used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The young people had begun to dance, and the elderly folk to enjoy the delights of card-room and smoking-room, when there was whispered through the assemblage a rumour that interfered greatly with the merriment of the evening.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading How it came about that first the elder ladies and then the younger portion of the assemblage learned it no one could tell, but it circulated everywhere in the ball-room, and finally penetrated to the smoking-room, where the older men left their cigars and cards and returned to the ball-room to ascertain what had happened.
AfterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading After supper there had not been the amount of gayety that was wont to distinguish the President's balls.
united by being of the same opinion
From this reading The younger men were seen to crowd around Guntram and the officers from Heinrich's room, whom they plied with questions, and although it had been agreed that no mention was to be made of the disagreeable circumstance that had occurred there, the dark rumour was not long in taking shape.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading The younger men were seen to crowd around Guntram and the officers from Heinrich's room, whom they plied with questions, and although it had been agreed that no mention was to be made of the disagreeable circumstance that had occurred there, the dark rumour was not long in taking shape.
a quantity of money
From this reading After supper there had not been the amount of gayety that was wont to distinguish the President's balls.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The young people had begun to dance, and the elderly folk to enjoy the delights of card-room and smoking-room, when there was whispered through the assemblage a rumour that interfered greatly with the merriment of the evening.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading The younger men were seen to crowd around Guntram and the officers from Heinrich's room, whom they plied with questions, and although it had been agreed that no mention was to be made of the disagreeable circumstance that had occurred there, the dark rumour was not long in taking shape.
ascertainverbUS /ˌæsərˈteɪn/
establish after a calculation, investigation, experiment, survey, or study
From this reading How it came about that first the elder ladies and then the younger portion of the assemblage learned it no one could tell, but it circulated everywhere in the ball-room, and finally penetrated to the smoking-room, where the older men left their cigars and cards and returned to the ball-room to ascertain what had happened.
assemblagenounUS /əˈsemblədʒ/
a group of persons together in one place
From this reading The young people had begun to dance, and the elderly folk to enjoy the delights of card-room and smoking-room, when there was whispered through the assemblage a rumour that interfered greatly with the merriment of the evening.
ball-room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was first heard in the ball-room; whence it originated no one could exactly tell, but there it was, flying from lip to lip.
ballsnounUS /bɔːlz/
plural of “ball” — round object that is hit or thrown or kicked in games
From this reading After supper there had not been the amount of gayety that was wont to distinguish the President's balls.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The younger men were seen to crowd around Guntram and the officers from Heinrich's room, whom they plied with questions, and although it had been agreed that no mention was to be made of the disagreeable circumstance that had occurred there, the dark rumour was not long in taking shape.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading After supper there had not been the amount of gayety that was wont to distinguish the President's balls.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading The young people had begun to dance, and the elderly folk to enjoy the delights of card-room and smoking-room, when there was whispered through the assemblage a rumour that interfered greatly with the merriment of the evening.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading It was first heard in the ball-room; whence it originated no one could exactly tell, but there it was, flying from lip to lip.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading How it came about that first the elder ladies and then the younger portion of the assemblage learned it no one could tell, but it circulated everywhere in the ball-room, and finally penetrated to the smoking-room, where the older men left their cigars and cards and returned to the ball-room to ascertain what had happened.
card-room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The young people had begun to dance, and the elderly folk to enjoy the delights of card-room and smoking-room, when there was whispered through the assemblage a rumour that interfered greatly with the merriment of the evening.
a game played with playing cards
From this reading How it came about that first the elder ladies and then the younger portion of the assemblage learned it no one could tell, but it circulated everywhere in the ball-room, and finally penetrated to the smoking-room, where the older men left their cigars and cards and returned to the ball-room to ascertain what had happened.
cigarsnounUS /sɪˈɡɑːrz/
plural of “cigar” — a roll of tobacco for smoking
From this reading How it came about that first the elder ladies and then the younger portion of the assemblage learned it no one could tell, but it circulated everywhere in the ball-room, and finally penetrated to the smoking-room, where the older men left their cigars and cards and returned to the ball-room to ascertain what had happened.
circulatedverbUS /ˈsɜːrkjəleɪtɪd/
past form of “circulate” — become widely known and passed on
From this reading How it came about that first the elder ladies and then the younger portion of the assemblage learned it no one could tell, but it circulated everywhere in the ball-room, and finally penetrated to the smoking-room, where the older men left their cigars and cards and returned to the ball-room to ascertain what had happened.
