used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A few days later came the great picnic up the mountain.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading The Blakes gave the picnic, and the guests numbered about seventy, half of them proceeding to the climbing-place upon bicycles and the other half driving.
(sentence connectors) because of the reason given
From this reading The weather was not very promising from the first, but it was too large an undertaking to put off, and they accordingly started out.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading As they drove along she wished, a little unaccountably, that Ted Masterman was one of the party.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The weather was not very promising from the first, but it was too large an undertaking to put off, and they accordingly started out.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The Blakes gave the picnic, and the guests numbered about seventy, half of them proceeding to the climbing-place upon bicycles and the other half driving.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As they drove along she wished, a little unaccountably, that Ted Masterman was one of the party.
auntsnounUS /ænts/
plural of “aunt” — the sister of your father or mother; the wife of your uncle
From this reading Paddy went in the Mastermans’ carriage with the two aunts.
bicyclesnounUS /ˈbaɪsɪkəlz/
plural of “bicycle” — a wheeled vehicle that has two wheels and is moved by foot pedals
From this reading The Blakes gave the picnic, and the guests numbered about seventy, half of them proceeding to the climbing-place upon bicycles and the other half driving.
BlakesnounUS /bleɪks/
plural of “blake” — visionary British poet and painter (1757-1827)
From this reading The Blakes gave the picnic, and the guests numbered about seventy, half of them proceeding to the climbing-place upon bicycles and the other half driving.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The weather was not very promising from the first, but it was too large an undertaking to put off, and they accordingly started out.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading A few days later came the great picnic up the mountain.
a railcar where passengers ride
From this reading Paddy went in the Mastermans’ carriage with the two aunts.
climbing-place
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Blakes gave the picnic, and the guests numbered about seventy, half of them proceeding to the climbing-place upon bicycles and the other half driving.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading A few days later came the great picnic up the mountain.
having the power of driving or impelling
From this reading The Blakes gave the picnic, and the guests numbered about seventy, half of them proceeding to the climbing-place upon bicycles and the other half driving.
a group of animals (a herd or flock) moving together
From this reading As they drove along she wished, a little unaccountably, that Ted Masterman was one 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 A few days later came the great picnic up the mountain.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading The weather was not very promising from the first, but it was too large an undertaking to put off, and they accordingly started out.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The weather was not very promising from the first, but it was too large an undertaking to put off, and they accordingly started out.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading The Blakes gave the picnic, and the guests numbered about seventy, half of them proceeding to the climbing-place upon bicycles and the other half driving.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading A few days later came the great picnic up the mountain.
plural of “guest” — a visitor to whom hospitality is extended
From this reading The Blakes gave the picnic, and the guests numbered about seventy, half of them proceeding to the climbing-place upon bicycles and the other half driving.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading The Blakes gave the picnic, and the guests numbered about seventy, half of them proceeding to the climbing-place upon bicycles and the other half driving.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Paddy went in the Mastermans’ carriage with the two aunts.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The weather was not very promising from the first, but it was too large an undertaking to put off, and they accordingly started out.
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The weather was not very promising from the first, but it was too large an undertaking to put off, and they accordingly started out.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading A few days later came the great picnic up the mountain.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading As they drove along she wished, a little unaccountably, that Ted Masterman was one of the party.
Masterman
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As they drove along she wished, a little unaccountably, that Ted Masterman was one of the party.
Mastermans
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Paddy went in the Mastermans’ carriage with the two aunts.
a land mass that projects well above its surroundings; higher than a hill
From this reading A few days later came the great picnic up the mountain.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The weather was not very promising from the first, but it was too large an undertaking to put off, and they accordingly started out.
numberedverbUS /ˈnʌmbərd/
past form of “number” — add up in number or quantity
From this reading The Blakes gave the picnic, and the guests numbered about seventy, half of them proceeding to the climbing-place upon bicycles and the other half driving.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The Blakes gave the picnic, and the guests numbered about seventy, half of them proceeding to the climbing-place upon bicycles and the other half driving.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading The weather was not very promising from the first, but it was too large an undertaking to put off, and they accordingly started out.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading As they drove along she wished, a little unaccountably, that Ted Masterman was one of the party.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading The Blakes gave the picnic, and the guests numbered about seventy, half of them proceeding to the climbing-place upon bicycles and the other half driving.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading The weather was not very promising from the first, but it was too large an undertaking to put off, and they accordingly started out.
