used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading To young ladies who have nothing to do a new idea in the way of entertainment is a fine thing.
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading And though a garden party, or any kind of a party, is not an affair of much importance, yet it holds really a large place in unoccupied lives.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading They may drift up against a partner at tennis, or hand a cup of tea to the predestined individual who is to make or mar their happiness for life.
Allonby
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The young ladies at Allonby, though Effie thought they meant nothing except to make conversation, had really more purpose in their extravagances than that severe little critic thought.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading And though a garden party, or any kind of a party, is not an affair of much importance, yet it holds really a large place in unoccupied lives.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading And though a garden party, or any kind of a party, is not an affair of much importance, yet it holds really a large place in unoccupied lives.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading And though a garden party, or any kind of a party, is not an affair of much importance, yet it holds really a large place in unoccupied lives.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The young ladies at Allonby, though Effie thought they meant nothing except to make conversation, had really more purpose in their extravagances than that severe little critic thought.
the use of speech for informal exchange of views or ideas or information etc.
From this reading The young ladies at Allonby, though Effie thought they meant nothing except to make conversation, had really more purpose in their extravagances than that severe little critic thought.
criticnounUS /ˈkrɪtɪk/
a person who is professionally engaged in the analysis and interpretation of works of art
From this reading The young ladies at Allonby, though Effie thought they meant nothing except to make conversation, had really more purpose in their extravagances than that severe little critic thought.
a small open container usually used for drinking; usually has a handle
From this reading They may drift up against a partner at tennis, or hand a cup of tea to the predestined individual who is to make or mar their happiness for life.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading To young ladies who have nothing to do a new idea in the way of entertainment is a fine thing.
driftverbUS /drɪft/
be in motion due to some air or water current
From this reading They may drift up against a partner at tennis, or hand a cup of tea to the predestined individual who is to make or mar their happiness for life.
Effie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The young ladies at Allonby, though Effie thought they meant nothing except to make conversation, had really more purpose in their extravagances than that severe little critic thought.
entertainmentnounUS /ˌentərˈteɪnmənt/
an activity that is diverting and that holds the attention
From this reading To young ladies who have nothing to do a new idea in the way of entertainment is a fine thing.
divisible by two
From this reading Even going to it may mean much to the unconcerned and uninterested: the most philosophical of men, the most passive of women, may thus find their fate.
apart from; not including
From this reading The young ladies at Allonby, though Effie thought they meant nothing except to make conversation, had really more purpose in their extravagances than that severe little critic thought.
extravagances
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The young ladies at Allonby, though Effie thought they meant nothing except to make conversation, had really more purpose in their extravagances than that severe little critic thought.
an event (or a course of events) that will inevitably happen in the future
From this reading Even going to it may mean much to the unconcerned and uninterested: the most philosophical of men, the most passive of women, may thus find their fate.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading Even going to it may mean much to the unconcerned and uninterested: the most philosophical of men, the most passive of women, may thus find their fate.
being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition
From this reading To young ladies who have nothing to do a new idea in the way of entertainment is a fine thing.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading They may drift up against a partner at tennis, or hand a cup of tea to the predestined individual who is to make or mar their happiness for life.
a plot of ground where plants are cultivated
From this reading And though a garden party, or any kind of a party, is not an affair of much importance, yet it holds really a large place in unoccupied lives.
the act of departing
From this reading Even going to it may mean much to the unconcerned and uninterested: the most philosophical of men, the most passive of women, may thus find their fate.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The young ladies at Allonby, though Effie thought they meant nothing except to make conversation, had really more purpose in their extravagances than that severe little critic thought.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading They may drift up against a partner at tennis, or hand a cup of tea to the predestined individual who is to make or mar their happiness for life.
state of well-being characterized by emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy
From this reading They may drift up against a partner at tennis, or hand a cup of tea to the predestined individual who is to make or mar their happiness for life.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading To young ladies who have nothing to do a new idea in the way of entertainment is a fine thing.
holdsnounUS /hoʊldz/
plural of “hold” — the act of grasping
From this reading And though a garden party, or any kind of a party, is not an affair of much importance, yet it holds really a large place in unoccupied lives.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading To young ladies who have nothing to do a new idea in the way of entertainment is a fine thing.
