used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading She was sitting before the dining-room fire, with a shilling manicure set in her lap, polishing her finger-nails.
the part of the day between noon and evening
From this reading It reached her early the next afternoon.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading There was no one else in the room; Bee had gone back to the studio, and the Professor was at Great Hunby.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The handwriting was unfamiliar, and she opened the envelope with as much interest as was natural in a girl whose letters were few.
the feeling that accompanies something extremely surprising
From this reading Astonishment laid hold of her at the first lines.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading There was no one else in the room; Bee had gone back to the studio, and the Professor was at Great Hunby.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading There was no one else in the room; Bee had gone back to the studio, and the Professor was at Great Hunby.
BeenounUS /biː/
any of numerous hairy-bodied insects including social and solitary species
From this reading There was no one else in the room; Bee had gone back to the studio, and the Professor was at Great Hunby.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading She was sitting before the dining-room fire, with a shilling manicure set in her lap, polishing her finger-nails.
dining-roomnoun
a room used for dining
From this reading She was sitting before the dining-room fire, with a shilling manicure set in her lap, polishing her finger-nails.
earlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/
at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time
From this reading It reached her early the next afternoon.
else
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no one else in the room; Bee had gone back to the studio, and the Professor was at Great Hunby.
envelopenounUS /ˈenvəloʊp/
a flat (usually rectangular) container for a letter, thin package, etc.
From this reading The handwriting was unfamiliar, and she opened the envelope with as much interest as was natural in a girl whose letters were few.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading The handwriting was unfamiliar, and she opened the envelope with as much interest as was natural in a girl whose letters were few.
finger-nails
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was sitting before the dining-room fire, with a shilling manicure set in her lap, polishing her finger-nails.
start firing a weapon
From this reading She was sitting before the dining-room fire, with a shilling manicure set in her lap, polishing her finger-nails.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading Astonishment laid hold of her at the first lines.
a young female
From this reading The handwriting was unfamiliar, and she opened the envelope with as much interest as was natural in a girl whose letters were few.
destroyed or killed
From this reading There was no one else in the room; Bee had gone back to the studio, and the Professor was at Great Hunby.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading There was no one else in the room; Bee had gone back to the studio, and the Professor was at Great Hunby.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading There was no one else in the room; Bee had gone back to the studio, and the Professor was at Great Hunby.
handwritingnounUS /ˈhændraɪtɪŋ/
something written by hand
From this reading The handwriting was unfamiliar, and she opened the envelope with as much interest as was natural in a girl whose letters were few.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading It reached her early the next afternoon.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading Astonishment laid hold of her at the first lines.
Hunby
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no one else in the room; Bee had gone back to the studio, and the Professor was at Great Hunby.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading She was sitting before the dining-room fire, with a shilling manicure set in her lap, polishing her finger-nails.
a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something
From this reading The handwriting was unfamiliar, and she opened the envelope with as much interest as was natural in a girl whose letters were few.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It reached her early the next afternoon.
set down according to a plan
From this reading Astonishment laid hold of her at the first lines.
lapverbUS /læp/
lie partly over or alongside of something or of one another
From this reading She was sitting before the dining-room fire, with a shilling manicure set in her lap, polishing her finger-nails.
the literary culture
From this reading The handwriting was unfamiliar, and she opened the envelope with as much interest as was natural in a girl whose letters were few.
plural of “line” — a formation of people or things one beside another
From this reading Astonishment laid hold of her at the first lines.
manicureverbUS /ˈmænɪkjər/
trim carefully and neatly
From this reading She was sitting before the dining-room fire, with a shilling manicure set in her lap, polishing her finger-nails.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading The handwriting was unfamiliar, and she opened the envelope with as much interest as was natural in a girl whose letters were few.
in accordance with nature; relating to or concerning nature
From this reading The handwriting was unfamiliar, and she opened the envelope with as much interest as was natural in a girl whose letters were few.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading It reached her early the next afternoon.
not any; not one
From this reading There was no one else in the room; Bee had gone back to the studio, and the Professor was at Great Hunby.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Astonishment laid hold of her at the first lines.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading There was no one else in the room; Bee had gone back to the studio, and the Professor was at Great Hunby.
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading The handwriting was unfamiliar, and she opened the envelope with as much interest as was natural in a girl whose letters were few.
polishingnounUS /ˈpɑːlɪʃɪŋ/
the work of making something smooth and shiny by rubbing or waxing it
From this reading She was sitting before the dining-room fire, with a shilling manicure set in her lap, polishing her finger-nails.
someone who is a member of the faculty at a college or university
From this reading There was no one else in the room; Bee had gone back to the studio, and the Professor was at Great Hunby.
past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading It reached her early the next afternoon.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading There was no one else in the room; Bee had gone back to the studio, and the Professor was at Great Hunby.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading She was sitting before the dining-room fire, with a shilling manicure set in her lap, polishing her finger-nails.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She was sitting before the dining-room fire, with a shilling manicure set in her lap, polishing her finger-nails.
shillingnounUS /ˈʃɪlɪŋ/
the basic unit of money in Uganda; equal to 100 cents
From this reading She was sitting before the dining-room fire, with a shilling manicure set in her lap, polishing her finger-nails.
(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)
From this reading She was sitting before the dining-room fire, with a shilling manicure set in her lap, polishing her finger-nails.
studionounUS /ˈstuːdioʊ/
workplace for the teaching or practice of an art
From this reading There was no one else in the room; Bee had gone back to the studio, and the Professor was at Great Hunby.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It reached her early the next afternoon.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was no one else in the room; Bee had gone back to the studio, and the Professor was at Great Hunby.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading There was no one else in the room; Bee had gone back to the studio, and the Professor was at Great Hunby.
unfamiliaradjectiveUS /ˌʌnfəˈmɪljər/
not known or well known
From this reading The handwriting was unfamiliar, and she opened the envelope with as much interest as was natural in a girl whose letters were few.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading She was sitting before the dining-room fire, with a shilling manicure set in her lap, polishing her finger-nails.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The handwriting was unfamiliar, and she opened the envelope with as much interest as was natural in a girl whose letters were few.
belonging to which person
From this reading The handwriting was unfamiliar, and she opened the envelope with as much interest as was natural in a girl whose letters were few.
in the company of; together with
From this reading She was sitting before the dining-room fire, with a shilling manicure set in her lap, polishing her finger-nails.
