used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading There was a growing feeling among the boarders that no self-respecting person could remain with people whose financial affairs were in the precarious condition of the Margerisons'--people who couldn't pay the butcher, and lived on ill-founded expectations of subsidies.
matters of personal concern
From this reading There was a growing feeling among the boarders that no self-respecting person could remain with people whose financial affairs were in the precarious condition of the Margerisons'--people who couldn't pay the butcher, and lived on ill-founded expectations of subsidies.
in the past
From this reading As two years ago the Margerisons had been thrown roughly out of the profession of artistic experts, so now the doors of the boarding-house world were shut upon them.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading There was a growing feeling among the boarders that no self-respecting person could remain with people whose financial affairs were in the precarious condition of the Margerisons'--people who couldn't pay the butcher, and lived on ill-founded expectations of subsidies.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading There was a growing feeling among the boarders that no self-respecting person could remain with people whose financial affairs were in the precarious condition of the Margerisons'--people who couldn't pay the butcher, and lived on ill-founded expectations of subsidies.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Boarders are like that; intensely respectable.
artisticadjectiveUS /ɑːrˈtɪstɪk/
relating to or characteristic of art or artists
From this reading As two years ago the Margerisons had been thrown roughly out of the profession of artistic experts, so now the doors of the boarding-house world were shut upon them.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As two years ago the Margerisons had been thrown roughly out of the profession of artistic experts, so now the doors of the boarding-house world were shut upon them.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading THE BREAKING-POINT The boarding-house suddenly ceased to be.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading As two years ago the Margerisons had been thrown roughly out of the profession of artistic experts, so now the doors of the boarding-house world were shut upon them.
boardersnounUS /ˈbɔːrdərz/
plural of “boarder” — a tenant in someone's house
From this reading There was a growing feeling among the boarders that no self-respecting person could remain with people whose financial affairs were in the precarious condition of the Margerisons'--people who couldn't pay the butcher, and lived on ill-founded expectations of subsidies.
boarding-house
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE BREAKING-POINT The boarding-house suddenly ceased to be.
BREAKING-POINT
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE BREAKING-POINT The boarding-house suddenly ceased to be.
butcherverbUS /ˈbʊtʃər/
kill (animals) usually for food consumption
From this reading There was a growing feeling among the boarders that no self-respecting person could remain with people whose financial affairs were in the precarious condition of the Margerisons'--people who couldn't pay the butcher, and lived on ill-founded expectations of subsidies.
past form of “cease” — put an end to a state or an activity
From this reading THE BREAKING-POINT The boarding-house suddenly ceased to be.
a state at a particular time
From this reading There was a growing feeling among the boarders that no self-respecting person could remain with people whose financial affairs were in the precarious condition of the Margerisons'--people who couldn't pay the butcher, and lived on ill-founded expectations of subsidies.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading There was a growing feeling among the boarders that no self-respecting person could remain with people whose financial affairs were in the precarious condition of the Margerisons'--people who couldn't pay the butcher, and lived on ill-founded expectations of subsidies.
couldn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a growing feeling among the boarders that no self-respecting person could remain with people whose financial affairs were in the precarious condition of the Margerisons'--people who couldn't pay the butcher, and lived on ill-founded expectations of subsidies.
the event of dying or departure from life
From this reading Its long illness ended in natural death.
plural of “door” — a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading As two years ago the Margerisons had been thrown roughly out of the profession of artistic experts, so now the doors of the boarding-house world were shut upon them.
endedadjectiveUS /ˈendəd/
having come or been brought to a conclusion
From this reading Its long illness ended in natural death.
expectationsnounUS /ˌekspekˈteɪʃənz/
plural of “expectation” — belief about (or mental picture of) the future
From this reading There was a growing feeling among the boarders that no self-respecting person could remain with people whose financial affairs were in the precarious condition of the Margerisons'--people who couldn't pay the butcher, and lived on ill-founded expectations of subsidies.
expertsnounUS /ˈekspərts/
plural of “expert” — a person with special knowledge or ability who performs skillfully
From this reading As two years ago the Margerisons had been thrown roughly out of the profession of artistic experts, so now the doors of the boarding-house world were shut upon them.
the experiencing of affective and emotional states
From this reading There was a growing feeling among the boarders that no self-respecting person could remain with people whose financial affairs were in the precarious condition of the Margerisons'--people who couldn't pay the butcher, and lived on ill-founded expectations of subsidies.
financialadjectiveUS /fəˈnænʃəl/
involving financial matters
From this reading There was a growing feeling among the boarders that no self-respecting person could remain with people whose financial affairs were in the precarious condition of the Margerisons'--people who couldn't pay the butcher, and lived on ill-founded expectations of subsidies.
(biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level
From this reading There was a growing feeling among the boarders that no self-respecting person could remain with people whose financial affairs were in the precarious condition of the Margerisons'--people who couldn't pay the butcher, and lived on ill-founded expectations of subsidies.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading As two years ago the Margerisons had been thrown roughly out of the profession of artistic experts, so now the doors of the boarding-house world were shut upon them.
ill-founded
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a growing feeling among the boarders that no self-respecting person could remain with people whose financial affairs were in the precarious condition of the Margerisons'--people who couldn't pay the butcher, and lived on ill-founded expectations of subsidies.
illnessnounUS /ˈɪlnəs/
impairment of normal physiological function affecting part or all of an organism
From this reading Its long illness ended in natural death.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Its long illness ended in natural death.
intenselyadverbUS /ˌɪnˈtensli/
to a high degree; extremely; in high concentration or density
From this reading Boarders are like that; intensely respectable.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Its long illness ended in natural death.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Boarders are like that; intensely respectable.
past form of “live” — be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading There was a growing feeling among the boarders that no self-respecting person could remain with people whose financial affairs were in the precarious condition of the Margerisons'--people who couldn't pay the butcher, and lived on ill-founded expectations of subsidies.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading Its long illness ended in natural death.
Margerisons
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a growing feeling among the boarders that no self-respecting person could remain with people whose financial affairs were in the precarious condition of the Margerisons'--people who couldn't pay the butcher, and lived on ill-founded expectations of subsidies.
in accordance with nature; relating to or concerning nature
From this reading Its long illness ended in natural death.
not any; not one
From this reading There was a growing feeling among the boarders that no self-respecting person could remain with people whose financial affairs were in the precarious condition of the Margerisons'--people who couldn't pay the butcher, and lived on ill-founded expectations of subsidies.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading As two years ago the Margerisons had been thrown roughly out of the profession of artistic experts, so now the doors of the boarding-house world were shut upon them.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading There was a growing feeling among the boarders that no self-respecting person could remain with people whose financial affairs were in the precarious condition of the Margerisons'--people who couldn't pay the butcher, and lived on ill-founded expectations of subsidies.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading There was a growing feeling among the boarders that no self-respecting person could remain with people whose financial affairs were in the precarious condition of the Margerisons'--people who couldn't pay the butcher, and lived on ill-founded expectations of subsidies.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading As two years ago the Margerisons had been thrown roughly out of the profession of artistic experts, so now the doors of the boarding-house world were shut upon them.
give money, usually in exchange for goods or services
From this reading There was a growing feeling among the boarders that no self-respecting person could remain with people whose financial affairs were in the precarious condition of the Margerisons'--people who couldn't pay the butcher, and lived on ill-founded expectations of subsidies.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading There was a growing feeling among the boarders that no self-respecting person could remain with people whose financial affairs were in the precarious condition of the Margerisons'--people who couldn't pay the butcher, and lived on ill-founded expectations of subsidies.
a human being
From this reading There was a growing feeling among the boarders that no self-respecting person could remain with people whose financial affairs were in the precarious condition of the Margerisons'--people who couldn't pay the butcher, and lived on ill-founded expectations of subsidies.
precariousadjectiveUS /priˈkeriəs/
affording no ease or reassurance
From this reading There was a growing feeling among the boarders that no self-respecting person could remain with people whose financial affairs were in the precarious condition of the Margerisons'--people who couldn't pay the butcher, and lived on ill-founded expectations of subsidies.
the body of people in a learned occupation
From this reading As two years ago the Margerisons had been thrown roughly out of the profession of artistic experts, so now the doors of the boarding-house world were shut upon them.
stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading There was a growing feeling among the boarders that no self-respecting person could remain with people whose financial affairs were in the precarious condition of the Margerisons'--people who couldn't pay the butcher, and lived on ill-founded expectations of subsidies.
characterized by socially or conventionally acceptable morals
From this reading Boarders are like that; intensely respectable.
roughlyadverbUS /ˈrʌfli/
(of quantities) imprecise but fairly close to correct
From this reading As two years ago the Margerisons had been thrown roughly out of the profession of artistic experts, so now the doors of the boarding-house world were shut upon them.
self-respectingadjectiveUS /ˌselfrɪˈspektɪŋ/
having or showing self-esteem
From this reading There was a growing feeling among the boarders that no self-respecting person could remain with people whose financial affairs were in the precarious condition of the Margerisons'--people who couldn't pay the butcher, and lived on ill-founded expectations of subsidies.
move so that an opening or passage is obstructed; make shut
From this reading As two years ago the Margerisons had been thrown roughly out of the profession of artistic experts, so now the doors of the boarding-house world were shut upon them.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading As two years ago the Margerisons had been thrown roughly out of the profession of artistic experts, so now the doors of the boarding-house world were shut upon them.
subsidiesnounUS /ˈsʌbsədiz/
plural of “subsidy” — a grant paid by a government to an enterprise that benefits the public
From this reading There was a growing feeling among the boarders that no self-respecting person could remain with people whose financial affairs were in the precarious condition of the Margerisons'--people who couldn't pay the butcher, and lived on ill-founded expectations of subsidies.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading THE BREAKING-POINT The boarding-house suddenly ceased to be.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading There was a growing feeling among the boarders that no self-respecting person could remain with people whose financial affairs were in the precarious condition of the Margerisons'--people who couldn't pay the butcher, and lived on ill-founded expectations of subsidies.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE BREAKING-POINT The boarding-house suddenly ceased to be.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading As two years ago the Margerisons had been thrown roughly out of the profession of artistic experts, so now the doors of the boarding-house world were shut upon them.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was a growing feeling among the boarders that no self-respecting person could remain with people whose financial affairs were in the precarious condition of the Margerisons'--people who couldn't pay the butcher, and lived on ill-founded expectations of subsidies.
caused to fall to the ground
From this reading As two years ago the Margerisons had been thrown roughly out of the profession of artistic experts, so now the doors of the boarding-house world were shut upon them.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE BREAKING-POINT The boarding-house suddenly ceased to be.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading As two years ago the Margerisons had been thrown roughly out of the profession of artistic experts, so now the doors of the boarding-house world were shut upon them.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading As two years ago the Margerisons had been thrown roughly out of the profession of artistic experts, so now the doors of the boarding-house world were shut upon them.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was a growing feeling among the boarders that no self-respecting person could remain with people whose financial affairs were in the precarious condition of the Margerisons'--people who couldn't pay the butcher, and lived on ill-founded expectations of subsidies.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading There was a growing feeling among the boarders that no self-respecting person could remain with people whose financial affairs were in the precarious condition of the Margerisons'--people who couldn't pay the butcher, and lived on ill-founded expectations of subsidies.
which person or people
From this reading There was a growing feeling among the boarders that no self-respecting person could remain with people whose financial affairs were in the precarious condition of the Margerisons'--people who couldn't pay the butcher, and lived on ill-founded expectations of subsidies.
belonging to which person
From this reading There was a growing feeling among the boarders that no self-respecting person could remain with people whose financial affairs were in the precarious condition of the Margerisons'--people who couldn't pay the butcher, and lived on ill-founded expectations of subsidies.
in the company of; together with
From this reading There was a growing feeling among the boarders that no self-respecting person could remain with people whose financial affairs were in the precarious condition of the Margerisons'--people who couldn't pay the butcher, and lived on ill-founded expectations of subsidies.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading As two years ago the Margerisons had been thrown roughly out of the profession of artistic experts, so now the doors of the boarding-house world were shut upon them.
a late time of life
From this reading As two years ago the Margerisons had been thrown roughly out of the profession of artistic experts, so now the doors of the boarding-house world were shut upon them.
