adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The house party had that air of torpor which one sees in the saloon passengers of an Atlantic liner--that appearance of resignation to an enforced idleness and a monotony to be broken only by meals.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Lord Emsworth's guests gave the impression, collectively, of being just about to yawn and look at their watches.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading It is worthy of record, in the light of after events, that at the beginning of their visit it was the general opinion of the guests gathered together at Blandings Castle that the place was dull.
agreeableadjectiveUS /əˈɡriːəbəl/
conforming to your own liking or feelings or nature
From this reading A host has no right to interne a regiment of his relations in his house unless he also invites lively and agreeable outsiders to meet them.
airnounUS /er/
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading The house party had that air of torpor which one sees in the saloon passengers of an Atlantic liner--that appearance of resignation to an enforced idleness and a monotony to be broken only by meals.
alsoadverbUS /ˈɔːlsoʊ/
in addition
From this reading A host has no right to interne a regiment of his relations in his house unless he also invites lively and agreeable outsiders to meet them.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The house party had that air of torpor which one sees in the saloon passengers of an Atlantic liner--that appearance of resignation to an enforced idleness and a monotony to be broken only by meals.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The house party had that air of torpor which one sees in the saloon passengers of an Atlantic liner--that appearance of resignation to an enforced idleness and a monotony to be broken only by meals.
appearancenounUS /əˈpɪrəns/
outward or visible aspect of a person or thing
From this reading The house party had that air of torpor which one sees in the saloon passengers of an Atlantic liner--that appearance of resignation to an enforced idleness and a monotony to be broken only by meals.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading This was partly the fault of the time of year, for most house parties are dull if they happen to fall between the hunting and the shooting seasons, but must be attributed chiefly to Lord Emsworth's extremely sketchy notions of the duties of a host.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading It is worthy of record, in the light of after events, that at the beginning of their visit it was the general opinion of the guests gathered together at Blandings Castle that the place was dull.
AtlanticnounUS /ətˈlæntɪk/
the 2nd largest ocean; separates North and South America on the west from Europe and Africa on the east
From this reading The house party had that air of torpor which one sees in the saloon passengers of an Atlantic liner--that appearance of resignation to an enforced idleness and a monotony to be broken only by meals.
attributedverbUS /əˈtrɪbjətɪd/
past form of “attribute” — attribute or credit to
From this reading This was partly the fault of the time of year, for most house parties are dull if they happen to fall between the hunting and the shooting seasons, but must be attributed chiefly to Lord Emsworth's extremely sketchy notions of the duties of a host.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The house party had that air of torpor which one sees in the saloon passengers of an Atlantic liner--that appearance of resignation to an enforced idleness and a monotony to be broken only by meals.
beginningnounUS /bɪˈɡɪnɪŋ/
the event consisting of the start of something
From this reading It is worthy of record, in the light of after events, that at the beginning of their visit it was the general opinion of the guests gathered together at Blandings Castle that the place was dull.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading Lord Emsworth's guests gave the impression, collectively, of being just about to yawn and look at their watches.
betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading This was partly the fault of the time of year, for most house parties are dull if they happen to fall between the hunting and the shooting seasons, but must be attributed chiefly to Lord Emsworth's extremely sketchy notions of the duties of a host.
Blandings
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It is worthy of record, in the light of after events, that at the beginning of their visit it was the general opinion of the guests gathered together at Blandings Castle that the place was dull.
brokenadjectiveUS /ˈbroʊkən/
physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split
From this reading The house party had that air of torpor which one sees in the saloon passengers of an Atlantic liner--that appearance of resignation to an enforced idleness and a monotony to be broken only by meals.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading This was partly the fault of the time of year, for most house parties are dull if they happen to fall between the hunting and the shooting seasons, but must be attributed chiefly to Lord Emsworth's extremely sketchy notions of the duties of a host.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The house party had that air of torpor which one sees in the saloon passengers of an Atlantic liner--that appearance of resignation to an enforced idleness and a monotony to be broken only by meals.
