used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The Chinese Poison That evening the four younger members of our party went to a scratch gramophone dance and The Tundish and I were left to our own devices.
a record or narrative description of past events
From this reading He had tried to persuade them not to go on account of the heat, and had been particularly emphatic so far as Margaret was concerned.
aimlesslyadverbUS /ˈeɪmləsli/
without aim; in an aimless manner
From this reading While he was measuring it out I wandered aimlessly round the room glancing at the bottles on the shelves.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The Chinese Poison That evening the four younger members of our party went to a scratch gramophone dance and The Tundish and I were left to our own devices.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He had tried to persuade them not to go on account of the heat, and had been particularly emphatic so far as Margaret was concerned.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Supper was late, as they dressed before they had it, but they did get away at length, and we went into the dispensary to get some medicine for my cold.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Supper was late, as they dressed before they had it, but they did get away at length, and we went into the dispensary to get some medicine for my cold.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading He had tried to persuade them not to go on account of the heat, and had been particularly emphatic so far as Margaret was concerned.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Supper was late, as they dressed before they had it, but they did get away at length, and we went into the dispensary to get some medicine for my cold.
the supreme effort one can make
From this reading Stella did look a little fagged and pale, but my partner seemed in the best of spirits, and I could not understand why he should think that she especially required rest.
bottlesnounUS /ˈbɑːtəlz/
plural of “bottle” — a glass or plastic vessel used for storing drinks or other liquids; typically cylindrical without handles and with a narrow neck that can be plugged or capped
From this reading While he was measuring it out I wandered aimlessly round the room glancing at the bottles on the shelves.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Stella did look a little fagged and pale, but my partner seemed in the best of spirits, and I could not understand why he should think that she especially required rest.
ChinesenounUS /tʃaɪˈniːz/
any of the Sino-Tibetan languages spoken in China; regarded as dialects of a single language (even though they are mutually unintelligible) because they share an ideographic writing system
From this reading The Chinese Poison That evening the four younger members of our party went to a scratch gramophone dance and The Tundish and I were left to our own devices.
having a low or inadequate temperature or feeling a sensation of coldness or having been made cold by e.g. ice or refrigeration
From this reading Supper was late, as they dressed before they had it, but they did get away at length, and we went into the dispensary to get some medicine for my cold.
feeling or showing worry or solicitude
From this reading He had tried to persuade them not to go on account of the heat, and had been particularly emphatic so far as Margaret was concerned.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Stella did look a little fagged and pale, but my partner seemed in the best of spirits, and I could not understand why he should think that she especially required rest.
an artistic form of nonverbal communication
From this reading The Chinese Poison That evening the four younger members of our party went to a scratch gramophone dance and The Tundish and I were left to our own devices.
devicesnounUS /dɪˈvaɪsəz/
an inclination or desire; used in the plural in the phrase “left to your own devices”
From this reading The Chinese Poison That evening the four younger members of our party went to a scratch gramophone dance and The Tundish and I were left to our own devices.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Stella did look a little fagged and pale, but my partner seemed in the best of spirits, and I could not understand why he should think that she especially required rest.
dispensarynounUS /dɪˈspensəri/
clinic where medicine and medical supplies are dispensed
From this reading Supper was late, as they dressed before they had it, but they did get away at length, and we went into the dispensary to get some medicine for my cold.
dressed or clothed especially in fine attire; often used in combination
From this reading Supper was late, as they dressed before they had it, but they did get away at length, and we went into the dispensary to get some medicine for my cold.
emphaticadjectiveUS /emˈfætɪk/
spoken with emphasis
From this reading He had tried to persuade them not to go on account of the heat, and had been particularly emphatic so far as Margaret was concerned.
to a distinctly greater extent or degree than is common
From this reading Stella did look a little fagged and pale, but my partner seemed in the best of spirits, and I could not understand why he should think that she especially required rest.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading The Chinese Poison That evening the four younger members of our party went to a scratch gramophone dance and The Tundish and I were left to our own devices.
faggedadjective
drained of energy or effectiveness; extremely tired; completely exhausted
From this reading Stella did look a little fagged and pale, but my partner seemed in the best of spirits, and I could not understand why he should think that she especially required rest.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading He had tried to persuade them not to go on account of the heat, and had been particularly emphatic so far as Margaret was concerned.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Supper was late, as they dressed before they had it, but they did get away at length, and we went into the dispensary to get some medicine for my cold.
