used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Madame Rosalie was setting her stage for a caller.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading The priestess herself, in her garnet-colored robe, moved about the room with the noiselessness of a shadow.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading Although it was barely dusk she drew the shades and swung the electric bulb over the end of the table.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading It was evidently to be an important client, for cards, crystal, horoscope, ouija-board, and other handmaidens to divination were set forth upon the table in the dim back parlor.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was evidently to be an important client, for cards, crystal, horoscope, ouija-board, and other handmaidens to divination were set forth upon the table in the dim back parlor.
a person whose creative work shows sensitivity and imagination
From this reading Then she stood surveying her work with the critical scrutiny of an artist experimenting for the best light upon his picture.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading It was evidently to be an important client, for cards, crystal, horoscope, ouija-board, and other handmaidens to divination were set forth upon the table in the dim back parlor.
barelyadverbUS /ˈberli/
only a very short time before
From this reading Although it was barely dusk she drew the shades and swung the electric bulb over the end of the table.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading It was evidently to be an important client, for cards, crystal, horoscope, ouija-board, and other handmaidens to divination were set forth upon the table in the dim back parlor.
the supreme effort one can make
From this reading Then she stood surveying her work with the critical scrutiny of an artist experimenting for the best light upon his picture.
bulbnounUS /bʌlb/
a modified bud consisting of a thickened globular underground stem serving as a reproductive structure
From this reading Although it was barely dusk she drew the shades and swung the electric bulb over the end of the table.
callernounUS /ˈkɔːlər/
a social or business visitor
From this reading Madame Rosalie was setting her stage for a caller.
a game played with playing cards
From this reading It was evidently to be an important client, for cards, crystal, horoscope, ouija-board, and other handmaidens to divination were set forth upon the table in the dim back parlor.
clientnounUS /ˈklaɪənt/
a person who seeks the advice of a lawyer
From this reading It was evidently to be an important client, for cards, crystal, horoscope, ouija-board, and other handmaidens to divination were set forth upon the table in the dim back parlor.
criticaladjectiveUS /ˈkrɪtɪkəl/
marked by a tendency to find and call attention to errors and flaws
From this reading Then she stood surveying her work with the critical scrutiny of an artist experimenting for the best light upon his picture.
crystalnounUS /ˈkrɪstəl/
a solid formed by the solidification of a chemical and having a highly regular atomic structure
From this reading It was evidently to be an important client, for cards, crystal, horoscope, ouija-board, and other handmaidens to divination were set forth upon the table in the dim back parlor.
lacking in light; not bright or harsh
From this reading It was evidently to be an important client, for cards, crystal, horoscope, ouija-board, and other handmaidens to divination were set forth upon the table in the dim back parlor.
divinationnounUS /ˌdɪvəˈneɪʃən/
successful conjecture by unusual insight or good luck
From this reading It was evidently to be an important client, for cards, crystal, horoscope, ouija-board, and other handmaidens to divination were set forth upon the table in the dim back parlor.
United States actor (born in Ireland); father of Georgiana Emma Barrymore (1827-1862)
From this reading Although it was barely dusk she drew the shades and swung the electric bulb over the end of the table.
dusknounUS /dʌsk/
the time of day immediately following sunset
From this reading Although it was barely dusk she drew the shades and swung the electric bulb over the end of the table.
electricadjectiveUS /ɪˈlektrɪk/
using or providing or producing or transmitting or operated by electricity
From this reading Although it was barely dusk she drew the shades and swung the electric bulb over the end of the table.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading Although it was barely dusk she drew the shades and swung the electric bulb over the end of the table.
unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)
From this reading It was evidently to be an important client, for cards, crystal, horoscope, ouija-board, and other handmaidens to divination were set forth upon the table in the dim back parlor.
experimentingverbUS /ekˈsperəmentɪŋ/
-ing form of “experiment” — to conduct a test or investigation
From this reading Then she stood surveying her work with the critical scrutiny of an artist experimenting for the best light upon his picture.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Madame Rosalie was setting her stage for a caller.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading It was evidently to be an important client, for cards, crystal, horoscope, ouija-board, and other handmaidens to divination were set forth upon the table in the dim back parlor.
garnet-coloredadjective
having the color of garnet
From this reading The priestess herself, in her garnet-colored robe, moved about the room with the noiselessness of a shadow.
handmaidens
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was evidently to be an important client, for cards, crystal, horoscope, ouija-board, and other handmaidens to divination were set forth upon the table in the dim back parlor.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Madame Rosalie was setting her stage for a caller.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading The priestess herself, in her garnet-colored robe, moved about the room with the noiselessness of a shadow.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Then she stood surveying her work with the critical scrutiny of an artist experimenting for the best light upon his picture.
horoscopenounUS /ˈhɔːrəskoʊp/
a prediction of someone's future based on the relative positions of the planets
From this reading It was evidently to be an important client, for cards, crystal, horoscope, ouija-board, and other handmaidens to divination were set forth upon the table in the dim back parlor.
