used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Aubrey Vair lived in a little red villa with a lawn at the back and a view of the Downs behind Reigate.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading His wife was handsome, sweet, and gentle, and--such is the tender humility of good married women--she found her life's happiness in seeing that little Aubrey Vair had well-cooked variety for dinner, and that their house was the neatest and brightest of all the houses they entered.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Aubrey Vair lived in a little red villa with a lawn at the back and a view of the Downs behind Reigate.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Aubrey Vair lived in a little red villa with a lawn at the back and a view of the Downs behind Reigate.
Aubrey
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Aubrey Vair lived in a little red villa with a lawn at the back and a view of the Downs behind Reigate.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading Aubrey Vair lived in a little red villa with a lawn at the back and a view of the Downs behind Reigate.
for the reason that
From this reading Aubrey Vair enjoyed the dinners, and was proud of the house, yet nevertheless he mourned because his genius dwindled.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading Aubrey Vair lived in a little red villa with a lawn at the back and a view of the Downs behind Reigate.
brightestadjectiveUS /ˈbraɪtəst/
superlative of “bright” — emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts
From this reading His wife was handsome, sweet, and gentle, and--such is the tender humility of good married women--she found her life's happiness in seeing that little Aubrey Vair had well-cooked variety for dinner, and that their house was the neatest and brightest of all the houses they entered.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading He lived upon discreet investment eked out by literary work.
corpulencenoun
the property of excessive fatness
From this reading Moreover, he grew plump, and corpulence threatened him.
the main meal of the day served in the evening or at midday
From this reading His wife was handsome, sweet, and gentle, and--such is the tender humility of good married women--she found her life's happiness in seeing that little Aubrey Vair had well-cooked variety for dinner, and that their house was the neatest and brightest of all the houses they entered.
dinnersnounUS /ˈdɪnərz/
plural of “dinner” — the main meal of the day served in the evening or at midday
From this reading Aubrey Vair enjoyed the dinners, and was proud of the house, yet nevertheless he mourned because his genius dwindled.
discreetadjectiveUS /dɪˈskriːt/
marked by prudence or modesty and wise self-restraint
From this reading He lived upon discreet investment eked out by literary work.
DownsnounUS /daʊnz/
plural of “down” — soft fine feathers
From this reading Aubrey Vair lived in a little red villa with a lawn at the back and a view of the Downs behind Reigate.
dwindledverbUS /ˈdwɪndəld/
past form of “dwindle” — become smaller or lose substance
From this reading Aubrey Vair enjoyed the dinners, and was proud of the house, yet nevertheless he mourned because his genius dwindled.
eked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He lived upon discreet investment eked out by literary work.
past form of “enjoy” — derive or receive pleasure from; get enjoyment from; take pleasure in
From this reading Aubrey Vair enjoyed the dinners, and was proud of the house, yet nevertheless he mourned because his genius dwindled.
past form of “enter” — to come or go into
From this reading His wife was handsome, sweet, and gentle, and--such is the tender humility of good married women--she found her life's happiness in seeing that little Aubrey Vair had well-cooked variety for dinner, and that their house was the neatest and brightest of all the houses they entered.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading His wife was handsome, sweet, and gentle, and--such is the tender humility of good married women--she found her life's happiness in seeing that little Aubrey Vair had well-cooked variety for dinner, and that their house was the neatest and brightest of all the houses they entered.
set up or found
From this reading His wife was handsome, sweet, and gentle, and--such is the tender humility of good married women--she found her life's happiness in seeing that little Aubrey Vair had well-cooked variety for dinner, and that their house was the neatest and brightest of all the houses they entered.
someone who has exceptional intellectual ability and originality
From this reading Aubrey Vair enjoyed the dinners, and was proud of the house, yet nevertheless he mourned because his genius dwindled.
soft and mild; not harsh or stern or severe
From this reading His wife was handsome, sweet, and gentle, and--such is the tender humility of good married women--she found her life's happiness in seeing that little Aubrey Vair had well-cooked variety for dinner, and that their house was the neatest and brightest of all the houses they entered.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading His wife was handsome, sweet, and gentle, and--such is the tender humility of good married women--she found her life's happiness in seeing that little Aubrey Vair had well-cooked variety for dinner, and that their house was the neatest and brightest of all the houses they entered.
inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading Moreover, he grew plump, and corpulence threatened him.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading His wife was handsome, sweet, and gentle, and--such is the tender humility of good married women--she found her life's happiness in seeing that little Aubrey Vair had well-cooked variety for dinner, and that their house was the neatest and brightest of all the houses they entered.
