used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The evening of the ball, so much dreaded by the niece, and so much longed for by the aunt, arrived at last; and by a chance not over common in the affairs of mortals, while the hopes of the one lady were more than realised, the fears of the other were proved to be altogether groundless.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading In the first place, her almost funereal robes (for which, if the truth be spoken, it must be avowed she had not the slightest partiality,) assumed an appearance, under her tasteful fancy, which surprised even herself; for though, when she set about it, she had a sort of _beau ideal_ of a black crape robe floating in her imagination, her hopes of giving it form and substance by her own ingenuity were not very sanguine.
accidentsnounUS /ˈæksədənts/
plural of “accident” — an unfortunate mishap; especially one causing damage or injury
From this reading Many favourable accidents, indeed, concurred to lessen the difficulties anticipated by Agnes.
matters of personal concern
From this reading The evening of the ball, so much dreaded by the niece, and so much longed for by the aunt, arrived at last; and by a chance not over common in the affairs of mortals, while the hopes of the one lady were more than realised, the fears of the other were proved to be altogether groundless.
Agnes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Many favourable accidents, indeed, concurred to lessen the difficulties anticipated by Agnes.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading In the first place, her almost funereal robes (for which, if the truth be spoken, it must be avowed she had not the slightest partiality,) assumed an appearance, under her tasteful fancy, which surprised even herself; for though, when she set about it, she had a sort of _beau ideal_ of a black crape robe floating in her imagination, her hopes of giving it form and substance by her own ingenuity were not very sanguine.
to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)
From this reading The evening of the ball, so much dreaded by the niece, and so much longed for by the aunt, arrived at last; and by a chance not over common in the affairs of mortals, while the hopes of the one lady were more than realised, the fears of the other were proved to be altogether groundless.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading In the first place, her almost funereal robes (for which, if the truth be spoken, it must be avowed she had not the slightest partiality,) assumed an appearance, under her tasteful fancy, which surprised even herself; for though, when she set about it, she had a sort of _beau ideal_ of a black crape robe floating in her imagination, her hopes of giving it form and substance by her own ingenuity were not very sanguine.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The evening of the ball, so much dreaded by the niece, and so much longed for by the aunt, arrived at last; and by a chance not over common in the affairs of mortals, while the hopes of the one lady were more than realised, the fears of the other were proved to be altogether groundless.
anticipatedadjectiveUS /ænˈtɪsəpeɪtɪd/
expected hopefully
From this reading Many favourable accidents, indeed, concurred to lessen the difficulties anticipated by Agnes.
outward or visible aspect of a person or thing
From this reading In the first place, her almost funereal robes (for which, if the truth be spoken, it must be avowed she had not the slightest partiality,) assumed an appearance, under her tasteful fancy, which surprised even herself; for though, when she set about it, she had a sort of _beau ideal_ of a black crape robe floating in her imagination, her hopes of giving it form and substance by her own ingenuity were not very sanguine.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading Mrs. Barnaby, either from the depth of her sorrow, or the height of her elegance, had commanded, when she ordered her widow's mourning, that one dress should touch the heart of every beholder by having a basement of sable crape one yard in breadth around it.
past form of “arrive” — reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress
From this reading The evening of the ball, so much dreaded by the niece, and so much longed for by the aunt, arrived at last; and by a chance not over common in the affairs of mortals, while the hopes of the one lady were more than realised, the fears of the other were proved to be altogether groundless.
adopted in order to deceive
From this reading In the first place, her almost funereal robes (for which, if the truth be spoken, it must be avowed she had not the slightest partiality,) assumed an appearance, under her tasteful fancy, which surprised even herself; for though, when she set about it, she had a sort of _beau ideal_ of a black crape robe floating in her imagination, her hopes of giving it form and substance by her own ingenuity were not very sanguine.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The evening of the ball, so much dreaded by the niece, and so much longed for by the aunt, arrived at last; and by a chance not over common in the affairs of mortals, while the hopes of the one lady were more than realised, the fears of the other were proved to be altogether groundless.
the sister of your father or mother; the wife of your uncle
From this reading The evening of the ball, so much dreaded by the niece, and so much longed for by the aunt, arrived at last; and by a chance not over common in the affairs of mortals, while the hopes of the one lady were more than realised, the fears of the other were proved to be altogether groundless.
avowedadjectiveUS /əˈvaʊd/
openly declared as such
From this reading In the first place, her almost funereal robes (for which, if the truth be spoken, it must be avowed she had not the slightest partiality,) assumed an appearance, under her tasteful fancy, which surprised even herself; for though, when she set about it, she had a sort of _beau ideal_ of a black crape robe floating in her imagination, her hopes of giving it form and substance by her own ingenuity were not very sanguine.
round object that is hit or thrown or kicked in games
From this reading THE BALL.
