used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading With a choking sob, she flung her apron over her head, and began to lament loudly for her dear padrona.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading With a choking sob, she flung her apron over her head, and began to lament loudly for her dear padrona.
announcementnounUS /əˈnaʊnsmənt/
a formal public statement
From this reading Petronella made the terrible announcement with ominous calmness.
apronnounUS /ˈeɪprən/
a garment of cloth or leather or plastic that is tied about the waist and worn to protect your clothing
From this reading With a choking sob, she flung her apron over her head, and began to lament loudly for her dear padrona.
ascendedverbUS /əˈsendɪd/
past form of “ascend” — travel up
From this reading Her voice ascended shrilling in a long wail, like that of the Corsican vocieri.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Then, when she saw Stephen staring at her open-mouthed, her wild southern nature could no longer be controlled.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Then, when she saw Stephen staring at her open-mouthed, her wild southern nature could no longer be controlled.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading With a choking sob, she flung her apron over her head, and began to lament loudly for her dear padrona.
calmnessnounUS /ˈkɑːmnəs/
steadiness of mind under stress
From this reading Petronella made the terrible announcement with ominous calmness.
chokingadjectiveUS /ˈtʃoʊ.kɪŋ/
Causing difficulty in breathing.
From this reading With a choking sob, she flung her apron over her head, and began to lament loudly for her dear padrona.
controlledadjectiveUS /kənˈtroʊld/
restrained or managed or kept within certain bounds
From this reading Then, when she saw Stephen staring at her open-mouthed, her wild southern nature could no longer be controlled.
CorsicanadjectiveUS /ˈkɔːrsəkən/
of or relating to or characteristic of Corsica or its people
From this reading Her voice ascended shrilling in a long wail, like that of the Corsican vocieri.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Then, when she saw Stephen staring at her open-mouthed, her wild southern nature could no longer be controlled.
dearly loved
From this reading With a choking sob, she flung her apron over her head, and began to lament loudly for her dear padrona.
excitableadjectiveUS /ɪkˈsaɪtəbəl/
easily excited
From this reading Luckily there were few people in the street, and the sound was scarcely noticed; it was simply thought that the excitable Italian woman was in one of her tantrums.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading Luckily there were few people in the street, and the sound was scarcely noticed; it was simply thought that the excitable Italian woman was in one of her tantrums.
inflected form of “fling” — throw with force or recklessness
From this reading With a choking sob, she flung her apron over her head, and began to lament loudly for her dear padrona.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading With a choking sob, she flung her apron over her head, and began to lament loudly for her dear padrona.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading With a choking sob, she flung her apron over her head, and began to lament loudly for her dear padrona.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Then, when she saw Stephen staring at her open-mouthed, her wild southern nature could no longer be controlled.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Her voice ascended shrilling in a long wail, like that of the Corsican vocieri.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Luckily there were few people in the street, and the sound was scarcely noticed; it was simply thought that the excitable Italian woman was in one of her tantrums.
a native or inhabitant of Italy
From this reading Luckily there were few people in the street, and the sound was scarcely noticed; it was simply thought that the excitable Italian woman was in one of her tantrums.
lamentverbUS /ləˈment/
express grief verbally
From this reading With a choking sob, she flung her apron over her head, and began to lament loudly for her dear padrona.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Her voice ascended shrilling in a long wail, like that of the Corsican vocieri.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading Her voice ascended shrilling in a long wail, like that of the Corsican vocieri.
for more time
From this reading Then, when she saw Stephen staring at her open-mouthed, her wild southern nature could no longer be controlled.
loudlyadverbUS /ˈlaʊdli/
with relatively high volume
From this reading With a choking sob, she flung her apron over her head, and began to lament loudly for her dear padrona.
LuckilyadverbUS /ˈlʌkəli/
by good fortune
From this reading Luckily there were few people in the street, and the sound was scarcely noticed; it was simply thought that the excitable Italian woman was in one of her tantrums.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading Petronella made the terrible announcement with ominous calmness.
the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized
From this reading Then, when she saw Stephen staring at her open-mouthed, her wild southern nature could no longer be controlled.
not any; not one
From this reading Then, when she saw Stephen staring at her open-mouthed, her wild southern nature could no longer be controlled.
being perceived or observed
From this reading Luckily there were few people in the street, and the sound was scarcely noticed; it was simply thought that the excitable Italian woman was in one of her tantrums.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Her voice ascended shrilling in a long wail, like that of the Corsican vocieri.
