used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The kitchen door opened with a nervous creak and a wrinkled brown face, encircled by the frills of a muslin nightcap, peered cautiously in.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The kitchen door opened with a nervous creak and a wrinkled brown face, encircled by the frills of a muslin nightcap, peered cautiously in.
Areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "Are you asleep, my dear?" asked Granny Grimshaw with tender solicitude.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading "Are you asleep, my dear?" asked Granny Grimshaw with tender solicitude.
in a state of sleep
From this reading "Are you asleep, my dear?" asked Granny Grimshaw with tender solicitude.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He was sitting at the table with his elbows upon it and his head in his hands.
an orange of low brightness and saturation
From this reading The kitchen door opened with a nervous creak and a wrinkled brown face, encircled by the frills of a muslin nightcap, peered cautiously in.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The kitchen door opened with a nervous creak and a wrinkled brown face, encircled by the frills of a muslin nightcap, peered cautiously in.
cautiouslyadverbUS /ˈkɔːʃəsli/
as if with kid gloves; with caution or prudence or tact
From this reading The kitchen door opened with a nervous creak and a wrinkled brown face, encircled by the frills of a muslin nightcap, peered cautiously in.
tall annual cereal grass bearing kernels on large ears: widely cultivated in America in many varieties; the principal cereal in Mexico and Central and South America since pre-Columbian times
From this reading CORN "Master Jeff!"
creakverbUS /kriːk/
make a high-pitched, screeching noise
From this reading The kitchen door opened with a nervous creak and a wrinkled brown face, encircled by the frills of a muslin nightcap, peered cautiously in.
curlingnounUS /ˈkɜːrlɪŋ/
a game played on ice in which heavy stones with handles are slid toward a target
From this reading She saw the smoke curling upwards from his pipe, and rightly deduced from this that he was not asleep.
dearly loved
From this reading "Are you asleep, my dear?" asked Granny Grimshaw with tender solicitude.
deducedverbUS /dɪˈduːst/
past form of “deduce” — reason by deduction; establish by deduction
From this reading She saw the smoke curling upwards from his pipe, and rightly deduced from this that he was not asleep.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading The kitchen door opened with a nervous creak and a wrinkled brown face, encircled by the frills of a muslin nightcap, peered cautiously in.
elbowsnounUS /ˈelboʊz/
plural of “elbow” — hinge joint between the forearm and upper arm and the corresponding joint in the forelimb of a quadruped
From this reading He was sitting at the table with his elbows upon it and his head in his hands.
encircledadjectiveUS /ɪnˈsɜːrkəld/
confined on all sides
From this reading The kitchen door opened with a nervous creak and a wrinkled brown face, encircled by the frills of a muslin nightcap, peered cautiously in.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading The kitchen door opened with a nervous creak and a wrinkled brown face, encircled by the frills of a muslin nightcap, peered cautiously in.
frillsnounUS /frɪlz/
plural of “frill” — (paleontology) a bony plate that curves upward behind the skull of many ceratopsian dinosaurs
From this reading The kitchen door opened with a nervous creak and a wrinkled brown face, encircled by the frills of a muslin nightcap, peered cautiously in.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading She saw the smoke curling upwards from his pipe, and rightly deduced from this that he was not asleep.
GrannynounUS /ˈɡræni/
the mother of your father or mother
From this reading "Are you asleep, my dear?" asked Granny Grimshaw with tender solicitude.
Grimshaw
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Are you asleep, my dear?" asked Granny Grimshaw with tender solicitude.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading He was sitting at the table with his elbows upon it and his head in his hands.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was sitting at the table with his elbows upon it and his head in his hands.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading He was sitting at the table with his elbows upon it and his head in his hands.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He was sitting at the table with his elbows upon it and his head in his hands.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The kitchen door opened with a nervous creak and a wrinkled brown face, encircled by the frills of a muslin nightcap, peered cautiously in.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He was sitting at the table with his elbows upon it and his head in his hands.
Jeff
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading CORN "Master Jeff!"
a room equipped for preparing meals
From this reading The kitchen door opened with a nervous creak and a wrinkled brown face, encircled by the frills of a muslin nightcap, peered cautiously in.
an artist of consummate skill
From this reading CORN "Master Jeff!"
muslinnounUS /ˈmʌzlən/
plain-woven cotton fabric
From this reading The kitchen door opened with a nervous creak and a wrinkled brown face, encircled by the frills of a muslin nightcap, peered cautiously in.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "Are you asleep, my dear?" asked Granny Grimshaw with tender solicitude.
easily agitated
From this reading The kitchen door opened with a nervous creak and a wrinkled brown face, encircled by the frills of a muslin nightcap, peered cautiously in.
nightcapnoun
an alcoholic drink taken at bedtime; often alcoholic
From this reading The kitchen door opened with a nervous creak and a wrinkled brown face, encircled by the frills of a muslin nightcap, peered cautiously in.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading She saw the smoke curling upwards from his pipe, and rightly deduced from this that he was not asleep.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The kitchen door opened with a nervous creak and a wrinkled brown face, encircled by the frills of a muslin nightcap, peered cautiously in.
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading The kitchen door opened with a nervous creak and a wrinkled brown face, encircled by the frills of a muslin nightcap, peered cautiously in.
peeredverbUS /pɪrd/
past form of “peer” — look searchingly
From this reading The kitchen door opened with a nervous creak and a wrinkled brown face, encircled by the frills of a muslin nightcap, peered cautiously in.
a tube with a small bowl at one end; used for smoking tobacco
From this reading She saw the smoke curling upwards from his pipe, and rightly deduced from this that he was not asleep.
rightlyadverbUS /ˈraɪtli/
with honesty
From this reading She saw the smoke curling upwards from his pipe, and rightly deduced from this that he was not asleep.
cut with a saw
From this reading She saw the smoke curling upwards from his pipe, and rightly deduced from this that he was not asleep.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She saw the smoke curling upwards from his pipe, and rightly deduced from this that he was not asleep.
(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)
From this reading He was sitting at the table with his elbows upon it and his head in his hands.
a cloud of fine particles suspended in a gas
From this reading She saw the smoke curling upwards from his pipe, and rightly deduced from this that he was not asleep.
solicitudenounUS /səˈlɪsɪtuːd/
a feeling of excessive concern
From this reading "Are you asleep, my dear?" asked Granny Grimshaw with tender solicitude.
a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading He was sitting at the table with his elbows upon it and his head in his hands.
given to sympathy or gentleness or sentimentality
From this reading "Are you asleep, my dear?" asked Granny Grimshaw with tender solicitude.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading She saw the smoke curling upwards from his pipe, and rightly deduced from this that he was not asleep.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The kitchen door opened with a nervous creak and a wrinkled brown face, encircled by the frills of a muslin nightcap, peered cautiously in.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading She saw the smoke curling upwards from his pipe, and rightly deduced from this that he was not asleep.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading He was sitting at the table with his elbows upon it and his head in his hands.
upwardsadverbUS /ˈʌpwərdz/
spatially or metaphorically from a lower to a higher position
From this reading She saw the smoke curling upwards from his pipe, and rightly deduced from this that he was not asleep.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He was sitting at the table with his elbows upon it and his head in his hands.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The kitchen door opened with a nervous creak and a wrinkled brown face, encircled by the frills of a muslin nightcap, peered cautiously in.
wrinkledadjectiveUS /ˈrɪŋkəld/
marked by wrinkles
From this reading The kitchen door opened with a nervous creak and a wrinkled brown face, encircled by the frills of a muslin nightcap, peered cautiously in.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Are you asleep, my dear?" asked Granny Grimshaw with tender solicitude.
