used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "I did not really mean to buy it, but I had not bought anything the whole morning, and the auctioneer looked so fiercely at me that I felt I must make a bid.
adjustedadjectiveUS /əˈdʒʌstɪd/
altered to accommodate to certain requirements or bring into a proper relation
From this reading Miss Joliffe pulled the festoon a little forward, and adjusted in one of the side niches a present-for-a-good-girl cup and saucer which had been bought for herself at Beacon Hill Fair half a century ago.
in the past
From this reading Miss Joliffe pulled the festoon a little forward, and adjusted in one of the side niches a present-for-a-good-girl cup and saucer which had been bought for herself at Beacon Hill Fair half a century ago.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading "It is an overmantel, my dear," she had said to dubious Anastasia, when it was brought home.
Anastasia
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "It is an overmantel, my dear," she had said to dubious Anastasia, when it was brought home.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "I did not really mean to buy it, but I had not bought anything the whole morning, and the auctioneer looked so fiercely at me that I felt I must make a bid.
any thing at all
From this reading "I did not really mean to buy it, but I had not bought anything the whole morning, and the auctioneer looked so fiercely at me that I felt I must make a bid.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Since then it had been brightened with a coat of blue enamel paint, and a strip of Brusa silk which Martin had brought back from one of his wanderings was festooned at the side, so as to hide a patch where the quicksilver showed signs of peeling off.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading "I did not really mean to buy it, but I had not bought anything the whole morning, and the auctioneer looked so fiercely at me that I felt I must make a bid.
attractverbUS /əˈtrækt/
direct toward itself or oneself by means of some psychological power or physical attributes
From this reading Then no one else said anything, so here it is; but I dare say it will serve to smarten the room a little, and perhaps attract lodgers."
auctioneernounUS /ˌɑːkʃəˈnɪr/
an agent who conducts an auction
From this reading "I did not really mean to buy it, but I had not bought anything the whole morning, and the auctioneer looked so fiercely at me that I felt I must make a bid.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading Since then it had been brightened with a coat of blue enamel paint, and a strip of Brusa silk which Martin had brought back from one of his wanderings was festooned at the side, so as to hide a patch where the quicksilver showed signs of peeling off.
BeaconnounUS /ˈbiːkən/
a fire (usually on a hill or tower) that can be seen from a distance
From this reading Miss Joliffe pulled the festoon a little forward, and adjusted in one of the side niches a present-for-a-good-girl cup and saucer which had been bought for herself at Beacon Hill Fair half a century ago.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Since then it had been brightened with a coat of blue enamel paint, and a strip of Brusa silk which Martin had brought back from one of his wanderings was festooned at the side, so as to hide a patch where the quicksilver showed signs of peeling off.
propose a payment
From this reading "I did not really mean to buy it, but I had not bought anything the whole morning, and the auctioneer looked so fiercely at me that I felt I must make a bid.
of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky
From this reading Since then it had been brightened with a coat of blue enamel paint, and a strip of Brusa silk which Martin had brought back from one of his wanderings was festooned at the side, so as to hide a patch where the quicksilver showed signs of peeling off.
inflected form of “buy” — obtain by purchase; acquire by means of a financial transaction
From this reading "I did not really mean to buy it, but I had not bought anything the whole morning, and the auctioneer looked so fiercely at me that I felt I must make a bid.
brightenedverbUS /ˈbraɪtənd/
past form of “brighten” — make more cheerful through the use of color
From this reading Since then it had been brightened with a coat of blue enamel paint, and a strip of Brusa silk which Martin had brought back from one of his wanderings was festooned at the side, so as to hide a patch where the quicksilver showed signs of peeling off.
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading "It is an overmantel, my dear," she had said to dubious Anastasia, when it was brought home.
