used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The Paysons and the Kemps, together with the rest of the world, were to be tossed about now like straws in a storm.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading The Paysons and the Kemps, together with the rest of the world, were to be tossed about now like straws in a storm.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading But Mrs. Carrie Payson, reading the paper next morning in the dining room window, after breakfast, was the dispassionately interested spectator.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The Paysons and the Kemps, together with the rest of the world, were to be tossed about now like straws in a storm.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The Paysons and the Kemps, together with the rest of the world, were to be tossed about now like straws in a storm.
eat an early morning meal
From this reading But Mrs. Carrie Payson, reading the paper next morning in the dining room window, after breakfast, was the dispassionately interested spectator.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But Mrs. Carrie Payson, reading the paper next morning in the dining room window, after breakfast, was the dispassionately interested spectator.
Carrie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But Mrs. Carrie Payson, reading the paper next morning in the dining room window, after breakfast, was the dispassionately interested spectator.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading She had no patience with women who did not read the newspapers.
diningnounUS /ˈdaɪnɪŋ/
the act of eating dinner
From this reading But Mrs. Carrie Payson, reading the paper next morning in the dining room window, after breakfast, was the dispassionately interested spectator.
dispassionatelyadverbUS /dɪˈspæʃənətli/
in an impartially dispassionate manner
From this reading But Mrs. Carrie Payson, reading the paper next morning in the dining room window, after breakfast, was the dispassionately interested spectator.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading Though this was a manless household it received its morning and evening paper regularly.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading She had no patience with women who did not read the newspapers.
a social unit living together
From this reading Though this was a manless household it received its morning and evening paper regularly.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The Paysons and the Kemps, together with the rest of the world, were to be tossed about now like straws in a storm.
having or showing interest; especially curiosity or fascination or concern
From this reading But Mrs. Carrie Payson, reading the paper next morning in the dining room window, after breakfast, was the dispassionately interested spectator.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Though this was a manless household it received its morning and evening paper regularly.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Though this was a manless household it received its morning and evening paper regularly.
Kemps
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Paysons and the Kemps, together with the rest of the world, were to be tossed about now like straws in a storm.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading The Paysons and the Kemps, together with the rest of the world, were to be tossed about now like straws in a storm.
manless
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Though this was a manless household it received its morning and evening paper regularly.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading But Mrs. Carrie Payson, reading the paper next morning in the dining room window, after breakfast, was the dispassionately interested spectator.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading But Mrs. Carrie Payson, reading the paper next morning in the dining room window, after breakfast, was the dispassionately interested spectator.
newspapersnounUS /ˈnuːzpeɪpərz/
plural of “newspaper” — a daily or weekly publication on folded sheets; contains news and articles and advertisements
From this reading She had no patience with women who did not read the newspapers.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading But Mrs. Carrie Payson, reading the paper next morning in the dining room window, after breakfast, was the dispassionately interested spectator.
not any; not one
From this reading She had no patience with women who did not read the newspapers.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading She had no patience with women who did not read the newspapers.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading The Paysons and the Kemps, together with the rest of the world, were to be tossed about now like straws in a storm.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The Paysons and the Kemps, together with the rest of the world, were to be tossed about now like straws in a storm.
a material made of cellulose pulp derived mainly from wood or rags or certain grasses
From this reading But Mrs. Carrie Payson, reading the paper next morning in the dining room window, after breakfast, was the dispassionately interested spectator.
good-natured tolerance of delay or incompetence
From this reading She had no patience with women who did not read the newspapers.
Payson
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But Mrs. Carrie Payson, reading the paper next morning in the dining room window, after breakfast, was the dispassionately interested spectator.
Paysons
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Paysons and the Kemps, together with the rest of the world, were to be tossed about now like straws in a storm.
interpret something that is written or printed
From this reading She had no patience with women who did not read the newspapers.
the cognitive process of understanding a written linguistic message
From this reading But Mrs. Carrie Payson, reading the paper next morning in the dining room window, after breakfast, was the dispassionately interested spectator.
conforming to the established language usage of educated native speakers
From this reading Though this was a manless household it received its morning and evening paper regularly.
regularlyadverbUS /ˈreɡjələrli/
in a regular manner
From this reading Though this was a manless household it received its morning and evening paper regularly.
not move; be in a resting position
From this reading The Paysons and the Kemps, together with the rest of the world, were to be tossed about now like straws in a storm.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading But Mrs. Carrie Payson, reading the paper next morning in the dining room window, after breakfast, was the dispassionately interested spectator.
cut with a saw
From this reading You saw Mrs. Payson in that.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She had no patience with women who did not read the newspapers.
spectatornounUS /ˈspekteɪtər/
a close observer; someone who looks at something (such as an exhibition of some kind)
From this reading But Mrs. Carrie Payson, reading the paper next morning in the dining room window, after breakfast, was the dispassionately interested spectator.
behave violently, as if in state of a great anger
From this reading The Paysons and the Kemps, together with the rest of the world, were to be tossed about now like straws in a storm.
strawsnounUS /strɔːz/
plural of “straw” — plant fiber used e.g. for making baskets and hats or as fodder
From this reading The Paysons and the Kemps, together with the rest of the world, were to be tossed about now like straws in a storm.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading You saw Mrs. Payson in that.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The Paysons and the Kemps, together with the rest of the world, were to be tossed about now like straws in a storm.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Though this was a manless household it received its morning and evening paper regularly.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading Though this was a manless household it received its morning and evening paper regularly.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The Paysons and the Kemps, together with the rest of the world, were to be tossed about now like straws in a storm.
in contact with each other or in proximity
From this reading The Paysons and the Kemps, together with the rest of the world, were to be tossed about now like straws in a storm.
tossedverbUS /tɔːst/
past form of “toss” — throw or toss with a light motion
From this reading The Paysons and the Kemps, together with the rest of the world, were to be tossed about now like straws in a storm.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading But Mrs. Carrie Payson, reading the paper next morning in the dining room window, after breakfast, was the dispassionately interested spectator.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The Paysons and the Kemps, together with the rest of the world, were to be tossed about now like straws in a storm.
which person or people
From this reading She had no patience with women who did not read the newspapers.
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 But Mrs. Carrie Payson, reading the paper next morning in the dining room window, after breakfast, was the dispassionately interested spectator.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The Paysons and the Kemps, together with the rest of the world, were to be tossed about now like straws in a storm.
plural of “woman” — an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading She had no patience with women who did not read the newspapers.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading The Paysons and the Kemps, together with the rest of the world, were to be tossed about now like straws in a storm.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading You saw Mrs. Payson in that.