pleasing in appearance especially by reason of conformity to ideals of form and proportion
From this reading His wife was handsome, sweet, and gentle, and--such is the tender humility of good married women--she found her life's happiness in seeing that little Aubrey Vair had well-cooked variety for dinner, and that their house was the neatest and brightest of all the houses they entered.
state of well-being characterized by emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy
From this reading His wife was handsome, sweet, and gentle, and--such is the tender humility of good married women--she found her life's happiness in seeing that little Aubrey Vair had well-cooked variety for dinner, and that their house was the neatest and brightest of all the houses they entered.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He lived upon discreet investment eked out by literary work.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading His wife was handsome, sweet, and gentle, and--such is the tender humility of good married women--she found her life's happiness in seeing that little Aubrey Vair had well-cooked variety for dinner, and that their house was the neatest and brightest of all the houses they entered.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Moreover, he grew plump, and corpulence threatened him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading His wife was handsome, sweet, and gentle, and--such is the tender humility of good married women--she found her life's happiness in seeing that little Aubrey Vair had well-cooked variety for dinner, and that their house was the neatest and brightest of all the houses they entered.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading His wife was handsome, sweet, and gentle, and--such is the tender humility of good married women--she found her life's happiness in seeing that little Aubrey Vair had well-cooked variety for dinner, and that their house was the neatest and brightest of all the houses they entered.
plural of “house” — a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading His wife was handsome, sweet, and gentle, and--such is the tender humility of good married women--she found her life's happiness in seeing that little Aubrey Vair had well-cooked variety for dinner, and that their house was the neatest and brightest of all the houses they entered.
humilitynounUS /hjuːˈmɪlɪti/
a disposition to be humble; a lack of false pride
From this reading His wife was handsome, sweet, and gentle, and--such is the tender humility of good married women--she found her life's happiness in seeing that little Aubrey Vair had well-cooked variety for dinner, and that their house was the neatest and brightest of all the houses they entered.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Aubrey Vair lived in a little red villa with a lawn at the back and a view of the Downs behind Reigate.
investmentnounUS /ˌɪnˈvestmənt/
the act of investing; laying out money or capital in an enterprise with the expectation of profit
From this reading He lived upon discreet investment eked out by literary work.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading His wife was handsome, sweet, and gentle, and--such is the tender humility of good married women--she found her life's happiness in seeing that little Aubrey Vair had well-cooked variety for dinner, and that their house was the neatest and brightest of all the houses they entered.
lawnnounUS /lɔːn/
a field of cultivated and mowed grass
From this reading Aubrey Vair lived in a little red villa with a lawn at the back and a view of the Downs behind Reigate.
life'snounUS /laɪfs/
possessive form of “life” — a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading His wife was handsome, sweet, and gentle, and--such is the tender humility of good married women--she found her life's happiness in seeing that little Aubrey Vair had well-cooked variety for dinner, and that their house was the neatest and brightest of all the houses they entered.
of or relating to or characteristic of literature
From this reading He lived upon discreet investment eked out by literary work.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Aubrey Vair lived in a little red villa with a lawn at the back and a view of the Downs behind Reigate.
past form of “live” — be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading Aubrey Vair lived in a little red villa with a lawn at the back and a view of the Downs behind Reigate.
joined in matrimony
From this reading His wife was handsome, sweet, and gentle, and--such is the tender humility of good married women--she found her life's happiness in seeing that little Aubrey Vair had well-cooked variety for dinner, and that their house was the neatest and brightest of all the houses they entered.
in addition to what has just been said
From this reading Moreover, he grew plump, and corpulence threatened him.
mournedverbUS /mɔːrnd/
past form of “mourn” — feel sadness
From this reading Aubrey Vair enjoyed the dinners, and was proud of the house, yet nevertheless he mourned because his genius dwindled.
neatestadjectiveUS /ˈniːtəst/
superlative of “neat” — clean or organized
From this reading His wife was handsome, sweet, and gentle, and--such is the tender humility of good married women--she found her life's happiness in seeing that little Aubrey Vair had well-cooked variety for dinner, and that their house was the neatest and brightest of all the houses they entered.
in spite of what has just been said
From this reading Aubrey Vair enjoyed the dinners, and was proud of the house, yet nevertheless he mourned because his genius dwindled.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Aubrey Vair lived in a little red villa with a lawn at the back and a view of the Downs behind Reigate.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading He lived upon discreet investment eked out by literary work.
plumpadjectiveUS /plʌmp/
sufficiently fat so as to have a pleasing fullness of figure
From this reading Moreover, he grew plump, and corpulence threatened him.
feeling self-respect or pleasure in something by which you measure your self-worth; or being a reason for pride
From this reading Aubrey Vair enjoyed the dinners, and was proud of the house, yet nevertheless he mourned because his genius dwindled.
red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood
From this reading Aubrey Vair lived in a little red villa with a lawn at the back and a view of the Downs behind Reigate.
