used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Her windowless chamber, all shot through with sunlight, presented a surprising array of cracks, and the slanting beams told her that the sun was well up.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Janet, opening her eyes upon daylight, sat up drowsily and looked about.
the state of being absent
From this reading In the absence of toilet conveniences she arranged her hair as best she could; and having adjusted her skirt-band and smoothed out the wrinkles, she put her hand to the latch.
adjustedadjectiveUS /əˈdʒʌstɪd/
altered to accommodate to certain requirements or bring into a proper relation
From this reading In the absence of toilet conveniences she arranged her hair as best she could; and having adjusted her skirt-band and smoothed out the wrinkles, she put her hand to the latch.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading Her windowless chamber, all shot through with sunlight, presented a surprising array of cracks, and the slanting beams told her that the sun was well up.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Janet, opening her eyes upon daylight, sat up drowsily and looked about.
disposed or placed in a particular kind of order
From this reading In the absence of toilet conveniences she arranged her hair as best she could; and having adjusted her skirt-band and smoothed out the wrinkles, she put her hand to the latch.
arraynounUS /ərˈeɪ/
an orderly arrangement
From this reading Her windowless chamber, all shot through with sunlight, presented a surprising array of cracks, and the slanting beams told her that the sun was well up.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading In the absence of toilet conveniences she arranged her hair as best she could; and having adjusted her skirt-band and smoothed out the wrinkles, she put her hand to the latch.
beamsnounUS /biːmz/
plural of “beam” — a signal transmitted along a narrow path; guides airplane pilots in darkness or bad weather
From this reading Her windowless chamber, all shot through with sunlight, presented a surprising array of cracks, and the slanting beams told her that the sun was well up.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading How long she had been sleeping she had not the least idea.
the supreme effort one can make
From this reading In the absence of toilet conveniences she arranged her hair as best she could; and having adjusted her skirt-band and smoothed out the wrinkles, she put her hand to the latch.
a natural or artificial enclosed space
From this reading Her windowless chamber, all shot through with sunlight, presented a surprising array of cracks, and the slanting beams told her that the sun was well up.
conveniencesnounUS /kənˈviːnjənsɪz/
things that make you comfortable and at ease
From this reading In the absence of toilet conveniences she arranged her hair as best she could; and having adjusted her skirt-band and smoothed out the wrinkles, she put her hand to the latch.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading In the absence of toilet conveniences she arranged her hair as best she could; and having adjusted her skirt-band and smoothed out the wrinkles, she put her hand to the latch.
cracksnounUS /kræks/
plural of “crack” — a long narrow opening
From this reading Her windowless chamber, all shot through with sunlight, presented a surprising array of cracks, and the slanting beams told her that the sun was well up.
the time after sunrise and before sunset while it is light outside
From this reading Janet, opening her eyes upon daylight, sat up drowsily and looked about.
drowsilyadverb
in a drowsy manner
From this reading Janet, opening her eyes upon daylight, sat up drowsily and looked about.
opinion or judgment
From this reading Janet, opening her eyes upon daylight, sat up drowsily and looked about.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading How long she had been sleeping she had not the least idea.
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 In the absence of toilet conveniences she arranged her hair as best she could; and having adjusted her skirt-band and smoothed out the wrinkles, she put her hand to the latch.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading In the absence of toilet conveniences she arranged her hair as best she could; and having adjusted her skirt-band and smoothed out the wrinkles, she put her hand to the latch.
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading In the absence of toilet conveniences she arranged her hair as best she could; and having adjusted her skirt-band and smoothed out the wrinkles, she put her hand to the latch.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Janet, opening her eyes upon daylight, sat up drowsily and looked about.
How
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How long she had been sleeping she had not the least idea.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading How long she had been sleeping she had not the least idea.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In the absence of toilet conveniences she arranged her hair as best she could; and having adjusted her skirt-band and smoothed out the wrinkles, she put her hand to the latch.
