used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A move in the direction of the dining-room put an end to their talk.
acceptancenounUS /ækˈseptəns/
the mental attitude that something is believable and should be accepted as true
From this reading John Musgrave knew her intimately, and was therefore not unduly depressed by her long silences and her chilly acceptance of his stereotyped phrases in an attempt to sustain a courteous soliloquy during the courses.
in addition
From this reading Farther down, on the opposite side of the table, the grey-eyed girl was chatting animatedly with a young medical man, also from Rushleigh, who appeared, John Musgrave observed with a sense of feeling suddenly bored and out of tune with his surroundings, to be enjoying himself hugely.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading Mr Musgrave had always understood that young people did not enjoy dinner-parties; as a young man he had found them extraordinarily dull.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading A move in the direction of the dining-room put an end to their talk.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading John Musgrave knew her intimately, and was therefore not unduly depressed by her long silences and her chilly acceptance of his stereotyped phrases in an attempt to sustain a courteous soliloquy during the courses.
animatedlyadverb
in an animated manner
From this reading Farther down, on the opposite side of the table, the grey-eyed girl was chatting animatedly with a young medical man, also from Rushleigh, who appeared, John Musgrave observed with a sense of feeling suddenly bored and out of tune with his surroundings, to be enjoying himself hugely.
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Farther down, on the opposite side of the table, the grey-eyed girl was chatting animatedly with a young medical man, also from Rushleigh, who appeared, John Musgrave observed with a sense of feeling suddenly bored and out of tune with his surroundings, to be enjoying himself hugely.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Mr Musgrave was paired off with his legitimate dinner partner, a Rushleigh lady, the importance of whose social position as a member of one of the oldest families in the neighbourhood rendered it seemingly unnecessary for her to support the effort of being even ordinarily conversational.
earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something
From this reading John Musgrave knew her intimately, and was therefore not unduly depressed by her long silences and her chilly acceptance of his stereotyped phrases in an attempt to sustain a courteous soliloquy during the courses.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Farther down, on the opposite side of the table, the grey-eyed girl was chatting animatedly with a young medical man, also from Rushleigh, who appeared, John Musgrave observed with a sense of feeling suddenly bored and out of tune with his surroundings, to be enjoying himself hugely.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading Mr Musgrave was paired off with his legitimate dinner partner, a Rushleigh lady, the importance of whose social position as a member of one of the oldest families in the neighbourhood rendered it seemingly unnecessary for her to support the effort of being even ordinarily conversational.
boredadjectiveUS /bɔːrd/
tired of the world
From this reading Farther down, on the opposite side of the table, the grey-eyed girl was chatting animatedly with a young medical man, also from Rushleigh, who appeared, John Musgrave observed with a sense of feeling suddenly bored and out of tune with his surroundings, to be enjoying himself hugely.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading John Musgrave knew her intimately, and was therefore not unduly depressed by her long silences and her chilly acceptance of his stereotyped phrases in an attempt to sustain a courteous soliloquy during the courses.
chattingverbUS /ˈtʃætɪŋ/
inflected form of “chat” — talk socially without exchanging too much information
From this reading Farther down, on the opposite side of the table, the grey-eyed girl was chatting animatedly with a young medical man, also from Rushleigh, who appeared, John Musgrave observed with a sense of feeling suddenly bored and out of tune with his surroundings, to be enjoying himself hugely.
chillyadjectiveUS /ˈtʃɪli/
not characterized by emotion
From this reading John Musgrave knew her intimately, and was therefore not unduly depressed by her long silences and her chilly acceptance of his stereotyped phrases in an attempt to sustain a courteous soliloquy during the courses.
conversationaladjectiveUS /ˌkɑːnvərˈseɪʃənəl/
characteristic of informal spoken language or conversation
From this reading Mr Musgrave was paired off with his legitimate dinner partner, a Rushleigh lady, the importance of whose social position as a member of one of the oldest families in the neighbourhood rendered it seemingly unnecessary for her to support the effort of being even ordinarily conversational.
coursesnounUS /ˈkɔːrsəz/
plural of “course” — education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading John Musgrave knew her intimately, and was therefore not unduly depressed by her long silences and her chilly acceptance of his stereotyped phrases in an attempt to sustain a courteous soliloquy during the courses.
