used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Mrs. Addison was downstairs lending a directing oversight in her dining-room and ample pantries.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading "They don't know one thing about their duties, Selina, and they won't let anybody tell them.
in actual fact
From this reading Listen to me and hold on to Viney till she's actually tottering."
Addison
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Addison was downstairs lending a directing oversight in her dining-room and ample pantries.
ampleadjectiveUS /ˈæmpəl/
more than enough in size or scope or capacity
From this reading Mrs. Addison was downstairs lending a directing oversight in her dining-room and ample pantries.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Mrs. Addison was downstairs lending a directing oversight in her dining-room and ample pantries.
any person at all
From this reading "They don't know one thing about their duties, Selina, and they won't let anybody tell them.
(usually followed by “of”) having capacity or ability
From this reading The elderly downstairs man of many years' service in the household had died this past winter, and she, capable and impatient person, was going through the trials of a succession of young and inefficient substitutes.
definedadjectiveUS /dɪˈfaɪnd/
clearly characterized or delimited
From this reading Or so she defined them.
past form of “die” — pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life
From this reading The elderly downstairs man of many years' service in the household had died this past winter, and she, capable and impatient person, was going through the trials of a succession of young and inefficient substitutes.
dining-roomnoun
a room used for dining
From this reading Mrs. Addison was downstairs lending a directing oversight in her dining-room and ample pantries.
directingadjectiveUS /dərˈektɪŋ/
showing the way by conducting or leading; imposing direction on
From this reading Mrs. Addison was downstairs lending a directing oversight in her dining-room and ample pantries.
don't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "They don't know one thing about their duties, Selina, and they won't let anybody tell them.
downstairsadverbUS /ˈdaʊnˈsterz/
on a floor below
From this reading Mrs. Addison was downstairs lending a directing oversight in her dining-room and ample pantries.
plural of “duty” — the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force
From this reading "They don't know one thing about their duties, Selina, and they won't let anybody tell them.
elderlyadjectiveUS /ˈeldərli/
advanced in years; (“aged” is pronounced as two syllables)
From this reading The elderly downstairs man of many years' service in the household had died this past winter, and she, capable and impatient person, was going through the trials of a succession of young and inefficient substitutes.
the act of departing
From this reading The elderly downstairs man of many years' service in the household had died this past winter, and she, capable and impatient person, was going through the trials of a succession of young and inefficient substitutes.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The elderly downstairs man of many years' service in the household had died this past winter, and she, capable and impatient person, was going through the trials of a succession of young and inefficient substitutes.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Mrs. Addison was downstairs lending a directing oversight in her dining-room and ample pantries.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading Listen to me and hold on to Viney till she's actually tottering."
a social unit living together
From this reading The elderly downstairs man of many years' service in the household had died this past winter, and she, capable and impatient person, was going through the trials of a succession of young and inefficient substitutes.
restless or short-tempered under delay or opposition
From this reading The elderly downstairs man of many years' service in the household had died this past winter, and she, capable and impatient person, was going through the trials of a succession of young and inefficient substitutes.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Mrs. Addison was downstairs lending a directing oversight in her dining-room and ample pantries.
inefficientadjectiveUS /ˌɪnɪˈfɪʃənt/
not producing desired results; wasteful
From this reading The elderly downstairs man of many years' service in the household had died this past winter, and she, capable and impatient person, was going through the trials of a succession of young and inefficient substitutes.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading "They don't know one thing about their duties, Selina, and they won't let anybody tell them.
lendingnounUS /ˈlendɪŋ/
disposing of money or property with the expectation that the same thing (or an equivalent) will be returned
From this reading Mrs. Addison was downstairs lending a directing oversight in her dining-room and ample pantries.
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading "They don't know one thing about their duties, Selina, and they won't let anybody tell them.
hear with intention
From this reading Listen to me and hold on to Viney till she's actually tottering."
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading The elderly downstairs man of many years' service in the household had died this past winter, and she, capable and impatient person, was going through the trials of a succession of young and inefficient substitutes.
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 The elderly downstairs man of many years' service in the household had died this past winter, and she, capable and impatient person, was going through the trials of a succession of young and inefficient substitutes.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Listen to me and hold on to Viney till she's actually tottering."
