used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading His wife was not dressed for dinner either; she had just come in from a war committee of some sort.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading The Lessing family sat at dinner, and it was to be observed that some of those incredible wonders at which Peter Graham had once hinted to Hilda had come about.
in actual fact
From this reading There were only three courses, and Mr. Lessing had but one glass of wine, for one thing; for another he was actually in uniform, and was far more proud of his corporal's stripes than he had previously been of his churchwarden's staff of office.
prior to a specified or implied time
From this reading A solitary maid waited on them, and they had already given up fires in the dining-room.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The Lessing family sat at dinner, and it was to be observed that some of those incredible wonders at which Peter Graham had once hinted to Hilda had come about.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading There were only three courses, and Mr. Lessing had but one glass of wine, for one thing; for another he was actually in uniform, and was far more proud of his corporal's stripes than he had previously been of his churchwarden's staff of office.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading Nor was he only in the Volunteers; he was actually in training to some extent, and the war had at any rate done him good.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The Lessing family sat at dinner, and it was to be observed that some of those incredible wonders at which Peter Graham had once hinted to Hilda had come about.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The Lessing family sat at dinner, and it was to be observed that some of those incredible wonders at which Peter Graham had once hinted to Hilda had come about.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading There were only three courses, and Mr. Lessing had but one glass of wine, for one thing; for another he was actually in uniform, and was far more proud of his corporal's stripes than he had previously been of his churchwarden's staff of office.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading There were only three courses, and Mr. Lessing had but one glass of wine, for one thing; for another he was actually in uniform, and was far more proud of his corporal's stripes than he had previously been of his churchwarden's staff of office.
churchwarden's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were only three courses, and Mr. Lessing had but one glass of wine, for one thing; for another he was actually in uniform, and was far more proud of his corporal's stripes than he had previously been of his churchwarden's staff of office.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading The Lessing family sat at dinner, and it was to be observed that some of those incredible wonders at which Peter Graham had once hinted to Hilda had come about.
committeenounUS /kəˈmɪti/
a special group delegated to consider some matter
From this reading His wife was not dressed for dinner either; she had just come in from a war committee of some sort.
corporal's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were only three courses, and Mr. Lessing had but one glass of wine, for one thing; for another he was actually in uniform, and was far more proud of his corporal's stripes than he had previously been of his churchwarden's staff of office.
coursesnounUS /ˈkɔːrsəz/
plural of “course” — education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading There were only three courses, and Mr. Lessing had but one glass of wine, for one thing; for another he was actually in uniform, and was far more proud of his corporal's stripes than he had previously been of his churchwarden's staff of office.
dining-roomnoun
a room used for dining
From this reading A solitary maid waited on them, and they had already given up fires in the dining-room.
the main meal of the day served in the evening or at midday
From this reading The Lessing family sat at dinner, and it was to be observed that some of those incredible wonders at which Peter Graham had once hinted to Hilda had come about.
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading Nor was he only in the Volunteers; he was actually in training to some extent, and the war had at any rate done him good.
dressed or clothed especially in fine attire; often used in combination
From this reading His wife was not dressed for dinner either; she had just come in from a war committee of some sort.
one or the other of two
From this reading His wife was not dressed for dinner either; she had just come in from a war committee of some sort.
the point or degree to which something extends
From this reading Nor was he only in the Volunteers; he was actually in training to some extent, and the war had at any rate done him good.
a social unit living together
From this reading The Lessing family sat at dinner, and it was to be observed that some of those incredible wonders at which Peter Graham had once hinted to Hilda had come about.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading There were only three courses, and Mr. Lessing had but one glass of wine, for one thing; for another he was actually in uniform, and was far more proud of his corporal's stripes than he had previously been of his churchwarden's staff of office.
firesnounUS /ˈfaɪərz/
plural of “fire” — the event of something burning (often destructive)
From this reading A solitary maid waited on them, and they had already given up fires in the dining-room.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading There were only three courses, and Mr. Lessing had but one glass of wine, for one thing; for another he was actually in uniform, and was far more proud of his corporal's stripes than he had previously been of his churchwarden's staff of office.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading His wife was not dressed for dinner either; she had just come in from a war committee of some sort.
givenadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪvən/
acknowledged as a supposition
From this reading A solitary maid waited on them, and they had already given up fires in the dining-room.
a brittle transparent solid with irregular atomic structure
From this reading There were only three courses, and Mr. Lessing had but one glass of wine, for one thing; for another he was actually in uniform, and was far more proud of his corporal's stripes than he had previously been of his churchwarden's staff of office.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading Nor was he only in the Volunteers; he was actually in training to some extent, and the war had at any rate done him good.