a condition that accompanies or influences some event or activity
From this reading The younger men were seen to crowd around Guntram and the officers from Heinrich's room, whom they plied with questions, and although it had been agreed that no mention was to be made of the disagreeable circumstance that had occurred there, the dark rumour was not long in taking shape.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading It was first heard in the ball-room; whence it originated no one could exactly tell, but there it was, flying from lip to lip.
cause to herd, drive, or crowd together
From this reading The younger men were seen to crowd around Guntram and the officers from Heinrich's room, whom they plied with questions, and although it had been agreed that no mention was to be made of the disagreeable circumstance that had occurred there, the dark rumour was not long in taking shape.
an artistic form of nonverbal communication
From this reading The young people had begun to dance, and the elderly folk to enjoy the delights of card-room and smoking-room, when there was whispered through the assemblage a rumour that interfered greatly with the merriment of the evening.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading The younger men were seen to crowd around Guntram and the officers from Heinrich's room, whom they plied with questions, and although it had been agreed that no mention was to be made of the disagreeable circumstance that had occurred there, the dark rumour was not long in taking shape.
delightsnounUS /dɪˈlaɪts/
plural of “delight” — a feeling of extreme pleasure or satisfaction
From this reading The young people had begun to dance, and the elderly folk to enjoy the delights of card-room and smoking-room, when there was whispered through the assemblage a rumour that interfered greatly with the merriment of the evening.
disagreeableadjectiveUS /ˌdɪsəˈɡriːəbəl/
not to your liking
From this reading The younger men were seen to crowd around Guntram and the officers from Heinrich's room, whom they plied with questions, and although it had been agreed that no mention was to be made of the disagreeable circumstance that had occurred there, the dark rumour was not long in taking shape.
distinguishverbUS /dɪˈstɪŋɡwɪʃ/
mark as different
From this reading After supper there had not been the amount of gayety that was wont to distinguish the President's balls.
a person who is older than you are
From this reading How it came about that first the elder ladies and then the younger portion of the assemblage learned it no one could tell, but it circulated everywhere in the ball-room, and finally penetrated to the smoking-room, where the older men left their cigars and cards and returned to the ball-room to ascertain what had happened.
elderlyadjectiveUS /ˈeldərli/
advanced in years; (“aged” is pronounced as two syllables)
From this reading The young people had begun to dance, and the elderly folk to enjoy the delights of card-room and smoking-room, when there was whispered through the assemblage a rumour that interfered greatly with the merriment of the evening.
derive or receive pleasure from; get enjoyment from; take pleasure in
From this reading The young people had begun to dance, and the elderly folk to enjoy the delights of card-room and smoking-room, when there was whispered through the assemblage a rumour that interfered greatly with the merriment of the evening.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading The young people had begun to dance, and the elderly folk to enjoy the delights of card-room and smoking-room, when there was whispered through the assemblage a rumour that interfered greatly with the merriment of the evening.
to or in any or all places
From this reading How it came about that first the elder ladies and then the younger portion of the assemblage learned it no one could tell, but it circulated everywhere in the ball-room, and finally penetrated to the smoking-room, where the older men left their cigars and cards and returned to the ball-room to ascertain what had happened.
indicating exactness or preciseness
From this reading It was first heard in the ball-room; whence it originated no one could exactly tell, but there it was, flying from lip to lip.
after an unspecified period of time or an especially long delay
From this reading How it came about that first the elder ladies and then the younger portion of the assemblage learned it no one could tell, but it circulated everywhere in the ball-room, and finally penetrated to the smoking-room, where the older men left their cigars and cards and returned to the ball-room to ascertain what had happened.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading It was first heard in the ball-room; whence it originated no one could exactly tell, but there it was, flying from lip to lip.
moving swiftly
From this reading It was first heard in the ball-room; whence it originated no one could exactly tell, but there it was, flying from lip to lip.
people in general (often used in the plural)
From this reading The young people had begun to dance, and the elderly folk to enjoy the delights of card-room and smoking-room, when there was whispered through the assemblage a rumour that interfered greatly with the merriment of the evening.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading It was first heard in the ball-room; whence it originated no one could exactly tell, but there it was, flying from lip to lip.
gayety
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading After supper there had not been the amount of gayety that was wont to distinguish the President's balls.
to an extraordinary extent or degree
From this reading The young people had begun to dance, and the elderly folk to enjoy the delights of card-room and smoking-room, when there was whispered through the assemblage a rumour that interfered greatly with the merriment of the evening.
