used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading By the time November came round again, Cecily’s life had settled down to a more or less steady routine.
afternoonsnounUS /ˌæftərˈnuːnz/
plural of “afternoon” — the part of the day between noon and evening
From this reading Her afternoons, and many evenings, were taken up by social duties and occasional pleasures.
anew
From this reading By the time November came round again, Cecily’s life had settled down to a more or less steady routine.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She gave the mornings to her work, and her book was growing.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading She cultivated her natural gifts as a clever hostess, and began to entertain.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading With the persistence of a patient going through a prescribed cure, she contrived that no hour of her time should be unoccupied.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading She cultivated her natural gifts as a clever hostess, and began to entertain.
a written work or composition that has been published (printed on pages bound together)
From this reading She gave the mornings to her work, and her book was growing.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading By the time November came round again, Cecily’s life had settled down to a more or less steady routine.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading By the time November came round again, Cecily’s life had settled down to a more or less steady routine.
Cecily's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading By the time November came round again, Cecily’s life had settled down to a more or less steady routine.
showing self-interest and shrewdness in dealing with others
From this reading She cultivated her natural gifts as a clever hostess, and began to entertain.
contrivedadjectiveUS /kənˈtraɪvd/
showing effects of planning or manipulation
From this reading With the persistence of a patient going through a prescribed cure, she contrived that no hour of her time should be unoccupied.
cultivatedadjectiveUS /ˈkʌltəveɪtɪd/
(of land or fields) prepared for raising crops by plowing or fertilizing
From this reading She cultivated her natural gifts as a clever hostess, and began to entertain.
cureverbUS /kjʊr/
provide a cure for, make healthy again
From this reading With the persistence of a patient going through a prescribed cure, she contrived that no hour of her time should be unoccupied.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading By the time November came round again, Cecily’s life had settled down to a more or less steady routine.
plural of “duty” — the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force
From this reading Her afternoons, and many evenings, were taken up by social duties and occasional pleasures.
entertainverbUS /ˌentərˈteɪn/
provide entertainment for
From this reading She cultivated her natural gifts as a clever hostess, and began to entertain.
eveningsnounUS /ˈiːvnɪŋz/
plural of “evening” — the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading Her afternoons, and many evenings, were taken up by social duties and occasional pleasures.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading She gave the mornings to her work, and her book was growing.
giftsnounUS /ɡɪfts/
plural of “gift” — something acquired without compensation
From this reading She cultivated her natural gifts as a clever hostess, and began to entertain.
the act of departing
From this reading With the persistence of a patient going through a prescribed cure, she contrived that no hour of her time should be unoccupied.
(biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level
From this reading She gave the mornings to her work, and her book was growing.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading By the time November came round again, Cecily’s life had settled down to a more or less steady routine.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She gave the mornings to her work, and her book was growing.
hostessnounUS /ˈhoʊstəs/
a woman host
From this reading She cultivated her natural gifts as a clever hostess, and began to entertain.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading With the persistence of a patient going through a prescribed cure, she contrived that no hour of her time should be unoccupied.
used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs
From this reading By the time November came round again, Cecily’s life had settled down to a more or less steady routine.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading By the time November came round again, Cecily’s life had settled down to a more or less steady routine.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading Her afternoons, and many evenings, were taken up by social duties and occasional pleasures.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading By the time November came round again, Cecily’s life had settled down to a more or less steady routine.
morningsnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋz/
plural of “morning” — the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading She gave the mornings to her work, and her book was growing.
in accordance with nature; relating to or concerning nature
From this reading She cultivated her natural gifts as a clever hostess, and began to entertain.
not any; not one
From this reading With the persistence of a patient going through a prescribed cure, she contrived that no hour of her time should be unoccupied.
NovembernounUS /noʊˈvembər/
the month following October and preceding December
From this reading By the time November came round again, Cecily’s life had settled down to a more or less steady routine.
occasionaladjectiveUS /əˈkeɪʒənəl/
occurring from time to time
From this reading Her afternoons, and many evenings, were taken up by social duties and occasional pleasures.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading With the persistence of a patient going through a prescribed cure, she contrived that no hour of her time should be unoccupied.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading By the time November came round again, Cecily’s life had settled down to a more or less steady routine.
a person who requires medical care
From this reading With the persistence of a patient going through a prescribed cure, she contrived that no hour of her time should be unoccupied.
persistencenounUS /pərˈsɪstəns/
the property of a continuous and connected period of time
From this reading With the persistence of a patient going through a prescribed cure, she contrived that no hour of her time should be unoccupied.
pleasuresnounUS /ˈpleʒərz/
plural of “pleasure” — a fundamental feeling that is hard to define but that people desire to experience
From this reading Her afternoons, and many evenings, were taken up by social duties and occasional pleasures.
prescribedadjectiveUS /priˈskraɪbd/
set down as a rule or guide
From this reading With the persistence of a patient going through a prescribed cure, she contrived that no hour of her time should be unoccupied.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading By the time November came round again, Cecily’s life had settled down to a more or less steady routine.
routinenounUS /ruːˈtiːn/
an unvarying or habitual method or procedure
From this reading By the time November came round again, Cecily’s life had settled down to a more or less steady routine.
established or decided beyond dispute or doubt
From this reading By the time November came round again, Cecily’s life had settled down to a more or less steady routine.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She gave the mornings to her work, and her book was growing.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading With the persistence of a patient going through a prescribed cure, she contrived that no hour of her time should be unoccupied.
relating to human society and its members
From this reading Her afternoons, and many evenings, were taken up by social duties and occasional pleasures.
make steady
From this reading By the time November came round again, Cecily’s life had settled down to a more or less steady routine.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading Her afternoons, and many evenings, were taken up by social duties and occasional pleasures.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading With the persistence of a patient going through a prescribed cure, she contrived that no hour of her time should be unoccupied.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading By the time November came round again, Cecily’s life had settled down to a more or less steady routine.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading With the persistence of a patient going through a prescribed cure, she contrived that no hour of her time should be unoccupied.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading By the time November came round again, Cecily’s life had settled down to a more or less steady routine.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading By the time November came round again, Cecily’s life had settled down to a more or less steady routine.
unoccupiedadjectiveUS /əˈnɑːkjəpaɪd/
not held or filled or in use
From this reading With the persistence of a patient going through a prescribed cure, she contrived that no hour of her time should be unoccupied.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Her afternoons, and many evenings, were taken up by social duties and occasional pleasures.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading She gave the mornings to her work, and her book was growing.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Her afternoons, and many evenings, were taken up by social duties and occasional pleasures.
in the company of; together with
From this reading With the persistence of a patient going through a prescribed cure, she contrived that no hour of her time should be unoccupied.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading She gave the mornings to her work, and her book was growing.