Reigate
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Aubrey Vair lived in a little red villa with a lawn at the back and a view of the Downs behind Reigate.
perception by means of the eyes
From this reading His wife was handsome, sweet, and gentle, and--such is the tender humility of good married women--she found her life's happiness in seeing that little Aubrey Vair had well-cooked variety for dinner, and that their house was the neatest and brightest of all the houses they entered.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading His wife was handsome, sweet, and gentle, and--such is the tender humility of good married women--she found her life's happiness in seeing that little Aubrey Vair had well-cooked variety for dinner, and that their house was the neatest and brightest of all the houses they entered.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading His wife was handsome, sweet, and gentle, and--such is the tender humility of good married women--she found her life's happiness in seeing that little Aubrey Vair had well-cooked variety for dinner, and that their house was the neatest and brightest of all the houses they entered.
having or denoting the characteristic taste of sugar
From this reading His wife was handsome, sweet, and gentle, and--such is the tender humility of good married women--she found her life's happiness in seeing that little Aubrey Vair had well-cooked variety for dinner, and that their house was the neatest and brightest of all the houses they entered.
given to sympathy or gentleness or sentimentality
From this reading His wife was handsome, sweet, and gentle, and--such is the tender humility of good married women--she found her life's happiness in seeing that little Aubrey Vair had well-cooked variety for dinner, and that their house was the neatest and brightest of all the houses they entered.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading His wife was handsome, sweet, and gentle, and--such is the tender humility of good married women--she found her life's happiness in seeing that little Aubrey Vair had well-cooked variety for dinner, and that their house was the neatest and brightest of all the houses they entered.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Aubrey Vair lived in a little red villa with a lawn at the back and a view of the Downs behind Reigate.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading His wife was handsome, sweet, and gentle, and--such is the tender humility of good married women--she found her life's happiness in seeing that little Aubrey Vair had well-cooked variety for dinner, and that their house was the neatest and brightest of all the houses they entered.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading His wife was handsome, sweet, and gentle, and--such is the tender humility of good married women--she found her life's happiness in seeing that little Aubrey Vair had well-cooked variety for dinner, and that their house was the neatest and brightest of all the houses they entered.
(of flora or fauna) likely in the near future to become endangered
From this reading Moreover, he grew plump, and corpulence threatened him.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading He lived upon discreet investment eked out by literary work.
Vair
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Aubrey Vair lived in a little red villa with a lawn at the back and a view of the Downs behind Reigate.
varietynounUS /vərˈaɪəti/
a collection containing a variety of sorts of things
From this reading His wife was handsome, sweet, and gentle, and--such is the tender humility of good married women--she found her life's happiness in seeing that little Aubrey Vair had well-cooked variety for dinner, and that their house was the neatest and brightest of all the houses they entered.
a way of regarding situations or topics etc.
From this reading Aubrey Vair lived in a little red villa with a lawn at the back and a view of the Downs behind Reigate.
villanounUS /ˈvɪlə/
Mexican revolutionary leader (1877-1923)
From this reading Aubrey Vair lived in a little red villa with a lawn at the back and a view of the Downs behind Reigate.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading His wife was handsome, sweet, and gentle, and--such is the tender humility of good married women--she found her life's happiness in seeing that little Aubrey Vair had well-cooked variety for dinner, and that their house was the neatest and brightest of all the houses they entered.
well-cooked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His wife was handsome, sweet, and gentle, and--such is the tender humility of good married women--she found her life's happiness in seeing that little Aubrey Vair had well-cooked variety for dinner, and that their house was the neatest and brightest of all the houses they entered.
a married woman; a man's partner in marriage
From this reading His wife was handsome, sweet, and gentle, and--such is the tender humility of good married women--she found her life's happiness in seeing that little Aubrey Vair had well-cooked variety for dinner, and that their house was the neatest and brightest of all the houses they entered.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Aubrey Vair lived in a little red villa with a lawn at the back and a view of the Downs behind Reigate.
plural of “woman” — an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading His wife was handsome, sweet, and gentle, and--such is the tender humility of good married women--she found her life's happiness in seeing that little Aubrey Vair had well-cooked variety for dinner, and that their house was the neatest and brightest of all the houses they entered.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading He lived upon discreet investment eked out by literary work.
but in spite of that
From this reading Aubrey Vair enjoyed the dinners, and was proud of the house, yet nevertheless he mourned because his genius dwindled.
