used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The sacristan, aided by three acolytes, the two serving women of the convent, and a female from the city, celebrated for her skill in dressing the saints, were stirring up a more than ordinary noise in brushing the ornaments of the altars with fox tails and feather dusters.
Abbessnoun
the superior of a group of nuns
From this reading The Mother Abbess from the choir, with her forehead pressed against the grating, shouted her orders like a general-in-chief, in a sharp, piping voice.
acolytesnounUS /ˈækəlaɪts/
plural of “acolyte” — someone who assists a priest or minister in a liturgical service; a cleric ordained in the highest of the minor orders in the Roman Catholic Church but not in the Anglican Church or the Eastern Orthodox Churches
From this reading The sacristan, aided by three acolytes, the two serving women of the convent, and a female from the city, celebrated for her skill in dressing the saints, were stirring up a more than ordinary noise in brushing the ornaments of the altars with fox tails and feather dusters.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading The Mother Abbess from the choir, with her forehead pressed against the grating, shouted her orders like a general-in-chief, in a sharp, piping voice.
aidedadjectiveUS /ˈeɪdəd/
having help; often used as a combining form
From this reading The sacristan, aided by three acolytes, the two serving women of the convent, and a female from the city, celebrated for her skill in dressing the saints, were stirring up a more than ordinary noise in brushing the ornaments of the altars with fox tails and feather dusters.
altarsnounUS /ˈɔːltərz/
plural of “altar” — the table in Christian churches where communion is given
From this reading The sacristan, aided by three acolytes, the two serving women of the convent, and a female from the city, celebrated for her skill in dressing the saints, were stirring up a more than ordinary noise in brushing the ornaments of the altars with fox tails and feather dusters.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The sacristan, aided by three acolytes, the two serving women of the convent, and a female from the city, celebrated for her skill in dressing the saints, were stirring up a more than ordinary noise in brushing the ornaments of the altars with fox tails and feather dusters.
dearly loved
From this reading LET US REJOICE, BELOVED.
Bernardo
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the small but pretty church of the nuns of San Bernardo, in Nieva, there was great bustling.
brushingnounUS /ˈbrʌʃɪŋ/
the act of brushing your teeth
From this reading The sacristan, aided by three acolytes, the two serving women of the convent, and a female from the city, celebrated for her skill in dressing the saints, were stirring up a more than ordinary noise in brushing the ornaments of the altars with fox tails and feather dusters.
bustlingadjectiveUS /ˈbʌsəlɪŋ/
full of energetic and noisy activity
From this reading In the small but pretty church of the nuns of San Bernardo, in Nieva, there was great bustling.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading In the small but pretty church of the nuns of San Bernardo, in Nieva, there was great bustling.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The sacristan, aided by three acolytes, the two serving women of the convent, and a female from the city, celebrated for her skill in dressing the saints, were stirring up a more than ordinary noise in brushing the ornaments of the altars with fox tails and feather dusters.
carvedadjectiveUS /kɑːrvd/
made for or formed by carving (“carven” is archaic or literary)
From this reading They had no hesitation in standing upon them, and even climbing upon the saints themselves, whenever it was required by the need of dusting some carved work or placing a taper in the proper place.
celebratedadjectiveUS /ˈseləbreɪtɪd/
widely known and esteemed
From this reading The sacristan, aided by three acolytes, the two serving women of the convent, and a female from the city, celebrated for her skill in dressing the saints, were stirring up a more than ordinary noise in brushing the ornaments of the altars with fox tails and feather dusters.
choirnounUS /ˈkwaɪər/
a chorus that sings as part of a religious ceremony
From this reading The Mother Abbess from the choir, with her forehead pressed against the grating, shouted her orders like a general-in-chief, in a sharp, piping voice.
one of the groups of Christians who have their own beliefs and forms of worship
From this reading In the small but pretty church of the nuns of San Bernardo, in Nieva, there was great bustling.
a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts
From this reading The sacristan, aided by three acolytes, the two serving women of the convent, and a female from the city, celebrated for her skill in dressing the saints, were stirring up a more than ordinary noise in brushing the ornaments of the altars with fox tails and feather dusters.
climbingnounUS /ˈklaɪmɪŋ/
an event that involves rising to a higher point (as in altitude or temperature or intensity etc.)
