used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE opening bars of a waltz sounded through the house above the irregular murmur of conversation, bearing their promise and summons along festal corridors and into garlanded nooks and alcoves.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading THE opening bars of a waltz sounded through the house above the irregular murmur of conversation, bearing their promise and summons along festal corridors and into garlanded nooks and alcoves.
consider or hold as true
From this reading If his hostess had not been his mother's oldest friend, he would never have allowed himself to be persuaded to accept her invitation after he had once decided to decline it.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading If his hostess had not been his mother's oldest friend, he would never have allowed himself to be persuaded to accept her invitation after he had once decided to decline it.
in the past
From this reading The refreshment room, crowded a moment ago, was thinning down, and, glad of the respite, he took another sandwich and slowly sipped the remainder of his coffee.
alcovesnounUS /ˈælkoʊvz/
plural of “alcove” — a small recess opening off a larger room
From this reading THE opening bars of a waltz sounded through the house above the irregular murmur of conversation, bearing their promise and summons along festal corridors and into garlanded nooks and alcoves.
past form of “allow” — make it possible through a specific action or lack of action for something to happen
From this reading If his hostess had not been his mother's oldest friend, he would never have allowed himself to be persuaded to accept her invitation after he had once decided to decline it.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading THE opening bars of a waltz sounded through the house above the irregular murmur of conversation, bearing their promise and summons along festal corridors and into garlanded nooks and alcoves.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE opening bars of a waltz sounded through the house above the irregular murmur of conversation, bearing their promise and summons along festal corridors and into garlanded nooks and alcoves.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading The refreshment room, crowded a moment ago, was thinning down, and, glad of the respite, he took another sandwich and slowly sipped the remainder of his coffee.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Paul Middleton drew a breath of relief as the girl to whom he had been talking was carried off to dance, for she had bored him intolerably.
barsnounUS /bɑːrz/
gymnastic apparatus consisting of two parallel wooden rods supported on uprights
From this reading THE opening bars of a waltz sounded through the house above the irregular murmur of conversation, bearing their promise and summons along festal corridors and into garlanded nooks and alcoves.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading If his hostess had not been his mother's oldest friend, he would never have allowed himself to be persuaded to accept her invitation after he had once decided to decline it.
relevant relation or interconnection
From this reading THE opening bars of a waltz sounded through the house above the irregular murmur of conversation, bearing their promise and summons along festal corridors and into garlanded nooks and alcoves.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Paul Middleton drew a breath of relief as the girl to whom he had been talking was carried off to dance, for she had bored him intolerably.
boredadjectiveUS /bɔːrd/
tired of the world
From this reading Paul Middleton drew a breath of relief as the girl to whom he had been talking was carried off to dance, for she had bored him intolerably.
the process of taking in and expelling air during breathing
From this reading Paul Middleton drew a breath of relief as the girl to whom he had been talking was carried off to dance, for she had bored him intolerably.
inflected form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body
From this reading Paul Middleton drew a breath of relief as the girl to whom he had been talking was carried off to dance, for she had bored him intolerably.
a beverage consisting of an infusion of ground coffee beans
From this reading The refreshment room, crowded a moment ago, was thinning down, and, glad of the respite, he took another sandwich and slowly sipped the remainder of his coffee.
the use of speech for informal exchange of views or ideas or information etc.
From this reading THE opening bars of a waltz sounded through the house above the irregular murmur of conversation, bearing their promise and summons along festal corridors and into garlanded nooks and alcoves.
corridorsnounUS /ˈkɔːrɪdərz/
plural of “corridor” — an enclosed passageway; rooms usually open onto it
From this reading THE opening bars of a waltz sounded through the house above the irregular murmur of conversation, bearing their promise and summons along festal corridors and into garlanded nooks and alcoves.
overfilled or compacted or concentrated
From this reading The refreshment room, crowded a moment ago, was thinning down, and, glad of the respite, he took another sandwich and slowly sipped the remainder of his coffee.
an artistic form of nonverbal communication
From this reading Paul Middleton drew a breath of relief as the girl to whom he had been talking was carried off to dance, for she had bored him intolerably.
recognizable; marked
From this reading If his hostess had not been his mother's oldest friend, he would never have allowed himself to be persuaded to accept her invitation after he had once decided to decline it.
declineverbUS /dɪˈklaɪn/
grow worse
From this reading If his hostess had not been his mother's oldest friend, he would never have allowed himself to be persuaded to accept her invitation after he had once decided to decline it.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading The refreshment room, crowded a moment ago, was thinning down, and, glad of the respite, he took another sandwich and slowly sipped the remainder of his coffee.
