used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading IN a large and cool drawing-room of London a few people were scattered about, listening to a soprano voice that was singing to the accompaniment of a piano.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading IN a large and cool drawing-room of London a few people were scattered about, listening to a soprano voice that was singing to the accompaniment of a piano.
accompanimentnounUS /əˈkʌmpnɪmənt/
an event or situation that happens at the same time as or in connection with another
From this reading IN a large and cool drawing-room of London a few people were scattered about, listening to a soprano voice that was singing to the accompaniment of a piano.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The sound of the voice came from an inner room, towards which most of these people were looking earnestly.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading IN a large and cool drawing-room of London a few people were scattered about, listening to a soprano voice that was singing to the accompaniment of a piano.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading A little woman, with oily black hair and enormous dark eyes, leaned back on a sofa, playing with a scarlet fan and glancing sideways at a thin, elderly man, who gazed into the distance from which the voice came.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading A little woman, with oily black hair and enormous dark eyes, leaned back on a sofa, playing with a scarlet fan and glancing sideways at a thin, elderly man, who gazed into the distance from which the voice came.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading A little woman, with oily black hair and enormous dark eyes, leaned back on a sofa, playing with a scarlet fan and glancing sideways at a thin, elderly man, who gazed into the distance from which the voice came.
of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky
From this reading His mouth worked slightly under his stiff white moustache, and his eyes, in colour a faded blue, were fixed and stern.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading The sound of the voice came from an inner room, towards which most of these people were looking earnestly.
having or capable of producing colors
From this reading His mouth worked slightly under his stiff white moustache, and his eyes, in colour a faded blue, were fixed and stern.
neither warm nor very cold; giving relief from heat
From this reading IN a large and cool drawing-room of London a few people were scattered about, listening to a soprano voice that was singing to the accompaniment of a piano.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading A little woman, with oily black hair and enormous dark eyes, leaned back on a sofa, playing with a scarlet fan and glancing sideways at a thin, elderly man, who gazed into the distance from which the voice came.
the property created by the space between two objects or points
From this reading A little woman, with oily black hair and enormous dark eyes, leaned back on a sofa, playing with a scarlet fan and glancing sideways at a thin, elderly man, who gazed into the distance from which the voice came.
drawing-room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading IN a large and cool drawing-room of London a few people were scattered about, listening to a soprano voice that was singing to the accompaniment of a piano.
in a serious manner
From this reading The sound of the voice came from an inner room, towards which most of these people were looking earnestly.
elderlyadjectiveUS /ˈeldərli/
advanced in years; (“aged” is pronounced as two syllables)
From this reading A little woman, with oily black hair and enormous dark eyes, leaned back on a sofa, playing with a scarlet fan and glancing sideways at a thin, elderly man, who gazed into the distance from which the voice came.
extraordinarily large in size or extent or amount or power or degree
From this reading A little woman, with oily black hair and enormous dark eyes, leaned back on a sofa, playing with a scarlet fan and glancing sideways at a thin, elderly man, who gazed into the distance from which the voice came.
opinion or judgment
From this reading A little woman, with oily black hair and enormous dark eyes, leaned back on a sofa, playing with a scarlet fan and glancing sideways at a thin, elderly man, who gazed into the distance from which the voice came.
fadedadjectiveUS /ˈfeɪdəd/
having lost freshness or brilliance of color
From this reading His mouth worked slightly under his stiff white moustache, and his eyes, in colour a faded blue, were fixed and stern.
fanverbUS /fæn/
strike out (a batter), (of a pitcher)
From this reading A little woman, with oily black hair and enormous dark eyes, leaned back on a sofa, playing with a scarlet fan and glancing sideways at a thin, elderly man, who gazed into the distance from which the voice came.
fascinationnounUS /ˌfæsəˈneɪʃən/
the state of being intensely interested (as by awe or terror)
From this reading Only one or two seemed indifferent to the fascination of the singer.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading IN a large and cool drawing-room of London a few people were scattered about, listening to a soprano voice that was singing to the accompaniment of a piano.
(of a number) having a fixed and unchanging value
From this reading His mouth worked slightly under his stiff white moustache, and his eyes, in colour a faded blue, were fixed and stern.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The sound of the voice came from an inner room, towards which most of these people were looking earnestly.
past form of “gaze” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading A little woman, with oily black hair and enormous dark eyes, leaned back on a sofa, playing with a scarlet fan and glancing sideways at a thin, elderly man, who gazed into the distance from which the voice came.