From this reading They had no hesitation in standing upon them, and even climbing upon the saints themselves, whenever it was required by the need of dusting some carved work or placing a taper in the proper place.
conventnounUS /ˈkɑːnvənt/
a religious residence especially for nuns
From this reading The sacristan, aided by three acolytes, the two serving women of the convent, and a female from the city, celebrated for her skill in dressing the saints, were stirring up a more than ordinary noise in brushing the ornaments of the altars with fox tails and feather dusters.
dressingnounUS /ˈdresɪŋ/
savory dressings for salads; basically of two kinds: either the thin French or vinaigrette type or the creamy mayonnaise type
From this reading The sacristan, aided by three acolytes, the two serving women of the convent, and a female from the city, celebrated for her skill in dressing the saints, were stirring up a more than ordinary noise in brushing the ornaments of the altars with fox tails and feather dusters.
dustersnounUS /ˈdʌstərz/
plural of “duster” — a windstorm that lifts up clouds of dust or sand
From this reading The sacristan, aided by three acolytes, the two serving women of the convent, and a female from the city, celebrated for her skill in dressing the saints, were stirring up a more than ordinary noise in brushing the ornaments of the altars with fox tails and feather dusters.
dustingverbUS /ˈdʌstɪŋ/
-ing form of “dust” — remove the dust from
From this reading They had no hesitation in standing upon them, and even climbing upon the saints themselves, whenever it was required by the need of dusting some carved work or placing a taper in the proper place.
divisible by two
From this reading They had no hesitation in standing upon them, and even climbing upon the saints themselves, whenever it was required by the need of dusting some carved work or placing a taper in the proper place.
featherverbUS /ˈfeðər/
join tongue and groove, in carpentry
From this reading The sacristan, aided by three acolytes, the two serving women of the convent, and a female from the city, celebrated for her skill in dressing the saints, were stirring up a more than ordinary noise in brushing the ornaments of the altars with fox tails and feather dusters.
being the sex (of plant or animal) that produces fertilizable gametes (ova) from which offspring develop
From this reading The sacristan, aided by three acolytes, the two serving women of the convent, and a female from the city, celebrated for her skill in dressing the saints, were stirring up a more than ordinary noise in brushing the ornaments of the altars with fox tails and feather dusters.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The sacristan, aided by three acolytes, the two serving women of the convent, and a female from the city, celebrated for her skill in dressing the saints, were stirring up a more than ordinary noise in brushing the ornaments of the altars with fox tails and feather dusters.
the part of the face above the eyes
From this reading The Mother Abbess from the choir, with her forehead pressed against the grating, shouted her orders like a general-in-chief, in a sharp, piping voice.
alert carnivorous mammal with pointed muzzle and ears and a bushy tail; most are predators that do not hunt in packs
From this reading The sacristan, aided by three acolytes, the two serving women of the convent, and a female from the city, celebrated for her skill in dressing the saints, were stirring up a more than ordinary noise in brushing the ornaments of the altars with fox tails and feather dusters.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The sacristan, aided by three acolytes, the two serving women of the convent, and a female from the city, celebrated for her skill in dressing the saints, were stirring up a more than ordinary noise in brushing the ornaments of the altars with fox tails and feather dusters.
general-in-chief
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Mother Abbess from the choir, with her forehead pressed against the grating, shouted her orders like a general-in-chief, in a sharp, piping voice.
gratingnounUS /ˈɡreɪtɪŋ/
a barrier that has parallel or crossed bars blocking a passage but admitting air
From this reading The Mother Abbess from the choir, with her forehead pressed against the grating, shouted her orders like a general-in-chief, in a sharp, piping voice.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading In the small but pretty church of the nuns of San Bernardo, in Nieva, there was great bustling.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading They had no hesitation in standing upon them, and even climbing upon the saints themselves, whenever it was required by the need of dusting some carved work or placing a taper in the proper place.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The sacristan, aided by three acolytes, the two serving women of the convent, and a female from the city, celebrated for her skill in dressing the saints, were stirring up a more than ordinary noise in brushing the ornaments of the altars with fox tails and feather dusters.
hesitationnounUS /ˌhezəˈteɪʃən/
indecision in speech or action
From this reading They had no hesitation in standing upon them, and even climbing upon the saints themselves, whenever it was required by the need of dusting some carved work or placing a taper in the proper place.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In the small but pretty church of the nuns of San Bernardo, in Nieva, there was great bustling.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading They had no hesitation in standing upon them, and even climbing upon the saints themselves, whenever it was required by the need of dusting some carved work or placing a taper in the proper place.
LETauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading LET US REJOICE, BELOVED.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading The Mother Abbess from the choir, with her forehead pressed against the grating, shouted her orders like a general-in-chief, in a sharp, piping voice.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading The sacristan, aided by three acolytes, the two serving women of the convent, and a female from the city, celebrated for her skill in dressing the saints, were stirring up a more than ordinary noise in brushing the ornaments of the altars with fox tails and feather dusters.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading The Mother Abbess from the choir, with her forehead pressed against the grating, shouted her orders like a general-in-chief, in a sharp, piping voice.
a condition requiring relief
From this reading They had no hesitation in standing upon them, and even climbing upon the saints themselves, whenever it was required by the need of dusting some carved work or placing a taper in the proper place.