United States actor (born in Ireland); father of Georgiana Emma Barrymore (1827-1862)
From this reading Paul Middleton drew a breath of relief as the girl to whom he had been talking was carried off to dance, for she had bored him intolerably.
festaladjective
offering fun and gaiety
From this reading THE opening bars of a waltz sounded through the house above the irregular murmur of conversation, bearing their promise and summons along festal corridors and into garlanded nooks and alcoves.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Paul Middleton drew a breath of relief as the girl to whom he had been talking was carried off to dance, for she had bored him intolerably.
a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading If his hostess had not been his mother's oldest friend, he would never have allowed himself to be persuaded to accept her invitation after he had once decided to decline it.
garlanded
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE opening bars of a waltz sounded through the house above the irregular murmur of conversation, bearing their promise and summons along festal corridors and into garlanded nooks and alcoves.
a young female
From this reading Paul Middleton drew a breath of relief as the girl to whom he had been talking was carried off to dance, for she had bored him intolerably.
showing or causing joy and pleasure; especially made happy
From this reading The refreshment room, crowded a moment ago, was thinning down, and, glad of the respite, he took another sandwich and slowly sipped the remainder of his coffee.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Paul Middleton drew a breath of relief as the girl to whom he had been talking was carried off to dance, for she had bored him intolerably.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading If his hostess had not been his mother's oldest friend, he would never have allowed himself to be persuaded to accept her invitation after he had once decided to decline it.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Paul Middleton drew a breath of relief as the girl to whom he had been talking was carried off to dance, for she had bored him intolerably.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading If his hostess had not been his mother's oldest friend, he would never have allowed himself to be persuaded to accept her invitation after he had once decided to decline it.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Paul Middleton drew a breath of relief as the girl to whom he had been talking was carried off to dance, for she had bored him intolerably.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading If his hostess had not been his mother's oldest friend, he would never have allowed himself to be persuaded to accept her invitation after he had once decided to decline it.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The refreshment room, crowded a moment ago, was thinning down, and, glad of the respite, he took another sandwich and slowly sipped the remainder of his coffee.
hostessnounUS /ˈhoʊstəs/
a woman host
From this reading If his hostess had not been his mother's oldest friend, he would never have allowed himself to be persuaded to accept her invitation after he had once decided to decline it.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading THE opening bars of a waltz sounded through the house above the irregular murmur of conversation, bearing their promise and summons along festal corridors and into garlanded nooks and alcoves.
a characteristic (habitual or relatively temporary) state of feeling
From this reading His humour was of the worst.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If his hostess had not been his mother's oldest friend, he would never have allowed himself to be persuaded to accept her invitation after he had once decided to decline it.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading THE opening bars of a waltz sounded through the house above the irregular murmur of conversation, bearing their promise and summons along festal corridors and into garlanded nooks and alcoves.
intolerablyadverbUS /ˌɪnˈtɑːlərəbli/
to an unacceptable degree
From this reading Paul Middleton drew a breath of relief as the girl to whom he had been talking was carried off to dance, for she had bored him intolerably.
a request (spoken or written) to participate or be present or take part in something
From this reading If his hostess had not been his mother's oldest friend, he would never have allowed himself to be persuaded to accept her invitation after he had once decided to decline it.
irregularadjectiveUS /ˌɪˈreɡjələr/
contrary to rule or accepted order or general practice
From this reading THE opening bars of a waltz sounded through the house above the irregular murmur of conversation, bearing their promise and summons along festal corridors and into garlanded nooks and alcoves.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading If his hostess had not been his mother's oldest friend, he would never have allowed himself to be persuaded to accept her invitation after he had once decided to decline it.
MiddletonnounUS /ˈmɪdəltən/
English playwright and pamphleteer (1570-1627)
From this reading Paul Middleton drew a breath of relief as the girl to whom he had been talking was carried off to dance, for she had bored him intolerably.
a particular point in time
From this reading The refreshment room, crowded a moment ago, was thinning down, and, glad of the respite, he took another sandwich and slowly sipped the remainder of his coffee.
mother'snounUS /ˈmʌðərz/
possessive form of “mother” — a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading If his hostess had not been his mother's oldest friend, he would never have allowed himself to be persuaded to accept her invitation after he had once decided to decline it.
murmurnounUS /ˈmɜːrmər/
a low continuous indistinct sound; often accompanied by movement of the lips without the production of articulate speech
From this reading THE opening bars of a waltz sounded through the house above the irregular murmur of conversation, bearing their promise and summons along festal corridors and into garlanded nooks and alcoves.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading If his hostess had not been his mother's oldest friend, he would never have allowed himself to be persuaded to accept her invitation after he had once decided to decline it.
nooksnounUS /nʊks/
plural of “nook” — a sheltered and secluded place
From this reading THE opening bars of a waltz sounded through the house above the irregular murmur of conversation, bearing their promise and summons along festal corridors and into garlanded nooks and alcoves.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading If his hostess had not been his mother's oldest friend, he would never have allowed himself to be persuaded to accept her invitation after he had once decided to decline it.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE opening bars of a waltz sounded through the house above the irregular murmur of conversation, bearing their promise and summons along festal corridors and into garlanded nooks and alcoves.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Paul Middleton drew a breath of relief as the girl to whom he had been talking was carried off to dance, for she had bored him intolerably.
oldestadjectiveUS /ˈoʊldəst/
superlative of “old” — (used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading If his hostess had not been his mother's oldest friend, he would never have allowed himself to be persuaded to accept her invitation after he had once decided to decline it.
on one occasion
From this reading If his hostess had not been his mother's oldest friend, he would never have allowed himself to be persuaded to accept her invitation after he had once decided to decline it.
an open or empty space in or between things
From this reading THE opening bars of a waltz sounded through the house above the irregular murmur of conversation, bearing their promise and summons along festal corridors and into garlanded nooks and alcoves.