-ing form of “glance” — throw a glance at; take a brief look at
From this reading A little woman, with oily black hair and enormous dark eyes, leaned back on a sofa, playing with a scarlet fan and glancing sideways at a thin, elderly man, who gazed into the distance from which the voice came.
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 A little woman, with oily black hair and enormous dark eyes, leaned back on a sofa, playing with a scarlet fan and glancing sideways at a thin, elderly man, who gazed into the distance from which the voice came.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading His mouth worked slightly under his stiff white moustache, and his eyes, in colour a faded blue, were fixed and stern.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading IN a large and cool drawing-room of London a few people were scattered about, listening to a soprano voice that was singing to the accompaniment of a piano.
marked by a lack of interest
From this reading Only one or two seemed indifferent to the fascination of the singer.
located inward
From this reading The sound of the voice came from an inner room, towards which most of these people were looking earnestly.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading A little woman, with oily black hair and enormous dark eyes, leaned back on a sofa, playing with a scarlet fan and glancing sideways at a thin, elderly man, who gazed into the distance from which the voice came.
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading IN a large and cool drawing-room of London a few people were scattered about, listening to a soprano voice that was singing to the accompaniment of a piano.
past form of “lean” — to incline or bend from a vertical position
From this reading A little woman, with oily black hair and enormous dark eyes, leaned back on a sofa, playing with a scarlet fan and glancing sideways at a thin, elderly man, who gazed into the distance from which the voice came.
the act of hearing attentively
From this reading IN a large and cool drawing-room of London a few people were scattered about, listening to a soprano voice that was singing to the accompaniment of a piano.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading A little woman, with oily black hair and enormous dark eyes, leaned back on a sofa, playing with a scarlet fan and glancing sideways at a thin, elderly man, who gazed into the distance from which the voice came.
the capital and largest city of England; located on the Thames in southeastern England; financial and industrial and cultural center
From this reading IN a large and cool drawing-room of London a few people were scattered about, listening to a soprano voice that was singing to the accompaniment of a piano.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading The sound of the voice came from an inner room, towards which most of these people were looking earnestly.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading A little woman, with oily black hair and enormous dark eyes, leaned back on a sofa, playing with a scarlet fan and glancing sideways at a thin, elderly man, who gazed into the distance from which the voice came.
used to form the superlative
From this reading The sound of the voice came from an inner room, towards which most of these people were looking earnestly.
moustachenounUS /ˈmʌstæʃ/
an unshaved growth of hair on the upper lip
From this reading His mouth worked slightly under his stiff white moustache, and his eyes, in colour a faded blue, were fixed and stern.
the opening through which food is taken in and vocalizations emerge
From this reading His mouth worked slightly under his stiff white moustache, and his eyes, in colour a faded blue, were fixed and stern.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading IN a large and cool drawing-room of London a few people were scattered about, listening to a soprano voice that was singing to the accompaniment of a piano.
oilyadjectiveUS /ˈɔɪli/
containing an unusual amount of grease or oil
From this reading A little woman, with oily black hair and enormous dark eyes, leaned back on a sofa, playing with a scarlet fan and glancing sideways at a thin, elderly man, who gazed into the distance from which the voice came.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading A little woman, with oily black hair and enormous dark eyes, leaned back on a sofa, playing with a scarlet fan and glancing sideways at a thin, elderly man, who gazed into the distance from which the voice came.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Only one or two seemed indifferent to the fascination of the singer.
and nothing more
From this reading Only one or two seemed indifferent to the fascination of the singer.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Only one or two seemed indifferent to the fascination of the singer.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading IN a large and cool drawing-room of London a few people were scattered about, listening to a soprano voice that was singing to the accompaniment of a piano.
pianonounUS /piˈænoʊ/
a keyboard instrument that is played by depressing keys that cause hammers to strike tuned strings and produce sounds
From this reading IN a large and cool drawing-room of London a few people were scattered about, listening to a soprano voice that was singing to the accompaniment of a piano.
the act of playing a musical instrument
From this reading A little woman, with oily black hair and enormous dark eyes, leaned back on a sofa, playing with a scarlet fan and glancing sideways at a thin, elderly man, who gazed into the distance from which the voice came.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading The sound of the voice came from an inner room, towards which most of these people were looking earnestly.