Brusanoun
a city in northwestern Turkey
From this reading Since then it had been brightened with a coat of blue enamel paint, and a strip of Brusa silk which Martin had brought back from one of his wanderings was festooned at the side, so as to hide a patch where the quicksilver showed signs of peeling off.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading "I did not really mean to buy it, but I had not bought anything the whole morning, and the auctioneer looked so fiercely at me that I felt I must make a bid.
obtain by purchase; acquire by means of a financial transaction
From this reading "I did not really mean to buy it, but I had not bought anything the whole morning, and the auctioneer looked so fiercely at me that I felt I must make a bid.
a period of 100 years
From this reading Miss Joliffe pulled the festoon a little forward, and adjusted in one of the side niches a present-for-a-good-girl cup and saucer which had been bought for herself at Beacon Hill Fair half a century ago.
an outer garment that has sleeves and covers the body from shoulder down; worn outdoors
From this reading Since then it had been brightened with a coat of blue enamel paint, and a strip of Brusa silk which Martin had brought back from one of his wanderings was festooned at the side, so as to hide a patch where the quicksilver showed signs of peeling off.
a small open container usually used for drinking; usually has a handle
From this reading Miss Joliffe pulled the festoon a little forward, and adjusted in one of the side niches a present-for-a-good-girl cup and saucer which had been bought for herself at Beacon Hill Fair half a century ago.
take upon oneself; act presumptuously, without permission
From this reading Then no one else said anything, so here it is; but I dare say it will serve to smarten the room a little, and perhaps attract lodgers."
dearly loved
From this reading "It is an overmantel, my dear," she had said to dubious Anastasia, when it was brought home.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading "I did not really mean to buy it, but I had not bought anything the whole morning, and the auctioneer looked so fiercely at me that I felt I must make a bid.
dubiousadjectiveUS /ˈduːbiəs/
fraught with uncertainty or doubt
From this reading "It is an overmantel, my dear," she had said to dubious Anastasia, when it was brought home.
else
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then no one else said anything, so here it is; but I dare say it will serve to smarten the room a little, and perhaps attract lodgers."
enamelnounUS /ɪˈnæməl/
hard white substance covering the crown of a tooth
From this reading Since then it had been brightened with a coat of blue enamel paint, and a strip of Brusa silk which Martin had brought back from one of his wanderings was festooned at the side, so as to hide a patch where the quicksilver showed signs of peeling off.
free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; conforming with established standards or rules
From this reading Miss Joliffe pulled the festoon a little forward, and adjusted in one of the side niches a present-for-a-good-girl cup and saucer which had been bought for herself at Beacon Hill Fair half a century ago.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading "I did not really mean to buy it, but I had not bought anything the whole morning, and the auctioneer looked so fiercely at me that I felt I must make a bid.
festoonnounUS /ˌfeˈstuːn/
a curtain of fabric draped and bound at intervals to form graceful curves
From this reading Miss Joliffe pulled the festoon a little forward, and adjusted in one of the side niches a present-for-a-good-girl cup and saucer which had been bought for herself at Beacon Hill Fair half a century ago.
festoonedverbUS /ˌfeˈstuːnd/
past form of “festoon” — decorate with strings of flowers
From this reading Since then it had been brightened with a coat of blue enamel paint, and a strip of Brusa silk which Martin had brought back from one of his wanderings was festooned at the side, so as to hide a patch where the quicksilver showed signs of peeling off.
fiercelyadverbUS /ˈfɪrsli/
in a physically fierce manner
From this reading "I did not really mean to buy it, but I had not bought anything the whole morning, and the auctioneer looked so fiercely at me that I felt I must make a bid.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Miss Joliffe pulled the festoon a little forward, and adjusted in one of the side niches a present-for-a-good-girl cup and saucer which had been bought for herself at Beacon Hill Fair half a century ago.
