used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading One held her pot of rouge, another a box of black pins, a third an enormous lace cap, with flaming ribbons.
(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 The Countess had no longer the slightest pretence to beauty, but she preserved all the habits of her youth.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading One held her pot of rouge, another a box of black pins, a third an enormous lace cap, with flaming ribbons.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She dressed in the style of fifty years before, and gave as much time and attention to her toilet as a fashionable beauty of the last century.
a former copper coin of Pakistan and India
From this reading The old Countess Anna Fedotovna was in her dressing-room, seated before her looking-glass.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading One held her pot of rouge, another a box of black pins, a third an enormous lace cap, with flaming ribbons.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading She dressed in the style of fifty years before, and gave as much time and attention to her toilet as a fashionable beauty of the last century.
attendancenounUS /əˈtendəns/
the act of being present (at a meeting or event etc.)
From this reading Three maids were in attendance.
the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others
From this reading She dressed in the style of fifty years before, and gave as much time and attention to her toilet as a fashionable beauty of the last century.
the qualities that give pleasure to the senses
From this reading The Countess had no longer the slightest pretence to beauty, but she preserved all the habits of her youth.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading The old Countess Anna Fedotovna was in her dressing-room, seated before her looking-glass.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading One held her pot of rouge, another a box of black pins, a third an enormous lace cap, with flaming ribbons.
a (usually rectangular) container; may have a lid
From this reading One held her pot of rouge, another a box of black pins, a third an enormous lace cap, with flaming ribbons.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The Countess had no longer the slightest pretence to beauty, but she preserved all the habits of her youth.
a tight-fitting headdress
From this reading One held her pot of rouge, another a box of black pins, a third an enormous lace cap, with flaming ribbons.
a period of 100 years
From this reading She dressed in the style of fifty years before, and gave as much time and attention to her toilet as a fashionable beauty of the last century.
female equivalent of a count or earl
From this reading The old Countess Anna Fedotovna was in her dressing-room, seated before her looking-glass.
dressed or clothed especially in fine attire; often used in combination
From this reading She dressed in the style of fifty years before, and gave as much time and attention to her toilet as a fashionable beauty of the last century.
dressing-room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The old Countess Anna Fedotovna was in her dressing-room, seated before her looking-glass.
extraordinarily large in size or extent or amount or power or degree
From this reading One held her pot of rouge, another a box of black pins, a third an enormous lace cap, with flaming ribbons.
fashionableadjectiveUS /ˈfæʃənəbəl/
being or in accordance with current social fashions
From this reading She dressed in the style of fifty years before, and gave as much time and attention to her toilet as a fashionable beauty of the last century.
Fedotovna
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The old Countess Anna Fedotovna was in her dressing-room, seated before her looking-glass.
the cardinal number that is the product of ten and five
From this reading She dressed in the style of fifty years before, and gave as much time and attention to her toilet as a fashionable beauty of the last century.
flamingadjectiveUS /ˈfleɪmɪŋ/
informal intensifiers
From this reading One held her pot of rouge, another a box of black pins, a third an enormous lace cap, with flaming ribbons.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading She dressed in the style of fifty years before, and gave as much time and attention to her toilet as a fashionable beauty of the last century.
plural of “habit” — an established custom
From this reading The Countess had no longer the slightest pretence to beauty, but she preserved all the habits of her youth.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The Countess had no longer the slightest pretence to beauty, but she preserved all the habits of her youth.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading One held her pot of rouge, another a box of black pins, a third an enormous lace cap, with flaming ribbons.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The old Countess Anna Fedotovna was in her dressing-room, seated before her looking-glass.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The old Countess Anna Fedotovna was in her dressing-room, seated before her looking-glass.
laceverbUS /leɪs/
spin, wind, or twist together
From this reading One held her pot of rouge, another a box of black pins, a third an enormous lace cap, with flaming ribbons.