Guntram
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The younger men were seen to crowd around Guntram and the officers from Heinrich's room, whom they plied with questions, and although it had been agreed that no mention was to be made of the disagreeable circumstance that had occurred there, the dark rumour was not long in taking shape.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading After supper there had not been the amount of gayety that was wont to distinguish the President's balls.
past form of “happen” — come to pass
From this reading How it came about that first the elder ladies and then the younger portion of the assemblage learned it no one could tell, but it circulated everywhere in the ball-room, and finally penetrated to the smoking-room, where the older men left their cigars and cards and returned to the ball-room to ascertain what had happened.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading It was first heard in the ball-room; whence it originated no one could exactly tell, but there it was, flying from lip to lip.
Heinrich's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The younger men were seen to crowd around Guntram and the officers from Heinrich's room, whom they plied with questions, and although it had been agreed that no mention was to be made of the disagreeable circumstance that had occurred there, the dark rumour was not long in taking shape.
How
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How it came about that first the elder ladies and then the younger portion of the assemblage learned it no one could tell, but it circulated everywhere in the ball-room, and finally penetrated to the smoking-room, where the older men left their cigars and cards and returned to the ball-room to ascertain what had happened.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was first heard in the ball-room; whence it originated no one could exactly tell, but there it was, flying from lip to lip.
interferedverbUS /ˌɪntərˈfɪrd/
past form of “interfere” — come between so as to be hindrance or obstacle
From this reading The young people had begun to dance, and the elderly folk to enjoy the delights of card-room and smoking-room, when there was whispered through the assemblage a rumour that interfered greatly with the merriment of the evening.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was first heard in the ball-room; whence it originated no one could exactly tell, but there it was, flying from lip to lip.
plural of “lady” — a polite name for any woman
From this reading How it came about that first the elder ladies and then the younger portion of the assemblage learned it no one could tell, but it circulated everywhere in the ball-room, and finally penetrated to the smoking-room, where the older men left their cigars and cards and returned to the ball-room to ascertain what had happened.
having or showing profound knowledge
From this reading How it came about that first the elder ladies and then the younger portion of the assemblage learned it no one could tell, but it circulated everywhere in the ball-room, and finally penetrated to the smoking-room, where the older men left their cigars and cards and returned to the ball-room to ascertain what had happened.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading How it came about that first the elder ladies and then the younger portion of the assemblage learned it no one could tell, but it circulated everywhere in the ball-room, and finally penetrated to the smoking-room, where the older men left their cigars and cards and returned to the ball-room to ascertain what had happened.
lipnounUS /lɪp/
either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking
From this reading It was first heard in the ball-room; whence it originated no one could exactly tell, but there it was, flying from lip to lip.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading The younger men were seen to crowd around Guntram and the officers from Heinrich's room, whom they plied with questions, and although it had been agreed that no mention was to be made of the disagreeable circumstance that had occurred there, the dark rumour was not long in taking shape.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading The younger men were seen to crowd around Guntram and the officers from Heinrich's room, whom they plied with questions, and although it had been agreed that no mention was to be made of the disagreeable circumstance that had occurred there, the dark rumour was not long in taking shape.
the force of workers available
From this reading The younger men were seen to crowd around Guntram and the officers from Heinrich's room, whom they plied with questions, and although it had been agreed that no mention was to be made of the disagreeable circumstance that had occurred there, the dark rumour was not long in taking shape.
make reference to
From this reading The younger men were seen to crowd around Guntram and the officers from Heinrich's room, whom they plied with questions, and although it had been agreed that no mention was to be made of the disagreeable circumstance that had occurred there, the dark rumour was not long in taking shape.
merrimentnoun
a gay feeling
From this reading The young people had begun to dance, and the elderly folk to enjoy the delights of card-room and smoking-room, when there was whispered through the assemblage a rumour that interfered greatly with the merriment of the evening.
not any; not one
From this reading It was first heard in the ball-room; whence it originated no one could exactly tell, but there it was, flying from lip to lip.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading After supper there had not been the amount of gayety that was wont to distinguish the President's balls.
