adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The woman who faced her now--hard-featured, with narrow, suspicious eyes and a mass of florid hair--was unmistakably and brutally vulgar.
againadverbUS /əˈɡen/
anew
From this reading Once again it seemed to Beatrice that history was repeating itself.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The dingy, oblong dining-room, with its mosquito netting, stained tablecloth, and hard cane chairs, expanded until she fancied herself in the drawing-room of Blenheim House.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Mrs. Raithby Lawrence, notwithstanding her caustic tongue and suspicious nature, had at least made some pretense at gentility.
BeatricenounUS /ˈbiːətrəs/
the woman who guided Dante through Paradise in the Divine Comedy
From this reading Once again it seemed to Beatrice that history was repeating itself.
BetweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading Between the landladies there was little enough to choose.
BlenheimnounUS /ˈblenhaɪm/
the First Duke of Marlborough and Prince Eugene of Savoy defeated the French in 1704 during the War of the Spanish Succession
From this reading The dingy, oblong dining-room, with its mosquito netting, stained tablecloth, and hard cane chairs, expanded until she fancied herself in the drawing-room of Blenheim House.
brutallyadverbUS /ˈbruːtəli/
in a vicious manner
From this reading The woman who faced her now--hard-featured, with narrow, suspicious eyes and a mass of florid hair--was unmistakably and brutally vulgar.
canenounUS /keɪn/
a stick that people can lean on to help them walk
From this reading The dingy, oblong dining-room, with its mosquito netting, stained tablecloth, and hard cane chairs, expanded until she fancied herself in the drawing-room of Blenheim House.
causticadjectiveUS /ˈkɑːstɪk/
harsh or corrosive in tone
From this reading Mrs. Raithby Lawrence, notwithstanding her caustic tongue and suspicious nature, had at least made some pretense at gentility.
chairsnounUS /tʃerz/
plural of “chair” — a seat for one person, with a support for the back
From this reading The dingy, oblong dining-room, with its mosquito netting, stained tablecloth, and hard cane chairs, expanded until she fancied herself in the drawing-room of Blenheim House.
chooseverbUS /tʃuːz/
pick out, select, or choose from a number of alternatives
From this reading Between the landladies there was little enough to choose.
dingyadjectiveUS /ˈdɪndʒi/
thickly covered with ingrained dirt or soot
From this reading The dingy, oblong dining-room, with its mosquito netting, stained tablecloth, and hard cane chairs, expanded until she fancied herself in the drawing-room of Blenheim House.
dining-roomnoun
a room used for dining
From this reading The dingy, oblong dining-room, with its mosquito netting, stained tablecloth, and hard cane chairs, expanded until she fancied herself in the drawing-room of Blenheim House.
drawing-room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The dingy, oblong dining-room, with its mosquito netting, stained tablecloth, and hard cane chairs, expanded until she fancied herself in the drawing-room of Blenheim House.
enoughnounUS /ɪˈnʌf/
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading Between the landladies there was little enough to choose.
expandedadjectiveUS /ɪkˈspændəd/
increased in extent or size or bulk or scope
From this reading The dingy, oblong dining-room, with its mosquito netting, stained tablecloth, and hard cane chairs, expanded until she fancied herself in the drawing-room of Blenheim House.
eyesnounUS /aɪz/
opinion or judgment
From this reading The woman who faced her now--hard-featured, with narrow, suspicious eyes and a mass of florid hair--was unmistakably and brutally vulgar.
facedadjectiveUS /feɪst/
having a face or facing especially of a specified kind or number; often used in combination
From this reading The woman who faced her now--hard-featured, with narrow, suspicious eyes and a mass of florid hair--was unmistakably and brutally vulgar.
fanciedadjectiveUS /ˈfænsid/
formed or conceived by the imagination
From this reading The dingy, oblong dining-room, with its mosquito netting, stained tablecloth, and hard cane chairs, expanded until she fancied herself in the drawing-room of Blenheim House.
floridadjectiveUS /ˈflɔːrəd/
elaborately or excessively ornamented
From this reading The woman who faced her now--hard-featured, with narrow, suspicious eyes and a mass of florid hair--was unmistakably and brutally vulgar.
