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adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading I WONDER whether, if you had seen Lady Lucy sitting at her work that warm August morning, you would have thought her a person to be envied.
all
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From this reading She certainly looked very pretty, and not at all unhappy, as she sat in her straight-backed chair, carrying her long-waisted, snugly-laced little figure very upright, her shoulders down, and her chin drawn in,—bridled, as the phrase went.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She certainly looked very pretty, and not at all unhappy, as she sat in her straight-backed chair, carrying her long-waisted, snugly-laced little figure very upright, her shoulders down, and her chin drawn in,—bridled, as the phrase went.
appears
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From this reading In those days—for this was at the beginning of the eighteenth century—great attention was paid to the carriage of young ladies,—more than appears to be thought necessary at the present time, to judge by the attitudes into which I often see little girls throw themselves, even in company.
arms
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From this reading They were taught to sit and stand very upright, to carry their arms carefully, to turn out their toes and hold up their heads.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading She certainly looked very pretty, and not at all unhappy, as she sat in her straight-backed chair, carrying her long-waisted, snugly-laced little figure very upright, her shoulders down, and her chin drawn in,—bridled, as the phrase went.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading I WONDER whether, if you had seen Lady Lucy sitting at her work that warm August morning, you would have thought her a person to be envied.
attention
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From this reading In those days—for this was at the beginning of the eighteenth century—great attention was paid to the carriage of young ladies,—more than appears to be thought necessary at the present time, to judge by the attitudes into which I often see little girls throw themselves, even in company.
attitudes
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From this reading In those days—for this was at the beginning of the eighteenth century—great attention was paid to the carriage of young ladies,—more than appears to be thought necessary at the present time, to judge by the attitudes into which I often see little girls throw themselves, even in company.
August
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From this reading I WONDER whether, if you had seen Lady Lucy sitting at her work that warm August morning, you would have thought her a person to be envied.
aunt
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From this reading No stooping was permitted over books or work; and while Lady Lucy was living with her aunt Bernard, she used to have a bunch of knitting-needles stuck into her bodice, to keep her from "poking" over her work.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading I WONDER whether, if you had seen Lady Lucy sitting at her work that warm August morning, you would have thought her a person to be envied.
beginningnounUS /ˈbeginning/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading In those days—for this was at the beginning of the eighteenth century—great attention was paid to the carriage of young ladies,—more than appears to be thought necessary at the present time, to judge by the attitudes into which I often see little girls throw themselves, even in company.
Bernard
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From this reading No stooping was permitted over books or work; and while Lady Lucy was living with her aunt Bernard, she used to have a bunch of knitting-needles stuck into her bodice, to keep her from "poking" over her work.
bodice
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No stooping was permitted over books or work; and while Lady Lucy was living with her aunt Bernard, she used to have a bunch of knitting-needles stuck into her bodice, to keep her from "poking" over her work.
booksnounUS /bʊks/
Bound written or printed works.
From this reading No stooping was permitted over books or work; and while Lady Lucy was living with her aunt Bernard, she used to have a bunch of knitting-needles stuck into her bodice, to keep her from "poking" over her work.
bridled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She certainly looked very pretty, and not at all unhappy, as she sat in her straight-backed chair, carrying her long-waisted, snugly-laced little figure very upright, her shoulders down, and her chin drawn in,—bridled, as the phrase went.
bunch
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From this reading No stooping was permitted over books or work; and while Lady Lucy was living with her aunt Bernard, she used to have a bunch of knitting-needles stuck into her bodice, to keep her from "poking" over her work.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading In those days—for this was at the beginning of the eighteenth century—great attention was paid to the carriage of young ladies,—more than appears to be thought necessary at the present time, to judge by the attitudes into which I often see little girls throw themselves, even in company.
carefully
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were taught to sit and stand very upright, to carry their arms carefully, to turn out their toes and hold up their heads.
carriage
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From this reading In those days—for this was at the beginning of the eighteenth century—great attention was paid to the carriage of young ladies,—more than appears to be thought necessary at the present time, to judge by the attitudes into which I often see little girls throw themselves, even in company.
carry
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were taught to sit and stand very upright, to carry their arms carefully, to turn out their toes and hold up their heads.
carrying
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She certainly looked very pretty, and not at all unhappy, as she sat in her straight-backed chair, carrying her long-waisted, snugly-laced little figure very upright, her shoulders down, and her chin drawn in,—bridled, as the phrase went.
