used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The presence of a peculiarly sweet perfume, brought to his nostrils by a light zephyr floating through the open window near, caused him to look up.
past form of “allow” — make it possible through a specific action or lack of action for something to happen
From this reading He wondered why so unsightly a shrub as this had grown to be was allowed a place in the purlieus of the immaculate lawn, then his eyes came indoors.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading He could see through the casement an old and shabby honeysuckle, and it was from this the odour came, so elusive as to make him doubt its reality.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He could see through the casement an old and shabby honeysuckle, and it was from this the odour came, so elusive as to make him doubt its reality.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He could see through the casement an old and shabby honeysuckle, and it was from this the odour came, so elusive as to make him doubt its reality.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading He wondered why so unsightly a shrub as this had grown to be was allowed a place in the purlieus of the immaculate lawn, then his eyes came indoors.
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading The presence of a peculiarly sweet perfume, brought to his nostrils by a light zephyr floating through the open window near, caused him to look up.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading An old fireplace was on one side, but this was hidden by a screen.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The presence of a peculiarly sweet perfume, brought to his nostrils by a light zephyr floating through the open window near, caused him to look up.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading He could see through the casement an old and shabby honeysuckle, and it was from this the odour came, so elusive as to make him doubt its reality.
casementnoun
a window sash that is hinged (usually on one side)
From this reading He could see through the casement an old and shabby honeysuckle, and it was from this the odour came, so elusive as to make him doubt its reality.
past form of “cause” — give rise to; cause to happen or occur, not always intentionally
From this reading The presence of a peculiarly sweet perfume, brought to his nostrils by a light zephyr floating through the open window near, caused him to look up.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading He could see through the casement an old and shabby honeysuckle, and it was from this the odour came, so elusive as to make him doubt its reality.
the state of being unsure of something
From this reading He could see through the casement an old and shabby honeysuckle, and it was from this the odour came, so elusive as to make him doubt its reality.
elusiveadjectiveUS /ɪˈluːsɪv/
difficult to describe
From this reading He could see through the casement an old and shabby honeysuckle, and it was from this the odour came, so elusive as to make him doubt its reality.
opinion or judgment
From this reading He wondered why so unsightly a shrub as this had grown to be was allowed a place in the purlieus of the immaculate lawn, then his eyes came indoors.
fireplacenounUS /ˈfaɪərpleɪs/
an open recess in a wall at the base of a chimney where a fire can be built
From this reading An old fireplace was on one side, but this was hidden by a screen.
floatingadjectiveUS /ˈfloʊtɪŋ/
borne up by or suspended in a liquid
From this reading The presence of a peculiarly sweet perfume, brought to his nostrils by a light zephyr floating through the open window near, caused him to look up.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading He could see through the casement an old and shabby honeysuckle, and it was from this the odour came, so elusive as to make him doubt its reality.
(of animals) fully developed
From this reading He wondered why so unsightly a shrub as this had grown to be was allowed a place in the purlieus of the immaculate lawn, then his eyes came indoors.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He wondered why so unsightly a shrub as this had grown to be was allowed a place in the purlieus of the immaculate lawn, then his eyes came indoors.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He could see through the casement an old and shabby honeysuckle, and it was from this the odour came, so elusive as to make him doubt its reality.
not accessible to view
From this reading An old fireplace was on one side, but this was hidden by a screen.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The presence of a peculiarly sweet perfume, brought to his nostrils by a light zephyr floating through the open window near, caused him to look up.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The presence of a peculiarly sweet perfume, brought to his nostrils by a light zephyr floating through the open window near, caused him to look up.
honeysucklenounUS /ˈhʌnisʌkəl/
shrub or vine of the genus Lonicera
From this reading He could see through the casement an old and shabby honeysuckle, and it was from this the odour came, so elusive as to make him doubt its reality.
immaculateadjectiveUS /ˌɪˈmækjuːlɪt/
completely neat and clean
From this reading He wondered why so unsightly a shrub as this had grown to be was allowed a place in the purlieus of the immaculate lawn, then his eyes came indoors.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He wondered why so unsightly a shrub as this had grown to be was allowed a place in the purlieus of the immaculate lawn, then his eyes came indoors.
indoorsadverbUS /ˈɪndɔːrz/
within a building
From this reading He wondered why so unsightly a shrub as this had grown to be was allowed a place in the purlieus of the immaculate lawn, then his eyes came indoors.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He could see through the casement an old and shabby honeysuckle, and it was from this the odour came, so elusive as to make him doubt its reality.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading He could see through the casement an old and shabby honeysuckle, and it was from this the odour came, so elusive as to make him doubt its reality.
