adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Christmas-Day had had a softening effect on Mrs. Boyer.
admiredadjectiveUS /ədˈmaɪərd/
regarded with admiration
From this reading In the first place, under her plate she had found a frivolous chain and pendant which she had admired.
AfterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading After that, however, things happened.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was the first Christmas she had spent away from her children, and there had been little of the holiday spirit in her attitude as she prepared the Christmas breakfast.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading It was the first Christmas she had spent away from her children, and there had been little of the holiday spirit in her attitude as she prepared the Christmas breakfast.
attitudenounUS /ˈætətuːd/
a complex mental state involving beliefs and feelings and values and dispositions to act in certain ways
From this reading It was the first Christmas she had spent away from her children, and there had been little of the holiday spirit in her attitude as she prepared the Christmas breakfast.
awayadverbUS /əˈweɪ/
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading It was the first Christmas she had spent away from her children, and there had been little of the holiday spirit in her attitude as she prepared the Christmas breakfast.
badlyadverbUS /ˈbædli/
to a severe or serious degree
From this reading It had opened badly.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading It was the first Christmas she had spent away from her children, and there had been little of the holiday spirit in her attitude as she prepared the Christmas breakfast.
Boyer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Christmas-Day had had a softening effect on Mrs. Boyer.
breakfastverbUS /ˈbrekfəst/
eat an early morning meal
From this reading It was the first Christmas she had spent away from her children, and there had been little of the holiday spirit in her attitude as she prepared the Christmas breakfast.
chainnounUS /tʃeɪn/
a series of things depending on each other as if linked together
From this reading In the first place, under her plate she had found a frivolous chain and pendant which she had admired.
childrennounUS /ˈtʃɪldrən/
plural of “child” — a young person of either sex
From this reading It was the first Christmas she had spent away from her children, and there had been little of the holiday spirit in her attitude as she prepared the Christmas breakfast.
ChristmasnounUS /ˈkrɪsməs/
period extending from Dec. 24 to Jan. 6
From this reading It was the first Christmas she had spent away from her children, and there had been little of the holiday spirit in her attitude as she prepared the Christmas breakfast.
Christmas-Day
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Christmas-Day had had a softening effect on Mrs. Boyer.
effectnounUS /ɪˈfekt/
a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon
From this reading Christmas-Day had had a softening effect on Mrs. Boyer.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading It was the first Christmas she had spent away from her children, and there had been little of the holiday spirit in her attitude as she prepared the Christmas breakfast.
foundverbUS /faʊnd/
set up or found
From this reading In the first place, under her plate she had found a frivolous chain and pendant which she had admired.
frivolousadjectiveUS /ˈfrɪvələs/
not serious in content or attitude or behavior
From this reading In the first place, under her plate she had found a frivolous chain and pendant which she had admired.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading It was the first Christmas she had spent away from her children, and there had been little of the holiday spirit in her attitude as she prepared the Christmas breakfast.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Christmas-Day had had a softening effect on Mrs. Boyer.
happenedverbUS /ˈhæpənd/
past form of “happen” — come to pass
From this reading After that, however, things happened.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading It was the first Christmas she had spent away from her children, and there had been little of the holiday spirit in her attitude as she prepared the Christmas breakfast.
holidaynounUS /ˈhɑːlədeɪ/
leisure time away from work devoted to rest or pleasure
From this reading It was the first Christmas she had spent away from her children, and there had been little of the holiday spirit in her attitude as she prepared the Christmas breakfast.
howeveradverbUS /ˌhaʊˈevər/
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading After that, however, things happened.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was the first Christmas she had spent away from her children, and there had been little of the holiday spirit in her attitude as she prepared the Christmas breakfast.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It had opened badly.
littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading It was the first Christmas she had spent away from her children, and there had been little of the holiday spirit in her attitude as she prepared the Christmas breakfast.
MrsnounUS /ˈmɪsɪz/
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading Christmas-Day had had a softening effect on Mrs. Boyer.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It was the first Christmas she had spent away from her children, and there had been little of the holiday spirit in her attitude as she prepared the Christmas breakfast.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Christmas-Day had had a softening effect on Mrs. Boyer.
openedadjectiveUS /ˈoʊpənd/
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading It had opened badly.
pendantnounUS /ˈpendənt/
an adornment that hangs from a piece of jewelry (necklace or earring)
From this reading In the first place, under her plate she had found a frivolous chain and pendant which she had admired.
placenounUS /pleɪs/
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading In the first place, under her plate she had found a frivolous chain and pendant which she had admired.
platenounUS /pleɪt/
(baseball) base consisting of a rubber slab where the batter stands; it must be touched by a base runner in order to score
From this reading In the first place, under her plate she had found a frivolous chain and pendant which she had admired.
preparedadjectiveUS /priˈperd/
made ready or fit or suitable beforehand
From this reading It was the first Christmas she had spent away from her children, and there had been little of the holiday spirit in her attitude as she prepared the Christmas breakfast.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It was the first Christmas she had spent away from her children, and there had been little of the holiday spirit in her attitude as she prepared the Christmas breakfast.
softeningnounUS /ˈsɔːfənɪŋ/
the process of becoming softer
From this reading Christmas-Day had had a softening effect on Mrs. Boyer.
spentadjectiveUS /spent/
depleted of energy, force, or strength
From this reading It was the first Christmas she had spent away from her children, and there had been little of the holiday spirit in her attitude as she prepared the Christmas breakfast.
spiritnounUS /ˈspɪrət/
the vital principle or animating force within living things
From this reading It was the first Christmas she had spent away from her children, and there had been little of the holiday spirit in her attitude as she prepared the Christmas breakfast.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading After that, however, things happened.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It was the first Christmas she had spent away from her children, and there had been little of the holiday spirit in her attitude as she prepared the Christmas breakfast.
thereadverbUS /ðer/
in or at that place or location
From this reading It was the first Christmas she had spent away from her children, and there had been little of the holiday spirit in her attitude as she prepared the Christmas breakfast.
thingsnounUS /θɪŋz/
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading After that, however, things happened.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading In the first place, under her plate she had found a frivolous chain and pendant which she had admired.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was the first Christmas she had spent away from her children, and there had been little of the holiday spirit in her attitude as she prepared the Christmas breakfast.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading In the first place, under her plate she had found a frivolous chain and pendant which she had admired.
