used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Certainly it is not very nice, but often and often I could get a quiet half-hour at my writing but for supper.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading _THE YOUNG PLAY-ACTOR._ I was telling you about the young lady, who was so ill in our house, when I was interrupted through Harry insisting on my coming to supper.
AfterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading After supper I can never do anything, for, somehow or other, I settle down in my easy chair and get sleepy directly.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading He always makes the excuse, that he hates to have his meals alone.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading He always makes the excuse, that he hates to have his meals alone.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Certainly it is not very nice, but often and often I could get a quiet half-hour at my writing but for supper.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading No matter whether I want any supper or not, Harry won’t let me stop away.
any thing at all
From this reading After supper I can never do anything, for, somehow or other, I settle down in my easy chair and get sleepy directly.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Certainly it is not very nice, but often and often I could get a quiet half-hour at my writing but for supper.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading No matter whether I want any supper or not, Harry won’t let me stop away.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Certainly it is not very nice, but often and often I could get a quiet half-hour at my writing but for supper.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading After supper I can never do anything, for, somehow or other, I settle down in my easy chair and get sleepy directly.
definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)
From this reading Certainly it is not very nice, but often and often I could get a quiet half-hour at my writing but for supper.
a seat for one person, with a support for the back
From this reading After supper I can never do anything, for, somehow or other, I settle down in my easy chair and get sleepy directly.
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading _THE YOUNG PLAY-ACTOR._ I was telling you about the young lady, who was so ill in our house, when I was interrupted through Harry insisting on my coming to supper.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Certainly it is not very nice, but often and often I could get a quiet half-hour at my writing but for supper.
without deviation
From this reading After supper I can never do anything, for, somehow or other, I settle down in my easy chair and get sleepy directly.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading After supper I can never do anything, for, somehow or other, I settle down in my easy chair and get sleepy directly.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading After supper I can never do anything, for, somehow or other, I settle down in my easy chair and get sleepy directly.
posing no difficulty; requiring little effort
From this reading After supper I can never do anything, for, somehow or other, I settle down in my easy chair and get sleepy directly.
accept an excuse for
From this reading He always makes the excuse, that he hates to have his meals alone.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Certainly it is not very nice, but often and often I could get a quiet half-hour at my writing but for supper.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading Certainly it is not very nice, but often and often I could get a quiet half-hour at my writing but for supper.
half-hournounUS /ˈhæfaʊər/
a half of an hour
From this reading Certainly it is not very nice, but often and often I could get a quiet half-hour at my writing but for supper.
annoy continually or chronically
From this reading _THE YOUNG PLAY-ACTOR._ I was telling you about the young lady, who was so ill in our house, when I was interrupted through Harry insisting on my coming to supper.
hatesnounUS /heɪts/
plural of “hate” — the emotion of intense dislike; a feeling of dislike so strong that it demands action
From this reading He always makes the excuse, that he hates to have his meals alone.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading He always makes the excuse, that he hates to have his meals alone.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He always makes the excuse, that he hates to have his meals alone.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He always makes the excuse, that he hates to have his meals alone.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading _THE YOUNG PLAY-ACTOR._ I was telling you about the young lady, who was so ill in our house, when I was interrupted through Harry insisting on my coming to supper.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading _THE YOUNG PLAY-ACTOR._ I was telling you about the young lady, who was so ill in our house, when I was interrupted through Harry insisting on my coming to supper.
affected by an impairment of normal physical or mental function
From this reading _THE YOUNG PLAY-ACTOR._ I was telling you about the young lady, who was so ill in our house, when I was interrupted through Harry insisting on my coming to supper.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading _THE YOUNG PLAY-ACTOR._ I was telling you about the young lady, who was so ill in our house, when I was interrupted through Harry insisting on my coming to supper.
insistingnounUS /ˌɪnˈsɪstɪŋ/
continual and persistent demands
From this reading _THE YOUNG PLAY-ACTOR._ I was telling you about the young lady, who was so ill in our house, when I was interrupted through Harry insisting on my coming to supper.
discontinued temporarily
From this reading _THE YOUNG PLAY-ACTOR._ I was telling you about the young lady, who was so ill in our house, when I was interrupted through Harry insisting on my coming to supper.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Certainly it is not very nice, but often and often I could get a quiet half-hour at my writing but for supper.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Certainly it is not very nice, but often and often I could get a quiet half-hour at my writing but for supper.
a polite name for any woman
From this reading _THE YOUNG PLAY-ACTOR._ I was telling you about the young lady, who was so ill in our house, when I was interrupted through Harry insisting on my coming to supper.
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading No matter whether I want any supper or not, Harry won’t let me stop away.
plural of “make” — a recognizable kind
From this reading He always makes the excuse, that he hates to have his meals alone.