courteousadjectiveUS /ˈkɜːrtiəs/
exhibiting courtesy and politeness
From this reading John Musgrave knew her intimately, and was therefore not unduly depressed by her long silences and her chilly acceptance of his stereotyped phrases in an attempt to sustain a courteous soliloquy during the courses.
depressedadjectiveUS /dɪˈprest/
lower than previously
From this reading John Musgrave knew her intimately, and was therefore not unduly depressed by her long silences and her chilly acceptance of his stereotyped phrases in an attempt to sustain a courteous soliloquy during the courses.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Mr Musgrave had always understood that young people did not enjoy dinner-parties; as a young man he had found them extraordinarily dull.
dining-roomnoun
a room used for dining
From this reading A move in the direction of the dining-room put an end to their talk.
the main meal of the day served in the evening or at midday
From this reading Mr Musgrave was paired off with his legitimate dinner partner, a Rushleigh lady, the importance of whose social position as a member of one of the oldest families in the neighbourhood rendered it seemingly unnecessary for her to support the effort of being even ordinarily conversational.
dinner-parties
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mr Musgrave had always understood that young people did not enjoy dinner-parties; as a young man he had found them extraordinarily dull.
a line leading to a place or point
From this reading A move in the direction of the dining-room put an end to their talk.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Farther down, on the opposite side of the table, the grey-eyed girl was chatting animatedly with a young medical man, also from Rushleigh, who appeared, John Musgrave observed with a sense of feeling suddenly bored and out of tune with his surroundings, to be enjoying himself hugely.
lacking in liveliness or animation
From this reading Mr Musgrave had always understood that young people did not enjoy dinner-parties; as a young man he had found them extraordinarily dull.
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading John Musgrave knew her intimately, and was therefore not unduly depressed by her long silences and her chilly acceptance of his stereotyped phrases in an attempt to sustain a courteous soliloquy during the courses.
earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something
From this reading Mr Musgrave was paired off with his legitimate dinner partner, a Rushleigh lady, the importance of whose social position as a member of one of the oldest families in the neighbourhood rendered it seemingly unnecessary for her to support the effort of being even ordinarily conversational.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading A move in the direction of the dining-room put an end to their talk.
derive or receive pleasure from; get enjoyment from; take pleasure in
From this reading Mr Musgrave had always understood that young people did not enjoy dinner-parties; as a young man he had found them extraordinarily dull.
enjoyingverbUS /ˌenˈdʒɔɪɪŋ/
-ing form of “enjoy” — derive or receive pleasure from; get enjoyment from; take pleasure in
From this reading Farther down, on the opposite side of the table, the grey-eyed girl was chatting animatedly with a young medical man, also from Rushleigh, who appeared, John Musgrave observed with a sense of feeling suddenly bored and out of tune with his surroundings, to be enjoying himself hugely.
divisible by two
From this reading Mr Musgrave was paired off with his legitimate dinner partner, a Rushleigh lady, the importance of whose social position as a member of one of the oldest families in the neighbourhood rendered it seemingly unnecessary for her to support the effort of being even ordinarily conversational.
extraordinarilyadverbUS /ekˌstrɔːrdəˈnerəli/
extremely
From this reading Mr Musgrave had always understood that young people did not enjoy dinner-parties; as a young man he had found them extraordinarily dull.
plural of “family” — a social unit living together
From this reading Mr Musgrave was paired off with his legitimate dinner partner, a Rushleigh lady, the importance of whose social position as a member of one of the oldest families in the neighbourhood rendered it seemingly unnecessary for her to support the effort of being even ordinarily conversational.
more distant in especially space or time
From this reading Farther down, on the opposite side of the table, the grey-eyed girl was chatting animatedly with a young medical man, also from Rushleigh, who appeared, John Musgrave observed with a sense of feeling suddenly bored and out of tune with his surroundings, to be enjoying himself hugely.
the experiencing of affective and emotional states
From this reading Farther down, on the opposite side of the table, the grey-eyed girl was chatting animatedly with a young medical man, also from Rushleigh, who appeared, John Musgrave observed with a sense of feeling suddenly bored and out of tune with his surroundings, to be enjoying himself hugely.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Mr Musgrave was paired off with his legitimate dinner partner, a Rushleigh lady, the importance of whose social position as a member of one of the oldest families in the neighbourhood rendered it seemingly unnecessary for her to support the effort of being even ordinarily conversational.