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading The Chinese Poison That evening the four younger members of our party went to a scratch gramophone dance and The Tundish and I were left to our own devices.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading Supper was late, as they dressed before they had it, but they did get away at length, and we went into the dispensary to get some medicine for my cold.
-ing form of “glance” — throw a glance at; take a brief look at
From this reading While he was measuring it out I wandered aimlessly round the room glancing at the bottles on the shelves.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading He had tried to persuade them not to go on account of the heat, and had been particularly emphatic so far as Margaret was concerned.
gramophonenoun
an antique record player; the sound of the vibrating needle is amplified acoustically
From this reading The Chinese Poison That evening the four younger members of our party went to a scratch gramophone dance and The Tundish and I were left to our own devices.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had tried to persuade them not to go on account of the heat, and had been particularly emphatic so far as Margaret was concerned.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had tried to persuade them not to go on account of the heat, and had been particularly emphatic so far as Margaret was concerned.
a form of energy that is transferred by a difference in temperature
From this reading He had tried to persuade them not to go on account of the heat, and had been particularly emphatic so far as Margaret was concerned.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading The Chinese Poison That evening the four younger members of our party went to a scratch gramophone dance and The Tundish and I were left to our own devices.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Stella did look a little fagged and pale, but my partner seemed in the best of spirits, and I could not understand why he should think that she especially required rest.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Supper was late, as they dressed before they had it, but they did get away at length, and we went into the dispensary to get some medicine for my cold.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Supper was late, as they dressed before they had it, but they did get away at length, and we went into the dispensary to get some medicine for my cold.
being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time
From this reading Supper was late, as they dressed before they had it, but they did get away at length, and we went into the dispensary to get some medicine for my cold.
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 The Chinese Poison That evening the four younger members of our party went to a scratch gramophone dance and The Tundish and I were left to our own devices.
the linear extent in space from one end to the other; the longest dimension of something that is fixed in place
From this reading Supper was late, as they dressed before they had it, but they did get away at length, and we went into the dispensary to get some medicine for my cold.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Stella did look a little fagged and pale, but my partner seemed in the best of spirits, and I could not understand why he should think that she especially required rest.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading Stella did look a little fagged and pale, but my partner seemed in the best of spirits, and I could not understand why he should think that she especially required rest.
Margaret
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had tried to persuade them not to go on account of the heat, and had been particularly emphatic so far as Margaret was concerned.
measuringnounUS /ˈmeʒərɪŋ/
the act or process of assigning numbers to phenomena according to a rule
From this reading While he was measuring it out I wandered aimlessly round the room glancing at the bottles on the shelves.
medicinenounUS /ˈmedəsən/
the branches of medical science that deal with nonsurgical techniques
From this reading Supper was late, as they dressed before they had it, but they did get away at length, and we went into the dispensary to get some medicine for my cold.
plural of “member” — one of the persons who compose a social group (especially individuals who have joined and participate in a group organization)
From this reading The Chinese Poison That evening the four younger members of our party went to a scratch gramophone dance and The Tundish and I were left to our own devices.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading Stella did look a little fagged and pale, but my partner seemed in the best of spirits, and I could not understand why he should think that she especially required rest.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He had tried to persuade them not to go on account of the heat, and had been particularly emphatic so far as Margaret was concerned.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The Chinese Poison That evening the four younger members of our party went to a scratch gramophone dance and The Tundish and I were left to our own devices.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He had tried to persuade them not to go on account of the heat, and had been particularly emphatic so far as Margaret was concerned.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading The Chinese Poison That evening the four younger members of our party went to a scratch gramophone dance and The Tundish and I were left to our own devices.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading While he was measuring it out I wandered aimlessly round the room glancing at the bottles on the shelves.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading The Chinese Poison That evening the four younger members of our party went to a scratch gramophone dance and The Tundish and I were left to our own devices.
very light colored; highly diluted with white
From this reading Stella did look a little fagged and pale, but my partner seemed in the best of spirits, and I could not understand why he should think that she especially required rest.
to a distinctly greater extent or degree than is common
From this reading He had tried to persuade them not to go on account of the heat, and had been particularly emphatic so far as Margaret was concerned.
partnernounUS /ˈpɑːrtnər/
a person's partner in marriage
From this reading Stella did look a little fagged and pale, but my partner seemed in the best of spirits, and I could not understand why he should think that she especially required rest.
an organization to gain political power
From this reading The Chinese Poison That evening the four younger members of our party went to a scratch gramophone dance and The Tundish and I were left to our own devices.
persuadeverbUS /pərˈsweɪd/
win approval or support for
From this reading He had tried to persuade them not to go on account of the heat, and had been particularly emphatic so far as Margaret was concerned.
