used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He was an Irish lad with all the wit of his race, and his head was of a particularly classic type.
a record or narrative description of past events
From this reading ENGLISH OPERA (_Continued_) No account of our English Opera would be complete without mention of Mike.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading His duties were somewhat arbitrary, and chiefly consisted of calling at the dressing-room of the chorus each night after the opera with a basket to collect the costumes.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading He was only sixteen when he joined us, but he became an institution, and I kept track of him for years afterwards.
(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 He was an Irish lad with all the wit of his race, and his head was of a particularly classic type.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading He was an Irish lad with all the wit of his race, and his head was of a particularly classic type.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He was an Irish lad with all the wit of his race, and his head was of a particularly classic type.
arbitraryadjectiveUS /ˈɑːrbətreri/
based on or subject to individual discretion or preference or sometimes impulse or caprice
From this reading His duties were somewhat arbitrary, and chiefly consisted of calling at the dressing-room of the chorus each night after the opera with a basket to collect the costumes.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading His duties were somewhat arbitrary, and chiefly consisted of calling at the dressing-room of the chorus each night after the opera with a basket to collect the costumes.
a container that is usually woven and has handles
From this reading His duties were somewhat arbitrary, and chiefly consisted of calling at the dressing-room of the chorus each night after the opera with a basket to collect the costumes.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading ENGLISH OPERA (_Continued_) No account of our English Opera would be complete without mention of Mike.
inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading He was only sixteen when he joined us, but he became an institution, and I kept track of him for years afterwards.
on the far side of; further than
From this reading Beyond this, his principal occupation was watching my scenes and generally pervading the performances with genuine interest.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He was only sixteen when he joined us, but he became an institution, and I kept track of him for years afterwards.
the particular occupation for which you are trained
From this reading His duties were somewhat arbitrary, and chiefly consisted of calling at the dressing-room of the chorus each night after the opera with a basket to collect the costumes.
chieflyadverbUS /ˈtʃiːfli/
for the most part
From this reading His duties were somewhat arbitrary, and chiefly consisted of calling at the dressing-room of the chorus each night after the opera with a basket to collect the costumes.
chorusnounUS /ˈkɔːrəs/
any utterance produced simultaneously by a group
From this reading His duties were somewhat arbitrary, and chiefly consisted of calling at the dressing-room of the chorus each night after the opera with a basket to collect the costumes.
classicnounUS /ˈklæsɪk/
a creation of the highest excellence
From this reading He was an Irish lad with all the wit of his race, and his head was of a particularly classic type.
collectverbUS /kəˈlekt/
get or gather together
From this reading His duties were somewhat arbitrary, and chiefly consisted of calling at the dressing-room of the chorus each night after the opera with a basket to collect the costumes.
come or bring to a finish or an end
From this reading ENGLISH OPERA (_Continued_) No account of our English Opera would be complete without mention of Mike.
consistedverbUS /kənˈsɪstəd/
past form of “consist” — originate
From this reading His duties were somewhat arbitrary, and chiefly consisted of calling at the dressing-room of the chorus each night after the opera with a basket to collect the costumes.
without stop or interruption
From this reading ENGLISH OPERA (_Continued_) No account of our English Opera would be complete without mention of Mike.
costumesnounUS /kɑːˈstuːmz/
plural of “costume” — the attire worn in a play or at a fancy dress ball
From this reading His duties were somewhat arbitrary, and chiefly consisted of calling at the dressing-room of the chorus each night after the opera with a basket to collect the costumes.
dressing-room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His duties were somewhat arbitrary, and chiefly consisted of calling at the dressing-room of the chorus each night after the opera with a basket to collect the costumes.
plural of “duty” — the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force
From this reading His duties were somewhat arbitrary, and chiefly consisted of calling at the dressing-room of the chorus each night after the opera with a basket to collect the costumes.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading His duties were somewhat arbitrary, and chiefly consisted of calling at the dressing-room of the chorus each night after the opera with a basket to collect the costumes.
an Indo-European language belonging to the West Germanic branch; the official language of Britain and the United States and most of the commonwealth countries
From this reading ENGLISH OPERA (_Continued_) No account of our English Opera would be complete without mention of Mike.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He was only sixteen when he joined us, but he became an institution, and I kept track of him for years afterwards.
usually; as a rule
From this reading Beyond this, his principal occupation was watching my scenes and generally pervading the performances with genuine interest.
genuineadjectiveUS /ˈdʒenjəwən/
not fake or counterfeit
From this reading Beyond this, his principal occupation was watching my scenes and generally pervading the performances with genuine interest.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was an Irish lad with all the wit of his race, and his head was of a particularly classic type.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading He was an Irish lad with all the wit of his race, and his head was of a particularly classic type.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He was only sixteen when he joined us, but he became an institution, and I kept track of him for years afterwards.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He was an Irish lad with all the wit of his race, and his head was of a particularly classic type.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading He was only sixteen when he joined us, but he became an institution, and I kept track of him for years afterwards.
institutionnounUS /ˌɪnstɪˈtuːʃən/
an organization founded and united for a specific purpose
From this reading He was only sixteen when he joined us, but he became an institution, and I kept track of him for years afterwards.
a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something
From this reading Beyond this, his principal occupation was watching my scenes and generally pervading the performances with genuine interest.
people of Ireland or of Irish extraction
From this reading He was an Irish lad with all the wit of his race, and his head was of a particularly classic type.
of or relating to two people who are married to each other
From this reading He was only sixteen when he joined us, but he became an institution, and I kept track of him for years afterwards.
