used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE ANYTHING-BUT-JOY RIDE To begin with, I thought that our chaperon, our respected guardian, who is supposed to be so frightfully particular about us, I thought she would be a difficulty.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading THE ANYTHING-BUT-JOY RIDE To begin with, I thought that our chaperon, our respected guardian, who is supposed to be so frightfully particular about us, I thought she would be a difficulty.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading What with constantly entertaining masculine men in this house, and knitting khaki silk ties for the Incubus, and having coffee and bacon for breakfast, and getting champagne out of the cellar for that party--well, I don't recognise Auntie: I honour bright don't.
ANYTHING-BUT-JOY
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE ANYTHING-BUT-JOY RIDE To begin with, I thought that our chaperon, our respected guardian, who is supposed to be so frightfully particular about us, I thought she would be a difficulty.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading It sometimes seems to me as if she were thoroughly disorganised.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading It is not the first time I have noticed it, either, since the troops have been here at Mud Flats.
the sister of your father or mother; the wife of your uncle
From this reading But, do you know, a change has come over our Aunt Victoria?
AuntienounUS /ˈænti/
the sister of your father or mother; the wife of your uncle
From this reading What with constantly entertaining masculine men in this house, and knitting khaki silk ties for the Incubus, and having coffee and bacon for breakfast, and getting champagne out of the cellar for that party--well, I don't recognise Auntie: I honour bright don't.
baconnounUS /ˈbeɪkən/
back and sides of a hog salted and dried or smoked; usually sliced thin and fried
From this reading What with constantly entertaining masculine men in this house, and knitting khaki silk ties for the Incubus, and having coffee and bacon for breakfast, and getting champagne out of the cellar for that party--well, I don't recognise Auntie: I honour bright don't.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading THE ANYTHING-BUT-JOY RIDE To begin with, I thought that our chaperon, our respected guardian, who is supposed to be so frightfully particular about us, I thought she would be a difficulty.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading It is not the first time I have noticed it, either, since the troops have been here at Mud Flats.
take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading THE ANYTHING-BUT-JOY RIDE To begin with, I thought that our chaperon, our respected guardian, who is supposed to be so frightfully particular about us, I thought she would be a difficulty.
eat an early morning meal
From this reading What with constantly entertaining masculine men in this house, and knitting khaki silk ties for the Incubus, and having coffee and bacon for breakfast, and getting champagne out of the cellar for that party--well, I don't recognise Auntie: I honour bright don't.
emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts
From this reading What with constantly entertaining masculine men in this house, and knitting khaki silk ties for the Incubus, and having coffee and bacon for breakfast, and getting champagne out of the cellar for that party--well, I don't recognise Auntie: I honour bright don't.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But, do you know, a change has come over our Aunt Victoria?
cellarnounUS /ˈselər/
the lowermost portion of a structure partly or wholly below ground level; often used for storage
From this reading What with constantly entertaining masculine men in this house, and knitting khaki silk ties for the Incubus, and having coffee and bacon for breakfast, and getting champagne out of the cellar for that party--well, I don't recognise Auntie: I honour bright don't.
champagnenounUS /ʃæmˈpeɪn/
a white sparkling wine either produced in Champagne or resembling that produced there
From this reading What with constantly entertaining masculine men in this house, and knitting khaki silk ties for the Incubus, and having coffee and bacon for breakfast, and getting champagne out of the cellar for that party--well, I don't recognise Auntie: I honour bright don't.
cause to change; make different; cause a transformation
From this reading But, do you know, a change has come over our Aunt Victoria?
chaperonnoun
one who accompanies and supervises a young woman or gatherings of young people
From this reading THE ANYTHING-BUT-JOY RIDE To begin with, I thought that our chaperon, our respected guardian, who is supposed to be so frightfully particular about us, I thought she would be a difficulty.
a beverage consisting of an infusion of ground coffee beans
From this reading What with constantly entertaining masculine men in this house, and knitting khaki silk ties for the Incubus, and having coffee and bacon for breakfast, and getting champagne out of the cellar for that party--well, I don't recognise Auntie: I honour bright don't.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading But, do you know, a change has come over our Aunt Victoria?
