used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading She had never sat down with such a company.
a record or narrative description of past events
From this reading The other claimed a particular cup on account of its capacity, and he held it to his mouth with one hand, while he passed a second down the table to Miss Burney, only spilling a spoonful or two in effecting the transit.
alenounUS /eɪl/
a general name for beer made with a top fermenting yeast; in some of the United States an ale is (by law) a brew of more than 4% alcohol by volume
From this reading One uncle took ale for his tea, and drained a tankard before eating anything.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading They all had their table peculiarities.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading |IT was an interesting experience for Miss Burney, the writer of novels and the writer of letters.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading |IT was an interesting experience for Miss Burney, the writer of novels and the writer of letters.
any thing at all
From this reading One uncle took ale for his tea, and drained a tankard before eating anything.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading One uncle took ale for his tea, and drained a tankard before eating anything.
Burney
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading |IT was an interesting experience for Miss Burney, the writer of novels and the writer of letters.
capacitynounUS /kəˈpæsəti/
capability to perform or produce
From this reading The other claimed a particular cup on account of its capacity, and he held it to his mouth with one hand, while he passed a second down the table to Miss Burney, only spilling a spoonful or two in effecting the transit.
claimedverbUS /kleɪmd/
past form of “claim” — assert or affirm strongly; state to be true or existing
From this reading The other claimed a particular cup on account of its capacity, and he held it to his mouth with one hand, while he passed a second down the table to Miss Burney, only spilling a spoonful or two in effecting the transit.
an institution created to conduct business
From this reading She had never sat down with such a company.
a small open container usually used for drinking; usually has a handle
From this reading The other claimed a particular cup on account of its capacity, and he held it to his mouth with one hand, while he passed a second down the table to Miss Burney, only spilling a spoonful or two in effecting the transit.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading She had never sat down with such a company.
drainedadjectiveUS /dreɪnd/
emptied or exhausted of (as by drawing off e.g. water or other liquid)
From this reading One uncle took ale for his tea, and drained a tankard before eating anything.
the act of consuming food
From this reading One uncle took ale for his tea, and drained a tankard before eating anything.
effectingverbUS /ɪˈfektɪŋ/
-ing form of “effect” — produce
From this reading The other claimed a particular cup on account of its capacity, and he held it to his mouth with one hand, while he passed a second down the table to Miss Burney, only spilling a spoonful or two in effecting the transit.
undergo or live through a difficult experience
From this reading |IT was an interesting experience for Miss Burney, the writer of novels and the writer of letters.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading |IT was an interesting experience for Miss Burney, the writer of novels and the writer of letters.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading She had never sat down with such a company.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading The other claimed a particular cup on account of its capacity, and he held it to his mouth with one hand, while he passed a second down the table to Miss Burney, only spilling a spoonful or two in effecting the transit.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The other claimed a particular cup on account of its capacity, and he held it to his mouth with one hand, while he passed a second down the table to Miss Burney, only spilling a spoonful or two in effecting the transit.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading The other claimed a particular cup on account of its capacity, and he held it to his mouth with one hand, while he passed a second down the table to Miss Burney, only spilling a spoonful or two in effecting the transit.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading One uncle took ale for his tea, and drained a tankard before eating anything.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The other claimed a particular cup on account of its capacity, and he held it to his mouth with one hand, while he passed a second down the table to Miss Burney, only spilling a spoonful or two in effecting the transit.
arousing or holding the attention
From this reading |IT was an interesting experience for Miss Burney, the writer of novels and the writer of letters.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading |IT was an interesting experience for Miss Burney, the writer of novels and the writer of letters.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The other claimed a particular cup on account of its capacity, and he held it to his mouth with one hand, while he passed a second down the table to Miss Burney, only spilling a spoonful or two in effecting the transit.
the literary culture
From this reading |IT was an interesting experience for Miss Burney, the writer of novels and the writer of letters.
