used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He had a trick of imbibing his food solemnly, with a judicial air which sent apprehensive chills coursing down Cicely's spine, as she watched him pursing up his lips over the salad and nibbling daintily at the macaroni.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading He had a trick of imbibing his food solemnly, with a judicial air which sent apprehensive chills coursing down Cicely's spine, as she watched him pursing up his lips over the salad and nibbling daintily at the macaroni.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Of so much she was certain, for Susan was an expert in plain cookery, and, in her own cooking class, Cicely had shown herself past master in the art of entrées.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He had a trick of imbibing his food solemnly, with a judicial air which sent apprehensive chills coursing down Cicely's spine, as she watched him pursing up his lips over the salad and nibbling daintily at the macaroni.
apprehensiveadjectiveUS /ˌæprɪˈhensɪv/
quick to understand
From this reading He had a trick of imbibing his food solemnly, with a judicial air which sent apprehensive chills coursing down Cicely's spine, as she watched him pursing up his lips over the salad and nibbling daintily at the macaroni.
artauxiliary verbUS /ɑːrt/
an old form of “are”, used with “thou”
From this reading Of so much she was certain, for Susan was an expert in plain cookery, and, in her own cooking class, Cicely had shown herself past master in the art of entrées.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He had a trick of imbibing his food solemnly, with a judicial air which sent apprehensive chills coursing down Cicely's spine, as she watched him pursing up his lips over the salad and nibbling daintily at the macaroni.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Seated at the dinner table, the publisher was very large, very ruddy, very imposing.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading It only remained to be seen whether or not she could succeed in getting the supplies to and from the table without losing off her cap or dropping too many of the forks.
a tight-fitting headdress
From this reading It only remained to be seen whether or not she could succeed in getting the supplies to and from the table without losing off her cap or dropping too many of the forks.
definite but not specified or identified
From this reading Of so much she was certain, for Susan was an expert in plain cookery, and, in her own cooking class, Cicely had shown herself past master in the art of entrées.
chillsnounUS /tʃɪlz/
plural of “chill” — coldness due to a cold environment
From this reading He had a trick of imbibing his food solemnly, with a judicial air which sent apprehensive chills coursing down Cicely's spine, as she watched him pursing up his lips over the salad and nibbling daintily at the macaroni.
Cicely
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Of so much she was certain, for Susan was an expert in plain cookery, and, in her own cooking class, Cicely had shown herself past master in the art of entrées.
Cicely's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had a trick of imbibing his food solemnly, with a judicial air which sent apprehensive chills coursing down Cicely's spine, as she watched him pursing up his lips over the salad and nibbling daintily at the macaroni.
a collection of things sharing a common attribute
From this reading Of so much she was certain, for Susan was an expert in plain cookery, and, in her own cooking class, Cicely had shown herself past master in the art of entrées.
cookerynoun
the act of preparing something (as food) by the application of heat
From this reading Of so much she was certain, for Susan was an expert in plain cookery, and, in her own cooking class, Cicely had shown herself past master in the art of entrées.
cookingnounUS /ˈkʊkɪŋ/
the act of preparing something (as food) by the application of heat
From this reading Of so much she was certain, for Susan was an expert in plain cookery, and, in her own cooking class, Cicely had shown herself past master in the art of entrées.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading It only remained to be seen whether or not she could succeed in getting the supplies to and from the table without losing off her cap or dropping too many of the forks.
coursingnounUS /ˈkɔːrsɪŋ/
hunting with dogs (usually greyhounds) that are trained to chase game (such as hares) by sight instead of by scent
From this reading He had a trick of imbibing his food solemnly, with a judicial air which sent apprehensive chills coursing down Cicely's spine, as she watched him pursing up his lips over the salad and nibbling daintily at the macaroni.
daintilyadverbUS /ˈdeɪntəliː/
in a dainty and fastidious manner
From this reading He had a trick of imbibing his food solemnly, with a judicial air which sent apprehensive chills coursing down Cicely's spine, as she watched him pursing up his lips over the salad and nibbling daintily at the macaroni.
