used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Instead there was a messenger from the club.
Allison
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Miss Allison declined to come down to dinner that night, and Mrs. Lawrence had no power to compel her attendance.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Mr. Allison was unexpectedly detained by an important meeting of a board of directors, and might not be home until late.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Miss Allison declined to come down to dinner that night, and Mrs. Lawrence had no power to compel her attendance.
announcementnounUS /əˈnaʊnsmənt/
a formal public statement
From this reading The butler made the announcement with his usual impassive face, and Mrs. Lawrence directed dinner served without further delay.
attendancenounUS /əˈtendəns/
the act of being present (at a meeting or event etc.)
From this reading Miss Allison declined to come down to dinner that night, and Mrs. Lawrence had no power to compel her attendance.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Mr. Allison was unexpectedly detained by an important meeting of a board of directors, and might not be home until late.
a committee having supervisory powers
From this reading Mr. Allison was unexpectedly detained by an important meeting of a board of directors, and might not be home until late.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading What she hoped was that when Mr. Allison came in he would send his mandate; but Mr. Allison did not come.
butlernounUS /ˈbʌtlər/
a manservant (usually the head servant of a household) who has charge of wines and the table
From this reading The butler made the announcement with his usual impassive face, and Mrs. Lawrence directed dinner served without further delay.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Mr. Allison was unexpectedly detained by an important meeting of a board of directors, and might not be home until late.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading What she hoped was that when Mr. Allison came in he would send his mandate; but Mr. Allison did not come.
a team of professional baseball players who play and travel together
From this reading Instead there was a messenger from the club.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Miss Allison declined to come down to dinner that night, and Mrs. Lawrence had no power to compel her attendance.
compelverbUS /kəmˈpel/
force somebody to do something
From this reading Miss Allison declined to come down to dinner that night, and Mrs. Lawrence had no power to compel her attendance.
declinedverbUS /dɪˈklaɪnd/
past form of “decline” — grow worse
From this reading Miss Allison declined to come down to dinner that night, and Mrs. Lawrence had no power to compel her attendance.
cause to be slowed down or delayed
From this reading The butler made the announcement with his usual impassive face, and Mrs. Lawrence directed dinner served without further delay.
detainedverbUS /dɪˈteɪnd/
past form of “detain” — deprive of freedom; take into confinement
From this reading Mr. Allison was unexpectedly detained by an important meeting of a board of directors, and might not be home until late.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading What she hoped was that when Mr. Allison came in he would send his mandate; but Mr. Allison did not come.
the main meal of the day served in the evening or at midday
From this reading Miss Allison declined to come down to dinner that night, and Mrs. Lawrence had no power to compel her attendance.
(often used in combination) having a specified direction
From this reading The butler made the announcement with his usual impassive face, and Mrs. Lawrence directed dinner served without further delay.
directorsnounUS /dərˈektərz/
plural of “director” — someone who controls resources and expenditures
From this reading Mr. Allison was unexpectedly detained by an important meeting of a board of directors, and might not be home until late.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Miss Allison declined to come down to dinner that night, and Mrs. Lawrence had no power to compel her attendance.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading The butler made the announcement with his usual impassive face, and Mrs. Lawrence directed dinner served without further delay.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Instead there was a messenger from the club.
to or at a greater extent or degree or a more advanced stage (“further” is used more often than “farther” in this abstract sense)
From this reading The butler made the announcement with his usual impassive face, and Mrs. Lawrence directed dinner served without further delay.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Miss Allison declined to come down to dinner that night, and Mrs. Lawrence had no power to compel her attendance.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading What she hoped was that when Mr. Allison came in he would send his mandate; but Mr. Allison did not come.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Miss Allison declined to come down to dinner that night, and Mrs. Lawrence had no power to compel her attendance.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading What she hoped was that when Mr. Allison came in he would send his mandate; but Mr. Allison did not come.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading Mr. Allison was unexpectedly detained by an important meeting of a board of directors, and might not be home until late.
past form of “hope” — expect and wish
From this reading What she hoped was that when Mr. Allison came in he would send his mandate; but Mr. Allison did not come.
impassiveadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpæsɪv/
having or revealing little emotion or sensibility; not easily aroused or excited
From this reading The butler made the announcement with his usual impassive face, and Mrs. Lawrence directed dinner served without further delay.
of great significance or value
From this reading Mr. Allison was unexpectedly detained by an important meeting of a board of directors, and might not be home until late.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading What she hoped was that when Mr. Allison came in he would send his mandate; but Mr. Allison did not come.
in place of, or as an alternative to
From this reading Instead there was a messenger from the club.
being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time
From this reading Mr. Allison was unexpectedly detained by an important meeting of a board of directors, and might not be home until late.
