used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading In Quarantine However excellent the arrangements of a school, and however happy the girls may be there, the word "holidays" nevertheless holds a magic attraction.
prior to a specified or implied time
From this reading Already preparations were being made for the general exodus; the gardener was carrying down trunks from the box-room, Miss Harding was checking the linen lists, and the girls were sorting the contents of their drawers and deciding what must be left and what taken home.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading In Quarantine However excellent the arrangements of a school, and however happy the girls may be there, the word "holidays" nevertheless holds a magic attraction.
appreciatedadjectiveUS /əˈpriːʃieɪtɪd/
fully understood or grasped
From this reading Miss Birks's pupils thoroughly appreciated the Dower House, but they would not have been human if they had not rejoiced openly in the immediate prospect of breaking-up day.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "These are going to be extra-special holidays," triumphed Deirdre.
arrangementsnounUS /ərˈeɪndʒmənts/
plural of “arrangement” — the thing arranged or agreed to
From this reading In Quarantine However excellent the arrangements of a school, and however happy the girls may be there, the word "holidays" nevertheless holds a magic attraction.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading "You know, my sister's at school at Madame Mesurier's, near Versailles?
attractionnounUS /əˈtrækʃən/
the force by which one object attracts another
From this reading In Quarantine However excellent the arrangements of a school, and however happy the girls may be there, the word "holidays" nevertheless holds a magic attraction.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading In Quarantine However excellent the arrangements of a school, and however happy the girls may be there, the word "holidays" nevertheless holds a magic attraction.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Miss Birks's pupils thoroughly appreciated the Dower House, but they would not have been human if they had not rejoiced openly in the immediate prospect of breaking-up day.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading Already preparations were being made for the general exodus; the gardener was carrying down trunks from the box-room, Miss Harding was checking the linen lists, and the girls were sorting the contents of their drawers and deciding what must be left and what taken home.
Birks's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Miss Birks's pupils thoroughly appreciated the Dower House, but they would not have been human if they had not rejoiced openly in the immediate prospect of breaking-up day.
box-room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Already preparations were being made for the general exodus; the gardener was carrying down trunks from the box-room, Miss Harding was checking the linen lists, and the girls were sorting the contents of their drawers and deciding what must be left and what taken home.
breaking-up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Miss Birks's pupils thoroughly appreciated the Dower House, but they would not have been human if they had not rejoiced openly in the immediate prospect of breaking-up day.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Miss Birks's pupils thoroughly appreciated the Dower House, but they would not have been human if they had not rejoiced openly in the immediate prospect of breaking-up day.
-ing form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body
From this reading Already preparations were being made for the general exodus; the gardener was carrying down trunks from the box-room, Miss Harding was checking the linen lists, and the girls were sorting the contents of their drawers and deciding what must be left and what taken home.
checkingverbUS /ˈtʃekɪŋ/
-ing form of “check” — examine so as to determine accuracy, quality, or condition
From this reading Already preparations were being made for the general exodus; the gardener was carrying down trunks from the box-room, Miss Harding was checking the linen lists, and the girls were sorting the contents of their drawers and deciding what must be left and what taken home.
(usually plural) everything that is included in a collection and that is held or included in something
From this reading Already preparations were being made for the general exodus; the gardener was carrying down trunks from the box-room, Miss Harding was checking the linen lists, and the girls were sorting the contents of their drawers and deciding what must be left and what taken home.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading Miss Birks's pupils thoroughly appreciated the Dower House, but they would not have been human if they had not rejoiced openly in the immediate prospect of breaking-up day.
decidingnounUS /ˌdɪˈsaɪdɪŋ/
the cognitive process of reaching a decision
From this reading Already preparations were being made for the general exodus; the gardener was carrying down trunks from the box-room, Miss Harding was checking the linen lists, and the girls were sorting the contents of their drawers and deciding what must be left and what taken home.
Deirdre
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "These are going to be extra-special holidays," triumphed Deirdre.
