used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A week went by, a week of mingled delight and torture for Nina.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading The theatre was a revelation, the shops a long drawn out pleasure, and calls, tea-drinkings, dinner-parties, and drives into the country kept her in an almost continual state of enchanted and suppressed enjoyment.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The theatre was a revelation, the shops a long drawn out pleasure, and calls, tea-drinkings, dinner-parties, and drives into the country kept her in an almost continual state of enchanted and suppressed enjoyment.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A week went by, a week of mingled delight and torture for Nina.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading She had never, outside novels, participated in entertainments as fine as those to which she was taken.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But yet she was not perfectly happy.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading A week went by, a week of mingled delight and torture for Nina.
plural of “call” — a telephone connection
From this reading The theatre was a revelation, the shops a long drawn out pleasure, and calls, tea-drinkings, dinner-parties, and drives into the country kept her in an almost continual state of enchanted and suppressed enjoyment.
continualadjectiveUS /kənˈtɪnjuːəl/
recurring regularly or frequently in a prolonged and closely spaced series
From this reading The theatre was a revelation, the shops a long drawn out pleasure, and calls, tea-drinkings, dinner-parties, and drives into the country kept her in an almost continual state of enchanted and suppressed enjoyment.
a politically organized body of people under a single government
From this reading The theatre was a revelation, the shops a long drawn out pleasure, and calls, tea-drinkings, dinner-parties, and drives into the country kept her in an almost continual state of enchanted and suppressed enjoyment.
give pleasure to or be pleasing to
From this reading A week went by, a week of mingled delight and torture for Nina.
dinner-parties
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The theatre was a revelation, the shops a long drawn out pleasure, and calls, tea-drinkings, dinner-parties, and drives into the country kept her in an almost continual state of enchanted and suppressed enjoyment.
showing the wearing effects of overwork or care or suffering
From this reading The theatre was a revelation, the shops a long drawn out pleasure, and calls, tea-drinkings, dinner-parties, and drives into the country kept her in an almost continual state of enchanted and suppressed enjoyment.
drivesnounUS /draɪvz/
plural of “drive” — the act of applying force to propel something
From this reading The theatre was a revelation, the shops a long drawn out pleasure, and calls, tea-drinkings, dinner-parties, and drives into the country kept her in an almost continual state of enchanted and suppressed enjoyment.
enchantedadjectiveUS /ɪnˈtʃæn.tɪd/
Filled with or placed under the influence of magical power or charm.
From this reading The theatre was a revelation, the shops a long drawn out pleasure, and calls, tea-drinkings, dinner-parties, and drives into the country kept her in an almost continual state of enchanted and suppressed enjoyment.
enjoymentnounUS /ˌenˈdʒɔɪmənt/
the pleasure felt when having a good time
From this reading The theatre was a revelation, the shops a long drawn out pleasure, and calls, tea-drinkings, dinner-parties, and drives into the country kept her in an almost continual state of enchanted and suppressed enjoyment.
entertainmentsnounUS /ˌentərˈteɪnmənts/
plural of “entertainment” — an activity that is diverting and that holds the attention
From this reading She had never, outside novels, participated in entertainments as fine as those to which she was taken.
being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition
From this reading She had never, outside novels, participated in entertainments as fine as those to which she was taken.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading A week went by, a week of mingled delight and torture for Nina.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading She had never, outside novels, participated in entertainments as fine as those to which she was taken.
enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure
From this reading But yet she was not perfectly happy.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The theatre was a revelation, the shops a long drawn out pleasure, and calls, tea-drinkings, dinner-parties, and drives into the country kept her in an almost continual state of enchanted and suppressed enjoyment.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading She had never, outside novels, participated in entertainments as fine as those to which she was taken.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading The theatre was a revelation, the shops a long drawn out pleasure, and calls, tea-drinkings, dinner-parties, and drives into the country kept her in an almost continual state of enchanted and suppressed enjoyment.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading WHAT IS LOVE?
(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded
From this reading The theatre was a revelation, the shops a long drawn out pleasure, and calls, tea-drinkings, dinner-parties, and drives into the country kept her in an almost continual state of enchanted and suppressed enjoyment.
