used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading CONFESSION It was nearly two hours later that Vera sitting alone before her fire turned with a slight start at the sound of her husband's step in the room beyond.
accentuatedverbUS /ækˈsentʃuːeɪtɪd/
past form of “accentuate” — to stress, single out as important
From this reading The slimness of her figure as she leaned among the cushions accentuated the fragility which her recent illness had stamped upon her.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading At the soft turning of the handle she made a movement that was almost of shrinking.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading CONFESSION It was nearly two hours later that Vera sitting alone before her fire turned with a slight start at the sound of her husband's step in the room beyond.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading The slimness of her figure as she leaned among the cushions accentuated the fragility which her recent illness had stamped upon her.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She was wearing a pale silk dressing-gown and her hair hung in a single plait over her shoulder, giving her a curiously girlish look.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The slimness of her figure as she leaned among the cushions accentuated the fragility which her recent illness had stamped upon her.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading CONFESSION It was nearly two hours later that Vera sitting alone before her fire turned with a slight start at the sound of her husband's step in the room beyond.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading CONFESSION It was nearly two hours later that Vera sitting alone before her fire turned with a slight start at the sound of her husband's step in the room beyond.
on the far side of; further than
From this reading CONFESSION It was nearly two hours later that Vera sitting alone before her fire turned with a slight start at the sound of her husband's step in the room beyond.
an admission of misdeeds or faults
From this reading CONFESSION It was nearly two hours later that Vera sitting alone before her fire turned with a slight start at the sound of her husband's step in the room beyond.
curiouslyadverbUS /ˈkjʊriəsli/
in a manner differing from the usual or expected
From this reading She was wearing a pale silk dressing-gown and her hair hung in a single plait over her shoulder, giving her a curiously girlish look.
cushionsnounUS /ˈkʊʃənz/
plural of “cushion” — a mechanical damper; absorbs energy of sudden impulses
From this reading The slimness of her figure as she leaned among the cushions accentuated the fragility which her recent illness had stamped upon her.
dressing-gown
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was wearing a pale silk dressing-gown and her hair hung in a single plait over her shoulder, giving her a curiously girlish look.
the feelings expressed on a person's face
From this reading Her eyes were ringed with purple, and they had a startled expression that the sound of the squire's step served to intensify.
opinion or judgment
From this reading Her eyes were ringed with purple, and they had a startled expression that the sound of the squire's step served to intensify.
a diagram or picture illustrating textual material
From this reading The slimness of her figure as she leaned among the cushions accentuated the fragility which her recent illness had stamped upon her.
start firing a weapon
From this reading CONFESSION It was nearly two hours later that Vera sitting alone before her fire turned with a slight start at the sound of her husband's step in the room beyond.
fragilitynounUS /frəˈdʒɪləti/
quality of being easily damaged or destroyed
From this reading The slimness of her figure as she leaned among the cushions accentuated the fragility which her recent illness had stamped upon her.
girlishadjectiveUS /ˈɡɜːrlɪʃ/
befitting or characteristic of a young girl
From this reading She was wearing a pale silk dressing-gown and her hair hung in a single plait over her shoulder, giving her a curiously girlish look.
the act of giving
From this reading She was wearing a pale silk dressing-gown and her hair hung in a single plait over her shoulder, giving her a curiously girlish look.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The slimness of her figure as she leaned among the cushions accentuated the fragility which her recent illness had stamped upon her.
a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss
From this reading She was wearing a pale silk dressing-gown and her hair hung in a single plait over her shoulder, giving her a curiously girlish look.
handleverbUS /ˈhændəl/
be in charge of, act on, or dispose of
From this reading At the soft turning of the handle she made a movement that was almost of shrinking.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading CONFESSION It was nearly two hours later that Vera sitting alone before her fire turned with a slight start at the sound of her husband's step in the room beyond.
a period of time assigned for work
From this reading CONFESSION It was nearly two hours later that Vera sitting alone before her fire turned with a slight start at the sound of her husband's step in the room beyond.
inflected form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging
From this reading She was wearing a pale silk dressing-gown and her hair hung in a single plait over her shoulder, giving her a curiously girlish look.
husband'snounUS /ˈhʌzbəndz/
possessive form of “husband” — a married man; a woman's partner in marriage
From this reading CONFESSION It was nearly two hours later that Vera sitting alone before her fire turned with a slight start at the sound of her husband's step in the room beyond.
illnessnounUS /ˈɪlnəs/
impairment of normal physiological function affecting part or all of an organism
From this reading The slimness of her figure as she leaned among the cushions accentuated the fragility which her recent illness had stamped upon her.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading CONFESSION It was nearly two hours later that Vera sitting alone before her fire turned with a slight start at the sound of her husband's step in the room beyond.
intensifyverbUS /ɪnˈtensəfaɪ/
increase in extent or intensity
From this reading Her eyes were ringed with purple, and they had a startled expression that the sound of the squire's step served to intensify.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading CONFESSION It was nearly two hours later that Vera sitting alone before her fire turned with a slight start at the sound of her husband's step in the room beyond.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading CONFESSION It was nearly two hours later that Vera sitting alone before her fire turned with a slight start at the sound of her husband's step in the room beyond.
past form of “lean” — to incline or bend from a vertical position
From this reading The slimness of her figure as she leaned among the cushions accentuated the fragility which her recent illness had stamped upon her.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading She was wearing a pale silk dressing-gown and her hair hung in a single plait over her shoulder, giving her a curiously girlish look.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading At the soft turning of the handle she made a movement that was almost of shrinking.