DowernounUS /daʊr/
money or property brought by a woman to her husband at marriage
From this reading Miss Birks's pupils thoroughly appreciated the Dower House, but they would not have been human if they had not rejoiced openly in the immediate prospect of breaking-up day.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Already preparations were being made for the general exodus; the gardener was carrying down trunks from the box-room, Miss Harding was checking the linen lists, and the girls were sorting the contents of their drawers and deciding what must be left and what taken home.
drawersnounUS /drɔːrz/
underpants worn by men
From this reading Already preparations were being made for the general exodus; the gardener was carrying down trunks from the box-room, Miss Harding was checking the linen lists, and the girls were sorting the contents of their drawers and deciding what must be left and what taken home.
very good; of the highest quality
From this reading In Quarantine However excellent the arrangements of a school, and however happy the girls may be there, the word "holidays" nevertheless holds a magic attraction.
exodusnounUS /ˈeksədəs/
a journey by a large group to escape from a hostile environment
From this reading Already preparations were being made for the general exodus; the gardener was carrying down trunks from the box-room, Miss Harding was checking the linen lists, and the girls were sorting the contents of their drawers and deciding what must be left and what taken home.
extra-special
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "These are going to be extra-special holidays," triumphed Deirdre.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Already preparations were being made for the general exodus; the gardener was carrying down trunks from the box-room, Miss Harding was checking the linen lists, and the girls were sorting the contents of their drawers and deciding what must be left and what taken home.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Already preparations were being made for the general exodus; the gardener was carrying down trunks from the box-room, Miss Harding was checking the linen lists, and the girls were sorting the contents of their drawers and deciding what must be left and what taken home.
gardenernounUS /ˈɡɑːrdənər/
someone who takes care of a garden
From this reading Already preparations were being made for the general exodus; the gardener was carrying down trunks from the box-room, Miss Harding was checking the linen lists, and the girls were sorting the contents of their drawers and deciding what must be left and what taken home.
applying to all or most members of a category or group
From this reading Already preparations were being made for the general exodus; the gardener was carrying down trunks from the box-room, Miss Harding was checking the linen lists, and the girls were sorting the contents of their drawers and deciding what must be left and what taken home.
plural of “girl” — a young female
From this reading In Quarantine However excellent the arrangements of a school, and however happy the girls may be there, the word "holidays" nevertheless holds a magic attraction.
the act of departing
From this reading "These are going to be extra-special holidays," triumphed Deirdre.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Miss Birks's pupils thoroughly appreciated the Dower House, but they would not have been human if they had not rejoiced openly in the immediate prospect of breaking-up day.
enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure
From this reading In Quarantine However excellent the arrangements of a school, and however happy the girls may be there, the word "holidays" nevertheless holds a magic attraction.
HardingnounUS /ˈhɑːrdɪŋ/
29th President of the United States; two of his appointees were involved in the Teapot Dome scandal (1865-1823)
From this reading Already preparations were being made for the general exodus; the gardener was carrying down trunks from the box-room, Miss Harding was checking the linen lists, and the girls were sorting the contents of their drawers and deciding what must be left and what taken home.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Miss Birks's pupils thoroughly appreciated the Dower House, but they would not have been human if they had not rejoiced openly in the immediate prospect of breaking-up day.
holdsnounUS /hoʊldz/
plural of “hold” — the act of grasping
From this reading In Quarantine However excellent the arrangements of a school, and however happy the girls may be there, the word "holidays" nevertheless holds a magic attraction.
holidaysnounUS /ˈhɑːlədeɪz/
plural of “holiday” — leisure time away from work devoted to rest or pleasure
From this reading In Quarantine However excellent the arrangements of a school, and however happy the girls may be there, the word "holidays" nevertheless holds a magic attraction.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading Already preparations were being made for the general exodus; the gardener was carrying down trunks from the box-room, Miss Harding was checking the linen lists, and the girls were sorting the contents of their drawers and deciding what must be left and what taken home.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading Miss Birks's pupils thoroughly appreciated the Dower House, but they would not have been human if they had not rejoiced openly in the immediate prospect of breaking-up day.
