used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Piet Cradock spent nearly the whole of that long evening leaning against a doorpost watching his wife dancing with Jerry Lister.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading Piet Cradock spent nearly the whole of that long evening leaning against a doorpost watching his wife dancing with Jerry Lister.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading She felt almost hysterical under it at last.
to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)
From this reading It made her desperate--so desperate that she finally quitted the ballroom altogether in Jerry's company, and remained invisible till people were beginning to take their departure.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading They were the best-matched couple in the room, and, as a good many remarked, they seemed to know it.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading They were the best-matched couple in the room, and, as a good many remarked, they seemed to know it.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading She felt almost hysterical under it at last.
ballroomnounUS /ˈbɔːlruːm/
large room used mainly for dancing
From this reading It made her desperate--so desperate that she finally quitted the ballroom altogether in Jerry's company, and remained invisible till people were beginning to take their departure.
the event consisting of the start of something
From this reading It made her desperate--so desperate that she finally quitted the ballroom altogether in Jerry's company, and remained invisible till people were beginning to take their departure.
best-matched
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were the best-matched couple in the room, and, as a good many remarked, they seemed to know it.
an institution created to conduct business
From this reading It made her desperate--so desperate that she finally quitted the ballroom altogether in Jerry's company, and remained invisible till people were beginning to take their departure.
intentionally conceived
From this reading Through every dance Nan laughed and talked with a feverish gaiety, conscious of that long, long gaze that never varied.
a pair who associate with one another
From this reading They were the best-matched couple in the room, and, as a good many remarked, they seemed to know it.
Cradock
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Piet Cradock spent nearly the whole of that long evening leaning against a doorpost watching his wife dancing with Jerry Lister.
an artistic form of nonverbal communication
From this reading Through every dance Nan laughed and talked with a feverish gaiety, conscious of that long, long gaze that never varied.
taking a series of rhythmical steps (and movements) in time to music
From this reading Piet Cradock spent nearly the whole of that long evening leaning against a doorpost watching his wife dancing with Jerry Lister.
the act of departing
From this reading It made her desperate--so desperate that she finally quitted the ballroom altogether in Jerry's company, and remained invisible till people were beginning to take their departure.
arising from or marked by despair or loss of hope
From this reading It made her desperate--so desperate that she finally quitted the ballroom altogether in Jerry's company, and remained invisible till people were beginning to take their departure.
doorpostnoun
a jamb for a door
From this reading Piet Cradock spent nearly the whole of that long evening leaning against a doorpost watching his wife dancing with Jerry Lister.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading Piet Cradock spent nearly the whole of that long evening leaning against a doorpost watching his wife dancing with Jerry Lister.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading Through every dance Nan laughed and talked with a feverish gaiety, conscious of that long, long gaze that never varied.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading She felt almost hysterical under it at last.
feverishadjectiveUS /ˈfiːvərɪʃ/
marked by intense agitation or emotion
From this reading Through every dance Nan laughed and talked with a feverish gaiety, conscious of that long, long gaze that never varied.
after an unspecified period of time or an especially long delay
From this reading It made her desperate--so desperate that she finally quitted the ballroom altogether in Jerry's company, and remained invisible till people were beginning to take their departure.
gaietynoun
a gay feeling
From this reading Through every dance Nan laughed and talked with a feverish gaiety, conscious of that long, long gaze that never varied.
a long fixed look
From this reading Through every dance Nan laughed and talked with a feverish gaiety, conscious of that long, long gaze that never varied.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading They were the best-matched couple in the room, and, as a good many remarked, they seemed to know it.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading It made her desperate--so desperate that she finally quitted the ballroom altogether in Jerry's company, and remained invisible till people were beginning to take their departure.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Piet Cradock spent nearly the whole of that long evening leaning against a doorpost watching his wife dancing with Jerry Lister.
hystericaladjectiveUS /hɪˈsterɪkəl/
characterized by or arising from psychoneurotic hysteria
From this reading She felt almost hysterical under it at last.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading They were the best-matched couple in the room, and, as a good many remarked, they seemed to know it.
invisibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈvɪzəbəl/
impossible or nearly impossible to see; imperceptible by the eye
From this reading It made her desperate--so desperate that she finally quitted the ballroom altogether in Jerry's company, and remained invisible till people were beginning to take their departure.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading They were the best-matched couple in the room, and, as a good many remarked, they seemed to know it.
JerrynounUS /ˈdʒeri/
offensive term for a person of German descent
From this reading Piet Cradock spent nearly the whole of that long evening leaning against a doorpost watching his wife dancing with Jerry Lister.
