used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The doctor was saying, only this morning, that he thought she was in a decline."
the part of the day between noon and evening
From this reading It was Thursday afternoon.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The usual business of the meeting had been dispatched, and the ladies were engaged in the more congenial employment of retailing the village gossip.
assembledverbUS /əˈsembəld/
past form of “assemble” — create by putting components or members together
From this reading The "Ladies' Charitable Society of Waveland" had assembled at the house of its President.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The "Ladies' Charitable Society of Waveland" had assembled at the house of its President.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The usual business of the meeting had been dispatched, and the ladies were engaged in the more congenial employment of retailing the village gossip.
a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it
From this reading The usual business of the meeting had been dispatched, and the ladies were engaged in the more congenial employment of retailing the village gossip.
CharitableadjectiveUS /ˈtʃærətəbəl/
relating to or characterized by charity
From this reading The "Ladies' Charitable Society of Waveland" had assembled at the house of its President.
congenialadjectiveUS /kənˈdʒiːnjəl/
suitable to your needs
From this reading The usual business of the meeting had been dispatched, and the ladies were engaged in the more congenial employment of retailing the village gossip.
declineverbUS /dɪˈklaɪn/
grow worse
From this reading The doctor was saying, only this morning, that he thought she was in a decline."
dispatchedverbUS /dɪˈspætʃt/
past form of “dispatch” — send away towards a designated goal
From this reading The usual business of the meeting had been dispatched, and the ladies were engaged in the more congenial employment of retailing the village gossip.
a licensed medical practitioner
From this reading The doctor was saying, only this morning, that he thought she was in a decline."
Dr
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Have you observed," queried Mrs. Dr. Little, "how wretchedly ill that young Graystone woman is looking?
employmentnounUS /emˈplɔɪmənt/
the state of being employed or having a job
From this reading The usual business of the meeting had been dispatched, and the ladies were engaged in the more congenial employment of retailing the village gossip.
having ones attention or mind or energy engaged
From this reading The usual business of the meeting had been dispatched, and the ladies were engaged in the more congenial employment of retailing the village gossip.
gossipnounUS /ˈɡɑːsəp/
light informal conversation for social occasions
From this reading The usual business of the meeting had been dispatched, and the ladies were engaged in the more congenial employment of retailing the village gossip.
Graystone
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Have you observed," queried Mrs. Dr. Little, "how wretchedly ill that young Graystone woman is looking?
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The "Ladies' Charitable Society of Waveland" had assembled at the house of its President.
Haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading "Have you observed," queried Mrs. Dr. Little, "how wretchedly ill that young Graystone woman is looking?
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The doctor was saying, only this morning, that he thought she was in a decline."
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading The "Ladies' Charitable Society of Waveland" had assembled at the house of its President.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Have you observed," queried Mrs. Dr. Little, "how wretchedly ill that young Graystone woman is looking?
affected by an impairment of normal physical or mental function
From this reading "Have you observed," queried Mrs. Dr. Little, "how wretchedly ill that young Graystone woman is looking?
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The usual business of the meeting had been dispatched, and the ladies were engaged in the more congenial employment of retailing the village gossip.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "Have you observed," queried Mrs. Dr. Little, "how wretchedly ill that young Graystone woman is looking?
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was Thursday afternoon.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The "Ladies' Charitable Society of Waveland" had assembled at the house of its President.
plural of “lady” — a polite name for any woman
From this reading The "Ladies' Charitable Society of Waveland" had assembled at the house of its President.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading "Have you observed," queried Mrs. Dr. Little, "how wretchedly ill that young Graystone woman is looking?
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading "Have you observed," queried Mrs. Dr. Little, "how wretchedly ill that young Graystone woman is looking?
a formally arranged gathering
From this reading The usual business of the meeting had been dispatched, and the ladies were engaged in the more congenial employment of retailing the village gossip.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading The usual business of the meeting had been dispatched, and the ladies were engaged in the more congenial employment of retailing the village gossip.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading The doctor was saying, only this morning, that he thought she was in a decline."
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading "Have you observed," queried Mrs. Dr. Little, "how wretchedly ill that young Graystone woman is looking?
discovered or determined by scientific observation
From this reading "Have you observed," queried Mrs. Dr. Little, "how wretchedly ill that young Graystone woman is looking?
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The "Ladies' Charitable Society of Waveland" had assembled at the house of its President.
and nothing more
From this reading The doctor was saying, only this morning, that he thought she was in a decline."
an executive officer of a firm or corporation
From this reading The "Ladies' Charitable Society of Waveland" had assembled at the house of its President.
queriedverbUS /ˈkwɪrid/
inflected form of “query” — pose a question
From this reading "Have you observed," queried Mrs. Dr. Little, "how wretchedly ill that young Graystone woman is looking?
retailingnounUS /ˈriːteɪlɪŋ/
the activities involved in selling commodities directly to consumers
From this reading The usual business of the meeting had been dispatched, and the ladies were engaged in the more congenial employment of retailing the village gossip.
a word or phrase that particular people use in particular situations
From this reading The doctor was saying, only this morning, that he thought she was in a decline."
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The doctor was saying, only this morning, that he thought she was in a decline."
an extended social group having a distinctive cultural and economic organization
From this reading The "Ladies' Charitable Society of Waveland" had assembled at the house of its President.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "Have you observed," queried Mrs. Dr. Little, "how wretchedly ill that young Graystone woman is looking?
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The "Ladies' Charitable Society of Waveland" had assembled at the house of its President.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading The doctor was saying, only this morning, that he thought she was in a decline."
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading The doctor was saying, only this morning, that he thought she was in a decline."
ThursdaynounUS /ˈθɜːrzdeɪ/
the fifth day of the week; the fourth working day
From this reading It was Thursday afternoon.
usualadjectiveUS /ˈjuːʒəwəl/
occurring or encountered or experienced or observed frequently or in accordance with regular practice or procedure
From this reading The usual business of the meeting had been dispatched, and the ladies were engaged in the more congenial employment of retailing the village gossip.
a community of people smaller than a town
From this reading The usual business of the meeting had been dispatched, and the ladies were engaged in the more congenial employment of retailing the village gossip.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was Thursday afternoon.
Waveland
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The "Ladies' Charitable Society of Waveland" had assembled at the house of its President.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The usual business of the meeting had been dispatched, and the ladies were engaged in the more congenial employment of retailing the village gossip.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading "Have you observed," queried Mrs. Dr. Little, "how wretchedly ill that young Graystone woman is looking?
wretchedlyadverbUS /ˈretʃɪdli/
in a wretched manner
From this reading "Have you observed," queried Mrs. Dr. Little, "how wretchedly ill that young Graystone woman is looking?
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Have you observed," queried Mrs. Dr. Little, "how wretchedly ill that young Graystone woman is looking?
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading "Have you observed," queried Mrs. Dr. Little, "how wretchedly ill that young Graystone woman is looking?
