Chapter III · Chapter 3

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading GOES TO A TEA-PARTY.

the part of the day between noon and evening

From this reading As I left them at the door she stuck her head out of an upper window and said to me that "the sewing society met at her house on Thursday afternoon, and the men-folks was coming to tea and to spend the evening, and I must be _sure_ an' come, or the girls would be _so_ disappointed," and she urged and urged until I had to promise her I would attend her sociable.

(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 Drat all tea-parties! say I. I was never comfortable at one in my life.

Having no one else present.

From this reading If you'd give me my choice between going to a tea-party and picking potato-bugs off the vines all alone on a hot summer day, I shouldn't hesitate a moment between the two.

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading As I left them at the door she stuck her head out of an upper window and said to me that "the sewing society met at her house on Thursday afternoon, and the men-folks was coming to tea and to spend the evening, and I must be _sure_ an' come, or the girls would be _so_ disappointed," and she urged and urged until I had to promise her I would attend her sociable.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading As I left them at the door she stuck her head out of an upper window and said to me that "the sewing society met at her house on Thursday afternoon, and the men-folks was coming to tea and to spend the evening, and I must be _sure_ an' come, or the girls would be _so_ disappointed," and she urged and urged until I had to promise her I would attend her sociable.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading As I left them at the door she stuck her head out of an upper window and said to me that "the sewing society met at her house on Thursday afternoon, and the men-folks was coming to tea and to spend the evening, and I must be _sure_ an' come, or the girls would be _so_ disappointed," and she urged and urged until I had to promise her I would attend her sociable.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading As I left them at the door she stuck her head out of an upper window and said to me that "the sewing society met at her house on Thursday afternoon, and the men-folks was coming to tea and to spend the evening, and I must be _sure_ an' come, or the girls would be _so_ disappointed," and she urged and urged until I had to promise her I would attend her sociable.

be present at (meetings, church services, university), etc.

From this reading As I left them at the door she stuck her head out of an upper window and said to me that "the sewing society met at her house on Thursday afternoon, and the men-folks was coming to tea and to spend the evening, and I must be _sure_ an' come, or the girls would be _so_ disappointed," and she urged and urged until I had to promise her I would attend her sociable.

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading As I left them at the door she stuck her head out of an upper window and said to me that "the sewing society met at her house on Thursday afternoon, and the men-folks was coming to tea and to spend the evening, and I must be _sure_ an' come, or the girls would be _so_ disappointed," and she urged and urged until I had to promise her I would attend her sociable.

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading If you'd give me my choice between going to a tea-party and picking potato-bugs off the vines all alone on a hot summer day, I shouldn't hesitate a moment between the two.

the person or thing chosen or selected

From this reading If you'd give me my choice between going to a tea-party and picking potato-bugs off the vines all alone on a hot summer day, I shouldn't hesitate a moment between the two.

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading As I left them at the door she stuck her head out of an upper window and said to me that "the sewing society met at her house on Thursday afternoon, and the men-folks was coming to tea and to spend the evening, and I must be _sure_ an' come, or the girls would be _so_ disappointed," and she urged and urged until I had to promise her I would attend her sociable.

providing or experiencing physical well-being or relief (“comfy” is informal)

From this reading Drat all tea-parties! say I. I was never comfortable at one in my life.

the act of drawing spatially closer to something

From this reading As I left them at the door she stuck her head out of an upper window and said to me that "the sewing society met at her house on Thursday afternoon, and the men-folks was coming to tea and to spend the evening, and I must be _sure_ an' come, or the girls would be _so_ disappointed," and she urged and urged until I had to promise her I would attend her sociable.

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading The Widow Jones got her stockings the next day.

disappointingly unsuccessful

From this reading As I left them at the door she stuck her head out of an upper window and said to me that "the sewing society met at her house on Thursday afternoon, and the men-folks was coming to tea and to spend the evening, and I must be _sure_ an' come, or the girls would be _so_ disappointed," and she urged and urged until I had to promise her I would attend her sociable.

a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle

From this reading As I left them at the door she stuck her head out of an upper window and said to me that "the sewing society met at her house on Thursday afternoon, and the men-folks was coming to tea and to spend the evening, and I must be _sure_ an' come, or the girls would be _so_ disappointed," and she urged and urged until I had to promise her I would attend her sociable.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Drat all tea-parties! say I. I was never comfortable at one in my life.

the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)

From this reading As I left them at the door she stuck her head out of an upper window and said to me that "the sewing society met at her house on Thursday afternoon, and the men-folks was coming to tea and to spend the evening, and I must be _sure_ an' come, or the girls would be _so_ disappointed," and she urged and urged until I had to promise her I would attend her sociable.