century
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From this reading In those days—for this was at the beginning of the eighteenth century—great attention was paid to the carriage of young ladies,—more than appears to be thought necessary at the present time, to judge by the attitudes into which I often see little girls throw themselves, even in company.
certainly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She certainly looked very pretty, and not at all unhappy, as she sat in her straight-backed chair, carrying her long-waisted, snugly-laced little figure very upright, her shoulders down, and her chin drawn in,—bridled, as the phrase went.
chair
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She certainly looked very pretty, and not at all unhappy, as she sat in her straight-backed chair, carrying her long-waisted, snugly-laced little figure very upright, her shoulders down, and her chin drawn in,—bridled, as the phrase went.
chin
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From this reading She certainly looked very pretty, and not at all unhappy, as she sat in her straight-backed chair, carrying her long-waisted, snugly-laced little figure very upright, her shoulders down, and her chin drawn in,—bridled, as the phrase went.
company
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From this reading In those days—for this was at the beginning of the eighteenth century—great attention was paid to the carriage of young ladies,—more than appears to be thought necessary at the present time, to judge by the attitudes into which I often see little girls throw themselves, even in company.
days
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In those days—for this was at the beginning of the eighteenth century—great attention was paid to the carriage of young ladies,—more than appears to be thought necessary at the present time, to judge by the attitudes into which I often see little girls throw themselves, even in company.
down
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From this reading She certainly looked very pretty, and not at all unhappy, as she sat in her straight-backed chair, carrying her long-waisted, snugly-laced little figure very upright, her shoulders down, and her chin drawn in,—bridled, as the phrase went.
drawn
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She certainly looked very pretty, and not at all unhappy, as she sat in her straight-backed chair, carrying her long-waisted, snugly-laced little figure very upright, her shoulders down, and her chin drawn in,—bridled, as the phrase went.
eighteenth
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From this reading In those days—for this was at the beginning of the eighteenth century—great attention was paid to the carriage of young ladies,—more than appears to be thought necessary at the present time, to judge by the attitudes into which I often see little girls throw themselves, even in company.
envied
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I WONDER whether, if you had seen Lady Lucy sitting at her work that warm August morning, you would have thought her a person to be envied.
evennounUS /even/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading In those days—for this was at the beginning of the eighteenth century—great attention was paid to the carriage of young ladies,—more than appears to be thought necessary at the present time, to judge by the attitudes into which I often see little girls throw themselves, even in company.
figure
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She certainly looked very pretty, and not at all unhappy, as she sat in her straight-backed chair, carrying her long-waisted, snugly-laced little figure very upright, her shoulders down, and her chin drawn in,—bridled, as the phrase went.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading In those days—for this was at the beginning of the eighteenth century—great attention was paid to the carriage of young ladies,—more than appears to be thought necessary at the present time, to judge by the attitudes into which I often see little girls throw themselves, even in company.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading No stooping was permitted over books or work; and while Lady Lucy was living with her aunt Bernard, she used to have a bunch of knitting-needles stuck into her bodice, to keep her from "poking" over her work.
girls
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From this reading In those days—for this was at the beginning of the eighteenth century—great attention was paid to the carriage of young ladies,—more than appears to be thought necessary at the present time, to judge by the attitudes into which I often see little girls throw themselves, even in company.
greatnounUS /great/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading In those days—for this was at the beginning of the eighteenth century—great attention was paid to the carriage of young ladies,—more than appears to be thought necessary at the present time, to judge by the attitudes into which I often see little girls throw themselves, even in company.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading I WONDER whether, if you had seen Lady Lucy sitting at her work that warm August morning, you would have thought her a person to be envied.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading I WONDER whether, if you had seen Lady Lucy sitting at her work that warm August morning, you would have thought her a person to be envied.
heads
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From this reading They were taught to sit and stand very upright, to carry their arms carefully, to turn out their toes and hold up their heads.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading I WONDER whether, if you had seen Lady Lucy sitting at her work that warm August morning, you would have thought her a person to be envied.
hold
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were taught to sit and stand very upright, to carry their arms carefully, to turn out their toes and hold up their heads.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I WONDER whether, if you had seen Lady Lucy sitting at her work that warm August morning, you would have thought her a person to be envied.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading I WONDER whether, if you had seen Lady Lucy sitting at her work that warm August morning, you would have thought her a person to be envied.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading She certainly looked very pretty, and not at all unhappy, as she sat in her straight-backed chair, carrying her long-waisted, snugly-laced little figure very upright, her shoulders down, and her chin drawn in,—bridled, as the phrase went.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading In those days—for this was at the beginning of the eighteenth century—great attention was paid to the carriage of young ladies,—more than appears to be thought necessary at the present time, to judge by the attitudes into which I often see little girls throw themselves, even in company.
