used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was a bright morning in May, and the sun, streaming between the heavy window-curtains, made the rest of the room look more than usually funereal by comparison.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "Nothing but his cigarette-case, and Marjorie’s last letter."
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading At the other yawned a great empty fireplace, with a curiously carved mantelpiece, over which hung Millais’ radiant portrait of Lady Eskerley as a bride.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At one end, double doors opened into his lordship’s _sanctum sanctorum_, where few but the faithful Meadows ever presumed to track him.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading It was a bright morning in May, and the sun, streaming between the heavy window-curtains, made the rest of the room look more than usually funereal by comparison.
a woman who has recently been married
From this reading At the other yawned a great empty fireplace, with a curiously carved mantelpiece, over which hung Millais’ radiant portrait of Lady Eskerley as a bride.
emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts
From this reading It was a bright morning in May, and the sun, streaming between the heavy window-curtains, made the rest of the room look more than usually funereal by comparison.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading "Nothing but his cigarette-case, and Marjorie’s last letter."
showing who or what does the action
From this reading It was a bright morning in May, and the sun, streaming between the heavy window-curtains, made the rest of the room look more than usually funereal by comparison.
carvedadjectiveUS /kɑːrvd/
made for or formed by carving (“carven” is archaic or literary)
From this reading At the other yawned a great empty fireplace, with a curiously carved mantelpiece, over which hung Millais’ radiant portrait of Lady Eskerley as a bride.
cigarette-case
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Nothing but his cigarette-case, and Marjorie’s last letter."
comparisonnounUS /kəmˈperəsən/
the act of examining resemblances
From this reading It was a bright morning in May, and the sun, streaming between the heavy window-curtains, made the rest of the room look more than usually funereal by comparison.
in a manner differing from the usual or expected
From this reading At the other yawned a great empty fireplace, with a curiously carved mantelpiece, over which hung Millais’ radiant portrait of Lady Eskerley as a bride.
Curzon
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We were standing in the outer library of Lord Eskerley’s great house in Curzon Street.
plural of “door” — a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading At one end, double doors opened into his lordship’s _sanctum sanctorum_, where few but the faithful Meadows ever presumed to track him.
increase twofold
From this reading At one end, double doors opened into his lordship’s _sanctum sanctorum_, where few but the faithful Meadows ever presumed to track him.
make void or empty of contents
From this reading At the other yawned a great empty fireplace, with a curiously carved mantelpiece, over which hung Millais’ radiant portrait of Lady Eskerley as a bride.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading At one end, double doors opened into his lordship’s _sanctum sanctorum_, where few but the faithful Meadows ever presumed to track him.
Eskerley
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At the other yawned a great empty fireplace, with a curiously carved mantelpiece, over which hung Millais’ radiant portrait of Lady Eskerley as a bride.
Eskerley's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We were standing in the outer library of Lord Eskerley’s great house in Curzon Street.
at any time
From this reading At one end, double doors opened into his lordship’s _sanctum sanctorum_, where few but the faithful Meadows ever presumed to track him.
steadfast in affection or allegiance
From this reading At one end, double doors opened into his lordship’s _sanctum sanctorum_, where few but the faithful Meadows ever presumed to track him.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading At one end, double doors opened into his lordship’s _sanctum sanctorum_, where few but the faithful Meadows ever presumed to track him.
fireplacenounUS /ˈfaɪərpleɪs/
an open recess in a wall at the base of a chimney where a fire can be built
From this reading At the other yawned a great empty fireplace, with a curiously carved mantelpiece, over which hung Millais’ radiant portrait of Lady Eskerley as a bride.
funerealadjective
suited to or suggestive of a grave or burial
From this reading It was a bright morning in May, and the sun, streaming between the heavy window-curtains, made the rest of the room look more than usually funereal by comparison.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading We were standing in the outer library of Lord Eskerley’s great house in Curzon Street.
of comparatively great physical weight or density
From this reading It was a bright morning in May, and the sun, streaming between the heavy window-curtains, made the rest of the room look more than usually funereal by comparison.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading At one end, double doors opened into his lordship’s _sanctum sanctorum_, where few but the faithful Meadows ever presumed to track him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading "Nothing but his cigarette-case, and Marjorie’s last letter."
