Chapter VIII · Chapter 8

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading Not an atom of dust, not a trace of dampness on the walls.

declared not guilty of a specific offense or crime; legally blameless

From this reading Her only pride was to show her son with what painstaking zeal she had acquitted herself of her duties as care-taker.

how long something has existed

From this reading "Everything is ready, my son," said the old woman simply, standing stiffly erect in her cap of Cambrai linen, with points yellowed by age, which she never laid aside even on great occasions.

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading Not an atom of dust, not a trace of dampness on the walls.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading She was the typical peasant of the Rhone valley, independent and proud, with none of the cunning humility of the rustics described by Balzac, too simple, too, to be puffed up by wealth.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading Her only pride was to show her son with what painstaking zeal she had acquitted herself of her duties as care-taker.

on or to one side

From this reading "Everything is ready, my son," said the old woman simply, standing stiffly erect in her cap of Cambrai linen, with points yellowed by age, which she never laid aside even on great occasions.

(physics and chemistry) the smallest component of an element having the chemical properties of the element

From this reading Not an atom of dust, not a trace of dampness on the walls.

French novelist; he portrays the complexity of 19th century French society (1799-1850)

From this reading She was the typical peasant of the Rhone valley, independent and proud, with none of the cunning humility of the rustics described by Balzac, too simple, too, to be puffed up by wealth.

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading She was the typical peasant of the Rhone valley, independent and proud, with none of the cunning humility of the rustics described by Balzac, too simple, too, to be puffed up by wealth.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading "Everything is ready, my son," said the old woman simply, standing stiffly erect in her cap of Cambrai linen, with points yellowed by age, which she never laid aside even on great occasions.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading "Everything is ready, my son," said the old woman simply, standing stiffly erect in her cap of Cambrai linen, with points yellowed by age, which she never laid aside even on great occasions.

a tight-fitting headdress

From this reading "Everything is ready, my son," said the old woman simply, standing stiffly erect in her cap of Cambrai linen, with points yellowed by age, which she never laid aside even on great occasions.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Her only pride was to show her son with what painstaking zeal she had acquitted herself of her duties as care-taker.

made or become different in nature or form

From this reading Wealth had not changed _her_.

attractive especially by means of smallness or prettiness or quaintness

From this reading She was the typical peasant of the Rhone valley, independent and proud, with none of the cunning humility of the rustics described by Balzac, too simple, too, to be puffed up by wealth.

a slight wetness

From this reading Not an atom of dust, not a trace of dampness on the walls.

represented in words especially with sharpness and detail

From this reading She was the typical peasant of the Rhone valley, independent and proud, with none of the cunning humility of the rustics described by Balzac, too simple, too, to be puffed up by wealth.

remove the dust from

From this reading Not an atom of dust, not a trace of dampness on the walls.

plural of “duty” — the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force

From this reading Her only pride was to show her son with what painstaking zeal she had acquitted herself of her duties as care-taker.

construct, build, or erect

From this reading "Everything is ready, my son," said the old woman simply, standing stiffly erect in her cap of Cambrai linen, with points yellowed by age, which she never laid aside even on great occasions.

divisible by two

From this reading "Everything is ready, my son," said the old woman simply, standing stiffly erect in her cap of Cambrai linen, with points yellowed by age, which she never laid aside even on great occasions.

all things; all of a situation

From this reading "Everything is ready, my son," said the old woman simply, standing stiffly erect in her cap of Cambrai linen, with points yellowed by age, which she never laid aside even on great occasions.

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading "Everything is ready, my son," said the old woman simply, standing stiffly erect in her cap of Cambrai linen, with points yellowed by age, which she never laid aside even on great occasions.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading Wealth had not changed _her_.