CastlenounUS /ˈkæsəl/
a large and stately mansion
From this reading It is worthy of record, in the light of after events, that at the beginning of their visit it was the general opinion of the guests gathered together at Blandings Castle that the place was dull.
chieflyadverbUS /ˈtʃiːfli/
for the most part
From this reading This was partly the fault of the time of year, for most house parties are dull if they happen to fall between the hunting and the shooting seasons, but must be attributed chiefly to Lord Emsworth's extremely sketchy notions of the duties of a host.
collectivelyadverbUS /kəˈlektɪvli/
in conjunction with; combined
From this reading Lord Emsworth's guests gave the impression, collectively, of being just about to yawn and look at their watches.
dulladjectiveUS /dʌl/
lacking in liveliness or animation
From this reading It is worthy of record, in the light of after events, that at the beginning of their visit it was the general opinion of the guests gathered together at Blandings Castle that the place was dull.
dutiesnounUS /ˈduːtiz/
plural of “duty” — the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force
From this reading This was partly the fault of the time of year, for most house parties are dull if they happen to fall between the hunting and the shooting seasons, but must be attributed chiefly to Lord Emsworth's extremely sketchy notions of the duties of a host.
Emsworth's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lord Emsworth's guests gave the impression, collectively, of being just about to yawn and look at their watches.
enforcedadjectiveUS /enˈfɔːrst/
forced or compelled or put in force
From this reading The house party had that air of torpor which one sees in the saloon passengers of an Atlantic liner--that appearance of resignation to an enforced idleness and a monotony to be broken only by meals.
eventsnounUS /ɪˈvents/
plural of “event” — something that happens at a given place and time
From this reading It is worthy of record, in the light of after events, that at the beginning of their visit it was the general opinion of the guests gathered together at Blandings Castle that the place was dull.
extremelyadverbUS /ekˈstriːmli/
to a high degree or extent; favorably or with much respect
From this reading This was partly the fault of the time of year, for most house parties are dull if they happen to fall between the hunting and the shooting seasons, but must be attributed chiefly to Lord Emsworth's extremely sketchy notions of the duties of a host.
fallverbUS /fɔːl/
descend in free fall under the influence of gravity
From this reading This was partly the fault of the time of year, for most house parties are dull if they happen to fall between the hunting and the shooting seasons, but must be attributed chiefly to Lord Emsworth's extremely sketchy notions of the duties of a host.
faultnounUS /fɔːlt/
a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention
From this reading This was partly the fault of the time of year, for most house parties are dull if they happen to fall between the hunting and the shooting seasons, but must be attributed chiefly to Lord Emsworth's extremely sketchy notions of the duties of a host.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading This was partly the fault of the time of year, for most house parties are dull if they happen to fall between the hunting and the shooting seasons, but must be attributed chiefly to Lord Emsworth's extremely sketchy notions of the duties of a host.
gatheredadjectiveUS /ˈɡæðərd/
brought together in one place
From this reading It is worthy of record, in the light of after events, that at the beginning of their visit it was the general opinion of the guests gathered together at Blandings Castle that the place was dull.
gaveverbUS /ɡeɪv/
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading Lord Emsworth's guests gave the impression, collectively, of being just about to yawn and look at their watches.
generaladjectiveUS /ˈdʒenərəl/
applying to all or most members of a category or group
From this reading It is worthy of record, in the light of after events, that at the beginning of their visit it was the general opinion of the guests gathered together at Blandings Castle that the place was dull.
guestsnounUS /ɡests/
plural of “guest” — a visitor to whom hospitality is extended
From this reading It is worthy of record, in the light of after events, that at the beginning of their visit it was the general opinion of the guests gathered together at Blandings Castle that the place was dull.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The house party had that air of torpor which one sees in the saloon passengers of an Atlantic liner--that appearance of resignation to an enforced idleness and a monotony to be broken only by meals.
happenverbUS /ˈhæpən/
come to pass
From this reading This was partly the fault of the time of year, for most house parties are dull if they happen to fall between the hunting and the shooting seasons, but must be attributed chiefly to Lord Emsworth's extremely sketchy notions of the duties of a host.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A host has no right to interne a regiment of his relations in his house unless he also invites lively and agreeable outsiders to meet them.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading A host has no right to interne a regiment of his relations in his house unless he also invites lively and agreeable outsiders to meet them.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading A host has no right to interne a regiment of his relations in his house unless he also invites lively and agreeable outsiders to meet them.
hostnounUS /hoʊst/
a person who invites guests to a social event (such as a party in his or her own home) and who is responsible for them while they are there
From this reading This was partly the fault of the time of year, for most house parties are dull if they happen to fall between the hunting and the shooting seasons, but must be attributed chiefly to Lord Emsworth's extremely sketchy notions of the duties of a host.
