used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE EARL OF RUTHVEN After a time the men came from the dining-room and rejoined the ladies.
AfterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading THE EARL OF RUTHVEN After a time the men came from the dining-room and rejoined the ladies.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading "I was miles away from you at dinner," he said, "but now there is an opportunity, let us begin our lessons in English at once."
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE EARL OF RUTHVEN After a time the men came from the dining-room and rejoined the ladies.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading Patty was chatting with a group of young women, and when she glanced around, it was to see Lord Ruthven standing at her side.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading "We'll pre-empt this sofa," said Lord Ruthven, indicating, as he spoke, a gold-framed Louis XIV. tete-a-tete.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Patty was chatting with a group of young women, and when she glanced around, it was to see Lord Ruthven standing at her side.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading "I was miles away from you at dinner," he said, "but now there is an opportunity, let us begin our lessons in English at once."
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "Do," said Patty, smiling; "where shall be our classroom?"
take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading "I was miles away from you at dinner," he said, "but now there is an opportunity, let us begin our lessons in English at once."
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading "I was miles away from you at dinner," he said, "but now there is an opportunity, let us begin our lessons in English at once."
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading THE EARL OF RUTHVEN After a time the men came from the dining-room and rejoined the ladies.
chattingverbUS /ˈtʃætɪŋ/
inflected form of “chat” — talk socially without exchanging too much information
From this reading Patty was chatting with a group of young women, and when she glanced around, it was to see Lord Ruthven standing at her side.
classroomnounUS /ˈklæsruːm/
a room in a school where lessons take place
From this reading "Do," said Patty, smiling; "where shall be our classroom?"
dining-roomnoun
a room used for dining
From this reading THE EARL OF RUTHVEN After a time the men came from the dining-room and rejoined the ladies.
the main meal of the day served in the evening or at midday
From this reading "I was miles away from you at dinner," he said, "but now there is an opportunity, let us begin our lessons in English at once."
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading "Do," said Patty, smiling; "where shall be our classroom?"
a British peer ranking below a marquess and above a viscount
From this reading THE EARL OF RUTHVEN After a time the men came from the dining-room and rejoined the ladies.
an Indo-European language belonging to the West Germanic branch; the official language of Britain and the United States and most of the commonwealth countries
From this reading "I was miles away from you at dinner," he said, "but now there is an opportunity, let us begin our lessons in English at once."
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading THE EARL OF RUTHVEN After a time the men came from the dining-room and rejoined the ladies.
past form of “glance” — throw a glance at; take a brief look at
From this reading Patty was chatting with a group of young women, and when she glanced around, it was to see Lord Ruthven standing at her side.
gold-framed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "We'll pre-empt this sofa," said Lord Ruthven, indicating, as he spoke, a gold-framed Louis XIV. tete-a-tete.
any number of entities (members) considered as a unit
From this reading Patty was chatting with a group of young women, and when she glanced around, it was to see Lord Ruthven standing at her side.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "I was miles away from you at dinner," he said, "but now there is an opportunity, let us begin our lessons in English at once."
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Patty was chatting with a group of young women, and when she glanced around, it was to see Lord Ruthven standing at her side.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I was miles away from you at dinner," he said, "but now there is an opportunity, let us begin our lessons in English at once."
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "I was miles away from you at dinner," he said, "but now there is an opportunity, let us begin our lessons in English at once."
indicatingverbUS /ˈɪndəkeɪtɪŋ/
-ing form of “indicate” — be a signal for or a symptom of
From this reading "We'll pre-empt this sofa," said Lord Ruthven, indicating, as he spoke, a gold-framed Louis XIV. tete-a-tete.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "I was miles away from you at dinner," he said, "but now there is an opportunity, let us begin our lessons in English at once."
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Patty was chatting with a group of young women, and when she glanced around, it was to see Lord Ruthven standing at her side.
plural of “lady” — a polite name for any woman
From this reading THE EARL OF RUTHVEN After a time the men came from the dining-room and rejoined the ladies.
lessonsnounUS /ˈlesənz/
plural of “lesson” — a unit of instruction
From this reading "I was miles away from you at dinner," he said, "but now there is an opportunity, let us begin our lessons in English at once."
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading "I was miles away from you at dinner," he said, "but now there is an opportunity, let us begin our lessons in English at once."
terms referring to the Judeo-Christian God
From this reading Patty was chatting with a group of young women, and when she glanced around, it was to see Lord Ruthven standing at her side.
United States prizefighter who was world heavyweight champion for 12 years (1914-1981)
From this reading "We'll pre-empt this sofa," said Lord Ruthven, indicating, as he spoke, a gold-framed Louis XIV. tete-a-tete.
the force of workers available
From this reading THE EARL OF RUTHVEN After a time the men came from the dining-room and rejoined the ladies.
plural of “mile” — a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading "I was miles away from you at dinner," he said, "but now there is an opportunity, let us begin our lessons in English at once."