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading No matter whether I want any supper or not, Harry won’t let me stop away.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading No matter whether I want any supper or not, Harry won’t let me stop away.
mealsnounUS /miːlz/
plural of “meal” — the food served and eaten at one time
From this reading He always makes the excuse, that he hates to have his meals alone.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading _THE YOUNG PLAY-ACTOR._ I was telling you about the young lady, who was so ill in our house, when I was interrupted through Harry insisting on my coming to supper.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading After supper I can never do anything, for, somehow or other, I settle down in my easy chair and get sleepy directly.
pleasant or pleasing or agreeable in nature or appearance
From this reading Certainly it is not very nice, but often and often I could get a quiet half-hour at my writing but for supper.
not any; not one
From this reading No matter whether I want any supper or not, Harry won’t let me stop away.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading No matter whether I want any supper or not, Harry won’t let me stop away.
many times at short intervals
From this reading Certainly it is not very nice, but often and often I could get a quiet half-hour at my writing but for supper.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading _THE YOUNG PLAY-ACTOR._ I was telling you about the young lady, who was so ill in our house, when I was interrupted through Harry insisting on my coming to supper.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading No matter whether I want any supper or not, Harry won’t let me stop away.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading After supper I can never do anything, for, somehow or other, I settle down in my easy chair and get sleepy directly.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading _THE YOUNG PLAY-ACTOR._ I was telling you about the young lady, who was so ill in our house, when I was interrupted through Harry insisting on my coming to supper.
PLAY-ACTORnoun
an actor who travels around the country presenting plays
From this reading _THE YOUNG PLAY-ACTOR._ I was telling you about the young lady, who was so ill in our house, when I was interrupted through Harry insisting on my coming to supper.
quietadjectiveUS /ˈkwaɪət/
characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity
From this reading Certainly it is not very nice, but often and often I could get a quiet half-hour at my writing but for supper.
settle into a position, usually on a surface or ground
From this reading After supper I can never do anything, for, somehow or other, I settle down in my easy chair and get sleepy directly.
sleepyadjectiveUS /ˈsliːpi/
ready to fall asleep
From this reading After supper I can never do anything, for, somehow or other, I settle down in my easy chair and get sleepy directly.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading _THE YOUNG PLAY-ACTOR._ I was telling you about the young lady, who was so ill in our house, when I was interrupted through Harry insisting on my coming to supper.
in some unspecified way or manner; or by some unspecified means
From this reading After supper I can never do anything, for, somehow or other, I settle down in my easy chair and get sleepy directly.
come to a halt, stop moving
From this reading No matter whether I want any supper or not, Harry won’t let me stop away.
a light evening meal; served in early evening if dinner is at midday or served late in the evening at bedtime
From this reading _THE YOUNG PLAY-ACTOR._ I was telling you about the young lady, who was so ill in our house, when I was interrupted through Harry insisting on my coming to supper.
disclosing unintentionally something concealed
From this reading _THE YOUNG PLAY-ACTOR._ I was telling you about the young lady, who was so ill in our house, when I was interrupted through Harry insisting on my coming to supper.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He always makes the excuse, that he hates to have his meals alone.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading _THE YOUNG PLAY-ACTOR._ I was telling you about the young lady, who was so ill in our house, when I was interrupted through Harry insisting on my coming to supper.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading _THE YOUNG PLAY-ACTOR._ I was telling you about the young lady, who was so ill in our house, when I was interrupted through Harry insisting on my coming to supper.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading _THE YOUNG PLAY-ACTOR._ I was telling you about the young lady, who was so ill in our house, when I was interrupted through Harry insisting on my coming to supper.
precisely as stated
From this reading Certainly it is not very nice, but often and often I could get a quiet half-hour at my writing but for supper.
feel or have a desire for; want strongly
From this reading No matter whether I want any supper or not, Harry won’t let me stop away.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading _THE YOUNG PLAY-ACTOR._ I was telling you about the young lady, who was so ill in our house, when I was interrupted through Harry insisting on my coming to supper.
at the time that
From this reading _THE YOUNG PLAY-ACTOR._ I was telling you about the young lady, who was so ill in our house, when I was interrupted through Harry insisting on my coming to supper.
used to introduce two or more possibilities
From this reading No matter whether I want any supper or not, Harry won’t let me stop away.
which person or people
From this reading _THE YOUNG PLAY-ACTOR._ I was telling you about the young lady, who was so ill in our house, when I was interrupted through Harry insisting on my coming to supper.
won't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No matter whether I want any supper or not, Harry won’t let me stop away.
the act of creating written works
From this reading Certainly it is not very nice, but often and often I could get a quiet half-hour at my writing but for supper.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading _THE YOUNG PLAY-ACTOR._ I was telling you about the young lady, who was so ill in our house, when I was interrupted through Harry insisting on my coming to supper.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading _THE YOUNG PLAY-ACTOR._ I was telling you about the young lady, who was so ill in our house, when I was interrupted through Harry insisting on my coming to supper.