Nieva
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the small but pretty church of the nuns of San Bernardo, in Nieva, there was great bustling.
not any; not one
From this reading They had no hesitation in standing upon them, and even climbing upon the saints themselves, whenever it was required by the need of dusting some carved work or placing a taper in the proper place.
sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound)
From this reading The sacristan, aided by three acolytes, the two serving women of the convent, and a female from the city, celebrated for her skill in dressing the saints, were stirring up a more than ordinary noise in brushing the ornaments of the altars with fox tails and feather dusters.
nunsnounUS /nʌnz/
plural of “nun” — a woman religious
From this reading In the small but pretty church of the nuns of San Bernardo, in Nieva, there was great bustling.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading In the small but pretty church of the nuns of San Bernardo, in Nieva, there was great bustling.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading They had no hesitation in standing upon them, and even climbing upon the saints themselves, whenever it was required by the need of dusting some carved work or placing a taper in the proper place.
plural of “order” — (often plural) a command given by a superior (e.g., a military or law enforcement officer) that must be obeyed
From this reading The Mother Abbess from the choir, with her forehead pressed against the grating, shouted her orders like a general-in-chief, in a sharp, piping voice.
a judge of a probate court
From this reading The sacristan, aided by three acolytes, the two serving women of the convent, and a female from the city, celebrated for her skill in dressing the saints, were stirring up a more than ordinary noise in brushing the ornaments of the altars with fox tails and feather dusters.
ornamentsnounUS /ˈɔːrnəmənts/
plural of “ornament” — something used to beautify
From this reading The sacristan, aided by three acolytes, the two serving women of the convent, and a female from the city, celebrated for her skill in dressing the saints, were stirring up a more than ordinary noise in brushing the ornaments of the altars with fox tails and feather dusters.
pipingnounUS /ˈpaɪpɪŋ/
a thin strip of covered cord used to edge hems
From this reading The Mother Abbess from the choir, with her forehead pressed against the grating, shouted her orders like a general-in-chief, in a sharp, piping voice.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading They had no hesitation in standing upon them, and even climbing upon the saints themselves, whenever it was required by the need of dusting some carved work or placing a taper in the proper place.
placingverbUS /ˈpleɪsɪŋ/
-ing form of “place” — put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading They had no hesitation in standing upon them, and even climbing upon the saints themselves, whenever it was required by the need of dusting some carved work or placing a taper in the proper place.
compacted by ironing
From this reading The Mother Abbess from the choir, with her forehead pressed against the grating, shouted her orders like a general-in-chief, in a sharp, piping voice.
pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing
From this reading In the small but pretty church of the nuns of San Bernardo, in Nieva, there was great bustling.
marked by suitability or rightness or appropriateness
From this reading They had no hesitation in standing upon them, and even climbing upon the saints themselves, whenever it was required by the need of dusting some carved work or placing a taper in the proper place.
REJOICEverbUS /rɪˈdʒɔɪs/
feel happiness or joy
From this reading LET US REJOICE, BELOVED.
necessary for relief or supply
From this reading They had no hesitation in standing upon them, and even climbing upon the saints themselves, whenever it was required by the need of dusting some carved work or placing a taper in the proper place.
sacristannoun
an officer of the church who is in charge of sacred objects
From this reading The sacristan, aided by three acolytes, the two serving women of the convent, and a female from the city, celebrated for her skill in dressing the saints, were stirring up a more than ordinary noise in brushing the ornaments of the altars with fox tails and feather dusters.
saintsnounUS /seɪnts/
plural of “saint” — a person who has died and has been declared a saint by canonization
From this reading The sacristan, aided by three acolytes, the two serving women of the convent, and a female from the city, celebrated for her skill in dressing the saints, were stirring up a more than ordinary noise in brushing the ornaments of the altars with fox tails and feather dusters.
San
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the small but pretty church of the nuns of San Bernardo, in Nieva, there was great bustling.
servingnounUS /ˈsɜːrvɪŋ/
an individual quantity of food or drink taken as part of a meal
From this reading The sacristan, aided by three acolytes, the two serving women of the convent, and a female from the city, celebrated for her skill in dressing the saints, were stirring up a more than ordinary noise in brushing the ornaments of the altars with fox tails and feather dusters.
