used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading They played a number of games, Mrs. Rutherford liked backgammon; and certainly nothing could be better for a graceful use of beautiful hands.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading Soon after Margaret had started to cross the barren with the vial of medicine for the sick child, the Doctor came.
the part of the day between noon and evening
From this reading Mrs. Rutherford had dismissed Margaret for the remainder of that afternoon, saying that Dr. Kirby was coming to play backgammon with her.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading They played a number of games, Mrs. Rutherford liked backgammon; and certainly nothing could be better for a graceful use of beautiful hands.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading After the board had been put away, "there was conversation," as Betty would have said; Betty herself was present and took part in it.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading After the board had been put away, "there was conversation," as Betty would have said; Betty herself was present and took part in it.
backgammonnounUS /ˈbækɡæmən/
a board game for two players; pieces move according to throws of the dice
From this reading Mrs. Rutherford had dismissed Margaret for the remainder of that afternoon, saying that Dr. Kirby was coming to play backgammon with her.
barrenadjectiveUS /ˈbærən/
providing no shelter or sustenance
From this reading Soon after Margaret had started to cross the barren with the vial of medicine for the sick child, the Doctor came.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading They played a number of games, Mrs. Rutherford liked backgammon; and certainly nothing could be better for a graceful use of beautiful hands.
delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration
From this reading They played a number of games, Mrs. Rutherford liked backgammon; and certainly nothing could be better for a graceful use of beautiful hands.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading After the board had been put away, "there was conversation," as Betty would have said; Betty herself was present and took part in it.
(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 They played a number of games, Mrs. Rutherford liked backgammon; and certainly nothing could be better for a graceful use of beautiful hands.
Betty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading After the board had been put away, "there was conversation," as Betty would have said; Betty herself was present and took part in it.
a committee having supervisory powers
From this reading After the board had been put away, "there was conversation," as Betty would have said; Betty herself was present and took part in it.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Soon after Margaret had started to cross the barren with the vial of medicine for the sick child, the Doctor came.
definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)
From this reading They played a number of games, Mrs. Rutherford liked backgammon; and certainly nothing could be better for a graceful use of beautiful hands.
a young person of either sex
From this reading Soon after Margaret had started to cross the barren with the vial of medicine for the sick child, the Doctor came.
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading Mrs. Rutherford had dismissed Margaret for the remainder of that afternoon, saying that Dr. Kirby was coming to play backgammon with her.
the use of speech for informal exchange of views or ideas or information etc.
From this reading After the board had been put away, "there was conversation," as Betty would have said; Betty herself was present and took part in it.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading They played a number of games, Mrs. Rutherford liked backgammon; and certainly nothing could be better for a graceful use of beautiful hands.
travel across or pass over
From this reading Soon after Margaret had started to cross the barren with the vial of medicine for the sick child, the Doctor came.
dismissedadjectiveUS /dɪˈsmɪst/
having lost your job
From this reading Mrs. Rutherford had dismissed Margaret for the remainder of that afternoon, saying that Dr. Kirby was coming to play backgammon with her.
a licensed medical practitioner
From this reading Soon after Margaret had started to cross the barren with the vial of medicine for the sick child, the Doctor came.
Dr
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Rutherford had dismissed Margaret for the remainder of that afternoon, saying that Dr. Kirby was coming to play backgammon with her.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Mrs. Rutherford had dismissed Margaret for the remainder of that afternoon, saying that Dr. Kirby was coming to play backgammon with her.
gamesnounUS /ɡeɪmz/
plural of “game” — a contest with rules to determine a winner
From this reading They played a number of games, Mrs. Rutherford liked backgammon; and certainly nothing could be better for a graceful use of beautiful hands.
characterized by beauty of movement, style, form, or execution
From this reading They played a number of games, Mrs. Rutherford liked backgammon; and certainly nothing could be better for a graceful use of beautiful hands.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Mrs. Rutherford had dismissed Margaret for the remainder of that afternoon, saying that Dr. Kirby was coming to play backgammon with her.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading They played a number of games, Mrs. Rutherford liked backgammon; and certainly nothing could be better for a graceful use of beautiful hands.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading After the board had been put away, "there was conversation," as Betty would have said; Betty herself was present and took part in it.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Mrs. Rutherford had dismissed Margaret for the remainder of that afternoon, saying that Dr. Kirby was coming to play backgammon with her.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading After the board had been put away, "there was conversation," as Betty would have said; Betty herself was present and took part in it.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Then the Doctor left the two ladies and went to his own room.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading After the board had been put away, "there was conversation," as Betty would have said; Betty herself was present and took part in it.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading After the board had been put away, "there was conversation," as Betty would have said; Betty herself was present and took part in it.
Kirby
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Rutherford had dismissed Margaret for the remainder of that afternoon, saying that Dr. Kirby was coming to play backgammon with her.
plural of “lady” — a polite name for any woman
From this reading Then the Doctor left the two ladies and went to his own room.
