used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "A tiring day, Uncle?" she asked him.
abstractedadjectiveUS /ˈæbstræktɪd/
lost in thought; showing preoccupation
From this reading Endacott, although abstracted, seemed for him to be in an almost genial frame of mind when he obeyed the summons of the evening gong and, meeting Claire in the hall, waited to enter the dining room with her.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading Endacott, although abstracted, seemed for him to be in an almost genial frame of mind when he obeyed the summons of the evening gong and, meeting Claire in the hall, waited to enter the dining room with her.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading Endacott, although abstracted, seemed for him to be in an almost genial frame of mind when he obeyed the summons of the evening gong and, meeting Claire in the hall, waited to enter the dining room with her.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Endacott, although abstracted, seemed for him to be in an almost genial frame of mind when he obeyed the summons of the evening gong and, meeting Claire in the hall, waited to enter the dining room with her.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Endacott, although abstracted, seemed for him to be in an almost genial frame of mind when he obeyed the summons of the evening gong and, meeting Claire in the hall, waited to enter the dining room with her.
past form of “answer” — react verbally
From this reading "Not particularly," he answered.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading "A tiring day, Uncle?" she asked him.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Phillpots kept me some time at the British Museum, or I could really have caught the earlier train.--How is the piano?"
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Endacott, although abstracted, seemed for him to be in an almost genial frame of mind when he obeyed the summons of the evening gong and, meeting Claire in the hall, waited to enter the dining room with her.
the people of Great Britain
From this reading Phillpots kept me some time at the British Museum, or I could really have caught the earlier train.--How is the piano?"
plural of “call” — a telephone connection
From this reading "I made only two calls.
inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading Phillpots kept me some time at the British Museum, or I could really have caught the earlier train.--How is the piano?"
Claire
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Endacott, although abstracted, seemed for him to be in an almost genial frame of mind when he obeyed the summons of the evening gong and, meeting Claire in the hall, waited to enter the dining room with her.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Phillpots kept me some time at the British Museum, or I could really have caught the earlier train.--How is the piano?"
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading "A tiring day, Uncle?" she asked him.
diningnounUS /ˈdaɪnɪŋ/
the act of eating dinner
From this reading Endacott, although abstracted, seemed for him to be in an almost genial frame of mind when he obeyed the summons of the evening gong and, meeting Claire in the hall, waited to enter the dining room with her.
earlier in time; previously
From this reading Phillpots kept me some time at the British Museum, or I could really have caught the earlier train.--How is the piano?"
Endacott
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Endacott, although abstracted, seemed for him to be in an almost genial frame of mind when he obeyed the summons of the evening gong and, meeting Claire in the hall, waited to enter the dining room with her.
to come or go into
From this reading Endacott, although abstracted, seemed for him to be in an almost genial frame of mind when he obeyed the summons of the evening gong and, meeting Claire in the hall, waited to enter the dining room with her.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading Endacott, although abstracted, seemed for him to be in an almost genial frame of mind when he obeyed the summons of the evening gong and, meeting Claire in the hall, waited to enter the dining room with her.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Endacott, although abstracted, seemed for him to be in an almost genial frame of mind when he obeyed the summons of the evening gong and, meeting Claire in the hall, waited to enter the dining room with her.
enclose in or as if in a frame
From this reading Endacott, although abstracted, seemed for him to be in an almost genial frame of mind when he obeyed the summons of the evening gong and, meeting Claire in the hall, waited to enter the dining room with her.
genialadjectiveUS /ˈdʒiːnjəl/
diffusing warmth and friendliness
From this reading Endacott, although abstracted, seemed for him to be in an almost genial frame of mind when he obeyed the summons of the evening gong and, meeting Claire in the hall, waited to enter the dining room with her.
gongnounUS /ɡɔːŋ/
a percussion instrument consisting of a metal plate that is struck with a softheaded drumstick
From this reading Endacott, although abstracted, seemed for him to be in an almost genial frame of mind when he obeyed the summons of the evening gong and, meeting Claire in the hall, waited to enter the dining room with her.
an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open
From this reading Endacott, although abstracted, seemed for him to be in an almost genial frame of mind when he obeyed the summons of the evening gong and, meeting Claire in the hall, waited to enter the dining room with her.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Phillpots kept me some time at the British Museum, or I could really have caught the earlier train.--How is the piano?"
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Endacott, although abstracted, seemed for him to be in an almost genial frame of mind when he obeyed the summons of the evening gong and, meeting Claire in the hall, waited to enter the dining room with her.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Endacott, although abstracted, seemed for him to be in an almost genial frame of mind when he obeyed the summons of the evening gong and, meeting Claire in the hall, waited to enter the dining room with her.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Endacott, although abstracted, seemed for him to be in an almost genial frame of mind when he obeyed the summons of the evening gong and, meeting Claire in the hall, waited to enter the dining room with her.