at or to or toward the front
From this reading Miss Joliffe pulled the festoon a little forward, and adjusted in one of the side niches a present-for-a-good-girl cup and saucer which had been bought for herself at Beacon Hill Fair half a century ago.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Since then it had been brightened with a coat of blue enamel paint, and a strip of Brusa silk which Martin had brought back from one of his wanderings was festooned at the side, so as to hide a patch where the quicksilver showed signs of peeling off.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading "It is an overmantel, my dear," she had said to dubious Anastasia, when it was brought home.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading Miss Joliffe pulled the festoon a little forward, and adjusted in one of the side niches a present-for-a-good-girl cup and saucer which had been bought for herself at Beacon Hill Fair half a century ago.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading Then no one else said anything, so here it is; but I dare say it will serve to smarten the room a little, and perhaps attract lodgers."
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading Miss Joliffe pulled the festoon a little forward, and adjusted in one of the side niches a present-for-a-good-girl cup and saucer which had been bought for herself at Beacon Hill Fair half a century ago.
prevent from being seen or discovered
From this reading Since then it had been brightened with a coat of blue enamel paint, and a strip of Brusa silk which Martin had brought back from one of his wanderings was festooned at the side, so as to hide a patch where the quicksilver showed signs of peeling off.
a local and well-defined elevation of the land
From this reading Miss Joliffe pulled the festoon a little forward, and adjusted in one of the side niches a present-for-a-good-girl cup and saucer which had been bought for herself at Beacon Hill Fair half a century ago.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Since then it had been brightened with a coat of blue enamel paint, and a strip of Brusa silk which Martin had brought back from one of his wanderings was festooned at the side, so as to hide a patch where the quicksilver showed signs of peeling off.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading "It is an overmantel, my dear," she had said to dubious Anastasia, when it was brought home.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I did not really mean to buy it, but I had not bought anything the whole morning, and the auctioneer looked so fiercely at me that I felt I must make a bid.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Miss Joliffe pulled the festoon a little forward, and adjusted in one of the side niches a present-for-a-good-girl cup and saucer which had been bought for herself at Beacon Hill Fair half a century ago.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "It is an overmantel, my dear," she had said to dubious Anastasia, when it was brought home.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "It is an overmantel, my dear," she had said to dubious Anastasia, when it was brought home.
Joliffe
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Miss Joliffe pulled the festoon a little forward, and adjusted in one of the side niches a present-for-a-good-girl cup and saucer which had been bought for herself at Beacon Hill Fair half a century ago.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Then no one else said anything, so here it is; but I dare say it will serve to smarten the room a little, and perhaps attract lodgers."
lodgers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then no one else said anything, so here it is; but I dare say it will serve to smarten the room a little, and perhaps attract lodgers."
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading "I did not really mean to buy it, but I had not bought anything the whole morning, and the auctioneer looked so fiercely at me that I felt I must make a bid.
engage in
From this reading "I did not really mean to buy it, but I had not bought anything the whole morning, and the auctioneer looked so fiercely at me that I felt I must make a bid.
French bishop who is a patron saint of France (died in 397)
From this reading Since then it had been brightened with a coat of blue enamel paint, and a strip of Brusa silk which Martin had brought back from one of his wanderings was festooned at the side, so as to hide a patch where the quicksilver showed signs of peeling off.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "I did not really mean to buy it, but I had not bought anything the whole morning, and the auctioneer looked so fiercely at me that I felt I must make a bid.
mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading "I did not really mean to buy it, but I had not bought anything the whole morning, and the auctioneer looked so fiercely at me that I felt I must make a bid.
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading Miss Joliffe pulled the festoon a little forward, and adjusted in one of the side niches a present-for-a-good-girl cup and saucer which had been bought for herself at Beacon Hill Fair half a century ago.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading "I did not really mean to buy it, but I had not bought anything the whole morning, and the auctioneer looked so fiercely at me that I felt I must make a bid.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading "I did not really mean to buy it, but I had not bought anything the whole morning, and the auctioneer looked so fiercely at me that I felt I must make a bid.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "It is an overmantel, my dear," she had said to dubious Anastasia, when it was brought home.
nichesnounUS /ˈnɪtʃɪz/
plural of “niche” — a position particularly well suited to the person who occupies it
From this reading Miss Joliffe pulled the festoon a little forward, and adjusted in one of the side niches a present-for-a-good-girl cup and saucer which had been bought for herself at Beacon Hill Fair half a century ago.
not any; not one
From this reading Then no one else said anything, so here it is; but I dare say it will serve to smarten the room a little, and perhaps attract lodgers."