plural of “girl” — a young female

From this reading As I left them at the door she stuck her head out of an upper window and said to me that "the sewing society met at her house on Thursday afternoon, and the men-folks was coming to tea and to spend the evening, and I must be _sure_ an' come, or the girls would be _so_ disappointed," and she urged and urged until I had to promise her I would attend her sociable.

cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense

From this reading If you'd give me my choice between going to a tea-party and picking potato-bugs off the vines all alone on a hot summer day, I shouldn't hesitate a moment between the two.

plural of “go” — a time period for working (after which you will be relieved by someone else)

From this reading GOES TO A TEA-PARTY.

the act of departing

From this reading If you'd give me my choice between going to a tea-party and picking potato-bugs off the vines all alone on a hot summer day, I shouldn't hesitate a moment between the two.

inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading The Widow Jones got her stockings the next day.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading As I left them at the door she stuck her head out of an upper window and said to me that "the sewing society met at her house on Thursday afternoon, and the men-folks was coming to tea and to spend the evening, and I must be _sure_ an' come, or the girls would be _so_ disappointed," and she urged and urged until I had to promise her I would attend her sociable.

the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading As I left them at the door she stuck her head out of an upper window and said to me that "the sewing society met at her house on Thursday afternoon, and the men-folks was coming to tea and to spend the evening, and I must be _sure_ an' come, or the girls would be _so_ disappointed," and she urged and urged until I had to promise her I would attend her sociable.

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading The Widow Jones got her stockings the next day.

pause or hold back in uncertainty or unwillingness

From this reading If you'd give me my choice between going to a tea-party and picking potato-bugs off the vines all alone on a hot summer day, I shouldn't hesitate a moment between the two.

used of physical heat; having a high or higher than desirable temperature or giving off heat or feeling or causing a sensation of heat or burning

From this reading If you'd give me my choice between going to a tea-party and picking potato-bugs off the vines all alone on a hot summer day, I shouldn't hesitate a moment between the two.

a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading As I left them at the door she stuck her head out of an upper window and said to me that "the sewing society met at her house on Thursday afternoon, and the men-folks was coming to tea and to spend the evening, and I must be _sure_ an' come, or the girls would be _so_ disappointed," and she urged and urged until I had to promise her I would attend her sociable.

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading As I left them at the door she stuck her head out of an upper window and said to me that "the sewing society met at her house on Thursday afternoon, and the men-folks was coming to tea and to spend the evening, and I must be _sure_ an' come, or the girls would be _so_ disappointed," and she urged and urged until I had to promise her I would attend her sociable.

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading If you'd give me my choice between going to a tea-party and picking potato-bugs off the vines all alone on a hot summer day, I shouldn't hesitate a moment between the two.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading Drat all tea-parties! say I. I was never comfortable at one in my life.

United States labor leader (born in Ireland) who helped to found the Industrial Workers of the World (1830-1930)

From this reading The Widow Jones got her stockings the next day.

location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east

From this reading As I left them at the door she stuck her head out of an upper window and said to me that "the sewing society met at her house on Thursday afternoon, and the men-folks was coming to tea and to spend the evening, and I must be _sure_ an' come, or the girls would be _so_ disappointed," and she urged and urged until I had to promise her I would attend her sociable.

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading Drat all tea-parties! say I. I was never comfortable at one in my life.

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading As I left them at the door she stuck her head out of an upper window and said to me that "the sewing society met at her house on Thursday afternoon, and the men-folks was coming to tea and to spend the evening, and I must be _sure_ an' come, or the girls would be _so_ disappointed," and she urged and urged until I had to promise her I would attend her sociable.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading As I left them at the door she stuck her head out of an upper window and said to me that "the sewing society met at her house on Thursday afternoon, and the men-folks was coming to tea and to spend the evening, and I must be _sure_ an' come, or the girls would be _so_ disappointed," and she urged and urged until I had to promise her I would attend her sociable.

inflected form of “meet” — come together

From this reading As I left them at the door she stuck her head out of an upper window and said to me that "the sewing society met at her house on Thursday afternoon, and the men-folks was coming to tea and to spend the evening, and I must be _sure_ an' come, or the girls would be _so_ disappointed," and she urged and urged until I had to promise her I would attend her sociable.

a particular point in time

From this reading If you'd give me my choice between going to a tea-party and picking potato-bugs off the vines all alone on a hot summer day, I shouldn't hesitate a moment between the two.

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading As I left them at the door she stuck her head out of an upper window and said to me that "the sewing society met at her house on Thursday afternoon, and the men-folks was coming to tea and to spend the evening, and I must be _sure_ an' come, or the girls would be _so_ disappointed," and she urged and urged until I had to promise her I would attend her sociable.

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading Drat all tea-parties! say I. I was never comfortable at one in my life.

