used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The instrument seemed dead, there was no familiar buzzing of the wires and it presently occurred to her that this was no ordinary delay of a heedless operator; there was something wrong with the telephone itself.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading She worked the lever, shook the receiver, tapped her foot, and winked her long eyelashes rapidly, all to no avail.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading LIONEL TO THE RESCUE Without losing an instant Betty flew to the telephone.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She worked the lever, shook the receiver, tapped her foot, and winked her long eyelashes rapidly, all to no avail.
availverbUS /əˈveɪl/
use to one's advantage
From this reading She worked the lever, shook the receiver, tapped her foot, and winked her long eyelashes rapidly, all to no avail.
Betty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading LIONEL TO THE RESCUE Without losing an instant Betty flew to the telephone.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Hello!" she called impatiently, but there was no response.
buzzingadjectiveUS /ˈbʌzɪŋ/
noisy like the sound of a bee
From this reading The instrument seemed dead, there was no familiar buzzing of the wires and it presently occurred to her that this was no ordinary delay of a heedless operator; there was something wrong with the telephone itself.
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading Hello!" she called impatiently, but there was no response.
no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life
From this reading The instrument seemed dead, there was no familiar buzzing of the wires and it presently occurred to her that this was no ordinary delay of a heedless operator; there was something wrong with the telephone itself.
cause to be slowed down or delayed
From this reading The instrument seemed dead, there was no familiar buzzing of the wires and it presently occurred to her that this was no ordinary delay of a heedless operator; there was something wrong with the telephone itself.
eyelashesnounUS /ˈaɪlæʃɪz/
plural of “eyelash” — any of the short curved hairs that grow from the edges of the eyelids
From this reading She worked the lever, shook the receiver, tapped her foot, and winked her long eyelashes rapidly, all to no avail.
well known or easily recognized
From this reading The instrument seemed dead, there was no familiar buzzing of the wires and it presently occurred to her that this was no ordinary delay of a heedless operator; there was something wrong with the telephone itself.
inflected form of “fly” — travel through the air; be airborne
From this reading LIONEL TO THE RESCUE Without losing an instant Betty flew to the telephone.
the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading She worked the lever, shook the receiver, tapped her foot, and winked her long eyelashes rapidly, all to no avail.
heedlessadjective
marked by or paying little heed or attention
From this reading The instrument seemed dead, there was no familiar buzzing of the wires and it presently occurred to her that this was no ordinary delay of a heedless operator; there was something wrong with the telephone itself.
HellonounUS /həˈloʊ/
an expression of greeting
From this reading "Hello!
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She worked the lever, shook the receiver, tapped her foot, and winked her long eyelashes rapidly, all to no avail.
with impatience; in an impatient manner
From this reading Hello!" she called impatiently, but there was no response.
a very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat)
From this reading LIONEL TO THE RESCUE Without losing an instant Betty flew to the telephone.
instrumentnounUS /ˈɪnstrəmənt/
a device that requires skill for proper use
From this reading The instrument seemed dead, there was no familiar buzzing of the wires and it presently occurred to her that this was no ordinary delay of a heedless operator; there was something wrong with the telephone itself.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The instrument seemed dead, there was no familiar buzzing of the wires and it presently occurred to her that this was no ordinary delay of a heedless operator; there was something wrong with the telephone itself.
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading The instrument seemed dead, there was no familiar buzzing of the wires and it presently occurred to her that this was no ordinary delay of a heedless operator; there was something wrong with the telephone itself.
levernounUS /ˈlevər/
a rigid bar pivoted about a fulcrum
From this reading She worked the lever, shook the receiver, tapped her foot, and winked her long eyelashes rapidly, all to no avail.
LIONEL
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading LIONEL TO THE RESCUE Without losing an instant Betty flew to the telephone.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading She worked the lever, shook the receiver, tapped her foot, and winked her long eyelashes rapidly, all to no avail.
