used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A SUPPER WITHOUT A HOST.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading The Duke had been quite right about his appetite.
(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 He had a pint bottle of sound claret, and maraschino to finish with; and all the time there was the freshness from the river streaming through the window, and the soft beat of paddle-wheels and the swirl of cool waters at the prows of steamers and of barges.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading He could have contented himself with a steak, but now he might as well have a nice little dinner, and play with it for an hour or so.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He could have contented himself with a steak, but now he might as well have a nice little dinner, and play with it for an hour or so.
appetitenounUS /ˈæpətaɪt/
a feeling of craving something
From this reading The Duke had been quite right about his appetite.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He could have contented himself with a steak, but now he might as well have a nice little dinner, and play with it for an hour or so.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He had a pint bottle of sound claret, and maraschino to finish with; and all the time there was the freshness from the river streaming through the window, and the soft beat of paddle-wheels and the swirl of cool waters at the prows of steamers and of barges.
bargesnounUS /ˈbɑːrdʒəz/
plural of “barge” — a flatbottom boat for carrying heavy loads (especially on canals)
From this reading He had a pint bottle of sound claret, and maraschino to finish with; and all the time there was the freshness from the river streaming through the window, and the soft beat of paddle-wheels and the swirl of cool waters at the prows of steamers and of barges.
come out better in a competition, race, or conflict
From this reading He had a pint bottle of sound claret, and maraschino to finish with; and all the time there was the freshness from the river streaming through the window, and the soft beat of paddle-wheels and the swirl of cool waters at the prows of steamers and of barges.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The Duke had been quite right about his appetite.
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 He had a pint bottle of sound claret, and maraschino to finish with; and all the time there was the freshness from the river streaming through the window, and the soft beat of paddle-wheels and the swirl of cool waters at the prows of steamers and of barges.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He could have contented himself with a steak, but now he might as well have a nice little dinner, and play with it for an hour or so.
cheesenounUS /tʃiːz/
a solid food prepared from the pressed curd of milk
From this reading He had fricasseed sole, roast lamb, duck and green peas, and cheese _fondu_.
claretnoun
a dark purplish-red color
From this reading He had a pint bottle of sound claret, and maraschino to finish with; and all the time there was the freshness from the river streaming through the window, and the soft beat of paddle-wheels and the swirl of cool waters at the prows of steamers and of barges.
contentedadjectiveUS /kənˈtentəd/
satisfied or showing satisfaction with things as they are
From this reading He could have contented himself with a steak, but now he might as well have a nice little dinner, and play with it for an hour or so.
neither warm nor very cold; giving relief from heat
From this reading He had a pint bottle of sound claret, and maraschino to finish with; and all the time there was the freshness from the river streaming through the window, and the soft beat of paddle-wheels and the swirl of cool waters at the prows of steamers and of barges.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading He could have contented himself with a steak, but now he might as well have a nice little dinner, and play with it for an hour or so.
the main meal of the day served in the evening or at midday
From this reading He could have contented himself with a steak, but now he might as well have a nice little dinner, and play with it for an hour or so.
duckverbUS /dʌk/
to move (the head or body) quickly downwards or away
From this reading He had fricasseed sole, roast lamb, duck and green peas, and cheese _fondu_.
a British peer of the highest rank
From this reading The Duke had been quite right about his appetite.
come or bring to a finish or an end
From this reading He had a pint bottle of sound claret, and maraschino to finish with; and all the time there was the freshness from the river streaming through the window, and the soft beat of paddle-wheels and the swirl of cool waters at the prows of steamers and of barges.
fondunoun
cubes of meat or seafood cooked in hot oil and then dipped in any of various sauces
From this reading He had fricasseed sole, roast lamb, duck and green peas, and cheese _fondu_.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He could have contented himself with a steak, but now he might as well have a nice little dinner, and play with it for an hour or so.
freshnessnounUS /ˈfreʃnəs/
the property of being pure and fresh (as if newly made); not stale or deteriorated
From this reading He had a pint bottle of sound claret, and maraschino to finish with; and all the time there was the freshness from the river streaming through the window, and the soft beat of paddle-wheels and the swirl of cool waters at the prows of steamers and of barges.
