used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The cordial greetings called back and forth from the various rooms and the laughter in the halls made her long to have a part in the general sociability.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading She wished that it were necessary for her to borrow a hammer or to ask information about the trunk-room and the porter, as the other new girls were doing.
perfect or complete or pure
From this reading But everything was in absolute order, and she was already familiar with the place and its rules.
personal knowledge or information about someone or something
From this reading That would give her an excuse for going into some of the rooms and making acquaintance with their occupants.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading ROOM-MATES Up in her orderly room, on opening day, Mary listened to the bustle of arrivals, and the stir of unpacking going on all over the house.
prior to a specified or implied time
From this reading But everything was in absolute order, and she was already familiar with the place and its rules.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading That would give her an excuse for going into some of the rooms and making acquaintance with their occupants.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading ROOM-MATES Up in her orderly room, on opening day, Mary listened to the bustle of arrivals, and the stir of unpacking going on all over the house.
arrivalsnounUS /ərˈaɪvəlz/
plural of “arrival” — accomplishment of an objective
From this reading ROOM-MATES Up in her orderly room, on opening day, Mary listened to the bustle of arrivals, and the stir of unpacking going on all over the house.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading She wished that it were necessary for her to borrow a hammer or to ask information about the trunk-room and the porter, as the other new girls were doing.
make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading She wished that it were necessary for her to borrow a hammer or to ask information about the trunk-room and the porter, as the other new girls were doing.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading The cordial greetings called back and forth from the various rooms and the laughter in the halls made her long to have a part in the general sociability.
borrowverbUS /ˈbɑːroʊ/
get temporarily
From this reading She wished that it were necessary for her to borrow a hammer or to ask information about the trunk-room and the porter, as the other new girls were doing.
bustlenounUS /ˈbʌsəl/
a rapid active commotion
From this reading ROOM-MATES Up in her orderly room, on opening day, Mary listened to the bustle of arrivals, and the stir of unpacking going on all over the house.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But everything was in absolute order, and she was already familiar with the place and its rules.
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading The cordial greetings called back and forth from the various rooms and the laughter in the halls made her long to have a part in the general sociability.
cordialadjectiveUS /ˈkɔːrdʒəl/
diffusing warmth and friendliness
From this reading The cordial greetings called back and forth from the various rooms and the laughter in the halls made her long to have a part in the general sociability.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading ROOM-MATES Up in her orderly room, on opening day, Mary listened to the bustle of arrivals, and the stir of unpacking going on all over the house.
-ing form of “do” — engage in
From this reading She wished that it were necessary for her to borrow a hammer or to ask information about the trunk-room and the porter, as the other new girls were doing.
all things; all of a situation
From this reading But everything was in absolute order, and she was already familiar with the place and its rules.
accept an excuse for
From this reading That would give her an excuse for going into some of the rooms and making acquaintance with their occupants.
well known or easily recognized
From this reading But everything was in absolute order, and she was already familiar with the place and its rules.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading She wished that it were necessary for her to borrow a hammer or to ask information about the trunk-room and the porter, as the other new girls were doing.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading The cordial greetings called back and forth from the various rooms and the laughter in the halls made her long to have a part in the general sociability.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The cordial greetings called back and forth from the various rooms and the laughter in the halls made her long to have a part in the general sociability.
applying to all or most members of a category or group
From this reading The cordial greetings called back and forth from the various rooms and the laughter in the halls made her long to have a part in the general sociability.
plural of “girl” — a young female
From this reading She wished that it were necessary for her to borrow a hammer or to ask information about the trunk-room and the porter, as the other new girls were doing.
cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading That would give her an excuse for going into some of the rooms and making acquaintance with their occupants.
the act of departing
From this reading ROOM-MATES Up in her orderly room, on opening day, Mary listened to the bustle of arrivals, and the stir of unpacking going on all over the house.
greetingsnounUS /ˈɡriːtɪŋz/
plural of “greeting” — (usually plural) an acknowledgment or expression of good will (especially on meeting)
From this reading The cordial greetings called back and forth from the various rooms and the laughter in the halls made her long to have a part in the general sociability.
hallsnounUS /hɔːlz/
plural of “hall” — an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open
From this reading The cordial greetings called back and forth from the various rooms and the laughter in the halls made her long to have a part in the general sociability.
hammernounUS /ˈhæmər/
the part of a gunlock that strikes the percussion cap when the trigger is pulled
From this reading She wished that it were necessary for her to borrow a hammer or to ask information about the trunk-room and the porter, as the other new girls were doing.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading The cordial greetings called back and forth from the various rooms and the laughter in the halls made her long to have a part in the general sociability.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading ROOM-MATES Up in her orderly room, on opening day, Mary listened to the bustle of arrivals, and the stir of unpacking going on all over the house.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading ROOM-MATES Up in her orderly room, on opening day, Mary listened to the bustle of arrivals, and the stir of unpacking going on all over the house.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading ROOM-MATES Up in her orderly room, on opening day, Mary listened to the bustle of arrivals, and the stir of unpacking going on all over the house.
a message received and understood
From this reading She wished that it were necessary for her to borrow a hammer or to ask information about the trunk-room and the porter, as the other new girls were doing.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading That would give her an excuse for going into some of the rooms and making acquaintance with their occupants.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading She wished that it were necessary for her to borrow a hammer or to ask information about the trunk-room and the porter, as the other new girls were doing.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading But everything was in absolute order, and she was already familiar with the place and its rules.
the sound of laughing
From this reading The cordial greetings called back and forth from the various rooms and the laughter in the halls made her long to have a part in the general sociability.
past form of “listen” — hear with intention
From this reading ROOM-MATES Up in her orderly room, on opening day, Mary listened to the bustle of arrivals, and the stir of unpacking going on all over the house.
