used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Holding herself very erect and even drawing aside her skirts as she passed Miss Austin, she took a seat on the other side of the room.
AdamsnounUS /ˈædəmz/
American Revolutionary leader and patriot; an organizer of the Boston Tea Party and signer of the Declaration of Independence (1722-1803)
From this reading “That matter can easily be settled,” Cray said, and going to the door he asked Mrs. Adams to send Miss Bascom to them.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading With an important air the spinster entered the room.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading With an important air the spinster entered the room.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading “That matter can easily be settled,” Cray said, and going to the door he asked Mrs. Adams to send Miss Bascom to them.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Holding herself very erect and even drawing aside her skirts as she passed Miss Austin, she took a seat on the other side of the room.
on or to one side
From this reading Holding herself very erect and even drawing aside her skirts as she passed Miss Austin, she took a seat on the other side of the room.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading “That matter can easily be settled,” Cray said, and going to the door he asked Mrs. Adams to send Miss Bascom to them.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading “Now, Miss Bascom,” Cray began at once, “what made you think of looking in this lady’s bureau drawer for that money?”
AustinnounUS /ˈɔːstən/
state capital of Texas on the Colorado River; site of the University of Texas
From this reading Holding herself very erect and even drawing aside her skirts as she passed Miss Austin, she took a seat on the other side of the room.
Bascom
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “That matter can easily be settled,” Cray said, and going to the door he asked Mrs. Adams to send Miss Bascom to them.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading “That matter can easily be settled,” Cray said, and going to the door he asked Mrs. Adams to send Miss Bascom to them.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading “Now, Miss Bascom,” Cray began at once, “what made you think of looking in this lady’s bureau drawer for that money?”
bureaunounUS /ˈbjʊroʊ/
an administrative unit of government
From this reading “Now, Miss Bascom,” Cray began at once, “what made you think of looking in this lady’s bureau drawer for that money?”
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading “That matter can easily be settled,” Cray said, and going to the door he asked Mrs. Adams to send Miss Bascom to them.
Cray
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “That matter can easily be settled,” Cray said, and going to the door he asked Mrs. Adams to send Miss Bascom to them.
didn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I didn’t look for it, Mr. Cray.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading “That matter can easily be settled,” Cray said, and going to the door he asked Mrs. Adams to send Miss Bascom to them.
drawernounUS /drɔːr/
a boxlike container in a piece of furniture; made so as to slide in and out
From this reading “Now, Miss Bascom,” Cray began at once, “what made you think of looking in this lady’s bureau drawer for that money?”
an illustration that is drawn by hand and published in a book, magazine, or newspaper
From this reading Holding herself very erect and even drawing aside her skirts as she passed Miss Austin, she took a seat on the other side of the room.
with ease (“easy” is sometimes used informally for “easily”)
From this reading “That matter can easily be settled,” Cray said, and going to the door he asked Mrs. Adams to send Miss Bascom to them.
past form of “enter” — to come or go into
From this reading With an important air the spinster entered the room.
erectverbUS /ɪˈrekt/
construct, build, or erect
From this reading Holding herself very erect and even drawing aside her skirts as she passed Miss Austin, she took a seat on the other side of the room.
divisible by two
From this reading Holding herself very erect and even drawing aside her skirts as she passed Miss Austin, she took a seat on the other side of the room.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading “Now, Miss Bascom,” Cray began at once, “what made you think of looking in this lady’s bureau drawer for that money?”
the act of departing
From this reading “That matter can easily be settled,” Cray said, and going to the door he asked Mrs. Adams to send Miss Bascom to them.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “That matter can easily be settled,” Cray said, and going to the door he asked Mrs. Adams to send Miss Bascom to them.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Holding herself very erect and even drawing aside her skirts as she passed Miss Austin, she took a seat on the other side of the room.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading Holding herself very erect and even drawing aside her skirts as she passed Miss Austin, she took a seat on the other side of the room.
the act of retaining something
From this reading Holding herself very erect and even drawing aside her skirts as she passed Miss Austin, she took a seat on the other side of the room.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “I didn’t look for it, Mr. Cray.
of great significance or value
From this reading With an important air the spinster entered the room.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading “Now, Miss Bascom,” Cray began at once, “what made you think of looking in this lady’s bureau drawer for that money?”