without variation or change, in every case
From this reading What with constantly entertaining masculine men in this house, and knitting khaki silk ties for the Incubus, and having coffee and bacon for breakfast, and getting champagne out of the cellar for that party--well, I don't recognise Auntie: I honour bright don't.
an effort that is inconvenient
From this reading THE ANYTHING-BUT-JOY RIDE To begin with, I thought that our chaperon, our respected guardian, who is supposed to be so frightfully particular about us, I thought she would be a difficulty.
disorganisedadjective
lacking order or methodical arrangement or function
From this reading It sometimes seems to me as if she were thoroughly disorganised.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading But, do you know, a change has come over our Aunt Victoria?
don't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What with constantly entertaining masculine men in this house, and knitting khaki silk ties for the Incubus, and having coffee and bacon for breakfast, and getting champagne out of the cellar for that party--well, I don't recognise Auntie: I honour bright don't.
one or the other of two
From this reading It is not the first time I have noticed it, either, since the troops have been here at Mud Flats.
entertainingadjectiveUS /ˌentərˈteɪnɪŋ/
agreeably diverting
From this reading What with constantly entertaining masculine men in this house, and knitting khaki silk ties for the Incubus, and having coffee and bacon for breakfast, and getting champagne out of the cellar for that party--well, I don't recognise Auntie: I honour bright don't.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading It is not the first time I have noticed it, either, since the troops have been here at Mud Flats.
FlatsnounUS /flæts/
footwear (shoes or slippers) with no heel (or a very low heel)
From this reading It is not the first time I have noticed it, either, since the troops have been here at Mud Flats.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading What with constantly entertaining masculine men in this house, and knitting khaki silk ties for the Incubus, and having coffee and bacon for breakfast, and getting champagne out of the cellar for that party--well, I don't recognise Auntie: I honour bright don't.
frightfullyadverbUS /ˈfraɪtfəli/
used as intensifiers
From this reading THE ANYTHING-BUT-JOY RIDE To begin with, I thought that our chaperon, our respected guardian, who is supposed to be so frightfully particular about us, I thought she would be a difficulty.
the act of acquiring something
From this reading What with constantly entertaining masculine men in this house, and knitting khaki silk ties for the Incubus, and having coffee and bacon for breakfast, and getting champagne out of the cellar for that party--well, I don't recognise Auntie: I honour bright don't.
guardiannounUS /ˈɡɑːrdiən/
a person who cares for persons or property
From this reading THE ANYTHING-BUT-JOY RIDE To begin with, I thought that our chaperon, our respected guardian, who is supposed to be so frightfully particular about us, I thought she would be a difficulty.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading But, do you know, a change has come over our Aunt Victoria?
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading It is not the first time I have noticed it, either, since the troops have been here at Mud Flats.
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading What with constantly entertaining masculine men in this house, and knitting khaki silk ties for the Incubus, and having coffee and bacon for breakfast, and getting champagne out of the cellar for that party--well, I don't recognise Auntie: I honour bright don't.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading It is not the first time I have noticed it, either, since the troops have been here at Mud Flats.
the state of being honored
From this reading What with constantly entertaining masculine men in this house, and knitting khaki silk ties for the Incubus, and having coffee and bacon for breakfast, and getting champagne out of the cellar for that party--well, I don't recognise Auntie: I honour bright don't.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading What with constantly entertaining masculine men in this house, and knitting khaki silk ties for the Incubus, and having coffee and bacon for breakfast, and getting champagne out of the cellar for that party--well, I don't recognise Auntie: I honour bright don't.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading THE ANYTHING-BUT-JOY RIDE To begin with, I thought that our chaperon, our respected guardian, who is supposed to be so frightfully particular about us, I thought she would be a difficulty.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading It sometimes seems to me as if she were thoroughly disorganised.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading What with constantly entertaining masculine men in this house, and knitting khaki silk ties for the Incubus, and having coffee and bacon for breakfast, and getting champagne out of the cellar for that party--well, I don't recognise Auntie: I honour bright don't.
