used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He talked with more interest of life and his share in it than he had done--to me, at any rate--since the tragedy which had deprived him of a home.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading PRIVATE AND DIPLOMATIC The following evening I dined alone with my brother, who was, for him, in an unusually cheerful frame of mind.
ambassadornounUS /æmˈbæsədər/
a diplomat of the highest rank; accredited as representative from one country to another
From this reading "Ralph," I said, "how could I meet the Chinese ambassador here?"
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading PRIVATE AND DIPLOMATIC The following evening I dined alone with my brother, who was, for him, in an unusually cheerful frame of mind.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading PRIVATE AND DIPLOMATIC The following evening I dined alone with my brother, who was, for him, in an unusually cheerful frame of mind.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading He talked with more interest of life and his share in it than he had done--to me, at any rate--since the tragedy which had deprived him of a home.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading Toward the end of dinner I asked him a question.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He talked with more interest of life and his share in it than he had done--to me, at any rate--since the tragedy which had deprived him of a home.
a male with the same parents as someone else
From this reading PRIVATE AND DIPLOMATIC The following evening I dined alone with my brother, who was, for him, in an unusually cheerful frame of mind.
being full of or promoting cheer; having or showing good spirits
From this reading PRIVATE AND DIPLOMATIC The following evening I dined alone with my brother, who was, for him, in an unusually cheerful frame of mind.
ChinesenounUS /tʃaɪˈniːz/
any of the Sino-Tibetan languages spoken in China; regarded as dialects of a single language (even though they are mutually unintelligible) because they share an ideographic writing system
From this reading "Ralph," I said, "how could I meet the Chinese ambassador here?"
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading "Ralph," I said, "how could I meet the Chinese ambassador here?"
deprivedadjectiveUS /dɪˈpraɪvd/
marked by deprivation especially of the necessities of life or healthful environmental influences
From this reading He talked with more interest of life and his share in it than he had done--to me, at any rate--since the tragedy which had deprived him of a home.
dinedverbUS /daɪnd/
past form of “dine” — have supper; eat dinner
From this reading PRIVATE AND DIPLOMATIC The following evening I dined alone with my brother, who was, for him, in an unusually cheerful frame of mind.
the main meal of the day served in the evening or at midday
From this reading Toward the end of dinner I asked him a question.
DIPLOMATICadjectiveUS /ˌdɪpləˈmætɪk/
relating to or characteristic of diplomacy
From this reading PRIVATE AND DIPLOMATIC The following evening I dined alone with my brother, who was, for him, in an unusually cheerful frame of mind.
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading He talked with more interest of life and his share in it than he had done--to me, at any rate--since the tragedy which had deprived him of a home.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading Toward the end of dinner I asked him a question.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading PRIVATE AND DIPLOMATIC The following evening I dined alone with my brother, who was, for him, in an unusually cheerful frame of mind.
about to be mentioned or specified
From this reading PRIVATE AND DIPLOMATIC The following evening I dined alone with my brother, who was, for him, in an unusually cheerful frame of mind.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading PRIVATE AND DIPLOMATIC The following evening I dined alone with my brother, who was, for him, in an unusually cheerful frame of mind.
enclose in or as if in a frame
From this reading PRIVATE AND DIPLOMATIC The following evening I dined alone with my brother, who was, for him, in an unusually cheerful frame of mind.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He talked with more interest of life and his share in it than he had done--to me, at any rate--since the tragedy which had deprived him of a home.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He talked with more interest of life and his share in it than he had done--to me, at any rate--since the tragedy which had deprived him of a home.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading "Ralph," I said, "how could I meet the Chinese ambassador here?"
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading PRIVATE AND DIPLOMATIC The following evening I dined alone with my brother, who was, for him, in an unusually cheerful frame of mind.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He talked with more interest of life and his share in it than he had done--to me, at any rate--since the tragedy which had deprived him of a home.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading He talked with more interest of life and his share in it than he had done--to me, at any rate--since the tragedy which had deprived him of a home.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Ralph," I said, "how could I meet the Chinese ambassador here?"