gentilitynounUS /dʒenˈtɪlɪti/
elegance by virtue of fineness of manner and expression
From this reading Mrs. Raithby Lawrence, notwithstanding her caustic tongue and suspicious nature, had at least made some pretense at gentility.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Mrs. Raithby Lawrence, notwithstanding her caustic tongue and suspicious nature, had at least made some pretense at gentility.
hairnounUS /her/
a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss
From this reading The woman who faced her now--hard-featured, with narrow, suspicious eyes and a mass of florid hair--was unmistakably and brutally vulgar.
hardadjectiveUS /hɑːrd/
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading The dingy, oblong dining-room, with its mosquito netting, stained tablecloth, and hard cane chairs, expanded until she fancied herself in the drawing-room of Blenheim House.
hard-featured
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The woman who faced her now--hard-featured, with narrow, suspicious eyes and a mass of florid hair--was unmistakably and brutally vulgar.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Mrs. Raithby Lawrence, notwithstanding her caustic tongue and suspicious nature, had at least made some pretense at gentility.
herselfpronounUS /hərˈself/
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading The dingy, oblong dining-room, with its mosquito netting, stained tablecloth, and hard cane chairs, expanded until she fancied herself in the drawing-room of Blenheim House.
historynounUS /ˈhɪstəri/
the aggregate of past events
From this reading Once again it seemed to Beatrice that history was repeating itself.
HousenounUS /haʊs/
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading The dingy, oblong dining-room, with its mosquito netting, stained tablecloth, and hard cane chairs, expanded until she fancied herself in the drawing-room of Blenheim House.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The dingy, oblong dining-room, with its mosquito netting, stained tablecloth, and hard cane chairs, expanded until she fancied herself in the drawing-room of Blenheim House.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Once again it seemed to Beatrice that history was repeating itself.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The dingy, oblong dining-room, with its mosquito netting, stained tablecloth, and hard cane chairs, expanded until she fancied herself in the drawing-room of Blenheim House.
itselfpronounUS /ˌɪtˈself/
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading Once again it seemed to Beatrice that history was repeating itself.
landladies
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Between the landladies there was little enough to choose.
LawrencenounUS /ˈlɔːrəns/
Roman martyr; supposedly Lawrence was ordered by the police to give up the church's treasure and when he responded by presenting the poor people of Rome he was roasted to death on a gridiron (died in 258)
From this reading Mrs. Raithby Lawrence, notwithstanding her caustic tongue and suspicious nature, had at least made some pretense at gentility.
leastadjectiveUS /liːst/
the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree
From this reading Mrs. Raithby Lawrence, notwithstanding her caustic tongue and suspicious nature, had at least made some pretense at gentility.
littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Between the landladies there was little enough to choose.
madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading Mrs. Raithby Lawrence, notwithstanding her caustic tongue and suspicious nature, had at least made some pretense at gentility.
massnounUS /mæs/
the property of a body that causes it to have weight in a gravitational field
From this reading The woman who faced her now--hard-featured, with narrow, suspicious eyes and a mass of florid hair--was unmistakably and brutally vulgar.
mosquitonounUS /məˈskiːtoʊ/
two-winged insect whose female has a long proboscis to pierce the skin and suck the blood of humans and animals
From this reading The dingy, oblong dining-room, with its mosquito netting, stained tablecloth, and hard cane chairs, expanded until she fancied herself in the drawing-room of Blenheim House.
MrsnounUS /ˈmɪsɪz/
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading Mrs. Raithby Lawrence, notwithstanding her caustic tongue and suspicious nature, had at least made some pretense at gentility.
narrowverbUS /ˈneroʊ/
make or become more narrow or restricted
From this reading The woman who faced her now--hard-featured, with narrow, suspicious eyes and a mass of florid hair--was unmistakably and brutally vulgar.
naturenounUS /ˈneɪtʃər/
the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized
From this reading Mrs. Raithby Lawrence, notwithstanding her caustic tongue and suspicious nature, had at least made some pretense at gentility.
nettingnounUS /ˈnetɪŋ/
a net of transparent fabric with a loose open weave
From this reading The dingy, oblong dining-room, with its mosquito netting, stained tablecloth, and hard cane chairs, expanded until she fancied herself in the drawing-room of Blenheim House.
notwithstandingadverbUS /ˌnɑːtwɪθˈstændɪŋ/
despite anything to the contrary (usually preceding a concession)
From this reading Mrs. Raithby Lawrence, notwithstanding her caustic tongue and suspicious nature, had at least made some pretense at gentility.
