used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He tried to pick a friendly quarrel with Giovanni, but the latter was too absent-minded even to be annoyed; he tried to excite the Duchessa's interest, but she only smiled gently, making a remark from time to time which was conspicuous for its irrelevancy.
absent-minded
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He tried to pick a friendly quarrel with Giovanni, but the latter was too absent-minded even to be annoyed; he tried to excite the Duchessa's interest, but she only smiled gently, making a remark from time to time which was conspicuous for its irrelevancy.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading Sister Gabrielle retired immediately after dinner, and the Duchessa was left alone with the two men.
make it possible through a specific action or lack of action for something to happen
From this reading The manners of the time would not allow it, and the result was that the Prince spent the evening in making conversation for two rather indifferent listeners.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading The opportunity which Giovanni sought of being alone with Corona was long in coming.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Sister Gabrielle retired immediately after dinner, and the Duchessa was left alone with the two men.
annoyedadjectiveUS /əˈnɔɪd/
aroused to impatience or anger
From this reading He tried to pick a friendly quarrel with Giovanni, but the latter was too absent-minded even to be annoyed; he tried to excite the Duchessa's interest, but she only smiled gently, making a remark from time to time which was conspicuous for its irrelevancy.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading He tried to pick a friendly quarrel with Giovanni, but the latter was too absent-minded even to be annoyed; he tried to excite the Duchessa's interest, but she only smiled gently, making a remark from time to time which was conspicuous for its irrelevancy.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading The opportunity which Giovanni sought of being alone with Corona was long in coming.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Old Saracinesca would gladly have left his son with the hostess, but the thing was evidently impossible.
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading The opportunity which Giovanni sought of being alone with Corona was long in coming.
conspicuousadjectiveUS /kənˈspɪkjuːəs/
obvious to the eye or mind
From this reading He tried to pick a friendly quarrel with Giovanni, but the latter was too absent-minded even to be annoyed; he tried to excite the Duchessa's interest, but she only smiled gently, making a remark from time to time which was conspicuous for its irrelevancy.
the use of speech for informal exchange of views or ideas or information etc.
From this reading The manners of the time would not allow it, and the result was that the Prince spent the evening in making conversation for two rather indifferent listeners.
CoronanounUS /kərˈoʊnə/
the outermost region of the sun's atmosphere; visible as a white halo during a solar eclipse
From this reading The opportunity which Giovanni sought of being alone with Corona was long in coming.
the main meal of the day served in the evening or at midday
From this reading Sister Gabrielle retired immediately after dinner, and the Duchessa was left alone with the two men.
Duchessa
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sister Gabrielle retired immediately after dinner, and the Duchessa was left alone with the two men.
Duchessa's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He tried to pick a friendly quarrel with Giovanni, but the latter was too absent-minded even to be annoyed; he tried to excite the Duchessa's interest, but she only smiled gently, making a remark from time to time which was conspicuous for its irrelevancy.
divisible by two
From this reading He tried to pick a friendly quarrel with Giovanni, but the latter was too absent-minded even to be annoyed; he tried to excite the Duchessa's interest, but she only smiled gently, making a remark from time to time which was conspicuous for its irrelevancy.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading The manners of the time would not allow it, and the result was that the Prince spent the evening in making conversation for two rather indifferent listeners.
unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)
From this reading Old Saracinesca would gladly have left his son with the hostess, but the thing was evidently impossible.
exciteverbUS /ɪkˈsaɪt/
arouse or elicit a feeling
From this reading He tried to pick a friendly quarrel with Giovanni, but the latter was too absent-minded even to be annoyed; he tried to excite the Duchessa's interest, but she only smiled gently, making a remark from time to time which was conspicuous for its irrelevancy.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The manners of the time would not allow it, and the result was that the Prince spent the evening in making conversation for two rather indifferent listeners.
characteristic of or befitting a friend
From this reading He tried to pick a friendly quarrel with Giovanni, but the latter was too absent-minded even to be annoyed; he tried to excite the Duchessa's interest, but she only smiled gently, making a remark from time to time which was conspicuous for its irrelevancy.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading He tried to pick a friendly quarrel with Giovanni, but the latter was too absent-minded even to be annoyed; he tried to excite the Duchessa's interest, but she only smiled gently, making a remark from time to time which was conspicuous for its irrelevancy.