Barnaby
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Barnaby, either from the depth of her sorrow, or the height of her elegance, had commanded, when she ordered her widow's mourning, that one dress should touch the heart of every beholder by having a basement of sable crape one yard in breadth around it.
basementnounUS /ˈbeɪsmənt/
the lowermost portion of a structure partly or wholly below ground level; often used for storage
From this reading Mrs. Barnaby, either from the depth of her sorrow, or the height of her elegance, had commanded, when she ordered her widow's mourning, that one dress should touch the heart of every beholder by having a basement of sable crape one yard in breadth around it.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The evening of the ball, so much dreaded by the niece, and so much longed for by the aunt, arrived at last; and by a chance not over common in the affairs of mortals, while the hopes of the one lady were more than realised, the fears of the other were proved to be altogether groundless.
beaunounUS /boʊ/
a man who is the lover of a man or woman
From this reading In the first place, her almost funereal robes (for which, if the truth be spoken, it must be avowed she had not the slightest partiality,) assumed an appearance, under her tasteful fancy, which surprised even herself; for though, when she set about it, she had a sort of _beau ideal_ of a black crape robe floating in her imagination, her hopes of giving it form and substance by her own ingenuity were not very sanguine.
beholdernounUS /biˈhoʊldər/
a person who becomes aware (of things or events) through the senses
From this reading Mrs. Barnaby, either from the depth of her sorrow, or the height of her elegance, had commanded, when she ordered her widow's mourning, that one dress should touch the heart of every beholder by having a basement of sable crape one yard in breadth around it.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading In the first place, her almost funereal robes (for which, if the truth be spoken, it must be avowed she had not the slightest partiality,) assumed an appearance, under her tasteful fancy, which surprised even herself; for though, when she set about it, she had a sort of _beau ideal_ of a black crape robe floating in her imagination, her hopes of giving it form and substance by her own ingenuity were not very sanguine.
breadthnounUS /bredθ/
the capacity to understand a broad range of topics
From this reading Mrs. Barnaby, either from the depth of her sorrow, or the height of her elegance, had commanded, when she ordered her widow's mourning, that one dress should touch the heart of every beholder by having a basement of sable crape one yard in breadth around it.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The evening of the ball, so much dreaded by the niece, and so much longed for by the aunt, arrived at last; and by a chance not over common in the affairs of mortals, while the hopes of the one lady were more than realised, the fears of the other were proved to be altogether groundless.
a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances
From this reading The evening of the ball, so much dreaded by the niece, and so much longed for by the aunt, arrived at last; and by a chance not over common in the affairs of mortals, while the hopes of the one lady were more than realised, the fears of the other were proved to be altogether groundless.
past form of “command” — be in command of
From this reading Mrs. Barnaby, either from the depth of her sorrow, or the height of her elegance, had commanded, when she ordered her widow's mourning, that one dress should touch the heart of every beholder by having a basement of sable crape one yard in breadth around it.
belonging to or participated in by a community as a whole; public
From this reading The evening of the ball, so much dreaded by the niece, and so much longed for by the aunt, arrived at last; and by a chance not over common in the affairs of mortals, while the hopes of the one lady were more than realised, the fears of the other were proved to be altogether groundless.
concurredverbUS /kənˈkɜːrd/
inflected form of “concur” — be in accord; be in agreement
From this reading Many favourable accidents, indeed, concurred to lessen the difficulties anticipated by Agnes.
crapenoun
small very thin pancake
From this reading In the first place, her almost funereal robes (for which, if the truth be spoken, it must be avowed she had not the slightest partiality,) assumed an appearance, under her tasteful fancy, which surprised even herself; for though, when she set about it, she had a sort of _beau ideal_ of a black crape robe floating in her imagination, her hopes of giving it form and substance by her own ingenuity were not very sanguine.
depthnounUS /depθ/
the extent downward or backward or inward
From this reading Mrs. Barnaby, either from the depth of her sorrow, or the height of her elegance, had commanded, when she ordered her widow's mourning, that one dress should touch the heart of every beholder by having a basement of sable crape one yard in breadth around it.
