used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading ORLEAN "Oh, Mama," cried Orlean E. McCarthy, coming hastily from the hallway into the room where her mother sat sewing, and handing her a note, "Mr. Baptiste is in the city and wishes to call at the earliest possible convenience."
affectingadjectiveUS /əˈfektɪŋ/
arousing affect
From this reading "Indeed," replied her mother, affecting a serious expression, "this is rather sudden.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading ORLEAN "Oh, Mama," cried Orlean E. McCarthy, coming hastily from the hallway into the room where her mother sat sewing, and handing her a note, "Mr. Baptiste is in the city and wishes to call at the earliest possible convenience."
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading ORLEAN "Oh, Mama," cried Orlean E. McCarthy, coming hastily from the hallway into the room where her mother sat sewing, and handing her a note, "Mr. Baptiste is in the city and wishes to call at the earliest possible convenience."
automaticallyadverbUS /ˌɔːtəˈmætɪkli/
in a reflex manner
From this reading Her mother's gaze sought the clock automatically.
Baptiste
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ORLEAN "Oh, Mama," cried Orlean E. McCarthy, coming hastily from the hallway into the room where her mother sat sewing, and handing her a note, "Mr. Baptiste is in the city and wishes to call at the earliest possible convenience."
a youthful male person
From this reading "Yes, mama, I wrote him a note and returned it by the boy that brought this one, that he could call at two o'clock."
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading "Yes, mama, I wrote him a note and returned it by the boy that brought this one, that he could call at two o'clock."
showing who or what does the action
From this reading "Yes, mama, I wrote him a note and returned it by the boy that brought this one, that he could call at two o'clock."
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading ORLEAN "Oh, Mama," cried Orlean E. McCarthy, coming hastily from the hallway into the room where her mother sat sewing, and handing her a note, "Mr. Baptiste is in the city and wishes to call at the earliest possible convenience."
a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts
From this reading ORLEAN "Oh, Mama," cried Orlean E. McCarthy, coming hastily from the hallway into the room where her mother sat sewing, and handing her a note, "Mr. Baptiste is in the city and wishes to call at the earliest possible convenience."
a timepiece that shows the time of day
From this reading Her mother's gaze sought the clock automatically.
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading ORLEAN "Oh, Mama," cried Orlean E. McCarthy, coming hastily from the hallway into the room where her mother sat sewing, and handing her a note, "Mr. Baptiste is in the city and wishes to call at the earliest possible convenience."
conveniencenounUS /kənˈviːnjəns/
the state of being suitable or opportune
From this reading ORLEAN "Oh, Mama," cried Orlean E. McCarthy, coming hastily from the hallway into the room where her mother sat sewing, and handing her a note, "Mr. Baptiste is in the city and wishes to call at the earliest possible convenience."
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Have you sent him word when he could?"
inflected form of “cry” — utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading ORLEAN "Oh, Mama," cried Orlean E. McCarthy, coming hastily from the hallway into the room where her mother sat sewing, and handing her a note, "Mr. Baptiste is in the city and wishes to call at the earliest possible convenience."
a fat-soluble vitamin that is essential for normal reproduction; an important antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals in the body
From this reading ORLEAN "Oh, Mama," cried Orlean E. McCarthy, coming hastily from the hallway into the room where her mother sat sewing, and handing her a note, "Mr. Baptiste is in the city and wishes to call at the earliest possible convenience."
earliestadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrliəst/
(comparative and superlative of “early”) more early than; most early
From this reading ORLEAN "Oh, Mama," cried Orlean E. McCarthy, coming hastily from the hallway into the room where her mother sat sewing, and handing her a note, "Mr. Baptiste is in the city and wishes to call at the earliest possible convenience."
the feelings expressed on a person's face
From this reading "Indeed," replied her mother, affecting a serious expression, "this is rather sudden.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading ORLEAN "Oh, Mama," cried Orlean E. McCarthy, coming hastily from the hallway into the room where her mother sat sewing, and handing her a note, "Mr. Baptiste is in the city and wishes to call at the earliest possible convenience."
a long fixed look
From this reading Her mother's gaze sought the clock automatically.