Gabrielle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sister Gabrielle retired immediately after dinner, and the Duchessa was left alone with the two men.
in a gradual manner
From this reading He tried to pick a friendly quarrel with Giovanni, but the latter was too absent-minded even to be annoyed; he tried to excite the Duchessa's interest, but she only smiled gently, making a remark from time to time which was conspicuous for its irrelevancy.
Giovanni
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The opportunity which Giovanni sought of being alone with Corona was long in coming.
gladlyadverbUS /ˈɡlædli/
in a willing manner
From this reading Old Saracinesca would gladly have left his son with the hostess, but the thing was evidently impossible.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Old Saracinesca would gladly have left his son with the hostess, but the thing was evidently impossible.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He tried to pick a friendly quarrel with Giovanni, but the latter was too absent-minded even to be annoyed; he tried to excite the Duchessa's interest, but she only smiled gently, making a remark from time to time which was conspicuous for its irrelevancy.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Old Saracinesca would gladly have left his son with the hostess, but the thing was evidently impossible.
hostessnounUS /ˈhoʊstəs/
a woman host
From this reading Old Saracinesca would gladly have left his son with the hostess, but the thing was evidently impossible.
without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening
From this reading Sister Gabrielle retired immediately after dinner, and the Duchessa was left alone with the two men.
not capable of occurring or being accomplished or dealt with
From this reading Old Saracinesca would gladly have left his son with the hostess, but the thing was evidently impossible.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The opportunity which Giovanni sought of being alone with Corona was long in coming.
marked by a lack of interest
From this reading The manners of the time would not allow it, and the result was that the Prince spent the evening in making conversation for two rather indifferent listeners.
a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something
From this reading He tried to pick a friendly quarrel with Giovanni, but the latter was too absent-minded even to be annoyed; he tried to excite the Duchessa's interest, but she only smiled gently, making a remark from time to time which was conspicuous for its irrelevancy.
irrelevancynounUS /ˌɪˈreləvənsi/
the lack of a relation of something to the matter at hand
From this reading He tried to pick a friendly quarrel with Giovanni, but the latter was too absent-minded even to be annoyed; he tried to excite the Duchessa's interest, but she only smiled gently, making a remark from time to time which was conspicuous for its irrelevancy.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The manners of the time would not allow it, and the result was that the Prince spent the evening in making conversation for two rather indifferent listeners.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading He tried to pick a friendly quarrel with Giovanni, but the latter was too absent-minded even to be annoyed; he tried to excite the Duchessa's interest, but she only smiled gently, making a remark from time to time which was conspicuous for its irrelevancy.
referring to the second of two things or persons mentioned (or the last one or ones of several)
From this reading He tried to pick a friendly quarrel with Giovanni, but the latter was too absent-minded even to be annoyed; he tried to excite the Duchessa's interest, but she only smiled gently, making a remark from time to time which was conspicuous for its irrelevancy.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading Sister Gabrielle retired immediately after dinner, and the Duchessa was left alone with the two men.
listenersnounUS /ˈlɪsənərz/
plural of “listener” — someone who listens attentively
From this reading The manners of the time would not allow it, and the result was that the Prince spent the evening in making conversation for two rather indifferent listeners.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading The opportunity which Giovanni sought of being alone with Corona was long in coming.
the act that results in something coming to be
From this reading The manners of the time would not allow it, and the result was that the Prince spent the evening in making conversation for two rather indifferent listeners.
social deportment
From this reading The manners of the time would not allow it, and the result was that the Prince spent the evening in making conversation for two rather indifferent listeners.
the force of workers available
From this reading Sister Gabrielle retired immediately after dinner, and the Duchessa was left alone with the two men.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The manners of the time would not allow it, and the result was that the Prince spent the evening in making conversation for two rather indifferent listeners.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The opportunity which Giovanni sought of being alone with Corona was long in coming.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading Old Saracinesca would gladly have left his son with the hostess, but the thing was evidently impossible.
and nothing more
From this reading He tried to pick a friendly quarrel with Giovanni, but the latter was too absent-minded even to be annoyed; he tried to excite the Duchessa's interest, but she only smiled gently, making a remark from time to time which was conspicuous for its irrelevancy.