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading Drat all tea-parties! say I. I was never comfortable at one in my life.

immediately following in time or order

From this reading The Widow Jones got her stockings the next day.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading As I left them at the door she stuck her head out of an upper window and said to me that "the sewing society met at her house on Thursday afternoon, and the men-folks was coming to tea and to spend the evening, and I must be _sure_ an' come, or the girls would be _so_ disappointed," and she urged and urged until I had to promise her I would attend her sociable.

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading If you'd give me my choice between going to a tea-party and picking potato-bugs off the vines all alone on a hot summer day, I shouldn't hesitate a moment between the two.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading As I left them at the door she stuck her head out of an upper window and said to me that "the sewing society met at her house on Thursday afternoon, and the men-folks was coming to tea and to spend the evening, and I must be _sure_ an' come, or the girls would be _so_ disappointed," and she urged and urged until I had to promise her I would attend her sociable.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Drat all tea-parties! say I. I was never comfortable at one in my life.

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading As I left them at the door she stuck her head out of an upper window and said to me that "the sewing society met at her house on Thursday afternoon, and the men-folks was coming to tea and to spend the evening, and I must be _sure_ an' come, or the girls would be _so_ disappointed," and she urged and urged until I had to promise her I would attend her sociable.

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading As I left them at the door she stuck her head out of an upper window and said to me that "the sewing society met at her house on Thursday afternoon, and the men-folks was coming to tea and to spend the evening, and I must be _sure_ an' come, or the girls would be _so_ disappointed," and she urged and urged until I had to promise her I would attend her sociable.

the quantity of a crop that is harvested

From this reading If you'd give me my choice between going to a tea-party and picking potato-bugs off the vines all alone on a hot summer day, I shouldn't hesitate a moment between the two.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading If you'd give me my choice between going to a tea-party and picking potato-bugs off the vines all alone on a hot summer day, I shouldn't hesitate a moment between the two.

make a promise or commitment

From this reading As I left them at the door she stuck her head out of an upper window and said to me that "the sewing society met at her house on Thursday afternoon, and the men-folks was coming to tea and to spend the evening, and I must be _sure_ an' come, or the girls would be _so_ disappointed," and she urged and urged until I had to promise her I would attend her sociable.

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading As I left them at the door she stuck her head out of an upper window and said to me that "the sewing society met at her house on Thursday afternoon, and the men-folks was coming to tea and to spend the evening, and I must be _sure_ an' come, or the girls would be _so_ disappointed," and she urged and urged until I had to promise her I would attend her sociable.

express in words

From this reading Drat all tea-parties! say I. I was never comfortable at one in my life.

joining or attaching by stitches

From this reading As I left them at the door she stuck her head out of an upper window and said to me that "the sewing society met at her house on Thursday afternoon, and the men-folks was coming to tea and to spend the evening, and I must be _sure_ an' come, or the girls would be _so_ disappointed," and she urged and urged until I had to promise her I would attend her sociable.

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading As I left them at the door she stuck her head out of an upper window and said to me that "the sewing society met at her house on Thursday afternoon, and the men-folks was coming to tea and to spend the evening, and I must be _sure_ an' come, or the girls would be _so_ disappointed," and she urged and urged until I had to promise her I would attend her sociable.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading If you'd give me my choice between going to a tea-party and picking potato-bugs off the vines all alone on a hot summer day, I shouldn't hesitate a moment between the two.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading As I left them at the door she stuck her head out of an upper window and said to me that "the sewing society met at her house on Thursday afternoon, and the men-folks was coming to tea and to spend the evening, and I must be _sure_ an' come, or the girls would be _so_ disappointed," and she urged and urged until I had to promise her I would attend her sociable.

inclined to or conducive to companionship with others

From this reading As I left them at the door she stuck her head out of an upper window and said to me that "the sewing society met at her house on Thursday afternoon, and the men-folks was coming to tea and to spend the evening, and I must be _sure_ an' come, or the girls would be _so_ disappointed," and she urged and urged until I had to promise her I would attend her sociable.

an extended social group having a distinctive cultural and economic organization

From this reading As I left them at the door she stuck her head out of an upper window and said to me that "the sewing society met at her house on Thursday afternoon, and the men-folks was coming to tea and to spend the evening, and I must be _sure_ an' come, or the girls would be _so_ disappointed," and she urged and urged until I had to promise her I would attend her sociable.

use up a period of time in a specific way

From this reading As I left them at the door she stuck her head out of an upper window and said to me that "the sewing society met at her house on Thursday afternoon, and the men-folks was coming to tea and to spend the evening, and I must be _sure_ an' come, or the girls would be _so_ disappointed," and she urged and urged until I had to promise her I would attend her sociable.

plural of “stocking” — close-fitting hosiery to cover the foot and leg; come in matched pairs (usually used in the plural)

From this reading The Widow Jones got her stockings the next day.