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “I didn’t look for it, Mr. Cray.
lady'snounUS /ˈleɪdiz/
possessive form of “lady” — a polite name for any woman
From this reading “Now, Miss Bascom,” Cray began at once, “what made you think of looking in this lady’s bureau drawer for that money?”
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading “I didn’t look for it, Mr. Cray.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading “Now, Miss Bascom,” Cray began at once, “what made you think of looking in this lady’s bureau drawer for that money?”
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading “Now, Miss Bascom,” Cray began at once, “what made you think of looking in this lady’s bureau drawer for that money?”
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading “That matter can easily be settled,” Cray said, and going to the door he asked Mrs. Adams to send Miss Bascom to them.
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading “That matter can easily be settled,” Cray said, and going to the door he asked Mrs. Adams to send Miss Bascom to them.
the most common medium of exchange; functions as legal tender
From this reading “Now, Miss Bascom,” Cray began at once, “what made you think of looking in this lady’s bureau drawer for that money?”
a form of address for a man
From this reading “I didn’t look for it, Mr. Cray.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading “That matter can easily be settled,” Cray said, and going to the door he asked Mrs. Adams to send Miss Bascom to them.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading “Now, Miss Bascom,” Cray began at once, “what made you think of looking in this lady’s bureau drawer for that money?”
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Holding herself very erect and even drawing aside her skirts as she passed Miss Austin, she took a seat on the other side of the room.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Holding herself very erect and even drawing aside her skirts as she passed Miss Austin, she took a seat on the other side of the room.
on one occasion
From this reading “Now, Miss Bascom,” Cray began at once, “what made you think of looking in this lady’s bureau drawer for that money?”
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading Holding herself very erect and even drawing aside her skirts as she passed Miss Austin, she took a seat on the other side of the room.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading Holding herself very erect and even drawing aside her skirts as she passed Miss Austin, she took a seat on the other side of the room.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading With an important air the spinster entered the room.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “That matter can easily be settled,” Cray said, and going to the door he asked Mrs. Adams to send Miss Bascom to them.
a space reserved for sitting (as in a theater or on a train or airplane)
From this reading Holding herself very erect and even drawing aside her skirts as she passed Miss Austin, she took a seat on the other side of the room.
cause to go somewhere
From this reading “That matter can easily be settled,” Cray said, and going to the door he asked Mrs. Adams to send Miss Bascom to them.
established or decided beyond dispute or doubt
From this reading “That matter can easily be settled,” Cray said, and going to the door he asked Mrs. Adams to send Miss Bascom to them.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Holding herself very erect and even drawing aside her skirts as she passed Miss Austin, she took a seat on the other side of the room.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading Holding herself very erect and even drawing aside her skirts as she passed Miss Austin, she took a seat on the other side of the room.
skirtsnounUS /skɜːrts/
plural of “skirt” — cloth covering that forms the part of a garment below the waist
From this reading Holding herself very erect and even drawing aside her skirts as she passed Miss Austin, she took a seat on the other side of the room.
spinsternounUS /ˈspɪnstər/
an elderly unmarried woman
From this reading With an important air the spinster entered the room.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading “That matter can easily be settled,” Cray said, and going to the door he asked Mrs. Adams to send Miss Bascom to them.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “That matter can easily be settled,” Cray said, and going to the door he asked Mrs. Adams to send Miss Bascom to them.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading “That matter can easily be settled,” Cray said, and going to the door he asked Mrs. Adams to send Miss Bascom to them.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading “Now, Miss Bascom,” Cray began at once, “what made you think of looking in this lady’s bureau drawer for that money?”
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading “Now, Miss Bascom,” Cray began at once, “what made you think of looking in this lady’s bureau drawer for that money?”
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “That matter can easily be settled,” Cray said, and going to the door he asked Mrs. Adams to send Miss Bascom to them.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading Holding herself very erect and even drawing aside her skirts as she passed Miss Austin, she took a seat on the other side of the room.
precisely as stated
From this reading Holding herself very erect and even drawing aside her skirts as she passed Miss Austin, she took a seat on the other side of the room.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading “Now, Miss Bascom,” Cray began at once, “what made you think of looking in this lady’s bureau drawer for that money?”
in the company of; together with
From this reading With an important air the spinster entered the room.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “Now, Miss Bascom,” Cray began at once, “what made you think of looking in this lady’s bureau drawer for that money?”
