used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading To Frank and Jean the world seemed a very gray place at present; and even the daily increasing juvenility of their parent failed to enliven them.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Frank moped about the house, consorted occasionally with an acquaintance, now and then went away for a day's golf, and at frequent intervals confided to Jean his disgust with the arrangements of the universe.
personal knowledge or information about someone or something
From this reading Frank moped about the house, consorted occasionally with an acquaintance, now and then went away for a day's golf, and at frequent intervals confided to Jean his disgust with the arrangements of the universe.
alternatelyadverbUS /ˈɔːltərnətli/
in an alternating sequence or position
From this reading Ellen Berstoun was to have paid them another visit, but for some reason she put it off; and at this decision he was plunged for forty-eight consecutive hours into a frenzy, alternately of relief and despair, which left him at last more lackadaisical than ever.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Frank moped about the house, consorted occasionally with an acquaintance, now and then went away for a day's golf, and at frequent intervals confided to Jean his disgust with the arrangements of the universe.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading To Frank and Jean the world seemed a very gray place at present; and even the daily increasing juvenility of their parent failed to enliven them.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading Ellen Berstoun was to have paid them another visit, but for some reason she put it off; and at this decision he was plunged for forty-eight consecutive hours into a frenzy, alternately of relief and despair, which left him at last more lackadaisical than ever.
arrangementsnounUS /ərˈeɪndʒmənts/
plural of “arrangement” — the thing arranged or agreed to
From this reading Frank moped about the house, consorted occasionally with an acquaintance, now and then went away for a day's golf, and at frequent intervals confided to Jean his disgust with the arrangements of the universe.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading To Frank and Jean the world seemed a very gray place at present; and even the daily increasing juvenility of their parent failed to enliven them.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Frank moped about the house, consorted occasionally with an acquaintance, now and then went away for a day's golf, and at frequent intervals confided to Jean his disgust with the arrangements of the universe.
beneficentadjectiveUS /ˌbenəˈfɪʃənt/
doing or producing good
From this reading They were too engrossed in their own unhappiness to take much notice of it; and what they saw merely distressed them, for so far his beneficent projects had not included them.
Berstoun
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ellen Berstoun was to have paid them another visit, but for some reason she put it off; and at this decision he was plunged for forty-eight consecutive hours into a frenzy, alternately of relief and despair, which left him at last more lackadaisical than ever.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Ellen Berstoun was to have paid them another visit, but for some reason she put it off; and at this decision he was plunged for forty-eight consecutive hours into a frenzy, alternately of relief and despair, which left him at last more lackadaisical than ever.
confidedverbUS /kənˈfaɪdɪd/
past form of “confide” — reveal in private; tell confidentially
From this reading Frank moped about the house, consorted occasionally with an acquaintance, now and then went away for a day's golf, and at frequent intervals confided to Jean his disgust with the arrangements of the universe.
consecutiveadjectiveUS /kənˈsɛk.jə.tɪv/
Following continuously in unbroken sequence.
From this reading Ellen Berstoun was to have paid them another visit, but for some reason she put it off; and at this decision he was plunged for forty-eight consecutive hours into a frenzy, alternately of relief and despair, which left him at last more lackadaisical than ever.
consequencesnounUS /ˈkɑːnsəkwensəz/
plural of “consequence” — a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon
From this reading In the meantime, the two least satisfactory members of the family were sadly enduring the consequences of their foolishness.
consorted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Frank moped about the house, consorted occasionally with an acquaintance, now and then went away for a day's golf, and at frequent intervals confided to Jean his disgust with the arrangements of the universe.
every day; without missing a day
From this reading To Frank and Jean the world seemed a very gray place at present; and even the daily increasing juvenility of their parent failed to enliven them.
day'snounUS /deɪz/
possessive form of “day” — time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading Frank moped about the house, consorted occasionally with an acquaintance, now and then went away for a day's golf, and at frequent intervals confided to Jean his disgust with the arrangements of the universe.
the act of making up your mind about something
From this reading Ellen Berstoun was to have paid them another visit, but for some reason she put it off; and at this decision he was plunged for forty-eight consecutive hours into a frenzy, alternately of relief and despair, which left him at last more lackadaisical than ever.
a state in which all hope is lost or absent
From this reading Ellen Berstoun was to have paid them another visit, but for some reason she put it off; and at this decision he was plunged for forty-eight consecutive hours into a frenzy, alternately of relief and despair, which left him at last more lackadaisical than ever.
disgustverbUS /dɪsˈɡʌst/
fill with distaste
From this reading Frank moped about the house, consorted occasionally with an acquaintance, now and then went away for a day's golf, and at frequent intervals confided to Jean his disgust with the arrangements of the universe.
distressedadjectiveUS /dɪˈstrest/
facing or experiencing financial trouble or difficulty
From this reading They were too engrossed in their own unhappiness to take much notice of it; and what they saw merely distressed them, for so far his beneficent projects had not included them.
