adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading She could write a good letter, and was swift with her pen.
alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/
(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 She thought all letters deserved the courtesy of an answer.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading She was an embarrassing secretary, for she fished my correspondence out of the waste-basket and answered the letters.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She was an embarrassing secretary, for she fished my correspondence out of the waste-basket and answered the letters.
answerverbUS /ˈænsər/
react verbally
From this reading She thought all letters deserved the courtesy of an answer.
answeredverbUS /ˈænsərd/
past form of “answer” — react verbally
From this reading She was an embarrassing secretary, for she fished my correspondence out of the waste-basket and answered the letters.
broughtverbUS /brɔːt/
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading Her mother brought her up in that kindly error.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading She had but an indifferent ear for music, but her tongue took to languages with an easy facility.
correspondencenounUS /ˌkɔːrəˈspɑːndəns/
communication by the exchange of letters
From this reading She was an embarrassing secretary, for she fished my correspondence out of the waste-basket and answered the letters.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading She could write a good letter, and was swift with her pen.
courtesynounUS /ˈkɜːrtəsi/
a courteous or respectful or considerate act
From this reading She thought all letters deserved the courtesy of an answer.
deservedadjectiveUS /dɪˈzɜːrvd/
properly deserved
From this reading She thought all letters deserved the courtesy of an answer.
earnounUS /iːr/
the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium
From this reading She had but an indifferent ear for music, but her tongue took to languages with an easy facility.
easyadjectiveUS /ˈiːzi/
posing no difficulty; requiring little effort
From this reading She had but an indifferent ear for music, but her tongue took to languages with an easy facility.
embarrassingadjectiveUS /ɪmˈberəsɪŋ/
hard to deal with; especially causing pain or embarrassment
From this reading She was an embarrassing secretary, for she fished my correspondence out of the waste-basket and answered the letters.
errornounUS /ˈerər/
a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention
From this reading Her mother brought her up in that kindly error.
facilitynounUS /fəˈsɪlɪti/
a building or place that provides a particular service or is used for a particular industry
From this reading She had but an indifferent ear for music, but her tongue took to languages with an easy facility.
fishedverbUS /fɪʃt/
past form of “fish” — seek indirectly
From this reading She was an embarrassing secretary, for she fished my correspondence out of the waste-basket and answered the letters.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading She was an embarrassing secretary, for she fished my correspondence out of the waste-basket and answered the letters.
goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading She could write a good letter, and was swift with her pen.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading She had but an indifferent ear for music, but her tongue took to languages with an easy facility.
HerdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Her mother brought her up in that kindly error.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Her mother brought her up in that kindly error.
indifferentadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈdɪfrənt/
marked by a lack of interest
From this reading She had but an indifferent ear for music, but her tongue took to languages with an easy facility.
kindlyadjectiveUS /ˈkaɪndli/
showing or motivated by sympathy and understanding and generosity
From this reading Her mother brought her up in that kindly error.
languagesnounUS /ˈlæŋɡwədʒəz/
plural of “language” — a systematic means of communicating by the use of sounds or conventional symbols
From this reading She had but an indifferent ear for music, but her tongue took to languages with an easy facility.
letternounUS /ˈletər/
a written message addressed to a person or organization
From this reading She could write a good letter, and was swift with her pen.
lettersnounUS /ˈletərz/
the literary culture
From this reading She was an embarrassing secretary, for she fished my correspondence out of the waste-basket and answered the letters.
mothernounUS /ˈmʌðər/
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading Her mother brought her up in that kindly error.
musicnounUS /ˈmjuːzɪk/
an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner
From this reading She had but an indifferent ear for music, but her tongue took to languages with an easy facility.
mydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading She was an embarrassing secretary, for she fished my correspondence out of the waste-basket and answered the letters.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading She was an embarrassing secretary, for she fished my correspondence out of the waste-basket and answered the letters.
outadjectiveUS /aʊt/
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading She was an embarrassing secretary, for she fished my correspondence out of the waste-basket and answered the letters.
pennounUS /pen/
a writing implement with a point from which ink flows
From this reading She could write a good letter, and was swift with her pen.
secretarynounUS /ˈsekrəteri/
a person who is head of an administrative department of government
From this reading She was an embarrassing secretary, for she fished my correspondence out of the waste-basket and answered the letters.
ShepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She was an embarrassing secretary, for she fished my correspondence out of the waste-basket and answered the letters.
swiftadjectiveUS /swɪft/
moving very fast
From this reading She could write a good letter, and was swift with her pen.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Her mother brought her up in that kindly error.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading She was an embarrassing secretary, for she fished my correspondence out of the waste-basket and answered the letters.
thoughtnounUS /θɔːt/
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading She thought all letters deserved the courtesy of an answer.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading She had but an indifferent ear for music, but her tongue took to languages with an easy facility.
tonguenounUS /tʌŋ/
a mobile mass of muscular tissue covered with mucous membrane and located in the oral cavity
From this reading She had but an indifferent ear for music, but her tongue took to languages with an easy facility.
tookverbUS /tʊk/
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading She had but an indifferent ear for music, but her tongue took to languages with an easy facility.
upadjectiveUS /ʌp/
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Her mother brought her up in that kindly error.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading She was an embarrassing secretary, for she fished my correspondence out of the waste-basket and answered the letters.
waste-basket
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was an embarrassing secretary, for she fished my correspondence out of the waste-basket and answered the letters.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading She could write a good letter, and was swift with her pen.
writeverbUS /raɪt/
produce a literary work
From this reading She could write a good letter, and was swift with her pen.