scarletnounUS /ˈskɑːrlət/
a variable color that is vivid red but sometimes with an orange tinge
From this reading A little woman, with oily black hair and enormous dark eyes, leaned back on a sofa, playing with a scarlet fan and glancing sideways at a thin, elderly man, who gazed into the distance from which the voice came.
occurring or distributed over widely spaced and irregular intervals in time or space
From this reading IN a large and cool drawing-room of London a few people were scattered about, listening to a soprano voice that was singing to the accompaniment of a piano.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Only one or two seemed indifferent to the fascination of the singer.
sidewaysadverbUS /ˈsaɪdweɪz/
with one side forward or to the front
From this reading A little woman, with oily black hair and enormous dark eyes, leaned back on a sofa, playing with a scarlet fan and glancing sideways at a thin, elderly man, who gazed into the distance from which the voice came.
singernounUS /ˈsɪŋər/
a person who sings
From this reading Only one or two seemed indifferent to the fascination of the singer.
the act of singing vocal music
From this reading IN a large and cool drawing-room of London a few people were scattered about, listening to a soprano voice that was singing to the accompaniment of a piano.
to a small degree or extent
From this reading His mouth worked slightly under his stiff white moustache, and his eyes, in colour a faded blue, were fixed and stern.
an upholstered seat for more than one person
From this reading A little woman, with oily black hair and enormous dark eyes, leaned back on a sofa, playing with a scarlet fan and glancing sideways at a thin, elderly man, who gazed into the distance from which the voice came.
sopranonounUS /səˈprɑːnoʊ/
a female singer
From this reading IN a large and cool drawing-room of London a few people were scattered about, listening to a soprano voice that was singing to the accompaniment of a piano.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading The sound of the voice came from an inner room, towards which most of these people were looking earnestly.
sternadjectiveUS /stɜːrn/
of a stern or strict bearing or demeanor; forbidding in aspect
From this reading His mouth worked slightly under his stiff white moustache, and his eyes, in colour a faded blue, were fixed and stern.
not moving or operating freely
From this reading His mouth worked slightly under his stiff white moustache, and his eyes, in colour a faded blue, were fixed and stern.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading IN a large and cool drawing-room of London a few people were scattered about, listening to a soprano voice that was singing to the accompaniment of a piano.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading IN a large and cool drawing-room of London a few people were scattered about, listening to a soprano voice that was singing to the accompaniment of a piano.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading The sound of the voice came from an inner room, towards which most of these people were looking earnestly.
Having little thickness or extent.
From this reading A little woman, with oily black hair and enormous dark eyes, leaned back on a sofa, playing with a scarlet fan and glancing sideways at a thin, elderly man, who gazed into the distance from which the voice came.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading IN a large and cool drawing-room of London a few people were scattered about, listening to a soprano voice that was singing to the accompaniment of a piano.
in the direction of
From this reading The sound of the voice came from an inner room, towards which most of these people were looking earnestly.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading Only one or two seemed indifferent to the fascination of the singer.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading His mouth worked slightly under his stiff white moustache, and his eyes, in colour a faded blue, were fixed and stern.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading IN a large and cool drawing-room of London a few people were scattered about, listening to a soprano voice that was singing to the accompaniment of a piano.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading IN a large and cool drawing-room of London a few people were scattered about, listening to a soprano voice that was singing to the accompaniment of a piano.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading IN a large and cool drawing-room of London a few people were scattered about, listening to a soprano voice that was singing to the accompaniment of a piano.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The sound of the voice came from an inner room, towards which most of these people were looking earnestly.
a Caucasian
From this reading His mouth worked slightly under his stiff white moustache, and his eyes, in colour a faded blue, were fixed and stern.
which person or people
From this reading A little woman, with oily black hair and enormous dark eyes, leaned back on a sofa, playing with a scarlet fan and glancing sideways at a thin, elderly man, who gazed into the distance from which the voice came.
in the company of; together with
From this reading A little woman, with oily black hair and enormous dark eyes, leaned back on a sofa, playing with a scarlet fan and glancing sideways at a thin, elderly man, who gazed into the distance from which the voice came.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading A little woman, with oily black hair and enormous dark eyes, leaned back on a sofa, playing with a scarlet fan and glancing sideways at a thin, elderly man, who gazed into the distance from which the voice came.
past form of “work” — exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading His mouth worked slightly under his stiff white moustache, and his eyes, in colour a faded blue, were fixed and stern.
