used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A QUESTION OF HONOUR "Your Great-aunt Rachel is dead, Roger."
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading In her hand she held the letter which contained the news--written in an old-fashioned, sloping style of penmanship on thin, heavily black-bordered note-paper.
announcementnounUS /əˈnaʊnsmənt/
a formal public statement
From this reading Lady Gertrude made this announcement the following morning at breakfast.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading No one made any reply unless a sympathetic murmur from Isobel could be construed as such.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading No one made any reply unless a sympathetic murmur from Isobel could be construed as such.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Lady Gertrude made this announcement the following morning at breakfast.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading No one made any reply unless a sympathetic murmur from Isobel could be construed as such.
black-bordered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In her hand she held the letter which contained the news--written in an old-fashioned, sloping style of penmanship on thin, heavily black-bordered note-paper.
eat an early morning meal
From this reading Lady Gertrude made this announcement the following morning at breakfast.
construedverbUS /kənˈstruːd/
past form of “construe” — make sense of; assign a meaning to
From this reading No one made any reply unless a sympathetic murmur from Isobel could be construed as such.
gotten under control
From this reading In her hand she held the letter which contained the news--written in an old-fashioned, sloping style of penmanship on thin, heavily black-bordered note-paper.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading No one made any reply unless a sympathetic murmur from Isobel could be construed as such.
the child of your aunt or uncle
From this reading "Cousin Emily writes that the funeral is to take place next Thursday," pursued Lady Gertrude, referring to the letter she held.
no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life
From this reading A QUESTION OF HONOUR "Your Great-aunt Rachel is dead, Roger."
Emily
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Cousin Emily writes that the funeral is to take place next Thursday," pursued Lady Gertrude, referring to the letter she held.
about to be mentioned or specified
From this reading Lady Gertrude made this announcement the following morning at breakfast.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading No one made any reply unless a sympathetic murmur from Isobel could be construed as such.
funeralnounUS /ˈfjuːnərəl/
a ceremony at which a dead person is buried or cremated
From this reading "Cousin Emily writes that the funeral is to take place next Thursday," pursued Lady Gertrude, referring to the letter she held.
Gertrude
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lady Gertrude made this announcement the following morning at breakfast.
Great-auntnoun
an aunt of your father or mother
From this reading A QUESTION OF HONOUR "Your Great-aunt Rachel is dead, Roger."
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading In her hand she held the letter which contained the news--written in an old-fashioned, sloping style of penmanship on thin, heavily black-bordered note-paper.
to a considerable degree
From this reading In her hand she held the letter which contained the news--written in an old-fashioned, sloping style of penmanship on thin, heavily black-bordered note-paper.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading In her hand she held the letter which contained the news--written in an old-fashioned, sloping style of penmanship on thin, heavily black-bordered note-paper.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading In her hand she held the letter which contained the news--written in an old-fashioned, sloping style of penmanship on thin, heavily black-bordered note-paper.
the state of being honored
From this reading A QUESTION OF HONOUR "Your Great-aunt Rachel is dead, Roger."
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In her hand she held the letter which contained the news--written in an old-fashioned, sloping style of penmanship on thin, heavily black-bordered note-paper.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A QUESTION OF HONOUR "Your Great-aunt Rachel is dead, Roger."
Isobel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No one made any reply unless a sympathetic murmur from Isobel could be construed as such.
a polite name for any woman
From this reading Lady Gertrude made this announcement the following morning at breakfast.
a written message addressed to a person or organization
From this reading In her hand she held the letter which contained the news--written in an old-fashioned, sloping style of penmanship on thin, heavily black-bordered note-paper.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading Lady Gertrude made this announcement the following morning at breakfast.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading Lady Gertrude made this announcement the following morning at breakfast.
a low continuous indistinct sound; often accompanied by movement of the lips without the production of articulate speech
From this reading No one made any reply unless a sympathetic murmur from Isobel could be construed as such.
information about recent and important events
From this reading In her hand she held the letter which contained the news--written in an old-fashioned, sloping style of penmanship on thin, heavily black-bordered note-paper.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading "Cousin Emily writes that the funeral is to take place next Thursday," pursued Lady Gertrude, referring to the letter she held.
not any; not one
From this reading No one made any reply unless a sympathetic murmur from Isobel could be construed as such.
