used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He had been caught surveying the "spread" in company with Miss Dutton (she had declined the alarming hospitality of Halton), old Mr. Dove, and the Bird--a trio who had been working for its perfection most of the day and all the evening.
accessionnounUS /əkˈseʃən/
a process of increasing by addition (as to a collection or group)
From this reading The party had received an unexpected accession in the person of Jack Rock.
alarmingadjectiveUS /əˈlɑːrmɪŋ/
frightening because of an awareness of danger
From this reading He had been caught surveying the "spread" in company with Miss Dutton (she had declined the alarming hospitality of Halton), old Mr. Dove, and the Bird--a trio who had been working for its perfection most of the day and all the evening.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading He had been caught surveying the "spread" in company with Miss Dutton (she had declined the alarming hospitality of Halton), old Mr. Dove, and the Bird--a trio who had been working for its perfection most of the day and all the evening.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The party had received an unexpected accession in the person of Jack Rock.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading At supper the fun waxed fast and harmlessly furious.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At supper the fun waxed fast and harmlessly furious.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading He had been caught surveying the "spread" in company with Miss Dutton (she had declined the alarming hospitality of Halton), old Mr. Dove, and the Bird--a trio who had been working for its perfection most of the day and all the evening.
warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings
From this reading He had been caught surveying the "spread" in company with Miss Dutton (she had declined the alarming hospitality of Halton), old Mr. Dove, and the Bird--a trio who had been working for its perfection most of the day and all the evening.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Having caught Jack, the Nun would by no means let him go.
inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading He had been caught surveying the "spread" in company with Miss Dutton (she had declined the alarming hospitality of Halton), old Mr. Dove, and the Bird--a trio who had been working for its perfection most of the day and all the evening.
an institution created to conduct business
From this reading He had been caught surveying the "spread" in company with Miss Dutton (she had declined the alarming hospitality of Halton), old Mr. Dove, and the Bird--a trio who had been working for its perfection most of the day and all the evening.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading He had been caught surveying the "spread" in company with Miss Dutton (she had declined the alarming hospitality of Halton), old Mr. Dove, and the Bird--a trio who had been working for its perfection most of the day and all the evening.
declinedverbUS /dɪˈklaɪnd/
past form of “decline” — grow worse
From this reading He had been caught surveying the "spread" in company with Miss Dutton (she had declined the alarming hospitality of Halton), old Mr. Dove, and the Bird--a trio who had been working for its perfection most of the day and all the evening.
DovenounUS /dʌv/
any of numerous small pigeons
From this reading He had been caught surveying the "spread" in company with Miss Dutton (she had declined the alarming hospitality of Halton), old Mr. Dove, and the Bird--a trio who had been working for its perfection most of the day and all the evening.
Dutton
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had been caught surveying the "spread" in company with Miss Dutton (she had declined the alarming hospitality of Halton), old Mr. Dove, and the Bird--a trio who had been working for its perfection most of the day and all the evening.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading He had been caught surveying the "spread" in company with Miss Dutton (she had declined the alarming hospitality of Halton), old Mr. Dove, and the Bird--a trio who had been working for its perfection most of the day and all the evening.
quickly or rapidly (often used as a combining form)
From this reading At supper the fun waxed fast and harmlessly furious.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He had been caught surveying the "spread" in company with Miss Dutton (she had declined the alarming hospitality of Halton), old Mr. Dove, and the Bird--a trio who had been working for its perfection most of the day and all the evening.
activities that are enjoyable or amusing
From this reading At supper the fun waxed fast and harmlessly furious.
furiousadjectiveUS /ˈfjʊriəs/
marked by extreme and violent energy
From this reading At supper the fun waxed fast and harmlessly furious.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Having caught Jack, the Nun would by no means let him go.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading NO GOOD?
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The party had received an unexpected accession in the person of Jack Rock.
Halton
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had been caught surveying the "spread" in company with Miss Dutton (she had declined the alarming hospitality of Halton), old Mr. Dove, and the Bird--a trio who had been working for its perfection most of the day and all the evening.
harmlesslyadverbUS /ˈhɑːrmləsli/
in a harmless manner
From this reading At supper the fun waxed fast and harmlessly furious.
Havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading Having caught Jack, the Nun would by no means let him go.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had been caught surveying the "spread" in company with Miss Dutton (she had declined the alarming hospitality of Halton), old Mr. Dove, and the Bird--a trio who had been working for its perfection most of the day and all the evening.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Having caught Jack, the Nun would by no means let him go.
hospitalitynounUS /ˌhɑːspəˈtæləti/
kindness in welcoming guests or strangers
From this reading He had been caught surveying the "spread" in company with Miss Dutton (she had declined the alarming hospitality of Halton), old Mr. Dove, and the Bird--a trio who had been working for its perfection most of the day and all the evening.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The party had received an unexpected accession in the person of Jack Rock.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading He had been caught surveying the "spread" in company with Miss Dutton (she had declined the alarming hospitality of Halton), old Mr. Dove, and the Bird--a trio who had been working for its perfection most of the day and all the evening.
a small worthless amount
From this reading The party had received an unexpected accession in the person of Jack Rock.
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading Having caught Jack, the Nun would by no means let him go.
thing or person that acts to produce a particular effect or achieve an end
From this reading Having caught Jack, the Nun would by no means let him go.
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading He had been caught surveying the "spread" in company with Miss Dutton (she had declined the alarming hospitality of Halton), old Mr. Dove, and the Bird--a trio who had been working for its perfection most of the day and all the evening.
used to form the superlative
From this reading He had been caught surveying the "spread" in company with Miss Dutton (she had declined the alarming hospitality of Halton), old Mr. Dove, and the Bird--a trio who had been working for its perfection most of the day and all the evening.
a form of address for a man
From this reading He had been caught surveying the "spread" in company with Miss Dutton (she had declined the alarming hospitality of Halton), old Mr. Dove, and the Bird--a trio who had been working for its perfection most of the day and all the evening.
not any; not one
From this reading NO GOOD?
NunnounUS /nʌn/
a woman religious
From this reading Having caught Jack, the Nun would by no means let him go.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The party had received an unexpected accession in the person of Jack Rock.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading He had been caught surveying the "spread" in company with Miss Dutton (she had declined the alarming hospitality of Halton), old Mr. Dove, and the Bird--a trio who had been working for its perfection most of the day and all the evening.
an organization to gain political power
From this reading The party had received an unexpected accession in the person of Jack Rock.
perfectionnounUS /pərˈfekʃən/
the state of being without a flaw or defect
From this reading He had been caught surveying the "spread" in company with Miss Dutton (she had declined the alarming hospitality of Halton), old Mr. Dove, and the Bird--a trio who had been working for its perfection most of the day and all the evening.
a human being
From this reading The party had received an unexpected accession in the person of Jack Rock.
conforming to the established language usage of educated native speakers
From this reading The party had received an unexpected accession in the person of Jack Rock.
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading The party had received an unexpected accession in the person of Jack Rock.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had been caught surveying the "spread" in company with Miss Dutton (she had declined the alarming hospitality of Halton), old Mr. Dove, and the Bird--a trio who had been working for its perfection most of the day and all the evening.
distribute or disperse widely
From this reading He had been caught surveying the "spread" in company with Miss Dutton (she had declined the alarming hospitality of Halton), old Mr. Dove, and the Bird--a trio who had been working for its perfection most of the day and all the evening.
a light evening meal; served in early evening if dinner is at midday or served late in the evening at bedtime
From this reading At supper the fun waxed fast and harmlessly furious.
surveyingnounUS /sərˈveɪɪŋ/
the practice of measuring angles and distances on the ground so that they can be accurately plotted on a map
From this reading He had been caught surveying the "spread" in company with Miss Dutton (she had declined the alarming hospitality of Halton), old Mr. Dove, and the Bird--a trio who had been working for its perfection most of the day and all the evening.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading At supper the fun waxed fast and harmlessly furious.
trionounUS /ˈtriːoʊ/
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading He had been caught surveying the "spread" in company with Miss Dutton (she had declined the alarming hospitality of Halton), old Mr. Dove, and the Bird--a trio who had been working for its perfection most of the day and all the evening.
not expected or anticipated
From this reading The party had received an unexpected accession in the person of Jack Rock.
waxedadjectiveUS /wækst/
treated with wax
From this reading At supper the fun waxed fast and harmlessly furious.
which person or people
From this reading He had been caught surveying the "spread" in company with Miss Dutton (she had declined the alarming hospitality of Halton), old Mr. Dove, and the Bird--a trio who had been working for its perfection most of the day and all the evening.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He had been caught surveying the "spread" in company with Miss Dutton (she had declined the alarming hospitality of Halton), old Mr. Dove, and the Bird--a trio who had been working for its perfection most of the day and all the evening.
actively engaged in paid work
From this reading He had been caught surveying the "spread" in company with Miss Dutton (she had declined the alarming hospitality of Halton), old Mr. Dove, and the Bird--a trio who had been working for its perfection most of the day and all the evening.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Having caught Jack, the Nun would by no means let him go.
