used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Zozé was christening a pale blue muslin dress, the low cut of which revealed her neck, encircled with a double row of pearls.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading On Monday evening, after dinner, the company went to the drawing-room to take coffee.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading An air of festivity seemed to emanate from them both.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading An air of festivity seemed to emanate from them both.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The Marquis was in evening dress and white bow; Gerald, in a dinner-jacket, wore a tea rose in his button-hole.
of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky
From this reading Zozé was christening a pale blue muslin dress, the low cut of which revealed her neck, encircled with a double row of pearls.
the two together, not just one
From this reading An air of festivity seemed to emanate from them both.
a knot with two loops and loose ends; used to tie shoelaces
From this reading The Marquis was in evening dress and white bow; Gerald, in a dinner-jacket, wore a tea rose in his button-hole.
button-hole
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Marquis was in evening dress and white bow; Gerald, in a dinner-jacket, wore a tea rose in his button-hole.
christeningnounUS /ˈkrɪsənɪŋ/
giving a Christian name at baptism
From this reading Zozé was christening a pale blue muslin dress, the low cut of which revealed her neck, encircled with a double row of pearls.
a beverage consisting of an infusion of ground coffee beans
From this reading On Monday evening, after dinner, the company went to the drawing-room to take coffee.
an institution created to conduct business
From this reading On Monday evening, after dinner, the company went to the drawing-room to take coffee.
separate with or as if with an instrument
From this reading Zozé was christening a pale blue muslin dress, the low cut of which revealed her neck, encircled with a double row of pearls.
the main meal of the day served in the evening or at midday
From this reading On Monday evening, after dinner, the company went to the drawing-room to take coffee.
dinner-jacket
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Marquis was in evening dress and white bow; Gerald, in a dinner-jacket, wore a tea rose in his button-hole.
increase twofold
From this reading Zozé was christening a pale blue muslin dress, the low cut of which revealed her neck, encircled with a double row of pearls.
drawing-room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On Monday evening, after dinner, the company went to the drawing-room to take coffee.
put on clothes
From this reading Zozé was christening a pale blue muslin dress, the low cut of which revealed her neck, encircled with a double row of pearls.
emanateverbUS /ˈeməneɪt/
proceed or issue forth, as from a source
From this reading An air of festivity seemed to emanate from them both.
encircledadjectiveUS /ɪnˈsɜːrkəld/
confined on all sides
From this reading Zozé was christening a pale blue muslin dress, the low cut of which revealed her neck, encircled with a double row of pearls.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading On Monday evening, after dinner, the company went to the drawing-room to take coffee.
festivitynounUS /feˈstɪvəti/
any joyous diversion
From this reading An air of festivity seemed to emanate from them both.
the Romance language spoken in France and in countries colonized by France
From this reading The tall French windows of the room were opened; they led straight out onto the terrace that surrounded the house.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading An air of festivity seemed to emanate from them both.
Gerald
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Marquis was in evening dress and white bow; Gerald, in a dinner-jacket, wore a tea rose in his button-hole.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Zozé was christening a pale blue muslin dress, the low cut of which revealed her neck, encircled with a double row of pearls.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The Marquis was in evening dress and white bow; Gerald, in a dinner-jacket, wore a tea rose in his button-hole.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading The tall French windows of the room were opened; they led straight out onto the terrace that surrounded the house.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The Marquis was in evening dress and white bow; Gerald, in a dinner-jacket, wore a tea rose in his button-hole.
diode such that light emitted at a p-n junction is proportional to the bias current; color depends on the material used
From this reading The tall French windows of the room were opened; they led straight out onto the terrace that surrounded the house.
less than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading Zozé was christening a pale blue muslin dress, the low cut of which revealed her neck, encircled with a double row of pearls.
MarquisnounUS /ˌmɑːrˈkiː/
humorist who wrote about the imaginary life of cockroaches (1878-1937)
From this reading The Marquis was in evening dress and white bow; Gerald, in a dinner-jacket, wore a tea rose in his button-hole.