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "I did not really mean to buy it, but I had not bought anything the whole morning, and the auctioneer looked so fiercely at me that I felt I must make a bid.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Since then it had been brightened with a coat of blue enamel paint, and a strip of Brusa silk which Martin had brought back from one of his wanderings was festooned at the side, so as to hide a patch where the quicksilver showed signs of peeling off.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Since then it had been brightened with a coat of blue enamel paint, and a strip of Brusa silk which Martin had brought back from one of his wanderings was festooned at the side, so as to hide a patch where the quicksilver showed signs of peeling off.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Then no one else said anything, so here it is; but I dare say it will serve to smarten the room a little, and perhaps attract lodgers."
overmantelnoun
a shelf over a mantelpiece
From this reading "It is an overmantel, my dear," she had said to dubious Anastasia, when it was brought home.
make a painting
From this reading Since then it had been brightened with a coat of blue enamel paint, and a strip of Brusa silk which Martin had brought back from one of his wanderings was festooned at the side, so as to hide a patch where the quicksilver showed signs of peeling off.
patchnounUS /pætʃ/
a small contrasting part of something
From this reading Since then it had been brightened with a coat of blue enamel paint, and a strip of Brusa silk which Martin had brought back from one of his wanderings was festooned at the side, so as to hide a patch where the quicksilver showed signs of peeling off.
peelingnounUS /ˈpiːlɪŋ/
loss of bits of outer skin by peeling or shedding or coming off in scales
From this reading Since then it had been brightened with a coat of blue enamel paint, and a strip of Brusa silk which Martin had brought back from one of his wanderings was festooned at the side, so as to hide a patch where the quicksilver showed signs of peeling off.
by chance
From this reading Then no one else said anything, so here it is; but I dare say it will serve to smarten the room a little, and perhaps attract lodgers."
present-for-a-good-girl
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Miss Joliffe pulled the festoon a little forward, and adjusted in one of the side niches a present-for-a-good-girl cup and saucer which had been bought for herself at Beacon Hill Fair half a century ago.
past form of “pull” — cause to move by pulling
From this reading Miss Joliffe pulled the festoon a little forward, and adjusted in one of the side niches a present-for-a-good-girl cup and saucer which had been bought for herself at Beacon Hill Fair half a century ago.
quicksilveradjectiveUS /ˈkwɪkˈsɪlvər/
liable to sudden unpredictable change
From this reading Since then it had been brightened with a coat of blue enamel paint, and a strip of Brusa silk which Martin had brought back from one of his wanderings was festooned at the side, so as to hide a patch where the quicksilver showed signs of peeling off.
in accordance with truth or fact or reality
From this reading "I did not really mean to buy it, but I had not bought anything the whole morning, and the auctioneer looked so fiercely at me that I felt I must make a bid.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading Then no one else said anything, so here it is; but I dare say it will serve to smarten the room a little, and perhaps attract lodgers."
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "It is an overmantel, my dear," she had said to dubious Anastasia, when it was brought home.
saucernounUS /ˈsɔːsər/
something with a round shape resembling a flat circular plate
From this reading Miss Joliffe pulled the festoon a little forward, and adjusted in one of the side niches a present-for-a-good-girl cup and saucer which had been bought for herself at Beacon Hill Fair half a century ago.
express in words
From this reading Then no one else said anything, so here it is; but I dare say it will serve to smarten the room a little, and perhaps attract lodgers."
serve a purpose, role, or function
From this reading Then no one else said anything, so here it is; but I dare say it will serve to smarten the room a little, and perhaps attract lodgers."
