used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The family met and talked at table, and fulfilled all their social duties; but the former easy, familiar intercourse had given place to a stiff reserve and constraint, which weighed heavily on each separate member of the party.
acted upon; influenced
From this reading The Baroness, shallow-minded and superficial as ever, was, perhaps, the least affected by it.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading She could not understand how an insignificant, fleeting love-affair, which, after all, was nothing more than a piece of childish folly, should have so deep and lasting an influence on her brother-in-law's humour.
conforming to your own liking or feelings or nature
From this reading Life at the Castle during the last few weeks had been anything but agreeable.
(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 The family met and talked at table, and fulfilled all their social duties; but the former easy, familiar intercourse had given place to a stiff reserve and constraint, which weighed heavily on each separate member of the party.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading She could not understand how an insignificant, fleeting love-affair, which, after all, was nothing more than a piece of childish folly, should have so deep and lasting an influence on her brother-in-law's humour.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The family met and talked at table, and fulfilled all their social duties; but the former easy, familiar intercourse had given place to a stiff reserve and constraint, which weighed heavily on each separate member of the party.
any thing at all
From this reading Life at the Castle during the last few weeks had been anything but agreeable.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The Baroness, shallow-minded and superficial as ever, was, perhaps, the least affected by it.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Life at the Castle during the last few weeks had been anything but agreeable.
BaronessnounUS /ˈberənɪs/
a noblewoman who holds the rank of baron or who is the wife or widow of a baron
From this reading The Baroness, shallow-minded and superficial as ever, was, perhaps, the least affected by it.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading To be sure, things had outwardly taken their usual course.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Life at the Castle during the last few weeks had been anything but agreeable.
brother-in-law's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She could not understand how an insignificant, fleeting love-affair, which, after all, was nothing more than a piece of childish folly, should have so deep and lasting an influence on her brother-in-law's humour.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Life at the Castle during the last few weeks had been anything but agreeable.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The Baroness, shallow-minded and superficial as ever, was, perhaps, the least affected by it.
a large and stately mansion
From this reading Life at the Castle during the last few weeks had been anything but agreeable.
childishadjectiveUS /ˈtʃaɪldɪʃ/
indicating a lack of maturity
From this reading She could not understand how an insignificant, fleeting love-affair, which, after all, was nothing more than a piece of childish folly, should have so deep and lasting an influence on her brother-in-law's humour.
constraintnounUS /kənˈstreɪnt/
the state of being physically constrained
From this reading The family met and talked at table, and fulfilled all their social duties; but the former easy, familiar intercourse had given place to a stiff reserve and constraint, which weighed heavily on each separate member of the party.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading She could not understand how an insignificant, fleeting love-affair, which, after all, was nothing more than a piece of childish folly, should have so deep and lasting an influence on her brother-in-law's humour.
education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading To be sure, things had outwardly taken their usual course.
relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply
From this reading She could not understand how an insignificant, fleeting love-affair, which, after all, was nothing more than a piece of childish folly, should have so deep and lasting an influence on her brother-in-law's humour.
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading Life at the Castle during the last few weeks had been anything but agreeable.
plural of “duty” — the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force
From this reading The family met and talked at table, and fulfilled all their social duties; but the former easy, familiar intercourse had given place to a stiff reserve and constraint, which weighed heavily on each separate member of the party.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading The family met and talked at table, and fulfilled all their social duties; but the former easy, familiar intercourse had given place to a stiff reserve and constraint, which weighed heavily on each separate member of the party.
posing no difficulty; requiring little effort
From this reading The family met and talked at table, and fulfilled all their social duties; but the former easy, familiar intercourse had given place to a stiff reserve and constraint, which weighed heavily on each separate member of the party.
at any time
From this reading The Baroness, shallow-minded and superficial as ever, was, perhaps, the least affected by it.
well known or easily recognized
From this reading The family met and talked at table, and fulfilled all their social duties; but the former easy, familiar intercourse had given place to a stiff reserve and constraint, which weighed heavily on each separate member of the party.
a social unit living together
From this reading The family met and talked at table, and fulfilled all their social duties; but the former easy, familiar intercourse had given place to a stiff reserve and constraint, which weighed heavily on each separate member of the party.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading Life at the Castle during the last few weeks had been anything but agreeable.
fleetingadjectiveUS /ˈfliːtɪŋ/
lasting for a markedly brief time
From this reading She could not understand how an insignificant, fleeting love-affair, which, after all, was nothing more than a piece of childish folly, should have so deep and lasting an influence on her brother-in-law's humour.
