used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading She was anxious to be friendly to Bridget, and she had a strong instinct of hospitality, but the little girl rather took away her breath.
declare to be true or admit the existence or reality or truth of
From this reading Just at that moment, luckily, the door between the shop and the parlour--a door in the corner behind the counter--opened, just a little, enough to admit Mrs. Fairchild, who came in quietly.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading _The Spider and the Fly._ Celestina hesitated.
eagerly desirous
From this reading She was anxious to be friendly to Bridget, and she had a strong instinct of hospitality, but the little girl rather took away her breath.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Just at that moment, luckily, the door between the shop and the parlour--a door in the corner behind the counter--opened, just a little, enough to admit Mrs. Fairchild, who came in quietly.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading She was anxious to be friendly to Bridget, and she had a strong instinct of hospitality, but the little girl rather took away her breath.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading She was anxious to be friendly to Bridget, and she had a strong instinct of hospitality, but the little girl rather took away her breath.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading Just at that moment, luckily, the door between the shop and the parlour--a door in the corner behind the counter--opened, just a little, enough to admit Mrs. Fairchild, who came in quietly.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading Just at that moment, luckily, the door between the shop and the parlour--a door in the corner behind the counter--opened, just a little, enough to admit Mrs. Fairchild, who came in quietly.
the process of taking in and expelling air during breathing
From this reading She was anxious to be friendly to Bridget, and she had a strong instinct of hospitality, but the little girl rather took away her breath.
BridgetnounUS /ˈbrɪdʒət/
Irish abbess; a patron saint of Ireland (453-523)
From this reading She was anxious to be friendly to Bridget, and she had a strong instinct of hospitality, but the little girl rather took away her breath.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading She was anxious to be friendly to Bridget, and she had a strong instinct of hospitality, but the little girl rather took away her breath.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Just at that moment, luckily, the door between the shop and the parlour--a door in the corner behind the counter--opened, just a little, enough to admit Mrs. Fairchild, who came in quietly.
Celestina
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _The Spider and the Fly._ Celestina hesitated.
a place off to the side of an area
From this reading Just at that moment, luckily, the door between the shop and the parlour--a door in the corner behind the counter--opened, just a little, enough to admit Mrs. Fairchild, who came in quietly.
counternounUS /ˈkaʊntər/
table consisting of a horizontal surface over which business is transacted
From this reading Just at that moment, luckily, the door between the shop and the parlour--a door in the corner behind the counter--opened, just a little, enough to admit Mrs. Fairchild, who came in quietly.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading Just at that moment, luckily, the door between the shop and the parlour--a door in the corner behind the counter--opened, just a little, enough to admit Mrs. Fairchild, who came in quietly.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading Just at that moment, luckily, the door between the shop and the parlour--a door in the corner behind the counter--opened, just a little, enough to admit Mrs. Fairchild, who came in quietly.
to a distinctly greater extent or degree than is common
From this reading She had heard voices in the shop, and thought she was probably needed there, though at this time of the morning, especially when Celestina was out, she had to be sometimes in the kitchen.
Fairchild
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Just at that moment, luckily, the door between the shop and the parlour--a door in the corner behind the counter--opened, just a little, enough to admit Mrs. Fairchild, who came in quietly.
travel through the air; be airborne
From this reading _The Spider and the Fly._ Celestina hesitated.
characteristic of or befitting a friend
From this reading She was anxious to be friendly to Bridget, and she had a strong instinct of hospitality, but the little girl rather took away her breath.
a young female
From this reading She was anxious to be friendly to Bridget, and she had a strong instinct of hospitality, but the little girl rather took away her breath.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading She was anxious to be friendly to Bridget, and she had a strong instinct of hospitality, but the little girl rather took away her breath.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading She had heard voices in the shop, and thought she was probably needed there, though at this time of the morning, especially when Celestina was out, she had to be sometimes in the kitchen.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She was anxious to be friendly to Bridget, and she had a strong instinct of hospitality, but the little girl rather took away her breath.
past form of “hesitate” — pause or hold back in uncertainty or unwillingness
From this reading _The Spider and the Fly._ Celestina hesitated.
hospitalitynounUS /ˌhɑːspəˈtæləti/
kindness in welcoming guests or strangers
From this reading She was anxious to be friendly to Bridget, and she had a strong instinct of hospitality, but the little girl rather took away her breath.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THE WINDOW IN THE WALL 'Will you step into my parlour?'
inborn pattern of behavior often responsive to specific stimuli
From this reading She was anxious to be friendly to Bridget, and she had a strong instinct of hospitality, but the little girl rather took away her breath.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading THE WINDOW IN THE WALL 'Will you step into my parlour?'
and nothing more
From this reading Just at that moment, luckily, the door between the shop and the parlour--a door in the corner behind the counter--opened, just a little, enough to admit Mrs. Fairchild, who came in quietly.
a room equipped for preparing meals
From this reading She had heard voices in the shop, and thought she was probably needed there, though at this time of the morning, especially when Celestina was out, she had to be sometimes in the kitchen.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading She was anxious to be friendly to Bridget, and she had a strong instinct of hospitality, but the little girl rather took away her breath.
