adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading There was a time when a man in search of the pleasures of gossip sought the society of ladies.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Doctor Wybrow lit his cigar, and looked round him at his brethren in social conclave assembled.
assembledverbUS /əˈsembəld/
past form of “assemble” — create by putting components or members together
From this reading Doctor Wybrow lit his cigar, and looked round him at his brethren in social conclave assembled.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Doctor Wybrow lit his cigar, and looked round him at his brethren in social conclave assembled.
betteradjectiveUS /ˈbetər/
(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another
From this reading The man knows better now.
brethrennounUS /ˈbreðrən/
(plural) the lay members of a male religious order
From this reading Doctor Wybrow lit his cigar, and looked round him at his brethren in social conclave assembled.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The room was well filled; but the flow of talk was still languid.
cigarnounUS /sɪˈɡɑːr/
a roll of tobacco for smoking
From this reading Doctor Wybrow lit his cigar, and looked round him at his brethren in social conclave assembled.
clubnounUS /klʌb/
a team of professional baseball players who play and travel together
From this reading He goes to the smoking-room of his club.
conclavenounUS /ˈkɑːnkleɪv/
a confidential or secret meeting
From this reading Doctor Wybrow lit his cigar, and looked round him at his brethren in social conclave assembled.
DoctornounUS /ˈdɑːktər/
a licensed medical practitioner
From this reading Doctor Wybrow lit his cigar, and looked round him at his brethren in social conclave assembled.
filledadjectiveUS /fɪld/
(usually followed by “with” or used as a combining form) generously supplied with
From this reading The room was well filled; but the flow of talk was still languid.
flownounUS /floʊ/
the motion characteristic of fluids (liquids or gases)
From this reading The room was well filled; but the flow of talk was still languid.
goesnounUS /ɡoʊz/
plural of “go” — a time period for working (after which you will be relieved by someone else)
From this reading He goes to the smoking-room of his club.
gossipnounUS /ˈɡɑːsəp/
light informal conversation for social occasions
From this reading There was a time when a man in search of the pleasures of gossip sought the society of ladies.
HepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He goes to the smoking-room of his club.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Doctor Wybrow lit his cigar, and looked round him at his brethren in social conclave assembled.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He goes to the smoking-room of his club.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading There was a time when a man in search of the pleasures of gossip sought the society of ladies.
knowsnounUS /noʊz/
plural of “know” — the fact of being aware of information that is known to few people
From this reading The man knows better now.
ladiesnounUS /ˈleɪdiz/
plural of “lady” — a polite name for any woman
From this reading There was a time when a man in search of the pleasures of gossip sought the society of ladies.
languidadjectiveUS /ˈlæŋɡwəd/
lacking spirit or liveliness
From this reading The room was well filled; but the flow of talk was still languid.
litadjectiveUS /lɪt/
provided with artificial light
From this reading Doctor Wybrow lit his cigar, and looked round him at his brethren in social conclave assembled.
lookedverbUS /lʊkt/
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading Doctor Wybrow lit his cigar, and looked round him at his brethren in social conclave assembled.
mannounUS /mæn/
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading There was a time when a man in search of the pleasures of gossip sought the society of ladies.
nowadverbUS /naʊ/
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading The man knows better now.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading There was a time when a man in search of the pleasures of gossip sought the society of ladies.
pleasuresnounUS /ˈpleʒərz/
plural of “pleasure” — a fundamental feeling that is hard to define but that people desire to experience
From this reading There was a time when a man in search of the pleasures of gossip sought the society of ladies.
roomnounUS /ruːm/
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading The room was well filled; but the flow of talk was still languid.
roundnounUS /raʊnd/
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading Doctor Wybrow lit his cigar, and looked round him at his brethren in social conclave assembled.
searchverbUS /sɜːrtʃ/
try to locate or discover, or try to establish the existence of
From this reading There was a time when a man in search of the pleasures of gossip sought the society of ladies.
smoking-room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He goes to the smoking-room of his club.
socialadjectiveUS /ˈsoʊʃəl/
relating to human society and its members
From this reading Doctor Wybrow lit his cigar, and looked round him at his brethren in social conclave assembled.
societynounUS /səˈsaɪəti/
an extended social group having a distinctive cultural and economic organization
From this reading There was a time when a man in search of the pleasures of gossip sought the society of ladies.
soughtadjectiveUS /sɔːt/
that is looked for
From this reading There was a time when a man in search of the pleasures of gossip sought the society of ladies.
stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/
not in physical motion
From this reading The room was well filled; but the flow of talk was still languid.
talkverbUS /tɔːk/
exchange thoughts; talk with
From this reading The room was well filled; but the flow of talk was still languid.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading There was a time when a man in search of the pleasures of gossip sought the society of ladies.
ThereadverbUS /ðer/
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was a time when a man in search of the pleasures of gossip sought the society of ladies.
timenounUS /taɪm/
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading There was a time when a man in search of the pleasures of gossip sought the society of ladies.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He goes to the smoking-room of his club.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was a time when a man in search of the pleasures of gossip sought the society of ladies.
welladverbUS /wel/
(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 The room was well filled; but the flow of talk was still languid.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading There was a time when a man in search of the pleasures of gossip sought the society of ladies.
Wybrow
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Doctor Wybrow lit his cigar, and looked round him at his brethren in social conclave assembled.
