used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A fortnight passed, during which she heard nothing from Rupert, and then one morning, the day after a dance, she called to see Bertha.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading "TANGO" Madeline had taken the gossip about Rupert and Miss Chivvey very bravely, but very seriously.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading A fortnight passed, during which she heard nothing from Rupert, and then one morning, the day after a dance, she called to see Bertha.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "TANGO" Madeline had taken the gossip about Rupert and Miss Chivvey very bravely, but very seriously.
anonymousadjectiveUS /əˈnɑːnəməs/
having no known name or identity or known source
From this reading Percy had had no more anonymous letters, and Nigel had remained away.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Percy had had no more anonymous letters, and Nigel had remained away.
Bertha
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It pained her terribly, but she was grateful to Bertha for telling her.
bravelyadverbUS /ˈbreɪvli/
in a courageous manner
From this reading "TANGO" Madeline had taken the gossip about Rupert and Miss Chivvey very bravely, but very seriously.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading "TANGO" Madeline had taken the gossip about Rupert and Miss Chivvey very bravely, but very seriously.
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading A fortnight passed, during which she heard nothing from Rupert, and then one morning, the day after a dance, she called to see Bertha.
Chivvey
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "TANGO" Madeline had taken the gossip about Rupert and Miss Chivvey very bravely, but very seriously.
an artistic form of nonverbal communication
From this reading A fortnight passed, during which she heard nothing from Rupert, and then one morning, the day after a dance, she called to see Bertha.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading A fortnight passed, during which she heard nothing from Rupert, and then one morning, the day after a dance, she called to see Bertha.
to a great depth psychologically or emotionally
From this reading He was deeply grateful, for he supposed Bertha had managed with perfect tact to stop the talk without giving herself away, or making him ridiculous.
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading A fortnight passed, during which she heard nothing from Rupert, and then one morning, the day after a dance, she called to see Bertha.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It pained her terribly, but she was grateful to Bertha for telling her.
fortnightnounUS /ˈfɔːrtnaɪt/
a period of fourteen consecutive days
From this reading A fortnight passed, during which she heard nothing from Rupert, and then one morning, the day after a dance, she called to see Bertha.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading A fortnight passed, during which she heard nothing from Rupert, and then one morning, the day after a dance, she called to see Bertha.
the act of giving
From this reading He was deeply grateful, for he supposed Bertha had managed with perfect tact to stop the talk without giving herself away, or making him ridiculous.
gossipnounUS /ˈɡɑːsəp/
light informal conversation for social occasions
From this reading "TANGO" Madeline had taken the gossip about Rupert and Miss Chivvey very bravely, but very seriously.
feeling or showing gratitude
From this reading It pained her terribly, but she was grateful to Bertha for telling her.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading "TANGO" Madeline had taken the gossip about Rupert and Miss Chivvey very bravely, but very seriously.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was deeply grateful, for he supposed Bertha had managed with perfect tact to stop the talk without giving herself away, or making him ridiculous.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading A fortnight passed, during which she heard nothing from Rupert, and then one morning, the day after a dance, she called to see Bertha.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading It pained her terribly, but she was grateful to Bertha for telling her.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading He was deeply grateful, for he supposed Bertha had managed with perfect tact to stop the talk without giving herself away, or making him ridiculous.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He was deeply grateful, for he supposed Bertha had managed with perfect tact to stop the talk without giving herself away, or making him ridiculous.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It pained her terribly, but she was grateful to Bertha for telling her.
the literary culture
From this reading Percy had had no more anonymous letters, and Nigel had remained away.
Madeline
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "TANGO" Madeline had taken the gossip about Rupert and Miss Chivvey very bravely, but very seriously.
the act that results in something coming to be
From this reading He was deeply grateful, for he supposed Bertha had managed with perfect tact to stop the talk without giving herself away, or making him ridiculous.
past form of “manage” — be successful; achieve a goal
From this reading He was deeply grateful, for he supposed Bertha had managed with perfect tact to stop the talk without giving herself away, or making him ridiculous.
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading "TANGO" Madeline had taken the gossip about Rupert and Miss Chivvey very bravely, but very seriously.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Percy had had no more anonymous letters, and Nigel had remained away.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading A fortnight passed, during which she heard nothing from Rupert, and then one morning, the day after a dance, she called to see Bertha.