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 The theatre was a revelation, the shops a long drawn out pleasure, and calls, tea-drinkings, dinner-parties, and drives into the country kept her in an almost continual state of enchanted and suppressed enjoyment.
a strong positive emotion of regard and affection
From this reading WHAT IS LOVE?
past form of “mingle” — to bring or combine together or with something else
From this reading A week went by, a week of mingled delight and torture for Nina.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading She had never, outside novels, participated in entertainments as fine as those to which she was taken.
NinanounUS /ˈniːnə/
the Babylonian goddess of the watery deep and daughter of Ea
From this reading A week went by, a week of mingled delight and torture for Nina.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading But yet she was not perfectly happy.
novelsnounUS /ˈnɑːvəlz/
plural of “novel” — an extended fictional work in prose; usually in the form of a story
From this reading She had never, outside novels, participated in entertainments as fine as those to which she was taken.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A week went by, a week of mingled delight and torture for Nina.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading The theatre was a revelation, the shops a long drawn out pleasure, and calls, tea-drinkings, dinner-parties, and drives into the country kept her in an almost continual state of enchanted and suppressed enjoyment.
relating to or being on or near the outer side or limit
From this reading She had never, outside novels, participated in entertainments as fine as those to which she was taken.
participatedverbUS /pɑːrˈtɪsəpeɪtɪd/
past form of “participate” — share in something
From this reading She had never, outside novels, participated in entertainments as fine as those to which she was taken.
completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers
From this reading But yet she was not perfectly happy.
a fundamental feeling that is hard to define but that people desire to experience
From this reading The theatre was a revelation, the shops a long drawn out pleasure, and calls, tea-drinkings, dinner-parties, and drives into the country kept her in an almost continual state of enchanted and suppressed enjoyment.
revelationnounUS /ˌrevəˈleɪʃən/
the speech act of making something evident
From this reading The theatre was a revelation, the shops a long drawn out pleasure, and calls, tea-drinkings, dinner-parties, and drives into the country kept her in an almost continual state of enchanted and suppressed enjoyment.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She had never, outside novels, participated in entertainments as fine as those to which she was taken.
shopsnounUS /ʃɑːps/
plural of “shop” — a mercantile establishment for the retail sale of goods or services
From this reading The theatre was a revelation, the shops a long drawn out pleasure, and calls, tea-drinkings, dinner-parties, and drives into the country kept her in an almost continual state of enchanted and suppressed enjoyment.
the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation
From this reading The theatre was a revelation, the shops a long drawn out pleasure, and calls, tea-drinkings, dinner-parties, and drives into the country kept her in an almost continual state of enchanted and suppressed enjoyment.
suppressedadjectiveUS /səˈprest/
kept from public knowledge by various means
From this reading The theatre was a revelation, the shops a long drawn out pleasure, and calls, tea-drinkings, dinner-parties, and drives into the country kept her in an almost continual state of enchanted and suppressed enjoyment.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading She had never, outside novels, participated in entertainments as fine as those to which she was taken.
tea-drinkings
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The theatre was a revelation, the shops a long drawn out pleasure, and calls, tea-drinkings, dinner-parties, and drives into the country kept her in an almost continual state of enchanted and suppressed enjoyment.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The theatre was a revelation, the shops a long drawn out pleasure, and calls, tea-drinkings, dinner-parties, and drives into the country kept her in an almost continual state of enchanted and suppressed enjoyment.
a building where theatrical performances or motion-picture shows can be presented
From this reading The theatre was a revelation, the shops a long drawn out pleasure, and calls, tea-drinkings, dinner-parties, and drives into the country kept her in an almost continual state of enchanted and suppressed enjoyment.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading She had never, outside novels, participated in entertainments as fine as those to which she was taken.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading She had never, outside novels, participated in entertainments as fine as those to which she was taken.
tortureverbUS /ˈtɔːrtʃər/
torment emotionally or mentally
From this reading A week went by, a week of mingled delight and torture for Nina.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading She had never, outside novels, participated in entertainments as fine as those to which she was taken.
any period of seven consecutive days
From this reading A week went by, a week of mingled delight and torture for Nina.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading A week went by, a week of mingled delight and torture for Nina.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading WHAT IS LOVE?
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading She had never, outside novels, participated in entertainments as fine as those to which she was taken.
but in spite of that
From this reading But yet she was not perfectly happy.
