used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was a lovely January morning sunny but cold, as the ladies sat around the breakfast-table at Heron Dyke.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Miss Winter scarcely spoke a word during the meal, and scarcely touched a mouthful; she seemed buried in thought.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "Surely you are not going to be ill!"
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading It was a lovely January morning sunny but cold, as the ladies sat around the breakfast-table at Heron Dyke.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading It was a lovely January morning sunny but cold, as the ladies sat around the breakfast-table at Heron Dyke.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading "What is the matter with you, Ella?" asked Mrs. Carlyon, noticing this.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading THE TRUTH AT LAST.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "Surely you are not going to be ill!"
breakfast-table
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a lovely January morning sunny but cold, as the ladies sat around the breakfast-table at Heron Dyke.
placed in a grave
From this reading Miss Winter scarcely spoke a word during the meal, and scarcely touched a mouthful; she seemed buried in thought.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading It was a lovely January morning sunny but cold, as the ladies sat around the breakfast-table at Heron Dyke.
Carlyon
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "What is the matter with you, Ella?" asked Mrs. Carlyon, noticing this.
having a low or inadequate temperature or feeling a sensation of coldness or having been made cold by e.g. ice or refrigeration
From this reading It was a lovely January morning sunny but cold, as the ladies sat around the breakfast-table at Heron Dyke.
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading Miss Winter scarcely spoke a word during the meal, and scarcely touched a mouthful; she seemed buried in thought.
DykenounUS /daɪk/
(slang) offensive term for a lesbian who is noticeably masculine
From this reading It was a lovely January morning sunny but cold, as the ladies sat around the breakfast-table at Heron Dyke.
Ella
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "What is the matter with you, Ella?" asked Mrs. Carlyon, noticing this.
the act of departing
From this reading "Surely you are not going to be ill!"
HeronnounUS /ˈherən/
Greek mathematician and inventor who devised a way to determine the area of a triangle and who described various mechanical devices (first century)
From this reading It was a lovely January morning sunny but cold, as the ladies sat around the breakfast-table at Heron Dyke.
affected by an impairment of normal physical or mental function
From this reading "Surely you are not going to be ill!"
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Miss Winter scarcely spoke a word during the meal, and scarcely touched a mouthful; she seemed buried in thought.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "What is the matter with you, Ella?" asked Mrs. Carlyon, noticing this.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was a lovely January morning sunny but cold, as the ladies sat around the breakfast-table at Heron Dyke.
JanuarynounUS /ˈdʒænjuːeri/
the first month of the year; begins 10 days after the winter solstice
From this reading It was a lovely January morning sunny but cold, as the ladies sat around the breakfast-table at Heron Dyke.
plural of “lady” — a polite name for any woman
From this reading It was a lovely January morning sunny but cold, as the ladies sat around the breakfast-table at Heron Dyke.
immediately past
From this reading THE TRUTH AT LAST.
appealing to the emotions as well as the eye
From this reading It was a lovely January morning sunny but cold, as the ladies sat around the breakfast-table at Heron Dyke.
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading "What is the matter with you, Ella?" asked Mrs. Carlyon, noticing this.
the food served and eaten at one time
From this reading Miss Winter scarcely spoke a word during the meal, and scarcely touched a mouthful; she seemed buried in thought.
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading Miss Winter scarcely spoke a word during the meal, and scarcely touched a mouthful; she seemed buried in thought.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading It was a lovely January morning sunny but cold, as the ladies sat around the breakfast-table at Heron Dyke.
mouthfulnounUS /ˈmaʊθfʊl/
the quantity that can be held in the mouth
From this reading Miss Winter scarcely spoke a word during the meal, and scarcely touched a mouthful; she seemed buried in thought.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading "What is the matter with you, Ella?" asked Mrs. Carlyon, noticing this.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "Surely you are not going to be ill!"
noticingverbUS /ˈnoʊtɪsɪŋ/
-ing form of “notice” — discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of
From this reading "What is the matter with you, Ella?" asked Mrs. Carlyon, noticing this.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading It was a lovely January morning sunny but cold, as the ladies sat around the breakfast-table at Heron Dyke.
only a very short time before
From this reading Miss Winter scarcely spoke a word during the meal, and scarcely touched a mouthful; she seemed buried in thought.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Miss Winter scarcely spoke a word during the meal, and scarcely touched a mouthful; she seemed buried in thought.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Miss Winter scarcely spoke a word during the meal, and scarcely touched a mouthful; she seemed buried in thought.
support consisting of a radial member of a wheel joining the hub to the rim
From this reading Miss Winter scarcely spoke a word during the meal, and scarcely touched a mouthful; she seemed buried in thought.
sunnyadjectiveUS /ˈsʌni/
bright and pleasant; promoting a feeling of cheer
From this reading It was a lovely January morning sunny but cold, as the ladies sat around the breakfast-table at Heron Dyke.
definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)
From this reading "Surely you are not going to be ill!"
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE TRUTH AT LAST.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading "What is the matter with you, Ella?" asked Mrs. Carlyon, noticing this.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading Miss Winter scarcely spoke a word during the meal, and scarcely touched a mouthful; she seemed buried in thought.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "Surely you are not going to be ill!"
having come into contact
From this reading Miss Winter scarcely spoke a word during the meal, and scarcely touched a mouthful; she seemed buried in thought.
a fact that has been verified
From this reading THE TRUTH AT LAST.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was a lovely January morning sunny but cold, as the ladies sat around the breakfast-table at Heron Dyke.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "What is the matter with you, Ella?" asked Mrs. Carlyon, noticing this.
the coldest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the winter solstice to the vernal equinox
From this reading Miss Winter scarcely spoke a word during the meal, and scarcely touched a mouthful; she seemed buried in thought.
in the company of; together with
From this reading "What is the matter with you, Ella?" asked Mrs. Carlyon, noticing this.
a unit of language that native speakers can identify
From this reading Miss Winter scarcely spoke a word during the meal, and scarcely touched a mouthful; she seemed buried in thought.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "What is the matter with you, Ella?" asked Mrs. Carlyon, noticing this.