(of something seen or heard) clearly defined
From this reading The Mother Abbess from the choir, with her forehead pressed against the grating, shouted her orders like a general-in-chief, in a sharp, piping voice.
in a vehement outcry
From this reading The Mother Abbess from the choir, with her forehead pressed against the grating, shouted her orders like a general-in-chief, in a sharp, piping voice.
an ability that has been acquired by training
From this reading The sacristan, aided by three acolytes, the two serving women of the convent, and a female from the city, celebrated for her skill in dressing the saints, were stirring up a more than ordinary noise in brushing the ornaments of the altars with fox tails and feather dusters.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading In the small but pretty church of the nuns of San Bernardo, in Nieva, there was great bustling.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading They had no hesitation in standing upon them, and even climbing upon the saints themselves, whenever it was required by the need of dusting some carved work or placing a taper in the proper place.
having a supporting base
From this reading They had no hesitation in standing upon them, and even climbing upon the saints themselves, whenever it was required by the need of dusting some carved work or placing a taper in the proper place.
stirringnounUS /ˈstɜːrɪŋ/
agitating a liquid with an implement
From this reading The sacristan, aided by three acolytes, the two serving women of the convent, and a female from the city, celebrated for her skill in dressing the saints, were stirring up a more than ordinary noise in brushing the ornaments of the altars with fox tails and feather dusters.
tailsnounUS /teɪlz/
formalwear consisting of full evening dress for men
From this reading The sacristan, aided by three acolytes, the two serving women of the convent, and a female from the city, celebrated for her skill in dressing the saints, were stirring up a more than ordinary noise in brushing the ornaments of the altars with fox tails and feather dusters.
taperverbUS /ˈteɪpər/
diminish gradually
From this reading They had no hesitation in standing upon them, and even climbing upon the saints themselves, whenever it was required by the need of dusting some carved work or placing a taper in the proper place.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading The sacristan, aided by three acolytes, the two serving women of the convent, and a female from the city, celebrated for her skill in dressing the saints, were stirring up a more than ordinary noise in brushing the ornaments of the altars with fox tails and feather dusters.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading In the small but pretty church of the nuns of San Bernardo, in Nieva, there was great bustling.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading They had no hesitation in standing upon them, and even climbing upon the saints themselves, whenever it was required by the need of dusting some carved work or placing a taper in the proper place.
used when the people doing the action are also its object
From this reading They had no hesitation in standing upon them, and even climbing upon the saints themselves, whenever it was required by the need of dusting some carved work or placing a taper in the proper place.
in or at that place or location
From this reading In the small but pretty church of the nuns of San Bernardo, in Nieva, there was great bustling.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They had no hesitation in standing upon them, and even climbing upon the saints themselves, whenever it was required by the need of dusting some carved work or placing a taper in the proper place.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading The sacristan, aided by three acolytes, the two serving women of the convent, and a female from the city, celebrated for her skill in dressing the saints, were stirring up a more than ordinary noise in brushing the ornaments of the altars with fox tails and feather dusters.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading The sacristan, aided by three acolytes, the two serving women of the convent, and a female from the city, celebrated for her skill in dressing the saints, were stirring up a more than ordinary noise in brushing the ornaments of the altars with fox tails and feather dusters.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading The sacristan, aided by three acolytes, the two serving women of the convent, and a female from the city, celebrated for her skill in dressing the saints, were stirring up a more than ordinary noise in brushing the ornaments of the altars with fox tails and feather dusters.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading They had no hesitation in standing upon them, and even climbing upon the saints themselves, whenever it was required by the need of dusting some carved work or placing a taper in the proper place.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading LET US REJOICE, BELOVED.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading The Mother Abbess from the choir, with her forehead pressed against the grating, shouted her orders like a general-in-chief, in a sharp, piping voice.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading In the small but pretty church of the nuns of San Bernardo, in Nieva, there was great bustling.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The sacristan, aided by three acolytes, the two serving women of the convent, and a female from the city, celebrated for her skill in dressing the saints, were stirring up a more than ordinary noise in brushing the ornaments of the altars with fox tails and feather dusters.
at any time that; every time that
From this reading They had no hesitation in standing upon them, and even climbing upon the saints themselves, whenever it was required by the need of dusting some carved work or placing a taper in the proper place.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The sacristan, aided by three acolytes, the two serving women of the convent, and a female from the city, celebrated for her skill in dressing the saints, were stirring up a more than ordinary noise in brushing the ornaments of the altars with fox tails and feather dusters.
plural of “woman” — an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading The sacristan, aided by three acolytes, the two serving women of the convent, and a female from the city, celebrated for her skill in dressing the saints, were stirring up a more than ordinary noise in brushing the ornaments of the altars with fox tails and feather dusters.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading They had no hesitation in standing upon them, and even climbing upon the saints themselves, whenever it was required by the need of dusting some carved work or placing a taper in the proper place.