the quality of being important and worthy of note
From this reading And though a garden party, or any kind of a party, is not an affair of much importance, yet it holds really a large place in unoccupied lives.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The young ladies at Allonby, though Effie thought they meant nothing except to make conversation, had really more purpose in their extravagances than that severe little critic thought.
being or characteristic of a single thing or person
From this reading They may drift up against a partner at tennis, or hand a cup of tea to the predestined individual who is to make or mar their happiness for life.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading To young ladies who have nothing to do a new idea in the way of entertainment is a fine thing.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading And though a garden party, or any kind of a party, is not an affair of much importance, yet it holds really a large place in unoccupied lives.
having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior
From this reading And though a garden party, or any kind of a party, is not an affair of much importance, yet it holds really a large place in unoccupied lives.
plural of “lady” — a polite name for any woman
From this reading The young ladies at Allonby, though Effie thought they meant nothing except to make conversation, had really more purpose in their extravagances than that severe little critic thought.
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading And though a garden party, or any kind of a party, is not an affair of much importance, yet it holds really a large place in unoccupied lives.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading They may drift up against a partner at tennis, or hand a cup of tea to the predestined individual who is to make or mar their happiness for life.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The young ladies at Allonby, though Effie thought they meant nothing except to make conversation, had really more purpose in their extravagances than that severe little critic thought.
plural of “life” — a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading And though a garden party, or any kind of a party, is not an affair of much importance, yet it holds really a large place in unoccupied lives.
engage in
From this reading The young ladies at Allonby, though Effie thought they meant nothing except to make conversation, had really more purpose in their extravagances than that severe little critic thought.
marverbUS /mɑːr/
make imperfect
From this reading They may drift up against a partner at tennis, or hand a cup of tea to the predestined individual who is to make or mar their happiness for life.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading Even going to it may mean much to the unconcerned and uninterested: the most philosophical of men, the most passive of women, may thus find their fate.
mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading Even going to it may mean much to the unconcerned and uninterested: the most philosophical of men, the most passive of women, may thus find their fate.
inflected form of “mean” — mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading The young ladies at Allonby, though Effie thought they meant nothing except to make conversation, had really more purpose in their extravagances than that severe little critic thought.
the force of workers available
From this reading Even going to it may mean much to the unconcerned and uninterested: the most philosophical of men, the most passive of women, may thus find their fate.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading The young ladies at Allonby, though Effie thought they meant nothing except to make conversation, had really more purpose in their extravagances than that severe little critic thought.
used to form the superlative
From this reading Even going to it may mean much to the unconcerned and uninterested: the most philosophical of men, the most passive of women, may thus find their fate.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading And though a garden party, or any kind of a party, is not an affair of much importance, yet it holds really a large place in unoccupied lives.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading To young ladies who have nothing to do a new idea in the way of entertainment is a fine thing.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading And though a garden party, or any kind of a party, is not an affair of much importance, yet it holds really a large place in unoccupied lives.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading The young ladies at Allonby, though Effie thought they meant nothing except to make conversation, had really more purpose in their extravagances than that severe little critic thought.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading To young ladies who have nothing to do a new idea in the way of entertainment is a fine thing.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading And though a garden party, or any kind of a party, is not an affair of much importance, yet it holds really a large place in unoccupied lives.
partnernounUS /ˈpɑːrtnər/
a person's partner in marriage
From this reading They may drift up against a partner at tennis, or hand a cup of tea to the predestined individual who is to make or mar their happiness for life.
an organization to gain political power
From this reading And though a garden party, or any kind of a party, is not an affair of much importance, yet it holds really a large place in unoccupied lives.
passiveadjectiveUS /ˈpæsɪv/
lacking in energy or will
From this reading Even going to it may mean much to the unconcerned and uninterested: the most philosophical of men, the most passive of women, may thus find their fate.