plural of “difficulty” — an effort that is inconvenient
From this reading Many favourable accidents, indeed, concurred to lessen the difficulties anticipated by Agnes.
dreadedadjectiveUS /ˈdredɪd/
causing fear or dread or terror
From this reading The evening of the ball, so much dreaded by the niece, and so much longed for by the aunt, arrived at last; and by a chance not over common in the affairs of mortals, while the hopes of the one lady were more than realised, the fears of the other were proved to be altogether groundless.
put on clothes
From this reading Mrs. Barnaby, either from the depth of her sorrow, or the height of her elegance, had commanded, when she ordered her widow's mourning, that one dress should touch the heart of every beholder by having a basement of sable crape one yard in breadth around it.
one or the other of two
From this reading Mrs. Barnaby, either from the depth of her sorrow, or the height of her elegance, had commanded, when she ordered her widow's mourning, that one dress should touch the heart of every beholder by having a basement of sable crape one yard in breadth around it.
elegancenounUS /ˈeləɡəns/
a refined quality of gracefulness and good taste
From this reading Mrs. Barnaby, either from the depth of her sorrow, or the height of her elegance, had commanded, when she ordered her widow's mourning, that one dress should touch the heart of every beholder by having a basement of sable crape one yard in breadth around it.
divisible by two
From this reading In the first place, her almost funereal robes (for which, if the truth be spoken, it must be avowed she had not the slightest partiality,) assumed an appearance, under her tasteful fancy, which surprised even herself; for though, when she set about it, she had a sort of _beau ideal_ of a black crape robe floating in her imagination, her hopes of giving it form and substance by her own ingenuity were not very sanguine.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading The evening of the ball, so much dreaded by the niece, and so much longed for by the aunt, arrived at last; and by a chance not over common in the affairs of mortals, while the hopes of the one lady were more than realised, the fears of the other were proved to be altogether groundless.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading Mrs. Barnaby, either from the depth of her sorrow, or the height of her elegance, had commanded, when she ordered her widow's mourning, that one dress should touch the heart of every beholder by having a basement of sable crape one yard in breadth around it.
something many people believe that is false
From this reading In the first place, her almost funereal robes (for which, if the truth be spoken, it must be avowed she had not the slightest partiality,) assumed an appearance, under her tasteful fancy, which surprised even herself; for though, when she set about it, she had a sort of _beau ideal_ of a black crape robe floating in her imagination, her hopes of giving it form and substance by her own ingenuity were not very sanguine.
favourableadjective
encouraging or approving or pleasing
From this reading Many favourable accidents, indeed, concurred to lessen the difficulties anticipated by Agnes.
plural of “fear” — an emotion experienced in anticipation of some specific pain or danger (usually accompanied by a desire to flee or fight)
From this reading The evening of the ball, so much dreaded by the niece, and so much longed for by the aunt, arrived at last; and by a chance not over common in the affairs of mortals, while the hopes of the one lady were more than realised, the fears of the other were proved to be altogether groundless.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading In the first place, her almost funereal robes (for which, if the truth be spoken, it must be avowed she had not the slightest partiality,) assumed an appearance, under her tasteful fancy, which surprised even herself; for though, when she set about it, she had a sort of _beau ideal_ of a black crape robe floating in her imagination, her hopes of giving it form and substance by her own ingenuity were not very sanguine.
floatingadjectiveUS /ˈfloʊtɪŋ/
borne up by or suspended in a liquid
From this reading In the first place, her almost funereal robes (for which, if the truth be spoken, it must be avowed she had not the slightest partiality,) assumed an appearance, under her tasteful fancy, which surprised even herself; for though, when she set about it, she had a sort of _beau ideal_ of a black crape robe floating in her imagination, her hopes of giving it form and substance by her own ingenuity were not very sanguine.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The evening of the ball, so much dreaded by the niece, and so much longed for by the aunt, arrived at last; and by a chance not over common in the affairs of mortals, while the hopes of the one lady were more than realised, the fears of the other were proved to be altogether groundless.
the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something
From this reading In the first place, her almost funereal robes (for which, if the truth be spoken, it must be avowed she had not the slightest partiality,) assumed an appearance, under her tasteful fancy, which surprised even herself; for though, when she set about it, she had a sort of _beau ideal_ of a black crape robe floating in her imagination, her hopes of giving it form and substance by her own ingenuity were not very sanguine.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Mrs. Barnaby, either from the depth of her sorrow, or the height of her elegance, had commanded, when she ordered her widow's mourning, that one dress should touch the heart of every beholder by having a basement of sable crape one yard in breadth around it.