a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances
From this reading The opportunity which Giovanni sought of being alone with Corona was long in coming.
select carefully from a group
From this reading He tried to pick a friendly quarrel with Giovanni, but the latter was too absent-minded even to be annoyed; he tried to excite the Duchessa's interest, but she only smiled gently, making a remark from time to time which was conspicuous for its irrelevancy.
a male member of a royal family other than the sovereign (especially the son of a sovereign)
From this reading The manners of the time would not allow it, and the result was that the Prince spent the evening in making conversation for two rather indifferent listeners.
an angry dispute
From this reading He tried to pick a friendly quarrel with Giovanni, but the latter was too absent-minded even to be annoyed; he tried to excite the Duchessa's interest, but she only smiled gently, making a remark from time to time which was conspicuous for its irrelevancy.
on the contrary
From this reading The manners of the time would not allow it, and the result was that the Prince spent the evening in making conversation for two rather indifferent listeners.
a statement that expresses a personal opinion or belief or adds information
From this reading He tried to pick a friendly quarrel with Giovanni, but the latter was too absent-minded even to be annoyed; he tried to excite the Duchessa's interest, but she only smiled gently, making a remark from time to time which was conspicuous for its irrelevancy.
a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon
From this reading The manners of the time would not allow it, and the result was that the Prince spent the evening in making conversation for two rather indifferent listeners.
no longer active in your work or profession
From this reading Sister Gabrielle retired immediately after dinner, and the Duchessa was left alone with the two men.
Saracinesca
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Old Saracinesca would gladly have left his son with the hostess, but the thing was evidently impossible.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He tried to pick a friendly quarrel with Giovanni, but the latter was too absent-minded even to be annoyed; he tried to excite the Duchessa's interest, but she only smiled gently, making a remark from time to time which was conspicuous for its irrelevancy.
a female person who has the same parents as another person
From this reading Sister Gabrielle retired immediately after dinner, and the Duchessa was left alone with the two men.
past form of “smile” — change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure
From this reading He tried to pick a friendly quarrel with Giovanni, but the latter was too absent-minded even to be annoyed; he tried to excite the Duchessa's interest, but she only smiled gently, making a remark from time to time which was conspicuous for its irrelevancy.
a male human offspring
From this reading Old Saracinesca would gladly have left his son with the hostess, but the thing was evidently impossible.
that is looked for
From this reading The opportunity which Giovanni sought of being alone with Corona was long in coming.
depleted of energy, force, or strength
From this reading The manners of the time would not allow it, and the result was that the Prince spent the evening in making conversation for two rather indifferent listeners.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The manners of the time would not allow it, and the result was that the Prince spent the evening in making conversation for two rather indifferent listeners.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The opportunity which Giovanni sought of being alone with Corona was long in coming.
a special situation
From this reading Old Saracinesca would gladly have left his son with the hostess, but the thing was evidently impossible.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading The manners of the time would not allow it, and the result was that the Prince spent the evening in making conversation for two rather indifferent listeners.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He tried to pick a friendly quarrel with Giovanni, but the latter was too absent-minded even to be annoyed; he tried to excite the Duchessa's interest, but she only smiled gently, making a remark from time to time which was conspicuous for its irrelevancy.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading He tried to pick a friendly quarrel with Giovanni, but the latter was too absent-minded even to be annoyed; he tried to excite the Duchessa's interest, but she only smiled gently, making a remark from time to time which was conspicuous for its irrelevancy.
tested and proved useful or correct
From this reading He tried to pick a friendly quarrel with Giovanni, but the latter was too absent-minded even to be annoyed; he tried to excite the Duchessa's interest, but she only smiled gently, making a remark from time to time which was conspicuous for its irrelevancy.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading Sister Gabrielle retired immediately after dinner, and the Duchessa was left alone with the two men.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The opportunity which Giovanni sought of being alone with Corona was long in coming.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The opportunity which Giovanni sought of being alone with Corona was long in coming.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The opportunity which Giovanni sought of being alone with Corona was long in coming.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Old Saracinesca would gladly have left his son with the hostess, but the thing was evidently impossible.
