used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Beatrice passed a light and caressing hand over her mother’s beautifully arranged hair, bent and kissed her.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading An hour and a quarter ticked away in that splendid room, with its wall coverings and upholsteries of dark-red brocaded silk.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Beatrice passed a light and caressing hand over her mother’s beautifully arranged hair, bent and kissed her.
disposed or placed in a particular kind of order
From this reading Beatrice passed a light and caressing hand over her mother’s beautifully arranged hair, bent and kissed her.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He frowned at his sleeping wife, tapping his foot impatiently upon the floor.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading An hour and a quarter ticked away in that splendid room, with its wall coverings and upholsteries of dark-red brocaded silk.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading Then she stole from the room--with a lingering glance of tenderest sweetness back from the threshold.
BeatricenounUS /ˈbiːətrəs/
the woman who guided Dante through Paradise in the Divine Comedy
From this reading Beatrice passed a light and caressing hand over her mother’s beautifully arranged hair, bent and kissed her.
beautifullyadverbUS /ˈbjuːtəfli/
in a beautiful manner
From this reading Beatrice passed a light and caressing hand over her mother’s beautifully arranged hair, bent and kissed her.
a relatively permanent inclination to react in a particular way
From this reading Beatrice passed a light and caressing hand over her mother’s beautifully arranged hair, bent and kissed her.
briskadjectiveUS /brɪsk/
quick and energetic
From this reading In stepped Richmond, brisk and bristling.
bristlingverbUS /ˈbrɪsəlɪŋ/
-ing form of “bristle” — be in a state of movement or action
From this reading In stepped Richmond, brisk and bristling.
brocadedadjective
embellished with a raised pattern created by pressure or embroidery
From this reading An hour and a quarter ticked away in that splendid room, with its wall coverings and upholsteries of dark-red brocaded silk.
caressingnounUS /kərˈesɪŋ/
affectionate play (or foreplay without contact with the genital organs)
From this reading Beatrice passed a light and caressing hand over her mother’s beautifully arranged hair, bent and kissed her.
coveringsnounUS /ˈkʌvərɪŋz/
plural of “covering” — a natural object that covers or envelops
From this reading An hour and a quarter ticked away in that splendid room, with its wall coverings and upholsteries of dark-red brocaded silk.
dark-red
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading An hour and a quarter ticked away in that splendid room, with its wall coverings and upholsteries of dark-red brocaded silk.
the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)
From this reading He frowned at his sleeping wife, tapping his foot impatiently upon the floor.
the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading He frowned at his sleeping wife, tapping his foot impatiently upon the floor.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Then she stole from the room--with a lingering glance of tenderest sweetness back from the threshold.
frownedverbUS /fraʊnd/
past form of “frown” — look angry or sullen, wrinkle one's forehead, as if to signal disapproval
From this reading He frowned at his sleeping wife, tapping his foot impatiently upon the floor.
throw a glance at; take a brief look at
From this reading Then she stole from the room--with a lingering glance of tenderest sweetness back from the threshold.
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 Beatrice passed a light and caressing hand over her mother’s beautifully arranged hair, bent and kissed her.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading Beatrice passed a light and caressing hand over her mother’s beautifully arranged hair, bent and kissed her.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He frowned at his sleeping wife, tapping his foot impatiently upon the floor.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Beatrice passed a light and caressing hand over her mother’s beautifully arranged hair, bent and kissed her.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He frowned at his sleeping wife, tapping his foot impatiently upon the floor.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading An hour and a quarter ticked away in that splendid room, with its wall coverings and upholsteries of dark-red brocaded silk.
with impatience; in an impatient manner
From this reading He frowned at his sleeping wife, tapping his foot impatiently upon the floor.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading An hour and a quarter ticked away in that splendid room, with its wall coverings and upholsteries of dark-red brocaded silk.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading An hour and a quarter ticked away in that splendid room, with its wall coverings and upholsteries of dark-red brocaded silk.
past form of “kiss” — touch with the lips or press the lips (against someone's mouth or other body part) as an expression of love, greeting, etc.
