used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE CURTAIN RISES The composition of a suitable reply to Burton Forbes' request proved unexpectedly difficult.
a feeling of delighted approval and liking
From this reading She suspected the late John Forbes of something more than a platonic admiration for her imaginary self and it was out of the question to write his son the matter-of-fact letter which would have sufficed for another blind man, desiring board in the country.
adoptionnounUS /əˈdɑːpʃən/
the act of accepting with approval; favorable reception
From this reading As she composed laborious missives only to destroy them on the second reading, Agatha thanked heaven that the hardships of her lot had not included the adoption of a literary career.
Agatha
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Agatha did not lack appreciation of the histrionic demands of her rôle.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She suspected the late John Forbes of something more than a platonic admiration for her imaginary self and it was out of the question to write his son the matter-of-fact letter which would have sufficed for another blind man, desiring board in the country.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading She suspected the late John Forbes of something more than a platonic admiration for her imaginary self and it was out of the question to write his son the matter-of-fact letter which would have sufficed for another blind man, desiring board in the country.
appreciationnounUS /əˌpriːʃiˈeɪʃən/
understanding of the nature or meaning or quality or magnitude of something
From this reading Agatha did not lack appreciation of the histrionic demands of her rôle.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As she composed laborious missives only to destroy them on the second reading, Agatha thanked heaven that the hardships of her lot had not included the adoption of a literary career.
attendingnounUS /əˈtendɪŋ/
the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others
From this reading The completed letter, however, so far met her exacting requirements that in satisfied contemplation of her intellectual offspring, she forgot the pangs attending its birth.
the time when something begins (especially life)
From this reading The completed letter, however, so far met her exacting requirements that in satisfied contemplation of her intellectual offspring, she forgot the pangs attending its birth.
people who have severe visual impairments, considered as a group
From this reading She suspected the late John Forbes of something more than a platonic admiration for her imaginary self and it was out of the question to write his son the matter-of-fact letter which would have sufficed for another blind man, desiring board in the country.
a committee having supervisory powers
From this reading She suspected the late John Forbes of something more than a platonic admiration for her imaginary self and it was out of the question to write his son the matter-of-fact letter which would have sufficed for another blind man, desiring board in the country.
BurtonnounUS /ˈbɜːrtən/
English explorer who with John Speke was the first European to explore Lake Tanganyika (1821-1890)
From this reading THE CURTAIN RISES The composition of a suitable reply to Burton Forbes' request proved unexpectedly difficult.
the particular occupation for which you are trained
From this reading As she composed laborious missives only to destroy them on the second reading, Agatha thanked heaven that the hardships of her lot had not included the adoption of a literary career.
successfully completed or brought to an end
From this reading The completed letter, however, so far met her exacting requirements that in satisfied contemplation of her intellectual offspring, she forgot the pangs attending its birth.
serenely self-possessed and free from agitation especially in times of stress
From this reading As she composed laborious missives only to destroy them on the second reading, Agatha thanked heaven that the hardships of her lot had not included the adoption of a literary career.
compositionnounUS /ˌkɑːmpəˈzɪʃən/
the spatial property resulting from the arrangement of parts in relation to each other and to the whole
From this reading THE CURTAIN RISES The composition of a suitable reply to Burton Forbes' request proved unexpectedly difficult.
contemplationnounUS /ˌkɑːntəmˈpleɪʃən/
a long and thoughtful observation
From this reading The completed letter, however, so far met her exacting requirements that in satisfied contemplation of her intellectual offspring, she forgot the pangs attending its birth.
a politically organized body of people under a single government
From this reading She suspected the late John Forbes of something more than a platonic admiration for her imaginary self and it was out of the question to write his son the matter-of-fact letter which would have sufficed for another blind man, desiring board in the country.
hanging cloth used as a blind (especially for a window)
From this reading THE CURTAIN RISES The composition of a suitable reply to Burton Forbes' request proved unexpectedly difficult.
demandsnounUS /dɪˈmændz/
plural of “demand” — an urgent or peremptory request
From this reading Agatha did not lack appreciation of the histrionic demands of her rôle.
desiringverbUS /dɪˈzaɪərɪŋ/
-ing form of “desire” — feel or have a desire for; want strongly
From this reading She suspected the late John Forbes of something more than a platonic admiration for her imaginary self and it was out of the question to write his son the matter-of-fact letter which would have sufficed for another blind man, desiring board in the country.