inflected form of “occur” — come to pass
From this reading The younger men were seen to crowd around Guntram and the officers from Heinrich's room, whom they plied with questions, and although it had been agreed that no mention was to be made of the disagreeable circumstance that had occurred there, the dark rumour was not long in taking shape.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading After supper there had not been the amount of gayety that was wont to distinguish the President's balls.
plural of “officer” — any person in the armed services who holds a position of authority or command
From this reading The younger men were seen to crowd around Guntram and the officers from Heinrich's room, whom they plied with questions, and although it had been agreed that no mention was to be made of the disagreeable circumstance that had occurred there, the dark rumour was not long in taking shape.
olderadjectiveUS /ˈoʊldər/
advanced in years; (“aged” is pronounced as two syllables)
From this reading How it came about that first the elder ladies and then the younger portion of the assemblage learned it no one could tell, but it circulated everywhere in the ball-room, and finally penetrated to the smoking-room, where the older men left their cigars and cards and returned to the ball-room to ascertain what had happened.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading It was first heard in the ball-room; whence it originated no one could exactly tell, but there it was, flying from lip to lip.
originatedverbUS /ərˈɪdʒəneɪtəd/
past form of “originate” — come into existence; take on form or shape
From this reading It was first heard in the ball-room; whence it originated no one could exactly tell, but there it was, flying from lip to lip.
penetratedverbUS /ˈpenətreɪtɪd/
past form of “penetrate” — pass into or through, often by overcoming resistance
From this reading How it came about that first the elder ladies and then the younger portion of the assemblage learned it no one could tell, but it circulated everywhere in the ball-room, and finally penetrated to the smoking-room, where the older men left their cigars and cards and returned to the ball-room to ascertain what had happened.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading The young people had begun to dance, and the elderly folk to enjoy the delights of card-room and smoking-room, when there was whispered through the assemblage a rumour that interfered greatly with the merriment of the evening.
pliedverbUS /plaɪd/
inflected form of “ply” — give what is desired or needed, especially support, food or sustenance
From this reading The younger men were seen to crowd around Guntram and the officers from Heinrich's room, whom they plied with questions, and although it had been agreed that no mention was to be made of the disagreeable circumstance that had occurred there, the dark rumour was not long in taking shape.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading How it came about that first the elder ladies and then the younger portion of the assemblage learned it no one could tell, but it circulated everywhere in the ball-room, and finally penetrated to the smoking-room, where the older men left their cigars and cards and returned to the ball-room to ascertain what had happened.
President'snounUS /ˈprezɪdənts/
possessive form of “president” — an executive officer of a firm or corporation
From this reading After supper there had not been the amount of gayety that was wont to distinguish the President's balls.
plural of “question” — an instance of questioning
From this reading The younger men were seen to crowd around Guntram and the officers from Heinrich's room, whom they plied with questions, and although it had been agreed that no mention was to be made of the disagreeable circumstance that had occurred there, the dark rumour was not long in taking shape.
past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading How it came about that first the elder ladies and then the younger portion of the assemblage learned it no one could tell, but it circulated everywhere in the ball-room, and finally penetrated to the smoking-room, where the older men left their cigars and cards and returned to the ball-room to ascertain what had happened.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading The younger men were seen to crowd around Guntram and the officers from Heinrich's room, whom they plied with questions, and although it had been agreed that no mention was to be made of the disagreeable circumstance that had occurred there, the dark rumour was not long in taking shape.
rumournounUS /ˈruːmər/
gossip (usually a mixture of truth and untruth) passed around by word of mouth
From this reading The young people had begun to dance, and the elderly folk to enjoy the delights of card-room and smoking-room, when there was whispered through the assemblage a rumour that interfered greatly with the merriment of the evening.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading The younger men were seen to crowd around Guntram and the officers from Heinrich's room, whom they plied with questions, and although it had been agreed that no mention was to be made of the disagreeable circumstance that had occurred there, the dark rumour was not long in taking shape.
any spatial attributes (especially as defined by outline)
From this reading The younger men were seen to crowd around Guntram and the officers from Heinrich's room, whom they plied with questions, and although it had been agreed that no mention was to be made of the disagreeable circumstance that had occurred there, the dark rumour was not long in taking shape.