GrahamnounUS /ˈɡreɪəm/
United States evangelical preacher famous as a mass evangelist (born in 1918)
From this reading The Lessing family sat at dinner, and it was to be observed that some of those incredible wonders at which Peter Graham had once hinted to Hilda had come about.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The Lessing family sat at dinner, and it was to be observed that some of those incredible wonders at which Peter Graham had once hinted to Hilda had come about.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading There were only three courses, and Mr. Lessing had but one glass of wine, for one thing; for another he was actually in uniform, and was far more proud of his corporal's stripes than he had previously been of his churchwarden's staff of office.
Hilda
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Lessing family sat at dinner, and it was to be observed that some of those incredible wonders at which Peter Graham had once hinted to Hilda had come about.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Nor was he only in the Volunteers; he was actually in training to some extent, and the war had at any rate done him good.
hintedverbUS /ˈhɪntəd/
past form of “hint” — drop a hint; intimate by a hint
From this reading The Lessing family sat at dinner, and it was to be observed that some of those incredible wonders at which Peter Graham had once hinted to Hilda had come about.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading There were only three courses, and Mr. Lessing had but one glass of wine, for one thing; for another he was actually in uniform, and was far more proud of his corporal's stripes than he had previously been of his churchwarden's staff of office.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading There were only three courses, and Mr. Lessing had but one glass of wine, for one thing; for another he was actually in uniform, and was far more proud of his corporal's stripes than he had previously been of his churchwarden's staff of office.
incredibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈkredəbəl/
beyond belief or understanding
From this reading The Lessing family sat at dinner, and it was to be observed that some of those incredible wonders at which Peter Graham had once hinted to Hilda had come about.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The Lessing family sat at dinner, and it was to be observed that some of those incredible wonders at which Peter Graham had once hinted to Hilda had come about.
and nothing more
From this reading His wife was not dressed for dinner either; she had just come in from a war committee of some sort.
LessingnounUS /ˈlesɪŋ/
German playwright and leader of the Enlightenment (1729-1781)
From this reading The Lessing family sat at dinner, and it was to be observed that some of those incredible wonders at which Peter Graham had once hinted to Hilda had come about.
a female domestic
From this reading A solitary maid waited on them, and they had already given up fires in the dining-room.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading There were only three courses, and Mr. Lessing had but one glass of wine, for one thing; for another he was actually in uniform, and was far more proud of his corporal's stripes than he had previously been of his churchwarden's staff of office.
a form of address for a man
From this reading There were only three courses, and Mr. Lessing had but one glass of wine, for one thing; for another he was actually in uniform, and was far more proud of his corporal's stripes than he had previously been of his churchwarden's staff of office.
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading Nor was he only in the Volunteers; he was actually in training to some extent, and the war had at any rate done him good.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading His wife was not dressed for dinner either; she had just come in from a war committee of some sort.
discovered or determined by scientific observation
From this reading The Lessing family sat at dinner, and it was to be observed that some of those incredible wonders at which Peter Graham had once hinted to Hilda had come about.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The Lessing family sat at dinner, and it was to be observed that some of those incredible wonders at which Peter Graham had once hinted to Hilda had come about.
place of business where professional or clerical duties are performed
From this reading There were only three courses, and Mr. Lessing had but one glass of wine, for one thing; for another he was actually in uniform, and was far more proud of his corporal's stripes than he had previously been of his churchwarden's staff of office.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading A solitary maid waited on them, and they had already given up fires in the dining-room.
on one occasion
From this reading The Lessing family sat at dinner, and it was to be observed that some of those incredible wonders at which Peter Graham had once hinted to Hilda had come about.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading There were only three courses, and Mr. Lessing had but one glass of wine, for one thing; for another he was actually in uniform, and was far more proud of his corporal's stripes than he had previously been of his churchwarden's staff of office.
and nothing more
From this reading There were only three courses, and Mr. Lessing had but one glass of wine, for one thing; for another he was actually in uniform, and was far more proud of his corporal's stripes than he had previously been of his churchwarden's staff of office.
disciple of Jesus and leader of the Apostles; regarded by Catholics as the vicar of Christ on earth and first Pope
From this reading The Lessing family sat at dinner, and it was to be observed that some of those incredible wonders at which Peter Graham had once hinted to Hilda had come about.
previouslyadverbUS /ˈpriːviəsli/
at an earlier time or formerly
From this reading There were only three courses, and Mr. Lessing had but one glass of wine, for one thing; for another he was actually in uniform, and was far more proud of his corporal's stripes than he had previously been of his churchwarden's staff of office.
feeling self-respect or pleasure in something by which you measure your self-worth; or being a reason for pride
From this reading There were only three courses, and Mr. Lessing had but one glass of wine, for one thing; for another he was actually in uniform, and was far more proud of his corporal's stripes than he had previously been of his churchwarden's staff of office.