immediately past
From this reading She dressed in the style of fifty years before, and gave as much time and attention to her toilet as a fashionable beauty of the last century.
for more time
From this reading The Countess had no longer the slightest pretence to beauty, but she preserved all the habits of her youth.
looking-glass
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The old Countess Anna Fedotovna was in her dressing-room, seated before her looking-glass.
maidsnounUS /meɪdz/
plural of “maid” — a female domestic
From this reading Three maids were in attendance.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading She dressed in the style of fifty years before, and gave as much time and attention to her toilet as a fashionable beauty of the last century.
not any; not one
From this reading The Countess had no longer the slightest pretence to beauty, but she preserved all the habits of her youth.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading One held her pot of rouge, another a box of black pins, a third an enormous lace cap, with flaming ribbons.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading The old Countess Anna Fedotovna was in her dressing-room, seated before her looking-glass.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading One held her pot of rouge, another a box of black pins, a third an enormous lace cap, with flaming ribbons.
pinsnounUS /pɪnz/
plural of “pin” — a piece of jewelry that is pinned onto the wearer's garment
From this reading One held her pot of rouge, another a box of black pins, a third an enormous lace cap, with flaming ribbons.
potnounUS /pɑːt/
metal or earthenware cooking vessel that is usually round and deep; often has a handle and lid
From this reading One held her pot of rouge, another a box of black pins, a third an enormous lace cap, with flaming ribbons.
preservedadjectiveUS /prəˈzɜːrvd/
prevented from decaying or spoiling and prepared for future use
From this reading The Countess had no longer the slightest pretence to beauty, but she preserved all the habits of her youth.
pretencenoun
a false or unsupportable quality
From this reading The Countess had no longer the slightest pretence to beauty, but she preserved all the habits of her youth.
ribbonsnounUS /ˈrɪbənz/
plural of “ribbon” — any long object resembling a thin line
From this reading One held her pot of rouge, another a box of black pins, a third an enormous lace cap, with flaming ribbons.
rougenounUS /ruːʒ/
makeup consisting of a pink or red powder applied to the cheeks
From this reading One held her pot of rouge, another a box of black pins, a third an enormous lace cap, with flaming ribbons.
(of persons) having the torso erect and legs bent with the body supported on the buttocks
From this reading The old Countess Anna Fedotovna was in her dressing-room, seated before her looking-glass.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The Countess had no longer the slightest pretence to beauty, but she preserved all the habits of her youth.
superlative of “slight” — (quantifier used with mass nouns) small in quantity or degree; not much or almost none or (with “a”) at least some
From this reading The Countess had no longer the slightest pretence to beauty, but she preserved all the habits of her youth.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading She dressed in the style of fifty years before, and gave as much time and attention to her toilet as a fashionable beauty of the last century.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The old Countess Anna Fedotovna was in her dressing-room, seated before her looking-glass.
one of three equal parts of a divisible whole
From this reading One held her pot of rouge, another a box of black pins, a third an enormous lace cap, with flaming ribbons.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading Three maids were in attendance.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading She dressed in the style of fifty years before, and gave as much time and attention to her toilet as a fashionable beauty of the last century.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The Countess had no longer the slightest pretence to beauty, but she preserved all the habits of her youth.
toiletnounUS /ˈtɔɪlət/
a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading She dressed in the style of fifty years before, and gave as much time and attention to her toilet as a fashionable beauty of the last century.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The old Countess Anna Fedotovna was in her dressing-room, seated before her looking-glass.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Three maids were in attendance.
in the company of; together with
From this reading One held her pot of rouge, another a box of black pins, a third an enormous lace cap, with flaming ribbons.
a late time of life
From this reading She dressed in the style of fifty years before, and gave as much time and attention to her toilet as a fashionable beauty of the last century.
a young person (especially a young man or boy)
From this reading The Countess had no longer the slightest pretence to beauty, but she preserved all the habits of her youth.
