used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Upon the background of her portrait by Madame le Brun, that ingenious artist had inscribed in a hand so clear that all who ran might read, "The fairest woman of her time."
(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 Upon the background of her portrait by Madame le Brun, that ingenious artist had inscribed in a hand so clear that all who ran might read, "The fairest woman of her time."
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading HUSBAND AND WIFE.
a person whose creative work shows sensitivity and imagination
From this reading Upon the background of her portrait by Madame le Brun, that ingenious artist had inscribed in a hand so clear that all who ran might read, "The fairest woman of her time."
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As the queen had declared, Gabrielle Marquise de Gange had no ostensible excuse for wretchedness.
backgroundnounUS /ˈbækɡraʊnd/
a person's social heritage: previous experience or training
From this reading Upon the background of her portrait by Madame le Brun, that ingenious artist had inscribed in a hand so clear that all who ran might read, "The fairest woman of her time."
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading When it is so plain to lookers-on that people ought to be happy, how perverse it is of them to be miserable!
Brun
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Upon the background of her portrait by Madame le Brun, that ingenious artist had inscribed in a hand so clear that all who ran might read, "The fairest woman of her time."
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Upon the background of her portrait by Madame le Brun, that ingenious artist had inscribed in a hand so clear that all who ran might read, "The fairest woman of her time."
rid of obstructions
From this reading Upon the background of her portrait by Madame le Brun, that ingenious artist had inscribed in a hand so clear that all who ran might read, "The fairest woman of her time."
a Mid-Atlantic state; one of the original 13 colonies
From this reading As the queen had declared, Gabrielle Marquise de Gange had no ostensible excuse for wretchedness.
made known or openly avowed
From this reading As the queen had declared, Gabrielle Marquise de Gange had no ostensible excuse for wretchedness.
accept an excuse for
From this reading As the queen had declared, Gabrielle Marquise de Gange had no ostensible excuse for wretchedness.
fairestadjectiveUS /ˈferɪst/
superlative of “fair” — free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; conforming with established standards or rules
From this reading Upon the background of her portrait by Madame le Brun, that ingenious artist had inscribed in a hand so clear that all who ran might read, "The fairest woman of her time."
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading As the queen had declared, Gabrielle Marquise de Gange had no ostensible excuse for wretchedness.
an unknown and unpredictable phenomenon that causes an event to result one way rather than another
From this reading The specks on the sun of her good fortune were so tiny as to be well-nigh invisible.
Gabrielle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As the queen had declared, Gabrielle Marquise de Gange had no ostensible excuse for wretchedness.
Gange
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As the queen had declared, Gabrielle Marquise de Gange had no ostensible excuse for wretchedness.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading The specks on the sun of her good fortune were so tiny as to be well-nigh invisible.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading As the queen had declared, Gabrielle Marquise de Gange had no ostensible excuse for wretchedness.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading Upon the background of her portrait by Madame le Brun, that ingenious artist had inscribed in a hand so clear that all who ran might read, "The fairest woman of her time."
enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure
From this reading When it is so plain to lookers-on that people ought to be happy, how perverse it is of them to be miserable!
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The specks on the sun of her good fortune were so tiny as to be well-nigh invisible.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When it is so plain to lookers-on that people ought to be happy, how perverse it is of them to be miserable!
a married man; a woman's partner in marriage
From this reading HUSBAND AND WIFE.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Upon the background of her portrait by Madame le Brun, that ingenious artist had inscribed in a hand so clear that all who ran might read, "The fairest woman of her time."
ingeniousadjectiveUS /ɪnˈdʒiː.ni.əs/
Clever, original, and remarkably inventive in design and execution.
From this reading Upon the background of her portrait by Madame le Brun, that ingenious artist had inscribed in a hand so clear that all who ran might read, "The fairest woman of her time."
inscribedadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈskraɪbd/
written (by handwriting, printing, engraving, or carving) on or in a surface
From this reading Upon the background of her portrait by Madame le Brun, that ingenious artist had inscribed in a hand so clear that all who ran might read, "The fairest woman of her time."
invisibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈvɪzəbəl/
impossible or nearly impossible to see; imperceptible by the eye
From this reading The specks on the sun of her good fortune were so tiny as to be well-nigh invisible.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading When it is so plain to lookers-on that people ought to be happy, how perverse it is of them to be miserable!