note-paper
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In her hand she held the letter which contained the news--written in an old-fashioned, sloping style of penmanship on thin, heavily black-bordered note-paper.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A QUESTION OF HONOUR "Your Great-aunt Rachel is dead, Roger."
old-fashionedadjectiveUS /ˌoʊldˈfæʃənd/
out of fashion
From this reading In her hand she held the letter which contained the news--written in an old-fashioned, sloping style of penmanship on thin, heavily black-bordered note-paper.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading In her hand she held the letter which contained the news--written in an old-fashioned, sloping style of penmanship on thin, heavily black-bordered note-paper.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading No one made any reply unless a sympathetic murmur from Isobel could be construed as such.
penmanshipnoun
beautiful handwriting
From this reading In her hand she held the letter which contained the news--written in an old-fashioned, sloping style of penmanship on thin, heavily black-bordered note-paper.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading "Cousin Emily writes that the funeral is to take place next Thursday," pursued Lady Gertrude, referring to the letter she held.
a person who is being chased
From this reading "Cousin Emily writes that the funeral is to take place next Thursday," pursued Lady Gertrude, referring to the letter she held.
challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of
From this reading A QUESTION OF HONOUR "Your Great-aunt Rachel is dead, Roger."
RachelnounUS /ˈreɪtʃəl/
(Old Testament) the second wife of Jacob and mother of Joseph and Benjamin
From this reading A QUESTION OF HONOUR "Your Great-aunt Rachel is dead, Roger."
referringverbUS /rɪˈfɜːrɪŋ/
inflected form of “refer” — make reference to
From this reading "Cousin Emily writes that the funeral is to take place next Thursday," pursued Lady Gertrude, referring to the letter she held.
a statement (either spoken or written) that is made to reply to a question or request or criticism or accusation
From this reading No one made any reply unless a sympathetic murmur from Isobel could be construed as such.
Roger
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A QUESTION OF HONOUR "Your Great-aunt Rachel is dead, Roger."
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading In her hand she held the letter which contained the news--written in an old-fashioned, sloping style of penmanship on thin, heavily black-bordered note-paper.
slopingadjectiveUS /ˈsloʊpɪŋ/
having an oblique or slanted direction
From this reading In her hand she held the letter which contained the news--written in an old-fashioned, sloping style of penmanship on thin, heavily black-bordered note-paper.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading In her hand she held the letter which contained the news--written in an old-fashioned, sloping style of penmanship on thin, heavily black-bordered note-paper.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading No one made any reply unless a sympathetic murmur from Isobel could be construed as such.
sympatheticadjectiveUS /ˌsɪmpəˈθetɪk/
of or relating to the sympathetic nervous system
From this reading No one made any reply unless a sympathetic murmur from Isobel could be construed as such.
carry out
From this reading "Cousin Emily writes that the funeral is to take place next Thursday," pursued Lady Gertrude, referring to the letter she held.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "Cousin Emily writes that the funeral is to take place next Thursday," pursued Lady Gertrude, referring to the letter she held.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Lady Gertrude made this announcement the following morning at breakfast.
Having little thickness or extent.
From this reading In her hand she held the letter which contained the news--written in an old-fashioned, sloping style of penmanship on thin, heavily black-bordered note-paper.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Lady Gertrude made this announcement the following morning at breakfast.
ThursdaynounUS /ˈθɜːrzdeɪ/
the fifth day of the week; the fourth working day
From this reading "Cousin Emily writes that the funeral is to take place next Thursday," pursued Lady Gertrude, referring to the letter she held.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "Cousin Emily writes that the funeral is to take place next Thursday," pursued Lady Gertrude, referring to the letter she held.
except if; if not
From this reading No one made any reply unless a sympathetic murmur from Isobel could be construed as such.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading In her hand she held the letter which contained the news--written in an old-fashioned, sloping style of penmanship on thin, heavily black-bordered note-paper.
writesverbUS /raɪts/
third-person singular of “write” — produce a literary work
From this reading "Cousin Emily writes that the funeral is to take place next Thursday," pursued Lady Gertrude, referring to the letter she held.
set down in writing in any of various ways
From this reading In her hand she held the letter which contained the news--written in an old-fashioned, sloping style of penmanship on thin, heavily black-bordered note-paper.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading A QUESTION OF HONOUR "Your Great-aunt Rachel is dead, Roger."