funerealadjective
suited to or suggestive of a grave or burial
From this reading In the first place, her almost funereal robes (for which, if the truth be spoken, it must be avowed she had not the slightest partiality,) assumed an appearance, under her tasteful fancy, which surprised even herself; for though, when she set about it, she had a sort of _beau ideal_ of a black crape robe floating in her imagination, her hopes of giving it form and substance by her own ingenuity were not very sanguine.
the act of giving
From this reading In the first place, her almost funereal robes (for which, if the truth be spoken, it must be avowed she had not the slightest partiality,) assumed an appearance, under her tasteful fancy, which surprised even herself; for though, when she set about it, she had a sort of _beau ideal_ of a black crape robe floating in her imagination, her hopes of giving it form and substance by her own ingenuity were not very sanguine.
groundlessadjectiveUS /ˈɡraʊndləs/
without a basis in reason or fact
From this reading The evening of the ball, so much dreaded by the niece, and so much longed for by the aunt, arrived at last; and by a chance not over common in the affairs of mortals, while the hopes of the one lady were more than realised, the fears of the other were proved to be altogether groundless.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading In the first place, her almost funereal robes (for which, if the truth be spoken, it must be avowed she had not the slightest partiality,) assumed an appearance, under her tasteful fancy, which surprised even herself; for though, when she set about it, she had a sort of _beau ideal_ of a black crape robe floating in her imagination, her hopes of giving it form and substance by her own ingenuity were not very sanguine.
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading Mrs. Barnaby, either from the depth of her sorrow, or the height of her elegance, had commanded, when she ordered her widow's mourning, that one dress should touch the heart of every beholder by having a basement of sable crape one yard in breadth around it.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading Mrs. Barnaby, either from the depth of her sorrow, or the height of her elegance, had commanded, when she ordered her widow's mourning, that one dress should touch the heart of every beholder by having a basement of sable crape one yard in breadth around it.
the vertical dimension of extension; distance from the base of something to the top
From this reading Mrs. Barnaby, either from the depth of her sorrow, or the height of her elegance, had commanded, when she ordered her widow's mourning, that one dress should touch the heart of every beholder by having a basement of sable crape one yard in breadth around it.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading In the first place, her almost funereal robes (for which, if the truth be spoken, it must be avowed she had not the slightest partiality,) assumed an appearance, under her tasteful fancy, which surprised even herself; for though, when she set about it, she had a sort of _beau ideal_ of a black crape robe floating in her imagination, her hopes of giving it form and substance by her own ingenuity were not very sanguine.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading In the first place, her almost funereal robes (for which, if the truth be spoken, it must be avowed she had not the slightest partiality,) assumed an appearance, under her tasteful fancy, which surprised even herself; for though, when she set about it, she had a sort of _beau ideal_ of a black crape robe floating in her imagination, her hopes of giving it form and substance by her own ingenuity were not very sanguine.
plural of “hope” — a specific instance of feeling hopeful
From this reading The evening of the ball, so much dreaded by the niece, and so much longed for by the aunt, arrived at last; and by a chance not over common in the affairs of mortals, while the hopes of the one lady were more than realised, the fears of the other were proved to be altogether groundless.
idealadjectiveUS /aɪˈdiːl/
conforming to an ultimate standard of perfection or excellence; embodying an ideal
From this reading In the first place, her almost funereal robes (for which, if the truth be spoken, it must be avowed she had not the slightest partiality,) assumed an appearance, under her tasteful fancy, which surprised even herself; for though, when she set about it, she had a sort of _beau ideal_ of a black crape robe floating in her imagination, her hopes of giving it form and substance by her own ingenuity were not very sanguine.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading In the first place, her almost funereal robes (for which, if the truth be spoken, it must be avowed she had not the slightest partiality,) assumed an appearance, under her tasteful fancy, which surprised even herself; for though, when she set about it, she had a sort of _beau ideal_ of a black crape robe floating in her imagination, her hopes of giving it form and substance by her own ingenuity were not very sanguine.
