used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The belated twelve, seen without motor coats and hats, were an attractive-looking lot of girls, smartly dressed to a degree.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading Assigned seats at table by Miss Remson, who had conducted the newcomers to the dining room, they made considerable noise in the way of talk and laughter, calling back and forth to one another across the three tables which seated them, precisely as though they might have been the only occupants of the dining room.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The belated twelve, seen without motor coats and hats, were an attractive-looking lot of girls, smartly dressed to a degree.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The belated twelve, seen without motor coats and hats, were an attractive-looking lot of girls, smartly dressed to a degree.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading Assigned seats at table by Miss Remson, who had conducted the newcomers to the dining room, they made considerable noise in the way of talk and laughter, calling back and forth to one another across the three tables which seated them, precisely as though they might have been the only occupants of the dining room.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Assigned seats at table by Miss Remson, who had conducted the newcomers to the dining room, they made considerable noise in the way of talk and laughter, calling back and forth to one another across the three tables which seated them, precisely as though they might have been the only occupants of the dining room.
AssignedadjectiveUS /əˈsaɪnd/
appointed to a post or duty
From this reading Assigned seats at table by Miss Remson, who had conducted the newcomers to the dining room, they made considerable noise in the way of talk and laughter, calling back and forth to one another across the three tables which seated them, precisely as though they might have been the only occupants of the dining room.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Assigned seats at table by Miss Remson, who had conducted the newcomers to the dining room, they made considerable noise in the way of talk and laughter, calling back and forth to one another across the three tables which seated them, precisely as though they might have been the only occupants of the dining room.
attractive-looking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The belated twelve, seen without motor coats and hats, were an attractive-looking lot of girls, smartly dressed to a degree.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading Assigned seats at table by Miss Remson, who had conducted the newcomers to the dining room, they made considerable noise in the way of talk and laughter, calling back and forth to one another across the three tables which seated them, precisely as though they might have been the only occupants of the dining room.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Assigned seats at table by Miss Remson, who had conducted the newcomers to the dining room, they made considerable noise in the way of talk and laughter, calling back and forth to one another across the three tables which seated them, precisely as though they might have been the only occupants of the dining room.
the event consisting of the start of something
From this reading THE INTRUDER The three P. G’s. were beginning their dessert when the freshman invasion upon the dining room occurred.
belatedadjectiveUS /bɪˈleɪtɪd/
after the expected or usual time; delayed
From this reading The belated twelve, seen without motor coats and hats, were an attractive-looking lot of girls, smartly dressed to a degree.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Assigned seats at table by Miss Remson, who had conducted the newcomers to the dining room, they made considerable noise in the way of talk and laughter, calling back and forth to one another across the three tables which seated them, precisely as though they might have been the only occupants of the dining room.
the particular occupation for which you are trained
From this reading Assigned seats at table by Miss Remson, who had conducted the newcomers to the dining room, they made considerable noise in the way of talk and laughter, calling back and forth to one another across the three tables which seated them, precisely as though they might have been the only occupants of the dining room.
chaperonnoun
one who accompanies and supervises a young woman or gatherings of young people
From this reading “What’s overtaken their chaperon, I wonder?”
chatteringnounUS /ˈtʃætərɪŋ/
the rapid series of noises made by the parts of a machine
From this reading Leslie surveyed the chattering group of diners with an enigmatic face.
coatsnounUS /koʊts/
plural of “coat” — an outer garment that has sleeves and covers the body from shoulder down; worn outdoors
From this reading The belated twelve, seen without motor coats and hats, were an attractive-looking lot of girls, smartly dressed to a degree.
conductedverbUS /kənˈdʌktəd/
past form of “conduct” — direct the course of; manage or control
From this reading Assigned seats at table by Miss Remson, who had conducted the newcomers to the dining room, they made considerable noise in the way of talk and laughter, calling back and forth to one another across the three tables which seated them, precisely as though they might have been the only occupants of the dining room.
large or relatively large in number or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Assigned seats at table by Miss Remson, who had conducted the newcomers to the dining room, they made considerable noise in the way of talk and laughter, calling back and forth to one another across the three tables which seated them, precisely as though they might have been the only occupants of the dining room.