smoking-room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The young people had begun to dance, and the elderly folk to enjoy the delights of card-room and smoking-room, when there was whispered through the assemblage a rumour that interfered greatly with the merriment of the evening.
a light evening meal; served in early evening if dinner is at midday or served late in the evening at bedtime
From this reading After supper there had not been the amount of gayety that was wont to distinguish the President's balls.
the act of someone who picks up or takes something
From this reading The younger men were seen to crowd around Guntram and the officers from Heinrich's room, whom they plied with questions, and although it had been agreed that no mention was to be made of the disagreeable circumstance that had occurred there, the dark rumour was not long in taking shape.
express in words
From this reading It was first heard in the ball-room; whence it originated no one could exactly tell, but there it was, flying from lip to lip.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading After supper there had not been the amount of gayety that was wont to distinguish the President's balls.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading After supper there had not been the amount of gayety that was wont to distinguish the President's balls.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading How it came about that first the elder ladies and then the younger portion of the assemblage learned it no one could tell, but it circulated everywhere in the ball-room, and finally penetrated to the smoking-room, where the older men left their cigars and cards and returned to the ball-room to ascertain what had happened.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading How it came about that first the elder ladies and then the younger portion of the assemblage learned it no one could tell, but it circulated everywhere in the ball-room, and finally penetrated to the smoking-room, where the older men left their cigars and cards and returned to the ball-room to ascertain what had happened.
in or at that place or location
From this reading After supper there had not been the amount of gayety that was wont to distinguish the President's balls.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The younger men were seen to crowd around Guntram and the officers from Heinrich's room, whom they plied with questions, and although it had been agreed that no mention was to be made of the disagreeable circumstance that had occurred there, the dark rumour was not long in taking shape.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading The young people had begun to dance, and the elderly folk to enjoy the delights of card-room and smoking-room, when there was whispered through the assemblage a rumour that interfered greatly with the merriment of the evening.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading After supper there had not been the amount of gayety that was wont to distinguish the President's balls.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading After supper there had not been the amount of gayety that was wont to distinguish the President's balls.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The younger men were seen to crowd around Guntram and the officers from Heinrich's room, whom they plied with questions, and although it had been agreed that no mention was to be made of the disagreeable circumstance that had occurred there, the dark rumour was not long in taking shape.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading How it came about that first the elder ladies and then the younger portion of the assemblage learned it no one could tell, but it circulated everywhere in the ball-room, and finally penetrated to the smoking-room, where the older men left their cigars and cards and returned to the ball-room to ascertain what had happened.
at the time that
From this reading The young people had begun to dance, and the elderly folk to enjoy the delights of card-room and smoking-room, when there was whispered through the assemblage a rumour that interfered greatly with the merriment of the evening.
an old word meaning “from where”
From this reading It was first heard in the ball-room; whence it originated no one could exactly tell, but there it was, flying from lip to lip.
in or at the place that
From this reading How it came about that first the elder ladies and then the younger portion of the assemblage learned it no one could tell, but it circulated everywhere in the ball-room, and finally penetrated to the smoking-room, where the older men left their cigars and cards and returned to the ball-room to ascertain what had happened.
spoken in soft hushed tones without vibrations of the vocal cords
From this reading The young people had begun to dance, and the elderly folk to enjoy the delights of card-room and smoking-room, when there was whispered through the assemblage a rumour that interfered greatly with the merriment of the evening.
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The younger men were seen to crowd around Guntram and the officers from Heinrich's room, whom they plied with questions, and although it had been agreed that no mention was to be made of the disagreeable circumstance that had occurred there, the dark rumour was not long in taking shape.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The young people had begun to dance, and the elderly folk to enjoy the delights of card-room and smoking-room, when there was whispered through the assemblage a rumour that interfered greatly with the merriment of the evening.
wontnounUS /woʊnt/
an established custom
From this reading After supper there had not been the amount of gayety that was wont to distinguish the President's balls.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading The young people had begun to dance, and the elderly folk to enjoy the delights of card-room and smoking-room, when there was whispered through the assemblage a rumour that interfered greatly with the merriment of the evening.
used of the younger of two persons of the same name especially used to distinguish a son from his father
From this reading The younger men were seen to crowd around Guntram and the officers from Heinrich's room, whom they plied with questions, and although it had been agreed that no mention was to be made of the disagreeable circumstance that had occurred there, the dark rumour was not long in taking shape.
