used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was as mysterious as pigment, her cream, and as true, and netted her, with occasional extra batches, an average of two hundred dollars a month.
addingverbUS /ˈædɪŋ/
-ing form of “add” — make an addition (to); join or combine or unite with others; increase the quality, quantity, size or scope of
From this reading Four hours of stirring it took, adding with exact minutiae the mysteriously proper proportions of spermacetti, oil of sweet almonds, white wax--But never mind.
almondsnounUS /ˈɑːlməndz/
plural of “almond” — small bushy deciduous tree native to Asia and North Africa having pretty pink blossoms and highly prized edible nuts enclosed in a hard green hull; cultivated in southern Australia and California
From this reading Four hours of stirring it took, adding with exact minutiae the mysteriously proper proportions of spermacetti, oil of sweet almonds, white wax--But never mind.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading It was almost her boast now--remember the sunken headstones--that she had handled spotlessly every fair young star of the theaters' last ten years.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading It was as mysterious as pigment, her cream, and as true, and netted her, with occasional extra batches, an average of two hundred dollars a month.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was as mysterious as pigment, her cream, and as true, and netted her, with occasional extra batches, an average of two hundred dollars a month.
artauxiliary verbUS /ɑːrt/
an old form of “are”, used with “thou”
From this reading Fourteen years of her black art as Broadway's maid _de luxe_ had been her laboratory.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Fourteen years of her black art as Broadway's maid _de luxe_ had been her laboratory.
averageadjectiveUS /ˈævərɪdʒ/
approximating the statistical norm or average or expected value
From this reading It was as mysterious as pigment, her cream, and as true, and netted her, with occasional extra batches, an average of two hundred dollars a month.
batchesnounUS /ˈbætʃəz/
plural of “batch” — all the loaves of bread baked at the same time
From this reading It was as mysterious as pigment, her cream, and as true, and netted her, with occasional extra batches, an average of two hundred dollars a month.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Fourteen years of her black art as Broadway's maid _de luxe_ had been her laboratory.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading Fourteen years of her black art as Broadway's maid _de luxe_ had been her laboratory.
boastverbUS /boʊst/
show off
From this reading It was almost her boast now--remember the sunken headstones--that she had handled spotlessly every fair young star of the theaters' last ten years.
Broadway'snounUS /ˈbrɔːdweɪz/
possessive form of “broadway” — a street in Manhattan that passes through Times Square; famous for its theaters
From this reading Fourteen years of her black art as Broadway's maid _de luxe_ had been her laboratory.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Four hours of stirring it took, adding with exact minutiae the mysteriously proper proportions of spermacetti, oil of sweet almonds, white wax--But never mind.
creamnounUS /kriːm/
the best people or things in a group
From this reading It was as mysterious as pigment, her cream, and as true, and netted her, with occasional extra batches, an average of two hundred dollars a month.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading Hattie's dark secret was her own.
a Mid-Atlantic state; one of the original 13 colonies
From this reading Fourteen years of her black art as Broadway's maid _de luxe_ had been her laboratory.
plural of “dollar” — the basic monetary unit in many countries; equal to 100 cents
From this reading It was as mysterious as pigment, her cream, and as true, and netted her, with occasional extra batches, an average of two hundred dollars a month.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading It was almost her boast now--remember the sunken headstones--that she had handled spotlessly every fair young star of the theaters' last ten years.
exactadjectiveUS /ɪɡˈzækt/
Strictly particular and correct.
From this reading Four hours of stirring it took, adding with exact minutiae the mysteriously proper proportions of spermacetti, oil of sweet almonds, white wax--But never mind.
extraadjectiveUS /ˈekstrə/
more than is needed, desired, or required
From this reading It was as mysterious as pigment, her cream, and as true, and netted her, with occasional extra batches, an average of two hundred dollars a month.
free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; conforming with established standards or rules
From this reading It was almost her boast now--remember the sunken headstones--that she had handled spotlessly every fair young star of the theaters' last ten years.
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading Four hours of stirring it took, adding with exact minutiae the mysteriously proper proportions of spermacetti, oil of sweet almonds, white wax--But never mind.
