used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading She was a terror to contractors, and even plumbers were humble before her.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading THE BELATED APPEARANCE OF JOHN McCANDLESS BLAIR The calendar swings us almost into contemporaneous history.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It is September of the Year of our Lord Nineteen Hundred and Nine.
outward or visible aspect of a person or thing
From this reading THE BELATED APPEARANCE OF JOHN McCANDLESS BLAIR The calendar swings us almost into contemporaneous history.
architectnounUS /ˈɑːrkətekt/
someone who creates plans to be used in making something (such as buildings)
From this reading It had been remodelled, so often that only her own ingenuity could have devised further changes, and her long-suffering architect shuddered when he heard her voice on the telephone.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading It had been remodelled, so often that only her own ingenuity could have devised further changes, and her long-suffering architect shuddered when he heard her voice on the telephone.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading She was a terror to contractors, and even plumbers were humble before her.
BELATEDadjectiveUS /bɪˈleɪtɪd/
after the expected or usual time; delayed
From this reading THE BELATED APPEARANCE OF JOHN McCANDLESS BLAIR The calendar swings us almost into contemporaneous history.
BLAIRnounUS /bler/
British statesman who became prime minister in 1997 (born in 1953)
From this reading THE BELATED APPEARANCE OF JOHN McCANDLESS BLAIR The calendar swings us almost into contemporaneous history.
Blair'snounUS /blerz/
possessive form of “blair” — British statesman who became prime minister in 1997 (born in 1953)
From this reading Mrs. John McCandless Blair’s excuse for returning to town so early was the dilatoriness of the workmen who were making over her house.
calendarnounUS /ˈkæləndər/
a system of timekeeping that defines the beginning and length and divisions of the year
From this reading THE BELATED APPEARANCE OF JOHN McCANDLESS BLAIR The calendar swings us almost into contemporaneous history.
changesnounUS /ˈtʃeɪndʒəz/
plural of “change” — an event that occurs when something passes from one state or phase to another
From this reading It had been remodelled, so often that only her own ingenuity could have devised further changes, and her long-suffering architect shuddered when he heard her voice on the telephone.
contemporaneousadjectiveUS /kənˌtempərˈeɪniəs/
occurring in the same period of time
From this reading THE BELATED APPEARANCE OF JOHN McCANDLESS BLAIR The calendar swings us almost into contemporaneous history.
contractorsnounUS /ˈkɑːntræktərz/
plural of “contractor” — someone (a person or firm) who contracts to build things
From this reading She was a terror to contractors, and even plumbers were humble before her.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading It had been remodelled, so often that only her own ingenuity could have devised further changes, and her long-suffering architect shuddered when he heard her voice on the telephone.
devisedverbUS /dɪˈvaɪzd/
past form of “devise” — come up with (an idea, plan, explanation, theory, or principle) after a mental effort
From this reading It had been remodelled, so often that only her own ingenuity could have devised further changes, and her long-suffering architect shuddered when he heard her voice on the telephone.
dilatorinessnoun
slowness as a consequence of not getting around to it
From this reading Mrs. John McCandless Blair’s excuse for returning to town so early was the dilatoriness of the workmen who were making over her house.
earlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/
at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time
From this reading Mrs. John McCandless Blair’s excuse for returning to town so early was the dilatoriness of the workmen who were making over her house.
divisible by two
From this reading She was a terror to contractors, and even plumbers were humble before her.
accept an excuse for
From this reading Mrs. John McCandless Blair’s excuse for returning to town so early was the dilatoriness of the workmen who were making over her house.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Mrs. John McCandless Blair’s excuse for returning to town so early was the dilatoriness of the workmen who were making over her house.
to or at a greater extent or degree or a more advanced stage (“further” is used more often than “farther” in this abstract sense)
From this reading It had been remodelled, so often that only her own ingenuity could have devised further changes, and her long-suffering architect shuddered when he heard her voice on the telephone.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It had been remodelled, so often that only her own ingenuity could have devised further changes, and her long-suffering architect shuddered when he heard her voice on the telephone.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading It had been remodelled, so often that only her own ingenuity could have devised further changes, and her long-suffering architect shuddered when he heard her voice on the telephone.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It had been remodelled, so often that only her own ingenuity could have devised further changes, and her long-suffering architect shuddered when he heard her voice on the telephone.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading It had been remodelled, so often that only her own ingenuity could have devised further changes, and her long-suffering architect shuddered when he heard her voice on the telephone.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Mrs. John McCandless Blair’s excuse for returning to town so early was the dilatoriness of the workmen who were making over her house.
the aggregate of past events
From this reading THE BELATED APPEARANCE OF JOHN McCANDLESS BLAIR The calendar swings us almost into contemporaneous history.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading Mrs. John McCandless Blair’s excuse for returning to town so early was the dilatoriness of the workmen who were making over her house.
low or inferior in station or quality
From this reading She was a terror to contractors, and even plumbers were humble before her.
ten 10s
From this reading It is September of the Year of our Lord Nineteen Hundred and Nine.
ingenuitynounUS /ˌɪndʒəˈnuːətiː/
the power of creative imagination
From this reading It had been remodelled, so often that only her own ingenuity could have devised further changes, and her long-suffering architect shuddered when he heard her voice on the telephone.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading THE BELATED APPEARANCE OF JOHN McCANDLESS BLAIR The calendar swings us almost into contemporaneous history.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It is September of the Year of our Lord Nineteen Hundred and Nine.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It is September of the Year of our Lord Nineteen Hundred and Nine.
a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading THE BELATED APPEARANCE OF JOHN McCANDLESS BLAIR The calendar swings us almost into contemporaneous history.
long-sufferingnoun
patient endurance of pain or unhappiness
From this reading It had been remodelled, so often that only her own ingenuity could have devised further changes, and her long-suffering architect shuddered when he heard her voice on the telephone.
terms referring to the Judeo-Christian God
From this reading It is September of the Year of our Lord Nineteen Hundred and Nine.
the act that results in something coming to be
From this reading Mrs. John McCandless Blair’s excuse for returning to town so early was the dilatoriness of the workmen who were making over her house.