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 Then the Doctor left the two ladies and went to his own room.
found pleasant or attractive; often used as a combining form
From this reading They played a number of games, Mrs. Rutherford liked backgammon; and certainly nothing could be better for a graceful use of beautiful hands.
Margaret
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Rutherford had dismissed Margaret for the remainder of that afternoon, saying that Dr. Kirby was coming to play backgammon with her.
medicinenounUS /ˈmedəsən/
the branches of medical science that deal with nonsurgical techniques
From this reading Soon after Margaret had started to cross the barren with the vial of medicine for the sick child, the Doctor came.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading Mrs. Rutherford had dismissed Margaret for the remainder of that afternoon, saying that Dr. Kirby was coming to play backgammon with her.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading They played a number of games, Mrs. Rutherford liked backgammon; and certainly nothing could be better for a graceful use of beautiful hands.
the property possessed by a sum or total or indefinite quantity of units or individuals
From this reading They played a number of games, Mrs. Rutherford liked backgammon; and certainly nothing could be better for a graceful use of beautiful hands.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Mrs. Rutherford had dismissed Margaret for the remainder of that afternoon, saying that Dr. Kirby was coming to play backgammon with her.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading Then the Doctor left the two ladies and went to his own room.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading After the board had been put away, "there was conversation," as Betty would have said; Betty herself was present and took part in it.
participate in games or sport
From this reading Mrs. Rutherford had dismissed Margaret for the remainder of that afternoon, saying that Dr. Kirby was coming to play backgammon with her.
(of games) engaged in
From this reading They played a number of games, Mrs. Rutherford liked backgammon; and certainly nothing could be better for a graceful use of beautiful hands.
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading After the board had been put away, "there was conversation," as Betty would have said; Betty herself was present and took part in it.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading After the board had been put away, "there was conversation," as Betty would have said; Betty herself was present and took part in it.
remaindernounUS /rɪˈmeɪndər/
something left after other parts have been taken away
From this reading Mrs. Rutherford had dismissed Margaret for the remainder of that afternoon, saying that Dr. Kirby was coming to play backgammon with her.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading Then the Doctor left the two ladies and went to his own room.
RutherfordnounUS /ˈrʌθərfərd/
a unit strength of a radioactive source equal to one million disintegrations per second
From this reading Mrs. Rutherford had dismissed Margaret for the remainder of that afternoon, saying that Dr. Kirby was coming to play backgammon with her.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading After the board had been put away, "there was conversation," as Betty would have said; Betty herself was present and took part in it.
a word or phrase that particular people use in particular situations
From this reading Mrs. Rutherford had dismissed Margaret for the remainder of that afternoon, saying that Dr. Kirby was coming to play backgammon with her.
affected by an impairment of normal physical or mental function
From this reading Soon after Margaret had started to cross the barren with the vial of medicine for the sick child, the Doctor came.
in the near future
From this reading Soon after Margaret had started to cross the barren with the vial of medicine for the sick child, the Doctor came.
past form of “start” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading Soon after Margaret had started to cross the barren with the vial of medicine for the sick child, the Doctor came.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Mrs. Rutherford had dismissed Margaret for the remainder of that afternoon, saying that Dr. Kirby was coming to play backgammon with her.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Mrs. Rutherford had dismissed Margaret for the remainder of that afternoon, saying that Dr. Kirby was coming to play backgammon with her.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then the Doctor left the two ladies and went to his own room.
in or at that place or location
From this reading After the board had been put away, "there was conversation," as Betty would have said; Betty herself was present and took part in it.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They played a number of games, Mrs. Rutherford liked backgammon; and certainly nothing could be better for a graceful use of beautiful hands.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Mrs. Rutherford had dismissed Margaret for the remainder of that afternoon, saying that Dr. Kirby was coming to play backgammon with her.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading After the board had been put away, "there was conversation," as Betty would have said; Betty herself was present and took part in it.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading Then the Doctor left the two ladies and went to his own room.
the act of using
From this reading They played a number of games, Mrs. Rutherford liked backgammon; and certainly nothing could be better for a graceful use of beautiful hands.
vialnounUS /ˈvaɪəl/
a small bottle that contains a drug (especially a sealed sterile container for injection by needle)
From this reading Soon after Margaret had started to cross the barren with the vial of medicine for the sick child, the Doctor came.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Mrs. Rutherford had dismissed Margaret for the remainder of that afternoon, saying that Dr. Kirby was coming to play backgammon with her.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Then the Doctor left the two ladies and went to his own room.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Mrs. Rutherford had dismissed Margaret for the remainder of that afternoon, saying that Dr. Kirby was coming to play backgammon with her.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading After the board had been put away, "there was conversation," as Betty would have said; Betty herself was present and took part in it.