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading We were standing in the outer library of Lord Eskerley’s great house in Curzon Street.
inflected form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging
From this reading At the other yawned a great empty fireplace, with a curiously carved mantelpiece, over which hung Millais’ radiant portrait of Lady Eskerley as a bride.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading We were standing in the outer library of Lord Eskerley’s great house in Curzon Street.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading At one end, double doors opened into his lordship’s _sanctum sanctorum_, where few but the faithful Meadows ever presumed to track him.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was a bright morning in May, and the sun, streaming between the heavy window-curtains, made the rest of the room look more than usually funereal by comparison.
a polite name for any woman
From this reading At the other yawned a great empty fireplace, with a curiously carved mantelpiece, over which hung Millais’ radiant portrait of Lady Eskerley as a bride.
immediately past
From this reading "Nothing but his cigarette-case, and Marjorie’s last letter."
a written message addressed to a person or organization
From this reading "Nothing but his cigarette-case, and Marjorie’s last letter."
a room where books are kept
From this reading We were standing in the outer library of Lord Eskerley’s great house in Curzon Street.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading It was a bright morning in May, and the sun, streaming between the heavy window-curtains, made the rest of the room look more than usually funereal by comparison.
terms referring to the Judeo-Christian God
From this reading We were standing in the outer library of Lord Eskerley’s great house in Curzon Street.
lordship's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At one end, double doors opened into his lordship’s _sanctum sanctorum_, where few but the faithful Meadows ever presumed to track him.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading It was a bright morning in May, and the sun, streaming between the heavy window-curtains, made the rest of the room look more than usually funereal by comparison.
mantelpiecenoun
shelf that projects from wall above fireplace
From this reading At the other yawned a great empty fireplace, with a curiously carved mantelpiece, over which hung Millais’ radiant portrait of Lady Eskerley as a bride.
Marjorie's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Nothing but his cigarette-case, and Marjorie’s last letter."
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading It was a bright morning in May, and the sun, streaming between the heavy window-curtains, made the rest of the room look more than usually funereal by comparison.
MeadowsnounUS /ˈmedoʊz/
plural of “meadow” — a field where grass or alfalfa are grown to be made into hay
From this reading At one end, double doors opened into his lordship’s _sanctum sanctorum_, where few but the faithful Meadows ever presumed to track him.
Millaisnoun
Englishman and Pre-Raphaelite painter (1829-1896)
From this reading At the other yawned a great empty fireplace, with a curiously carved mantelpiece, over which hung Millais’ radiant portrait of Lady Eskerley as a bride.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading It was a bright morning in May, and the sun, streaming between the heavy window-curtains, made the rest of the room look more than usually funereal by comparison.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading It was a bright morning in May, and the sun, streaming between the heavy window-curtains, made the rest of the room look more than usually funereal by comparison.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading "Nothing but his cigarette-case, and Marjorie’s last letter."
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading We were standing in the outer library of Lord Eskerley’s great house in Curzon Street.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading At one end, double doors opened into his lordship’s _sanctum sanctorum_, where few but the faithful Meadows ever presumed to track him.