a position on a scale of intensity or amount or quality
From this reading The belated twelve, seen without motor coats and hats, were an attractive-looking lot of girls, smartly dressed to a degree.
dessertnounUS /dɪˈzɜːrt/
a dish served as the last course of a meal
From this reading THE INTRUDER The three P. G’s. were beginning their dessert when the freshman invasion upon the dining room occurred.
dinersnounUS /ˈdaɪnərz/
plural of “diner” — a person eating a meal (especially in a restaurant)
From this reading Leslie surveyed the chattering group of diners with an enigmatic face.
diningnounUS /ˈdaɪnɪŋ/
the act of eating dinner
From this reading THE INTRUDER The three P. G’s. were beginning their dessert when the freshman invasion upon the dining room occurred.
dressed or clothed especially in fine attire; often used in combination
From this reading The belated twelve, seen without motor coats and hats, were an attractive-looking lot of girls, smartly dressed to a degree.
enigmaticadjectiveUS /ˌenɪɡˈmætɪk/
not clear to the understanding
From this reading Leslie surveyed the chattering group of diners with an enigmatic face.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading Leslie surveyed the chattering group of diners with an enigmatic face.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Assigned seats at table by Miss Remson, who had conducted the newcomers to the dining room, they made considerable noise in the way of talk and laughter, calling back and forth to one another across the three tables which seated them, precisely as though they might have been the only occupants of the dining room.
freshmannounUS /ˈfreʃmən/
a first-year undergraduate
From this reading THE INTRUDER The three P. G’s. were beginning their dessert when the freshman invasion upon the dining room occurred.
G'snounUS /dʒiːz/
possessive form of “g” — a metric unit of weight equal to one thousandth of a kilogram
From this reading THE INTRUDER The three P. G’s. were beginning their dessert when the freshman invasion upon the dining room occurred.
plural of “girl” — a young female
From this reading The belated twelve, seen without motor coats and hats, were an attractive-looking lot of girls, smartly dressed to a degree.
any number of entities (members) considered as a unit
From this reading Leslie surveyed the chattering group of diners with an enigmatic face.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Assigned seats at table by Miss Remson, who had conducted the newcomers to the dining room, they made considerable noise in the way of talk and laughter, calling back and forth to one another across the three tables which seated them, precisely as though they might have been the only occupants of the dining room.
hatsnounUS /hæts/
plural of “hat” — headdress that protects the head from bad weather; has shaped crown and usually a brim
From this reading The belated twelve, seen without motor coats and hats, were an attractive-looking lot of girls, smartly dressed to a degree.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Assigned seats at table by Miss Remson, who had conducted the newcomers to the dining room, they made considerable noise in the way of talk and laughter, calling back and forth to one another across the three tables which seated them, precisely as though they might have been the only occupants of the dining room.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “What’s overtaken their chaperon, I wonder?”
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Assigned seats at table by Miss Remson, who had conducted the newcomers to the dining room, they made considerable noise in the way of talk and laughter, calling back and forth to one another across the three tables which seated them, precisely as though they might have been the only occupants of the dining room.
INTRUDERnounUS /ˌɪnˈtruːdər/
someone who intrudes on the privacy or property of another without permission
From this reading THE INTRUDER The three P. G’s. were beginning their dessert when the freshman invasion upon the dining room occurred.
invasionnounUS /ˌɪnˈveɪʒən/
the act of invading; the act of an army that invades for conquest or plunder
From this reading THE INTRUDER The three P. G’s. were beginning their dessert when the freshman invasion upon the dining room occurred.
the sound of laughing
From this reading Assigned seats at table by Miss Remson, who had conducted the newcomers to the dining room, they made considerable noise in the way of talk and laughter, calling back and forth to one another across the three tables which seated them, precisely as though they might have been the only occupants of the dining room.
Leslie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Leslie surveyed the chattering group of diners with an enigmatic face.