PaddynounUS /ˈpædi/
(ethnic slur) offensive term for a person of Irish descent
From this reading Paddy went in the Mastermans’ carriage with the two aunts.
an organization to gain political power
From this reading As they drove along she wished, a little unaccountably, that Ted Masterman was one of the party.
picnicnounUS /ˈpɪknɪk/
a day devoted to an outdoor social gathering
From this reading A few days later came the great picnic up the mountain.
proceedingnounUS /prəˈsiːdɪŋ/
(law) the institution of a sequence of steps by which legal judgments are invoked
From this reading The Blakes gave the picnic, and the guests numbered about seventy, half of them proceeding to the climbing-place upon bicycles and the other half driving.
promisingadjectiveUS /ˈprɑːməsɪŋ/
showing possibility of achievement or excellence
From this reading The weather was not very promising from the first, but it was too large an undertaking to put off, and they accordingly started out.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading The weather was not very promising from the first, but it was too large an undertaking to put off, and they accordingly started out.
seventyadjectiveUS /ˈsevənti/
being ten more than sixty
From this reading The Blakes gave the picnic, and the guests numbered about seventy, half of them proceeding to the climbing-place upon bicycles and the other half driving.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading As they drove along she wished, a little unaccountably, that Ted Masterman was one of the party.
past form of “start” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading The weather was not very promising from the first, but it was too large an undertaking to put off, and they accordingly started out.
TednounUS /ted/
a tough youth of 1950's and 1960's wearing Edwardian style clothes
From this reading As they drove along she wished, a little unaccountably, that Ted Masterman was one of the party.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading As they drove along she wished, a little unaccountably, that Ted Masterman was one of the party.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A few days later came the great picnic up the mountain.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The Blakes gave the picnic, and the guests numbered about seventy, half of them proceeding to the climbing-place upon bicycles and the other half driving.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The weather was not very promising from the first, but it was too large an undertaking to put off, and they accordingly started out.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The Blakes gave the picnic, and the guests numbered about seventy, half of them proceeding to the climbing-place upon bicycles and the other half driving.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading The weather was not very promising from the first, but it was too large an undertaking to put off, and they accordingly started out.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading Paddy went in the Mastermans’ carriage with the two aunts.
unaccountablyadverbUS /ˌʌnəˈkaʊntəbli/
in an unaccountable manner
From this reading As they drove along she wished, a little unaccountably, that Ted Masterman was one of the party.
undertakingnounUS /ˈʌndərteɪkɪŋ/
any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted
From this reading The weather was not very promising from the first, but it was too large an undertaking to put off, and they accordingly started out.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading A few days later came the great picnic up the mountain.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading The Blakes gave the picnic, and the guests numbered about seventy, half of them proceeding to the climbing-place upon bicycles and the other half driving.
precisely as stated
From this reading The weather was not very promising from the first, but it was too large an undertaking to put off, and they accordingly started out.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The weather was not very promising from the first, but it was too large an undertaking to put off, and they accordingly started out.
the atmospheric conditions that comprise the state of the atmosphere in terms of temperature and wind and clouds and precipitation
From this reading The weather was not very promising from the first, but it was too large an undertaking to put off, and they accordingly started out.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Paddy went in the Mastermans’ carriage with the two aunts.
past form of “wish” — hope for; have a wish
From this reading As they drove along she wished, a little unaccountably, that Ted Masterman was one of the party.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Paddy went in the Mastermans’ carriage with the two aunts.