housenounUS /haʊs/
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading The house party had that air of torpor which one sees in the saloon passengers of an Atlantic liner--that appearance of resignation to an enforced idleness and a monotony to be broken only by meals.
huntingnounUS /ˈhʌntɪŋ/
the pursuit and killing or capture of wild animals regarded as a sport
From this reading This was partly the fault of the time of year, for most house parties are dull if they happen to fall between the hunting and the shooting seasons, but must be attributed chiefly to Lord Emsworth's extremely sketchy notions of the duties of a host.
idlenessnounUS /ˈaɪdəlnəs/
having no employment
From this reading The house party had that air of torpor which one sees in the saloon passengers of an Atlantic liner--that appearance of resignation to an enforced idleness and a monotony to be broken only by meals.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading This was partly the fault of the time of year, for most house parties are dull if they happen to fall between the hunting and the shooting seasons, but must be attributed chiefly to Lord Emsworth's extremely sketchy notions of the duties of a host.
impressionnounUS /ˌɪmˈpreʃən/
a vague idea in which some confidence is placed
From this reading Lord Emsworth's guests gave the impression, collectively, of being just about to yawn and look at their watches.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It is worthy of record, in the light of after events, that at the beginning of their visit it was the general opinion of the guests gathered together at Blandings Castle that the place was dull.
internenoun
an advanced student or graduate in medicine gaining supervised practical experience (“houseman” is a British term)
From this reading A host has no right to interne a regiment of his relations in his house unless he also invites lively and agreeable outsiders to meet them.
invitesnounUS /ˌɪnˈvaɪts/
plural of “invite” — a colloquial expression for invitation
From this reading A host has no right to interne a regiment of his relations in his house unless he also invites lively and agreeable outsiders to meet them.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It is worthy of record, in the light of after events, that at the beginning of their visit it was the general opinion of the guests gathered together at Blandings Castle that the place was dull.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It is worthy of record, in the light of after events, that at the beginning of their visit it was the general opinion of the guests gathered together at Blandings Castle that the place was dull.
justadverbUS /dʒʌst/
and nothing more
From this reading Lord Emsworth's guests gave the impression, collectively, of being just about to yawn and look at their watches.
lightadjectiveUS /laɪt/
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading It is worthy of record, in the light of after events, that at the beginning of their visit it was the general opinion of the guests gathered together at Blandings Castle that the place was dull.
linernounUS /ˈlaɪnər/
(baseball) a hit that flies straight out from the batter
From this reading The house party had that air of torpor which one sees in the saloon passengers of an Atlantic liner--that appearance of resignation to an enforced idleness and a monotony to be broken only by meals.
livelyadjectiveUS /ˈlaɪvli/
full of life and energy
From this reading A host has no right to interne a regiment of his relations in his house unless he also invites lively and agreeable outsiders to meet them.
lookverbUS /lʊk/
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading Lord Emsworth's guests gave the impression, collectively, of being just about to yawn and look at their watches.
LordnounUS /lɔːrd/
terms referring to the Judeo-Christian God
From this reading Lord Emsworth's guests gave the impression, collectively, of being just about to yawn and look at their watches.
mealsnounUS /miːlz/
plural of “meal” — the food served and eaten at one time
From this reading The house party had that air of torpor which one sees in the saloon passengers of an Atlantic liner--that appearance of resignation to an enforced idleness and a monotony to be broken only by meals.
meetverbUS /miːt/
come together
From this reading A host has no right to interne a regiment of his relations in his house unless he also invites lively and agreeable outsiders to meet them.
monotonynounUS /məˈnɑːtəni/
the quality of wearisome constancy, routine, and lack of variety
From this reading The house party had that air of torpor which one sees in the saloon passengers of an Atlantic liner--that appearance of resignation to an enforced idleness and a monotony to be broken only by meals.
mostadverbUS /moʊst/
used to form the superlative
From this reading This was partly the fault of the time of year, for most house parties are dull if they happen to fall between the hunting and the shooting seasons, but must be attributed chiefly to Lord Emsworth's extremely sketchy notions of the duties of a host.
mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading This was partly the fault of the time of year, for most house parties are dull if they happen to fall between the hunting and the shooting seasons, but must be attributed chiefly to Lord Emsworth's extremely sketchy notions of the duties of a host.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading A host has no right to interne a regiment of his relations in his house unless he also invites lively and agreeable outsiders to meet them.