set up or found
From this reading Mr Musgrave had always understood that young people did not enjoy dinner-parties; as a young man he had found them extraordinarily dull.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Farther down, on the opposite side of the table, the grey-eyed girl was chatting animatedly with a young medical man, also from Rushleigh, who appeared, John Musgrave observed with a sense of feeling suddenly bored and out of tune with his surroundings, to be enjoying himself hugely.
a young female
From this reading Farther down, on the opposite side of the table, the grey-eyed girl was chatting animatedly with a young medical man, also from Rushleigh, who appeared, John Musgrave observed with a sense of feeling suddenly bored and out of tune with his surroundings, to be enjoying himself hugely.
grey-eyed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Farther down, on the opposite side of the table, the grey-eyed girl was chatting animatedly with a young medical man, also from Rushleigh, who appeared, John Musgrave observed with a sense of feeling suddenly bored and out of tune with his surroundings, to be enjoying himself hugely.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Mr Musgrave had always understood that young people did not enjoy dinner-parties; as a young man he had found them extraordinarily dull.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Mr Musgrave had always understood that young people did not enjoy dinner-parties; as a young man he had found them extraordinarily dull.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Mr Musgrave was paired off with his legitimate dinner partner, a Rushleigh lady, the importance of whose social position as a member of one of the oldest families in the neighbourhood rendered it seemingly unnecessary for her to support the effort of being even ordinarily conversational.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading Farther down, on the opposite side of the table, the grey-eyed girl was chatting animatedly with a young medical man, also from Rushleigh, who appeared, John Musgrave observed with a sense of feeling suddenly bored and out of tune with his surroundings, to be enjoying himself hugely.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Mr Musgrave was paired off with his legitimate dinner partner, a Rushleigh lady, the importance of whose social position as a member of one of the oldest families in the neighbourhood rendered it seemingly unnecessary for her to support the effort of being even ordinarily conversational.
hugelyadverbUS /ˈhjuːdʒli/
extremely
From this reading Farther down, on the opposite side of the table, the grey-eyed girl was chatting animatedly with a young medical man, also from Rushleigh, who appeared, John Musgrave observed with a sense of feeling suddenly bored and out of tune with his surroundings, to be enjoying himself hugely.
the quality of being important and worthy of note
From this reading Mr Musgrave was paired off with his legitimate dinner partner, a Rushleigh lady, the importance of whose social position as a member of one of the oldest families in the neighbourhood rendered it seemingly unnecessary for her to support the effort of being even ordinarily conversational.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A move in the direction of the dining-room put an end to their talk.
intimatelyadverbUS /ˈɪntəmətli/
in a close manner
From this reading John Musgrave knew her intimately, and was therefore not unduly depressed by her long silences and her chilly acceptance of his stereotyped phrases in an attempt to sustain a courteous soliloquy during the courses.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Mr Musgrave was paired off with his legitimate dinner partner, a Rushleigh lady, the importance of whose social position as a member of one of the oldest families in the neighbourhood rendered it seemingly unnecessary for her to support the effort of being even ordinarily conversational.
a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading John Musgrave knew her intimately, and was therefore not unduly depressed by her long silences and her chilly acceptance of his stereotyped phrases in an attempt to sustain a courteous soliloquy during the courses.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading John Musgrave knew her intimately, and was therefore not unduly depressed by her long silences and her chilly acceptance of his stereotyped phrases in an attempt to sustain a courteous soliloquy during the courses.
a polite name for any woman
From this reading Mr Musgrave was paired off with his legitimate dinner partner, a Rushleigh lady, the importance of whose social position as a member of one of the oldest families in the neighbourhood rendered it seemingly unnecessary for her to support the effort of being even ordinarily conversational.
legitimateadjectiveUS /ləˈdʒɪtəmət/
of marriages and offspring; recognized as lawful
From this reading Mr Musgrave was paired off with his legitimate dinner partner, a Rushleigh lady, the importance of whose social position as a member of one of the oldest families in the neighbourhood rendered it seemingly unnecessary for her to support the effort of being even ordinarily conversational.