-ing form of “lose” — fail to keep or to maintain; cease to have, either physically or in an abstract sense
From this reading LIONEL TO THE RESCUE Without losing an instant Betty flew to the telephone.
not any; not one
From this reading Hello!" she called impatiently, but there was no response.
inflected form of “occur” — come to pass
From this reading The instrument seemed dead, there was no familiar buzzing of the wires and it presently occurred to her that this was no ordinary delay of a heedless operator; there was something wrong with the telephone itself.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The instrument seemed dead, there was no familiar buzzing of the wires and it presently occurred to her that this was no ordinary delay of a heedless operator; there was something wrong with the telephone itself.
operatornounUS /ˈɑːpəreɪtər/
(mathematics) a symbol or function representing a mathematical operation
From this reading The instrument seemed dead, there was no familiar buzzing of the wires and it presently occurred to her that this was no ordinary delay of a heedless operator; there was something wrong with the telephone itself.
a judge of a probate court
From this reading The instrument seemed dead, there was no familiar buzzing of the wires and it presently occurred to her that this was no ordinary delay of a heedless operator; there was something wrong with the telephone itself.
in the near future
From this reading The instrument seemed dead, there was no familiar buzzing of the wires and it presently occurred to her that this was no ordinary delay of a heedless operator; there was something wrong with the telephone itself.
with speed
From this reading She worked the lever, shook the receiver, tapped her foot, and winked her long eyelashes rapidly, all to no avail.
receivernounUS /rəˈsiːvər/
set that receives radio or tv signals
From this reading She worked the lever, shook the receiver, tapped her foot, and winked her long eyelashes rapidly, all to no avail.
free from harm or evil
From this reading LIONEL TO THE RESCUE Without losing an instant Betty flew to the telephone.
responsenounUS /rɪˈspɑːns/
a result
From this reading Hello!" she called impatiently, but there was no response.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading The instrument seemed dead, there was no familiar buzzing of the wires and it presently occurred to her that this was no ordinary delay of a heedless operator; there was something wrong with the telephone itself.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Hello!" she called impatiently, but there was no response.
a disassembled barrel; the parts packed for storage or shipment
From this reading She worked the lever, shook the receiver, tapped her foot, and winked her long eyelashes rapidly, all to no avail.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading The instrument seemed dead, there was no familiar buzzing of the wires and it presently occurred to her that this was no ordinary delay of a heedless operator; there was something wrong with the telephone itself.
tappedadjectiveUS /tæpt/
in a condition for letting out liquid drawn out as by piercing or drawing a plug
From this reading She worked the lever, shook the receiver, tapped her foot, and winked her long eyelashes rapidly, all to no avail.
telephonenounUS /ˈteləfoʊn/
electronic equipment that converts sound into electrical signals that can be transmitted over distances and then converts received signals back into sounds
From this reading LIONEL TO THE RESCUE Without losing an instant Betty flew to the telephone.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The instrument seemed dead, there was no familiar buzzing of the wires and it presently occurred to her that this was no ordinary delay of a heedless operator; there was something wrong with the telephone itself.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading LIONEL TO THE RESCUE Without losing an instant Betty flew to the telephone.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Hello!" she called impatiently, but there was no response.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading The instrument seemed dead, there was no familiar buzzing of the wires and it presently occurred to her that this was no ordinary delay of a heedless operator; there was something wrong with the telephone itself.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading LIONEL TO THE RESCUE Without losing an instant Betty flew to the telephone.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Hello!" she called impatiently, but there was no response.
winkedverbUS /wɪŋkt/
past form of “wink” — signal by winking
From this reading She worked the lever, shook the receiver, tapped her foot, and winked her long eyelashes rapidly, all to no avail.
wiresnounUS /ˈwaɪərz/
plural of “wire” — ligament made of metal and used to fasten things or make cages or fences etc
From this reading The instrument seemed dead, there was no familiar buzzing of the wires and it presently occurred to her that this was no ordinary delay of a heedless operator; there was something wrong with the telephone itself.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The instrument seemed dead, there was no familiar buzzing of the wires and it presently occurred to her that this was no ordinary delay of a heedless operator; there was something wrong with the telephone itself.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading LIONEL TO THE RESCUE Without losing an instant Betty flew to the telephone.
past form of “work” — exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading She worked the lever, shook the receiver, tapped her foot, and winked her long eyelashes rapidly, all to no avail.
not correct; not in conformity with fact or truth
From this reading The instrument seemed dead, there was no familiar buzzing of the wires and it presently occurred to her that this was no ordinary delay of a heedless operator; there was something wrong with the telephone itself.
