used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading While they were speaking the street door opened, and a minute after Dr. Delano entered the presence of Clara and his sister.
personal knowledge or information about someone or something
From this reading He showed unmistakable signs of confusion when Clara rose and greeted him with the simple friendliness of a common acquaintance.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading While they were speaking the street door opened, and a minute after Dr. Delano entered the presence of Clara and his sister.
AlbertnounUS /ˈælbərt/
prince consort of Queen Victoria of England (1819-1861)
From this reading “Albert seldom dines at home,” she had said, “and he comes in, generally, late at night; so you will not run much risk of meeting him.”
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Miss Delano had persuaded Clara to defer her business in Boston until the next day, and spend the intervening hours with her.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading “Albert seldom dines at home,” she had said, “and he comes in, generally, late at night; so you will not run much risk of meeting him.”
past form of “believe” — accept as true; take to be true
From this reading Clara replied that she believed she could meet him without the slightest discomfiture, and would even like to prove it.
state capital and largest city of Massachusetts; a major center for banking and financial services
From this reading Miss Delano had persuaded Clara to defer her business in Boston until the next day, and spend the intervening hours with her.
a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it
From this reading Miss Delano had persuaded Clara to defer her business in Boston until the next day, and spend the intervening hours with her.
Clara
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Miss Delano had persuaded Clara to defer her business in Boston until the next day, and spend the intervening hours with her.
plural of “come” — the thick white fluid containing spermatozoa that is ejaculated by the male genital tract
From this reading “Albert seldom dines at home,” she had said, “and he comes in, generally, late at night; so you will not run much risk of meeting him.”
belonging to or participated in by a community as a whole; public
From this reading He showed unmistakable signs of confusion when Clara rose and greeted him with the simple friendliness of a common acquaintance.
disorder resulting from a failure to behave predictably
From this reading He showed unmistakable signs of confusion when Clara rose and greeted him with the simple friendliness of a common acquaintance.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Clara replied that she believed she could meet him without the slightest discomfiture, and would even like to prove it.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading Miss Delano had persuaded Clara to defer her business in Boston until the next day, and spend the intervening hours with her.
deferverbUS /dɪˈfɜːr/
hold back to a later time
From this reading Miss Delano had persuaded Clara to defer her business in Boston until the next day, and spend the intervening hours with her.
Delano
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Miss Delano had persuaded Clara to defer her business in Boston until the next day, and spend the intervening hours with her.
dinesverbUS /daɪnz/
third-person singular of “dine” — have supper; eat dinner
From this reading “Albert seldom dines at home,” she had said, “and he comes in, generally, late at night; so you will not run much risk of meeting him.”
discomfiturenoun
anxious embarrassment
From this reading Clara replied that she believed she could meet him without the slightest discomfiture, and would even like to prove it.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading While they were speaking the street door opened, and a minute after Dr. Delano entered the presence of Clara and his sister.
Dr
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading While they were speaking the street door opened, and a minute after Dr. Delano entered the presence of Clara and his sister.
past form of “enter” — to come or go into
From this reading While they were speaking the street door opened, and a minute after Dr. Delano entered the presence of Clara and his sister.
divisible by two
From this reading Clara replied that she believed she could meet him without the slightest discomfiture, and would even like to prove it.
friendlinessnounUS /ˈfrendlinɪs/
a feeling of liking for another person; enjoyment in their company
From this reading He showed unmistakable signs of confusion when Clara rose and greeted him with the simple friendliness of a common acquaintance.
usually; as a rule
From this reading “Albert seldom dines at home,” she had said, “and he comes in, generally, late at night; so you will not run much risk of meeting him.”
past form of “greet” — express greetings upon meeting someone
From this reading He showed unmistakable signs of confusion when Clara rose and greeted him with the simple friendliness of a common acquaintance.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Miss Delano had persuaded Clara to defer her business in Boston until the next day, and spend the intervening hours with her.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “Albert seldom dines at home,” she had said, “and he comes in, generally, late at night; so you will not run much risk of meeting him.”
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Miss Delano had persuaded Clara to defer her business in Boston until the next day, and spend the intervening hours with her.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “Albert seldom dines at home,” she had said, “and he comes in, generally, late at night; so you will not run much risk of meeting him.”
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading While they were speaking the street door opened, and a minute after Dr. Delano entered the presence of Clara and his sister.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading “Albert seldom dines at home,” she had said, “and he comes in, generally, late at night; so you will not run much risk of meeting him.”
a period of time assigned for work
From this reading Miss Delano had persuaded Clara to defer her business in Boston until the next day, and spend the intervening hours with her.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Miss Delano had persuaded Clara to defer her business in Boston until the next day, and spend the intervening hours with her.
interveningadjectiveUS /ˌɪntərˈviːnɪŋ/
occurring or falling between events or points in time
From this reading Miss Delano had persuaded Clara to defer her business in Boston until the next day, and spend the intervening hours with her.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Clara replied that she believed she could meet him without the slightest discomfiture, and would even like to prove it.
being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time
From this reading “Albert seldom dines at home,” she had said, “and he comes in, generally, late at night; so you will not run much risk of meeting him.”
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Clara replied that she believed she could meet him without the slightest discomfiture, and would even like to prove it.
come together
From this reading Clara replied that she believed she could meet him without the slightest discomfiture, and would even like to prove it.
a formally arranged gathering
From this reading “Albert seldom dines at home,” she had said, “and he comes in, generally, late at night; so you will not run much risk of meeting him.”
a unit of time equal to 60 seconds or 1/60th of an hour
From this reading While they were speaking the street door opened, and a minute after Dr. Delano entered the presence of Clara and his sister.