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 John Musgrave knew her intimately, and was therefore not unduly depressed by her long silences and her chilly acceptance of his stereotyped phrases in an attempt to sustain a courteous soliloquy during the courses.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading Farther down, on the opposite side of the table, the grey-eyed girl was chatting animatedly with a young medical man, also from Rushleigh, who appeared, John Musgrave observed with a sense of feeling suddenly bored and out of tune with his surroundings, to be enjoying himself hugely.
medicaladjectiveUS /ˈmedəkəl/
relating to the study or practice of medicine
From this reading Farther down, on the opposite side of the table, the grey-eyed girl was chatting animatedly with a young medical man, also from Rushleigh, who appeared, John Musgrave observed with a sense of feeling suddenly bored and out of tune with his surroundings, to be enjoying himself hugely.
one of the persons who compose a social group (especially individuals who have joined and participate in a group organization)
From this reading Mr Musgrave was paired off with his legitimate dinner partner, a Rushleigh lady, the importance of whose social position as a member of one of the oldest families in the neighbourhood rendered it seemingly unnecessary for her to support the effort of being even ordinarily conversational.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading A move in the direction of the dining-room put an end to their talk.
a form of address for a man
From this reading Mr Musgrave was paired off with his legitimate dinner partner, a Rushleigh lady, the importance of whose social position as a member of one of the oldest families in the neighbourhood rendered it seemingly unnecessary for her to support the effort of being even ordinarily conversational.
Musgrave
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mr Musgrave was paired off with his legitimate dinner partner, a Rushleigh lady, the importance of whose social position as a member of one of the oldest families in the neighbourhood rendered it seemingly unnecessary for her to support the effort of being even ordinarily conversational.
a surrounding or nearby region
From this reading Mr Musgrave was paired off with his legitimate dinner partner, a Rushleigh lady, the importance of whose social position as a member of one of the oldest families in the neighbourhood rendered it seemingly unnecessary for her to support the effort of being even ordinarily conversational.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading John Musgrave knew her intimately, and was therefore not unduly depressed by her long silences and her chilly acceptance of his stereotyped phrases in an attempt to sustain a courteous soliloquy during the courses.
discovered or determined by scientific observation
From this reading Farther down, on the opposite side of the table, the grey-eyed girl was chatting animatedly with a young medical man, also from Rushleigh, who appeared, John Musgrave observed with a sense of feeling suddenly bored and out of tune with his surroundings, to be enjoying himself hugely.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A move in the direction of the dining-room put an end to their talk.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Mr Musgrave was paired off with his legitimate dinner partner, a Rushleigh lady, the importance of whose social position as a member of one of the oldest families in the neighbourhood rendered it seemingly unnecessary for her to support the effort of being even ordinarily conversational.
oldestadjectiveUS /ˈoʊldəst/
superlative of “old” — (used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading Mr Musgrave was paired off with his legitimate dinner partner, a Rushleigh lady, the importance of whose social position as a member of one of the oldest families in the neighbourhood rendered it seemingly unnecessary for her to support the effort of being even ordinarily conversational.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Farther down, on the opposite side of the table, the grey-eyed girl was chatting animatedly with a young medical man, also from Rushleigh, who appeared, John Musgrave observed with a sense of feeling suddenly bored and out of tune with his surroundings, to be enjoying himself hugely.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Mr Musgrave was paired off with his legitimate dinner partner, a Rushleigh lady, the importance of whose social position as a member of one of the oldest families in the neighbourhood rendered it seemingly unnecessary for her to support the effort of being even ordinarily conversational.
being directly across from each other; facing
From this reading Farther down, on the opposite side of the table, the grey-eyed girl was chatting animatedly with a young medical man, also from Rushleigh, who appeared, John Musgrave observed with a sense of feeling suddenly bored and out of tune with his surroundings, to be enjoying himself hugely.
ordinarilyadverbUS /ˌɔːrdəˈnerəli/
under normal conditions
From this reading Mr Musgrave was paired off with his legitimate dinner partner, a Rushleigh lady, the importance of whose social position as a member of one of the oldest families in the neighbourhood rendered it seemingly unnecessary for her to support the effort of being even ordinarily conversational.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Farther down, on the opposite side of the table, the grey-eyed girl was chatting animatedly with a young medical man, also from Rushleigh, who appeared, John Musgrave observed with a sense of feeling suddenly bored and out of tune with his surroundings, to be enjoying himself hugely.