do away with, cause the destruction or undoing of
From this reading As she composed laborious missives only to destroy them on the second reading, Agatha thanked heaven that the hardships of her lot had not included the adoption of a literary career.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Agatha did not lack appreciation of the histrionic demands of her rôle.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading THE CURTAIN RISES The composition of a suitable reply to Burton Forbes' request proved unexpectedly difficult.
exactingadjectiveUS /ɪɡˈzæktɪŋ/
having complicated nutritional requirements; especially growing only in special artificial cultures
From this reading The completed letter, however, so far met her exacting requirements that in satisfied contemplation of her intellectual offspring, she forgot the pangs attending its birth.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading The completed letter, however, so far met her exacting requirements that in satisfied contemplation of her intellectual offspring, she forgot the pangs attending its birth.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading She suspected the late John Forbes of something more than a platonic admiration for her imaginary self and it was out of the question to write his son the matter-of-fact letter which would have sufficed for another blind man, desiring board in the country.
Forbes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE CURTAIN RISES The composition of a suitable reply to Burton Forbes' request proved unexpectedly difficult.
inflected form of “forget” — dismiss from the mind; stop remembering
From this reading The completed letter, however, so far met her exacting requirements that in satisfied contemplation of her intellectual offspring, she forgot the pangs attending its birth.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading As she composed laborious missives only to destroy them on the second reading, Agatha thanked heaven that the hardships of her lot had not included the adoption of a literary career.
hardshipsnounUS /ˈhɑːrdʃɪps/
plural of “hardship” — a state of misfortune or affliction
From this reading As she composed laborious missives only to destroy them on the second reading, Agatha thanked heaven that the hardships of her lot had not included the adoption of a literary career.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading She suspected the late John Forbes of something more than a platonic admiration for her imaginary self and it was out of the question to write his son the matter-of-fact letter which would have sufficed for another blind man, desiring board in the country.
any place of complete bliss and delight and peace
From this reading As she composed laborious missives only to destroy them on the second reading, Agatha thanked heaven that the hardships of her lot had not included the adoption of a literary career.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Agatha did not lack appreciation of the histrionic demands of her rôle.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading She suspected the late John Forbes of something more than a platonic admiration for her imaginary self and it was out of the question to write his son the matter-of-fact letter which would have sufficed for another blind man, desiring board in the country.
histrionicadjectiveUS /ˌhɪstriˈɑːnɪk/
characteristic of acting or a stage performance; often affected
From this reading Agatha did not lack appreciation of the histrionic demands of her rôle.
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading The completed letter, however, so far met her exacting requirements that in satisfied contemplation of her intellectual offspring, she forgot the pangs attending its birth.
imaginaryadjectiveUS /ˌɪˈmædʒəneri/
not based on fact; existing only in the imagination
From this reading She suspected the late John Forbes of something more than a platonic admiration for her imaginary self and it was out of the question to write his son the matter-of-fact letter which would have sufficed for another blind man, desiring board in the country.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading She suspected the late John Forbes of something more than a platonic admiration for her imaginary self and it was out of the question to write his son the matter-of-fact letter which would have sufficed for another blind man, desiring board in the country.
includedadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈkluːdəd/
enclosed in the same envelope or package
From this reading As she composed laborious missives only to destroy them on the second reading, Agatha thanked heaven that the hardships of her lot had not included the adoption of a literary career.
intellectualadjectiveUS /ˌɪntəˈlektʃuːəl/
of or associated with or requiring the use of the mind
From this reading The completed letter, however, so far met her exacting requirements that in satisfied contemplation of her intellectual offspring, she forgot the pangs attending its birth.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading She suspected the late John Forbes of something more than a platonic admiration for her imaginary self and it was out of the question to write his son the matter-of-fact letter which would have sufficed for another blind man, desiring board in the country.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The completed letter, however, so far met her exacting requirements that in satisfied contemplation of her intellectual offspring, she forgot the pangs attending its birth.
a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading She suspected the late John Forbes of something more than a platonic admiration for her imaginary self and it was out of the question to write his son the matter-of-fact letter which would have sufficed for another blind man, desiring board in the country.
laboriousadjectiveUS /ləˈbɔːriəs/
characterized by effort to the point of exhaustion; especially physical effort
From this reading As she composed laborious missives only to destroy them on the second reading, Agatha thanked heaven that the hardships of her lot had not included the adoption of a literary career.