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading At one end, double doors opened into his lordship’s _sanctum sanctorum_, where few but the faithful Meadows ever presumed to track him.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading At the other yawned a great empty fireplace, with a curiously carved mantelpiece, over which hung Millais’ radiant portrait of Lady Eskerley as a bride.
outeradjectiveUS /ˈaʊtər/
being on the outside or further from a center
From this reading We were standing in the outer library of Lord Eskerley’s great house in Curzon Street.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading At the other yawned a great empty fireplace, with a curiously carved mantelpiece, over which hung Millais’ radiant portrait of Lady Eskerley as a bride.
a word picture of a person's appearance and character
From this reading At the other yawned a great empty fireplace, with a curiously carved mantelpiece, over which hung Millais’ radiant portrait of Lady Eskerley as a bride.
presumedverbUS /prəˈzuːmd/
past form of “presume” — take to be the case or to be true; accept without verification or proof
From this reading At one end, double doors opened into his lordship’s _sanctum sanctorum_, where few but the faithful Meadows ever presumed to track him.
radiantadjectiveUS /ˈreɪdiːənt/
radiating or as if radiating light
From this reading At the other yawned a great empty fireplace, with a curiously carved mantelpiece, over which hung Millais’ radiant portrait of Lady Eskerley as a bride.
not move; be in a resting position
From this reading It was a bright morning in May, and the sun, streaming between the heavy window-curtains, made the rest of the room look more than usually funereal by comparison.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading It was a bright morning in May, and the sun, streaming between the heavy window-curtains, made the rest of the room look more than usually funereal by comparison.
sanctorum
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At one end, double doors opened into his lordship’s _sanctum sanctorum_, where few but the faithful Meadows ever presumed to track him.
sanctumnounUS /ˈsæŋktəm/
a place of inviolable privacy
From this reading At one end, double doors opened into his lordship’s _sanctum sanctorum_, where few but the faithful Meadows ever presumed to track him.
having a supporting base
From this reading We were standing in the outer library of Lord Eskerley’s great house in Curzon Street.
streamingadjectiveUS /ˈstriːmɪŋ/
exuding a bodily fluid in profuse amounts
From this reading It was a bright morning in May, and the sun, streaming between the heavy window-curtains, made the rest of the room look more than usually funereal by comparison.
a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading We were standing in the outer library of Lord Eskerley’s great house in Curzon Street.
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading It was a bright morning in May, and the sun, streaming between the heavy window-curtains, made the rest of the room look more than usually funereal by comparison.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading It was a bright morning in May, and the sun, streaming between the heavy window-curtains, made the rest of the room look more than usually funereal by comparison.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading We were standing in the outer library of Lord Eskerley’s great house in Curzon Street.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading At one end, double doors opened into his lordship’s _sanctum sanctorum_, where few but the faithful Meadows ever presumed to track him.
a line or route along which something travels or moves
From this reading At one end, double doors opened into his lordship’s _sanctum sanctorum_, where few but the faithful Meadows ever presumed to track him.
under normal conditions
From this reading It was a bright morning in May, and the sun, streaming between the heavy window-curtains, made the rest of the room look more than usually funereal by comparison.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was a bright morning in May, and the sun, streaming between the heavy window-curtains, made the rest of the room look more than usually funereal by comparison.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading We were standing in the outer library of Lord Eskerley’s great house in Curzon Street.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading We were standing in the outer library of Lord Eskerley’s great house in Curzon Street.
in or at the place that
From this reading At one end, double doors opened into his lordship’s _sanctum sanctorum_, where few but the faithful Meadows ever presumed to track him.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading At the other yawned a great empty fireplace, with a curiously carved mantelpiece, over which hung Millais’ radiant portrait of Lady Eskerley as a bride.
window-curtains
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a bright morning in May, and the sun, streaming between the heavy window-curtains, made the rest of the room look more than usually funereal by comparison.
in the company of; together with
From this reading At the other yawned a great empty fireplace, with a curiously carved mantelpiece, over which hung Millais’ radiant portrait of Lady Eskerley as a bride.
yawnedverbUS /jɔːnd/
past form of “yawn” — utter a yawn, as from lack of oxygen or when one is tired
From this reading At the other yawned a great empty fireplace, with a curiously carved mantelpiece, over which hung Millais’ radiant portrait of Lady Eskerley as a bride.