PoisonverbUS /ˈpɔɪzən/
spoil as if by poison
From this reading The Chinese Poison That evening the four younger members of our party went to a scratch gramophone dance and The Tundish and I were left to our own devices.
necessary for relief or supply
From this reading Stella did look a little fagged and pale, but my partner seemed in the best of spirits, and I could not understand why he should think that she especially required rest.
not move; be in a resting position
From this reading Stella did look a little fagged and pale, but my partner seemed in the best of spirits, and I could not understand why he should think that she especially required rest.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading While he was measuring it out I wandered aimlessly round the room glancing at the bottles on the shelves.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading While he was measuring it out I wandered aimlessly round the room glancing at the bottles on the shelves.
scratchverbUS /skrætʃ/
cause friction
From this reading The Chinese Poison That evening the four younger members of our party went to a scratch gramophone dance and The Tundish and I were left to our own devices.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Stella did look a little fagged and pale, but my partner seemed in the best of spirits, and I could not understand why he should think that she especially required rest.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Stella did look a little fagged and pale, but my partner seemed in the best of spirits, and I could not understand why he should think that she especially required rest.
shelvesnounUS /ʃelvz/
Plural of shelf; the vast wooden or stone structures holding archives.
From this reading While he was measuring it out I wandered aimlessly round the room glancing at the bottles on the shelves.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading Stella did look a little fagged and pale, but my partner seemed in the best of spirits, and I could not understand why he should think that she especially required rest.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading He had tried to persuade them not to go on account of the heat, and had been particularly emphatic so far as Margaret was concerned.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Supper was late, as they dressed before they had it, but they did get away at length, and we went into the dispensary to get some medicine for my cold.
an alcoholic beverage that is distilled rather than fermented
From this reading Stella did look a little fagged and pale, but my partner seemed in the best of spirits, and I could not understand why he should think that she especially required rest.
StellanounUS /ˈstelə/
United States minimalist painter (born in 1936)
From this reading Stella did look a little fagged and pale, but my partner seemed in the best of spirits, and I could not understand why he should think that she especially required rest.
a light evening meal; served in early evening if dinner is at midday or served late in the evening at bedtime
From this reading Supper was late, as they dressed before they had it, but they did get away at length, and we went into the dispensary to get some medicine for my cold.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The Chinese Poison That evening the four younger members of our party went to a scratch gramophone dance and The Tundish and I were left to our own devices.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The Chinese Poison That evening the four younger members of our party went to a scratch gramophone dance and The Tundish and I were left to our own devices.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading He had tried to persuade them not to go on account of the heat, and had been particularly emphatic so far as Margaret was concerned.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Supper was late, as they dressed before they had it, but they did get away at length, and we went into the dispensary to get some medicine for my cold.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading Stella did look a little fagged and pale, but my partner seemed in the best of spirits, and I could not understand why he should think that she especially required rest.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The Chinese Poison That evening the four younger members of our party went to a scratch gramophone dance and The Tundish and I were left to our own devices.
tested and proved useful or correct
From this reading He had tried to persuade them not to go on account of the heat, and had been particularly emphatic so far as Margaret was concerned.
Tundish
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Chinese Poison That evening the four younger members of our party went to a scratch gramophone dance and The Tundish and I were left to our own devices.
know and comprehend the nature or meaning of
From this reading Stella did look a little fagged and pale, but my partner seemed in the best of spirits, and I could not understand why he should think that she especially required rest.
past form of “wander” — move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment
From this reading While he was measuring it out I wandered aimlessly round the room glancing at the bottles on the shelves.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He had tried to persuade them not to go on account of the heat, and had been particularly emphatic so far as Margaret was concerned.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading Supper was late, as they dressed before they had it, but they did get away at length, and we went into the dispensary to get some medicine for my cold.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading The Chinese Poison That evening the four younger members of our party went to a scratch gramophone dance and The Tundish and I were left to our own devices.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The Chinese Poison That evening the four younger members of our party went to a scratch gramophone dance and The Tundish and I were left to our own devices.
WhileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading While he was measuring it out I wandered aimlessly round the room glancing at the bottles on the shelves.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading Stella did look a little fagged and pale, but my partner seemed in the best of spirits, and I could not understand why he should think that she especially required rest.
used of the younger of two persons of the same name especially used to distinguish a son from his father
From this reading The Chinese Poison That evening the four younger members of our party went to a scratch gramophone dance and The Tundish and I were left to our own devices.