the state of needing something that is absent or unavailable
From this reading Agatha did not lack appreciation of the histrionic demands of her rôle.
being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time
From this reading She suspected the late John Forbes of something more than a platonic admiration for her imaginary self and it was out of the question to write his son the matter-of-fact letter which would have sufficed for another blind man, desiring board in the country.
a written message addressed to a person or organization
From this reading She suspected the late John Forbes of something more than a platonic admiration for her imaginary self and it was out of the question to write his son the matter-of-fact letter which would have sufficed for another blind man, desiring board in the country.
of or relating to or characteristic of literature
From this reading As she composed laborious missives only to destroy them on the second reading, Agatha thanked heaven that the hardships of her lot had not included the adoption of a literary career.
(often followed by “of”) a large number or amount or extent
From this reading As she composed laborious missives only to destroy them on the second reading, Agatha thanked heaven that the hardships of her lot had not included the adoption of a literary career.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading She suspected the late John Forbes of something more than a platonic admiration for her imaginary self and it was out of the question to write his son the matter-of-fact letter which would have sufficed for another blind man, desiring board in the country.
matter-of-factadjective
not fanciful or imaginative
From this reading She suspected the late John Forbes of something more than a platonic admiration for her imaginary self and it was out of the question to write his son the matter-of-fact letter which would have sufficed for another blind man, desiring board in the country.
inflected form of “meet” — come together
From this reading The completed letter, however, so far met her exacting requirements that in satisfied contemplation of her intellectual offspring, she forgot the pangs attending its birth.
missives
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As she composed laborious missives only to destroy them on the second reading, Agatha thanked heaven that the hardships of her lot had not included the adoption of a literary career.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading She suspected the late John Forbes of something more than a platonic admiration for her imaginary self and it was out of the question to write his son the matter-of-fact letter which would have sufficed for another blind man, desiring board in the country.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Agatha did not lack appreciation of the histrionic demands of her rôle.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE CURTAIN RISES The composition of a suitable reply to Burton Forbes' request proved unexpectedly difficult.
offspringnounUS /ˈɔːfsprɪŋ/
the immediate descendants of a person
From this reading The completed letter, however, so far met her exacting requirements that in satisfied contemplation of her intellectual offspring, she forgot the pangs attending its birth.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading As she composed laborious missives only to destroy them on the second reading, Agatha thanked heaven that the hardships of her lot had not included the adoption of a literary career.
and nothing more
From this reading As she composed laborious missives only to destroy them on the second reading, Agatha thanked heaven that the hardships of her lot had not included the adoption of a literary career.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading She suspected the late John Forbes of something more than a platonic admiration for her imaginary self and it was out of the question to write his son the matter-of-fact letter which would have sufficed for another blind man, desiring board in the country.
pangsnounUS /pæŋz/
plural of “pang” — a sudden sharp feeling
From this reading The completed letter, however, so far met her exacting requirements that in satisfied contemplation of her intellectual offspring, she forgot the pangs attending its birth.
platonicadjectiveUS /pləˈtɑːnɪk/
of or relating to or characteristic of Plato or his philosophy
From this reading She suspected the late John Forbes of something more than a platonic admiration for her imaginary self and it was out of the question to write his son the matter-of-fact letter which would have sufficed for another blind man, desiring board in the country.
established beyond doubt
From this reading THE CURTAIN RISES The composition of a suitable reply to Burton Forbes' request proved unexpectedly difficult.
challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of
From this reading She suspected the late John Forbes of something more than a platonic admiration for her imaginary self and it was out of the question to write his son the matter-of-fact letter which would have sufficed for another blind man, desiring board in the country.
the cognitive process of understanding a written linguistic message
From this reading As she composed laborious missives only to destroy them on the second reading, Agatha thanked heaven that the hardships of her lot had not included the adoption of a literary career.
a statement (either spoken or written) that is made to reply to a question or request or criticism or accusation
From this reading THE CURTAIN RISES The composition of a suitable reply to Burton Forbes' request proved unexpectedly difficult.
express the need or desire for
From this reading THE CURTAIN RISES The composition of a suitable reply to Burton Forbes' request proved unexpectedly difficult.
requirementsnounUS /rɪˈkwaɪrmənts/
plural of “requirement” — required activity
From this reading The completed letter, however, so far met her exacting requirements that in satisfied contemplation of her intellectual offspring, she forgot the pangs attending its birth.
