used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading MADAME ANGOT In a fashionable quarter of the city there stood a brownstone house, with grotesque turrets, winding steps, and glaring polished red tiles.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading A very rich man lived here, but for ten months in the year he and his family fluttered about the social centers of the world.
the state of being absent
From this reading Twice a week, during this absence, a caretaker came in, flourished a feather duster, and went away again.
anew
From this reading Twice a week, during this absence, a caretaker came in, flourished a feather duster, and went away again.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading MADAME ANGOT In a fashionable quarter of the city there stood a brownstone house, with grotesque turrets, winding steps, and glaring polished red tiles.
ANGOT
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading MADAME ANGOT In a fashionable quarter of the city there stood a brownstone house, with grotesque turrets, winding steps, and glaring polished red tiles.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Twice a week, during this absence, a caretaker came in, flourished a feather duster, and went away again.
put or pin the blame on
From this reading And with a house like this on his hands, one could scarce blame him.
blind-man's-buff
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a touch of the Gothic, of the Renaissance, of the old English manor; just a touch, however, a kind of blind-man's-buff of a house.
brownstonenounUS /ˈbraʊnstoʊn/
a reddish brown sandstone; used in buildings
From this reading MADAME ANGOT In a fashionable quarter of the city there stood a brownstone house, with grotesque turrets, winding steps, and glaring polished red tiles.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading A very rich man lived here, but for ten months in the year he and his family fluttered about the social centers of the world.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Twice a week, during this absence, a caretaker came in, flourished a feather duster, and went away again.
caretakernounUS /ˈkerteɪkər/
a custodian who is hired to take care of something (property or a person)
From this reading Twice a week, during this absence, a caretaker came in, flourished a feather duster, and went away again.
centersnounUS /ˈsentərz/
plural of “center” — an area that is approximately central within some larger region
From this reading A very rich man lived here, but for ten months in the year he and his family fluttered about the social centers of the world.
a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts
From this reading MADAME ANGOT In a fashionable quarter of the city there stood a brownstone house, with grotesque turrets, winding steps, and glaring polished red tiles.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading And with a house like this on his hands, one could scarce blame him.
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading Twice a week, during this absence, a caretaker came in, flourished a feather duster, and went away again.
dusternounUS /ˈdʌstər/
a windstorm that lifts up clouds of dust or sand
From this reading Twice a week, during this absence, a caretaker came in, flourished a feather duster, and went away again.
an Indo-European language belonging to the West Germanic branch; the official language of Britain and the United States and most of the commonwealth countries
From this reading There was a touch of the Gothic, of the Renaissance, of the old English manor; just a touch, however, a kind of blind-man's-buff of a house.
a social unit living together
From this reading A very rich man lived here, but for ten months in the year he and his family fluttered about the social centers of the world.
fashionableadjectiveUS /ˈfæʃənəbəl/
being or in accordance with current social fashions
From this reading MADAME ANGOT In a fashionable quarter of the city there stood a brownstone house, with grotesque turrets, winding steps, and glaring polished red tiles.
featherverbUS /ˈfeðər/
join tongue and groove, in carpentry
From this reading Twice a week, during this absence, a caretaker came in, flourished a feather duster, and went away again.
flourishedverbUS /ˈflɜːrɪʃt/
past form of “flourish” — grow vigorously
From this reading Twice a week, during this absence, a caretaker came in, flourished a feather duster, and went away again.
flutteredverbUS /ˈflʌtərd/
past form of “flutter” — move along rapidly and lightly; skim or dart
From this reading A very rich man lived here, but for ten months in the year he and his family fluttered about the social centers of the world.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading A very rich man lived here, but for ten months in the year he and his family fluttered about the social centers of the world.
glaringadjectiveUS /ˈɡlerɪŋ/
shining intensely
From this reading MADAME ANGOT In a fashionable quarter of the city there stood a brownstone house, with grotesque turrets, winding steps, and glaring polished red tiles.
GothicadjectiveUS /ˈɡɑːθɪk/
characteristic of the style of type commonly used for printing German
From this reading There was a touch of the Gothic, of the Renaissance, of the old English manor; just a touch, however, a kind of blind-man's-buff of a house.
grotesqueadjectiveUS /ɡroʊˈtesk/
distorted and unnatural in shape or size; abnormal and hideous
From this reading MADAME ANGOT In a fashionable quarter of the city there stood a brownstone house, with grotesque turrets, winding steps, and glaring polished red tiles.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading And with a house like this on his hands, one could scarce blame him.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading A very rich man lived here, but for ten months in the year he and his family fluttered about the social centers of the world.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading A very rich man lived here, but for ten months in the year he and his family fluttered about the social centers of the world.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading And with a house like this on his hands, one could scarce blame him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading A very rich man lived here, but for ten months in the year he and his family fluttered about the social centers of the world.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading MADAME ANGOT In a fashionable quarter of the city there stood a brownstone house, with grotesque turrets, winding steps, and glaring polished red tiles.