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The room in which he sat was large.
lawnnounUS /lɔːn/
a field of cultivated and mowed grass
From this reading He wondered why so unsightly a shrub as this had grown to be was allowed a place in the purlieus of the immaculate lawn, then his eyes came indoors.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading The presence of a peculiarly sweet perfume, brought to his nostrils by a light zephyr floating through the open window near, caused him to look up.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading The presence of a peculiarly sweet perfume, brought to his nostrils by a light zephyr floating through the open window near, caused him to look up.
engage in
From this reading He could see through the casement an old and shabby honeysuckle, and it was from this the odour came, so elusive as to make him doubt its reality.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading The presence of a peculiarly sweet perfume, brought to his nostrils by a light zephyr floating through the open window near, caused him to look up.
nostrilsnounUS /ˈnɑːstrəlz/
plural of “nostril” — either one of the two external openings to the nasal cavity in the nose
From this reading The presence of a peculiarly sweet perfume, brought to his nostrils by a light zephyr floating through the open window near, caused him to look up.
odournounUS /ˈoʊdər/
the sensation that results when olfactory receptors in the nose are stimulated by particular chemicals in gaseous form
From this reading He could see through the casement an old and shabby honeysuckle, and it was from this the odour came, so elusive as to make him doubt its reality.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The presence of a peculiarly sweet perfume, brought to his nostrils by a light zephyr floating through the open window near, caused him to look up.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading He could see through the casement an old and shabby honeysuckle, and it was from this the odour came, so elusive as to make him doubt its reality.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading An old fireplace was on one side, but this was hidden by a screen.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading An old fireplace was on one side, but this was hidden by a screen.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading The presence of a peculiarly sweet perfume, brought to his nostrils by a light zephyr floating through the open window near, caused him to look up.
peculiarlyadverbUS /pɪˈkjuːljərli/
uniquely or characteristically
From this reading The presence of a peculiarly sweet perfume, brought to his nostrils by a light zephyr floating through the open window near, caused him to look up.
perfumenounUS /pərˈfjuːm/
a distinctive odor that is pleasant
From this reading The presence of a peculiarly sweet perfume, brought to his nostrils by a light zephyr floating through the open window near, caused him to look up.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading He wondered why so unsightly a shrub as this had grown to be was allowed a place in the purlieus of the immaculate lawn, then his eyes came indoors.
the state of being present; current existence
From this reading The presence of a peculiarly sweet perfume, brought to his nostrils by a light zephyr floating through the open window near, caused him to look up.
purlieus
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He wondered why so unsightly a shrub as this had grown to be was allowed a place in the purlieus of the immaculate lawn, then his eyes came indoors.
all of your experiences that determine how things appear to you
From this reading He could see through the casement an old and shabby honeysuckle, and it was from this the odour came, so elusive as to make him doubt its reality.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading The room in which he sat was large.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading The room in which he sat was large.
screennounUS /skriːn/
a white or silvered surface where pictures can be projected for viewing
From this reading An old fireplace was on one side, but this was hidden by a screen.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading He could see through the casement an old and shabby honeysuckle, and it was from this the odour came, so elusive as to make him doubt its reality.
shabbyadjectiveUS /ˈʃæbi/
showing signs of wear and tear
From this reading He could see through the casement an old and shabby honeysuckle, and it was from this the odour came, so elusive as to make him doubt its reality.
shrubnounUS /ʃrʌb/
a low woody perennial plant usually having several major stems
From this reading He wondered why so unsightly a shrub as this had grown to be was allowed a place in the purlieus of the immaculate lawn, then his eyes came indoors.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading An old fireplace was on one side, but this was hidden by a screen.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading He could see through the casement an old and shabby honeysuckle, and it was from this the odour came, so elusive as to make him doubt its reality.
having or denoting the characteristic taste of sugar
From this reading The presence of a peculiarly sweet perfume, brought to his nostrils by a light zephyr floating through the open window near, caused him to look up.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The presence of a peculiarly sweet perfume, brought to his nostrils by a light zephyr floating through the open window near, caused him to look up.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading He wondered why so unsightly a shrub as this had grown to be was allowed a place in the purlieus of the immaculate lawn, then his eyes came indoors.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading He could see through the casement an old and shabby honeysuckle, and it was from this the odour came, so elusive as to make him doubt its reality.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading The presence of a peculiarly sweet perfume, brought to his nostrils by a light zephyr floating through the open window near, caused him to look up.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The presence of a peculiarly sweet perfume, brought to his nostrils by a light zephyr floating through the open window near, caused him to look up.
unsightlyadjectiveUS /ənˈsaɪtli/
unpleasant to look at
From this reading He wondered why so unsightly a shrub as this had grown to be was allowed a place in the purlieus of the immaculate lawn, then his eyes came indoors.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading The presence of a peculiarly sweet perfume, brought to his nostrils by a light zephyr floating through the open window near, caused him to look up.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He could see through the casement an old and shabby honeysuckle, and it was from this the odour came, so elusive as to make him doubt its reality.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The room in which he sat was large.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading He wondered why so unsightly a shrub as this had grown to be was allowed a place in the purlieus of the immaculate lawn, then his eyes came indoors.
a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air
From this reading The presence of a peculiarly sweet perfume, brought to his nostrils by a light zephyr floating through the open window near, caused him to look up.
past form of “wonder” — have a wish or desire to know something
From this reading He wondered why so unsightly a shrub as this had grown to be was allowed a place in the purlieus of the immaculate lawn, then his eyes came indoors.
zephyrnounUS /ˈzefər/
a slight wind (usually refreshing)
From this reading The presence of a peculiarly sweet perfume, brought to his nostrils by a light zephyr floating through the open window near, caused him to look up.