the formation of a mental image of something that is not perceived as real and is not present to the senses
From this reading In the first place, her almost funereal robes (for which, if the truth be spoken, it must be avowed she had not the slightest partiality,) assumed an appearance, under her tasteful fancy, which surprised even herself; for though, when she set about it, she had a sort of _beau ideal_ of a black crape robe floating in her imagination, her hopes of giving it form and substance by her own ingenuity were not very sanguine.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The evening of the ball, so much dreaded by the niece, and so much longed for by the aunt, arrived at last; and by a chance not over common in the affairs of mortals, while the hopes of the one lady were more than realised, the fears of the other were proved to be altogether groundless.
in truth (often tends to intensify)
From this reading Many favourable accidents, indeed, concurred to lessen the difficulties anticipated by Agnes.
ingenuitynounUS /ˌɪndʒəˈnuːətiː/
the power of creative imagination
From this reading In the first place, her almost funereal robes (for which, if the truth be spoken, it must be avowed she had not the slightest partiality,) assumed an appearance, under her tasteful fancy, which surprised even herself; for though, when she set about it, she had a sort of _beau ideal_ of a black crape robe floating in her imagination, her hopes of giving it form and substance by her own ingenuity were not very sanguine.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading In the first place, her almost funereal robes (for which, if the truth be spoken, it must be avowed she had not the slightest partiality,) assumed an appearance, under her tasteful fancy, which surprised even herself; for though, when she set about it, she had a sort of _beau ideal_ of a black crape robe floating in her imagination, her hopes of giving it form and substance by her own ingenuity were not very sanguine.
a polite name for any woman
From this reading The evening of the ball, so much dreaded by the niece, and so much longed for by the aunt, arrived at last; and by a chance not over common in the affairs of mortals, while the hopes of the one lady were more than realised, the fears of the other were proved to be altogether groundless.
immediately past
From this reading The evening of the ball, so much dreaded by the niece, and so much longed for by the aunt, arrived at last; and by a chance not over common in the affairs of mortals, while the hopes of the one lady were more than realised, the fears of the other were proved to be altogether groundless.
lessenverbUS /ˈlesən/
decrease in size, extent, or range
From this reading Many favourable accidents, indeed, concurred to lessen the difficulties anticipated by Agnes.
longedverbUS /lɔːŋd/
past form of “long” — desire strongly or persistently
From this reading The evening of the ball, so much dreaded by the niece, and so much longed for by the aunt, arrived at last; and by a chance not over common in the affairs of mortals, while the hopes of the one lady were more than realised, the fears of the other were proved to be altogether groundless.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading Many favourable accidents, indeed, concurred to lessen the difficulties anticipated by Agnes.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading The evening of the ball, so much dreaded by the niece, and so much longed for by the aunt, arrived at last; and by a chance not over common in the affairs of mortals, while the hopes of the one lady were more than realised, the fears of the other were proved to be altogether groundless.
mortalsnounUS /ˈmɔːrtəlz/
plural of “mortal” — a human being
From this reading The evening of the ball, so much dreaded by the niece, and so much longed for by the aunt, arrived at last; and by a chance not over common in the affairs of mortals, while the hopes of the one lady were more than realised, the fears of the other were proved to be altogether groundless.
mourningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/
state of sorrow over the death or departure of a loved one
From this reading Mrs. Barnaby, either from the depth of her sorrow, or the height of her elegance, had commanded, when she ordered her widow's mourning, that one dress should touch the heart of every beholder by having a basement of sable crape one yard in breadth around it.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading Mrs. Barnaby, either from the depth of her sorrow, or the height of her elegance, had commanded, when she ordered her widow's mourning, that one dress should touch the heart of every beholder by having a basement of sable crape one yard in breadth around it.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading The evening of the ball, so much dreaded by the niece, and so much longed for by the aunt, arrived at last; and by a chance not over common in the affairs of mortals, while the hopes of the one lady were more than realised, the fears of the other were proved to be altogether groundless.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading In the first place, her almost funereal robes (for which, if the truth be spoken, it must be avowed she had not the slightest partiality,) assumed an appearance, under her tasteful fancy, which surprised even herself; for though, when she set about it, she had a sort of _beau ideal_ of a black crape robe floating in her imagination, her hopes of giving it form and substance by her own ingenuity were not very sanguine.