Janet
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Janet, opening her eyes upon daylight, sat up drowsily and looked about.
latchverbUS /lætʃ/
fasten with a latch
From this reading In the absence of toilet conveniences she arranged her hair as best she could; and having adjusted her skirt-band and smoothed out the wrinkles, she put her hand to the latch.
the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree
From this reading How long she had been sleeping she had not the least idea.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading How long she had been sleeping she had not the least idea.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading Janet, opening her eyes upon daylight, sat up drowsily and looked about.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading How long she had been sleeping she had not the least idea.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Her windowless chamber, all shot through with sunlight, presented a surprising array of cracks, and the slanting beams told her that the sun was well up.
an open or empty space in or between things
From this reading Janet, opening her eyes upon daylight, sat up drowsily and looked about.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading In the absence of toilet conveniences she arranged her hair as best she could; and having adjusted her skirt-band and smoothed out the wrinkles, she put her hand to the latch.
past form of “present” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading Her windowless chamber, all shot through with sunlight, presented a surprising array of cracks, and the slanting beams told her that the sun was well up.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading In the absence of toilet conveniences she arranged her hair as best she could; and having adjusted her skirt-band and smoothed out the wrinkles, she put her hand to the latch.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading Janet, opening her eyes upon daylight, sat up drowsily and looked about.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading How long she had been sleeping she had not the least idea.
the act of firing a projectile
From this reading Her windowless chamber, all shot through with sunlight, presented a surprising array of cracks, and the slanting beams told her that the sun was well up.
skirt-band
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the absence of toilet conveniences she arranged her hair as best she could; and having adjusted her skirt-band and smoothed out the wrinkles, she put her hand to the latch.
slantingadjectiveUS /ˈslæntɪŋ/
having an oblique or slanted direction
From this reading Her windowless chamber, all shot through with sunlight, presented a surprising array of cracks, and the slanting beams told her that the sun was well up.
the state of being asleep
From this reading How long she had been sleeping she had not the least idea.
smoothedadjectiveUS /smuːðd/
made smooth by ironing
From this reading In the absence of toilet conveniences she arranged her hair as best she could; and having adjusted her skirt-band and smoothed out the wrinkles, she put her hand to the latch.
(of a nose) blocked
From this reading Her watch had stopped.
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading Her windowless chamber, all shot through with sunlight, presented a surprising array of cracks, and the slanting beams told her that the sun was well up.
the rays of the sun
From this reading Her windowless chamber, all shot through with sunlight, presented a surprising array of cracks, and the slanting beams told her that the sun was well up.
surprisingadjectiveUS /sərˈpraɪzɪŋ/
causing surprise or wonder or amazement
From this reading Her windowless chamber, all shot through with sunlight, presented a surprising array of cracks, and the slanting beams told her that the sun was well up.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Her windowless chamber, all shot through with sunlight, presented a surprising array of cracks, and the slanting beams told her that the sun was well up.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading How long she had been sleeping she had not the least idea.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading Her windowless chamber, all shot through with sunlight, presented a surprising array of cracks, and the slanting beams told her that the sun was well up.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading In the absence of toilet conveniences she arranged her hair as best she could; and having adjusted her skirt-band and smoothed out the wrinkles, she put her hand to the latch.
toiletnounUS /ˈtɔɪlət/
a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading In the absence of toilet conveniences she arranged her hair as best she could; and having adjusted her skirt-band and smoothed out the wrinkles, she put her hand to the latch.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading Her windowless chamber, all shot through with sunlight, presented a surprising array of cracks, and the slanting beams told her that the sun was well up.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Janet, opening her eyes upon daylight, sat up drowsily and looked about.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Janet, opening her eyes upon daylight, sat up drowsily and looked about.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Her windowless chamber, all shot through with sunlight, presented a surprising array of cracks, and the slanting beams told her that the sun was well up.
look attentively
From this reading Her watch had stopped.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading Her windowless chamber, all shot through with sunlight, presented a surprising array of cracks, and the slanting beams told her that the sun was well up.
windowless
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her windowless chamber, all shot through with sunlight, presented a surprising array of cracks, and the slanting beams told her that the sun was well up.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Her windowless chamber, all shot through with sunlight, presented a surprising array of cracks, and the slanting beams told her that the sun was well up.
wrinklesnounUS /ˈrɪŋkəlz/
plural of “wrinkle” — a slight depression or fold in the smoothness of a surface
From this reading In the absence of toilet conveniences she arranged her hair as best she could; and having adjusted her skirt-band and smoothed out the wrinkles, she put her hand to the latch.