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading Miss Delano had persuaded Clara to defer her business in Boston until the next day, and spend the intervening hours with her.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading “Albert seldom dines at home,” she had said, “and he comes in, generally, late at night; so you will not run much risk of meeting him.”
immediately following in time or order
From this reading Miss Delano had persuaded Clara to defer her business in Boston until the next day, and spend the intervening hours with her.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading “Albert seldom dines at home,” she had said, “and he comes in, generally, late at night; so you will not run much risk of meeting him.”
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading “Albert seldom dines at home,” she had said, “and he comes in, generally, late at night; so you will not run much risk of meeting him.”
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “Albert seldom dines at home,” she had said, “and he comes in, generally, late at night; so you will not run much risk of meeting him.”
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading While they were speaking the street door opened, and a minute after Dr. Delano entered the presence of Clara and his sister.
persuadedverbUS /pərˈsweɪdɪd/
past form of “persuade” — win approval or support for
From this reading Miss Delano had persuaded Clara to defer her business in Boston until the next day, and spend the intervening hours with her.
the state of being present; current existence
From this reading While they were speaking the street door opened, and a minute after Dr. Delano entered the presence of Clara and his sister.
be shown or be found to be
From this reading Clara replied that she believed she could meet him without the slightest discomfiture, and would even like to prove it.
inflected form of “reply” — react verbally
From this reading Clara replied that she believed she could meet him without the slightest discomfiture, and would even like to prove it.
a source of danger; a possibility of incurring loss or misfortune
From this reading “Albert seldom dines at home,” she had said, “and he comes in, generally, late at night; so you will not run much risk of meeting him.”
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading He showed unmistakable signs of confusion when Clara rose and greeted him with the simple friendliness of a common acquaintance.
move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading “Albert seldom dines at home,” she had said, “and he comes in, generally, late at night; so you will not run much risk of meeting him.”
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “Albert seldom dines at home,” she had said, “and he comes in, generally, late at night; so you will not run much risk of meeting him.”
not often
From this reading “Albert seldom dines at home,” she had said, “and he comes in, generally, late at night; so you will not run much risk of meeting him.”
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “Albert seldom dines at home,” she had said, “and he comes in, generally, late at night; so you will not run much risk of meeting him.”
past form of “show” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading He showed unmistakable signs of confusion when Clara rose and greeted him with the simple friendliness of a common acquaintance.
plural of “sign” — a perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that something has happened)
From this reading He showed unmistakable signs of confusion when Clara rose and greeted him with the simple friendliness of a common acquaintance.
having few parts; not complex or complicated or involved
From this reading He showed unmistakable signs of confusion when Clara rose and greeted him with the simple friendliness of a common acquaintance.
a female person who has the same parents as another person
From this reading While they were speaking the street door opened, and a minute after Dr. Delano entered the presence of Clara and his sister.
superlative of “slight” — (quantifier used with mass nouns) small in quantity or degree; not much or almost none or (with “a”) at least some
From this reading Clara replied that she believed she could meet him without the slightest discomfiture, and would even like to prove it.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading “Albert seldom dines at home,” she had said, “and he comes in, generally, late at night; so you will not run much risk of meeting him.”
the utterance of intelligible speech
From this reading While they were speaking the street door opened, and a minute after Dr. Delano entered the presence of Clara and his sister.
use up a period of time in a specific way
From this reading Miss Delano had persuaded Clara to defer her business in Boston until the next day, and spend the intervening hours with her.
a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading While they were speaking the street door opened, and a minute after Dr. Delano entered the presence of Clara and his sister.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Clara replied that she believed she could meet him without the slightest discomfiture, and would even like to prove it.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Miss Delano had persuaded Clara to defer her business in Boston until the next day, and spend the intervening hours with her.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading While they were speaking the street door opened, and a minute after Dr. Delano entered the presence of Clara and his sister.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Miss Delano had persuaded Clara to defer her business in Boston until the next day, and spend the intervening hours with her.
unmistakableadjectiveUS /ˌʌnmɪˈsteɪkəbəl/
clearly evident to the mind
From this reading He showed unmistakable signs of confusion when Clara rose and greeted him with the simple friendliness of a common acquaintance.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading Miss Delano had persuaded Clara to defer her business in Boston until the next day, and spend the intervening hours with her.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading While they were speaking the street door opened, and a minute after Dr. Delano entered the presence of Clara and his sister.
at the time that
From this reading He showed unmistakable signs of confusion when Clara rose and greeted him with the simple friendliness of a common acquaintance.
WhileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading While they were speaking the street door opened, and a minute after Dr. Delano entered the presence of Clara and his sister.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading “Albert seldom dines at home,” she had said, “and he comes in, generally, late at night; so you will not run much risk of meeting him.”
in the company of; together with
From this reading Miss Delano had persuaded Clara to defer her business in Boston until the next day, and spend the intervening hours with her.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading Clara replied that she believed she could meet him without the slightest discomfiture, and would even like to prove it.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Clara replied that she believed she could meet him without the slightest discomfiture, and would even like to prove it.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “Albert seldom dines at home,” she had said, “and he comes in, generally, late at night; so you will not run much risk of meeting him.”
