Read Online |
All lists of current grdae |
THE SHOES OF FORTUNE by Hans Christian Andersen |
magnify | |
v. increase in size, volume or significance |
shrug | |
v. raise one's shoulders to indicate indifference or resignation |
stereotype | |
n. a conventional or formulaic conception or image |
preliminary | |
a. denoting an action or event preceding or in preparation for something more important |
crystallise | |
v. make or become definite and clear |
scanty | |
a. lacking in amplitude or quantity |
sober | |
a. completely lacking in playfulness |
eloquence | |
n. powerful and effective language |
antechamber | |
n. small room leading to main one |
handmaiden | |
n. a personal maid or female attendant |
lesser | |
a. of less size or importance a. smaller in size or amount or value |
bonnet | |
n. a hat tied under the chin |
galosh | |
n. a waterproof overshoe that protects shoes from water or snow |
entrust | |
v. to give someone a thing or duty for which they are responsible |
caparison | |
v. be decked out in rich decorative coverings |
mingle | |
v. to bring or combine together or with something else |
votive | |
n. a short thick candle used especially as a prayer offering or for decoration |
fife | |
n. a small high-pitched flute |
halberdier | |
n. a man armed with a weapon that is combined spear and battleax |
mummery | |
n. performance by actors in a traditional masked mime, especially of a type associated with Christmas |
droll | |
a. comical in an odd or whimsical manner |
anecdote | |
n. a short amusing or interesting story about a real incident or person |
nocturnal | |
a. belonging to or active during the night a. of or relating to or occurring in the night |
to and fro | |
ad. back and forth |
morass | |
n. a soft wet area of low-lying land that sinks underfoot |
grumble | |
v. make complaining remarks or noises under one's breath |
desolate | |
a. devoid of inhabitants and visitors |
hovel | |
n. small crude shelter used as a dwelling |
fata morgana | |
n. mirage, an optical effect that is sometimes seen at sea, in the desert |
tipsy | |
a. unstable and prone to tip as if intoxicated |
anew | |
ad. again but in a new or different way |
thatched | |
a. covered with straw or similar material; |
punch | |
n. a hot or cold drink that is usually a combination of hard liquor, wine, or beer and nonalcoholic beverages |
chink | |
n. a small slit or fissure |
hostelry | |
n. a hotel providing overnight lodging for travelers |
resemblance | |
n. similarity in appearance or external or superficial details |
burgher | |
n. a member of the middle class |
pewter | |
n. any of various alloys of tin with small amounts of other metals (especially lead) |
bustling | |
a. full of activity |
pitcher | |
n. a large container, typically earthenware, glass, or plastic, with a handle and a lip |
reverence | |
n. a feeling of profound respect for someone or something |
writhing | |
a. making twisting, squirming movements or contortions of body |
vassal | |
n. a holder of land by feudal tenure on conditions of homage and allegiance |
pestilence | |
n. a fatal epidemic disease, especially bubonic plague |
cholera | |
n. an acute intestinal infection caused by ingestion of contaminated water or food |
roadstead | |
n. a sheltered stretch of water near the shore in which ships can ride at anchor |
rascal | |
n. one who is playfully mischievous n. a deceitful and unreliable scoundrel |
pluck | |
v. pull or pick off or out |
gesticulation | |
n. a deliberate and vigorous gesture or motion |
procure | |
v. arrange for sexual partners for others v. get by special effort |
heathen | |
n. a person who does not acknowledge your god |
stoop | |
v. debase oneself morally, act in an undignified, unworthy, or dishonorable way |
slumber | |
n. a dormant or quiescent state |
supple | |
a. bending or able to be bent easily; not stiff |
saunter | |
v. walk leisurely and with no apparent aim |
infirm | |
a. lacking bodily or muscular strength or vitality |
lyrical | |
a. suitable for or suggestive of singing a. expressing deep emotion |
plume | |
n. material that is worn as an ornament |
