used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading One of those kindly and well-informed friends who always appear on these occasions came and told them that there was a Council being held at the Palace, and that the Grand Duke would not come.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading * * * * * The concert was about to begin.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading One of those kindly and well-informed friends who always appear on these occasions came and told them that there was a Council being held at the Palace, and that the Grand Duke would not come.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading One of those kindly and well-informed friends who always appear on these occasions came and told them that there was a Council being held at the Palace, and that the Grand Duke would not come.
give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading One of those kindly and well-informed friends who always appear on these occasions came and told them that there was a Council being held at the Palace, and that the Grand Duke would not come.
past form of “arrive” — reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress
From this reading The hall was half empty; the Grand Duke had not arrived.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading One of those kindly and well-informed friends who always appear on these occasions came and told them that there was a Council being held at the Palace, and that the Grand Duke would not come.
the power or right to give orders or make decisions
From this reading He had it on good authority.
take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading * * * * * The concert was about to begin.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading One of those kindly and well-informed friends who always appear on these occasions came and told them that there was a Council being held at the Palace, and that the Grand Duke would not come.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading One of those kindly and well-informed friends who always appear on these occasions came and told them that there was a Council being held at the Palace, and that the Grand Duke would not come.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading One of those kindly and well-informed friends who always appear on these occasions came and told them that there was a Council being held at the Palace, and that the Grand Duke would not come.
concertnounUS /ˈkɑːnsərt/
a performance of music by players or singers not involving theatrical staging
From this reading * * * * * The concert was about to begin.
a body serving in an administrative capacity
From this reading One of those kindly and well-informed friends who always appear on these occasions came and told them that there was a Council being held at the Palace, and that the Grand Duke would not come.
a state in which all hope is lost or absent
From this reading Melchior was in despair.
a British peer of the highest rank
From this reading The hall was half empty; the Grand Duke had not arrived.
make void or empty of contents
From this reading The hall was half empty; the Grand Duke had not arrived.
plural of “friend” — a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading One of those kindly and well-informed friends who always appear on these occasions came and told them that there was a Council being held at the Palace, and that the Grand Duke would not come.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading He had it on good authority.
of behavior that is impressive and ambitious in scale or scope
From this reading The hall was half empty; the Grand Duke had not arrived.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The hall was half empty; the Grand Duke had not arrived.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading The hall was half empty; the Grand Duke had not arrived.
an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open
From this reading The hall was half empty; the Grand Duke had not arrived.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had it on good authority.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading One of those kindly and well-informed friends who always appear on these occasions came and told them that there was a Council being held at the Palace, and that the Grand Duke would not come.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Melchior was in despair.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He had it on good authority.
showing or motivated by sympathy and understanding and generosity
From this reading One of those kindly and well-informed friends who always appear on these occasions came and told them that there was a Council being held at the Palace, and that the Grand Duke would not come.
MelchiornounUS /meɪlˈtʃiːər/
United States operatic tenor (born in Denmark) noted for his Wagnerian roles (1890-1973)
From this reading Melchior was in despair.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The hall was half empty; the Grand Duke had not arrived.
something you have to do
From this reading One of those kindly and well-informed friends who always appear on these occasions came and told them that there was a Council being held at the Palace, and that the Grand Duke would not come.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading One of those kindly and well-informed friends who always appear on these occasions came and told them that there was a Council being held at the Palace, and that the Grand Duke would not come.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading One of those kindly and well-informed friends who always appear on these occasions came and told them that there was a Council being held at the Palace, and that the Grand Duke would not come.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading One of those kindly and well-informed friends who always appear on these occasions came and told them that there was a Council being held at the Palace, and that the Grand Duke would not come.
a large and stately mansion
From this reading One of those kindly and well-informed friends who always appear on these occasions came and told them that there was a Council being held at the Palace, and that the Grand Duke would not come.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading One of those kindly and well-informed friends who always appear on these occasions came and told them that there was a Council being held at the Palace, and that the Grand Duke would not come.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading * * * * * The concert was about to begin.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading One of those kindly and well-informed friends who always appear on these occasions came and told them that there was a Council being held at the Palace, and that the Grand Duke would not come.
in or at that place or location
From this reading One of those kindly and well-informed friends who always appear on these occasions came and told them that there was a Council being held at the Palace, and that the Grand Duke would not come.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading One of those kindly and well-informed friends who always appear on these occasions came and told them that there was a Council being held at the Palace, and that the Grand Duke would not come.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading One of those kindly and well-informed friends who always appear on these occasions came and told them that there was a Council being held at the Palace, and that the Grand Duke would not come.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading * * * * * The concert was about to begin.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading One of those kindly and well-informed friends who always appear on these occasions came and told them that there was a Council being held at the Palace, and that the Grand Duke would not come.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading * * * * * The concert was about to begin.
well-informedadjective
possessing sound knowledge
From this reading One of those kindly and well-informed friends who always appear on these occasions came and told them that there was a Council being held at the Palace, and that the Grand Duke would not come.
which person or people
From this reading One of those kindly and well-informed friends who always appear on these occasions came and told them that there was a Council being held at the Palace, and that the Grand Duke would not come.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading One of those kindly and well-informed friends who always appear on these occasions came and told them that there was a Council being held at the Palace, and that the Grand Duke would not come.