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 The cordial greetings called back and forth from the various rooms and the laughter in the halls made her long to have a part in the general sociability.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading The cordial greetings called back and forth from the various rooms and the laughter in the halls made her long to have a part in the general sociability.
the act that results in something coming to be
From this reading That would give her an excuse for going into some of the rooms and making acquaintance with their occupants.
the mother of Jesus; Christians refer to her as the Virgin Mary; she is especially honored by Roman Catholics
From this reading ROOM-MATES Up in her orderly room, on opening day, Mary listened to the bustle of arrivals, and the stir of unpacking going on all over the house.
absolutely essential
From this reading She wished that it were necessary for her to borrow a hammer or to ask information about the trunk-room and the porter, as the other new girls were doing.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading She wished that it were necessary for her to borrow a hammer or to ask information about the trunk-room and the porter, as the other new girls were doing.
occupantsnounUS /ˈɑːkjəpənts/
plural of “occupant” — someone who lives at a particular place for a prolonged period or who was born there
From this reading That would give her an excuse for going into some of the rooms and making acquaintance with their occupants.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading ROOM-MATES Up in her orderly room, on opening day, Mary listened to the bustle of arrivals, and the stir of unpacking going on all over the house.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading ROOM-MATES Up in her orderly room, on opening day, Mary listened to the bustle of arrivals, and the stir of unpacking going on all over the house.
an open or empty space in or between things
From this reading ROOM-MATES Up in her orderly room, on opening day, Mary listened to the bustle of arrivals, and the stir of unpacking going on all over the house.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading She wished that it were necessary for her to borrow a hammer or to ask information about the trunk-room and the porter, as the other new girls were doing.
(often plural) a command given by a superior (e.g., a military or law enforcement officer) that must be obeyed
From this reading But everything was in absolute order, and she was already familiar with the place and its rules.
orderlynounUS /ˈɔːrdərli/
a soldier who serves as an attendant to a superior officer
From this reading ROOM-MATES Up in her orderly room, on opening day, Mary listened to the bustle of arrivals, and the stir of unpacking going on all over the house.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading She wished that it were necessary for her to borrow a hammer or to ask information about the trunk-room and the porter, as the other new girls were doing.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading ROOM-MATES Up in her orderly room, on opening day, Mary listened to the bustle of arrivals, and the stir of unpacking going on all over the house.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading The cordial greetings called back and forth from the various rooms and the laughter in the halls made her long to have a part in the general sociability.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading But everything was in absolute order, and she was already familiar with the place and its rules.
porternounUS /ˈpɔːrtər/
a person employed to carry luggage and supplies
From this reading She wished that it were necessary for her to borrow a hammer or to ask information about the trunk-room and the porter, as the other new girls were doing.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading ROOM-MATES Up in her orderly room, on opening day, Mary listened to the bustle of arrivals, and the stir of unpacking going on all over the house.
ROOM-MATES
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ROOM-MATES Up in her orderly room, on opening day, Mary listened to the bustle of arrivals, and the stir of unpacking going on all over the house.
apartment consisting of a series of connected rooms used as a living unit (as in a hotel)
From this reading The cordial greetings called back and forth from the various rooms and the laughter in the halls made her long to have a part in the general sociability.
rulesnounUS /ruːlz/
plural of “rule” — a principle or condition that customarily governs behavior
From this reading But everything was in absolute order, and she was already familiar with the place and its rules.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She wished that it were necessary for her to borrow a hammer or to ask information about the trunk-room and the porter, as the other new girls were doing.
sociabilitynoun
the relative tendency or disposition to be sociable or associate with one's fellows
From this reading The cordial greetings called back and forth from the various rooms and the laughter in the halls made her long to have a part in the general sociability.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading That would give her an excuse for going into some of the rooms and making acquaintance with their occupants.
move an implement through
From this reading ROOM-MATES Up in her orderly room, on opening day, Mary listened to the bustle of arrivals, and the stir of unpacking going on all over the house.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading She wished that it were necessary for her to borrow a hammer or to ask information about the trunk-room and the porter, as the other new girls were doing.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading ROOM-MATES Up in her orderly room, on opening day, Mary listened to the bustle of arrivals, and the stir of unpacking going on all over the house.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading That would give her an excuse for going into some of the rooms and making acquaintance with their occupants.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading ROOM-MATES Up in her orderly room, on opening day, Mary listened to the bustle of arrivals, and the stir of unpacking going on all over the house.
trunk-room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She wished that it were necessary for her to borrow a hammer or to ask information about the trunk-room and the porter, as the other new girls were doing.
unpackingverbUS /ənˈpækɪŋ/
-ing form of “unpack” — remove from its packing
From this reading ROOM-MATES Up in her orderly room, on opening day, Mary listened to the bustle of arrivals, and the stir of unpacking going on all over the house.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading ROOM-MATES Up in her orderly room, on opening day, Mary listened to the bustle of arrivals, and the stir of unpacking going on all over the house.
of many different kinds purposefully arranged but lacking any uniformity
From this reading The cordial greetings called back and forth from the various rooms and the laughter in the halls made her long to have a part in the general sociability.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading But everything was in absolute order, and she was already familiar with the place and its rules.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading She wished that it were necessary for her to borrow a hammer or to ask information about the trunk-room and the porter, as the other new girls were doing.
past form of “wish” — hope for; have a wish
From this reading She wished that it were necessary for her to borrow a hammer or to ask information about the trunk-room and the porter, as the other new girls were doing.
in the company of; together with
From this reading That would give her an excuse for going into some of the rooms and making acquaintance with their occupants.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading That would give her an excuse for going into some of the rooms and making acquaintance with their occupants.