From this reading Beatrice passed a light and caressing hand over her mother’s beautifully arranged hair, bent and kissed her.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading Beatrice passed a light and caressing hand over her mother’s beautifully arranged hair, bent and kissed her.
lingeringnounUS /ˈlɪŋɡərɪŋ/
the act of tarrying
From this reading Then she stole from the room--with a lingering glance of tenderest sweetness back from the threshold.
mother'snounUS /ˈmʌðərz/
possessive form of “mother” — a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading Beatrice passed a light and caressing hand over her mother’s beautifully arranged hair, bent and kissed her.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Then she stole from the room--with a lingering glance of tenderest sweetness back from the threshold.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Beatrice passed a light and caressing hand over her mother’s beautifully arranged hair, bent and kissed her.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading Beatrice passed a light and caressing hand over her mother’s beautifully arranged hair, bent and kissed her.
one of four equal parts
From this reading An hour and a quarter ticked away in that splendid room, with its wall coverings and upholsteries of dark-red brocaded silk.
RichmondnounUS /ˈrɪtʃmənd/
capital of the state of Virginia located in the east central part of the state; was capital of the Confederacy during the American Civil War
From this reading In stepped Richmond, brisk and bristling.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading Then she stole from the room--with a lingering glance of tenderest sweetness back from the threshold.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Then she stole from the room--with a lingering glance of tenderest sweetness back from the threshold.
a fabric made from the fine threads produced by certain insect larvae
From this reading An hour and a quarter ticked away in that splendid room, with its wall coverings and upholsteries of dark-red brocaded silk.
the state of being asleep
From this reading He frowned at his sleeping wife, tapping his foot impatiently upon the floor.
having great beauty and splendor
From this reading An hour and a quarter ticked away in that splendid room, with its wall coverings and upholsteries of dark-red brocaded silk.
inflected form of “step” — shift or move by taking a step
From this reading In stepped Richmond, brisk and bristling.
a wide scarf worn about their shoulders by women
From this reading Then she stole from the room--with a lingering glance of tenderest sweetness back from the threshold.
sweetnessnounUS /ˈswiːtnəs/
the taste experience when sugar dissolves in the mouth
From this reading Then she stole from the room--with a lingering glance of tenderest sweetness back from the threshold.
tappingnounUS /ˈtæpɪŋ/
the sound of light blow or knock
From this reading He frowned at his sleeping wife, tapping his foot impatiently upon the floor.
tenderest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then she stole from the room--with a lingering glance of tenderest sweetness back from the threshold.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading An hour and a quarter ticked away in that splendid room, with its wall coverings and upholsteries of dark-red brocaded silk.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Then she stole from the room--with a lingering glance of tenderest sweetness back from the threshold.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then she stole from the room--with a lingering glance of tenderest sweetness back from the threshold.
thresholdnounUS /ˈθreʃoʊld/
the starting point for a new state or experience
From this reading Then she stole from the room--with a lingering glance of tenderest sweetness back from the threshold.
tickedverbUS /tɪkt/
past form of “tick” — make a clicking or ticking sound
From this reading An hour and a quarter ticked away in that splendid room, with its wall coverings and upholsteries of dark-red brocaded silk.
upholsteries
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading An hour and a quarter ticked away in that splendid room, with its wall coverings and upholsteries of dark-red brocaded silk.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading He frowned at his sleeping wife, tapping his foot impatiently upon the floor.
an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure
From this reading An hour and a quarter ticked away in that splendid room, with its wall coverings and upholsteries of dark-red brocaded silk.
a married woman; a man's partner in marriage
From this reading He frowned at his sleeping wife, tapping his foot impatiently upon the floor.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Then she stole from the room--with a lingering glance of tenderest sweetness back from the threshold.