judge
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In those days—for this was at the beginning of the eighteenth century—great attention was paid to the carriage of young ladies,—more than appears to be thought necessary at the present time, to judge by the attitudes into which I often see little girls throw themselves, even in company.
keep
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No stooping was permitted over books or work; and while Lady Lucy was living with her aunt Bernard, she used to have a bunch of knitting-needles stuck into her bodice, to keep her from "poking" over her work.
knitting-needles
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No stooping was permitted over books or work; and while Lady Lucy was living with her aunt Bernard, she used to have a bunch of knitting-needles stuck into her bodice, to keep her from "poking" over her work.
ladies
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In those days—for this was at the beginning of the eighteenth century—great attention was paid to the carriage of young ladies,—more than appears to be thought necessary at the present time, to judge by the attitudes into which I often see little girls throw themselves, even in company.
Lady
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I WONDER whether, if you had seen Lady Lucy sitting at her work that warm August morning, you would have thought her a person to be envied.
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She certainly looked very pretty, and not at all unhappy, as she sat in her straight-backed chair, carrying her long-waisted, snugly-laced little figure very upright, her shoulders down, and her chin drawn in,—bridled, as the phrase went.
living
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No stooping was permitted over books or work; and while Lady Lucy was living with her aunt Bernard, she used to have a bunch of knitting-needles stuck into her bodice, to keep her from "poking" over her work.
long-waisted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She certainly looked very pretty, and not at all unhappy, as she sat in her straight-backed chair, carrying her long-waisted, snugly-laced little figure very upright, her shoulders down, and her chin drawn in,—bridled, as the phrase went.
lookednounUS /looked/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She certainly looked very pretty, and not at all unhappy, as she sat in her straight-backed chair, carrying her long-waisted, snugly-laced little figure very upright, her shoulders down, and her chin drawn in,—bridled, as the phrase went.
Lucy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I WONDER whether, if you had seen Lady Lucy sitting at her work that warm August morning, you would have thought her a person to be envied.
more
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In those days—for this was at the beginning of the eighteenth century—great attention was paid to the carriage of young ladies,—more than appears to be thought necessary at the present time, to judge by the attitudes into which I often see little girls throw themselves, even in company.
morningnounUS /morning/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I WONDER whether, if you had seen Lady Lucy sitting at her work that warm August morning, you would have thought her a person to be envied.
necessary
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In those days—for this was at the beginning of the eighteenth century—great attention was paid to the carriage of young ladies,—more than appears to be thought necessary at the present time, to judge by the attitudes into which I often see little girls throw themselves, even in company.
NodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading No stooping was permitted over books or work; and while Lady Lucy was living with her aunt Bernard, she used to have a bunch of knitting-needles stuck into her bodice, to keep her from "poking" over her work.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading She certainly looked very pretty, and not at all unhappy, as she sat in her straight-backed chair, carrying her long-waisted, snugly-laced little figure very upright, her shoulders down, and her chin drawn in,—bridled, as the phrase went.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading In those days—for this was at the beginning of the eighteenth century—great attention was paid to the carriage of young ladies,—more than appears to be thought necessary at the present time, to judge by the attitudes into which I often see little girls throw themselves, even in company.
often
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In those days—for this was at the beginning of the eighteenth century—great attention was paid to the carriage of young ladies,—more than appears to be thought necessary at the present time, to judge by the attitudes into which I often see little girls throw themselves, even in company.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading No stooping was permitted over books or work; and while Lady Lucy was living with her aunt Bernard, she used to have a bunch of knitting-needles stuck into her bodice, to keep her from "poking" over her work.
out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were taught to sit and stand very upright, to carry their arms carefully, to turn out their toes and hold up their heads.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading No stooping was permitted over books or work; and while Lady Lucy was living with her aunt Bernard, she used to have a bunch of knitting-needles stuck into her bodice, to keep her from "poking" over her work.
paid
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In those days—for this was at the beginning of the eighteenth century—great attention was paid to the carriage of young ladies,—more than appears to be thought necessary at the present time, to judge by the attitudes into which I often see little girls throw themselves, even in company.
permitted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No stooping was permitted over books or work; and while Lady Lucy was living with her aunt Bernard, she used to have a bunch of knitting-needles stuck into her bodice, to keep her from "poking" over her work.