the main meal of the day served in the evening or at midday
From this reading Seated at the dinner table, the publisher was very large, very ruddy, very imposing.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading He had a trick of imbibing his food solemnly, with a judicial air which sent apprehensive chills coursing down Cicely's spine, as she watched him pursing up his lips over the salad and nibbling daintily at the macaroni.
droppingadjectiveUS /ˈdrɑːpɪŋ/
coming down freely under the influence of gravity
From this reading It only remained to be seen whether or not she could succeed in getting the supplies to and from the table without losing off her cap or dropping too many of the forks.
entrées
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Of so much she was certain, for Susan was an expert in plain cookery, and, in her own cooking class, Cicely had shown herself past master in the art of entrées.
expertadjectiveUS /ˈekspərt/
having or showing knowledge and skill and aptitude
From this reading Of so much she was certain, for Susan was an expert in plain cookery, and, in her own cooking class, Cicely had shown herself past master in the art of entrées.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading The dinner was good, as far as it went.
any substance that can be metabolized by an animal to give energy and build tissue
From this reading He had a trick of imbibing his food solemnly, with a judicial air which sent apprehensive chills coursing down Cicely's spine, as she watched him pursing up his lips over the salad and nibbling daintily at the macaroni.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Of so much she was certain, for Susan was an expert in plain cookery, and, in her own cooking class, Cicely had shown herself past master in the art of entrées.
forksnounUS /fɔːrks/
plural of “fork” — cutlery used for serving and eating food
From this reading It only remained to be seen whether or not she could succeed in getting the supplies to and from the table without losing off her cap or dropping too many of the forks.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading It only remained to be seen whether or not she could succeed in getting the supplies to and from the table without losing off her cap or dropping too many of the forks.
the act of acquiring something
From this reading It only remained to be seen whether or not she could succeed in getting the supplies to and from the table without losing off her cap or dropping too many of the forks.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading The dinner was good, as far as it went.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had a trick of imbibing his food solemnly, with a judicial air which sent apprehensive chills coursing down Cicely's spine, as she watched him pursing up his lips over the salad and nibbling daintily at the macaroni.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had a trick of imbibing his food solemnly, with a judicial air which sent apprehensive chills coursing down Cicely's spine, as she watched him pursing up his lips over the salad and nibbling daintily at the macaroni.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Of so much she was certain, for Susan was an expert in plain cookery, and, in her own cooking class, Cicely had shown herself past master in the art of entrées.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading Of so much she was certain, for Susan was an expert in plain cookery, and, in her own cooking class, Cicely had shown herself past master in the art of entrées.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He had a trick of imbibing his food solemnly, with a judicial air which sent apprehensive chills coursing down Cicely's spine, as she watched him pursing up his lips over the salad and nibbling daintily at the macaroni.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He had a trick of imbibing his food solemnly, with a judicial air which sent apprehensive chills coursing down Cicely's spine, as she watched him pursing up his lips over the salad and nibbling daintily at the macaroni.
imbibingnoun
the act of consuming liquids
From this reading He had a trick of imbibing his food solemnly, with a judicial air which sent apprehensive chills coursing down Cicely's spine, as she watched him pursing up his lips over the salad and nibbling daintily at the macaroni.
imposingadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpoʊzɪŋ/
impressive in appearance
From this reading Seated at the dinner table, the publisher was very large, very ruddy, very imposing.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Of so much she was certain, for Susan was an expert in plain cookery, and, in her own cooking class, Cicely had shown herself past master in the art of entrées.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The dinner was good, as far as it went.
judicialadjectiveUS /dʒuːˈdɪʃəl/
decreed by or proceeding from a court of justice
From this reading He had a trick of imbibing his food solemnly, with a judicial air which sent apprehensive chills coursing down Cicely's spine, as she watched him pursing up his lips over the salad and nibbling daintily at the macaroni.
