used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading There was a forced cheerfulness about the small party that testified to the nervous tension that held them.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading There was a forced cheerfulness about the small party that testified to the nervous tension that held them.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading Such a thing was necessary when any moment might precipitate the next catastrophe.
any person at all
From this reading The mere fact of anybody being late for five minutes sufficed to put the rest in a fever.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading WAITING They were growing uneasy at the castle.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading For some years now there had been a tacit understanding on the subject of punctuality.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading The mere fact of anybody being late for five minutes sufficed to put the rest in a fever.
a large and stately mansion
From this reading WAITING They were growing uneasy at the castle.
catastrophenounUS /kəˈtæstrəfi/
an event resulting in great loss and misfortune
From this reading Such a thing was necessary when any moment might precipitate the next catastrophe.
cheerfulnessnounUS /ˈtʃɪrfəlnəs/
the quality of being cheerful and dispelling gloom
From this reading There was a forced cheerfulness about the small party that testified to the nervous tension that held them.
a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred
From this reading The mere fact of anybody being late for five minutes sufficed to put the rest in a fever.
a rise in the temperature of the body; frequently a symptom of infection
From this reading The mere fact of anybody being late for five minutes sufficed to put the rest in a fever.
the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one
From this reading The mere fact of anybody being late for five minutes sufficed to put the rest in a fever.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For some years now there had been a tacit understanding on the subject of punctuality.
produced by or subjected to forcing
From this reading There was a forced cheerfulness about the small party that testified to the nervous tension that held them.
(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 WAITING They were growing uneasy at the castle.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading For some years now there had been a tacit understanding on the subject of punctuality.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading There was a forced cheerfulness about the small party that testified to the nervous tension that held them.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The mere fact of anybody being late for five minutes sufficed to put the rest in a fever.
being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time
From this reading The mere fact of anybody being late for five minutes sufficed to put the rest in a fever.
being nothing more than specified
From this reading The mere fact of anybody being late for five minutes sufficed to put the rest in a fever.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading Such a thing was necessary when any moment might precipitate the next catastrophe.
a written account of what transpired at a meeting
From this reading The mere fact of anybody being late for five minutes sufficed to put the rest in a fever.
a particular point in time
From this reading Such a thing was necessary when any moment might precipitate the next catastrophe.
absolutely essential
From this reading Such a thing was necessary when any moment might precipitate the next catastrophe.
easily agitated
From this reading There was a forced cheerfulness about the small party that testified to the nervous tension that held them.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading Such a thing was necessary when any moment might precipitate the next catastrophe.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading For some years now there had been a tacit understanding on the subject of punctuality.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading For some years now there had been a tacit understanding on the subject of punctuality.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading For some years now there had been a tacit understanding on the subject of punctuality.
an organization to gain political power
From this reading There was a forced cheerfulness about the small party that testified to the nervous tension that held them.
precipitateverbUS /prɪˈsɪpɪteɪt/
bring about abruptly
From this reading Such a thing was necessary when any moment might precipitate the next catastrophe.
punctualitynounUS /ˌpʌŋktʃuːˈælɪti/
the quality or habit of adhering to an appointed time
From this reading For some years now there had been a tacit understanding on the subject of punctuality.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading The mere fact of anybody being late for five minutes sufficed to put the rest in a fever.
not move; be in a resting position
From this reading The mere fact of anybody being late for five minutes sufficed to put the rest in a fever.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading There was a forced cheerfulness about the small party that testified to the nervous tension that held them.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading For some years now there had been a tacit understanding on the subject of punctuality.
the subject matter of a conversation or discussion
From this reading For some years now there had been a tacit understanding on the subject of punctuality.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading Such a thing was necessary when any moment might precipitate the next catastrophe.
sufficedverbUS /səˈfaɪst/
past form of “suffice” — be sufficient; be adequate, either in quality or quantity
From this reading The mere fact of anybody being late for five minutes sufficed to put the rest in a fever.
tacitadjectiveUS /ˈtæsɪt/
implied by or inferred from actions or statements
From this reading For some years now there had been a tacit understanding on the subject of punctuality.
tensionnounUS /ˈtenʃən/
(psychology) a state of mental or emotional strain or suspense
From this reading There was a forced cheerfulness about the small party that testified to the nervous tension that held them.
testifiedverbUS /ˈtestəfaɪd/
inflected form of “testify” — give testimony in a court of law
From this reading There was a forced cheerfulness about the small party that testified to the nervous tension that held them.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading There was a forced cheerfulness about the small party that testified to the nervous tension that held them.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading WAITING They were growing uneasy at the castle.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading There was a forced cheerfulness about the small party that testified to the nervous tension that held them.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was a forced cheerfulness about the small party that testified to the nervous tension that held them.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading WAITING They were growing uneasy at the castle.
a special situation
From this reading Such a thing was necessary when any moment might precipitate the next catastrophe.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading There was a forced cheerfulness about the small party that testified to the nervous tension that held them.
the cognitive condition of someone who understands
From this reading For some years now there had been a tacit understanding on the subject of punctuality.
uneasyadjectiveUS /əˈniːzi/
lacking a sense of security or affording no ease or reassurance
From this reading WAITING They were growing uneasy at the castle.
the act of waiting (remaining inactive in one place while expecting something)
From this reading WAITING They were growing uneasy at the castle.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was a forced cheerfulness about the small party that testified to the nervous tension that held them.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading WAITING They were growing uneasy at the castle.
at the time that
From this reading Such a thing was necessary when any moment might precipitate the next catastrophe.
a late time of life
From this reading For some years now there had been a tacit understanding on the subject of punctuality.