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading When it is so plain to lookers-on that people ought to be happy, how perverse it is of them to be miserable!
a chronic inflammatory collagen disease affecting connective tissue (skin or joints)
From this reading Upon the background of her portrait by Madame le Brun, that ingenious artist had inscribed in a hand so clear that all who ran might read, "The fairest woman of her time."
lookers-on
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When it is so plain to lookers-on that people ought to be happy, how perverse it is of them to be miserable!
title used for a married Frenchwoman
From this reading Upon the background of her portrait by Madame le Brun, that ingenious artist had inscribed in a hand so clear that all who ran might read, "The fairest woman of her time."
Marquisenoun
a noblewoman ranking below a duchess and above a countess
From this reading As the queen had declared, Gabrielle Marquise de Gange had no ostensible excuse for wretchedness.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading Upon the background of her portrait by Madame le Brun, that ingenious artist had inscribed in a hand so clear that all who ran might read, "The fairest woman of her time."
very unhappy; full of misery
From this reading When it is so plain to lookers-on that people ought to be happy, how perverse it is of them to be miserable!
not any; not one
From this reading As the queen had declared, Gabrielle Marquise de Gange had no ostensible excuse for wretchedness.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading When it is so plain to lookers-on that people ought to be happy, how perverse it is of them to be miserable!
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The specks on the sun of her good fortune were so tiny as to be well-nigh invisible.
ostensibleadjectiveUS /ɑːˈstensəbəl/
appearing as such but not necessarily so
From this reading As the queen had declared, Gabrielle Marquise de Gange had no ostensible excuse for wretchedness.
used with “to” to say what is right or advisable
From this reading When it is so plain to lookers-on that people ought to be happy, how perverse it is of them to be miserable!
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading When it is so plain to lookers-on that people ought to be happy, how perverse it is of them to be miserable!
perverseadjectiveUS /pərˈvɜːrs/
marked by a disposition to oppose and contradict
From this reading When it is so plain to lookers-on that people ought to be happy, how perverse it is of them to be miserable!
clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment
From this reading When it is so plain to lookers-on that people ought to be happy, how perverse it is of them to be miserable!
a word picture of a person's appearance and character
From this reading Upon the background of her portrait by Madame le Brun, that ingenious artist had inscribed in a hand so clear that all who ran might read, "The fairest woman of her time."
the only fertile female in a colony of social insects such as bees and ants and termites; its function is to lay eggs
From this reading As the queen had declared, Gabrielle Marquise de Gange had no ostensible excuse for wretchedness.
inflected form of “run” — move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading Upon the background of her portrait by Madame le Brun, that ingenious artist had inscribed in a hand so clear that all who ran might read, "The fairest woman of her time."
interpret something that is written or printed
From this reading Upon the background of her portrait by Madame le Brun, that ingenious artist had inscribed in a hand so clear that all who ran might read, "The fairest woman of her time."
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading When it is so plain to lookers-on that people ought to be happy, how perverse it is of them to be miserable!
specksnounUS /speks/
plural of “speck” — a very small spot
From this reading The specks on the sun of her good fortune were so tiny as to be well-nigh invisible.
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading The specks on the sun of her good fortune were so tiny as to be well-nigh invisible.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading When it is so plain to lookers-on that people ought to be happy, how perverse it is of them to be miserable!
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading As the queen had declared, Gabrielle Marquise de Gange had no ostensible excuse for wretchedness.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading When it is so plain to lookers-on that people ought to be happy, how perverse it is of them to be miserable!
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Upon the background of her portrait by Madame le Brun, that ingenious artist had inscribed in a hand so clear that all who ran might read, "The fairest woman of her time."
very small
From this reading The specks on the sun of her good fortune were so tiny as to be well-nigh invisible.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading When it is so plain to lookers-on that people ought to be happy, how perverse it is of them to be miserable!
UponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Upon the background of her portrait by Madame le Brun, that ingenious artist had inscribed in a hand so clear that all who ran might read, "The fairest woman of her time."
well-nighadverb
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading The specks on the sun of her good fortune were so tiny as to be well-nigh invisible.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The specks on the sun of her good fortune were so tiny as to be well-nigh invisible.
at the time that
From this reading When it is so plain to lookers-on that people ought to be happy, how perverse it is of them to be miserable!
which person or people
From this reading Upon the background of her portrait by Madame le Brun, that ingenious artist had inscribed in a hand so clear that all who ran might read, "The fairest woman of her time."
a married woman; a man's partner in marriage
From this reading HUSBAND AND WIFE.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading Upon the background of her portrait by Madame le Brun, that ingenious artist had inscribed in a hand so clear that all who ran might read, "The fairest woman of her time."
wretchednessnoun
a state of ill-being due to affliction or misfortune
From this reading As the queen had declared, Gabrielle Marquise de Gange had no ostensible excuse for wretchedness.
