used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE PARTY The Christmas holidays brought a welcome respite from the steady grind of school work.
(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 So she and Uncle Johnny, behind carefully closed doors, planned all sorts of jolly surprises for the holiday week.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading And there was every indication, in the Westley home, that they were going to be very merry!
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading And there was every indication, in the Westley home, that they were going to be very merry!
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading So she and Uncle Johnny, behind carefully closed doors, planned all sorts of jolly surprises for the holiday week.
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading THE PARTY The Christmas holidays brought a welcome respite from the steady grind of school work.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But Jerry had a little secret, too, all of her own.
taking care or paying attention
From this reading So she and Uncle Johnny, behind carefully closed doors, planned all sorts of jolly surprises for the holiday week.
period extending from Dec. 24 to Jan. 6
From this reading THE PARTY The Christmas holidays brought a welcome respite from the steady grind of school work.
not open or affording passage or access
From this reading So she and Uncle Johnny, behind carefully closed doors, planned all sorts of jolly surprises for the holiday week.
plural of “door” — a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading So she and Uncle Johnny, behind carefully closed doors, planned all sorts of jolly surprises for the holiday week.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading And there was every indication, in the Westley home, that they were going to be very merry!
(of a number) having a fixed and unchanging value
From this reading Mrs. Westley had one fixed rule for her youngsters: "Work while you work and play while you play."
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Mrs. Westley had one fixed rule for her youngsters: "Work while you work and play while you play."
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading THE PARTY The Christmas holidays brought a welcome respite from the steady grind of school work.
the act of departing
From this reading And there was every indication, in the Westley home, that they were going to be very merry!
grindverbUS /ɡraɪnd/
press or grind with a crushing noise
From this reading THE PARTY The Christmas holidays brought a welcome respite from the steady grind of school work.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Mrs. Westley had one fixed rule for her youngsters: "Work while you work and play while you play."
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Mrs. Westley had one fixed rule for her youngsters: "Work while you work and play while you play."
holidaynounUS /ˈhɑːlədeɪ/
leisure time away from work devoted to rest or pleasure
From this reading So she and Uncle Johnny, behind carefully closed doors, planned all sorts of jolly surprises for the holiday week.
holidaysnounUS /ˈhɑːlədeɪz/
plural of “holiday” — leisure time away from work devoted to rest or pleasure
From this reading THE PARTY The Christmas holidays brought a welcome respite from the steady grind of school work.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading And there was every indication, in the Westley home, that they were going to be very merry!
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading And there was every indication, in the Westley home, that they were going to be very merry!
indicationnounUS /ˌɪndəˈkeɪʃən/
something that serves to indicate or suggest
From this reading And there was every indication, in the Westley home, that they were going to be very merry!
offensive term for a person of German descent
From this reading But Jerry had a little secret, too, all of her own.
“Johnny” was applied as a nickname for Confederate soldiers by the Federal soldiers in the American Civil War; “greyback” derived from their grey Confederate uniforms
From this reading So she and Uncle Johnny, behind carefully closed doors, planned all sorts of jolly surprises for the holiday week.
jollyadjectiveUS /ˈdʒɑːli/
full of or showing high-spirited merriment
From this reading So she and Uncle Johnny, behind carefully closed doors, planned all sorts of jolly surprises for the holiday week.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading But Jerry had a little secret, too, all of her own.
full of or showing high-spirited merriment
From this reading And there was every indication, in the Westley home, that they were going to be very merry!
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading Mrs. Westley had one fixed rule for her youngsters: "Work while you work and play while you play."
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE PARTY The Christmas holidays brought a welcome respite from the steady grind of school work.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Mrs. Westley had one fixed rule for her youngsters: "Work while you work and play while you play."
have ownership or possession of
From this reading But Jerry had a little secret, too, all of her own.
an organization to gain political power
From this reading THE PARTY The Christmas holidays brought a welcome respite from the steady grind of school work.
plannedadjectiveUS /plænd/
designed or carried out according to a plan
From this reading So she and Uncle Johnny, behind carefully closed doors, planned all sorts of jolly surprises for the holiday week.
participate in games or sport
From this reading Mrs. Westley had one fixed rule for her youngsters: "Work while you work and play while you play."
respitenounUS /ˈrespɪt/
a (temporary) relief from harm or discomfort
From this reading THE PARTY The Christmas holidays brought a welcome respite from the steady grind of school work.
a principle or condition that customarily governs behavior
From this reading Mrs. Westley had one fixed rule for her youngsters: "Work while you work and play while you play."
an educational institution
From this reading THE PARTY The Christmas holidays brought a welcome respite from the steady grind of school work.
Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.
From this reading But Jerry had a little secret, too, all of her own.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading So she and Uncle Johnny, behind carefully closed doors, planned all sorts of jolly surprises for the holiday week.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading So she and Uncle Johnny, behind carefully closed doors, planned all sorts of jolly surprises for the holiday week.
plural of “sort” — a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
From this reading So she and Uncle Johnny, behind carefully closed doors, planned all sorts of jolly surprises for the holiday week.
make steady
From this reading THE PARTY The Christmas holidays brought a welcome respite from the steady grind of school work.
surprisesnounUS /sərˈpraɪzɪz/
plural of “surprise” — the astonishment you feel when something totally unexpected happens to you
From this reading So she and Uncle Johnny, behind carefully closed doors, planned all sorts of jolly surprises for the holiday week.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading And there was every indication, in the Westley home, that they were going to be very merry!
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE PARTY The Christmas holidays brought a welcome respite from the steady grind of school work.
in or at that place or location
From this reading And there was every indication, in the Westley home, that they were going to be very merry!
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading And there was every indication, in the Westley home, that they were going to be very merry!
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading And there was every indication, in the Westley home, that they were going to be very merry!
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading But Jerry had a little secret, too, all of her own.
the brother of your father or mother; the husband of your aunt
From this reading So she and Uncle Johnny, behind carefully closed doors, planned all sorts of jolly surprises for the holiday week.
precisely as stated
From this reading And there was every indication, in the Westley home, that they were going to be very merry!
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading And there was every indication, in the Westley home, that they were going to be very merry!
any period of seven consecutive days
From this reading So she and Uncle Johnny, behind carefully closed doors, planned all sorts of jolly surprises for the holiday week.
accept gladly
From this reading THE PARTY The Christmas holidays brought a welcome respite from the steady grind of school work.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading And there was every indication, in the Westley home, that they were going to be very merry!
Westley
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And there was every indication, in the Westley home, that they were going to be very merry!
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading Mrs. Westley had one fixed rule for her youngsters: "Work while you work and play while you play."
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading THE PARTY The Christmas holidays brought a welcome respite from the steady grind of school work.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading Mrs. Westley had one fixed rule for her youngsters: "Work while you work and play while you play."
youngstersnounUS /ˈjʌŋstərz/
plural of “youngster” — a young person of either sex
From this reading Mrs. Westley had one fixed rule for her youngsters: "Work while you work and play while you play."