Incubusnoun
a male demon believed to lie on sleeping persons and to have sexual intercourse with sleeping women
From this reading What with constantly entertaining masculine men in this house, and knitting khaki silk ties for the Incubus, and having coffee and bacon for breakfast, and getting champagne out of the cellar for that party--well, I don't recognise Auntie: I honour bright don't.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading THE ANYTHING-BUT-JOY RIDE To begin with, I thought that our chaperon, our respected guardian, who is supposed to be so frightfully particular about us, I thought she would be a difficulty.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It is not the first time I have noticed it, either, since the troops have been here at Mud Flats.
khakiadjectiveUS /ˈkɑːki/
of a yellowish brown color
From this reading What with constantly entertaining masculine men in this house, and knitting khaki silk ties for the Incubus, and having coffee and bacon for breakfast, and getting champagne out of the cellar for that party--well, I don't recognise Auntie: I honour bright don't.
knittingnounUS /ˈnɪtɪŋ/
needlework created by interlacing yarn in a series of connected loops using straight eyeless needles or by machine
From this reading What with constantly entertaining masculine men in this house, and knitting khaki silk ties for the Incubus, and having coffee and bacon for breakfast, and getting champagne out of the cellar for that party--well, I don't recognise Auntie: I honour bright don't.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading But, do you know, a change has come over our Aunt Victoria?
masculineadjectiveUS /ˈmæskjələn/
of grammatical gender
From this reading What with constantly entertaining masculine men in this house, and knitting khaki silk ties for the Incubus, and having coffee and bacon for breakfast, and getting champagne out of the cellar for that party--well, I don't recognise Auntie: I honour bright don't.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading It sometimes seems to me as if she were thoroughly disorganised.
the force of workers available
From this reading What with constantly entertaining masculine men in this house, and knitting khaki silk ties for the Incubus, and having coffee and bacon for breakfast, and getting champagne out of the cellar for that party--well, I don't recognise Auntie: I honour bright don't.
water soaked soil; soft wet earth
From this reading It is not the first time I have noticed it, either, since the troops have been here at Mud Flats.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading It is not the first time I have noticed it, either, since the troops have been here at Mud Flats.
being perceived or observed
From this reading It is not the first time I have noticed it, either, since the troops have been here at Mud Flats.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading What with constantly entertaining masculine men in this house, and knitting khaki silk ties for the Incubus, and having coffee and bacon for breakfast, and getting champagne out of the cellar for that party--well, I don't recognise Auntie: I honour bright don't.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading THE ANYTHING-BUT-JOY RIDE To begin with, I thought that our chaperon, our respected guardian, who is supposed to be so frightfully particular about us, I thought she would be a difficulty.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading What with constantly entertaining masculine men in this house, and knitting khaki silk ties for the Incubus, and having coffee and bacon for breakfast, and getting champagne out of the cellar for that party--well, I don't recognise Auntie: I honour bright don't.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading But, do you know, a change has come over our Aunt Victoria?
unique or specific to a person or thing or category
From this reading THE ANYTHING-BUT-JOY RIDE To begin with, I thought that our chaperon, our respected guardian, who is supposed to be so frightfully particular about us, I thought she would be a difficulty.
an organization to gain political power
From this reading What with constantly entertaining masculine men in this house, and knitting khaki silk ties for the Incubus, and having coffee and bacon for breakfast, and getting champagne out of the cellar for that party--well, I don't recognise Auntie: I honour bright don't.
recogniseverbUS /ˈrekəɡnaɪz/
show approval or appreciation of
From this reading What with constantly entertaining masculine men in this house, and knitting khaki silk ties for the Incubus, and having coffee and bacon for breakfast, and getting champagne out of the cellar for that party--well, I don't recognise Auntie: I honour bright don't.
respectedadjectiveUS /rɪˈspektɪd/
receiving deferential regard
From this reading THE ANYTHING-BUT-JOY RIDE To begin with, I thought that our chaperon, our respected guardian, who is supposed to be so frightfully particular about us, I thought she would be a difficulty.
sit and travel on the back of animal, usually while controlling its motions
From this reading THE ANYTHING-BUT-JOY RIDE To begin with, I thought that our chaperon, our respected guardian, who is supposed to be so frightfully particular about us, I thought she would be a difficulty.
third-person singular of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading It sometimes seems to me as if she were thoroughly disorganised.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading THE ANYTHING-BUT-JOY RIDE To begin with, I thought that our chaperon, our respected guardian, who is supposed to be so frightfully particular about us, I thought she would be a difficulty.
