lace mits, and they were a little rheumatic sometimes, though she did not like to confess it.
rumblingnounUS /ˈrʌmbəlɪŋ/
a loud low dull continuous noise
From this reading At ten exactly the door opened in the dark distance, and Ellis came rumbling along through the dim depths behind the screen with the sherry and biscuits.
Identical; not different.
From this reading Just at the same moment Sarah smoothed out the paper carefully, laid it down, as she always did, on the top of her wool-basket, and held out her hands to warm them at the fire.
SarahnounUS /ˈserə/
(Old Testament) the wife of Abraham and mother of Isaac
From this reading It was not a very easy matter to draw Sarah into a conversation, especially in the evening.
screennounUS /skriːn/
a white or silvered surface where pictures can be projected for viewing
From this reading At ten exactly the door opened in the dark distance, and Ellis came rumbling along through the dim depths behind the screen with the sherry and biscuits.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Just at the same moment Sarah smoothed out the paper carefully, laid it down, as she always did, on the top of her wool-basket, and held out her hands to warm them at the fire.
sherrynounUS /ˈʃeri/
dry to sweet amber wine from the Jerez region of southern Spain or similar wines produced elsewhere; usually drunk as an aperitif
From this reading At ten exactly the door opened in the dark distance, and Ellis came rumbling along through the dim depths behind the screen with the sherry and biscuits.
smoothedadjectiveUS /smuːðd/
made smooth by ironing
From this reading Just at the same moment Sarah smoothed out the paper carefully, laid it down, as she always did, on the top of her wool-basket, and held out her hands to warm them at the fire.
on certain occasions or in certain cases but not always
From this reading They were very thin hands in their black lace mits, and they were a little rheumatic sometimes, though she did not like to confess it.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading At ten exactly the door opened in the dark distance, and Ellis came rumbling along through the dim depths behind the screen with the sherry and biscuits.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It was not a very easy matter to draw Sarah into a conversation, especially in the evening.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading They were very thin hands in their black lace mits, and they were a little rheumatic sometimes, though she did not like to confess it.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Just at the same moment Sarah smoothed out the paper carefully, laid it down, as she always did, on the top of her wool-basket, and held out her hands to warm them at the fire.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They were very thin hands in their black lace mits, and they were a little rheumatic sometimes, though she did not like to confess it.
Having little thickness or extent.
From this reading They were very thin hands in their black lace mits, and they were a little rheumatic sometimes, though she did not like to confess it.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading They were very thin hands in their black lace mits, and they were a little rheumatic sometimes, though she did not like to confess it.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading At ten exactly the door opened in the dark distance, and Ellis came rumbling along through the dim depths behind the screen with the sherry and biscuits.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It was not a very easy matter to draw Sarah into a conversation, especially in the evening.
the upper part of anything
From this reading Just at the same moment Sarah smoothed out the paper carefully, laid it down, as she always did, on the top of her wool-basket, and held out her hands to warm them at the fire.
precisely as stated
From this reading It was not a very easy matter to draw Sarah into a conversation, especially in the evening.
having or producing a comfortable and agreeable degree of heat or imparting or maintaining heat
From this reading Just at the same moment Sarah smoothed out the paper carefully, laid it down, as she always did, on the top of her wool-basket, and held out her hands to warm them at the fire.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was not a very easy matter to draw Sarah into a conversation, especially in the evening.
look attentively
From this reading I had to watch my opportunity very carefully.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They were very thin hands in their black lace mits, and they were a little rheumatic sometimes, though she did not like to confess it.
in the company of; together with
From this reading At ten exactly the door opened in the dark distance, and Ellis came rumbling along through the dim depths behind the screen with the sherry and biscuits.
wool-basket
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Just at the same moment Sarah smoothed out the paper carefully, laid it down, as she always did, on the top of her wool-basket, and held out her hands to warm them at the fire.