notionsnounUS /ˈnoʊʃənz/
plural of “notion” — a vague idea in which some confidence is placed
From this reading This was partly the fault of the time of year, for most house parties are dull if they happen to fall between the hunting and the shooting seasons, but must be attributed chiefly to Lord Emsworth's extremely sketchy notions of the duties of a host.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It is worthy of record, in the light of after events, that at the beginning of their visit it was the general opinion of the guests gathered together at Blandings Castle that the place was dull.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The house party had that air of torpor which one sees in the saloon passengers of an Atlantic liner--that appearance of resignation to an enforced idleness and a monotony to be broken only by meals.
onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/
and nothing more
From this reading The house party had that air of torpor which one sees in the saloon passengers of an Atlantic liner--that appearance of resignation to an enforced idleness and a monotony to be broken only by meals.
opinionnounUS /əˈpɪnjən/
a personal belief or judgment that is not founded on proof or certainty
From this reading It is worthy of record, in the light of after events, that at the beginning of their visit it was the general opinion of the guests gathered together at Blandings Castle that the place was dull.
outsidersnounUS /aʊtˈsaɪdərz/
plural of “outsider” — someone who is excluded from or is not a member of a group
From this reading A host has no right to interne a regiment of his relations in his house unless he also invites lively and agreeable outsiders to meet them.
partiesnounUS /ˈpɑːrtiz/
plural of “party” — an organization to gain political power
From this reading This was partly the fault of the time of year, for most house parties are dull if they happen to fall between the hunting and the shooting seasons, but must be attributed chiefly to Lord Emsworth's extremely sketchy notions of the duties of a host.
partlyadverbUS /ˈpɑːrtli/
to some extent; in some degree; not wholly
From this reading This was partly the fault of the time of year, for most house parties are dull if they happen to fall between the hunting and the shooting seasons, but must be attributed chiefly to Lord Emsworth's extremely sketchy notions of the duties of a host.
partynounUS /ˈpɑːrti/
an organization to gain political power
From this reading The house party had that air of torpor which one sees in the saloon passengers of an Atlantic liner--that appearance of resignation to an enforced idleness and a monotony to be broken only by meals.
passengersnounUS /ˈpæsəndʒərz/
plural of “passenger” — a traveler riding in a vehicle (a boat or bus or car or plane or train etc) who is not operating it
From this reading The house party had that air of torpor which one sees in the saloon passengers of an Atlantic liner--that appearance of resignation to an enforced idleness and a monotony to be broken only by meals.
placenounUS /pleɪs/
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading It is worthy of record, in the light of after events, that at the beginning of their visit it was the general opinion of the guests gathered together at Blandings Castle that the place was dull.
recordnounUS /rəˈkɔːrd/
anything (such as a document or a phonograph record or a photograph) providing permanent evidence of or information about past events
From this reading It is worthy of record, in the light of after events, that at the beginning of their visit it was the general opinion of the guests gathered together at Blandings Castle that the place was dull.
regimentverbUS /ˈredʒəmənt/
subject to rigid discipline, order, and systematization
From this reading A host has no right to interne a regiment of his relations in his house unless he also invites lively and agreeable outsiders to meet them.
relationsnounUS /riˈleɪʃənz/
mutual dealings or connections or communications among persons or groups
From this reading A host has no right to interne a regiment of his relations in his house unless he also invites lively and agreeable outsiders to meet them.
resignationnounUS /ˌrezəɡˈneɪʃən/
acceptance of despair
From this reading The house party had that air of torpor which one sees in the saloon passengers of an Atlantic liner--that appearance of resignation to an enforced idleness and a monotony to be broken only by meals.
rightadverbUS /raɪt/
precisely, exactly
From this reading A host has no right to interne a regiment of his relations in his house unless he also invites lively and agreeable outsiders to meet them.
saloonnounUS /səˈluːn/
a room or establishment where alcoholic drinks are served over a counter
From this reading The house party had that air of torpor which one sees in the saloon passengers of an Atlantic liner--that appearance of resignation to an enforced idleness and a monotony to be broken only by meals.
seasonsnounUS /ˈsiːzənz/
plural of “season” — a period of the year marked by special events or activities in some field
From this reading This was partly the fault of the time of year, for most house parties are dull if they happen to fall between the hunting and the shooting seasons, but must be attributed chiefly to Lord Emsworth's extremely sketchy notions of the duties of a host.
