used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE GIFT After that night great-stepuncle James became more than a celebrity--he became a notoriety in Bursley.
AfterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading THE GIFT After that night great-stepuncle James became more than a celebrity--he became a notoriety in Bursley.
aidedadjectiveUS /ˈeɪdəd/
having help; often used as a combining form
From this reading James, aided by nothing but a glass or two of champagne, had suddenly stepped into the forefront of the town's life.
third-person singular of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Had it not been for the personal influence of Mrs. Prockter with the editor of the _Signal_, James's exploits upon the concertina under weeping willows at midnight would have received facetious comment in the weekly column of gossip that appears in the great daily organ of the Five Towns on Saturdays.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Had it not been for the personal influence of Mrs. Prockter with the editor of the _Signal_, James's exploits upon the concertina under weeping willows at midnight would have received facetious comment in the weekly column of gossip that appears in the great daily organ of the Five Towns on Saturdays.
inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading THE GIFT After that night great-stepuncle James became more than a celebrity--he became a notoriety in Bursley.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Had it not been for the personal influence of Mrs. Prockter with the editor of the _Signal_, James's exploits upon the concertina under weeping willows at midnight would have received facetious comment in the weekly column of gossip that appears in the great daily organ of the Five Towns on Saturdays.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading He rather liked being a card.
Bursley
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE GIFT After that night great-stepuncle James became more than a celebrity--he became a notoriety in Bursley.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading James, aided by nothing but a glass or two of champagne, had suddenly stepped into the forefront of the town's life.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading James, aided by nothing but a glass or two of champagne, had suddenly stepped into the forefront of the town's life.
one of a set of small pieces of stiff paper marked in various ways and used for playing games or for telling fortunes
From this reading He was a card.
celebritynounUS /səˈlebrɪti/
a widely known person
From this reading THE GIFT After that night great-stepuncle James became more than a celebrity--he became a notoriety in Bursley.
champagnenounUS /ʃæmˈpeɪn/
a white sparkling wine either produced in Champagne or resembling that produced there
From this reading James, aided by nothing but a glass or two of champagne, had suddenly stepped into the forefront of the town's life.
columnnounUS /ˈkɑːləm/
a line of units following one after another
From this reading Had it not been for the personal influence of Mrs. Prockter with the editor of the _Signal_, James's exploits upon the concertina under weeping willows at midnight would have received facetious comment in the weekly column of gossip that appears in the great daily organ of the Five Towns on Saturdays.
commentnounUS /ˈkɑːment/
a statement that expresses a personal opinion or belief or adds information
From this reading Had it not been for the personal influence of Mrs. Prockter with the editor of the _Signal_, James's exploits upon the concertina under weeping willows at midnight would have received facetious comment in the weekly column of gossip that appears in the great daily organ of the Five Towns on Saturdays.
concertinanounUS /kɑːnsərˈtiːnə/
coiled barbed wire used as an obstacle
From this reading Had it not been for the personal influence of Mrs. Prockter with the editor of the _Signal_, James's exploits upon the concertina under weeping willows at midnight would have received facetious comment in the weekly column of gossip that appears in the great daily organ of the Five Towns on Saturdays.
every day; without missing a day
From this reading Had it not been for the personal influence of Mrs. Prockter with the editor of the _Signal_, James's exploits upon the concertina under weeping willows at midnight would have received facetious comment in the weekly column of gossip that appears in the great daily organ of the Five Towns on Saturdays.
editornounUS /ˈedətər/
a person responsible for the editorial aspects of publication; the person who determines the final content of a text (especially of a newspaper or magazine)
From this reading Had it not been for the personal influence of Mrs. Prockter with the editor of the _Signal_, James's exploits upon the concertina under weeping willows at midnight would have received facetious comment in the weekly column of gossip that appears in the great daily organ of the Five Towns on Saturdays.
exploitsnounUS /ˈeksplɔɪts/
plural of “exploit” — a notable achievement
From this reading Had it not been for the personal influence of Mrs. Prockter with the editor of the _Signal_, James's exploits upon the concertina under weeping willows at midnight would have received facetious comment in the weekly column of gossip that appears in the great daily organ of the Five Towns on Saturdays.
facetiousadjectiveUS /fəˈsiːʃəs/
cleverly amusing in tone
From this reading Had it not been for the personal influence of Mrs. Prockter with the editor of the _Signal_, James's exploits upon the concertina under weeping willows at midnight would have received facetious comment in the weekly column of gossip that appears in the great daily organ of the Five Towns on Saturdays.
the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one
From this reading Had it not been for the personal influence of Mrs. Prockter with the editor of the _Signal_, James's exploits upon the concertina under weeping willows at midnight would have received facetious comment in the weekly column of gossip that appears in the great daily organ of the Five Towns on Saturdays.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Had it not been for the personal influence of Mrs. Prockter with the editor of the _Signal_, James's exploits upon the concertina under weeping willows at midnight would have received facetious comment in the weekly column of gossip that appears in the great daily organ of the Five Towns on Saturdays.
forefrontnounUS /ˈfɔːrfrʌnt/
the part in the front or nearest the viewer
From this reading James, aided by nothing but a glass or two of champagne, had suddenly stepped into the forefront of the town's life.