nowadverbUS /naʊ/
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading The woman who faced her now--hard-featured, with narrow, suspicious eyes and a mass of florid hair--was unmistakably and brutally vulgar.
oblongadjectiveUS /ˈɑːblɔːŋ/
(of a leaf shape) having a somewhat elongated form with approximately parallel sides
From this reading The dingy, oblong dining-room, with its mosquito netting, stained tablecloth, and hard cane chairs, expanded until she fancied herself in the drawing-room of Blenheim House.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The dingy, oblong dining-room, with its mosquito netting, stained tablecloth, and hard cane chairs, expanded until she fancied herself in the drawing-room of Blenheim House.
OnceadverbUS /wʌns/
on one occasion
From this reading Once again it seemed to Beatrice that history was repeating itself.
pretensenounUS /priˈtens/
the act of giving a false appearance
From this reading Mrs. Raithby Lawrence, notwithstanding her caustic tongue and suspicious nature, had at least made some pretense at gentility.
Raithby
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Raithby Lawrence, notwithstanding her caustic tongue and suspicious nature, had at least made some pretense at gentility.
repeatingnounUS /rɪˈpiːtɪŋ/
the act of doing or performing again
From this reading Once again it seemed to Beatrice that history was repeating itself.
seemedverbUS /siːmd/
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Once again it seemed to Beatrice that history was repeating itself.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The dingy, oblong dining-room, with its mosquito netting, stained tablecloth, and hard cane chairs, expanded until she fancied herself in the drawing-room of Blenheim House.
someadjectiveUS /sʌm/
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Mrs. Raithby Lawrence, notwithstanding her caustic tongue and suspicious nature, had at least made some pretense at gentility.
stainedadjectiveUS /steɪnd/
marked or dyed or discolored with foreign matter
From this reading The dingy, oblong dining-room, with its mosquito netting, stained tablecloth, and hard cane chairs, expanded until she fancied herself in the drawing-room of Blenheim House.
suspiciousadjectiveUS /səˈspɪʃəs/
openly distrustful and unwilling to confide
From this reading Mrs. Raithby Lawrence, notwithstanding her caustic tongue and suspicious nature, had at least made some pretense at gentility.
tableclothnounUS /ˈteɪbəlklɔːθ/
a covering spread over a dining table
From this reading The dingy, oblong dining-room, with its mosquito netting, stained tablecloth, and hard cane chairs, expanded until she fancied herself in the drawing-room of Blenheim House.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Once again it seemed to Beatrice that history was repeating itself.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The dingy, oblong dining-room, with its mosquito netting, stained tablecloth, and hard cane chairs, expanded until she fancied herself in the drawing-room of Blenheim House.
thereadverbUS /ðer/
in or at that place or location
From this reading Between the landladies there was little enough to choose.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Once again it seemed to Beatrice that history was repeating itself.
tonguenounUS /tʌŋ/
a mobile mass of muscular tissue covered with mucous membrane and located in the oral cavity
From this reading Mrs. Raithby Lawrence, notwithstanding her caustic tongue and suspicious nature, had at least made some pretense at gentility.
unmistakablyadverbUS /ˌʌnmɪˈsteɪkəbli/
without possibility of mistake
From this reading The woman who faced her now--hard-featured, with narrow, suspicious eyes and a mass of florid hair--was unmistakably and brutally vulgar.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading The dingy, oblong dining-room, with its mosquito netting, stained tablecloth, and hard cane chairs, expanded until she fancied herself in the drawing-room of Blenheim House.
vulgaradjectiveUS /ˈvʌlɡər/
lacking refinement or cultivation or taste
From this reading The woman who faced her now--hard-featured, with narrow, suspicious eyes and a mass of florid hair--was unmistakably and brutally vulgar.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Once again it seemed to Beatrice that history was repeating itself.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading The woman who faced her now--hard-featured, with narrow, suspicious eyes and a mass of florid hair--was unmistakably and brutally vulgar.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading The dingy, oblong dining-room, with its mosquito netting, stained tablecloth, and hard cane chairs, expanded until she fancied herself in the drawing-room of Blenheim House.
womannounUS /ˈwʊmən/
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading The woman who faced her now--hard-featured, with narrow, suspicious eyes and a mass of florid hair--was unmistakably and brutally vulgar.