person
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I WONDER whether, if you had seen Lady Lucy sitting at her work that warm August morning, you would have thought her a person to be envied.
phrase
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She certainly looked very pretty, and not at all unhappy, as she sat in her straight-backed chair, carrying her long-waisted, snugly-laced little figure very upright, her shoulders down, and her chin drawn in,—bridled, as the phrase went.
poking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No stooping was permitted over books or work; and while Lady Lucy was living with her aunt Bernard, she used to have a bunch of knitting-needles stuck into her bodice, to keep her from "poking" over her work.
present
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In those days—for this was at the beginning of the eighteenth century—great attention was paid to the carriage of young ladies,—more than appears to be thought necessary at the present time, to judge by the attitudes into which I often see little girls throw themselves, even in company.
pretty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She certainly looked very pretty, and not at all unhappy, as she sat in her straight-backed chair, carrying her long-waisted, snugly-laced little figure very upright, her shoulders down, and her chin drawn in,—bridled, as the phrase went.
sat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She certainly looked very pretty, and not at all unhappy, as she sat in her straight-backed chair, carrying her long-waisted, snugly-laced little figure very upright, her shoulders down, and her chin drawn in,—bridled, as the phrase went.
see
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In those days—for this was at the beginning of the eighteenth century—great attention was paid to the carriage of young ladies,—more than appears to be thought necessary at the present time, to judge by the attitudes into which I often see little girls throw themselves, even in company.
seen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I WONDER whether, if you had seen Lady Lucy sitting at her work that warm August morning, you would have thought her a person to be envied.
ShepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She certainly looked very pretty, and not at all unhappy, as she sat in her straight-backed chair, carrying her long-waisted, snugly-laced little figure very upright, her shoulders down, and her chin drawn in,—bridled, as the phrase went.
shoulders
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She certainly looked very pretty, and not at all unhappy, as she sat in her straight-backed chair, carrying her long-waisted, snugly-laced little figure very upright, her shoulders down, and her chin drawn in,—bridled, as the phrase went.
sit
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were taught to sit and stand very upright, to carry their arms carefully, to turn out their toes and hold up their heads.
sitting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I WONDER whether, if you had seen Lady Lucy sitting at her work that warm August morning, you would have thought her a person to be envied.
snugly-laced
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She certainly looked very pretty, and not at all unhappy, as she sat in her straight-backed chair, carrying her long-waisted, snugly-laced little figure very upright, her shoulders down, and her chin drawn in,—bridled, as the phrase went.
stand
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were taught to sit and stand very upright, to carry their arms carefully, to turn out their toes and hold up their heads.
stooping
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No stooping was permitted over books or work; and while Lady Lucy was living with her aunt Bernard, she used to have a bunch of knitting-needles stuck into her bodice, to keep her from "poking" over her work.
straight-backed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She certainly looked very pretty, and not at all unhappy, as she sat in her straight-backed chair, carrying her long-waisted, snugly-laced little figure very upright, her shoulders down, and her chin drawn in,—bridled, as the phrase went.
stuck
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No stooping was permitted over books or work; and while Lady Lucy was living with her aunt Bernard, she used to have a bunch of knitting-needles stuck into her bodice, to keep her from "poking" over her work.
taught
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were taught to sit and stand very upright, to carry their arms carefully, to turn out their toes and hold up their heads.
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading In those days—for this was at the beginning of the eighteenth century—great attention was paid to the carriage of young ladies,—more than appears to be thought necessary at the present time, to judge by the attitudes into which I often see little girls throw themselves, even in company.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading I WONDER whether, if you had seen Lady Lucy sitting at her work that warm August morning, you would have thought her a person to be envied.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading She certainly looked very pretty, and not at all unhappy, as she sat in her straight-backed chair, carrying her long-waisted, snugly-laced little figure very upright, her shoulders down, and her chin drawn in,—bridled, as the phrase went.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading They were taught to sit and stand very upright, to carry their arms carefully, to turn out their toes and hold up their heads.
themselvespronounUS /ðemˈselvz/
used when the people doing the action are also its object
From this reading In those days—for this was at the beginning of the eighteenth century—great attention was paid to the carriage of young ladies,—more than appears to be thought necessary at the present time, to judge by the attitudes into which I often see little girls throw themselves, even in company.
TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They were taught to sit and stand very upright, to carry their arms carefully, to turn out their toes and hold up their heads.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading In those days—for this was at the beginning of the eighteenth century—great attention was paid to the carriage of young ladies,—more than appears to be thought necessary at the present time, to judge by the attitudes into which I often see little girls throw themselves, even in company.
thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading In those days—for this was at the beginning of the eighteenth century—great attention was paid to the carriage of young ladies,—more than appears to be thought necessary at the present time, to judge by the attitudes into which I often see little girls throw themselves, even in company.
thoughtnounUS /thought/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I WONDER whether, if you had seen Lady Lucy sitting at her work that warm August morning, you would have thought her a person to be envied.
throw
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In those days—for this was at the beginning of the eighteenth century—great attention was paid to the carriage of young ladies,—more than appears to be thought necessary at the present time, to judge by the attitudes into which I often see little girls throw themselves, even in company.
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading In those days—for this was at the beginning of the eighteenth century—great attention was paid to the carriage of young ladies,—more than appears to be thought necessary at the present time, to judge by the attitudes into which I often see little girls throw themselves, even in company.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I WONDER whether, if you had seen Lady Lucy sitting at her work that warm August morning, you would have thought her a person to be envied.
toes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were taught to sit and stand very upright, to carry their arms carefully, to turn out their toes and hold up their heads.
turn
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were taught to sit and stand very upright, to carry their arms carefully, to turn out their toes and hold up their heads.
unhappy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She certainly looked very pretty, and not at all unhappy, as she sat in her straight-backed chair, carrying her long-waisted, snugly-laced little figure very upright, her shoulders down, and her chin drawn in,—bridled, as the phrase went.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were taught to sit and stand very upright, to carry their arms carefully, to turn out their toes and hold up their heads.
upright
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She certainly looked very pretty, and not at all unhappy, as she sat in her straight-backed chair, carrying her long-waisted, snugly-laced little figure very upright, her shoulders down, and her chin drawn in,—bridled, as the phrase went.
used
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No stooping was permitted over books or work; and while Lady Lucy was living with her aunt Bernard, she used to have a bunch of knitting-needles stuck into her bodice, to keep her from "poking" over her work.
very
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She certainly looked very pretty, and not at all unhappy, as she sat in her straight-backed chair, carrying her long-waisted, snugly-laced little figure very upright, her shoulders down, and her chin drawn in,—bridled, as the phrase went.
warm
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I WONDER whether, if you had seen Lady Lucy sitting at her work that warm August morning, you would have thought her a person to be envied.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading In those days—for this was at the beginning of the eighteenth century—great attention was paid to the carriage of young ladies,—more than appears to be thought necessary at the present time, to judge by the attitudes into which I often see little girls throw themselves, even in company.
wentnounUS /went/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She certainly looked very pretty, and not at all unhappy, as she sat in her straight-backed chair, carrying her long-waisted, snugly-laced little figure very upright, her shoulders down, and her chin drawn in,—bridled, as the phrase went.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They were taught to sit and stand very upright, to carry their arms carefully, to turn out their toes and hold up their heads.
whetherconjunctionUS /ˈweðər/
used to introduce two or more possibilities
From this reading I WONDER whether, if you had seen Lady Lucy sitting at her work that warm August morning, you would have thought her a person to be envied.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading In those days—for this was at the beginning of the eighteenth century—great attention was paid to the carriage of young ladies,—more than appears to be thought necessary at the present time, to judge by the attitudes into which I often see little girls throw themselves, even in company.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading No stooping was permitted over books or work; and while Lady Lucy was living with her aunt Bernard, she used to have a bunch of knitting-needles stuck into her bodice, to keep her from "poking" over her work.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading No stooping was permitted over books or work; and while Lady Lucy was living with her aunt Bernard, she used to have a bunch of knitting-needles stuck into her bodice, to keep her from "poking" over her work.
WONDER
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I WONDER whether, if you had seen Lady Lucy sitting at her work that warm August morning, you would have thought her a person to be envied.
work
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I WONDER whether, if you had seen Lady Lucy sitting at her work that warm August morning, you would have thought her a person to be envied.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading I WONDER whether, if you had seen Lady Lucy sitting at her work that warm August morning, you would have thought her a person to be envied.
youpronounUS /juː/
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading I WONDER whether, if you had seen Lady Lucy sitting at her work that warm August morning, you would have thought her a person to be envied.
young
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In those days—for this was at the beginning of the eighteenth century—great attention was paid to the carriage of young ladies,—more than appears to be thought necessary at the present time, to judge by the attitudes into which I often see little girls throw themselves, even in company.