something acquired without compensation
From this reading THE GIFT After that night great-stepuncle James became more than a celebrity--he became a notoriety in Bursley.
a brittle transparent solid with irregular atomic structure
From this reading James, aided by nothing but a glass or two of champagne, had suddenly stepped into the forefront of the town's life.
gossipnounUS /ˈɡɑːsəp/
light informal conversation for social occasions
From this reading Had it not been for the personal influence of Mrs. Prockter with the editor of the _Signal_, James's exploits upon the concertina under weeping willows at midnight would have received facetious comment in the weekly column of gossip that appears in the great daily organ of the Five Towns on Saturdays.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading Had it not been for the personal influence of Mrs. Prockter with the editor of the _Signal_, James's exploits upon the concertina under weeping willows at midnight would have received facetious comment in the weekly column of gossip that appears in the great daily organ of the Five Towns on Saturdays.
great-stepuncle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE GIFT After that night great-stepuncle James became more than a celebrity--he became a notoriety in Bursley.
Hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Had it not been for the personal influence of Mrs. Prockter with the editor of the _Signal_, James's exploits upon the concertina under weeping willows at midnight would have received facetious comment in the weekly column of gossip that appears in the great daily organ of the Five Towns on Saturdays.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Had it not been for the personal influence of Mrs. Prockter with the editor of the _Signal_, James's exploits upon the concertina under weeping willows at midnight would have received facetious comment in the weekly column of gossip that appears in the great daily organ of the Five Towns on Saturdays.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading THE GIFT After that night great-stepuncle James became more than a celebrity--he became a notoriety in Bursley.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THE GIFT After that night great-stepuncle James became more than a celebrity--he became a notoriety in Bursley.
a power to affect persons or events especially power based on prestige etc
From this reading Had it not been for the personal influence of Mrs. Prockter with the editor of the _Signal_, James's exploits upon the concertina under weeping willows at midnight would have received facetious comment in the weekly column of gossip that appears in the great daily organ of the Five Towns on Saturdays.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading James, aided by nothing but a glass or two of champagne, had suddenly stepped into the forefront of the town's life.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Had it not been for the personal influence of Mrs. Prockter with the editor of the _Signal_, James's exploits upon the concertina under weeping willows at midnight would have received facetious comment in the weekly column of gossip that appears in the great daily organ of the Five Towns on Saturdays.
a Stuart king of Scotland who married a daughter of Henry VII; when England and France went to war in 1513 he invaded England and died in defeat at Flodden (1473-1513)
From this reading THE GIFT After that night great-stepuncle James became more than a celebrity--he became a notoriety in Bursley.
James'snounUS /ˈdʒeɪmzɪz/
possessive form of “james” — a Stuart king of Scotland who married a daughter of Henry VII; when England and France went to war in 1513 he invaded England and died in defeat at Flodden (1473-1513)
From this reading Had it not been for the personal influence of Mrs. Prockter with the editor of the _Signal_, James's exploits upon the concertina under weeping willows at midnight would have received facetious comment in the weekly column of gossip that appears in the great daily organ of the Five Towns on Saturdays.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading James, aided by nothing but a glass or two of champagne, had suddenly stepped into the forefront of the town's life.
found pleasant or attractive; often used as a combining form
From this reading He rather liked being a card.
12 o'clock at night; the middle of the night
From this reading Had it not been for the personal influence of Mrs. Prockter with the editor of the _Signal_, James's exploits upon the concertina under weeping willows at midnight would have received facetious comment in the weekly column of gossip that appears in the great daily organ of the Five Towns on Saturdays.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading THE GIFT After that night great-stepuncle James became more than a celebrity--he became a notoriety in Bursley.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading Had it not been for the personal influence of Mrs. Prockter with the editor of the _Signal_, James's exploits upon the concertina under weeping willows at midnight would have received facetious comment in the weekly column of gossip that appears in the great daily organ of the Five Towns on Saturdays.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading THE GIFT After that night great-stepuncle James became more than a celebrity--he became a notoriety in Bursley.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Had it not been for the personal influence of Mrs. Prockter with the editor of the _Signal_, James's exploits upon the concertina under weeping willows at midnight would have received facetious comment in the weekly column of gossip that appears in the great daily organ of the Five Towns on Saturdays.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading James, aided by nothing but a glass or two of champagne, had suddenly stepped into the forefront of the town's life.
notorietynounUS /ˌnoʊtərˈaɪəti/
the state of being known for some unfavorable act or quality
From this reading THE GIFT After that night great-stepuncle James became more than a celebrity--he became a notoriety in Bursley.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Had it not been for the personal influence of Mrs. Prockter with the editor of the _Signal_, James's exploits upon the concertina under weeping willows at midnight would have received facetious comment in the weekly column of gossip that appears in the great daily organ of the Five Towns on Saturdays.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Had it not been for the personal influence of Mrs. Prockter with the editor of the _Signal_, James's exploits upon the concertina under weeping willows at midnight would have received facetious comment in the weekly column of gossip that appears in the great daily organ of the Five Towns on Saturdays.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading James, aided by nothing but a glass or two of champagne, had suddenly stepped into the forefront of the town's life.