the trait of acting stupidly or rashly
From this reading She could not understand how an insignificant, fleeting love-affair, which, after all, was nothing more than a piece of childish folly, should have so deep and lasting an influence on her brother-in-law's humour.
referring to the first of two things or persons mentioned (or the earlier one or ones of several)
From this reading The family met and talked at table, and fulfilled all their social duties; but the former easy, familiar intercourse had given place to a stiff reserve and constraint, which weighed heavily on each separate member of the party.
fulfilledadjectiveUS /fʊlˈfɪld/
completed to perfection
From this reading The family met and talked at table, and fulfilled all their social duties; but the former easy, familiar intercourse had given place to a stiff reserve and constraint, which weighed heavily on each separate member of the party.
givenadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪvən/
acknowledged as a supposition
From this reading The family met and talked at table, and fulfilled all their social duties; but the former easy, familiar intercourse had given place to a stiff reserve and constraint, which weighed heavily on each separate member of the party.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Life at the Castle during the last few weeks had been anything but agreeable.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading She could not understand how an insignificant, fleeting love-affair, which, after all, was nothing more than a piece of childish folly, should have so deep and lasting an influence on her brother-in-law's humour.
to a considerable degree
From this reading The family met and talked at table, and fulfilled all their social duties; but the former easy, familiar intercourse had given place to a stiff reserve and constraint, which weighed heavily on each separate member of the party.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She could not understand how an insignificant, fleeting love-affair, which, after all, was nothing more than a piece of childish folly, should have so deep and lasting an influence on her brother-in-law's humour.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She could not understand how an insignificant, fleeting love-affair, which, after all, was nothing more than a piece of childish folly, should have so deep and lasting an influence on her brother-in-law's humour.
a characteristic (habitual or relatively temporary) state of feeling
From this reading She could not understand how an insignificant, fleeting love-affair, which, after all, was nothing more than a piece of childish folly, should have so deep and lasting an influence on her brother-in-law's humour.
a power to affect persons or events especially power based on prestige etc
From this reading She could not understand how an insignificant, fleeting love-affair, which, after all, was nothing more than a piece of childish folly, should have so deep and lasting an influence on her brother-in-law's humour.
insignificantadjectiveUS /ˌɪnsɪɡˈnjɪfɪkənt/
signifying nothing
From this reading She could not understand how an insignificant, fleeting love-affair, which, after all, was nothing more than a piece of childish folly, should have so deep and lasting an influence on her brother-in-law's humour.
intercoursenounUS /ˈɪntərkɔːrs/
communication between individuals
From this reading The family met and talked at table, and fulfilled all their social duties; but the former easy, familiar intercourse had given place to a stiff reserve and constraint, which weighed heavily on each separate member of the party.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The Baroness, shallow-minded and superficial as ever, was, perhaps, the least affected by it.
immediately past
From this reading Life at the Castle during the last few weeks had been anything but agreeable.
lastingadjectiveUS /ˈlæstɪŋ/
continuing or enduring without marked change in status or condition or place
From this reading She could not understand how an insignificant, fleeting love-affair, which, after all, was nothing more than a piece of childish folly, should have so deep and lasting an influence on her brother-in-law's humour.
the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree
From this reading The Baroness, shallow-minded and superficial as ever, was, perhaps, the least affected by it.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading Life at the Castle during the last few weeks had been anything but agreeable.
love-affair
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She could not understand how an insignificant, fleeting love-affair, which, after all, was nothing more than a piece of childish folly, should have so deep and lasting an influence on her brother-in-law's humour.
one of the persons who compose a social group (especially individuals who have joined and participate in a group organization)
From this reading The family met and talked at table, and fulfilled all their social duties; but the former easy, familiar intercourse had given place to a stiff reserve and constraint, which weighed heavily on each separate member of the party.
inflected form of “meet” — come together
From this reading The family met and talked at table, and fulfilled all their social duties; but the former easy, familiar intercourse had given place to a stiff reserve and constraint, which weighed heavily on each separate member of the party.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading She could not understand how an insignificant, fleeting love-affair, which, after all, was nothing more than a piece of childish folly, should have so deep and lasting an influence on her brother-in-law's humour.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading She could not understand how an insignificant, fleeting love-affair, which, after all, was nothing more than a piece of childish folly, should have so deep and lasting an influence on her brother-in-law's humour.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading She could not understand how an insignificant, fleeting love-affair, which, after all, was nothing more than a piece of childish folly, should have so deep and lasting an influence on her brother-in-law's humour.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The family met and talked at table, and fulfilled all their social duties; but the former easy, familiar intercourse had given place to a stiff reserve and constraint, which weighed heavily on each separate member of the party.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The family met and talked at table, and fulfilled all their social duties; but the former easy, familiar intercourse had given place to a stiff reserve and constraint, which weighed heavily on each separate member of the party.