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading There was a touch of the Gothic, of the Renaissance, of the old English manor; just a touch, however, a kind of blind-man's-buff of a house.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading MADAME ANGOT In a fashionable quarter of the city there stood a brownstone house, with grotesque turrets, winding steps, and glaring polished red tiles.
and nothing more
From this reading There was a touch of the Gothic, of the Renaissance, of the old English manor; just a touch, however, a kind of blind-man's-buff of a house.
having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior
From this reading There was a touch of the Gothic, of the Renaissance, of the old English manor; just a touch, however, a kind of blind-man's-buff of a house.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading And with a house like this on his hands, one could scarce blame him.
past form of “live” — be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading A very rich man lived here, but for ten months in the year he and his family fluttered about the social centers of the world.
title used for a married Frenchwoman
From this reading MADAME ANGOT In a fashionable quarter of the city there stood a brownstone house, with grotesque turrets, winding steps, and glaring polished red tiles.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading A very rich man lived here, but for ten months in the year he and his family fluttered about the social centers of the world.
manornounUS /ˈmænər/
the mansion of a lord or wealthy person
From this reading There was a touch of the Gothic, of the Renaissance, of the old English manor; just a touch, however, a kind of blind-man's-buff of a house.
plural of “month” — one of the twelve divisions of the calendar year
From this reading A very rich man lived here, but for ten months in the year he and his family fluttered about the social centers of the world.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading MADAME ANGOT In a fashionable quarter of the city there stood a brownstone house, with grotesque turrets, winding steps, and glaring polished red tiles.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading There was a touch of the Gothic, of the Renaissance, of the old English manor; just a touch, however, a kind of blind-man's-buff of a house.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading And with a house like this on his hands, one could scarce blame him.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading And with a house like this on his hands, one could scarce blame him.
polishedadjectiveUS /ˈpɑːlɪʃt/
perfected or made shiny and smooth
From this reading MADAME ANGOT In a fashionable quarter of the city there stood a brownstone house, with grotesque turrets, winding steps, and glaring polished red tiles.
one of four equal parts
From this reading MADAME ANGOT In a fashionable quarter of the city there stood a brownstone house, with grotesque turrets, winding steps, and glaring polished red tiles.
red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood
From this reading MADAME ANGOT In a fashionable quarter of the city there stood a brownstone house, with grotesque turrets, winding steps, and glaring polished red tiles.
RenaissancenounUS /ˌrenəˈsɑːns/
the period of European history at the close of the Middle Ages and the rise of the modern world; a cultural rebirth from the 14th through the middle of the 17th centuries
From this reading There was a touch of the Gothic, of the Renaissance, of the old English manor; just a touch, however, a kind of blind-man's-buff of a house.
possessing material wealth
From this reading A very rich man lived here, but for ten months in the year he and his family fluttered about the social centers of the world.
only a very short time before
From this reading And with a house like this on his hands, one could scarce blame him.
relating to human society and its members
From this reading A very rich man lived here, but for ten months in the year he and his family fluttered about the social centers of the world.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading MADAME ANGOT In a fashionable quarter of the city there stood a brownstone house, with grotesque turrets, winding steps, and glaring polished red tiles.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading MADAME ANGOT In a fashionable quarter of the city there stood a brownstone house, with grotesque turrets, winding steps, and glaring polished red tiles.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading A very rich man lived here, but for ten months in the year he and his family fluttered about the social centers of the world.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading MADAME ANGOT In a fashionable quarter of the city there stood a brownstone house, with grotesque turrets, winding steps, and glaring polished red tiles.
in or at that place or location
From this reading MADAME ANGOT In a fashionable quarter of the city there stood a brownstone house, with grotesque turrets, winding steps, and glaring polished red tiles.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading And with a house like this on his hands, one could scarce blame him.
tilesnounUS /taɪlz/
plural of “tile” — a flat thin rectangular slab (as of fired clay or rubber or linoleum) used to cover surfaces
From this reading MADAME ANGOT In a fashionable quarter of the city there stood a brownstone house, with grotesque turrets, winding steps, and glaring polished red tiles.
make physical contact with, come in contact with
From this reading There was a touch of the Gothic, of the Renaissance, of the old English manor; just a touch, however, a kind of blind-man's-buff of a house.
turretsnounUS /ˈtɜːrəts/
plural of “turret” — a small tower extending above a building
From this reading MADAME ANGOT In a fashionable quarter of the city there stood a brownstone house, with grotesque turrets, winding steps, and glaring polished red tiles.
two times
From this reading Twice a week, during this absence, a caretaker came in, flourished a feather duster, and went away again.
precisely as stated
From this reading A very rich man lived here, but for ten months in the year he and his family fluttered about the social centers of the world.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was a touch of the Gothic, of the Renaissance, of the old English manor; just a touch, however, a kind of blind-man's-buff of a house.
any period of seven consecutive days
From this reading Twice a week, during this absence, a caretaker came in, flourished a feather duster, and went away again.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Twice a week, during this absence, a caretaker came in, flourished a feather duster, and went away again.
windingadjectiveUS /ˈwaɪndɪŋ/
marked by repeated turns and bends
From this reading MADAME ANGOT In a fashionable quarter of the city there stood a brownstone house, with grotesque turrets, winding steps, and glaring polished red tiles.
in the company of; together with
From this reading MADAME ANGOT In a fashionable quarter of the city there stood a brownstone house, with grotesque turrets, winding steps, and glaring polished red tiles.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading A very rich man lived here, but for ten months in the year he and his family fluttered about the social centers of the world.
a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days
From this reading A very rich man lived here, but for ten months in the year he and his family fluttered about the social centers of the world.