FourteennounUS /ˈfɔːrˈtiːn/
the cardinal number that is the sum of thirteen and one
From this reading Fourteen years of her black art as Broadway's maid _de luxe_ had been her laboratory.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Fourteen years of her black art as Broadway's maid _de luxe_ had been her laboratory.
handledadjectiveUS /ˈhændəld/
having a usually specified type of handle
From this reading It was almost her boast now--remember the sunken headstones--that she had handled spotlessly every fair young star of the theaters' last ten years.
Hattie's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hattie's dark secret was her own.
headstonesnounUS /ˈhedstoʊnz/
plural of “headstone” — the central building block at the top of an arch or vault
From this reading It was almost her boast now--remember the sunken headstones--that she had handled spotlessly every fair young star of the theaters' last ten years.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Hattie's dark secret was her own.
a period of time assigned for work
From this reading Four hours of stirring it took, adding with exact minutiae the mysteriously proper proportions of spermacetti, oil of sweet almonds, white wax--But never mind.
ten 10s
From this reading It was as mysterious as pigment, her cream, and as true, and netted her, with occasional extra batches, an average of two hundred dollars a month.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Four hours of stirring it took, adding with exact minutiae the mysteriously proper proportions of spermacetti, oil of sweet almonds, white wax--But never mind.
laboratorynounUS /ˈlæbrətɔːri/
a workplace for the conduct of scientific research
From this reading Fourteen years of her black art as Broadway's maid _de luxe_ had been her laboratory.
immediately past
From this reading It was almost her boast now--remember the sunken headstones--that she had handled spotlessly every fair young star of the theaters' last ten years.
luxeadjective
elegant and sumptuous
From this reading Fourteen years of her black art as Broadway's maid _de luxe_ had been her laboratory.
a female domestic
From this reading Fourteen years of her black art as Broadway's maid _de luxe_ had been her laboratory.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading Four hours of stirring it took, adding with exact minutiae the mysteriously proper proportions of spermacetti, oil of sweet almonds, white wax--But never mind.
minutiaenounUS /mɪˈnuːʃiə/
plural of “minutia” — a small or minor detail
From this reading Four hours of stirring it took, adding with exact minutiae the mysteriously proper proportions of spermacetti, oil of sweet almonds, white wax--But never mind.
one of the twelve divisions of the calendar year
From this reading It was as mysterious as pigment, her cream, and as true, and netted her, with occasional extra batches, an average of two hundred dollars a month.
of an obscure nature
From this reading It was as mysterious as pigment, her cream, and as true, and netted her, with occasional extra batches, an average of two hundred dollars a month.
mysteriouslyadverbUS /ˌmɪˈstɪriəsli/
in a cryptic manner
From this reading Four hours of stirring it took, adding with exact minutiae the mysteriously proper proportions of spermacetti, oil of sweet almonds, white wax--But never mind.
nettedadjectiveUS /ˈnetɪd/
having open interstices or resembling a web
From this reading It was as mysterious as pigment, her cream, and as true, and netted her, with occasional extra batches, an average of two hundred dollars a month.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading Four hours of stirring it took, adding with exact minutiae the mysteriously proper proportions of spermacetti, oil of sweet almonds, white wax--But never mind.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading It was almost her boast now--remember the sunken headstones--that she had handled spotlessly every fair young star of the theaters' last ten years.
occasionaladjectiveUS /əˈkeɪʒənəl/
occurring from time to time
From this reading It was as mysterious as pigment, her cream, and as true, and netted her, with occasional extra batches, an average of two hundred dollars a month.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Four hours of stirring it took, adding with exact minutiae the mysteriously proper proportions of spermacetti, oil of sweet almonds, white wax--But never mind.
oilnounUS /ɔɪl/
A viscous liquid derived from petroleum or plants, stored in large earthen jars.
From this reading Four hours of stirring it took, adding with exact minutiae the mysteriously proper proportions of spermacetti, oil of sweet almonds, white wax--But never mind.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading Hattie's dark secret was her own.
pigmentnounUS /ˈpɪɡmənt/
dry coloring material (especially a powder to be mixed with a liquid to produce paint, etc.)