outwardlyadverbUS /ˈaʊtwərdli/
with respect to the outside
From this reading To be sure, things had outwardly taken their usual course.
an organization to gain political power
From this reading The family met and talked at table, and fulfilled all their social duties; but the former easy, familiar intercourse had given place to a stiff reserve and constraint, which weighed heavily on each separate member of the party.
by chance
From this reading The Baroness, shallow-minded and superficial as ever, was, perhaps, the least affected by it.
a separate part of a whole
From this reading She could not understand how an insignificant, fleeting love-affair, which, after all, was nothing more than a piece of childish folly, should have so deep and lasting an influence on her brother-in-law's humour.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading The family met and talked at table, and fulfilled all their social duties; but the former easy, familiar intercourse had given place to a stiff reserve and constraint, which weighed heavily on each separate member of the party.
reservenounUS /rɪˈzɜːrv/
formality and propriety of manner
From this reading The family met and talked at table, and fulfilled all their social duties; but the former easy, familiar intercourse had given place to a stiff reserve and constraint, which weighed heavily on each separate member of the party.
act as a barrier between; stand between
From this reading The family met and talked at table, and fulfilled all their social duties; but the former easy, familiar intercourse had given place to a stiff reserve and constraint, which weighed heavily on each separate member of the party.
shallow-minded
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Baroness, shallow-minded and superficial as ever, was, perhaps, the least affected by it.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She could not understand how an insignificant, fleeting love-affair, which, after all, was nothing more than a piece of childish folly, should have so deep and lasting an influence on her brother-in-law's humour.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading She could not understand how an insignificant, fleeting love-affair, which, after all, was nothing more than a piece of childish folly, should have so deep and lasting an influence on her brother-in-law's humour.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading She could not understand how an insignificant, fleeting love-affair, which, after all, was nothing more than a piece of childish folly, should have so deep and lasting an influence on her brother-in-law's humour.
relating to human society and its members
From this reading The family met and talked at table, and fulfilled all their social duties; but the former easy, familiar intercourse had given place to a stiff reserve and constraint, which weighed heavily on each separate member of the party.
not moving or operating freely
From this reading The family met and talked at table, and fulfilled all their social duties; but the former easy, familiar intercourse had given place to a stiff reserve and constraint, which weighed heavily on each separate member of the party.
superficialadjectiveUS /ˌsuːpərˈfɪʃəl/
concerned with or comprehending only what is apparent or obvious; not deep or penetrating emotionally or intellectually
From this reading The Baroness, shallow-minded and superficial as ever, was, perhaps, the least affected by it.
having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured
From this reading To be sure, things had outwardly taken their usual course.
a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading The family met and talked at table, and fulfilled all their social duties; but the former easy, familiar intercourse had given place to a stiff reserve and constraint, which weighed heavily on each separate member of the party.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading To be sure, things had outwardly taken their usual course.
past form of “talk” — exchange thoughts; talk with
From this reading The family met and talked at table, and fulfilled all their social duties; but the former easy, familiar intercourse had given place to a stiff reserve and constraint, which weighed heavily on each separate member of the party.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading She could not understand how an insignificant, fleeting love-affair, which, after all, was nothing more than a piece of childish folly, should have so deep and lasting an influence on her brother-in-law's humour.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Life at the Castle during the last few weeks had been anything but agreeable.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading To be sure, things had outwardly taken their usual course.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading To be sure, things had outwardly taken their usual course.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading To be sure, things had outwardly taken their usual course.
know and comprehend the nature or meaning of
From this reading She could not understand how an insignificant, fleeting love-affair, which, after all, was nothing more than a piece of childish folly, should have so deep and lasting an influence on her brother-in-law's humour.
usualadjectiveUS /ˈjuːʒəwəl/
occurring or encountered or experienced or observed frequently or in accordance with regular practice or procedure
From this reading To be sure, things had outwardly taken their usual course.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The Baroness, shallow-minded and superficial as ever, was, perhaps, the least affected by it.
plural of “week” — any period of seven consecutive days
From this reading Life at the Castle during the last few weeks had been anything but agreeable.
weighedverbUS /weɪd/
past form of “weigh” — have a certain weight
From this reading The family met and talked at table, and fulfilled all their social duties; but the former easy, familiar intercourse had given place to a stiff reserve and constraint, which weighed heavily on each separate member of the party.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The family met and talked at table, and fulfilled all their social duties; but the former easy, familiar intercourse had given place to a stiff reserve and constraint, which weighed heavily on each separate member of the party.