How
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Phillpots kept me some time at the British Museum, or I could really have caught the earlier train.--How is the piano?"
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I made only two calls.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Endacott, although abstracted, seemed for him to be in an almost genial frame of mind when he obeyed the summons of the evening gong and, meeting Claire in the hall, waited to enter the dining room with her.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Phillpots kept me some time at the British Museum, or I could really have caught the earlier train.--How is the piano?"
(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded
From this reading Phillpots kept me some time at the British Museum, or I could really have caught the earlier train.--How is the piano?"
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading "I made only two calls.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Phillpots kept me some time at the British Museum, or I could really have caught the earlier train.--How is the piano?"
a formally arranged gathering
From this reading Endacott, although abstracted, seemed for him to be in an almost genial frame of mind when he obeyed the summons of the evening gong and, meeting Claire in the hall, waited to enter the dining room with her.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading Endacott, although abstracted, seemed for him to be in an almost genial frame of mind when he obeyed the summons of the evening gong and, meeting Claire in the hall, waited to enter the dining room with her.
MuseumnounUS /mjuːˈziːəm/
a depository for collecting and displaying objects having scientific or historical or artistic value
From this reading Phillpots kept me some time at the British Museum, or I could really have caught the earlier train.--How is the piano?"
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "Not particularly," he answered.
past form of “obey” — be obedient to
From this reading Endacott, although abstracted, seemed for him to be in an almost genial frame of mind when he obeyed the summons of the evening gong and, meeting Claire in the hall, waited to enter the dining room with her.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Endacott, although abstracted, seemed for him to be in an almost genial frame of mind when he obeyed the summons of the evening gong and, meeting Claire in the hall, waited to enter the dining room with her.
and nothing more
From this reading "I made only two calls.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Phillpots kept me some time at the British Museum, or I could really have caught the earlier train.--How is the piano?"
to a distinctly greater extent or degree than is common
From this reading "Not particularly," he answered.
Phillpots
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Phillpots kept me some time at the British Museum, or I could really have caught the earlier train.--How is the piano?"
pianonounUS /piˈænoʊ/
a keyboard instrument that is played by depressing keys that cause hammers to strike tuned strings and produce sounds
From this reading Phillpots kept me some time at the British Museum, or I could really have caught the earlier train.--How is the piano?"
in accordance with truth or fact or reality
From this reading Phillpots kept me some time at the British Museum, or I could really have caught the earlier train.--How is the piano?"
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading Endacott, although abstracted, seemed for him to be in an almost genial frame of mind when he obeyed the summons of the evening gong and, meeting Claire in the hall, waited to enter the dining room with her.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Endacott, although abstracted, seemed for him to be in an almost genial frame of mind when he obeyed the summons of the evening gong and, meeting Claire in the hall, waited to enter the dining room with her.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "A tiring day, Uncle?" she asked him.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Phillpots kept me some time at the British Museum, or I could really have caught the earlier train.--How is the piano?"
summonsnounUS /ˈsʌmənz/
a request to be present
From this reading Endacott, although abstracted, seemed for him to be in an almost genial frame of mind when he obeyed the summons of the evening gong and, meeting Claire in the hall, waited to enter the dining room with her.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Endacott, although abstracted, seemed for him to be in an almost genial frame of mind when he obeyed the summons of the evening gong and, meeting Claire in the hall, waited to enter the dining room with her.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Phillpots kept me some time at the British Museum, or I could really have caught the earlier train.--How is the piano?"
tiringadjectiveUS /ˈtaɪrɪŋ/
producing exhaustion
From this reading "A tiring day, Uncle?" she asked him.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Endacott, although abstracted, seemed for him to be in an almost genial frame of mind when he obeyed the summons of the evening gong and, meeting Claire in the hall, waited to enter the dining room with her.
create by training and teaching
From this reading Phillpots kept me some time at the British Museum, or I could really have caught the earlier train.--How is the piano?"
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading "I made only two calls.
the brother of your father or mother; the husband of your aunt
From this reading "A tiring day, Uncle?" she asked him.
past form of “wait” — stay in one place and anticipate or expect something
From this reading Endacott, although abstracted, seemed for him to be in an almost genial frame of mind when he obeyed the summons of the evening gong and, meeting Claire in the hall, waited to enter the dining room with her.
at the time that
From this reading Endacott, although abstracted, seemed for him to be in an almost genial frame of mind when he obeyed the summons of the evening gong and, meeting Claire in the hall, waited to enter the dining room with her.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Endacott, although abstracted, seemed for him to be in an almost genial frame of mind when he obeyed the summons of the evening gong and, meeting Claire in the hall, waited to enter the dining room with her.
