used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "And you advocate the general adoption of such a custom?" our friend asked, getting back to the sarcasm of his opening note.
adoptedadjectiveUS /əˈdɑːptɪd/
acquired as your own by free choice
From this reading "But no, the custom would not be readily adopted even among enlightened thinkers.
adoptionnounUS /əˈdɑːpʃən/
the act of accepting with approval; favorable reception
From this reading "And you advocate the general adoption of such a custom?" our friend asked, getting back to the sarcasm of his opening note.
farther along in physical or mental development
From this reading That sort of thing might do at the table of a reformer, which only the more advanced were invited to; but it wouldn't work with the average retarded society woman or clubman."
advocateverbUS /ˈædvəkət/
push for something
From this reading "And you advocate the general adoption of such a custom?" our friend asked, getting back to the sarcasm of his opening note.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading "But no, the custom would not be readily adopted even among enlightened thinkers.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "And you advocate the general adoption of such a custom?" our friend asked, getting back to the sarcasm of his opening note.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading "And you advocate the general adoption of such a custom?" our friend asked, getting back to the sarcasm of his opening note.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading That sort of thing might do at the table of a reformer, which only the more advanced were invited to; but it wouldn't work with the average retarded society woman or clubman."
averageadjectiveUS /ˈævərɪdʒ/
approximating the statistical norm or average or expected value
From this reading That sort of thing might do at the table of a reformer, which only the more advanced were invited to; but it wouldn't work with the average retarded society woman or clubman."
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading "And you advocate the general adoption of such a custom?" our friend asked, getting back to the sarcasm of his opening note.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "But no, the custom would not be readily adopted even among enlightened thinkers.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading That sort of thing might do at the table of a reformer, which only the more advanced were invited to; but it wouldn't work with the average retarded society woman or clubman."
clubman
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That sort of thing might do at the table of a reformer, which only the more advanced were invited to; but it wouldn't work with the average retarded society woman or clubman."
accepted or habitual practice
From this reading "And you advocate the general adoption of such a custom?" our friend asked, getting back to the sarcasm of his opening note.
the main meal of the day served in the evening or at midday
From this reading "Suppose a larger dinner, a fashionable dinner, with half a dozen men waiters?
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading That sort of thing might do at the table of a reformer, which only the more advanced were invited to; but it wouldn't work with the average retarded society woman or clubman."
the cardinal number that is the sum of eleven and one
From this reading "Suppose a larger dinner, a fashionable dinner, with half a dozen men waiters?
enlightenedadjectiveUS /ˌenˈlaɪtənd/
having knowledge and spiritual insight
From this reading "But no, the custom would not be readily adopted even among enlightened thinkers.
divisible by two
From this reading "But no, the custom would not be readily adopted even among enlightened thinkers.
fashionableadjectiveUS /ˈfæʃənəbəl/
being or in accordance with current social fashions
From this reading "Suppose a larger dinner, a fashionable dinner, with half a dozen men waiters?
a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading "And you advocate the general adoption of such a custom?" our friend asked, getting back to the sarcasm of his opening note.
applying to all or most members of a category or group
From this reading "And you advocate the general adoption of such a custom?" our friend asked, getting back to the sarcasm of his opening note.
the act of acquiring something
From this reading "And you advocate the general adoption of such a custom?" our friend asked, getting back to the sarcasm of his opening note.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading "What good thing works with _them_?" we retorted, spiritedly.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading "Suppose a larger dinner, a fashionable dinner, with half a dozen men waiters?
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading "And you advocate the general adoption of such a custom?" our friend asked, getting back to the sarcasm of his opening note.
past form of “invite” — increase the likelihood of
From this reading That sort of thing might do at the table of a reformer, which only the more advanced were invited to; but it wouldn't work with the average retarded society woman or clubman."
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading That sort of thing might do at the table of a reformer, which only the more advanced were invited to; but it wouldn't work with the average retarded society woman or clubman."
large or big relative to something else
From this reading "Suppose a larger dinner, a fashionable dinner, with half a dozen men waiters?
the force of workers available
From this reading "Suppose a larger dinner, a fashionable dinner, with half a dozen men waiters?
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading That sort of thing might do at the table of a reformer, which only the more advanced were invited to; but it wouldn't work with the average retarded society woman or clubman."