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading PRIVATE AND DIPLOMATIC The following evening I dined alone with my brother, who was, for him, in an unusually cheerful frame of mind.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading PRIVATE AND DIPLOMATIC The following evening I dined alone with my brother, who was, for him, in an unusually cheerful frame of mind.
a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something
From this reading He talked with more interest of life and his share in it than he had done--to me, at any rate--since the tragedy which had deprived him of a home.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He talked with more interest of life and his share in it than he had done--to me, at any rate--since the tragedy which had deprived him of a home.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading He talked with more interest of life and his share in it than he had done--to me, at any rate--since the tragedy which had deprived him of a home.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He talked with more interest of life and his share in it than he had done--to me, at any rate--since the tragedy which had deprived him of a home.
come together
From this reading "Ralph," I said, "how could I meet the Chinese ambassador here?"
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading PRIVATE AND DIPLOMATIC The following evening I dined alone with my brother, who was, for him, in an unusually cheerful frame of mind.
a particular point in time
From this reading He stared at me for a moment.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading He talked with more interest of life and his share in it than he had done--to me, at any rate--since the tragedy which had deprived him of a home.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading PRIVATE AND DIPLOMATIC The following evening I dined alone with my brother, who was, for him, in an unusually cheerful frame of mind.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading PRIVATE AND DIPLOMATIC The following evening I dined alone with my brother, who was, for him, in an unusually cheerful frame of mind.
confined to particular persons or groups or providing privacy
From this reading PRIVATE AND DIPLOMATIC The following evening I dined alone with my brother, who was, for him, in an unusually cheerful frame of mind.
challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of
From this reading Toward the end of dinner I asked him a question.
Ralph
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Ralph," I said, "how could I meet the Chinese ambassador here?"
a magnitude or frequency relative to a time unit
From this reading He talked with more interest of life and his share in it than he had done--to me, at any rate--since the tragedy which had deprived him of a home.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "Ralph," I said, "how could I meet the Chinese ambassador here?"
have in common
From this reading He talked with more interest of life and his share in it than he had done--to me, at any rate--since the tragedy which had deprived him of a home.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading He talked with more interest of life and his share in it than he had done--to me, at any rate--since the tragedy which had deprived him of a home.
past form of “stare” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading He stared at me for a moment.
past form of “talk” — exchange thoughts; talk with
From this reading He talked with more interest of life and his share in it than he had done--to me, at any rate--since the tragedy which had deprived him of a home.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading He talked with more interest of life and his share in it than he had done--to me, at any rate--since the tragedy which had deprived him of a home.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading PRIVATE AND DIPLOMATIC The following evening I dined alone with my brother, who was, for him, in an unusually cheerful frame of mind.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He talked with more interest of life and his share in it than he had done--to me, at any rate--since the tragedy which had deprived him of a home.
TowardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading Toward the end of dinner I asked him a question.
tragedynounUS /ˈtrædʒədi/
an event resulting in great loss and misfortune
From this reading He talked with more interest of life and his share in it than he had done--to me, at any rate--since the tragedy which had deprived him of a home.
unusuallyadverbUS /əˈnjuːʒuːəli/
to a remarkable degree or extent
From this reading PRIVATE AND DIPLOMATIC The following evening I dined alone with my brother, who was, for him, in an unusually cheerful frame of mind.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading PRIVATE AND DIPLOMATIC The following evening I dined alone with my brother, who was, for him, in an unusually cheerful frame of mind.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading He talked with more interest of life and his share in it than he had done--to me, at any rate--since the tragedy which had deprived him of a home.
which person or people
From this reading PRIVATE AND DIPLOMATIC The following evening I dined alone with my brother, who was, for him, in an unusually cheerful frame of mind.
in the company of; together with
From this reading PRIVATE AND DIPLOMATIC The following evening I dined alone with my brother, who was, for him, in an unusually cheerful frame of mind.