McCANDLESS
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE BELATED APPEARANCE OF JOHN McCANDLESS BLAIR The calendar swings us almost into contemporaneous history.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading Mrs. John McCandless Blair’s excuse for returning to town so early was the dilatoriness of the workmen who were making over her house.
the cardinal number that is the sum of eight and one
From this reading It is September of the Year of our Lord Nineteen Hundred and Nine.
NineteennounUS /ˈnaɪnˈtiːn/
the cardinal number that is the sum of eighteen and one
From this reading It is September of the Year of our Lord Nineteen Hundred and Nine.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE BELATED APPEARANCE OF JOHN McCANDLESS BLAIR The calendar swings us almost into contemporaneous history.
many times at short intervals
From this reading It had been remodelled, so often that only her own ingenuity could have devised further changes, and her long-suffering architect shuddered when he heard her voice on the telephone.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading It had been remodelled, so often that only her own ingenuity could have devised further changes, and her long-suffering architect shuddered when he heard her voice on the telephone.
and nothing more
From this reading It had been remodelled, so often that only her own ingenuity could have devised further changes, and her long-suffering architect shuddered when he heard her voice on the telephone.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading It is September of the Year of our Lord Nineteen Hundred and Nine.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Mrs. John McCandless Blair’s excuse for returning to town so early was the dilatoriness of the workmen who were making over her house.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading It had been remodelled, so often that only her own ingenuity could have devised further changes, and her long-suffering architect shuddered when he heard her voice on the telephone.
plumbersnounUS /ˈplʌmərz/
plural of “plumber” — a craftsman who installs and repairs pipes and fixtures and appliances
From this reading She was a terror to contractors, and even plumbers were humble before her.
remodelled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It had been remodelled, so often that only her own ingenuity could have devised further changes, and her long-suffering architect shuddered when he heard her voice on the telephone.
tending to return to an earlier state
From this reading Mrs. John McCandless Blair’s excuse for returning to town so early was the dilatoriness of the workmen who were making over her house.
SeptembernounUS /sepˈtembər/
the month following August and preceding October
From this reading It is September of the Year of our Lord Nineteen Hundred and Nine.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She was a terror to contractors, and even plumbers were humble before her.
shudderedverbUS /ˈʃʌdərd/
past form of “shudder” — shake, as from cold
From this reading It had been remodelled, so often that only her own ingenuity could have devised further changes, and her long-suffering architect shuddered when he heard her voice on the telephone.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Mrs. John McCandless Blair’s excuse for returning to town so early was the dilatoriness of the workmen who were making over her house.
swingsnounUS /swɪŋz/
plural of “swing” — a state of steady vigorous action that is characteristic of an activity
From this reading THE BELATED APPEARANCE OF JOHN McCANDLESS BLAIR The calendar swings us almost into contemporaneous history.
telephonenounUS /ˈteləfoʊn/
electronic equipment that converts sound into electrical signals that can be transmitted over distances and then converts received signals back into sounds
From this reading It had been remodelled, so often that only her own ingenuity could have devised further changes, and her long-suffering architect shuddered when he heard her voice on the telephone.
an overwhelming feeling of fear and anxiety
From this reading She was a terror to contractors, and even plumbers were humble before her.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It had been remodelled, so often that only her own ingenuity could have devised further changes, and her long-suffering architect shuddered when he heard her voice on the telephone.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE BELATED APPEARANCE OF JOHN McCANDLESS BLAIR The calendar swings us almost into contemporaneous history.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Mrs. John McCandless Blair’s excuse for returning to town so early was the dilatoriness of the workmen who were making over her house.
an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading Mrs. John McCandless Blair’s excuse for returning to town so early was the dilatoriness of the workmen who were making over her house.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading THE BELATED APPEARANCE OF JOHN McCANDLESS BLAIR The calendar swings us almost into contemporaneous history.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading It had been remodelled, so often that only her own ingenuity could have devised further changes, and her long-suffering architect shuddered when he heard her voice on the telephone.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Mrs. John McCandless Blair’s excuse for returning to town so early was the dilatoriness of the workmen who were making over her house.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Mrs. John McCandless Blair’s excuse for returning to town so early was the dilatoriness of the workmen who were making over her house.
at the time that
From this reading It had been remodelled, so often that only her own ingenuity could have devised further changes, and her long-suffering architect shuddered when he heard her voice on the telephone.
which person or people
From this reading Mrs. John McCandless Blair’s excuse for returning to town so early was the dilatoriness of the workmen who were making over her house.
workmennounUS /ˈwɜːrkmɪn/
plural of “workman” — an employee who performs manual or industrial labor
From this reading Mrs. John McCandless Blair’s excuse for returning to town so early was the dilatoriness of the workmen who were making over her house.
a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days
From this reading It is September of the Year of our Lord Nineteen Hundred and Nine.