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading In Quarantine However excellent the arrangements of a school, and however happy the girls may be there, the word "holidays" nevertheless holds a magic attraction.
humanadjectiveUS /ˈhjuːmən/
characteristic of humanity
From this reading Miss Birks's pupils thoroughly appreciated the Dower House, but they would not have been human if they had not rejoiced openly in the immediate prospect of breaking-up day.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Miss Birks's pupils thoroughly appreciated the Dower House, but they would not have been human if they had not rejoiced openly in the immediate prospect of breaking-up day.
of the present time and place
From this reading Miss Birks's pupils thoroughly appreciated the Dower House, but they would not have been human if they had not rejoiced openly in the immediate prospect of breaking-up day.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In Quarantine However excellent the arrangements of a school, and however happy the girls may be there, the word "holidays" nevertheless holds a magic attraction.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading "You know, my sister's at school at Madame Mesurier's, near Versailles?
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading Already preparations were being made for the general exodus; the gardener was carrying down trunks from the box-room, Miss Harding was checking the linen lists, and the girls were sorting the contents of their drawers and deciding what must be left and what taken home.
linennounUS /ˈlɪnən/
a fabric woven with fibers from the flax plant
From this reading Already preparations were being made for the general exodus; the gardener was carrying down trunks from the box-room, Miss Harding was checking the linen lists, and the girls were sorting the contents of their drawers and deciding what must be left and what taken home.
listsnounUS /lɪsts/
plural of “list” — a database containing an ordered array of items (names or topics)
From this reading Already preparations were being made for the general exodus; the gardener was carrying down trunks from the box-room, Miss Harding was checking the linen lists, and the girls were sorting the contents of their drawers and deciding what must be left and what taken home.
title used for a married Frenchwoman
From this reading "You know, my sister's at school at Madame Mesurier's, near Versailles?
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading Already preparations were being made for the general exodus; the gardener was carrying down trunks from the box-room, Miss Harding was checking the linen lists, and the girls were sorting the contents of their drawers and deciding what must be left and what taken home.
any art that invokes supernatural powers
From this reading In Quarantine However excellent the arrangements of a school, and however happy the girls may be there, the word "holidays" nevertheless holds a magic attraction.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading In Quarantine However excellent the arrangements of a school, and however happy the girls may be there, the word "holidays" nevertheless holds a magic attraction.
Mesurier's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "You know, my sister's at school at Madame Mesurier's, near Versailles?
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading Miss Birks's pupils thoroughly appreciated the Dower House, but they would not have been human if they had not rejoiced openly in the immediate prospect of breaking-up day.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading Already preparations were being made for the general exodus; the gardener was carrying down trunks from the box-room, Miss Harding was checking the linen lists, and the girls were sorting the contents of their drawers and deciding what must be left and what taken home.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "You know, my sister's at school at Madame Mesurier's, near Versailles?
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading "You know, my sister's at school at Madame Mesurier's, near Versailles?
in spite of what has just been said
From this reading In Quarantine However excellent the arrangements of a school, and however happy the girls may be there, the word "holidays" nevertheless holds a magic attraction.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Miss Birks's pupils thoroughly appreciated the Dower House, but they would not have been human if they had not rejoiced openly in the immediate prospect of breaking-up day.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading In Quarantine However excellent the arrangements of a school, and however happy the girls may be there, the word "holidays" nevertheless holds a magic attraction.
openlyadverbUS /ˈoʊpənli/
in an open way
From this reading Miss Birks's pupils thoroughly appreciated the Dower House, but they would not have been human if they had not rejoiced openly in the immediate prospect of breaking-up day.
preparationsnounUS /ˌprepərˈeɪʃənz/
plural of “preparation” — the activity of putting or setting in order in advance of some act or purpose
From this reading Already preparations were being made for the general exodus; the gardener was carrying down trunks from the box-room, Miss Harding was checking the linen lists, and the girls were sorting the contents of their drawers and deciding what must be left and what taken home.
the possibility of future success
From this reading Miss Birks's pupils thoroughly appreciated the Dower House, but they would not have been human if they had not rejoiced openly in the immediate prospect of breaking-up day.
pupilsnounUS /ˈpjuːpəlz/
plural of “pupil” — a learner who is enrolled in an educational institution
From this reading Miss Birks's pupils thoroughly appreciated the Dower House, but they would not have been human if they had not rejoiced openly in the immediate prospect of breaking-up day.