organnounUS /ˈɔːrɡən/
a fully differentiated structural and functional unit in an animal that is specialized for some particular function
From this reading Had it not been for the personal influence of Mrs. Prockter with the editor of the _Signal_, James's exploits upon the concertina under weeping willows at midnight would have received facetious comment in the weekly column of gossip that appears in the great daily organ of the Five Towns on Saturdays.
concerning or affecting a particular person or his or her private life and personality
From this reading Had it not been for the personal influence of Mrs. Prockter with the editor of the _Signal_, James's exploits upon the concertina under weeping willows at midnight would have received facetious comment in the weekly column of gossip that appears in the great daily organ of the Five Towns on Saturdays.
Prockter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Had it not been for the personal influence of Mrs. Prockter with the editor of the _Signal_, James's exploits upon the concertina under weeping willows at midnight would have received facetious comment in the weekly column of gossip that appears in the great daily organ of the Five Towns on Saturdays.
on the contrary
From this reading He rather liked being a card.
conforming to the established language usage of educated native speakers
From this reading Had it not been for the personal influence of Mrs. Prockter with the editor of the _Signal_, James's exploits upon the concertina under weeping willows at midnight would have received facetious comment in the weekly column of gossip that appears in the great daily organ of the Five Towns on Saturdays.
SaturdaysnounUS /ˈsætərdiz/
plural of “saturday” — the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading Had it not been for the personal influence of Mrs. Prockter with the editor of the _Signal_, James's exploits upon the concertina under weeping willows at midnight would have received facetious comment in the weekly column of gossip that appears in the great daily organ of the Five Towns on Saturdays.
any nonverbal action or gesture that encodes a message
From this reading Had it not been for the personal influence of Mrs. Prockter with the editor of the _Signal_, James's exploits upon the concertina under weeping willows at midnight would have received facetious comment in the weekly column of gossip that appears in the great daily organ of the Five Towns on Saturdays.
inflected form of “step” — shift or move by taking a step
From this reading James, aided by nothing but a glass or two of champagne, had suddenly stepped into the forefront of the town's life.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading James, aided by nothing but a glass or two of champagne, had suddenly stepped into the forefront of the town's life.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading THE GIFT After that night great-stepuncle James became more than a celebrity--he became a notoriety in Bursley.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading THE GIFT After that night great-stepuncle James became more than a celebrity--he became a notoriety in Bursley.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE GIFT After that night great-stepuncle James became more than a celebrity--he became a notoriety in Bursley.
town'snounUS /taʊnz/
possessive form of “town” — an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading James, aided by nothing but a glass or two of champagne, had suddenly stepped into the forefront of the town's life.
TownsnounUS /taʊnz/
plural of “town” — an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading Had it not been for the personal influence of Mrs. Prockter with the editor of the _Signal_, James's exploits upon the concertina under weeping willows at midnight would have received facetious comment in the weekly column of gossip that appears in the great daily organ of the Five Towns on Saturdays.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading James, aided by nothing but a glass or two of champagne, had suddenly stepped into the forefront of the town's life.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading Had it not been for the personal influence of Mrs. Prockter with the editor of the _Signal_, James's exploits upon the concertina under weeping willows at midnight would have received facetious comment in the weekly column of gossip that appears in the great daily organ of the Five Towns on Saturdays.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Had it not been for the personal influence of Mrs. Prockter with the editor of the _Signal_, James's exploits upon the concertina under weeping willows at midnight would have received facetious comment in the weekly column of gossip that appears in the great daily organ of the Five Towns on Saturdays.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He was a card.
weeklynounUS /ˈwiːkli/
a periodical that is published every week (or 52 issues per year)
From this reading Had it not been for the personal influence of Mrs. Prockter with the editor of the _Signal_, James's exploits upon the concertina under weeping willows at midnight would have received facetious comment in the weekly column of gossip that appears in the great daily organ of the Five Towns on Saturdays.
showing sorrow
From this reading Had it not been for the personal influence of Mrs. Prockter with the editor of the _Signal_, James's exploits upon the concertina under weeping willows at midnight would have received facetious comment in the weekly column of gossip that appears in the great daily organ of the Five Towns on Saturdays.
willowsnounUS /ˈwɪloʊz/
plural of “willow” — any of numerous deciduous trees and shrubs of the genus Salix
From this reading Had it not been for the personal influence of Mrs. Prockter with the editor of the _Signal_, James's exploits upon the concertina under weeping willows at midnight would have received facetious comment in the weekly column of gossip that appears in the great daily organ of the Five Towns on Saturdays.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Had it not been for the personal influence of Mrs. Prockter with the editor of the _Signal_, James's exploits upon the concertina under weeping willows at midnight would have received facetious comment in the weekly column of gossip that appears in the great daily organ of the Five Towns on Saturdays.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Had it not been for the personal influence of Mrs. Prockter with the editor of the _Signal_, James's exploits upon the concertina under weeping willows at midnight would have received facetious comment in the weekly column of gossip that appears in the great daily organ of the Five Towns on Saturdays.