fricasseed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had fricasseed sole, roast lamb, duck and green peas, and cheese _fondu_.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading He had a pint bottle of sound claret, and maraschino to finish with; and all the time there was the freshness from the river streaming through the window, and the soft beat of paddle-wheels and the swirl of cool waters at the prows of steamers and of barges.
green color or pigment; resembling the color of growing grass
From this reading He had fricasseed sole, roast lamb, duck and green peas, and cheese _fondu_.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The Duke had been quite right about his appetite.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading He could have contented himself with a steak, but now he might as well have a nice little dinner, and play with it for an hour or so.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He could have contented himself with a steak, but now he might as well have a nice little dinner, and play with it for an hour or so.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading He could have contented himself with a steak, but now he might as well have a nice little dinner, and play with it for an hour or so.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The Duke had been quite right about his appetite.
a person who invites guests to a social event (such as a party in his or her own home) and who is responsible for them while they are there
From this reading A SUPPER WITHOUT A HOST.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading He could have contented himself with a steak, but now he might as well have a nice little dinner, and play with it for an hour or so.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He could have contented himself with a steak, but now he might as well have a nice little dinner, and play with it for an hour or so.
lambnounUS /læm/
young sheep
From this reading He had fricasseed sole, roast lamb, duck and green peas, and cheese _fondu_.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading He could have contented himself with a steak, but now he might as well have a nice little dinner, and play with it for an hour or so.
maraschinonounUS /ˌmærəˈskiːnoʊ/
distilled from fermented juice of bitter wild marasca cherries
From this reading He had a pint bottle of sound claret, and maraschino to finish with; and all the time there was the freshness from the river streaming through the window, and the soft beat of paddle-wheels and the swirl of cool waters at the prows of steamers and of barges.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading He could have contented himself with a steak, but now he might as well have a nice little dinner, and play with it for an hour or so.
pleasant or pleasing or agreeable in nature or appearance
From this reading He could have contented himself with a steak, but now he might as well have a nice little dinner, and play with it for an hour or so.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading He could have contented himself with a steak, but now he might as well have a nice little dinner, and play with it for an hour or so.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He had a pint bottle of sound claret, and maraschino to finish with; and all the time there was the freshness from the river streaming through the window, and the soft beat of paddle-wheels and the swirl of cool waters at the prows of steamers and of barges.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading He could have contented himself with a steak, but now he might as well have a nice little dinner, and play with it for an hour or so.
paddle-wheels
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had a pint bottle of sound claret, and maraschino to finish with; and all the time there was the freshness from the river streaming through the window, and the soft beat of paddle-wheels and the swirl of cool waters at the prows of steamers and of barges.
peasnounUS /piːz/
plural of “pea” — seed of a pea plant used for food
From this reading He had fricasseed sole, roast lamb, duck and green peas, and cheese _fondu_.
pintnounUS /paɪnt/
a British imperial capacity measure (liquid or dry) equal to 4 gills or 568.26 cubic centimeters
From this reading He had a pint bottle of sound claret, and maraschino to finish with; and all the time there was the freshness from the river streaming through the window, and the soft beat of paddle-wheels and the swirl of cool waters at the prows of steamers and of barges.
participate in games or sport
From this reading He could have contented himself with a steak, but now he might as well have a nice little dinner, and play with it for an hour or so.
prowsnounUS /praʊz/
plural of “prow” — front part of a vessel or aircraft
From this reading He had a pint bottle of sound claret, and maraschino to finish with; and all the time there was the freshness from the river streaming through the window, and the soft beat of paddle-wheels and the swirl of cool waters at the prows of steamers and of barges.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading The Duke had been quite right about his appetite.
precisely, exactly
From this reading The Duke had been quite right about his appetite.
a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)
From this reading He had a pint bottle of sound claret, and maraschino to finish with; and all the time there was the freshness from the river streaming through the window, and the soft beat of paddle-wheels and the swirl of cool waters at the prows of steamers and of barges.