(often followed by “of”) a large number or amount or extent
From this reading The belated twelve, seen without motor coats and hats, were an attractive-looking lot of girls, smartly dressed to a degree.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading Assigned seats at table by Miss Remson, who had conducted the newcomers to the dining room, they made considerable noise in the way of talk and laughter, calling back and forth to one another across the three tables which seated them, precisely as though they might have been the only occupants of the dining room.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading Assigned seats at table by Miss Remson, who had conducted the newcomers to the dining room, they made considerable noise in the way of talk and laughter, calling back and forth to one another across the three tables which seated them, precisely as though they might have been the only occupants of the dining room.
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading Assigned seats at table by Miss Remson, who had conducted the newcomers to the dining room, they made considerable noise in the way of talk and laughter, calling back and forth to one another across the three tables which seated them, precisely as though they might have been the only occupants of the dining room.
motornounUS /ˈmoʊtər/
machine that converts other forms of energy into mechanical energy and so imparts motion
From this reading The belated twelve, seen without motor coats and hats, were an attractive-looking lot of girls, smartly dressed to a degree.
newcomersnounUS /ˈnuːkʌmərz/
plural of “newcomer” — any new participant in some activity
From this reading Assigned seats at table by Miss Remson, who had conducted the newcomers to the dining room, they made considerable noise in the way of talk and laughter, calling back and forth to one another across the three tables which seated them, precisely as though they might have been the only occupants of the dining room.
sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound)
From this reading Assigned seats at table by Miss Remson, who had conducted the newcomers to the dining room, they made considerable noise in the way of talk and laughter, calling back and forth to one another across the three tables which seated them, precisely as though they might have been the only occupants of the dining room.
occupantsnounUS /ˈɑːkjəpənts/
plural of “occupant” — someone who lives at a particular place for a prolonged period or who was born there
From this reading Assigned seats at table by Miss Remson, who had conducted the newcomers to the dining room, they made considerable noise in the way of talk and laughter, calling back and forth to one another across the three tables which seated them, precisely as though they might have been the only occupants of the dining room.
inflected form of “occur” — come to pass
From this reading THE INTRUDER The three P. G’s. were beginning their dessert when the freshman invasion upon the dining room occurred.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The belated twelve, seen without motor coats and hats, were an attractive-looking lot of girls, smartly dressed to a degree.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Assigned seats at table by Miss Remson, who had conducted the newcomers to the dining room, they made considerable noise in the way of talk and laughter, calling back and forth to one another across the three tables which seated them, precisely as though they might have been the only occupants of the dining room.
and nothing more
From this reading Assigned seats at table by Miss Remson, who had conducted the newcomers to the dining room, they made considerable noise in the way of talk and laughter, calling back and forth to one another across the three tables which seated them, precisely as though they might have been the only occupants of the dining room.
overtakenverbUS /ˈoʊvərteɪkən/
inflected form of “overtake” — catch up with and possibly overtake
From this reading “What’s overtaken their chaperon, I wonder?”
a multivalent nonmetallic element of the nitrogen family that occurs commonly in inorganic phosphate rocks and as organic phosphates in all living cells; is highly reactive and occurs in several allotropic forms
From this reading THE INTRUDER The three P. G’s. were beginning their dessert when the freshman invasion upon the dining room occurred.
preciselyadverbUS /prɪˈsaɪsli/
indicating exactness or preciseness
From this reading Assigned seats at table by Miss Remson, who had conducted the newcomers to the dining room, they made considerable noise in the way of talk and laughter, calling back and forth to one another across the three tables which seated them, precisely as though they might have been the only occupants of the dining room.
Remson
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Assigned seats at table by Miss Remson, who had conducted the newcomers to the dining room, they made considerable noise in the way of talk and laughter, calling back and forth to one another across the three tables which seated them, precisely as though they might have been the only occupants of the dining room.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading THE INTRUDER The three P. G’s. were beginning their dessert when the freshman invasion upon the dining room occurred.