niecenounUS /niːs/
a daughter of your brother or sister
From this reading The evening of the ball, so much dreaded by the niece, and so much longed for by the aunt, arrived at last; and by a chance not over common in the affairs of mortals, while the hopes of the one lady were more than realised, the fears of the other were proved to be altogether groundless.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The evening of the ball, so much dreaded by the niece, and so much longed for by the aunt, arrived at last; and by a chance not over common in the affairs of mortals, while the hopes of the one lady were more than realised, the fears of the other were proved to be altogether groundless.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The evening of the ball, so much dreaded by the niece, and so much longed for by the aunt, arrived at last; and by a chance not over common in the affairs of mortals, while the hopes of the one lady were more than realised, the fears of the other were proved to be altogether groundless.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The evening of the ball, so much dreaded by the niece, and so much longed for by the aunt, arrived at last; and by a chance not over common in the affairs of mortals, while the hopes of the one lady were more than realised, the fears of the other were proved to be altogether groundless.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Mrs. Barnaby, either from the depth of her sorrow, or the height of her elegance, had commanded, when she ordered her widow's mourning, that one dress should touch the heart of every beholder by having a basement of sable crape one yard in breadth around it.
having a systematic arrangement; especially having elements succeeding in order according to rule
From this reading Mrs. Barnaby, either from the depth of her sorrow, or the height of her elegance, had commanded, when she ordered her widow's mourning, that one dress should touch the heart of every beholder by having a basement of sable crape one yard in breadth around it.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading The evening of the ball, so much dreaded by the niece, and so much longed for by the aunt, arrived at last; and by a chance not over common in the affairs of mortals, while the hopes of the one lady were more than realised, the fears of the other were proved to be altogether groundless.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading The evening of the ball, so much dreaded by the niece, and so much longed for by the aunt, arrived at last; and by a chance not over common in the affairs of mortals, while the hopes of the one lady were more than realised, the fears of the other were proved to be altogether groundless.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading In the first place, her almost funereal robes (for which, if the truth be spoken, it must be avowed she had not the slightest partiality,) assumed an appearance, under her tasteful fancy, which surprised even herself; for though, when she set about it, she had a sort of _beau ideal_ of a black crape robe floating in her imagination, her hopes of giving it form and substance by her own ingenuity were not very sanguine.
partialitynounUS /ˌpɑːrʃiˈæləti/
a predisposition to like something
From this reading In the first place, her almost funereal robes (for which, if the truth be spoken, it must be avowed she had not the slightest partiality,) assumed an appearance, under her tasteful fancy, which surprised even herself; for though, when she set about it, she had a sort of _beau ideal_ of a black crape robe floating in her imagination, her hopes of giving it form and substance by her own ingenuity were not very sanguine.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading In the first place, her almost funereal robes (for which, if the truth be spoken, it must be avowed she had not the slightest partiality,) assumed an appearance, under her tasteful fancy, which surprised even herself; for though, when she set about it, she had a sort of _beau ideal_ of a black crape robe floating in her imagination, her hopes of giving it form and substance by her own ingenuity were not very sanguine.
established beyond doubt
From this reading The evening of the ball, so much dreaded by the niece, and so much longed for by the aunt, arrived at last; and by a chance not over common in the affairs of mortals, while the hopes of the one lady were more than realised, the fears of the other were proved to be altogether groundless.
realisedadjectiveUS /ˈriːəlaɪzd/
successfully completed or brought to an end
From this reading The evening of the ball, so much dreaded by the niece, and so much longed for by the aunt, arrived at last; and by a chance not over common in the affairs of mortals, while the hopes of the one lady were more than realised, the fears of the other were proved to be altogether groundless.
robenounUS /roʊb/
any loose flowing garment
From this reading In the first place, her almost funereal robes (for which, if the truth be spoken, it must be avowed she had not the slightest partiality,) assumed an appearance, under her tasteful fancy, which surprised even herself; for though, when she set about it, she had a sort of _beau ideal_ of a black crape robe floating in her imagination, her hopes of giving it form and substance by her own ingenuity were not very sanguine.
robesnounUS /roʊbz/
plural of “robe” — any loose flowing garment
From this reading In the first place, her almost funereal robes (for which, if the truth be spoken, it must be avowed she had not the slightest partiality,) assumed an appearance, under her tasteful fancy, which surprised even herself; for though, when she set about it, she had a sort of _beau ideal_ of a black crape robe floating in her imagination, her hopes of giving it form and substance by her own ingenuity were not very sanguine.
sablenounUS /ˈseɪbəl/
an artist's brush made of sable hairs
From this reading Mrs. Barnaby, either from the depth of her sorrow, or the height of her elegance, had commanded, when she ordered her widow's mourning, that one dress should touch the heart of every beholder by having a basement of sable crape one yard in breadth around it.