a change of position that does not entail a change of location
From this reading At the soft turning of the handle she made a movement that was almost of shrinking.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading CONFESSION It was nearly two hours later that Vera sitting alone before her fire turned with a slight start at the sound of her husband's step in the room beyond.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading CONFESSION It was nearly two hours later that Vera sitting alone before her fire turned with a slight start at the sound of her husband's step in the room beyond.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading She was wearing a pale silk dressing-gown and her hair hung in a single plait over her shoulder, giving her a curiously girlish look.
very light colored; highly diluted with white
From this reading She was wearing a pale silk dressing-gown and her hair hung in a single plait over her shoulder, giving her a curiously girlish look.
plaitnounUS /pleɪt/
a hairdo formed by braiding or twisting the hair
From this reading She was wearing a pale silk dressing-gown and her hair hung in a single plait over her shoulder, giving her a curiously girlish look.
a purple color or pigment
From this reading Her eyes were ringed with purple, and they had a startled expression that the sound of the squire's step served to intensify.
recentadjectiveUS /ˈriːsənt/
new
From this reading The slimness of her figure as she leaned among the cushions accentuated the fragility which her recent illness had stamped upon her.
ringedadjectiveUS /rɪŋd/
shaped like a ring
From this reading Her eyes were ringed with purple, and they had a startled expression that the sound of the squire's step served to intensify.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading CONFESSION It was nearly two hours later that Vera sitting alone before her fire turned with a slight start at the sound of her husband's step in the room beyond.
past form of “serve” — serve a purpose, role, or function
From this reading Her eyes were ringed with purple, and they had a startled expression that the sound of the squire's step served to intensify.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She was wearing a pale silk dressing-gown and her hair hung in a single plait over her shoulder, giving her a curiously girlish look.
lift onto one's shoulders
From this reading She was wearing a pale silk dressing-gown and her hair hung in a single plait over her shoulder, giving her a curiously girlish look.
shrinkingnounUS /ˈʃrɪŋkɪŋ/
process or result of becoming less or smaller
From this reading At the soft turning of the handle she made a movement that was almost of shrinking.
a fabric made from the fine threads produced by certain insect larvae
From this reading She was wearing a pale silk dressing-gown and her hair hung in a single plait over her shoulder, giving her a curiously girlish look.
being or characteristic of a single thing or person
From this reading She was wearing a pale silk dressing-gown and her hair hung in a single plait over her shoulder, giving her a curiously girlish look.
(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)
From this reading CONFESSION It was nearly two hours later that Vera sitting alone before her fire turned with a slight start at the sound of her husband's step in the room beyond.
a deliberate discourteous act (usually as an expression of anger or disapproval)
From this reading CONFESSION It was nearly two hours later that Vera sitting alone before her fire turned with a slight start at the sound of her husband's step in the room beyond.
slimnessnoun
a small margin
From this reading The slimness of her figure as she leaned among the cushions accentuated the fragility which her recent illness had stamped upon her.
yielding readily to pressure or weight
From this reading At the soft turning of the handle she made a movement that was almost of shrinking.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading CONFESSION It was nearly two hours later that Vera sitting alone before her fire turned with a slight start at the sound of her husband's step in the room beyond.
squire's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her eyes were ringed with purple, and they had a startled expression that the sound of the squire's step served to intensify.
stampedverbUS /stæmpt/
past form of “stamp” — walk heavily
From this reading The slimness of her figure as she leaned among the cushions accentuated the fragility which her recent illness had stamped upon her.
take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading CONFESSION It was nearly two hours later that Vera sitting alone before her fire turned with a slight start at the sound of her husband's step in the room beyond.
excited by sudden surprise or alarm and making a quick involuntary movement
From this reading Her eyes were ringed with purple, and they had a startled expression that the sound of the squire's step served to intensify.
any maneuver made as part of progress toward a goal
From this reading CONFESSION It was nearly two hours later that Vera sitting alone before her fire turned with a slight start at the sound of her husband's step in the room beyond.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading CONFESSION It was nearly two hours later that Vera sitting alone before her fire turned with a slight start at the sound of her husband's step in the room beyond.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading CONFESSION It was nearly two hours later that Vera sitting alone before her fire turned with a slight start at the sound of her husband's step in the room beyond.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Her eyes were ringed with purple, and they had a startled expression that the sound of the squire's step served to intensify.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Her eyes were ringed with purple, and they had a startled expression that the sound of the squire's step served to intensify.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading CONFESSION It was nearly two hours later that Vera sitting alone before her fire turned with a slight start at the sound of her husband's step in the room beyond.
the act of changing or reversing the direction of the course
From this reading At the soft turning of the handle she made a movement that was almost of shrinking.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading CONFESSION It was nearly two hours later that Vera sitting alone before her fire turned with a slight start at the sound of her husband's step in the room beyond.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading The slimness of her figure as she leaned among the cushions accentuated the fragility which her recent illness had stamped upon her.
Vera
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading CONFESSION It was nearly two hours later that Vera sitting alone before her fire turned with a slight start at the sound of her husband's step in the room beyond.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading CONFESSION It was nearly two hours later that Vera sitting alone before her fire turned with a slight start at the sound of her husband's step in the room beyond.
(geology) the mechanical process of wearing or grinding something down (as by particles washing over it)
From this reading She was wearing a pale silk dressing-gown and her hair hung in a single plait over her shoulder, giving her a curiously girlish look.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Her eyes were ringed with purple, and they had a startled expression that the sound of the squire's step served to intensify.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The slimness of her figure as she leaned among the cushions accentuated the fragility which her recent illness had stamped upon her.
in the company of; together with
From this reading CONFESSION It was nearly two hours later that Vera sitting alone before her fire turned with a slight start at the sound of her husband's step in the room beyond.
