used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "Nevil said in his telegram that he would be here about a quarter past seven, and it is now five minutes past nine," said Mrs. Arbuthnot tearfully.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading "Nevil said in his telegram that he would be here about a quarter past seven, and it is now five minutes past nine," said Mrs. Arbuthnot tearfully.
(followed by “to”) in agreement with or accordant with
From this reading "Five-and-twenty minutes to nine, _mon enfant_, according to Greenwich," said I, as reassuringly as the circumstances permitted.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading HIS ILLYRIAN MAJESTY FERDINAND THE TWELTFH His Majesty had not arrived, and the dinner was spoiling.
Arbuthnot
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I asked, keeping well in the background, for I had no wish for Mrs. Arbuthnot to observe my condition prematurely.
past form of “arrive” — reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress
From this reading HIS ILLYRIAN MAJESTY FERDINAND THE TWELTFH His Majesty had not arrived, and the dinner was spoiling.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading "Five-and-twenty minutes to nine, _mon enfant_, according to Greenwich," said I, as reassuringly as the circumstances permitted.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading I asked, keeping well in the background, for I had no wish for Mrs. Arbuthnot to observe my condition prematurely.
backgroundnounUS /ˈbækɡraʊnd/
a person's social heritage: previous experience or training
From this reading I asked, keeping well in the background, for I had no wish for Mrs. Arbuthnot to observe my condition prematurely.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "Nevil said in his telegram that he would be here about a quarter past seven, and it is now five minutes past nine," said Mrs. Arbuthnot tearfully.
your overall circumstances or condition in life (including everything that happens to you)
From this reading "Five-and-twenty minutes to nine, _mon enfant_, according to Greenwich," said I, as reassuringly as the circumstances permitted.
a state at a particular time
From this reading I asked, keeping well in the background, for I had no wish for Mrs. Arbuthnot to observe my condition prematurely.
the main meal of the day served in the evening or at midday
From this reading HIS ILLYRIAN MAJESTY FERDINAND THE TWELTFH His Majesty had not arrived, and the dinner was spoiling.
enfant
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Five-and-twenty minutes to nine, _mon enfant_, according to Greenwich," said I, as reassuringly as the circumstances permitted.
FERDINANDnounUS /ˈfɜːrdɪnænd/
the king of Castile and Aragon who ruled jointly with his wife Isabella
From this reading HIS ILLYRIAN MAJESTY FERDINAND THE TWELTFH His Majesty had not arrived, and the dinner was spoiling.
the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one
From this reading "Nevil said in his telegram that he would be here about a quarter past seven, and it is now five minutes past nine," said Mrs. Arbuthnot tearfully.
Five-and-twenty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Five-and-twenty minutes to nine, _mon enfant_, according to Greenwich," said I, as reassuringly as the circumstances permitted.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading I asked, keeping well in the background, for I had no wish for Mrs. Arbuthnot to observe my condition prematurely.
GreenwichnounUS /ˈɡrenɪtʃ/
a borough of Greater London on the Thames; zero degrees of longitude runs through Greenwich; time is measured relative to Greenwich Mean Time
From this reading "Five-and-twenty minutes to nine, _mon enfant_, according to Greenwich," said I, as reassuringly as the circumstances permitted.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading HIS ILLYRIAN MAJESTY FERDINAND THE TWELTFH His Majesty had not arrived, and the dinner was spoiling.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Nevil said in his telegram that he would be here about a quarter past seven, and it is now five minutes past nine," said Mrs. Arbuthnot tearfully.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading "Nevil said in his telegram that he would be here about a quarter past seven, and it is now five minutes past nine," said Mrs. Arbuthnot tearfully.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading HIS ILLYRIAN MAJESTY FERDINAND THE TWELTFH His Majesty had not arrived, and the dinner was spoiling.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I asked, keeping well in the background, for I had no wish for Mrs. Arbuthnot to observe my condition prematurely.
ILLYRIANnounUS /ˌɪˈlɪriən/
a minor and almost extinct branch of the Indo-European languages; spoken along the Dalmatian coast
From this reading HIS ILLYRIAN MAJESTY FERDINAND THE TWELTFH His Majesty had not arrived, and the dinner was spoiling.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading I asked, keeping well in the background, for I had no wish for Mrs. Arbuthnot to observe my condition prematurely.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "Nevil said in his telegram that he would be here about a quarter past seven, and it is now five minutes past nine," said Mrs. Arbuthnot tearfully.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "Nevil said in his telegram that he would be here about a quarter past seven, and it is now five minutes past nine," said Mrs. Arbuthnot tearfully.
conformity or harmony
From this reading I asked, keeping well in the background, for I had no wish for Mrs. Arbuthnot to observe my condition prematurely.
a male sovereign; ruler of a kingdom
From this reading "No news of the King?"