United States feminist (1885-1977)
From this reading Paul Middleton drew a breath of relief as the girl to whom he had been talking was carried off to dance, for she had bored him intolerably.
persuadedverbUS /pərˈsweɪdɪd/
past form of “persuade” — win approval or support for
From this reading If his hostess had not been his mother's oldest friend, he would never have allowed himself to be persuaded to accept her invitation after he had once decided to decline it.
make a promise or commitment
From this reading THE opening bars of a waltz sounded through the house above the irregular murmur of conversation, bearing their promise and summons along festal corridors and into garlanded nooks and alcoves.
refreshmentnounUS /rəˈfreʃmənt/
snacks and drinks served as a light meal
From this reading The refreshment room, crowded a moment ago, was thinning down, and, glad of the respite, he took another sandwich and slowly sipped the remainder of his coffee.
the feeling that comes when something burdensome is removed or reduced
From this reading Paul Middleton drew a breath of relief as the girl to whom he had been talking was carried off to dance, for she had bored him intolerably.
remaindernounUS /rɪˈmeɪndər/
something left after other parts have been taken away
From this reading The refreshment room, crowded a moment ago, was thinning down, and, glad of the respite, he took another sandwich and slowly sipped the remainder of his coffee.
respitenounUS /ˈrespɪt/
a (temporary) relief from harm or discomfort
From this reading The refreshment room, crowded a moment ago, was thinning down, and, glad of the respite, he took another sandwich and slowly sipped the remainder of his coffee.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading The refreshment room, crowded a moment ago, was thinning down, and, glad of the respite, he took another sandwich and slowly sipped the remainder of his coffee.
sandwichnounUS /ˈsændwɪtʃ/
two (or more) slices of bread with a filling between them
From this reading The refreshment room, crowded a moment ago, was thinning down, and, glad of the respite, he took another sandwich and slowly sipped the remainder of his coffee.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Paul Middleton drew a breath of relief as the girl to whom he had been talking was carried off to dance, for she had bored him intolerably.
sippedverbUS /sɪpt/
inflected form of “sip” — drink in sips
From this reading The refreshment room, crowded a moment ago, was thinning down, and, glad of the respite, he took another sandwich and slowly sipped the remainder of his coffee.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading The refreshment room, crowded a moment ago, was thinning down, and, glad of the respite, he took another sandwich and slowly sipped the remainder of his coffee.
past form of “sound” — appear in a certain way
From this reading THE opening bars of a waltz sounded through the house above the irregular murmur of conversation, bearing their promise and summons along festal corridors and into garlanded nooks and alcoves.
summonsnounUS /ˈsʌmənz/
a request to be present
From this reading THE opening bars of a waltz sounded through the house above the irregular murmur of conversation, bearing their promise and summons along festal corridors and into garlanded nooks and alcoves.
an exchange of ideas via conversation
From this reading Paul Middleton drew a breath of relief as the girl to whom he had been talking was carried off to dance, for she had bored him intolerably.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE opening bars of a waltz sounded through the house above the irregular murmur of conversation, bearing their promise and summons along festal corridors and into garlanded nooks and alcoves.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading THE opening bars of a waltz sounded through the house above the irregular murmur of conversation, bearing their promise and summons along festal corridors and into garlanded nooks and alcoves.
thinningnounUS /ˈθɪnɪŋ/
the act of diluting something
From this reading The refreshment room, crowded a moment ago, was thinning down, and, glad of the respite, he took another sandwich and slowly sipped the remainder of his coffee.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading THE opening bars of a waltz sounded through the house above the irregular murmur of conversation, bearing their promise and summons along festal corridors and into garlanded nooks and alcoves.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Paul Middleton drew a breath of relief as the girl to whom he had been talking was carried off to dance, for she had bored him intolerably.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading The refreshment room, crowded a moment ago, was thinning down, and, glad of the respite, he took another sandwich and slowly sipped the remainder of his coffee.
waltznounUS /wɔːlts/
an assured victory (especially in an election)
From this reading THE opening bars of a waltz sounded through the house above the irregular murmur of conversation, bearing their promise and summons along festal corridors and into garlanded nooks and alcoves.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Paul Middleton drew a breath of relief as the girl to whom he had been talking was carried off to dance, for she had bored him intolerably.
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Paul Middleton drew a breath of relief as the girl to whom he had been talking was carried off to dance, for she had bored him intolerably.
the least favorable outcome
From this reading His humour was of the worst.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading If his hostess had not been his mother's oldest friend, he would never have allowed himself to be persuaded to accept her invitation after he had once decided to decline it.