a fabric made from the fine threads produced by certain insect larvae
From this reading What with constantly entertaining masculine men in this house, and knitting khaki silk ties for the Incubus, and having coffee and bacon for breakfast, and getting champagne out of the cellar for that party--well, I don't recognise Auntie: I honour bright don't.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading It is not the first time I have noticed it, either, since the troops have been here at Mud Flats.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading THE ANYTHING-BUT-JOY RIDE To begin with, I thought that our chaperon, our respected guardian, who is supposed to be so frightfully particular about us, I thought she would be a difficulty.
on certain occasions or in certain cases but not always
From this reading It sometimes seems to me as if she were thoroughly disorganised.
required or under orders
From this reading THE ANYTHING-BUT-JOY RIDE To begin with, I thought that our chaperon, our respected guardian, who is supposed to be so frightfully particular about us, I thought she would be a difficulty.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading THE ANYTHING-BUT-JOY RIDE To begin with, I thought that our chaperon, our respected guardian, who is supposed to be so frightfully particular about us, I thought she would be a difficulty.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE ANYTHING-BUT-JOY RIDE To begin with, I thought that our chaperon, our respected guardian, who is supposed to be so frightfully particular about us, I thought she would be a difficulty.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading What with constantly entertaining masculine men in this house, and knitting khaki silk ties for the Incubus, and having coffee and bacon for breakfast, and getting champagne out of the cellar for that party--well, I don't recognise Auntie: I honour bright don't.
in an exhaustive manner
From this reading It sometimes seems to me as if she were thoroughly disorganised.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading THE ANYTHING-BUT-JOY RIDE To begin with, I thought that our chaperon, our respected guardian, who is supposed to be so frightfully particular about us, I thought she would be a difficulty.
tiesnounUS /taɪz/
plural of “tie” — neckwear consisting of a long narrow piece of material worn (mostly by men) under a collar and tied in knot at the front
From this reading What with constantly entertaining masculine men in this house, and knitting khaki silk ties for the Incubus, and having coffee and bacon for breakfast, and getting champagne out of the cellar for that party--well, I don't recognise Auntie: I honour bright don't.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading It is not the first time I have noticed it, either, since the troops have been here at Mud Flats.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE ANYTHING-BUT-JOY RIDE To begin with, I thought that our chaperon, our respected guardian, who is supposed to be so frightfully particular about us, I thought she would be a difficulty.
soldiers collectively
From this reading It is not the first time I have noticed it, either, since the troops have been here at Mud Flats.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading THE ANYTHING-BUT-JOY RIDE To begin with, I thought that our chaperon, our respected guardian, who is supposed to be so frightfully particular about us, I thought she would be a difficulty.
VictorianounUS /vɪkˈtɔːriə/
queen of Great Britain and Ireland and empress of India from 1837 to 1901; the last Hanoverian ruler of England (1819-1901)
From this reading But, do you know, a change has come over our Aunt Victoria?
(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 What with constantly entertaining masculine men in this house, and knitting khaki silk ties for the Incubus, and having coffee and bacon for breakfast, and getting champagne out of the cellar for that party--well, I don't recognise Auntie: I honour bright don't.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading It sometimes seems to me as if she were thoroughly disorganised.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading What with constantly entertaining masculine men in this house, and knitting khaki silk ties for the Incubus, and having coffee and bacon for breakfast, and getting champagne out of the cellar for that party--well, I don't recognise Auntie: I honour bright don't.
which person or people
From this reading THE ANYTHING-BUT-JOY RIDE To begin with, I thought that our chaperon, our respected guardian, who is supposed to be so frightfully particular about us, I thought she would be a difficulty.
in the company of; together with
From this reading THE ANYTHING-BUT-JOY RIDE To begin with, I thought that our chaperon, our respected guardian, who is supposed to be so frightfully particular about us, I thought she would be a difficulty.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading THE ANYTHING-BUT-JOY RIDE To begin with, I thought that our chaperon, our respected guardian, who is supposed to be so frightfully particular about us, I thought she would be a difficulty.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading But, do you know, a change has come over our Aunt Victoria?