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Seated at the dinner table, the publisher was very large, very ruddy, very imposing.
plural of “lip” — either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking
From this reading He had a trick of imbibing his food solemnly, with a judicial air which sent apprehensive chills coursing down Cicely's spine, as she watched him pursing up his lips over the salad and nibbling daintily at the macaroni.
-ing form of “lose” — fail to keep or to maintain; cease to have, either physically or in an abstract sense
From this reading It only remained to be seen whether or not she could succeed in getting the supplies to and from the table without losing off her cap or dropping too many of the forks.
macaroninounUS /ˌmækərˈoʊni/
a British dandy in the 18th century who affected Continental mannerisms
From this reading He had a trick of imbibing his food solemnly, with a judicial air which sent apprehensive chills coursing down Cicely's spine, as she watched him pursing up his lips over the salad and nibbling daintily at the macaroni.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading It only remained to be seen whether or not she could succeed in getting the supplies to and from the table without losing off her cap or dropping too many of the forks.
an artist of consummate skill
From this reading Of so much she was certain, for Susan was an expert in plain cookery, and, in her own cooking class, Cicely had shown herself past master in the art of entrées.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading Of so much she was certain, for Susan was an expert in plain cookery, and, in her own cooking class, Cicely had shown herself past master in the art of entrées.
nibblingverbUS /ˈnɪbəlɪŋ/
-ing form of “nibble” — bite off very small pieces
From this reading He had a trick of imbibing his food solemnly, with a judicial air which sent apprehensive chills coursing down Cicely's spine, as she watched him pursing up his lips over the salad and nibbling daintily at the macaroni.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading It only remained to be seen whether or not she could succeed in getting the supplies to and from the table without losing off her cap or dropping too many of the forks.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He had a trick of imbibing his food solemnly, with a judicial air which sent apprehensive chills coursing down Cicely's spine, as she watched him pursing up his lips over the salad and nibbling daintily at the macaroni.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading It only remained to be seen whether or not she could succeed in getting the supplies to and from the table without losing off her cap or dropping too many of the forks.
and nothing more
From this reading It only remained to be seen whether or not she could succeed in getting the supplies to and from the table without losing off her cap or dropping too many of the forks.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading It only remained to be seen whether or not she could succeed in getting the supplies to and from the table without losing off her cap or dropping too many of the forks.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading He had a trick of imbibing his food solemnly, with a judicial air which sent apprehensive chills coursing down Cicely's spine, as she watched him pursing up his lips over the salad and nibbling daintily at the macaroni.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading Of so much she was certain, for Susan was an expert in plain cookery, and, in her own cooking class, Cicely had shown herself past master in the art of entrées.
the time that has elapsed
From this reading Of so much she was certain, for Susan was an expert in plain cookery, and, in her own cooking class, Cicely had shown herself past master in the art of entrées.
clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment
From this reading Of so much she was certain, for Susan was an expert in plain cookery, and, in her own cooking class, Cicely had shown herself past master in the art of entrées.
publishernounUS /ˈpʌblɪʃər/
a firm in the publishing business
From this reading Seated at the dinner table, the publisher was very large, very ruddy, very imposing.
pursing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had a trick of imbibing his food solemnly, with a judicial air which sent apprehensive chills coursing down Cicely's spine, as she watched him pursing up his lips over the salad and nibbling daintily at the macaroni.
past form of “remain” — stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading It only remained to be seen whether or not she could succeed in getting the supplies to and from the table without losing off her cap or dropping too many of the forks.
ruddyadjectiveUS /ˈrʌdi/
inclined to a healthy reddish color often associated with outdoor life
From this reading Seated at the dinner table, the publisher was very large, very ruddy, very imposing.
saladnounUS /ˈsæləd/
food mixtures either arranged on a plate or tossed and served with a moist dressing; usually consisting of or including greens
From this reading He had a trick of imbibing his food solemnly, with a judicial air which sent apprehensive chills coursing down Cicely's spine, as she watched him pursing up his lips over the salad and nibbling daintily at the macaroni.