roastverbUS /roʊst/
cook with dry heat, usually in an oven
From this reading He had fricasseed sole, roast lamb, duck and green peas, and cheese _fondu_.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading He could have contented himself with a steak, but now he might as well have a nice little dinner, and play with it for an hour or so.
yielding readily to pressure or weight
From this reading He had a pint bottle of sound claret, and maraschino to finish with; and all the time there was the freshness from the river streaming through the window, and the soft beat of paddle-wheels and the swirl of cool waters at the prows of steamers and of barges.
solenounUS /soʊl/
the underside of footwear or a golf club
From this reading He had fricasseed sole, roast lamb, duck and green peas, and cheese _fondu_.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading He had a pint bottle of sound claret, and maraschino to finish with; and all the time there was the freshness from the river streaming through the window, and the soft beat of paddle-wheels and the swirl of cool waters at the prows of steamers and of barges.
steaknounUS /steɪk/
a slice of meat cut from the fleshy part of an animal or large fish
From this reading He could have contented himself with a steak, but now he might as well have a nice little dinner, and play with it for an hour or so.
steamersnounUS /ˈstiːmərz/
plural of “steamer” — a clam that is usually steamed in the shell
From this reading He had a pint bottle of sound claret, and maraschino to finish with; and all the time there was the freshness from the river streaming through the window, and the soft beat of paddle-wheels and the swirl of cool waters at the prows of steamers and of barges.
streamingadjectiveUS /ˈstriːmɪŋ/
exuding a bodily fluid in profuse amounts
From this reading He had a pint bottle of sound claret, and maraschino to finish with; and all the time there was the freshness from the river streaming through the window, and the soft beat of paddle-wheels and the swirl of cool waters at the prows of steamers and of barges.
a light evening meal; served in early evening if dinner is at midday or served late in the evening at bedtime
From this reading A SUPPER WITHOUT A HOST.
swirlverbUS /swɜːrl/
turn in a twisting or spinning motion
From this reading He had a pint bottle of sound claret, and maraschino to finish with; and all the time there was the freshness from the river streaming through the window, and the soft beat of paddle-wheels and the swirl of cool waters at the prows of steamers and of barges.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The Duke had been quite right about his appetite.
in or at that place or location
From this reading He had a pint bottle of sound claret, and maraschino to finish with; and all the time there was the freshness from the river streaming through the window, and the soft beat of paddle-wheels and the swirl of cool waters at the prows of steamers and of barges.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading He had a pint bottle of sound claret, and maraschino to finish with; and all the time there was the freshness from the river streaming through the window, and the soft beat of paddle-wheels and the swirl of cool waters at the prows of steamers and of barges.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading He had a pint bottle of sound claret, and maraschino to finish with; and all the time there was the freshness from the river streaming through the window, and the soft beat of paddle-wheels and the swirl of cool waters at the prows of steamers and of barges.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He had a pint bottle of sound claret, and maraschino to finish with; and all the time there was the freshness from the river streaming through the window, and the soft beat of paddle-wheels and the swirl of cool waters at the prows of steamers and of barges.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He had a pint bottle of sound claret, and maraschino to finish with; and all the time there was the freshness from the river streaming through the window, and the soft beat of paddle-wheels and the swirl of cool waters at the prows of steamers and of barges.
United States actress and singer (1896-1977)
From this reading He had a pint bottle of sound claret, and maraschino to finish with; and all the time there was the freshness from the river streaming through the window, and the soft beat of paddle-wheels and the swirl of cool waters at the prows of steamers and of barges.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading He could have contented himself with a steak, but now he might as well have a nice little dinner, and play with it for an hour or so.
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 He had a pint bottle of sound claret, and maraschino to finish with; and all the time there was the freshness from the river streaming through the window, and the soft beat of paddle-wheels and the swirl of cool waters at the prows of steamers and of barges.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He could have contented himself with a steak, but now he might as well have a nice little dinner, and play with it for an hour or so.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading A SUPPER WITHOUT A HOST.