pairedadjectiveUS /perd/
occurring in pairs or as a pair
From this reading Mr Musgrave was paired off with his legitimate dinner partner, a Rushleigh lady, the importance of whose social position as a member of one of the oldest families in the neighbourhood rendered it seemingly unnecessary for her to support the effort of being even ordinarily conversational.
partnernounUS /ˈpɑːrtnər/
a person's partner in marriage
From this reading Mr Musgrave was paired off with his legitimate dinner partner, a Rushleigh lady, the importance of whose social position as a member of one of the oldest families in the neighbourhood rendered it seemingly unnecessary for her to support the effort of being even ordinarily conversational.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading Mr Musgrave had always understood that young people did not enjoy dinner-parties; as a young man he had found them extraordinarily dull.
phrasesnounUS /ˈfreɪzəz/
plural of “phrase” — an expression consisting of one or more words forming a grammatical constituent of a sentence
From this reading John Musgrave knew her intimately, and was therefore not unduly depressed by her long silences and her chilly acceptance of his stereotyped phrases in an attempt to sustain a courteous soliloquy during the courses.
the particular portion of space occupied by something
From this reading Mr Musgrave was paired off with his legitimate dinner partner, a Rushleigh lady, the importance of whose social position as a member of one of the oldest families in the neighbourhood rendered it seemingly unnecessary for her to support the effort of being even ordinarily conversational.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading A move in the direction of the dining-room put an end to their talk.
past form of “render” — cause to become
From this reading Mr Musgrave was paired off with his legitimate dinner partner, a Rushleigh lady, the importance of whose social position as a member of one of the oldest families in the neighbourhood rendered it seemingly unnecessary for her to support the effort of being even ordinarily conversational.
Rushleigh
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mr Musgrave was paired off with his legitimate dinner partner, a Rushleigh lady, the importance of whose social position as a member of one of the oldest families in the neighbourhood rendered it seemingly unnecessary for her to support the effort of being even ordinarily conversational.
seeminglyadverbUS /ˈsiːmɪŋli/
from appearances alone
From this reading Mr Musgrave was paired off with his legitimate dinner partner, a Rushleigh lady, the importance of whose social position as a member of one of the oldest families in the neighbourhood rendered it seemingly unnecessary for her to support the effort of being even ordinarily conversational.
a general conscious awareness
From this reading Farther down, on the opposite side of the table, the grey-eyed girl was chatting animatedly with a young medical man, also from Rushleigh, who appeared, John Musgrave observed with a sense of feeling suddenly bored and out of tune with his surroundings, to be enjoying himself hugely.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading Farther down, on the opposite side of the table, the grey-eyed girl was chatting animatedly with a young medical man, also from Rushleigh, who appeared, John Musgrave observed with a sense of feeling suddenly bored and out of tune with his surroundings, to be enjoying himself hugely.
silencesnounUS /ˈsaɪlənsɪz/
plural of “silence” — the state of being silent (as when no one is speaking)
From this reading John Musgrave knew her intimately, and was therefore not unduly depressed by her long silences and her chilly acceptance of his stereotyped phrases in an attempt to sustain a courteous soliloquy during the courses.
relating to human society and its members
From this reading Mr Musgrave was paired off with his legitimate dinner partner, a Rushleigh lady, the importance of whose social position as a member of one of the oldest families in the neighbourhood rendered it seemingly unnecessary for her to support the effort of being even ordinarily conversational.
soliloquynounUS /səˈlɪləkwi/
speech you make to yourself
From this reading John Musgrave knew her intimately, and was therefore not unduly depressed by her long silences and her chilly acceptance of his stereotyped phrases in an attempt to sustain a courteous soliloquy during the courses.
stereotypedadjectiveUS /ˈsteriətaɪpt/
lacking spontaneity or originality or individuality
From this reading John Musgrave knew her intimately, and was therefore not unduly depressed by her long silences and her chilly acceptance of his stereotyped phrases in an attempt to sustain a courteous soliloquy during the courses.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading Farther down, on the opposite side of the table, the grey-eyed girl was chatting animatedly with a young medical man, also from Rushleigh, who appeared, John Musgrave observed with a sense of feeling suddenly bored and out of tune with his surroundings, to be enjoying himself hugely.