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading That sort of thing might do at the table of a reformer, which only the more advanced were invited to; but it wouldn't work with the average retarded society woman or clubman."
not any; not one
From this reading "But no, the custom would not be readily adopted even among enlightened thinkers.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "But no, the custom would not be readily adopted even among enlightened thinkers.
a brief written record
From this reading "And you advocate the general adoption of such a custom?" our friend asked, getting back to the sarcasm of his opening note.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "And you advocate the general adoption of such a custom?" our friend asked, getting back to the sarcasm of his opening note.
and nothing more
From this reading That sort of thing might do at the table of a reformer, which only the more advanced were invited to; but it wouldn't work with the average retarded society woman or clubman."
an open or empty space in or between things
From this reading "And you advocate the general adoption of such a custom?" our friend asked, getting back to the sarcasm of his opening note.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading That sort of thing might do at the table of a reformer, which only the more advanced were invited to; but it wouldn't work with the average retarded society woman or clubman."
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading "And you advocate the general adoption of such a custom?" our friend asked, getting back to the sarcasm of his opening note.
without much difficulty
From this reading "But no, the custom would not be readily adopted even among enlightened thinkers.
reformernounUS /rɪˈfɔːrmər/
a disputant who advocates reform
From this reading That sort of thing might do at the table of a reformer, which only the more advanced were invited to; but it wouldn't work with the average retarded society woman or clubman."
retardedadjectiveUS /rɪˈtɑːrdɪd/
relatively slow in mental or emotional or physical development
From this reading That sort of thing might do at the table of a reformer, which only the more advanced were invited to; but it wouldn't work with the average retarded society woman or clubman."
past form of “retort” — answer back
From this reading "What good thing works with _them_?" we retorted, spiritedly.
sarcasmnounUS /ˈsɑːrkæzəm/
witty language used to convey insults or scorn
From this reading "And you advocate the general adoption of such a custom?" our friend asked, getting back to the sarcasm of his opening note.
an extended social group having a distinctive cultural and economic organization
From this reading That sort of thing might do at the table of a reformer, which only the more advanced were invited to; but it wouldn't work with the average retarded society woman or clubman."
a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
From this reading That sort of thing might do at the table of a reformer, which only the more advanced were invited to; but it wouldn't work with the average retarded society woman or clubman."
spiritedlyadverb
in a spirited or lively manner; with animation and vivacity
From this reading "What good thing works with _them_?" we retorted, spiritedly.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading "And you advocate the general adoption of such a custom?" our friend asked, getting back to the sarcasm of his opening note.
express a supposition
From this reading "Suppose a larger dinner, a fashionable dinner, with half a dozen men waiters?
a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading That sort of thing might do at the table of a reformer, which only the more advanced were invited to; but it wouldn't work with the average retarded society woman or clubman."
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading That sort of thing might do at the table of a reformer, which only the more advanced were invited to; but it wouldn't work with the average retarded society woman or clubman."
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "And you advocate the general adoption of such a custom?" our friend asked, getting back to the sarcasm of his opening note.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading "What good thing works with _them_?" we retorted, spiritedly.
a special situation
From this reading That sort of thing might do at the table of a reformer, which only the more advanced were invited to; but it wouldn't work with the average retarded society woman or clubman."
thinkersnounUS /ˈθɪŋkərz/
plural of “thinker” — an important intellectual
From this reading "But no, the custom would not be readily adopted even among enlightened thinkers.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "And you advocate the general adoption of such a custom?" our friend asked, getting back to the sarcasm of his opening note.
waitersnounUS /ˈweɪtərz/
plural of “waiter” — a person whose occupation is to serve at table (as in a restaurant)
From this reading "Suppose a larger dinner, a fashionable dinner, with half a dozen men waiters?
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading "What good thing works with _them_?" we retorted, spiritedly.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading That sort of thing might do at the table of a reformer, which only the more advanced were invited to; but it wouldn't work with the average retarded society woman or clubman."
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "What good thing works with _them_?" we retorted, spiritedly.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading That sort of thing might do at the table of a reformer, which only the more advanced were invited to; but it wouldn't work with the average retarded society woman or clubman."
in the company of; together with
From this reading "Suppose a larger dinner, a fashionable dinner, with half a dozen men waiters?
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading That sort of thing might do at the table of a reformer, which only the more advanced were invited to; but it wouldn't work with the average retarded society woman or clubman."
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading That sort of thing might do at the table of a reformer, which only the more advanced were invited to; but it wouldn't work with the average retarded society woman or clubman."
buildings for carrying on industrial labor
From this reading "What good thing works with _them_?" we retorted, spiritedly.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading "But no, the custom would not be readily adopted even among enlightened thinkers.
wouldn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That sort of thing might do at the table of a reformer, which only the more advanced were invited to; but it wouldn't work with the average retarded society woman or clubman."
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "And you advocate the general adoption of such a custom?" our friend asked, getting back to the sarcasm of his opening note.