(of persons) having the torso erect and legs bent with the body supported on the buttocks
From this reading Seated at the dinner table, the publisher was very large, very ruddy, very imposing.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading It only remained to be seen whether or not she could succeed in getting the supplies to and from the table without losing off her cap or dropping too many of the forks.
100 senti equal 1 kroon in Estonia
From this reading He had a trick of imbibing his food solemnly, with a judicial air which sent apprehensive chills coursing down Cicely's spine, as she watched him pursing up his lips over the salad and nibbling daintily at the macaroni.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had a trick of imbibing his food solemnly, with a judicial air which sent apprehensive chills coursing down Cicely's spine, as she watched him pursing up his lips over the salad and nibbling daintily at the macaroni.
inflected form of “show” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading Of so much she was certain, for Susan was an expert in plain cookery, and, in her own cooking class, Cicely had shown herself past master in the art of entrées.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Of so much she was certain, for Susan was an expert in plain cookery, and, in her own cooking class, Cicely had shown herself past master in the art of entrées.
solemnlyadverbUS /ˈsɔːləmli/
in a grave and sedate manner
From this reading He had a trick of imbibing his food solemnly, with a judicial air which sent apprehensive chills coursing down Cicely's spine, as she watched him pursing up his lips over the salad and nibbling daintily at the macaroni.
spinenounUS /spaɪn/
the series of vertebrae forming the axis of the skeleton and protecting the spinal cord
From this reading He had a trick of imbibing his food solemnly, with a judicial air which sent apprehensive chills coursing down Cicely's spine, as she watched him pursing up his lips over the salad and nibbling daintily at the macaroni.
attain success or reach a desired goal
From this reading It only remained to be seen whether or not she could succeed in getting the supplies to and from the table without losing off her cap or dropping too many of the forks.
suppliesnounUS /səˈplaɪz/
plural of “supply” — an amount of something available for use
From this reading It only remained to be seen whether or not she could succeed in getting the supplies to and from the table without losing off her cap or dropping too many of the forks.
Susan
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Of so much she was certain, for Susan was an expert in plain cookery, and, in her own cooking class, Cicely had shown herself past master in the art of entrées.
a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading Seated at the dinner table, the publisher was very large, very ruddy, very imposing.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Seated at the dinner table, the publisher was very large, very ruddy, very imposing.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It only remained to be seen whether or not she could succeed in getting the supplies to and from the table without losing off her cap or dropping too many of the forks.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading It only remained to be seen whether or not she could succeed in getting the supplies to and from the table without losing off her cap or dropping too many of the forks.
a cunning or deceitful action or device
From this reading He had a trick of imbibing his food solemnly, with a judicial air which sent apprehensive chills coursing down Cicely's spine, as she watched him pursing up his lips over the salad and nibbling daintily at the macaroni.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading He had a trick of imbibing his food solemnly, with a judicial air which sent apprehensive chills coursing down Cicely's spine, as she watched him pursing up his lips over the salad and nibbling daintily at the macaroni.
precisely as stated
From this reading Seated at the dinner table, the publisher was very large, very ruddy, very imposing.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Seated at the dinner table, the publisher was very large, very ruddy, very imposing.
past form of “watch” — look attentively
From this reading He had a trick of imbibing his food solemnly, with a judicial air which sent apprehensive chills coursing down Cicely's spine, as she watched him pursing up his lips over the salad and nibbling daintily at the macaroni.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading The dinner was good, as far as it went.
used to introduce two or more possibilities
From this reading It only remained to be seen whether or not she could succeed in getting the supplies to and from the table without losing off her cap or dropping too many of the forks.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading He had a trick of imbibing his food solemnly, with a judicial air which sent apprehensive chills coursing down Cicely's spine, as she watched him pursing up his lips over the salad and nibbling daintily at the macaroni.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He had a trick of imbibing his food solemnly, with a judicial air which sent apprehensive chills coursing down Cicely's spine, as she watched him pursing up his lips over the salad and nibbling daintily at the macaroni.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading It only remained to be seen whether or not she could succeed in getting the supplies to and from the table without losing off her cap or dropping too many of the forks.