philosophicaladjectiveUS /ˌfɪləˈsɑːfɪkəl/
of or relating to philosophy or philosophers
From this reading Even going to it may mean much to the unconcerned and uninterested: the most philosophical of men, the most passive of women, may thus find their fate.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading And though a garden party, or any kind of a party, is not an affair of much importance, yet it holds really a large place in unoccupied lives.
predestinedadjectiveUS /ˌpriːˈdestənd/
established or prearranged unalterably
From this reading They may drift up against a partner at tennis, or hand a cup of tea to the predestined individual who is to make or mar their happiness for life.
an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions
From this reading The young ladies at Allonby, though Effie thought they meant nothing except to make conversation, had really more purpose in their extravagances than that severe little critic thought.
in accordance with truth or fact or reality
From this reading The young ladies at Allonby, though Effie thought they meant nothing except to make conversation, had really more purpose in their extravagances than that severe little critic thought.
intensely or extremely bad or unpleasant in degree or quality
From this reading The young ladies at Allonby, though Effie thought they meant nothing except to make conversation, had really more purpose in their extravagances than that severe little critic thought.
a beverage made by steeping tea leaves in water
From this reading They may drift up against a partner at tennis, or hand a cup of tea to the predestined individual who is to make or mar their happiness for life.
tennisnounUS /ˈtenəs/
a game played with rackets by two or four players who hit a ball back and forth over a net that divides the court
From this reading They may drift up against a partner at tennis, or hand a cup of tea to the predestined individual who is to make or mar their happiness for life.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading The young ladies at Allonby, though Effie thought they meant nothing except to make conversation, had really more purpose in their extravagances than that severe little critic thought.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The young ladies at Allonby, though Effie thought they meant nothing except to make conversation, had really more purpose in their extravagances than that severe little critic thought.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The young ladies at Allonby, though Effie thought they meant nothing except to make conversation, had really more purpose in their extravagances than that severe little critic thought.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The young ladies at Allonby, though Effie thought they meant nothing except to make conversation, had really more purpose in their extravagances than that severe little critic thought.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The young ladies at Allonby, though Effie thought they meant nothing except to make conversation, had really more purpose in their extravagances than that severe little critic thought.
a special situation
From this reading To young ladies who have nothing to do a new idea in the way of entertainment is a fine thing.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading The young ladies at Allonby, though Effie thought they meant nothing except to make conversation, had really more purpose in their extravagances than that severe little critic thought.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading The young ladies at Allonby, though Effie thought they meant nothing except to make conversation, had really more purpose in their extravagances than that severe little critic thought.
(used to introduce a logical conclusion) from that fact or reason or as a result
From this reading Even going to it may mean much to the unconcerned and uninterested: the most philosophical of men, the most passive of women, may thus find their fate.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The young ladies at Allonby, though Effie thought they meant nothing except to make conversation, had really more purpose in their extravagances than that severe little critic thought.
unconcernedadjectiveUS /ˌʌnkənˈsɜːrnd/
lacking in interest or care or feeling
From this reading Even going to it may mean much to the unconcerned and uninterested: the most philosophical of men, the most passive of women, may thus find their fate.
uninterestedadjectiveUS /əˈnɪntrəstɪd/
not having or showing interest
From this reading Even going to it may mean much to the unconcerned and uninterested: the most philosophical of men, the most passive of women, may thus find their fate.
unoccupiedadjectiveUS /əˈnɑːkjəpaɪd/
not held or filled or in use
From this reading And though a garden party, or any kind of a party, is not an affair of much importance, yet it holds really a large place in unoccupied lives.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading They may drift up against a partner at tennis, or hand a cup of tea to the predestined individual who is to make or mar their happiness for life.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading To young ladies who have nothing to do a new idea in the way of entertainment is a fine thing.
which person or people
From this reading To young ladies who have nothing to do a new idea in the way of entertainment is a fine thing.
plural of “woman” — an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading Even going to it may mean much to the unconcerned and uninterested: the most philosophical of men, the most passive of women, may thus find their fate.
but in spite of that
From this reading And though a garden party, or any kind of a party, is not an affair of much importance, yet it holds really a large place in unoccupied lives.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading The young ladies at Allonby, though Effie thought they meant nothing except to make conversation, had really more purpose in their extravagances than that severe little critic thought.