RISESnounUS /ˈraɪzəz/
plural of “rise” — a growth in strength or number or importance
From this reading THE CURTAIN RISES The composition of a suitable reply to Burton Forbes' request proved unexpectedly difficult.
rôle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Agatha did not lack appreciation of the histrionic demands of her rôle.
filled with satisfaction
From this reading The completed letter, however, so far met her exacting requirements that in satisfied contemplation of her intellectual offspring, she forgot the pangs attending its birth.
1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading As she composed laborious missives only to destroy them on the second reading, Agatha thanked heaven that the hardships of her lot had not included the adoption of a literary career.
your consciousness of your own identity
From this reading She suspected the late John Forbes of something more than a platonic admiration for her imaginary self and it was out of the question to write his son the matter-of-fact letter which would have sufficed for another blind man, desiring board in the country.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She suspected the late John Forbes of something more than a platonic admiration for her imaginary self and it was out of the question to write his son the matter-of-fact letter which would have sufficed for another blind man, desiring board in the country.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The completed letter, however, so far met her exacting requirements that in satisfied contemplation of her intellectual offspring, she forgot the pangs attending its birth.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading She suspected the late John Forbes of something more than a platonic admiration for her imaginary self and it was out of the question to write his son the matter-of-fact letter which would have sufficed for another blind man, desiring board in the country.
a male human offspring
From this reading She suspected the late John Forbes of something more than a platonic admiration for her imaginary self and it was out of the question to write his son the matter-of-fact letter which would have sufficed for another blind man, desiring board in the country.
sufficedverbUS /səˈfaɪst/
past form of “suffice” — be sufficient; be adequate, either in quality or quantity
From this reading She suspected the late John Forbes of something more than a platonic admiration for her imaginary self and it was out of the question to write his son the matter-of-fact letter which would have sufficed for another blind man, desiring board in the country.
suitableadjectiveUS /ˈsuːtəbəl/
meant or adapted for an occasion or use
From this reading THE CURTAIN RISES The composition of a suitable reply to Burton Forbes' request proved unexpectedly difficult.
believed likely
From this reading She suspected the late John Forbes of something more than a platonic admiration for her imaginary self and it was out of the question to write his son the matter-of-fact letter which would have sufficed for another blind man, desiring board in the country.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading She suspected the late John Forbes of something more than a platonic admiration for her imaginary self and it was out of the question to write his son the matter-of-fact letter which would have sufficed for another blind man, desiring board in the country.
thankedverbUS /θæŋkt/
past form of “thank” — express gratitude or show appreciation to
From this reading As she composed laborious missives only to destroy them on the second reading, Agatha thanked heaven that the hardships of her lot had not included the adoption of a literary career.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading As she composed laborious missives only to destroy them on the second reading, Agatha thanked heaven that the hardships of her lot had not included the adoption of a literary career.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE CURTAIN RISES The composition of a suitable reply to Burton Forbes' request proved unexpectedly difficult.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading As she composed laborious missives only to destroy them on the second reading, Agatha thanked heaven that the hardships of her lot had not included the adoption of a literary career.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE CURTAIN RISES The composition of a suitable reply to Burton Forbes' request proved unexpectedly difficult.
unexpectedlyadverbUS /ˌʌnɪkˈspektɪdli/
in a way that was not expected
From this reading THE CURTAIN RISES The composition of a suitable reply to Burton Forbes' request proved unexpectedly difficult.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading She suspected the late John Forbes of something more than a platonic admiration for her imaginary self and it was out of the question to write his son the matter-of-fact letter which would have sufficed for another blind man, desiring board in the country.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading She suspected the late John Forbes of something more than a platonic admiration for her imaginary self and it was out of the question to write his son the matter-of-fact letter which would have sufficed for another blind man, desiring board in the country.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading She suspected the late John Forbes of something more than a platonic admiration for her imaginary self and it was out of the question to write his son the matter-of-fact letter which would have sufficed for another blind man, desiring board in the country.
produce a literary work
From this reading She suspected the late John Forbes of something more than a platonic admiration for her imaginary self and it was out of the question to write his son the matter-of-fact letter which would have sufficed for another blind man, desiring board in the country.