of great significance or value
From this reading It was evidently to be an important client, for cards, crystal, horoscope, ouija-board, and other handmaidens to divination were set forth upon the table in the dim back parlor.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was evidently to be an important client, for cards, crystal, horoscope, ouija-board, and other handmaidens to divination were set forth upon the table in the dim back parlor.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was evidently to be an important client, for cards, crystal, horoscope, ouija-board, and other handmaidens to divination were set forth upon the table in the dim back parlor.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading Then she stood surveying her work with the critical scrutiny of an artist experimenting for the best light upon his picture.
title used for a married Frenchwoman
From this reading Madame Rosalie was setting her stage for a caller.
being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion
From this reading The priestess herself, in her garnet-colored robe, moved about the room with the noiselessness of a shadow.
noiselessnessnoun
the property of making no noise
From this reading The priestess herself, in her garnet-colored robe, moved about the room with the noiselessness of a shadow.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The priestess herself, in her garnet-colored robe, moved about the room with the noiselessness of a shadow.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading It was evidently to be an important client, for cards, crystal, horoscope, ouija-board, and other handmaidens to divination were set forth upon the table in the dim back parlor.
ouija-board
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was evidently to be an important client, for cards, crystal, horoscope, ouija-board, and other handmaidens to divination were set forth upon the table in the dim back parlor.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Although it was barely dusk she drew the shades and swung the electric bulb over the end of the table.
parlornounUS /ˈpɑːrlər/
reception room in an inn or club where visitors can be received
From this reading It was evidently to be an important client, for cards, crystal, horoscope, ouija-board, and other handmaidens to divination were set forth upon the table in the dim back parlor.
a visual representation (of an object or scene or person or abstraction) produced on a surface
From this reading Then she stood surveying her work with the critical scrutiny of an artist experimenting for the best light upon his picture.
priestessnounUS /ˈpriːstəs/
a woman priest
From this reading The priestess herself, in her garnet-colored robe, moved about the room with the noiselessness of a shadow.
robenounUS /roʊb/
any loose flowing garment
From this reading The priestess herself, in her garnet-colored robe, moved about the room with the noiselessness of a shadow.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading The priestess herself, in her garnet-colored robe, moved about the room with the noiselessness of a shadow.
Rosalie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Madame Rosalie was setting her stage for a caller.
scrutinynounUS /ˈskruːtəni/
the act of examining something closely (as for mistakes)
From this reading Then she stood surveying her work with the critical scrutiny of an artist experimenting for the best light upon his picture.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading It was evidently to be an important client, for cards, crystal, horoscope, ouija-board, and other handmaidens to divination were set forth upon the table in the dim back parlor.
the context and environment in which something is set
From this reading Madame Rosalie was setting her stage for a caller.
shadesnounUS /ʃeɪdz/
(plural) something that reminds you of someone or something
From this reading Although it was barely dusk she drew the shades and swung the electric bulb over the end of the table.
A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.
From this reading The priestess herself, in her garnet-colored robe, moved about the room with the noiselessness of a shadow.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Although it was barely dusk she drew the shades and swung the electric bulb over the end of the table.
any distinct time period in a sequence of events
From this reading Madame Rosalie was setting her stage for a caller.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading Then she stood surveying her work with the critical scrutiny of an artist experimenting for the best light upon his picture.
surveyingnounUS /sərˈveɪɪŋ/
the practice of measuring angles and distances on the ground so that they can be accurately plotted on a map
From this reading Then she stood surveying her work with the critical scrutiny of an artist experimenting for the best light upon his picture.
inflected form of “swing” — move in a curve or arc, usually with the intent of hitting
From this reading Although it was barely dusk she drew the shades and swung the electric bulb over the end of the table.
a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading It was evidently to be an important client, for cards, crystal, horoscope, ouija-board, and other handmaidens to divination were set forth upon the table in the dim back parlor.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It was evidently to be an important client, for cards, crystal, horoscope, ouija-board, and other handmaidens to divination were set forth upon the table in the dim back parlor.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then she stood surveying her work with the critical scrutiny of an artist experimenting for the best light upon his picture.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It was evidently to be an important client, for cards, crystal, horoscope, ouija-board, and other handmaidens to divination were set forth upon the table in the dim back parlor.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading It was evidently to be an important client, for cards, crystal, horoscope, ouija-board, and other handmaidens to divination were set forth upon the table in the dim back parlor.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Madame Rosalie was setting her stage for a caller.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading It was evidently to be an important client, for cards, crystal, horoscope, ouija-board, and other handmaidens to divination were set forth upon the table in the dim back parlor.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The priestess herself, in her garnet-colored robe, moved about the room with the noiselessness of a shadow.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading Then she stood surveying her work with the critical scrutiny of an artist experimenting for the best light upon his picture.