caught or fixed

From this reading As I left them at the door she stuck her head out of an upper window and said to me that "the sewing society met at her house on Thursday afternoon, and the men-folks was coming to tea and to spend the evening, and I must be _sure_ an' come, or the girls would be _so_ disappointed," and she urged and urged until I had to promise her I would attend her sociable.

the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox

From this reading If you'd give me my choice between going to a tea-party and picking potato-bugs off the vines all alone on a hot summer day, I shouldn't hesitate a moment between the two.

having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured

From this reading As I left them at the door she stuck her head out of an upper window and said to me that "the sewing society met at her house on Thursday afternoon, and the men-folks was coming to tea and to spend the evening, and I must be _sure_ an' come, or the girls would be _so_ disappointed," and she urged and urged until I had to promise her I would attend her sociable.

a beverage made by steeping tea leaves in water

From this reading As I left them at the door she stuck her head out of an upper window and said to me that "the sewing society met at her house on Thursday afternoon, and the men-folks was coming to tea and to spend the evening, and I must be _sure_ an' come, or the girls would be _so_ disappointed," and she urged and urged until I had to promise her I would attend her sociable.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Drat all tea-parties! say I. I was never comfortable at one in my life.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading GOES TO A TEA-PARTY.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading As I left them at the door she stuck her head out of an upper window and said to me that "the sewing society met at her house on Thursday afternoon, and the men-folks was coming to tea and to spend the evening, and I must be _sure_ an' come, or the girls would be _so_ disappointed," and she urged and urged until I had to promise her I would attend her sociable.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading The Widow Jones got her stockings the next day.

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading As I left them at the door she stuck her head out of an upper window and said to me that "the sewing society met at her house on Thursday afternoon, and the men-folks was coming to tea and to spend the evening, and I must be _sure_ an' come, or the girls would be _so_ disappointed," and she urged and urged until I had to promise her I would attend her sociable.

the fifth day of the week; the fourth working day

From this reading As I left them at the door she stuck her head out of an upper window and said to me that "the sewing society met at her house on Thursday afternoon, and the men-folks was coming to tea and to spend the evening, and I must be _sure_ an' come, or the girls would be _so_ disappointed," and she urged and urged until I had to promise her I would attend her sociable.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading GOES TO A TEA-PARTY.

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading If you'd give me my choice between going to a tea-party and picking potato-bugs off the vines all alone on a hot summer day, I shouldn't hesitate a moment between the two.

up to a particular time

From this reading As I left them at the door she stuck her head out of an upper window and said to me that "the sewing society met at her house on Thursday afternoon, and the men-folks was coming to tea and to spend the evening, and I must be _sure_ an' come, or the girls would be _so_ disappointed," and she urged and urged until I had to promise her I would attend her sociable.

the topmost one of two

From this reading As I left them at the door she stuck her head out of an upper window and said to me that "the sewing society met at her house on Thursday afternoon, and the men-folks was coming to tea and to spend the evening, and I must be _sure_ an' come, or the girls would be _so_ disappointed," and she urged and urged until I had to promise her I would attend her sociable.

past form of “urge” — force or impel in an indicated direction

From this reading As I left them at the door she stuck her head out of an upper window and said to me that "the sewing society met at her house on Thursday afternoon, and the men-folks was coming to tea and to spend the evening, and I must be _sure_ an' come, or the girls would be _so_ disappointed," and she urged and urged until I had to promise her I would attend her sociable.

plural of “vine” — a plant with a weak stem that derives support from climbing, twining, or creeping along a surface

From this reading If you'd give me my choice between going to a tea-party and picking potato-bugs off the vines all alone on a hot summer day, I shouldn't hesitate a moment between the two.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading As I left them at the door she stuck her head out of an upper window and said to me that "the sewing society met at her house on Thursday afternoon, and the men-folks was coming to tea and to spend the evening, and I must be _sure_ an' come, or the girls would be _so_ disappointed," and she urged and urged until I had to promise her I would attend her sociable.

a woman whose husband is dead especially one who has not remarried

From this reading The Widow Jones got her stockings the next day.

a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air

From this reading As I left them at the door she stuck her head out of an upper window and said to me that "the sewing society met at her house on Thursday afternoon, and the men-folks was coming to tea and to spend the evening, and I must be _sure_ an' come, or the girls would be _so_ disappointed," and she urged and urged until I had to promise her I would attend her sociable.

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading As I left them at the door she stuck her head out of an upper window and said to me that "the sewing society met at her house on Thursday afternoon, and the men-folks was coming to tea and to spend the evening, and I must be _sure_ an' come, or the girls would be _so_ disappointed," and she urged and urged until I had to promise her I would attend her sociable.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading If you'd give me my choice between going to a tea-party and picking potato-bugs off the vines all alone on a hot summer day, I shouldn't hesitate a moment between the two.