seesnounUS /siːz/
plural of “see” — the seat within a bishop's diocese where his cathedral is located
From this reading The house party had that air of torpor which one sees in the saloon passengers of an Atlantic liner--that appearance of resignation to an enforced idleness and a monotony to be broken only by meals.
shootingnounUS /ˈʃuːtɪŋ/
the act of firing a projectile
From this reading This was partly the fault of the time of year, for most house parties are dull if they happen to fall between the hunting and the shooting seasons, but must be attributed chiefly to Lord Emsworth's extremely sketchy notions of the duties of a host.
sketchyadjectiveUS /ˈsketʃi/
giving only major points; lacking completeness
From this reading This was partly the fault of the time of year, for most house parties are dull if they happen to fall between the hunting and the shooting seasons, but must be attributed chiefly to Lord Emsworth's extremely sketchy notions of the duties of a host.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It is worthy of record, in the light of after events, that at the beginning of their visit it was the general opinion of the guests gathered together at Blandings Castle that the place was dull.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It is worthy of record, in the light of after events, that at the beginning of their visit it was the general opinion of the guests gathered together at Blandings Castle that the place was dull.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading It is worthy of record, in the light of after events, that at the beginning of their visit it was the general opinion of the guests gathered together at Blandings Castle that the place was dull.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading A host has no right to interne a regiment of his relations in his house unless he also invites lively and agreeable outsiders to meet them.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading This was partly the fault of the time of year, for most house parties are dull if they happen to fall between the hunting and the shooting seasons, but must be attributed chiefly to Lord Emsworth's extremely sketchy notions of the duties of a host.
ThisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This was partly the fault of the time of year, for most house parties are dull if they happen to fall between the hunting and the shooting seasons, but must be attributed chiefly to Lord Emsworth's extremely sketchy notions of the duties of a host.
timenounUS /taɪm/
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading This was partly the fault of the time of year, for most house parties are dull if they happen to fall between the hunting and the shooting seasons, but must be attributed chiefly to Lord Emsworth's extremely sketchy notions of the duties of a host.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The house party had that air of torpor which one sees in the saloon passengers of an Atlantic liner--that appearance of resignation to an enforced idleness and a monotony to be broken only by meals.
togetheradverbUS /təˈɡeðər/
in contact with each other or in proximity
From this reading It is worthy of record, in the light of after events, that at the beginning of their visit it was the general opinion of the guests gathered together at Blandings Castle that the place was dull.
torpornounUS /ˈtɔːrpər/
a state of motor and mental inactivity with a partial suspension of sensibility
From this reading The house party had that air of torpor which one sees in the saloon passengers of an Atlantic liner--that appearance of resignation to an enforced idleness and a monotony to be broken only by meals.
unlessconjunctionUS /ənˈles/
except if; if not
From this reading A host has no right to interne a regiment of his relations in his house unless he also invites lively and agreeable outsiders to meet them.
visitverbUS /ˈvɪzɪt/
go to see a place, as for entertainment
From this reading It is worthy of record, in the light of after events, that at the beginning of their visit it was the general opinion of the guests gathered together at Blandings Castle that the place was dull.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It is worthy of record, in the light of after events, that at the beginning of their visit it was the general opinion of the guests gathered together at Blandings Castle that the place was dull.
watchesnounUS /ˈwɑːtʃəz/
plural of “watch” — a small portable timepiece
From this reading Lord Emsworth's guests gave the impression, collectively, of being just about to yawn and look at their watches.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The house party had that air of torpor which one sees in the saloon passengers of an Atlantic liner--that appearance of resignation to an enforced idleness and a monotony to be broken only by meals.
worthyadjectiveUS /ˈwɜːr.ði/
Having or showing the qualities or abilities that merit recognition in character or magic.
From this reading It is worthy of record, in the light of after events, that at the beginning of their visit it was the general opinion of the guests gathered together at Blandings Castle that the place was dull.
yawnverbUS /jɔːn/
utter a yawn, as from lack of oxygen or when one is tired
From this reading Lord Emsworth's guests gave the impression, collectively, of being just about to yawn and look at their watches.
yearnounUS /jɪr/
a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days
From this reading This was partly the fault of the time of year, for most house parties are dull if they happen to fall between the hunting and the shooting seasons, but must be attributed chiefly to Lord Emsworth's extremely sketchy notions of the duties of a host.