Nigel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Percy had had no more anonymous letters, and Nigel had remained away.
not any; not one
From this reading Percy had had no more anonymous letters, and Nigel had remained away.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading A fortnight passed, during which she heard nothing from Rupert, and then one morning, the day after a dance, she called to see Bertha.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading A fortnight passed, during which she heard nothing from Rupert, and then one morning, the day after a dance, she called to see Bertha.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading He was deeply grateful, for he supposed Bertha had managed with perfect tact to stop the talk without giving herself away, or making him ridiculous.
painedadjectiveUS /peɪnd/
emotionally hurt or upset or annoyed
From this reading It pained her terribly, but she was grateful to Bertha for telling her.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading A fortnight passed, during which she heard nothing from Rupert, and then one morning, the day after a dance, she called to see Bertha.
PercynounUS /ˈpɜːrsi/
United States writer whose novels explored human alienation (1916-1990)
From this reading Percy had had no more anonymous letters, and Nigel had remained away.
being complete of its kind and without defect or blemish
From this reading He was deeply grateful, for he supposed Bertha had managed with perfect tact to stop the talk without giving herself away, or making him ridiculous.
past form of “remain” — stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading Percy had had no more anonymous letters, and Nigel had remained away.
inspiring scornful pity
From this reading He was deeply grateful, for he supposed Bertha had managed with perfect tact to stop the talk without giving herself away, or making him ridiculous.
RupertnounUS /ˈruːpərt/
English leader (born in Germany) of the Royalist forces during the English Civil War (1619-1682)
From this reading "TANGO" Madeline had taken the gossip about Rupert and Miss Chivvey very bravely, but very seriously.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading A fortnight passed, during which she heard nothing from Rupert, and then one morning, the day after a dance, she called to see Bertha.
in a serious manner
From this reading "TANGO" Madeline had taken the gossip about Rupert and Miss Chivvey very bravely, but very seriously.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It pained her terribly, but she was grateful to Bertha for telling her.
come to a halt, stop moving
From this reading He was deeply grateful, for he supposed Bertha had managed with perfect tact to stop the talk without giving herself away, or making him ridiculous.
required or under orders
From this reading He was deeply grateful, for he supposed Bertha had managed with perfect tact to stop the talk without giving herself away, or making him ridiculous.
tactnounUS /tækt/
consideration in dealing with others and avoiding giving offense
From this reading He was deeply grateful, for he supposed Bertha had managed with perfect tact to stop the talk without giving herself away, or making him ridiculous.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading "TANGO" Madeline had taken the gossip about Rupert and Miss Chivvey very bravely, but very seriously.
exchange thoughts; talk with
From this reading He was deeply grateful, for he supposed Bertha had managed with perfect tact to stop the talk without giving herself away, or making him ridiculous.
TANGOnounUS /ˈtæŋɡoʊ/
a ballroom dance of Latin-American origin
From this reading "TANGO" Madeline had taken the gossip about Rupert and Miss Chivvey very bravely, but very seriously.
disclosing unintentionally something concealed
From this reading It pained her terribly, but she was grateful to Bertha for telling her.
terriblyadverbUS /ˈterəbli/
used as intensifiers
From this reading It pained her terribly, but she was grateful to Bertha for telling her.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "TANGO" Madeline had taken the gossip about Rupert and Miss Chivvey very bravely, but very seriously.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading A fortnight passed, during which she heard nothing from Rupert, and then one morning, the day after a dance, she called to see Bertha.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It pained her terribly, but she was grateful to Bertha for telling her.
precisely as stated
From this reading "TANGO" Madeline had taken the gossip about Rupert and Miss Chivvey very bravely, but very seriously.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It pained her terribly, but she was grateful to Bertha for telling her.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading A fortnight passed, during which she heard nothing from Rupert, and then one morning, the day after a dance, she called to see Bertha.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He was deeply grateful, for he supposed Bertha had managed with perfect tact to stop the talk without giving herself away, or making him ridiculous.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading He was deeply grateful, for he supposed Bertha had managed with perfect tact to stop the talk without giving herself away, or making him ridiculous.