(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded
From this reading He was only sixteen when he joined us, but he became an institution, and I kept track of him for years afterwards.
a boy or man
From this reading He was an Irish lad with all the wit of his race, and his head was of a particularly classic type.
make reference to
From this reading ENGLISH OPERA (_Continued_) No account of our English Opera would be complete without mention of Mike.
MikenounUS /maɪk/
device for converting sound waves into electrical energy
From this reading ENGLISH OPERA (_Continued_) No account of our English Opera would be complete without mention of Mike.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading Beyond this, his principal occupation was watching my scenes and generally pervading the performances with genuine interest.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading His duties were somewhat arbitrary, and chiefly consisted of calling at the dressing-room of the chorus each night after the opera with a basket to collect the costumes.
not any; not one
From this reading ENGLISH OPERA (_Continued_) No account of our English Opera would be complete without mention of Mike.
occupationnounUS /ˌɑːkjəˈpeɪʃən/
the principal activity in your life that you do to earn money
From this reading Beyond this, his principal occupation was watching my scenes and generally pervading the performances with genuine interest.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading ENGLISH OPERA (_Continued_) No account of our English Opera would be complete without mention of Mike.
and nothing more
From this reading He was only sixteen when he joined us, but he became an institution, and I kept track of him for years afterwards.
OPERAnounUS /ˈɑːprə/
a drama set to music; consists of singing with orchestral accompaniment and an orchestral overture and interludes
From this reading ENGLISH OPERA (_Continued_) No account of our English Opera would be complete without mention of Mike.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading ENGLISH OPERA (_Continued_) No account of our English Opera would be complete without mention of Mike.
to a distinctly greater extent or degree than is common
From this reading He was an Irish lad with all the wit of his race, and his head was of a particularly classic type.
performancesnounUS /pərˈfɔːrmənsəz/
plural of “performance” — a dramatic or musical entertainment
From this reading Beyond this, his principal occupation was watching my scenes and generally pervading the performances with genuine interest.
pervadingverbUS /pərˈveɪdɪŋ/
-ing form of “pervade” — spread or diffuse through
From this reading Beyond this, his principal occupation was watching my scenes and generally pervading the performances with genuine interest.
the original amount of a debt on which interest is calculated
From this reading Beyond this, his principal occupation was watching my scenes and generally pervading the performances with genuine interest.
any competition
From this reading He was an Irish lad with all the wit of his race, and his head was of a particularly classic type.
plural of “scene” — the place where some action occurs
From this reading Beyond this, his principal occupation was watching my scenes and generally pervading the performances with genuine interest.
sixteenadjectiveUS /sɪkˈstiːn/
being one more than fifteen
From this reading He was only sixteen when he joined us, but he became an institution, and I kept track of him for years afterwards.
to a small degree or extent
From this reading His duties were somewhat arbitrary, and chiefly consisted of calling at the dressing-room of the chorus each night after the opera with a basket to collect the costumes.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He was an Irish lad with all the wit of his race, and his head was of a particularly classic type.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Beyond this, his principal occupation was watching my scenes and generally pervading the performances with genuine interest.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading His duties were somewhat arbitrary, and chiefly consisted of calling at the dressing-room of the chorus each night after the opera with a basket to collect the costumes.
a line or route along which something travels or moves
From this reading He was only sixteen when he joined us, but he became an institution, and I kept track of him for years afterwards.
a subdivision of a particular kind of thing
From this reading He was an Irish lad with all the wit of his race, and his head was of a particularly classic type.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He was only sixteen when he joined us, but he became an institution, and I kept track of him for years afterwards.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He was an Irish lad with all the wit of his race, and his head was of a particularly classic type.
the act of observing; taking a patient look
From this reading Beyond this, his principal occupation was watching my scenes and generally pervading the performances with genuine interest.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading His duties were somewhat arbitrary, and chiefly consisted of calling at the dressing-room of the chorus each night after the opera with a basket to collect the costumes.
at the time that
From this reading He was only sixteen when he joined us, but he became an institution, and I kept track of him for years afterwards.
a message whose ingenuity or verbal skill or incongruity has the power to evoke laughter
From this reading He was an Irish lad with all the wit of his race, and his head was of a particularly classic type.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He was an Irish lad with all the wit of his race, and his head was of a particularly classic type.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading ENGLISH OPERA (_Continued_) No account of our English Opera would be complete without mention of Mike.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading ENGLISH OPERA (_Continued_) No account of our English Opera would be complete without mention of Mike.
a late time of life
From this reading He was only sixteen when he joined us, but he became an institution, and I kept track of him for years afterwards.