From this reading It was as mysterious as pigment, her cream, and as true, and netted her, with occasional extra batches, an average of two hundred dollars a month.
marked by suitability or rightness or appropriateness
From this reading Four hours of stirring it took, adding with exact minutiae the mysteriously proper proportions of spermacetti, oil of sweet almonds, white wax--But never mind.
proportionsnounUS /prəˈpɔːrʃənz/
plural of “proportion” — the quotient obtained when the magnitude of a part is divided by the magnitude of the whole
From this reading Four hours of stirring it took, adding with exact minutiae the mysteriously proper proportions of spermacetti, oil of sweet almonds, white wax--But never mind.
To recall to mind.
From this reading It was almost her boast now--remember the sunken headstones--that she had handled spotlessly every fair young star of the theaters' last ten years.
Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.
From this reading Hattie's dark secret was her own.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It was almost her boast now--remember the sunken headstones--that she had handled spotlessly every fair young star of the theaters' last ten years.
spermacetti
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Four hours of stirring it took, adding with exact minutiae the mysteriously proper proportions of spermacetti, oil of sweet almonds, white wax--But never mind.
spotlesslyadverb
in a spotless manner
From this reading It was almost her boast now--remember the sunken headstones--that she had handled spotlessly every fair young star of the theaters' last ten years.
(astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior
From this reading It was almost her boast now--remember the sunken headstones--that she had handled spotlessly every fair young star of the theaters' last ten years.
stirringnounUS /ˈstɜːrɪŋ/
agitating a liquid with an implement
From this reading Four hours of stirring it took, adding with exact minutiae the mysteriously proper proportions of spermacetti, oil of sweet almonds, white wax--But never mind.
sunkenadjectiveUS /ˈsʌŋkən/
having a sunken area
From this reading It was almost her boast now--remember the sunken headstones--that she had handled spotlessly every fair young star of the theaters' last ten years.
having or denoting the characteristic taste of sugar
From this reading Four hours of stirring it took, adding with exact minutiae the mysteriously proper proportions of spermacetti, oil of sweet almonds, white wax--But never mind.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading It was almost her boast now--remember the sunken headstones--that she had handled spotlessly every fair young star of the theaters' last ten years.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was almost her boast now--remember the sunken headstones--that she had handled spotlessly every fair young star of the theaters' last ten years.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Four hours of stirring it took, adding with exact minutiae the mysteriously proper proportions of spermacetti, oil of sweet almonds, white wax--But never mind.
theatersnounUS /ˈθiːətərz/
plural of “theater” — a building where theatrical performances or motion-picture shows can be presented
From this reading It was almost her boast now--remember the sunken headstones--that she had handled spotlessly every fair young star of the theaters' last ten years.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading Four hours of stirring it took, adding with exact minutiae the mysteriously proper proportions of spermacetti, oil of sweet almonds, white wax--But never mind.
consistent with fact or reality; not false
From this reading It was as mysterious as pigment, her cream, and as true, and netted her, with occasional extra batches, an average of two hundred dollars a month.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading It was as mysterious as pigment, her cream, and as true, and netted her, with occasional extra batches, an average of two hundred dollars a month.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Hattie's dark secret was her own.
waxverbUS /wæks/
cover with wax
From this reading Four hours of stirring it took, adding with exact minutiae the mysteriously proper proportions of spermacetti, oil of sweet almonds, white wax--But never mind.
a Caucasian
From this reading Four hours of stirring it took, adding with exact minutiae the mysteriously proper proportions of spermacetti, oil of sweet almonds, white wax--But never mind.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Four hours of stirring it took, adding with exact minutiae the mysteriously proper proportions of spermacetti, oil of sweet almonds, white wax--But never mind.
a late time of life
From this reading Fourteen years of her black art as Broadway's maid _de luxe_ had been her laboratory.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading It was almost her boast now--remember the sunken headstones--that she had handled spotlessly every fair young star of the theaters' last ten years.