a magnitude or frequency relative to a time unit
From this reading Nor was he only in the Volunteers; he was actually in training to some extent, and the war had at any rate done him good.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading The Lessing family sat at dinner, and it was to be observed that some of those incredible wonders at which Peter Graham had once hinted to Hilda had come about.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading His wife was not dressed for dinner either; she had just come in from a war committee of some sort.
characterized by or preferring solitude
From this reading A solitary maid waited on them, and they had already given up fires in the dining-room.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading The Lessing family sat at dinner, and it was to be observed that some of those incredible wonders at which Peter Graham had once hinted to Hilda had come about.
a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
From this reading His wife was not dressed for dinner either; she had just come in from a war committee of some sort.
staffnounUS /stæf/
personnel who assist their superior in carrying out an assigned task
From this reading There were only three courses, and Mr. Lessing had but one glass of wine, for one thing; for another he was actually in uniform, and was far more proud of his corporal's stripes than he had previously been of his churchwarden's staff of office.
stripesnounUS /straɪps/
V-shaped sleeve badge indicating military rank and service
From this reading There were only three courses, and Mr. Lessing had but one glass of wine, for one thing; for another he was actually in uniform, and was far more proud of his corporal's stripes than he had previously been of his churchwarden's staff of office.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading There were only three courses, and Mr. Lessing had but one glass of wine, for one thing; for another he was actually in uniform, and was far more proud of his corporal's stripes than he had previously been of his churchwarden's staff of office.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The Lessing family sat at dinner, and it was to be observed that some of those incredible wonders at which Peter Graham had once hinted to Hilda had come about.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The Lessing family sat at dinner, and it was to be observed that some of those incredible wonders at which Peter Graham had once hinted to Hilda had come about.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading A solitary maid waited on them, and they had already given up fires in the dining-room.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There were only three courses, and Mr. Lessing had but one glass of wine, for one thing; for another he was actually in uniform, and was far more proud of his corporal's stripes than he had previously been of his churchwarden's staff of office.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading A solitary maid waited on them, and they had already given up fires in the dining-room.
a special situation
From this reading There were only three courses, and Mr. Lessing had but one glass of wine, for one thing; for another he was actually in uniform, and was far more proud of his corporal's stripes than he had previously been of his churchwarden's staff of office.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading The Lessing family sat at dinner, and it was to be observed that some of those incredible wonders at which Peter Graham had once hinted to Hilda had come about.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading There were only three courses, and Mr. Lessing had but one glass of wine, for one thing; for another he was actually in uniform, and was far more proud of his corporal's stripes than he had previously been of his churchwarden's staff of office.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The Lessing family sat at dinner, and it was to be observed that some of those incredible wonders at which Peter Graham had once hinted to Hilda had come about.
trainingnounUS /ˈtreɪnɪŋ/
activity leading to skilled behavior
From this reading Nor was he only in the Volunteers; he was actually in training to some extent, and the war had at any rate done him good.
uniformadjectiveUS /ˈjuːnəfɔːrm/
always the same; showing a single form or character in all occurrences
From this reading There were only three courses, and Mr. Lessing had but one glass of wine, for one thing; for another he was actually in uniform, and was far more proud of his corporal's stripes than he had previously been of his churchwarden's staff of office.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading A solitary maid waited on them, and they had already given up fires in the dining-room.
VolunteersnounUS /ˌvɑːlənˈtɪrz/
plural of “volunteer” — (military) a person who freely enlists for service
From this reading Nor was he only in the Volunteers; he was actually in training to some extent, and the war had at any rate done him good.
past form of “wait” — stay in one place and anticipate or expect something
From this reading A solitary maid waited on them, and they had already given up fires in the dining-room.
the waging of armed conflict against an enemy
From this reading Nor was he only in the Volunteers; he was actually in training to some extent, and the war had at any rate done him good.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The Lessing family sat at dinner, and it was to be observed that some of those incredible wonders at which Peter Graham had once hinted to Hilda had come about.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading There were only three courses, and Mr. Lessing had but one glass of wine, for one thing; for another he was actually in uniform, and was far more proud of his corporal's stripes than he had previously been of his churchwarden's staff of office.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The Lessing family sat at dinner, and it was to be observed that some of those incredible wonders at which Peter Graham had once hinted to Hilda had come about.
a married woman; a man's partner in marriage
From this reading His wife was not dressed for dinner either; she had just come in from a war committee of some sort.
fermented juice (of grapes especially)
From this reading There were only three courses, and Mr. Lessing had but one glass of wine, for one thing; for another he was actually in uniform, and was far more proud of his corporal's stripes than he had previously been of his churchwarden's staff of office.
wondersnounUS /ˈwʌndərz/
plural of “wonder” — the feeling aroused by something strange and surprising
From this reading The Lessing family sat at dinner, and it was to be observed that some of those incredible wonders at which Peter Graham had once hinted to Hilda had come about.