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading "Everything is ready, my son," said the old woman simply, standing stiffly erect in her cap of Cambrai linen, with points yellowed by age, which she never laid aside even on great occasions.

used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object

From this reading Her only pride was to show her son with what painstaking zeal she had acquitted herself of her duties as care-taker.

a disposition to be humble; a lack of false pride

From this reading She was the typical peasant of the Rhone valley, independent and proud, with none of the cunning humility of the rustics described by Balzac, too simple, too, to be puffed up by wealth.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading "Everything is ready, my son," said the old woman simply, standing stiffly erect in her cap of Cambrai linen, with points yellowed by age, which she never laid aside even on great occasions.

free from external control and constraint

From this reading She was the typical peasant of the Rhone valley, independent and proud, with none of the cunning humility of the rustics described by Balzac, too simple, too, to be puffed up by wealth.

the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading "Everything is ready, my son," said the old woman simply, standing stiffly erect in her cap of Cambrai linen, with points yellowed by age, which she never laid aside even on great occasions.

set down according to a plan

From this reading "Everything is ready, my son," said the old woman simply, standing stiffly erect in her cap of Cambrai linen, with points yellowed by age, which she never laid aside even on great occasions.

a fabric woven with fibers from the flax plant

From this reading "Everything is ready, my son," said the old woman simply, standing stiffly erect in her cap of Cambrai linen, with points yellowed by age, which she never laid aside even on great occasions.

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading "Everything is ready, my son," said the old woman simply, standing stiffly erect in her cap of Cambrai linen, with points yellowed by age, which she never laid aside even on great occasions.

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading "Everything is ready, my son," said the old woman simply, standing stiffly erect in her cap of Cambrai linen, with points yellowed by age, which she never laid aside even on great occasions.

not one, and not any

From this reading She was the typical peasant of the Rhone valley, independent and proud, with none of the cunning humility of the rustics described by Balzac, too simple, too, to be puffed up by wealth.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Wealth had not changed _her_.

something you have to do

From this reading "Everything is ready, my son," said the old woman simply, standing stiffly erect in her cap of Cambrai linen, with points yellowed by age, which she never laid aside even on great occasions.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading "Everything is ready, my son," said the old woman simply, standing stiffly erect in her cap of Cambrai linen, with points yellowed by age, which she never laid aside even on great occasions.

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading "Everything is ready, my son," said the old woman simply, standing stiffly erect in her cap of Cambrai linen, with points yellowed by age, which she never laid aside even on great occasions.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading "Everything is ready, my son," said the old woman simply, standing stiffly erect in her cap of Cambrai linen, with points yellowed by age, which she never laid aside even on great occasions.

and nothing more

From this reading Her only pride was to show her son with what painstaking zeal she had acquitted herself of her duties as care-taker.

characterized by extreme care and great effort

From this reading Her only pride was to show her son with what painstaking zeal she had acquitted herself of her duties as care-taker.

a country person

From this reading She was the typical peasant of the Rhone valley, independent and proud, with none of the cunning humility of the rustics described by Balzac, too simple, too, to be puffed up by wealth.

plural of “point” — a geometric element that has position but no extension

From this reading "Everything is ready, my son," said the old woman simply, standing stiffly erect in her cap of Cambrai linen, with points yellowed by age, which she never laid aside even on great occasions.

a feeling of self-respect and personal worth

From this reading Her only pride was to show her son with what painstaking zeal she had acquitted herself of her duties as care-taker.

feeling self-respect or pleasure in something by which you measure your self-worth; or being a reason for pride

From this reading She was the typical peasant of the Rhone valley, independent and proud, with none of the cunning humility of the rustics described by Balzac, too simple, too, to be puffed up by wealth.

gathered for protruding fullness

From this reading She was the typical peasant of the Rhone valley, independent and proud, with none of the cunning humility of the rustics described by Balzac, too simple, too, to be puffed up by wealth.

completely prepared or in condition for immediate action or use or progress

From this reading "Everything is ready, my son," said the old woman simply, standing stiffly erect in her cap of Cambrai linen, with points yellowed by age, which she never laid aside even on great occasions.

a major French river; flows into the Mediterranean near Marseilles

From this reading She was the typical peasant of the Rhone valley, independent and proud, with none of the cunning humility of the rustics described by Balzac, too simple, too, to be puffed up by wealth.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading She was the typical peasant of the Rhone valley, independent and proud, with none of the cunning humility of the rustics described by Balzac, too simple, too, to be puffed up by wealth.