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading Mrs. Addison was downstairs lending a directing oversight in her dining-room and ample pantries.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The elderly downstairs man of many years' service in the household had died this past winter, and she, capable and impatient person, was going through the trials of a succession of young and inefficient substitutes.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Listen to me and hold on to Viney till she's actually tottering."
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading "They don't know one thing about their duties, Selina, and they won't let anybody tell them.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Or so she defined them.
oversightnounUS /ˈoʊvərsaɪt/
an unintentional omission resulting from failure to notice something
From this reading Mrs. Addison was downstairs lending a directing oversight in her dining-room and ample pantries.
pantries
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Addison was downstairs lending a directing oversight in her dining-room and ample pantries.
the time that has elapsed
From this reading The elderly downstairs man of many years' service in the household had died this past winter, and she, capable and impatient person, was going through the trials of a succession of young and inefficient substitutes.
a human being
From this reading The elderly downstairs man of many years' service in the household had died this past winter, and she, capable and impatient person, was going through the trials of a succession of young and inefficient substitutes.
Selina
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "They don't know one thing about their duties, Selina, and they won't let anybody tell them.
work done by one person or group that benefits another
From this reading The elderly downstairs man of many years' service in the household had died this past winter, and she, capable and impatient person, was going through the trials of a succession of young and inefficient substitutes.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The elderly downstairs man of many years' service in the household had died this past winter, and she, capable and impatient person, was going through the trials of a succession of young and inefficient substitutes.
she's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Listen to me and hold on to Viney till she's actually tottering."
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Or so she defined them.
substitutesnounUS /ˈsʌbstətuːts/
plural of “substitute” — a person or thing that takes or can take the place of another
From this reading The elderly downstairs man of many years' service in the household had died this past winter, and she, capable and impatient person, was going through the trials of a succession of young and inefficient substitutes.
successionnounUS /səkˈseʃən/
a following of one thing after another in time
From this reading The elderly downstairs man of many years' service in the household had died this past winter, and she, capable and impatient person, was going through the trials of a succession of young and inefficient substitutes.
express in words
From this reading "They don't know one thing about their duties, Selina, and they won't let anybody tell them.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The elderly downstairs man of many years' service in the household had died this past winter, and she, capable and impatient person, was going through the trials of a succession of young and inefficient substitutes.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading "They don't know one thing about their duties, Selina, and they won't let anybody tell them.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Or so she defined them.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "They don't know one thing about their duties, Selina, and they won't let anybody tell them.
a special situation
From this reading "They don't know one thing about their duties, Selina, and they won't let anybody tell them.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading The elderly downstairs man of many years' service in the household had died this past winter, and she, capable and impatient person, was going through the trials of a succession of young and inefficient substitutes.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading The elderly downstairs man of many years' service in the household had died this past winter, and she, capable and impatient person, was going through the trials of a succession of young and inefficient substitutes.
up to a particular time
From this reading Listen to me and hold on to Viney till she's actually tottering."
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Listen to me and hold on to Viney till she's actually tottering."
totteringadjectiveUS /ˈtɑːtərɪŋ/
unsteady in gait as from infirmity or old age
From this reading Listen to me and hold on to Viney till she's actually tottering."
trialsnounUS /ˈtraɪəlz/
plural of “trial” — the act of testing something
From this reading The elderly downstairs man of many years' service in the household had died this past winter, and she, capable and impatient person, was going through the trials of a succession of young and inefficient substitutes.
Viney
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Listen to me and hold on to Viney till she's actually tottering."
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Mrs. Addison was downstairs lending a directing oversight in her dining-room and ample pantries.
the coldest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the winter solstice to the vernal equinox
From this reading The elderly downstairs man of many years' service in the household had died this past winter, and she, capable and impatient person, was going through the trials of a succession of young and inefficient substitutes.
won't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "They don't know one thing about their duties, Selina, and they won't let anybody tell them.
a late time of life
From this reading The elderly downstairs man of many years' service in the household had died this past winter, and she, capable and impatient person, was going through the trials of a succession of young and inefficient substitutes.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading The elderly downstairs man of many years' service in the household had died this past winter, and she, capable and impatient person, was going through the trials of a succession of young and inefficient substitutes.