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading "I was miles away from you at dinner," he said, "but now there is an opportunity, let us begin our lessons in English at once."
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE EARL OF RUTHVEN After a time the men came from the dining-room and rejoined the ladies.
on one occasion
From this reading "I was miles away from you at dinner," he said, "but now there is an opportunity, let us begin our lessons in English at once."
a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances
From this reading "I was miles away from you at dinner," he said, "but now there is an opportunity, let us begin our lessons in English at once."
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading "I was miles away from you at dinner," he said, "but now there is an opportunity, let us begin our lessons in English at once."
PattynounUS /ˈpæti/
small flat mass of chopped food
From this reading Patty was chatting with a group of young women, and when she glanced around, it was to see Lord Ruthven standing at her side.
pre-emptnoun
a high bid that is intended to prevent the opposing players from bidding
From this reading "We'll pre-empt this sofa," said Lord Ruthven, indicating, as he spoke, a gold-framed Louis XIV. tete-a-tete.
past form of “rejoin” — join again
From this reading THE EARL OF RUTHVEN After a time the men came from the dining-room and rejoined the ladies.
RUTHVEN
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE EARL OF RUTHVEN After a time the men came from the dining-room and rejoined the ladies.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "I was miles away from you at dinner," he said, "but now there is an opportunity, let us begin our lessons in English at once."
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading Patty was chatting with a group of young women, and when she glanced around, it was to see Lord Ruthven standing at her side.
used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest
From this reading "Do," said Patty, smiling; "where shall be our classroom?"
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Patty was chatting with a group of young women, and when she glanced around, it was to see Lord Ruthven standing at her side.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading Patty was chatting with a group of young women, and when she glanced around, it was to see Lord Ruthven standing at her side.
a facial expression characterized by turning up the corners of the mouth; usually shows pleasure or amusement
From this reading "Do," said Patty, smiling; "where shall be our classroom?"
an upholstered seat for more than one person
From this reading "We'll pre-empt this sofa," said Lord Ruthven, indicating, as he spoke, a gold-framed Louis XIV. tete-a-tete.
support consisting of a radial member of a wheel joining the hub to the rim
From this reading "We'll pre-empt this sofa," said Lord Ruthven, indicating, as he spoke, a gold-framed Louis XIV. tete-a-tete.
having a supporting base
From this reading Patty was chatting with a group of young women, and when she glanced around, it was to see Lord Ruthven standing at her side.
tete-a-tetenoun
a private conversation between two people
From this reading "We'll pre-empt this sofa," said Lord Ruthven, indicating, as he spoke, a gold-framed Louis XIV. tete-a-tete.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE EARL OF RUTHVEN After a time the men came from the dining-room and rejoined the ladies.
in or at that place or location
From this reading "I was miles away from you at dinner," he said, "but now there is an opportunity, let us begin our lessons in English at once."
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading "We'll pre-empt this sofa," said Lord Ruthven, indicating, as he spoke, a gold-framed Louis XIV. tete-a-tete.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading THE EARL OF RUTHVEN After a time the men came from the dining-room and rejoined the ladies.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Patty was chatting with a group of young women, and when she glanced around, it was to see Lord Ruthven standing at her side.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "I was miles away from you at dinner," he said, "but now there is an opportunity, let us begin our lessons in English at once."
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Patty was chatting with a group of young women, and when she glanced around, it was to see Lord Ruthven standing at her side.
We'll
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "We'll pre-empt this sofa," said Lord Ruthven, indicating, as he spoke, a gold-framed Louis XIV. tete-a-tete.
at the time that
From this reading Patty was chatting with a group of young women, and when she glanced around, it was to see Lord Ruthven standing at her side.
in or at the place that
From this reading "Do," said Patty, smiling; "where shall be our classroom?"
in the company of; together with
From this reading Patty was chatting with a group of young women, and when she glanced around, it was to see Lord Ruthven standing at her side.
plural of “woman” — an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading Patty was chatting with a group of young women, and when she glanced around, it was to see Lord Ruthven standing at her side.
XIVnoun
the cardinal number that is the sum of thirteen and one
From this reading "We'll pre-empt this sofa," said Lord Ruthven, indicating, as he spoke, a gold-framed Louis XIV. tete-a-tete.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "I was miles away from you at dinner," he said, "but now there is an opportunity, let us begin our lessons in English at once."
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading Patty was chatting with a group of young women, and when she glanced around, it was to see Lord Ruthven standing at her side.
