used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading There had been a pretence of fishing, but no fish had been caught.
matters of personal concern
From this reading It was soon found that such an amusement would interfere with the ladies' dresses, and the affairs had become too serious to allow of any trivial interruption.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading The water off the nasty cord has got all over Maria's dress, already."
make it possible through a specific action or lack of action for something to happen
From this reading It was soon found that such an amusement would interfere with the ladies' dresses, and the affairs had become too serious to allow of any trivial interruption.
prior to a specified or implied time
From this reading The water off the nasty cord has got all over Maria's dress, already."
a feeling of delight at being entertained
From this reading It was soon found that such an amusement would interfere with the ladies' dresses, and the affairs had become too serious to allow of any trivial interruption.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading It was soon found that such an amusement would interfere with the ladies' dresses, and the affairs had become too serious to allow of any trivial interruption.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was soon found that such an amusement would interfere with the ladies' dresses, and the affairs had become too serious to allow of any trivial interruption.
eagerly desirous
From this reading "I really think, Mr. Cheesacre," an anxious mother had said, "that you'd better give it up.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading It was soon found that such an amusement would interfere with the ladies' dresses, and the affairs had become too serious to allow of any trivial interruption.
enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading It was soon found that such an amusement would interfere with the ladies' dresses, and the affairs had become too serious to allow of any trivial interruption.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading There had been a pretence of fishing, but no fish had been caught.
(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another
From this reading "I really think, Mr. Cheesacre," an anxious mother had said, "that you'd better give it up.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading There had been a pretence of fishing, but no fish had been caught.
inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading There had been a pretence of fishing, but no fish had been caught.
Cheesacre
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I really think, Mr. Cheesacre," an anxious mother had said, "that you'd better give it up.
cordnounUS /kɔːrd/
a line made of twisted fibers or threads
From this reading The water off the nasty cord has got all over Maria's dress, already."
put on clothes
From this reading The water off the nasty cord has got all over Maria's dress, already."
dressesnounUS /ˈdresəz/
plural of “dress” — a one-piece garment for a woman; has skirt and bodice
From this reading It was soon found that such an amusement would interfere with the ladies' dresses, and the affairs had become too serious to allow of any trivial interruption.
any of various mostly cold-blooded aquatic vertebrates usually having scales and breathing through gills
From this reading There had been a pretence of fishing, but no fish had been caught.
fishingnounUS /ˈfɪʃɪŋ/
the act of someone who fishes as a diversion
From this reading There had been a pretence of fishing, but no fish had been caught.
set up or found
From this reading It was soon found that such an amusement would interfere with the ladies' dresses, and the affairs had become too serious to allow of any trivial interruption.
cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading "I really think, Mr. Cheesacre," an anxious mother had said, "that you'd better give it up.
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading The water off the nasty cord has got all over Maria's dress, already."
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading There had been a pretence of fishing, but no fish had been caught.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The water off the nasty cord has got all over Maria's dress, already."
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I really think, Mr. Cheesacre," an anxious mother had said, "that you'd better give it up.
interfereverbUS /ˌɪntərˈfɪr/
come between so as to be hindrance or obstacle
From this reading It was soon found that such an amusement would interfere with the ladies' dresses, and the affairs had become too serious to allow of any trivial interruption.
interruptionnounUS /ˌɪntərˈʌpʃən/
an act of delaying or interrupting the continuity
From this reading It was soon found that such an amusement would interfere with the ladies' dresses, and the affairs had become too serious to allow of any trivial interruption.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was soon found that such an amusement would interfere with the ladies' dresses, and the affairs had become too serious to allow of any trivial interruption.
plural of “lady” — a polite name for any woman
From this reading It was soon found that such an amusement would interfere with the ladies' dresses, and the affairs had become too serious to allow of any trivial interruption.
Maria'snounUS /mərˈiːəz/
possessive form of “maria” — a dark region of considerable extent on the surface of the moon
From this reading The water off the nasty cord has got all over Maria's dress, already."
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading "I really think, Mr. Cheesacre," an anxious mother had said, "that you'd better give it up.
a form of address for a man
From this reading "I really think, Mr. Cheesacre," an anxious mother had said, "that you'd better give it up.
nastyadjectiveUS /ˈnæsti/
offensive or even (of persons) malicious
From this reading The water off the nasty cord has got all over Maria's dress, already."
not any; not one
From this reading There had been a pretence of fishing, but no fish had been caught.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading There had been a pretence of fishing, but no fish had been caught.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading The water off the nasty cord has got all over Maria's dress, already."
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading The water off the nasty cord has got all over Maria's dress, already."
pretencenoun
a false or unsupportable quality
From this reading There had been a pretence of fishing, but no fish had been caught.
in accordance with truth or fact or reality
From this reading "I really think, Mr. Cheesacre," an anxious mother had said, "that you'd better give it up.
RivalsnounUS /ˈraɪvəlz/
plural of “rival” — the contestant you hope to defeat
From this reading The Rivals.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "I really think, Mr. Cheesacre," an anxious mother had said, "that you'd better give it up.
concerned with work or important matters rather than play or trivialities
From this reading It was soon found that such an amusement would interfere with the ladies' dresses, and the affairs had become too serious to allow of any trivial interruption.
in the near future
From this reading It was soon found that such an amusement would interfere with the ladies' dresses, and the affairs had become too serious to allow of any trivial interruption.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading It was soon found that such an amusement would interfere with the ladies' dresses, and the affairs had become too serious to allow of any trivial interruption.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was soon found that such an amusement would interfere with the ladies' dresses, and the affairs had become too serious to allow of any trivial interruption.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The Rivals.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There had been a pretence of fishing, but no fish had been caught.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading "I really think, Mr. Cheesacre," an anxious mother had said, "that you'd better give it up.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It was soon found that such an amusement would interfere with the ladies' dresses, and the affairs had become too serious to allow of any trivial interruption.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading It was soon found that such an amusement would interfere with the ladies' dresses, and the affairs had become too serious to allow of any trivial interruption.
trivialadjectiveUS /ˈtrɪviəl/
(informal) small and of little importance
From this reading It was soon found that such an amusement would interfere with the ladies' dresses, and the affairs had become too serious to allow of any trivial interruption.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading "I really think, Mr. Cheesacre," an anxious mother had said, "that you'd better give it up.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was soon found that such an amusement would interfere with the ladies' dresses, and the affairs had become too serious to allow of any trivial interruption.
binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent
From this reading The water off the nasty cord has got all over Maria's dress, already."
in the company of; together with
From this reading It was soon found that such an amusement would interfere with the ladies' dresses, and the affairs had become too serious to allow of any trivial interruption.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading It was soon found that such an amusement would interfere with the ladies' dresses, and the affairs had become too serious to allow of any trivial interruption.
you'd
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I really think, Mr. Cheesacre," an anxious mother had said, "that you'd better give it up.