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading "Everything is ready, my son," said the old woman simply, standing stiffly erect in her cap of Cambrai linen, with points yellowed by age, which she never laid aside even on great occasions.

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading "Everything is ready, my son," said the old woman simply, standing stiffly erect in her cap of Cambrai linen, with points yellowed by age, which she never laid aside even on great occasions.

give an exhibition of to an interested audience

From this reading Her only pride was to show her son with what painstaking zeal she had acquitted herself of her duties as care-taker.

having few parts; not complex or complicated or involved

From this reading She was the typical peasant of the Rhone valley, independent and proud, with none of the cunning humility of the rustics described by Balzac, too simple, too, to be puffed up by wealth.

and nothing more

From this reading "Everything is ready, my son," said the old woman simply, standing stiffly erect in her cap of Cambrai linen, with points yellowed by age, which she never laid aside even on great occasions.

a male human offspring

From this reading "Everything is ready, my son," said the old woman simply, standing stiffly erect in her cap of Cambrai linen, with points yellowed by age, which she never laid aside even on great occasions.

having a supporting base

From this reading "Everything is ready, my son," said the old woman simply, standing stiffly erect in her cap of Cambrai linen, with points yellowed by age, which she never laid aside even on great occasions.

in a stiff manner

From this reading "Everything is ready, my son," said the old woman simply, standing stiffly erect in her cap of Cambrai linen, with points yellowed by age, which she never laid aside even on great occasions.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading "Everything is ready, my son," said the old woman simply, standing stiffly erect in her cap of Cambrai linen, with points yellowed by age, which she never laid aside even on great occasions.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading She was the typical peasant of the Rhone valley, independent and proud, with none of the cunning humility of the rustics described by Balzac, too simple, too, to be puffed up by wealth.

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading She was the typical peasant of the Rhone valley, independent and proud, with none of the cunning humility of the rustics described by Balzac, too simple, too, to be puffed up by wealth.

a just detectable amount

From this reading Not an atom of dust, not a trace of dampness on the walls.

exhibiting the qualities or characteristics that identify a group or kind or category

From this reading She was the typical peasant of the Rhone valley, independent and proud, with none of the cunning humility of the rustics described by Balzac, too simple, too, to be puffed up by wealth.

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading She was the typical peasant of the Rhone valley, independent and proud, with none of the cunning humility of the rustics described by Balzac, too simple, too, to be puffed up by wealth.

a long depression in the surface of the land that usually contains a river

From this reading She was the typical peasant of the Rhone valley, independent and proud, with none of the cunning humility of the rustics described by Balzac, too simple, too, to be puffed up by wealth.

plural of “wall” — an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure

From this reading Not an atom of dust, not a trace of dampness on the walls.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading She was the typical peasant of the Rhone valley, independent and proud, with none of the cunning humility of the rustics described by Balzac, too simple, too, to be puffed up by wealth.

the state of being rich and affluent; having a plentiful supply of material goods and money

From this reading Wealth had not changed _her_.

used to ask for information about something

From this reading Her only pride was to show her son with what painstaking zeal she had acquitted herself of her duties as care-taker.

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading "Everything is ready, my son," said the old woman simply, standing stiffly erect in her cap of Cambrai linen, with points yellowed by age, which she never laid aside even on great occasions.

in the company of; together with

From this reading "Everything is ready, my son," said the old woman simply, standing stiffly erect in her cap of Cambrai linen, with points yellowed by age, which she never laid aside even on great occasions.

an adult female person (as opposed to a man)

From this reading "Everything is ready, my son," said the old woman simply, standing stiffly erect in her cap of Cambrai linen, with points yellowed by age, which she never laid aside even on great occasions.

changed to a yellowish color by age

From this reading "Everything is ready, my son," said the old woman simply, standing stiffly erect in her cap of Cambrai linen, with points yellowed by age, which she never laid aside even on great occasions.

a feeling of strong eagerness (usually in favor of a person or cause)

From this reading Her only pride was to show her son with what painstaking zeal she had acquitted herself of her duties as care-taker.