MondaynounUS /ˈmʌndi/
the second day of the week; the first working day
From this reading On Monday evening, after dinner, the company went to the drawing-room to take coffee.
muslinnounUS /ˈmʌzlən/
plain-woven cotton fabric
From this reading Zozé was christening a pale blue muslin dress, the low cut of which revealed her neck, encircled with a double row of pearls.
the part of an organism (human or animal) that connects the head to the rest of the body
From this reading Zozé was christening a pale blue muslin dress, the low cut of which revealed her neck, encircled with a double row of pearls.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Zozé was christening a pale blue muslin dress, the low cut of which revealed her neck, encircled with a double row of pearls.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading On Monday evening, after dinner, the company went to the drawing-room to take coffee.
ontoprepositionUS /ˈɑːntuː/
moving to a position on a surface
From this reading The tall French windows of the room were opened; they led straight out onto the terrace that surrounded the house.
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading The tall French windows of the room were opened; they led straight out onto the terrace that surrounded the house.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading The tall French windows of the room were opened; they led straight out onto the terrace that surrounded the house.
very light colored; highly diluted with white
From this reading Zozé was christening a pale blue muslin dress, the low cut of which revealed her neck, encircled with a double row of pearls.
pearlsnounUS /pɜːrlz/
plural of “pearl” — a smooth lustrous round structure inside the shell of a clam or oyster; much valued as a jewel
From this reading Zozé was christening a pale blue muslin dress, the low cut of which revealed her neck, encircled with a double row of pearls.
past form of “reveal” — make visible
From this reading Zozé was christening a pale blue muslin dress, the low cut of which revealed her neck, encircled with a double row of pearls.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading The tall French windows of the room were opened; they led straight out onto the terrace that surrounded the house.
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading The Marquis was in evening dress and white bow; Gerald, in a dinner-jacket, wore a tea rose in his button-hole.
an arrangement of objects or people side by side in a line
From this reading Zozé was christening a pale blue muslin dress, the low cut of which revealed her neck, encircled with a double row of pearls.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading An air of festivity seemed to emanate from them both.
successive (without a break)
From this reading The tall French windows of the room were opened; they led straight out onto the terrace that surrounded the house.
confined on all sides
From this reading The tall French windows of the room were opened; they led straight out onto the terrace that surrounded the house.
carry out
From this reading On Monday evening, after dinner, the company went to the drawing-room to take coffee.
great in vertical dimension; high in stature
From this reading The tall French windows of the room were opened; they led straight out onto the terrace that surrounded the house.
a beverage made by steeping tea leaves in water
From this reading The Marquis was in evening dress and white bow; Gerald, in a dinner-jacket, wore a tea rose in his button-hole.
terracenounUS /ˈterəs/
usually paved outdoor area adjoining a residence
From this reading The tall French windows of the room were opened; they led straight out onto the terrace that surrounded the house.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The tall French windows of the room were opened; they led straight out onto the terrace that surrounded the house.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading On Monday evening, after dinner, the company went to the drawing-room to take coffee.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading An air of festivity seemed to emanate from them both.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The tall French windows of the room were opened; they led straight out onto the terrace that surrounded the house.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading On Monday evening, after dinner, the company went to the drawing-room to take coffee.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Zozé was christening a pale blue muslin dress, the low cut of which revealed her neck, encircled with a double row of pearls.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading On Monday evening, after dinner, the company went to the drawing-room to take coffee.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The tall French windows of the room were opened; they led straight out onto the terrace that surrounded the house.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Zozé was christening a pale blue muslin dress, the low cut of which revealed her neck, encircled with a double row of pearls.
a Caucasian
From this reading The Marquis was in evening dress and white bow; Gerald, in a dinner-jacket, wore a tea rose in his button-hole.
(trademark) an operating system with a graphical user interface
From this reading The tall French windows of the room were opened; they led straight out onto the terrace that surrounded the house.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Zozé was christening a pale blue muslin dress, the low cut of which revealed her neck, encircled with a double row of pearls.
inflected form of “wear” — be dressed in
From this reading The Marquis was in evening dress and white bow; Gerald, in a dinner-jacket, wore a tea rose in his button-hole.
Zozé
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Zozé was christening a pale blue muslin dress, the low cut of which revealed her neck, encircled with a double row of pearls.