sanguineadjectiveUS /ˈsæŋɡwɪn/
confidently optimistic and cheerful
From this reading In the first place, her almost funereal robes (for which, if the truth be spoken, it must be avowed she had not the slightest partiality,) assumed an appearance, under her tasteful fancy, which surprised even herself; for though, when she set about it, she had a sort of _beau ideal_ of a black crape robe floating in her imagination, her hopes of giving it form and substance by her own ingenuity were not very sanguine.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading In the first place, her almost funereal robes (for which, if the truth be spoken, it must be avowed she had not the slightest partiality,) assumed an appearance, under her tasteful fancy, which surprised even herself; for though, when she set about it, she had a sort of _beau ideal_ of a black crape robe floating in her imagination, her hopes of giving it form and substance by her own ingenuity were not very sanguine.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading In the first place, her almost funereal robes (for which, if the truth be spoken, it must be avowed she had not the slightest partiality,) assumed an appearance, under her tasteful fancy, which surprised even herself; for though, when she set about it, she had a sort of _beau ideal_ of a black crape robe floating in her imagination, her hopes of giving it form and substance by her own ingenuity were not very sanguine.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading Mrs. Barnaby, either from the depth of her sorrow, or the height of her elegance, had commanded, when she ordered her widow's mourning, that one dress should touch the heart of every beholder by having a basement of sable crape one yard in breadth around it.
superlative of “slight” — (quantifier used with mass nouns) small in quantity or degree; not much or almost none or (with “a”) at least some
From this reading In the first place, her almost funereal robes (for which, if the truth be spoken, it must be avowed she had not the slightest partiality,) assumed an appearance, under her tasteful fancy, which surprised even herself; for though, when she set about it, she had a sort of _beau ideal_ of a black crape robe floating in her imagination, her hopes of giving it form and substance by her own ingenuity were not very sanguine.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The evening of the ball, so much dreaded by the niece, and so much longed for by the aunt, arrived at last; and by a chance not over common in the affairs of mortals, while the hopes of the one lady were more than realised, the fears of the other were proved to be altogether groundless.
an emotion of great sadness associated with loss or bereavement
From this reading Mrs. Barnaby, either from the depth of her sorrow, or the height of her elegance, had commanded, when she ordered her widow's mourning, that one dress should touch the heart of every beholder by having a basement of sable crape one yard in breadth around it.
a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
From this reading In the first place, her almost funereal robes (for which, if the truth be spoken, it must be avowed she had not the slightest partiality,) assumed an appearance, under her tasteful fancy, which surprised even herself; for though, when she set about it, she had a sort of _beau ideal_ of a black crape robe floating in her imagination, her hopes of giving it form and substance by her own ingenuity were not very sanguine.
uttered through the medium of speech or characterized by speech; sometimes used in combination
From this reading In the first place, her almost funereal robes (for which, if the truth be spoken, it must be avowed she had not the slightest partiality,) assumed an appearance, under her tasteful fancy, which surprised even herself; for though, when she set about it, she had a sort of _beau ideal_ of a black crape robe floating in her imagination, her hopes of giving it form and substance by her own ingenuity were not very sanguine.
substancenounUS /ˈsʌbstəns/
the real physical matter of which a person or thing consists
From this reading In the first place, her almost funereal robes (for which, if the truth be spoken, it must be avowed she had not the slightest partiality,) assumed an appearance, under her tasteful fancy, which surprised even herself; for though, when she set about it, she had a sort of _beau ideal_ of a black crape robe floating in her imagination, her hopes of giving it form and substance by her own ingenuity were not very sanguine.
taken unawares or suddenly and feeling wonder or astonishment
From this reading In the first place, her almost funereal robes (for which, if the truth be spoken, it must be avowed she had not the slightest partiality,) assumed an appearance, under her tasteful fancy, which surprised even herself; for though, when she set about it, she had a sort of _beau ideal_ of a black crape robe floating in her imagination, her hopes of giving it form and substance by her own ingenuity were not very sanguine.