ominousadjectiveUS /ˈɑːmənəs/
threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
From this reading Petronella made the terrible announcement with ominous calmness.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Luckily there were few people in the street, and the sound was scarcely noticed; it was simply thought that the excitable Italian woman was in one of her tantrums.
open-mouthed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then, when she saw Stephen staring at her open-mouthed, her wild southern nature could no longer be controlled.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading With a choking sob, she flung her apron over her head, and began to lament loudly for her dear padrona.
padrona
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With a choking sob, she flung her apron over her head, and began to lament loudly for her dear padrona.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading Luckily there were few people in the street, and the sound was scarcely noticed; it was simply thought that the excitable Italian woman was in one of her tantrums.
Petronella
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Petronella made the terrible announcement with ominous calmness.
cut with a saw
From this reading Then, when she saw Stephen staring at her open-mouthed, her wild southern nature could no longer be controlled.
only a very short time before
From this reading Luckily there were few people in the street, and the sound was scarcely noticed; it was simply thought that the excitable Italian woman was in one of her tantrums.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Then, when she saw Stephen staring at her open-mouthed, her wild southern nature could no longer be controlled.
shrillingnoun
a continuing shrill noise
From this reading Her voice ascended shrilling in a long wail, like that of the Corsican vocieri.
and nothing more
From this reading Luckily there were few people in the street, and the sound was scarcely noticed; it was simply thought that the excitable Italian woman was in one of her tantrums.
sobverbUS /sɑːb/
weep convulsively
From this reading With a choking sob, she flung her apron over her head, and began to lament loudly for her dear padrona.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading Luckily there were few people in the street, and the sound was scarcely noticed; it was simply thought that the excitable Italian woman was in one of her tantrums.
in or characteristic of a region of the United States south of (approximately) the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading Then, when she saw Stephen staring at her open-mouthed, her wild southern nature could no longer be controlled.
(used of eyes) open and fixed as if in fear or wonder
From this reading Then, when she saw Stephen staring at her open-mouthed, her wild southern nature could no longer be controlled.
StephennounUS /ˈstiːvən/
English writer (1832-1904)
From this reading Then, when she saw Stephen staring at her open-mouthed, her wild southern nature could no longer be controlled.
a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading Luckily there were few people in the street, and the sound was scarcely noticed; it was simply thought that the excitable Italian woman was in one of her tantrums.
tantrumsnounUS /ˈtæntrəmz/
plural of “tantrum” — a display of bad temper
From this reading Luckily there were few people in the street, and the sound was scarcely noticed; it was simply thought that the excitable Italian woman was in one of her tantrums.
causing fear or dread or terror
From this reading Petronella made the terrible announcement with ominous calmness.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Her voice ascended shrilling in a long wail, like that of the Corsican vocieri.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Petronella made the terrible announcement with ominous calmness.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then, when she saw Stephen staring at her open-mouthed, her wild southern nature could no longer be controlled.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Luckily there were few people in the street, and the sound was scarcely noticed; it was simply thought that the excitable Italian woman was in one of her tantrums.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading Luckily there were few people in the street, and the sound was scarcely noticed; it was simply thought that the excitable Italian woman was in one of her tantrums.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading With a choking sob, she flung her apron over her head, and began to lament loudly for her dear padrona.
vocieri
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her voice ascended shrilling in a long wail, like that of the Corsican vocieri.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading Her voice ascended shrilling in a long wail, like that of the Corsican vocieri.
wailverbUS /weɪl/
emit long loud cries
From this reading Her voice ascended shrilling in a long wail, like that of the Corsican vocieri.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Luckily there were few people in the street, and the sound was scarcely noticed; it was simply thought that the excitable Italian woman was in one of her tantrums.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Luckily there were few people in the street, and the sound was scarcely noticed; it was simply thought that the excitable Italian woman was in one of her tantrums.
at the time that
From this reading Then, when she saw Stephen staring at her open-mouthed, her wild southern nature could no longer be controlled.
marked by extreme lack of restraint or control
From this reading Then, when she saw Stephen staring at her open-mouthed, her wild southern nature could no longer be controlled.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Petronella made the terrible announcement with ominous calmness.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading Luckily there were few people in the street, and the sound was scarcely noticed; it was simply thought that the excitable Italian woman was in one of her tantrums.