hallwaynounUS /ˈhɔːlweɪ/
an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open
From this reading ORLEAN "Oh, Mama," cried Orlean E. McCarthy, coming hastily from the hallway into the room where her mother sat sewing, and handing her a note, "Mr. Baptiste is in the city and wishes to call at the earliest possible convenience."
handingverbUS /ˈhændɪŋ/
-ing form of “hand” — place into the hands or custody of
From this reading ORLEAN "Oh, Mama," cried Orlean E. McCarthy, coming hastily from the hallway into the room where her mother sat sewing, and handing her a note, "Mr. Baptiste is in the city and wishes to call at the earliest possible convenience."
in a hurried or hasty manner
From this reading ORLEAN "Oh, Mama," cried Orlean E. McCarthy, coming hastily from the hallway into the room where her mother sat sewing, and handing her a note, "Mr. Baptiste is in the city and wishes to call at the earliest possible convenience."
Haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Have you sent him word when he could?"
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Have you sent him word when he could?"
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading ORLEAN "Oh, Mama," cried Orlean E. McCarthy, coming hastily from the hallway into the room where her mother sat sewing, and handing her a note, "Mr. Baptiste is in the city and wishes to call at the earliest possible convenience."
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Have you sent him word when he could?"
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "Yes, mama, I wrote him a note and returned it by the boy that brought this one, that he could call at two o'clock."
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading ORLEAN "Oh, Mama," cried Orlean E. McCarthy, coming hastily from the hallway into the room where her mother sat sewing, and handing her a note, "Mr. Baptiste is in the city and wishes to call at the earliest possible convenience."
in truth (often tends to intensify)
From this reading "Indeed," replied her mother, affecting a serious expression, "this is rather sudden.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading ORLEAN "Oh, Mama," cried Orlean E. McCarthy, coming hastily from the hallway into the room where her mother sat sewing, and handing her a note, "Mr. Baptiste is in the city and wishes to call at the earliest possible convenience."
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading ORLEAN "Oh, Mama," cried Orlean E. McCarthy, coming hastily from the hallway into the room where her mother sat sewing, and handing her a note, "Mr. Baptiste is in the city and wishes to call at the earliest possible convenience."
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "Yes, mama, I wrote him a note and returned it by the boy that brought this one, that he could call at two o'clock."
MamanounUS /ˈmɑːmə/
informal terms for a mother
From this reading ORLEAN "Oh, Mama," cried Orlean E. McCarthy, coming hastily from the hallway into the room where her mother sat sewing, and handing her a note, "Mr. Baptiste is in the city and wishes to call at the earliest possible convenience."
McCarthynounUS /məˈkɑːrθi/
United States satirical novelist and literary critic (1912-1989)
From this reading ORLEAN "Oh, Mama," cried Orlean E. McCarthy, coming hastily from the hallway into the room where her mother sat sewing, and handing her a note, "Mr. Baptiste is in the city and wishes to call at the earliest possible convenience."
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading ORLEAN "Oh, Mama," cried Orlean E. McCarthy, coming hastily from the hallway into the room where her mother sat sewing, and handing her a note, "Mr. Baptiste is in the city and wishes to call at the earliest possible convenience."
mother'snounUS /ˈmʌðərz/
possessive form of “mother” — a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading Her mother's gaze sought the clock automatically.
a form of address for a man
From this reading ORLEAN "Oh, Mama," cried Orlean E. McCarthy, coming hastily from the hallway into the room where her mother sat sewing, and handing her a note, "Mr. Baptiste is in the city and wishes to call at the earliest possible convenience."
a brief written record
From this reading ORLEAN "Oh, Mama," cried Orlean E. McCarthy, coming hastily from the hallway into the room where her mother sat sewing, and handing her a note, "Mr. Baptiste is in the city and wishes to call at the earliest possible convenience."
o'clockadverbUS /əˈklɑːk/
according to the clock
From this reading "Yes, mama, I wrote him a note and returned it by the boy that brought this one, that he could call at two o'clock."
a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region
From this reading ORLEAN "Oh, Mama," cried Orlean E. McCarthy, coming hastily from the hallway into the room where her mother sat sewing, and handing her a note, "Mr. Baptiste is in the city and wishes to call at the earliest possible convenience."