tastefuladjectiveUS /ˈteɪstfəl/
having or showing or conforming to good taste
From this reading In the first place, her almost funereal robes (for which, if the truth be spoken, it must be avowed she had not the slightest partiality,) assumed an appearance, under her tasteful fancy, which surprised even herself; for though, when she set about it, she had a sort of _beau ideal_ of a black crape robe floating in her imagination, her hopes of giving it form and substance by her own ingenuity were not very sanguine.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading The evening of the ball, so much dreaded by the niece, and so much longed for by the aunt, arrived at last; and by a chance not over common in the affairs of mortals, while the hopes of the one lady were more than realised, the fears of the other were proved to be altogether groundless.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Mrs. Barnaby, either from the depth of her sorrow, or the height of her elegance, had commanded, when she ordered her widow's mourning, that one dress should touch the heart of every beholder by having a basement of sable crape one yard in breadth around it.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE BALL.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading In the first place, her almost funereal robes (for which, if the truth be spoken, it must be avowed she had not the slightest partiality,) assumed an appearance, under her tasteful fancy, which surprised even herself; for though, when she set about it, she had a sort of _beau ideal_ of a black crape robe floating in her imagination, her hopes of giving it form and substance by her own ingenuity were not very sanguine.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The evening of the ball, so much dreaded by the niece, and so much longed for by the aunt, arrived at last; and by a chance not over common in the affairs of mortals, while the hopes of the one lady were more than realised, the fears of the other were proved to be altogether groundless.
make physical contact with, come in contact with
From this reading Mrs. Barnaby, either from the depth of her sorrow, or the height of her elegance, had commanded, when she ordered her widow's mourning, that one dress should touch the heart of every beholder by having a basement of sable crape one yard in breadth around it.
a fact that has been verified
From this reading In the first place, her almost funereal robes (for which, if the truth be spoken, it must be avowed she had not the slightest partiality,) assumed an appearance, under her tasteful fancy, which surprised even herself; for though, when she set about it, she had a sort of _beau ideal_ of a black crape robe floating in her imagination, her hopes of giving it form and substance by her own ingenuity were not very sanguine.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading In the first place, her almost funereal robes (for which, if the truth be spoken, it must be avowed she had not the slightest partiality,) assumed an appearance, under her tasteful fancy, which surprised even herself; for though, when she set about it, she had a sort of _beau ideal_ of a black crape robe floating in her imagination, her hopes of giving it form and substance by her own ingenuity were not very sanguine.
precisely as stated
From this reading In the first place, her almost funereal robes (for which, if the truth be spoken, it must be avowed she had not the slightest partiality,) assumed an appearance, under her tasteful fancy, which surprised even herself; for though, when she set about it, she had a sort of _beau ideal_ of a black crape robe floating in her imagination, her hopes of giving it form and substance by her own ingenuity were not very sanguine.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The evening of the ball, so much dreaded by the niece, and so much longed for by the aunt, arrived at last; and by a chance not over common in the affairs of mortals, while the hopes of the one lady were more than realised, the fears of the other were proved to be altogether groundless.
at the time that
From this reading In the first place, her almost funereal robes (for which, if the truth be spoken, it must be avowed she had not the slightest partiality,) assumed an appearance, under her tasteful fancy, which surprised even herself; for though, when she set about it, she had a sort of _beau ideal_ of a black crape robe floating in her imagination, her hopes of giving it form and substance by her own ingenuity were not very sanguine.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading In the first place, her almost funereal robes (for which, if the truth be spoken, it must be avowed she had not the slightest partiality,) assumed an appearance, under her tasteful fancy, which surprised even herself; for though, when she set about it, she had a sort of _beau ideal_ of a black crape robe floating in her imagination, her hopes of giving it form and substance by her own ingenuity were not very sanguine.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading The evening of the ball, so much dreaded by the niece, and so much longed for by the aunt, arrived at last; and by a chance not over common in the affairs of mortals, while the hopes of the one lady were more than realised, the fears of the other were proved to be altogether groundless.
widow'snounUS /ˈwɪdoʊz/
possessive form of “widow” — a woman whose husband is dead especially one who has not remarried
From this reading Mrs. Barnaby, either from the depth of her sorrow, or the height of her elegance, had commanded, when she ordered her widow's mourning, that one dress should touch the heart of every beholder by having a basement of sable crape one yard in breadth around it.
a unit of length equal to 3 feet; defined as 91.44 centimeters; originally taken to be the average length of a stride
From this reading Mrs. Barnaby, either from the depth of her sorrow, or the height of her elegance, had commanded, when she ordered her widow's mourning, that one dress should touch the heart of every beholder by having a basement of sable crape one yard in breadth around it.
