used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading She was sewing by a half-opened shoji.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading It seemed almost ridiculous to conceive of the amount of labor she was expending upon an article so trivial.
a quantity of money
From this reading It seemed almost ridiculous to conceive of the amount of labor she was expending upon an article so trivial.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading It seemed almost ridiculous to conceive of the amount of labor she was expending upon an article so trivial.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The little garment was gorgeous with the embroidery wrought by her nimble fingers, embroidery so fine and exquisite that even a connoisseur in Tokyo would have been delighted to see it.
nonfictional prose forming an independent part of a publication
From this reading It seemed almost ridiculous to conceive of the amount of labor she was expending upon an article so trivial.
AzaleanounUS /əˈzeɪljə/
any of numerous ornamental shrubs grown for their showy flowers of various colors
From this reading The garment upon which Azalea was working was very tiny.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The little garment was gorgeous with the embroidery wrought by her nimble fingers, embroidery so fine and exquisite that even a connoisseur in Tokyo would have been delighted to see it.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading She was sewing by a half-opened shoji.
conceiveverbUS /kənˈsiːv/
have the idea for
From this reading It seemed almost ridiculous to conceive of the amount of labor she was expending upon an article so trivial.
connoisseurnounUS /ˌkɑːnəˈsɜːr/
an expert able to appreciate a field; especially in the fine arts
From this reading The little garment was gorgeous with the embroidery wrought by her nimble fingers, embroidery so fine and exquisite that even a connoisseur in Tokyo would have been delighted to see it.
greatly pleased
From this reading The little garment was gorgeous with the embroidery wrought by her nimble fingers, embroidery so fine and exquisite that even a connoisseur in Tokyo would have been delighted to see it.
embroiderynounUS /emˈbrɔɪdəri/
elaboration of an interpretation by the use of decorative (sometimes fictitious) detail
From this reading The little garment was gorgeous with the embroidery wrought by her nimble fingers, embroidery so fine and exquisite that even a connoisseur in Tokyo would have been delighted to see it.
divisible by two
From this reading The little garment was gorgeous with the embroidery wrought by her nimble fingers, embroidery so fine and exquisite that even a connoisseur in Tokyo would have been delighted to see it.
expendingnounUS /ˌekˈspendɪŋ/
the act of spending money for goods or services
From this reading It seemed almost ridiculous to conceive of the amount of labor she was expending upon an article so trivial.
exquisiteadjectiveUS /ˈekskwəzət/
intense or sharp
From this reading The little garment was gorgeous with the embroidery wrought by her nimble fingers, embroidery so fine and exquisite that even a connoisseur in Tokyo would have been delighted to see it.
being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition
From this reading The little garment was gorgeous with the embroidery wrought by her nimble fingers, embroidery so fine and exquisite that even a connoisseur in Tokyo would have been delighted to see it.
plural of “finger” — any of the terminal members of the hand (sometimes excepting the thumb)
From this reading The little garment was gorgeous with the embroidery wrought by her nimble fingers, embroidery so fine and exquisite that even a connoisseur in Tokyo would have been delighted to see it.
garmentnounUS /ˈɡɑːrmənt/
an article of clothing
From this reading The garment upon which Azalea was working was very tiny.
gorgeousadjectiveUS /ˈɡɔːrdʒəs/
dazzlingly beautiful
From this reading The little garment was gorgeous with the embroidery wrought by her nimble fingers, embroidery so fine and exquisite that even a connoisseur in Tokyo would have been delighted to see it.
half-opened
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was sewing by a half-opened shoji.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading The little garment was gorgeous with the embroidery wrought by her nimble fingers, embroidery so fine and exquisite that even a connoisseur in Tokyo would have been delighted to see it.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The little garment was gorgeous with the embroidery wrought by her nimble fingers, embroidery so fine and exquisite that even a connoisseur in Tokyo would have been delighted to see it.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The little garment was gorgeous with the embroidery wrought by her nimble fingers, embroidery so fine and exquisite that even a connoisseur in Tokyo would have been delighted to see it.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It seemed almost ridiculous to conceive of the amount of labor she was expending upon an article so trivial.
a social class comprising those who do manual labor or work for wages
From this reading It seemed almost ridiculous to conceive of the amount of labor she was expending upon an article so trivial.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The little garment was gorgeous with the embroidery wrought by her nimble fingers, embroidery so fine and exquisite that even a connoisseur in Tokyo would have been delighted to see it.
in spite of what has just been said
From this reading Nevertheless, she worked unceasingly upon it.
nimbleadjectiveUS /ˈnɪmbəl/
moving quickly and lightly
From this reading The little garment was gorgeous with the embroidery wrought by her nimble fingers, embroidery so fine and exquisite that even a connoisseur in Tokyo would have been delighted to see it.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It seemed almost ridiculous to conceive of the amount of labor she was expending upon an article so trivial.
inspiring scornful pity
From this reading It seemed almost ridiculous to conceive of the amount of labor she was expending upon an article so trivial.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading The little garment was gorgeous with the embroidery wrought by her nimble fingers, embroidery so fine and exquisite that even a connoisseur in Tokyo would have been delighted to see it.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading It seemed almost ridiculous to conceive of the amount of labor she was expending upon an article so trivial.
sewingnounUS /ˈsoʊɪŋ/
joining or attaching by stitches
From this reading She was sewing by a half-opened shoji.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She was sewing by a half-opened shoji.
shojinounUS /ˈʃoʊdʒi/
a translucent screen made of a wooden frame covered with rice paper
From this reading She was sewing by a half-opened shoji.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading It seemed almost ridiculous to conceive of the amount of labor she was expending upon an article so trivial.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The little garment was gorgeous with the embroidery wrought by her nimble fingers, embroidery so fine and exquisite that even a connoisseur in Tokyo would have been delighted to see it.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The garment upon which Azalea was working was very tiny.
very small
From this reading The garment upon which Azalea was working was very tiny.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It seemed almost ridiculous to conceive of the amount of labor she was expending upon an article so trivial.
TokyonounUS /ˈtoʊkioʊ/
the capital and largest city of Japan; the economic and cultural center of Japan
From this reading The little garment was gorgeous with the embroidery wrought by her nimble fingers, embroidery so fine and exquisite that even a connoisseur in Tokyo would have been delighted to see it.
trivialadjectiveUS /ˈtrɪviəl/
(informal) small and of little importance
From this reading It seemed almost ridiculous to conceive of the amount of labor she was expending upon an article so trivial.
unceasinglyadverb
with unflagging resolve
From this reading Nevertheless, she worked unceasingly upon it.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading The garment upon which Azalea was working was very tiny.
precisely as stated
From this reading The garment upon which Azalea was working was very tiny.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading She was sewing by a half-opened shoji.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The garment upon which Azalea was working was very tiny.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The little garment was gorgeous with the embroidery wrought by her nimble fingers, embroidery so fine and exquisite that even a connoisseur in Tokyo would have been delighted to see it.
past form of “work” — exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading Nevertheless, she worked unceasingly upon it.
actively engaged in paid work
From this reading The garment upon which Azalea was working was very tiny.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading The little garment was gorgeous with the embroidery wrought by her nimble fingers, embroidery so fine and exquisite that even a connoisseur in Tokyo would have been delighted to see it.
wroughtadjectiveUS /rɔːt/
shaped to fit by or as if by altering the contours of a pliable mass (as by work or effort)
From this reading The little garment was gorgeous with the embroidery wrought by her nimble fingers, embroidery so fine and exquisite that even a connoisseur in Tokyo would have been delighted to see it.