QuarantinenounUS /ˈkwɔːrəntiːn/
enforced isolation of patients suffering from a contagious disease in order to prevent the spread of disease
From this reading In Quarantine However excellent the arrangements of a school, and however happy the girls may be there, the word "holidays" nevertheless holds a magic attraction.
rejoicedverbUS /rɪˈdʒɔɪst/
past form of “rejoice” — feel happiness or joy
From this reading Miss Birks's pupils thoroughly appreciated the Dower House, but they would not have been human if they had not rejoiced openly in the immediate prospect of breaking-up day.
an educational institution
From this reading In Quarantine However excellent the arrangements of a school, and however happy the girls may be there, the word "holidays" nevertheless holds a magic attraction.
sister'snounUS /ˈsɪstərz/
possessive form of “sister” — a female person who has the same parents as another person
From this reading "You know, my sister's at school at Madame Mesurier's, near Versailles?
sortingnounUS /ˈsɔːrtɪŋ/
an operation that segregates items into groups according to a specified criterion
From this reading Already preparations were being made for the general exodus; the gardener was carrying down trunks from the box-room, Miss Harding was checking the linen lists, and the girls were sorting the contents of their drawers and deciding what must be left and what taken home.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading Already preparations were being made for the general exodus; the gardener was carrying down trunks from the box-room, Miss Harding was checking the linen lists, and the girls were sorting the contents of their drawers and deciding what must be left and what taken home.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading In Quarantine However excellent the arrangements of a school, and however happy the girls may be there, the word "holidays" nevertheless holds a magic attraction.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Already preparations were being made for the general exodus; the gardener was carrying down trunks from the box-room, Miss Harding was checking the linen lists, and the girls were sorting the contents of their drawers and deciding what must be left and what taken home.
in or at that place or location
From this reading In Quarantine However excellent the arrangements of a school, and however happy the girls may be there, the word "holidays" nevertheless holds a magic attraction.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading "These are going to be extra-special holidays," triumphed Deirdre.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Miss Birks's pupils thoroughly appreciated the Dower House, but they would not have been human if they had not rejoiced openly in the immediate prospect of breaking-up day.
in an exhaustive manner
From this reading Miss Birks's pupils thoroughly appreciated the Dower House, but they would not have been human if they had not rejoiced openly in the immediate prospect of breaking-up day.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "These are going to be extra-special holidays," triumphed Deirdre.
triumphedverbUS /ˈtraɪəmft/
past form of “triumph” — prove superior
From this reading "These are going to be extra-special holidays," triumphed Deirdre.
trunksnounUS /trʌŋks/
(used in the plural) trousers that end at or above the knee
From this reading Already preparations were being made for the general exodus; the gardener was carrying down trunks from the box-room, Miss Harding was checking the linen lists, and the girls were sorting the contents of their drawers and deciding what must be left and what taken home.
VersaillesnounUS /verˈsaɪ/
a city in north central France near Paris; site of the Palace of Versailles that was built by Louis XIV in the 17th century
From this reading "You know, my sister's at school at Madame Mesurier's, near Versailles?
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Already preparations were being made for the general exodus; the gardener was carrying down trunks from the box-room, Miss Harding was checking the linen lists, and the girls were sorting the contents of their drawers and deciding what must be left and what taken home.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Already preparations were being made for the general exodus; the gardener was carrying down trunks from the box-room, Miss Harding was checking the linen lists, and the girls were sorting the contents of their drawers and deciding what must be left and what taken home.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading Already preparations were being made for the general exodus; the gardener was carrying down trunks from the box-room, Miss Harding was checking the linen lists, and the girls were sorting the contents of their drawers and deciding what must be left and what taken home.
a unit of language that native speakers can identify
From this reading In Quarantine However excellent the arrangements of a school, and however happy the girls may be there, the word "holidays" nevertheless holds a magic attraction.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Miss Birks's pupils thoroughly appreciated the Dower House, but they would not have been human if they had not rejoiced openly in the immediate prospect of breaking-up day.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "You know, my sister's at school at Madame Mesurier's, near Versailles?