impressiveness in scale or proportion
From this reading HIS ILLYRIAN MAJESTY FERDINAND THE TWELTFH His Majesty had not arrived, and the dinner was spoiling.
a written account of what transpired at a meeting
From this reading "Nevil said in his telegram that he would be here about a quarter past seven, and it is now five minutes past nine," said Mrs. Arbuthnot tearfully.
monnounUS /moʊn/
the second day of the week; the first working day
From this reading "Five-and-twenty minutes to nine, _mon enfant_, according to Greenwich," said I, as reassuringly as the circumstances permitted.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading I asked, keeping well in the background, for I had no wish for Mrs. Arbuthnot to observe my condition prematurely.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading I asked, keeping well in the background, for I had no wish for Mrs. Arbuthnot to observe my condition prematurely.
Nevil
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Nevil said in his telegram that he would be here about a quarter past seven, and it is now five minutes past nine," said Mrs. Arbuthnot tearfully.
information about recent and important events
From this reading "No news of the King?"
the cardinal number that is the sum of eight and one
From this reading "Nevil said in his telegram that he would be here about a quarter past seven, and it is now five minutes past nine," said Mrs. Arbuthnot tearfully.
not any; not one
From this reading "No news of the King?"
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading HIS ILLYRIAN MAJESTY FERDINAND THE TWELTFH His Majesty had not arrived, and the dinner was spoiling.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading "Nevil said in his telegram that he would be here about a quarter past seven, and it is now five minutes past nine," said Mrs. Arbuthnot tearfully.
discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of
From this reading I asked, keeping well in the background, for I had no wish for Mrs. Arbuthnot to observe my condition prematurely.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "No news of the King?"
the time that has elapsed
From this reading "Nevil said in his telegram that he would be here about a quarter past seven, and it is now five minutes past nine," said Mrs. Arbuthnot tearfully.
inflected form of “permit” — consent to, give permission
From this reading "Five-and-twenty minutes to nine, _mon enfant_, according to Greenwich," said I, as reassuringly as the circumstances permitted.
prematurelyadverbUS /ˌpriːməˈtʃʊrli/
(of childbirth) before the end of the normal period of gestation
From this reading I asked, keeping well in the background, for I had no wish for Mrs. Arbuthnot to observe my condition prematurely.
one of four equal parts
From this reading "Nevil said in his telegram that he would be here about a quarter past seven, and it is now five minutes past nine," said Mrs. Arbuthnot tearfully.
reassuringlyadverbUS /riəˈʃɜːrɪŋli/
in a reassuring manner
From this reading "Five-and-twenty minutes to nine, _mon enfant_, according to Greenwich," said I, as reassuringly as the circumstances permitted.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "Nevil said in his telegram that he would be here about a quarter past seven, and it is now five minutes past nine," said Mrs. Arbuthnot tearfully.
the cardinal number that is the sum of six and one
From this reading "Nevil said in his telegram that he would be here about a quarter past seven, and it is now five minutes past nine," said Mrs. Arbuthnot tearfully.
spoilingnounUS /ˈspɔɪlɪŋ/
the process of becoming spoiled
From this reading HIS ILLYRIAN MAJESTY FERDINAND THE TWELTFH His Majesty had not arrived, and the dinner was spoiling.
tearfullyadverbUS /ˈtɪrfəli/
with tears; in a tearful manner
From this reading "Nevil said in his telegram that he would be here about a quarter past seven, and it is now five minutes past nine," said Mrs. Arbuthnot tearfully.
telegramnounUS /ˈteləɡræm/
a message transmitted by telegraph
From this reading "Nevil said in his telegram that he would be here about a quarter past seven, and it is now five minutes past nine," said Mrs. Arbuthnot tearfully.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "Nevil said in his telegram that he would be here about a quarter past seven, and it is now five minutes past nine," said Mrs. Arbuthnot tearfully.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading HIS ILLYRIAN MAJESTY FERDINAND THE TWELTFH His Majesty had not arrived, and the dinner was spoiling.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I asked, keeping well in the background, for I had no wish for Mrs. Arbuthnot to observe my condition prematurely.
TWELTFH
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HIS ILLYRIAN MAJESTY FERDINAND THE TWELTFH His Majesty had not arrived, and the dinner was spoiling.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading HIS ILLYRIAN MAJESTY FERDINAND THE TWELTFH His Majesty had not arrived, and the dinner was spoiling.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading I asked, keeping well in the background, for I had no wish for Mrs. Arbuthnot to observe my condition prematurely.
hope for; have a wish
From this reading I asked, keeping well in the background, for I had no wish for Mrs. Arbuthnot to observe my condition prematurely.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading "Nevil said in his telegram that he would be here about a quarter past seven, and it is now five minutes past nine," said Mrs. Arbuthnot tearfully.