stagnant | |
a. not growing or changing; without force or vitality |
poignantly | |
ad. in way that evokes keen sense of sadness or regret |
privation | |
n. a state of extreme poverty |
pilgrimage | |
n. a journey to a sacred place |
metamorphosis | |
n. a complete change of physical form or substance especially as by magic or witchcraft |
firmament | |
n. the apparent surface of the imaginary sphere on which celestial bodies appear to be projected |
sloth | |
n. a mammal that moves slowly and lives in trees |
circumjacent | |
a. surrounding |
caldron | |
n. a very large pot that is used for boiling |
fiery | |
a. characterized by intense emotion a. like or suggestive of fire |
arabesque | |
n. position in which the dancer has one leg raised behind and arms outstretched in a conventional pose |
germinate | |
v. cause to grow or sprout |
enchantment | |
n. a very attractive and pleasing quality |
every inch a | |
ad. fully and completely something; something in every detail |
bestir | |
v. make physical or mental effort |
bout | |
n. an occasion for excessive eating or drinking |
oblige | |
v. provide a service or favor for someone v. cause to be indebted |
stout | |
a. fat and solid-looking, especially around the waist |
avail | |
v. take or use v. be of use to, be useful to |
irrevocable | |
a. incapable of being retracted or revoked |
booth | |
n. a small shop at a fair; for selling goods or entertainment |
pillory | |
n. a wooden instrument of punishment on a post with holes for the wrists and neck |
paroxysm | |
n. a sudden uncontrollable attack |
suffocation | |
n. the condition of being deprived of oxygen n. killing by depriving of oxygen |
peep | |
n. a quick look |
exhortation | |
n. a communication intended to urge or persuade the recipients to take some action |
unerringly | |
ad. without making errors |
motley | |
a. consisting of many different types that do not appear to go together |
phantasmagoria | |
n. a constantly changing medley of real or imagined images, as in a dream |
oracular | |
a. of or relating to an oracle |
lurid | |
a. horrible in fierceness or savagery a. ghastly pale |
revelation | |
n. act of making something known that was secret, or a fact that is made known |
yonder | |
ad. at or in an indicated, usually distant, place |
milliner | |
n. someone who makes and sells hats |
spruce | |
a. tidy and clean in appearance |
amiss | |
a. not functioning properly ad. in an improper or mistaken or unfortunate manner |
cue | |
n. a signal for someone to do something |
fane | |
n. temple or shrine |
peal | |
n. a deep prolonged sound (as of thunder or large bells) v. ring recurrently |
sanctuary | |
n. a consecrated place where sacred objects are kept n. a shelter from danger or hardship |
garret | |
n. floor consisting of open space at the top of a house just below roof; often used for storage |
pious | |
a. strongly believing in religion, and living in a way that shows this belief |
nought | |
n. the number 0 or zero |
dilapidated | |
a. in deplorable condition |
moulder | |
v. break down |
boudoir | |
n. a lady's bedroom or private sitting room |
scalding | |
a. very hot; |
blister | |
n. swelling on a plant similar to that on the skin |
beast of burden | |
n. an animal, such as a mule or donkey, that is used for carrying loads |
gnaw | |
v. become ground down or deteriorate v. bite or chew on with the teeth |
excursion | |
n. wandering from the main path of a journey n. a journey taken for pleasure |
sedentary | |
a. requiring sitting or little activity |
soliloquize | |
v. speak one's thoughts aloud when by oneself or regardless of any hearers |
methinks | |
v. it seems to me; |
buoyant | |
a. tending to float on a liquid or rise in air or gas |
insipid | |
a. lacking taste or flavor or tang a. lacking interest or significance or impact |
boast | |
v. wear or display in an ostentatious or proud manner |
breakneck | |
a. dangerously or extremely fast |
endow | |
v. give qualities or abilities to |
twig | |
n. a small branch or division of a branch |
shoot | |
n. a young branch or sucker springing from the main stock of a tree or other plant |