the activity of providing for or maintaining by supplying with money or necessities
From this reading Mr Musgrave was paired off with his legitimate dinner partner, a Rushleigh lady, the importance of whose social position as a member of one of the oldest families in the neighbourhood rendered it seemingly unnecessary for her to support the effort of being even ordinarily conversational.
surroundingsnounUS /sərˈaʊndɪŋz/
the environmental condition
From this reading Farther down, on the opposite side of the table, the grey-eyed girl was chatting animatedly with a young medical man, also from Rushleigh, who appeared, John Musgrave observed with a sense of feeling suddenly bored and out of tune with his surroundings, to be enjoying himself hugely.
sustainverbUS /səˈsteɪn/
lengthen or extend in duration or space
From this reading John Musgrave knew her intimately, and was therefore not unduly depressed by her long silences and her chilly acceptance of his stereotyped phrases in an attempt to sustain a courteous soliloquy during the courses.
a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading Farther down, on the opposite side of the table, the grey-eyed girl was chatting animatedly with a young medical man, also from Rushleigh, who appeared, John Musgrave observed with a sense of feeling suddenly bored and out of tune with his surroundings, to be enjoying himself hugely.
exchange thoughts; talk with
From this reading A move in the direction of the dining-room put an end to their talk.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Mr Musgrave had always understood that young people did not enjoy dinner-parties; as a young man he had found them extraordinarily dull.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A move in the direction of the dining-room put an end to their talk.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading A move in the direction of the dining-room put an end to their talk.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Mr Musgrave had always understood that young people did not enjoy dinner-parties; as a young man he had found them extraordinarily dull.
for that reason; as a result
From this reading John Musgrave knew her intimately, and was therefore not unduly depressed by her long silences and her chilly acceptance of his stereotyped phrases in an attempt to sustain a courteous soliloquy during the courses.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A move in the direction of the dining-room put an end to their talk.
tunenounUS /tuːn/
a succession of notes forming a distinctive sequence
From this reading Farther down, on the opposite side of the table, the grey-eyed girl was chatting animatedly with a young medical man, also from Rushleigh, who appeared, John Musgrave observed with a sense of feeling suddenly bored and out of tune with his surroundings, to be enjoying himself hugely.
fully apprehended as to purport or meaning or explanation
From this reading Mr Musgrave had always understood that young people did not enjoy dinner-parties; as a young man he had found them extraordinarily dull.
undulyadverbUS /ənˈduːli/
to an undue degree
From this reading John Musgrave knew her intimately, and was therefore not unduly depressed by her long silences and her chilly acceptance of his stereotyped phrases in an attempt to sustain a courteous soliloquy during the courses.
unnecessaryadjectiveUS /ənˈnesəseri/
not necessary
From this reading Mr Musgrave was paired off with his legitimate dinner partner, a Rushleigh lady, the importance of whose social position as a member of one of the oldest families in the neighbourhood rendered it seemingly unnecessary for her to support the effort of being even ordinarily conversational.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Mr Musgrave was paired off with his legitimate dinner partner, a Rushleigh lady, the importance of whose social position as a member of one of the oldest families in the neighbourhood rendered it seemingly unnecessary for her to support the effort of being even ordinarily conversational.
which person or people
From this reading Farther down, on the opposite side of the table, the grey-eyed girl was chatting animatedly with a young medical man, also from Rushleigh, who appeared, John Musgrave observed with a sense of feeling suddenly bored and out of tune with his surroundings, to be enjoying himself hugely.
belonging to which person
From this reading Mr Musgrave was paired off with his legitimate dinner partner, a Rushleigh lady, the importance of whose social position as a member of one of the oldest families in the neighbourhood rendered it seemingly unnecessary for her to support the effort of being even ordinarily conversational.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Mr Musgrave was paired off with his legitimate dinner partner, a Rushleigh lady, the importance of whose social position as a member of one of the oldest families in the neighbourhood rendered it seemingly unnecessary for her to support the effort of being even ordinarily conversational.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading Farther down, on the opposite side of the table, the grey-eyed girl was chatting animatedly with a young medical man, also from Rushleigh, who appeared, John Musgrave observed with a sense of feeling suddenly bored and out of tune with his surroundings, to be enjoying himself hugely.