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "It is an overmantel, my dear," she had said to dubious Anastasia, when it was brought home.
past form of “show” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading Since then it had been brightened with a coat of blue enamel paint, and a strip of Brusa silk which Martin had brought back from one of his wanderings was festooned at the side, so as to hide a patch where the quicksilver showed signs of peeling off.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading Since then it had been brightened with a coat of blue enamel paint, and a strip of Brusa silk which Martin had brought back from one of his wanderings was festooned at the side, so as to hide a patch where the quicksilver showed signs of peeling off.
plural of “sign” — a perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that something has happened)
From this reading Since then it had been brightened with a coat of blue enamel paint, and a strip of Brusa silk which Martin had brought back from one of his wanderings was festooned at the side, so as to hide a patch where the quicksilver showed signs of peeling off.
a fabric made from the fine threads produced by certain insect larvae
From this reading Since then it had been brightened with a coat of blue enamel paint, and a strip of Brusa silk which Martin had brought back from one of his wanderings was festooned at the side, so as to hide a patch where the quicksilver showed signs of peeling off.
SinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading Since then it had been brightened with a coat of blue enamel paint, and a strip of Brusa silk which Martin had brought back from one of his wanderings was festooned at the side, so as to hide a patch where the quicksilver showed signs of peeling off.
smarten
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then no one else said anything, so here it is; but I dare say it will serve to smarten the room a little, and perhaps attract lodgers."
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading "I did not really mean to buy it, but I had not bought anything the whole morning, and the auctioneer looked so fiercely at me that I felt I must make a bid.
stripverbUS /strɪp/
take away possessions from someone
From this reading Since then it had been brightened with a coat of blue enamel paint, and a strip of Brusa silk which Martin had brought back from one of his wanderings was festooned at the side, so as to hide a patch where the quicksilver showed signs of peeling off.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "I did not really mean to buy it, but I had not bought anything the whole morning, and the auctioneer looked so fiercely at me that I felt I must make a bid.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "I did not really mean to buy it, but I had not bought anything the whole morning, and the auctioneer looked so fiercely at me that I felt I must make a bid.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then no one else said anything, so here it is; but I dare say it will serve to smarten the room a little, and perhaps attract lodgers."
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "It is an overmantel, my dear," she had said to dubious Anastasia, when it was brought home.
wanderingsnounUS /ˈwɑːndərɪŋz/
plural of “wandering” — travelling about without any clear destination
From this reading Since then it had been brightened with a coat of blue enamel paint, and a strip of Brusa silk which Martin had brought back from one of his wanderings was festooned at the side, so as to hide a patch where the quicksilver showed signs of peeling off.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "It is an overmantel, my dear," she had said to dubious Anastasia, when it was brought home.
at the time that
From this reading "It is an overmantel, my dear," she had said to dubious Anastasia, when it was brought home.
in or at the place that
From this reading Since then it had been brightened with a coat of blue enamel paint, and a strip of Brusa silk which Martin had brought back from one of his wanderings was festooned at the side, so as to hide a patch where the quicksilver showed signs of peeling off.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Since then it had been brightened with a coat of blue enamel paint, and a strip of Brusa silk which Martin had brought back from one of his wanderings was festooned at the side, so as to hide a patch where the quicksilver showed signs of peeling off.
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading "I did not really mean to buy it, but I had not bought anything the whole morning, and the auctioneer looked so fiercely at me that I felt I must make a bid.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading Then no one else said anything, so here it is; but I dare say it will serve to smarten the room a little, and perhaps attract lodgers."
in the company of; together with
From this reading Since then it had been brightened with a coat of blue enamel paint, and a strip of Brusa silk which Martin had brought back from one of his wanderings was festooned at the side, so as to hide a patch where the quicksilver showed signs of peeling off.