(of persons) having the torso erect and legs bent with the body supported on the buttocks
From this reading Assigned seats at table by Miss Remson, who had conducted the newcomers to the dining room, they made considerable noise in the way of talk and laughter, calling back and forth to one another across the three tables which seated them, precisely as though they might have been the only occupants of the dining room.
seatsnounUS /siːts/
an area that includes places where several people can sit
From this reading Assigned seats at table by Miss Remson, who had conducted the newcomers to the dining room, they made considerable noise in the way of talk and laughter, calling back and forth to one another across the three tables which seated them, precisely as though they might have been the only occupants of the dining room.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading The belated twelve, seen without motor coats and hats, were an attractive-looking lot of girls, smartly dressed to a degree.
smartlyadverbUS /ˈsmɑːrtli/
in a clever manner
From this reading The belated twelve, seen without motor coats and hats, were an attractive-looking lot of girls, smartly dressed to a degree.
surveyedverbUS /sərˈveɪd/
past form of “survey” — consider in a comprehensive way
From this reading Leslie surveyed the chattering group of diners with an enigmatic face.
a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading Assigned seats at table by Miss Remson, who had conducted the newcomers to the dining room, they made considerable noise in the way of talk and laughter, calling back and forth to one another across the three tables which seated them, precisely as though they might have been the only occupants of the dining room.
tablesnounUS /ˈteɪbəlz/
plural of “table” — a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading Assigned seats at table by Miss Remson, who had conducted the newcomers to the dining room, they made considerable noise in the way of talk and laughter, calling back and forth to one another across the three tables which seated them, precisely as though they might have been the only occupants of the dining room.
exchange thoughts; talk with
From this reading Assigned seats at table by Miss Remson, who had conducted the newcomers to the dining room, they made considerable noise in the way of talk and laughter, calling back and forth to one another across the three tables which seated them, precisely as though they might have been the only occupants of the dining room.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE INTRUDER The three P. G’s. were beginning their dessert when the freshman invasion upon the dining room occurred.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading THE INTRUDER The three P. G’s. were beginning their dessert when the freshman invasion upon the dining room occurred.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Assigned seats at table by Miss Remson, who had conducted the newcomers to the dining room, they made considerable noise in the way of talk and laughter, calling back and forth to one another across the three tables which seated them, precisely as though they might have been the only occupants of the dining room.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Assigned seats at table by Miss Remson, who had conducted the newcomers to the dining room, they made considerable noise in the way of talk and laughter, calling back and forth to one another across the three tables which seated them, precisely as though they might have been the only occupants of the dining room.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading Assigned seats at table by Miss Remson, who had conducted the newcomers to the dining room, they made considerable noise in the way of talk and laughter, calling back and forth to one another across the three tables which seated them, precisely as though they might have been the only occupants of the dining room.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading THE INTRUDER The three P. G’s. were beginning their dessert when the freshman invasion upon the dining room occurred.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The belated twelve, seen without motor coats and hats, were an attractive-looking lot of girls, smartly dressed to a degree.
the cardinal number that is the sum of eleven and one
From this reading The belated twelve, seen without motor coats and hats, were an attractive-looking lot of girls, smartly dressed to a degree.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading THE INTRUDER The three P. G’s. were beginning their dessert when the freshman invasion upon the dining room occurred.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading Assigned seats at table by Miss Remson, who had conducted the newcomers to the dining room, they made considerable noise in the way of talk and laughter, calling back and forth to one another across the three tables which seated them, precisely as though they might have been the only occupants of the dining room.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading THE INTRUDER The three P. G’s. were beginning their dessert when the freshman invasion upon the dining room occurred.
What's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “What’s overtaken their chaperon, I wonder?”
at the time that
From this reading THE INTRUDER The three P. G’s. were beginning their dessert when the freshman invasion upon the dining room occurred.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Assigned seats at table by Miss Remson, who had conducted the newcomers to the dining room, they made considerable noise in the way of talk and laughter, calling back and forth to one another across the three tables which seated them, precisely as though they might have been the only occupants of the dining room.
which person or people
From this reading Assigned seats at table by Miss Remson, who had conducted the newcomers to the dining room, they made considerable noise in the way of talk and laughter, calling back and forth to one another across the three tables which seated them, precisely as though they might have been the only occupants of the dining room.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Leslie surveyed the chattering group of diners with an enigmatic face.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading The belated twelve, seen without motor coats and hats, were an attractive-looking lot of girls, smartly dressed to a degree.
the feeling aroused by something strange and surprising
From this reading “What’s overtaken their chaperon, I wonder?”