vista | |
n. a pleasing view, especially one seen through a long, narrow opening |
hurrah | |
n. a victory cheer |
asunder | |
a. widely separated especially in space ad. into parts or pieces |
torrent | |
n. an overwhelming number or amount |
stem | |
v. stop or restrict |
consoling | |
a. serving to comfort someone |
vaudeville | |
n. a variety show with songs and comic acts etc. |
slyly | |
ad. in cunning manner; |
epistle | |
n. a specially long, formal letter |
botanist | |
n. a biologist specializing in the study of plants |
incense | |
n. perfume or a similar fragrance |
manifold | |
n. a collection of points forming a certain kind of set |
emulation | |
n. effort or ambition to match or surpass person or achievement; |
ephemera | |
n. something transitory; lasting a day |
dispel | |
v. force to go away; used both with concrete and metaphoric meanings |
subterranean | |
a. being or operating under the surface of the earth |
withered | |
a. lean and wrinkled by shrinkage as from age or illness |
innate | |
a. being talented through inherited qualities |
freak | |
n. a very unusual and unexpected event or situation |
pliant | |
a. able to adjust readily to different conditions |
chastisement | |
n. verbal punishment |
accursed | |
a. under a curse |
proprietor | |
n. (law) someone who owns (is legal possessor of) a business |
dame | |
n. informal terms for a (young) woman n. a woman of refinement |
benignant | |
a. pleasant and beneficial in nature or influence |
condescension | |
n. a communication that indicates lack of respect by patronizing the recipient |
embroider | |
v. decorate with needlework v. add details to |
bawl | |
v. shout loudly and without restraint |
paroquet | |
n. any of numerous small slender long-tailed parrots |
uncouth | |
a. lacking refinement or cultivation or taste |
discretion | |
n. knowing how to avoid embarrassment or distress |
bower | |
n. a pleasant shady place under trees |
pendent | |
n. branched lighting fixture; often ornate; hangs from the ceiling |
bough | |
n. any of the larger branches of a tree |
elegiac | |
a. expressing sorrow often for something past |
infallible | |
a. incapable of failure or error |
witticism | |
n. a remark that is both clever and humorous |
ajar | |
a. slightly open |
creak | |
v. make a high noise, usually caused by a stiff material such as wood or metal that is made to move slightly |
tomcat | |
n. male domestic cat |
powder-magazine | |
n. a compartment for the storage of ammunition and explosives |
pinch | |
v. grip something tightly and sharply between finger and thumb |
imbibe | |
v. receive into the mind and retain |
crag | |
n. a steep rugged rock or cliff |
tuft | |
n. a bunch of hair or feathers or growing grass |
heather | |
n. a low, spreading bush, usually with small pink, purple, or white flowers |
tend | |
v. have care of or look after v. manage or run |
gnat | |
n. mosquito |
audacious | |
a. disposed to venture or take risks |
sore | |
a. painful or aching |
ravenous | |
a. extremely hungry |
pervade | |
v. spread or diffuse through |
horrid | |
a. grossly offensive to decency or morality; causing horror a. exceedingly bad |
profuse | |
a. produced or growing in extreme abundance |
resemble | |
v. appear like; be similar or bear a likeness to |
filthy | |
a. disgustingly dirty; filled or smeared with offensive matter |
sallow | |
a. unhealthy looking |
whine | |
n. a long, high-pitched complaining cry |
laudatory | |
a. expressing praise and commendation |
repast | |
n. the food served and eaten at one time |
rickety | |
a. lacking bodily or muscular strength or vitality |
sentry | |
n. a person employed to keep watch for some anticipated event |
whither | |
ad. to what place or state; |
insatiable | |
a. impossible to satisfy |
apothegm | |
n. a short pithy instructive saying |
emissary | |
n. someone sent on a mission to represent the interests of someone else |
slumber | |
n. a dormant or quiescent state |
ordain | |
v. make (someone) a priest or minister; confer holy orders on |
imperishable | |
a. enduring forever |
Apps based on classic literature |