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading "Yes, mama, I wrote him a note and returned it by the boy that brought this one, that he could call at two o'clock."
ORLEAN
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ORLEAN "Oh, Mama," cried Orlean E. McCarthy, coming hastily from the hallway into the room where her mother sat sewing, and handing her a note, "Mr. Baptiste is in the city and wishes to call at the earliest possible convenience."
capable of happening or existing
From this reading ORLEAN "Oh, Mama," cried Orlean E. McCarthy, coming hastily from the hallway into the room where her mother sat sewing, and handing her a note, "Mr. Baptiste is in the city and wishes to call at the earliest possible convenience."
on the contrary
From this reading "Indeed," replied her mother, affecting a serious expression, "this is rather sudden.
inflected form of “reply” — react verbally
From this reading "Indeed," replied her mother, affecting a serious expression, "this is rather sudden.
past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading "Yes, mama, I wrote him a note and returned it by the boy that brought this one, that he could call at two o'clock."
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading ORLEAN "Oh, Mama," cried Orlean E. McCarthy, coming hastily from the hallway into the room where her mother sat sewing, and handing her a note, "Mr. Baptiste is in the city and wishes to call at the earliest possible convenience."
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading ORLEAN "Oh, Mama," cried Orlean E. McCarthy, coming hastily from the hallway into the room where her mother sat sewing, and handing her a note, "Mr. Baptiste is in the city and wishes to call at the earliest possible convenience."
100 senti equal 1 kroon in Estonia
From this reading Have you sent him word when he could?"
concerned with work or important matters rather than play or trivialities
From this reading "Indeed," replied her mother, affecting a serious expression, "this is rather sudden.
sewingnounUS /ˈsoʊɪŋ/
joining or attaching by stitches
From this reading ORLEAN "Oh, Mama," cried Orlean E. McCarthy, coming hastily from the hallway into the room where her mother sat sewing, and handing her a note, "Mr. Baptiste is in the city and wishes to call at the earliest possible convenience."
that is looked for
From this reading Her mother's gaze sought the clock automatically.
happening without warning or in a short space of time
From this reading "Indeed," replied her mother, affecting a serious expression, "this is rather sudden.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "Yes, mama, I wrote him a note and returned it by the boy that brought this one, that he could call at two o'clock."
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading ORLEAN "Oh, Mama," cried Orlean E. McCarthy, coming hastily from the hallway into the room where her mother sat sewing, and handing her a note, "Mr. Baptiste is in the city and wishes to call at the earliest possible convenience."
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading "Indeed," replied her mother, affecting a serious expression, "this is rather sudden.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading ORLEAN "Oh, Mama," cried Orlean E. McCarthy, coming hastily from the hallway into the room where her mother sat sewing, and handing her a note, "Mr. Baptiste is in the city and wishes to call at the earliest possible convenience."
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading "Yes, mama, I wrote him a note and returned it by the boy that brought this one, that he could call at two o'clock."
at the time that
From this reading Have you sent him word when he could?"
in or at the place that
From this reading ORLEAN "Oh, Mama," cried Orlean E. McCarthy, coming hastily from the hallway into the room where her mother sat sewing, and handing her a note, "Mr. Baptiste is in the city and wishes to call at the earliest possible convenience."
plural of “wish” — a specific feeling of desire
From this reading ORLEAN "Oh, Mama," cried Orlean E. McCarthy, coming hastily from the hallway into the room where her mother sat sewing, and handing her a note, "Mr. Baptiste is in the city and wishes to call at the earliest possible convenience."
a unit of language that native speakers can identify
From this reading Have you sent him word when he could?"
inflected form of “write” — produce a literary work
From this reading "Yes, mama, I wrote him a note and returned it by the boy that brought this one, that he could call at two o'clock."
an affirmative
From this reading "Yes, mama, I wrote him a note and returned it by the boy that brought this one, that he could call at two o'clock."
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading Have you sent him word when he could?"