Jerry'snounUS /ˈdʒeriz/
possessive form of “jerry” — offensive term for a person of German descent
From this reading It made her desperate--so desperate that she finally quitted the ballroom altogether in Jerry's company, and remained invisible till people were beginning to take their departure.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading They were the best-matched couple in the room, and, as a good many remarked, they seemed to know it.
immediately past
From this reading She felt almost hysterical under it at last.
past form of “laugh” — produce laughter
From this reading Through every dance Nan laughed and talked with a feverish gaiety, conscious of that long, long gaze that never varied.
departing or being caused to depart from the true vertical or horizontal
From this reading Piet Cradock spent nearly the whole of that long evening leaning against a doorpost watching his wife dancing with Jerry Lister.
ListernounUS /ˈlɪstər/
English surgeon who was the first to use antiseptics (1827-1912)
From this reading Piet Cradock spent nearly the whole of that long evening leaning against a doorpost watching his wife dancing with Jerry Lister.
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 Piet Cradock spent nearly the whole of that long evening leaning against a doorpost watching his wife dancing with Jerry Lister.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading It made her desperate--so desperate that she finally quitted the ballroom altogether in Jerry's company, and remained invisible till people were beginning to take their departure.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading They were the best-matched couple in the room, and, as a good many remarked, they seemed to know it.
NannounUS /næn/
your grandmother
From this reading Through every dance Nan laughed and talked with a feverish gaiety, conscious of that long, long gaze that never varied.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading Piet Cradock spent nearly the whole of that long evening leaning against a doorpost watching his wife dancing with Jerry Lister.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading Through every dance Nan laughed and talked with a feverish gaiety, conscious of that long, long gaze that never varied.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Piet Cradock spent nearly the whole of that long evening leaning against a doorpost watching his wife dancing with Jerry Lister.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading It made her desperate--so desperate that she finally quitted the ballroom altogether in Jerry's company, and remained invisible till people were beginning to take their departure.
Piet
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Piet Cradock spent nearly the whole of that long evening leaning against a doorpost watching his wife dancing with Jerry Lister.
quitted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It made her desperate--so desperate that she finally quitted the ballroom altogether in Jerry's company, and remained invisible till people were beginning to take their departure.
past form of “remain” — stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading It made her desperate--so desperate that she finally quitted the ballroom altogether in Jerry's company, and remained invisible till people were beginning to take their departure.
past form of “remark” — make mention of
From this reading They were the best-matched couple in the room, and, as a good many remarked, they seemed to know it.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading They were the best-matched couple in the room, and, as a good many remarked, they seemed to know it.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading They were the best-matched couple in the room, and, as a good many remarked, they seemed to know it.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She felt almost hysterical under it at last.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading It made her desperate--so desperate that she finally quitted the ballroom altogether in Jerry's company, and remained invisible till people were beginning to take their departure.
depleted of energy, force, or strength
From this reading Piet Cradock spent nearly the whole of that long evening leaning against a doorpost watching his wife dancing with Jerry Lister.
carry out
From this reading It made her desperate--so desperate that she finally quitted the ballroom altogether in Jerry's company, and remained invisible till people were beginning to take their departure.
past form of “talk” — exchange thoughts; talk with
From this reading Through every dance Nan laughed and talked with a feverish gaiety, conscious of that long, long gaze that never varied.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Piet Cradock spent nearly the whole of that long evening leaning against a doorpost watching his wife dancing with Jerry Lister.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Piet Cradock spent nearly the whole of that long evening leaning against a doorpost watching his wife dancing with Jerry Lister.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading It made her desperate--so desperate that she finally quitted the ballroom altogether in Jerry's company, and remained invisible till people were beginning to take their departure.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They were the best-matched couple in the room, and, as a good many remarked, they seemed to know it.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading Through every dance Nan laughed and talked with a feverish gaiety, conscious of that long, long gaze that never varied.
up to a particular time
From this reading It made her desperate--so desperate that she finally quitted the ballroom altogether in Jerry's company, and remained invisible till people were beginning to take their departure.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading They were the best-matched couple in the room, and, as a good many remarked, they seemed to know it.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading She felt almost hysterical under it at last.
variedadjectiveUS /ˈverid/
characterized by variety
From this reading Through every dance Nan laughed and talked with a feverish gaiety, conscious of that long, long gaze that never varied.
the act of observing; taking a patient look
From this reading Piet Cradock spent nearly the whole of that long evening leaning against a doorpost watching his wife dancing with Jerry Lister.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They were the best-matched couple in the room, and, as a good many remarked, they seemed to know it.
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading Piet Cradock spent nearly the whole of that long evening leaning against a doorpost watching his wife dancing with Jerry Lister.
a married woman; a man's partner in marriage
From this reading Piet Cradock spent nearly the whole of that long evening leaning against a doorpost watching his wife dancing with Jerry Lister.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Piet Cradock spent nearly the whole of that long evening leaning against a doorpost watching his wife dancing with Jerry Lister.
