used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading If it pleases us to dine together coatless and cuffless, we do so; and no one suggests that a national upheaval is likely to result.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading In the country, social intercourse between Hawkins' family and my own is upon the most informal basis.
ascendancynounUS /əˈsendənsi/
the state that exists when one person or group has power over another
From this reading The bugaboo of strict propriety seems to take mysterious ascendancy.
basisnounUS /ˈbeɪsəs/
a relation that provides the foundation for something
From this reading In the country, social intercourse between Hawkins' family and my own is upon the most informal basis.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading In the country, social intercourse between Hawkins' family and my own is upon the most informal basis.
bugaboonounUS /ˈbʌɡəbuː/
an imaginary monster used to frighten children
From this reading The bugaboo of strict propriety seems to take mysterious ascendancy.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But in town it is different.
coatless
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If it pleases us to dine together coatless and cuffless, we do so; and no one suggests that a national upheaval is likely to result.
a politically organized body of people under a single government
From this reading In the country, social intercourse between Hawkins' family and my own is upon the most informal basis.
cuffless
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If it pleases us to dine together coatless and cuffless, we do so; and no one suggests that a national upheaval is likely to result.
unlike in nature or quality or form or degree
From this reading But in town it is different.
dineverbUS /daɪn/
have supper; eat dinner
From this reading If it pleases us to dine together coatless and cuffless, we do so; and no one suggests that a national upheaval is likely to result.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading If it pleases us to dine together coatless and cuffless, we do so; and no one suggests that a national upheaval is likely to result.
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading We still dine together, but it is done in the most proper evening dress.
put on clothes
From this reading We still dine together, but it is done in the most proper evening dress.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading We still dine together, but it is done in the most proper evening dress.
a social unit living together
From this reading In the country, social intercourse between Hawkins' family and my own is upon the most informal basis.
HawkinsnounUS /ˈhɔːkɪnz/
English privateer involved in the slave trade; later helped build the fleet that in 1588 defeated the Spanish Armada (1532-1595)
From this reading In the country, social intercourse between Hawkins' family and my own is upon the most informal basis.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If it pleases us to dine together coatless and cuffless, we do so; and no one suggests that a national upheaval is likely to result.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In the country, social intercourse between Hawkins' family and my own is upon the most informal basis.
informaladjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈfɔːrməl/
not formal
From this reading In the country, social intercourse between Hawkins' family and my own is upon the most informal basis.
intercoursenounUS /ˈɪntərkɔːrs/
communication between individuals
From this reading In the country, social intercourse between Hawkins' family and my own is upon the most informal basis.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading In the country, social intercourse between Hawkins' family and my own is upon the most informal basis.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading If it pleases us to dine together coatless and cuffless, we do so; and no one suggests that a national upheaval is likely to result.
has a good chance of being the case or of coming about
From this reading If it pleases us to dine together coatless and cuffless, we do so; and no one suggests that a national upheaval is likely to result.
used to form the superlative
From this reading In the country, social intercourse between Hawkins' family and my own is upon the most informal basis.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading In the country, social intercourse between Hawkins' family and my own is upon the most informal basis.
of an obscure nature
From this reading The bugaboo of strict propriety seems to take mysterious ascendancy.
of or relating to or belonging to a nation or country
From this reading If it pleases us to dine together coatless and cuffless, we do so; and no one suggests that a national upheaval is likely to result.
not any; not one
From this reading If it pleases us to dine together coatless and cuffless, we do so; and no one suggests that a national upheaval is likely to result.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The bugaboo of strict propriety seems to take mysterious ascendancy.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading If it pleases us to dine together coatless and cuffless, we do so; and no one suggests that a national upheaval is likely to result.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading In the country, social intercourse between Hawkins' family and my own is upon the most informal basis.
pleasesverbUS /ˈpliːzɪz/
third-person singular of “please” — give pleasure to or be pleasing to
From this reading If it pleases us to dine together coatless and cuffless, we do so; and no one suggests that a national upheaval is likely to result.
marked by suitability or rightness or appropriateness
From this reading We still dine together, but it is done in the most proper evening dress.
proprietynounUS /prəˈpraɪəti/
correct or appropriate behavior
From this reading The bugaboo of strict propriety seems to take mysterious ascendancy.
a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon
From this reading If it pleases us to dine together coatless and cuffless, we do so; and no one suggests that a national upheaval is likely to result.
third-person singular of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading The bugaboo of strict propriety seems to take mysterious ascendancy.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading If it pleases us to dine together coatless and cuffless, we do so; and no one suggests that a national upheaval is likely to result.
relating to human society and its members
From this reading In the country, social intercourse between Hawkins' family and my own is upon the most informal basis.
not in physical motion
From this reading We still dine together, but it is done in the most proper evening dress.
strictadjectiveUS /strɪkt/
rigidly accurate; allowing no deviation from a standard
From this reading The bugaboo of strict propriety seems to take mysterious ascendancy.
suggestsverbUS /səˈdʒests/
third-person singular of “suggest” — make a proposal, declare a plan for something
From this reading If it pleases us to dine together coatless and cuffless, we do so; and no one suggests that a national upheaval is likely to result.
carry out
From this reading The bugaboo of strict propriety seems to take mysterious ascendancy.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading If it pleases us to dine together coatless and cuffless, we do so; and no one suggests that a national upheaval is likely to result.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading In the country, social intercourse between Hawkins' family and my own is upon the most informal basis.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading If it pleases us to dine together coatless and cuffless, we do so; and no one suggests that a national upheaval is likely to result.
in contact with each other or in proximity
From this reading If it pleases us to dine together coatless and cuffless, we do so; and no one suggests that a national upheaval is likely to result.
an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading But in town it is different.
upheavalnounUS /əpˈhiːvəl/
a state of violent disturbance and disorder (as in politics or social conditions generally)
From this reading If it pleases us to dine together coatless and cuffless, we do so; and no one suggests that a national upheaval is likely to result.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading In the country, social intercourse between Hawkins' family and my own is upon the most informal basis.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading If it pleases us to dine together coatless and cuffless, we do so; and no one suggests that a national upheaval is likely to result.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading If it pleases us to dine together coatless and cuffless, we do so; and no one suggests that a national upheaval is likely to result.