luckilyadverbUS /ˈlʌkəli/
by good fortune
From this reading Just at that moment, luckily, the door between the shop and the parlour--a door in the corner behind the counter--opened, just a little, enough to admit Mrs. Fairchild, who came in quietly.
a particular point in time
From this reading Just at that moment, luckily, the door between the shop and the parlour--a door in the corner behind the counter--opened, just a little, enough to admit Mrs. Fairchild, who came in quietly.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading She had heard voices in the shop, and thought she was probably needed there, though at this time of the morning, especially when Celestina was out, she had to be sometimes in the kitchen.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading Just at that moment, luckily, the door between the shop and the parlour--a door in the corner behind the counter--opened, just a little, enough to admit Mrs. Fairchild, who came in quietly.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading THE WINDOW IN THE WALL 'Will you step into my parlour?'
necessary for relief or supply
From this reading She had heard voices in the shop, and thought she was probably needed there, though at this time of the morning, especially when Celestina was out, she had to be sometimes in the kitchen.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading She was anxious to be friendly to Bridget, and she had a strong instinct of hospitality, but the little girl rather took away her breath.
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading Just at that moment, luckily, the door between the shop and the parlour--a door in the corner behind the counter--opened, just a little, enough to admit Mrs. Fairchild, who came in quietly.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading She had heard voices in the shop, and thought she was probably needed there, though at this time of the morning, especially when Celestina was out, she had to be sometimes in the kitchen.
parlournounUS /ˈpɑːrlər/
reception room in an inn or club where visitors can be received
From this reading THE WINDOW IN THE WALL 'Will you step into my parlour?'
with considerable certainty; without much doubt
From this reading She had heard voices in the shop, and thought she was probably needed there, though at this time of the morning, especially when Celestina was out, she had to be sometimes in the kitchen.
with low volume
From this reading Just at that moment, luckily, the door between the shop and the parlour--a door in the corner behind the counter--opened, just a little, enough to admit Mrs. Fairchild, who came in quietly.
on the contrary
From this reading She was anxious to be friendly to Bridget, and she had a strong instinct of hospitality, but the little girl rather took away her breath.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She was anxious to be friendly to Bridget, and she had a strong instinct of hospitality, but the little girl rather took away her breath.
do one's shopping
From this reading Just at that moment, luckily, the door between the shop and the parlour--a door in the corner behind the counter--opened, just a little, enough to admit Mrs. Fairchild, who came in quietly.
on certain occasions or in certain cases but not always
From this reading She had heard voices in the shop, and thought she was probably needed there, though at this time of the morning, especially when Celestina was out, she had to be sometimes in the kitchen.
SpidernounUS /ˈspaɪdər/
predatory arachnid with eight legs, two poison fangs, two feelers, and usually two silk-spinning organs at the back end of the body; they spin silk to make cocoons for eggs or traps for prey
From this reading _The Spider and the Fly._ Celestina hesitated.
any maneuver made as part of progress toward a goal
From this reading THE WINDOW IN THE WALL 'Will you step into my parlour?'
having strength or power greater than average or expected
From this reading She was anxious to be friendly to Bridget, and she had a strong instinct of hospitality, but the little girl rather took away her breath.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Just at that moment, luckily, the door between the shop and the parlour--a door in the corner behind the counter--opened, just a little, enough to admit Mrs. Fairchild, who came in quietly.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE WINDOW IN THE WALL 'Will you step into my parlour?'
in or at that place or location
From this reading She had heard voices in the shop, and thought she was probably needed there, though at this time of the morning, especially when Celestina was out, she had to be sometimes in the kitchen.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading She had heard voices in the shop, and thought she was probably needed there, though at this time of the morning, especially when Celestina was out, she had to be sometimes in the kitchen.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading She had heard voices in the shop, and thought she was probably needed there, though at this time of the morning, especially when Celestina was out, she had to be sometimes in the kitchen.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading She had heard voices in the shop, and thought she was probably needed there, though at this time of the morning, especially when Celestina was out, she had to be sometimes in the kitchen.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading She had heard voices in the shop, and thought she was probably needed there, though at this time of the morning, especially when Celestina was out, she had to be sometimes in the kitchen.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading She was anxious to be friendly to Bridget, and she had a strong instinct of hospitality, but the little girl rather took away her breath.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading She was anxious to be friendly to Bridget, and she had a strong instinct of hospitality, but the little girl rather took away her breath.
plural of “voice” — the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading She had heard voices in the shop, and thought she was probably needed there, though at this time of the morning, especially when Celestina was out, she had to be sometimes in the kitchen.
an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure
From this reading THE WINDOW IN THE WALL 'Will you step into my parlour?'
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading She was anxious to be friendly to Bridget, and she had a strong instinct of hospitality, but the little girl rather took away her breath.
at the time that
From this reading She had heard voices in the shop, and thought she was probably needed there, though at this time of the morning, especially when Celestina was out, she had to be sometimes in the kitchen.
which person or people
From this reading Just at that moment, luckily, the door between the shop and the parlour--a door in the corner behind the counter--opened, just a little, enough to admit Mrs. Fairchild, who came in quietly.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading THE WINDOW IN THE WALL 'Will you step into my parlour?'
a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air
From this reading THE WINDOW IN THE WALL 'Will you step into my parlour?'
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading THE WINDOW IN THE WALL 'Will you step into my parlour?'