LawrencenounUS /ˈlɔːrəns/
Roman martyr; supposedly Lawrence was ordered by the police to give up the church's treasure and when he responded by presenting the poor people of Rome he was roasted to death on a gridiron (died in 258)
From this reading Miss Allison declined to come down to dinner that night, and Mrs. Lawrence had no power to compel her attendance.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading The butler made the announcement with his usual impassive face, and Mrs. Lawrence directed dinner served without further delay.
mandatenounUS /ˈmændeɪt/
a document giving an official instruction or command
From this reading What she hoped was that when Mr. Allison came in he would send his mandate; but Mr. Allison did not come.
a formally arranged gathering
From this reading Mr. Allison was unexpectedly detained by an important meeting of a board of directors, and might not be home until late.
a person who carries a message
From this reading Instead there was a messenger from the club.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading Mr. Allison was unexpectedly detained by an important meeting of a board of directors, and might not be home until late.
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading Miss Allison declined to come down to dinner that night, and Mrs. Lawrence had no power to compel her attendance.
a form of address for a man
From this reading What she hoped was that when Mr. Allison came in he would send his mandate; but Mr. Allison did not come.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading Miss Allison declined to come down to dinner that night, and Mrs. Lawrence had no power to compel her attendance.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading Miss Allison declined to come down to dinner that night, and Mrs. Lawrence had no power to compel her attendance.
not any; not one
From this reading Miss Allison declined to come down to dinner that night, and Mrs. Lawrence had no power to compel her attendance.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading What she hoped was that when Mr. Allison came in he would send his mandate; but Mr. Allison did not come.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Mr. Allison was unexpectedly detained by an important meeting of a board of directors, and might not be home until late.
possession of controlling influence
From this reading Miss Allison declined to come down to dinner that night, and Mrs. Lawrence had no power to compel her attendance.
cause to go somewhere
From this reading What she hoped was that when Mr. Allison came in he would send his mandate; but Mr. Allison did not come.
past form of “serve” — serve a purpose, role, or function
From this reading The butler made the announcement with his usual impassive face, and Mrs. Lawrence directed dinner served without further delay.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading What she hoped was that when Mr. Allison came in he would send his mandate; but Mr. Allison did not come.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Miss Allison declined to come down to dinner that night, and Mrs. Lawrence had no power to compel her attendance.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Instead there was a messenger from the club.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Instead there was a messenger from the club.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Miss Allison declined to come down to dinner that night, and Mrs. Lawrence had no power to compel her attendance.
unexpectedlyadverbUS /ˌʌnɪkˈspektɪdli/
in a way that was not expected
From this reading Mr. Allison was unexpectedly detained by an important meeting of a board of directors, and might not be home until late.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading Mr. Allison was unexpectedly detained by an important meeting of a board of directors, and might not be home until late.
usualadjectiveUS /ˈjuːʒəwəl/
occurring or encountered or experienced or observed frequently or in accordance with regular practice or procedure
From this reading The butler made the announcement with his usual impassive face, and Mrs. Lawrence directed dinner served without further delay.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading What she hoped was that when Mr. Allison came in he would send his mandate; but Mr. Allison did not come.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading What she hoped was that when Mr. Allison came in he would send his mandate; but Mr. Allison did not come.
at the time that
From this reading What she hoped was that when Mr. Allison came in he would send his mandate; but Mr. Allison did not come.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The butler made the announcement with his usual impassive face, and Mrs. Lawrence directed dinner served without further delay.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading The butler made the announcement with his usual impassive face, and Mrs. Lawrence directed dinner served without further delay.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading What she hoped was that when Mr. Allison came in he would send his mandate; but Mr. Allison did not come.