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading |IT was an interesting experience for Miss Burney, the writer of novels and the writer of letters.
the opening through which food is taken in and vocalizations emerge
From this reading The other claimed a particular cup on account of its capacity, and he held it to his mouth with one hand, while he passed a second down the table to Miss Burney, only spilling a spoonful or two in effecting the transit.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading She had never sat down with such a company.
novelsnounUS /ˈnɑːvəlz/
plural of “novel” — an extended fictional work in prose; usually in the form of a story
From this reading |IT was an interesting experience for Miss Burney, the writer of novels and the writer of letters.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading |IT was an interesting experience for Miss Burney, the writer of novels and the writer of letters.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The other claimed a particular cup on account of its capacity, and he held it to his mouth with one hand, while he passed a second down the table to Miss Burney, only spilling a spoonful or two in effecting the transit.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading One uncle took ale for his tea, and drained a tankard before eating anything.
and nothing more
From this reading The other claimed a particular cup on account of its capacity, and he held it to his mouth with one hand, while he passed a second down the table to Miss Burney, only spilling a spoonful or two in effecting the transit.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading The other claimed a particular cup on account of its capacity, and he held it to his mouth with one hand, while he passed a second down the table to Miss Burney, only spilling a spoonful or two in effecting the transit.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading The other claimed a particular cup on account of its capacity, and he held it to his mouth with one hand, while he passed a second down the table to Miss Burney, only spilling a spoonful or two in effecting the transit.
unique or specific to a person or thing or category
From this reading The other claimed a particular cup on account of its capacity, and he held it to his mouth with one hand, while he passed a second down the table to Miss Burney, only spilling a spoonful or two in effecting the transit.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading The other claimed a particular cup on account of its capacity, and he held it to his mouth with one hand, while he passed a second down the table to Miss Burney, only spilling a spoonful or two in effecting the transit.
peculiaritiesnounUS /pɪˌkjuːliˈerətiz/
plural of “peculiarity” — an odd or unusual characteristic
From this reading They all had their table peculiarities.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading She had never sat down with such a company.
1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading The other claimed a particular cup on account of its capacity, and he held it to his mouth with one hand, while he passed a second down the table to Miss Burney, only spilling a spoonful or two in effecting the transit.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She had never sat down with such a company.
spillingverbUS /ˈspɪlɪŋ/
-ing form of “spill” — cause or allow (a liquid substance) to run or flow from a container
From this reading The other claimed a particular cup on account of its capacity, and he held it to his mouth with one hand, while he passed a second down the table to Miss Burney, only spilling a spoonful or two in effecting the transit.
spoonfulnounUS /ˈspuːnfʊl/
as much as a spoon will hold
From this reading The other claimed a particular cup on account of its capacity, and he held it to his mouth with one hand, while he passed a second down the table to Miss Burney, only spilling a spoonful or two in effecting the transit.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading She had never sat down with such a company.
a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading They all had their table peculiarities.
tankardnounUS /ˈtæŋkərd/
large drinking vessel with one handle
From this reading One uncle took ale for his tea, and drained a tankard before eating anything.
a beverage made by steeping tea leaves in water
From this reading One uncle took ale for his tea, and drained a tankard before eating anything.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading |IT was an interesting experience for Miss Burney, the writer of novels and the writer of letters.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading They all had their table peculiarities.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They all had their table peculiarities.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The other claimed a particular cup on account of its capacity, and he held it to his mouth with one hand, while he passed a second down the table to Miss Burney, only spilling a spoonful or two in effecting the transit.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading One uncle took ale for his tea, and drained a tankard before eating anything.
transitnounUS /ˈtrænzɪt/
a surveying instrument for measuring horizontal and vertical angles, consisting of a small telescope mounted on a tripod
From this reading The other claimed a particular cup on account of its capacity, and he held it to his mouth with one hand, while he passed a second down the table to Miss Burney, only spilling a spoonful or two in effecting the transit.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading The other claimed a particular cup on account of its capacity, and he held it to his mouth with one hand, while he passed a second down the table to Miss Burney, only spilling a spoonful or two in effecting the transit.
the brother of your father or mother; the husband of your aunt
From this reading One uncle took ale for his tea, and drained a tankard before eating anything.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading |IT was an interesting experience for Miss Burney, the writer of novels and the writer of letters.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading The other claimed a particular cup on account of its capacity, and he held it to his mouth with one hand, while he passed a second down the table to Miss Burney, only spilling a spoonful or two in effecting the transit.
in the company of; together with
From this reading She had never sat down with such a company.
writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)
From this reading |IT was an interesting experience for Miss Burney, the writer of novels and the writer of letters.