Ellen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ellen Berstoun was to have paid them another visit, but for some reason she put it off; and at this decision he was plunged for forty-eight consecutive hours into a frenzy, alternately of relief and despair, which left him at last more lackadaisical than ever.
enduringadjectiveUS /enˈdjʊrɪŋ/
lasting a long time
From this reading In the meantime, the two least satisfactory members of the family were sadly enduring the consequences of their foolishness.
engrossedadjectiveUS /ɪnˈɡroʊst/
giving or marked by complete attention to
From this reading They were too engrossed in their own unhappiness to take much notice of it; and what they saw merely distressed them, for so far his beneficent projects had not included them.
enlivenverbUS /enˈlaɪvən/
heighten or intensify
From this reading To Frank and Jean the world seemed a very gray place at present; and even the daily increasing juvenility of their parent failed to enliven them.
divisible by two
From this reading To Frank and Jean the world seemed a very gray place at present; and even the daily increasing juvenility of their parent failed to enliven them.
at any time
From this reading Ellen Berstoun was to have paid them another visit, but for some reason she put it off; and at this decision he was plunged for forty-eight consecutive hours into a frenzy, alternately of relief and despair, which left him at last more lackadaisical than ever.
past form of “fail” — fail to do something; leave something undone
From this reading To Frank and Jean the world seemed a very gray place at present; and even the daily increasing juvenility of their parent failed to enliven them.
a social unit living together
From this reading In the meantime, the two least satisfactory members of the family were sadly enduring the consequences of their foolishness.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading They were too engrossed in their own unhappiness to take much notice of it; and what they saw merely distressed them, for so far his beneficent projects had not included them.
foolishnessnounUS /ˈfuːlɪʃnəs/
the trait of acting stupidly or rashly
From this reading In the meantime, the two least satisfactory members of the family were sadly enduring the consequences of their foolishness.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading They were too engrossed in their own unhappiness to take much notice of it; and what they saw merely distressed them, for so far his beneficent projects had not included them.
forty-eightadjective
being eight more than forty
From this reading Ellen Berstoun was to have paid them another visit, but for some reason she put it off; and at this decision he was plunged for forty-eight consecutive hours into a frenzy, alternately of relief and despair, which left him at last more lackadaisical than ever.
characterized by directness in manner or speech; without subtlety or evasion
From this reading To Frank and Jean the world seemed a very gray place at present; and even the daily increasing juvenility of their parent failed to enliven them.
frenzynounUS /ˈfrenzi/
state of violent mental agitation
From this reading Ellen Berstoun was to have paid them another visit, but for some reason she put it off; and at this decision he was plunged for forty-eight consecutive hours into a frenzy, alternately of relief and despair, which left him at last more lackadaisical than ever.
frequentverbUS /ˈfriːkwənt/
do one's shopping at; do business with; be a customer or client of
From this reading Frank moped about the house, consorted occasionally with an acquaintance, now and then went away for a day's golf, and at frequent intervals confided to Jean his disgust with the arrangements of the universe.
golfnounUS /ɡɑːlf/
a game played on a large open course with 9 or 18 holes; the object is use as few strokes as possible in playing all the holes
From this reading Frank moped about the house, consorted occasionally with an acquaintance, now and then went away for a day's golf, and at frequent intervals confided to Jean his disgust with the arrangements of the universe.
a neutral achromatic color midway between white and black
From this reading To Frank and Jean the world seemed a very gray place at present; and even the daily increasing juvenility of their parent failed to enliven them.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading They were too engrossed in their own unhappiness to take much notice of it; and what they saw merely distressed them, for so far his beneficent projects had not included them.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Ellen Berstoun was to have paid them another visit, but for some reason she put it off; and at this decision he was plunged for forty-eight consecutive hours into a frenzy, alternately of relief and despair, which left him at last more lackadaisical than ever.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Ellen Berstoun was to have paid them another visit, but for some reason she put it off; and at this decision he was plunged for forty-eight consecutive hours into a frenzy, alternately of relief and despair, which left him at last more lackadaisical than ever.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Ellen Berstoun was to have paid them another visit, but for some reason she put it off; and at this decision he was plunged for forty-eight consecutive hours into a frenzy, alternately of relief and despair, which left him at last more lackadaisical than ever.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading They were too engrossed in their own unhappiness to take much notice of it; and what they saw merely distressed them, for so far his beneficent projects had not included them.
a period of time assigned for work
From this reading Ellen Berstoun was to have paid them another visit, but for some reason she put it off; and at this decision he was plunged for forty-eight consecutive hours into a frenzy, alternately of relief and despair, which left him at last more lackadaisical than ever.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading Frank moped about the house, consorted occasionally with an acquaintance, now and then went away for a day's golf, and at frequent intervals confided to Jean his disgust with the arrangements of the universe.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In the meantime, the two least satisfactory members of the family were sadly enduring the consequences of their foolishness.
includedadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈkluːdəd/
enclosed in the same envelope or package
From this reading They were too engrossed in their own unhappiness to take much notice of it; and what they saw merely distressed them, for so far his beneficent projects had not included them.
increasingadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈkriːsɪŋ/
becoming greater or larger
From this reading To Frank and Jean the world seemed a very gray place at present; and even the daily increasing juvenility of their parent failed to enliven them.
plural of “interval” — a definite length of time marked off by two instants
From this reading Frank moped about the house, consorted occasionally with an acquaintance, now and then went away for a day's golf, and at frequent intervals confided to Jean his disgust with the arrangements of the universe.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Ellen Berstoun was to have paid them another visit, but for some reason she put it off; and at this decision he was plunged for forty-eight consecutive hours into a frenzy, alternately of relief and despair, which left him at last more lackadaisical than ever.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading They were too engrossed in their own unhappiness to take much notice of it; and what they saw merely distressed them, for so far his beneficent projects had not included them.
a coarse durable twill-weave cotton fabric
From this reading To Frank and Jean the world seemed a very gray place at present; and even the daily increasing juvenility of their parent failed to enliven them.
juvenilitynoun
lacking and evidencing lack of experience of life
From this reading To Frank and Jean the world seemed a very gray place at present; and even the daily increasing juvenility of their parent failed to enliven them.
lackadaisicaladjectiveUS /ˌlækəˈdeɪzɪkəl/
lacking spirit or liveliness
From this reading Ellen Berstoun was to have paid them another visit, but for some reason she put it off; and at this decision he was plunged for forty-eight consecutive hours into a frenzy, alternately of relief and despair, which left him at last more lackadaisical than ever.
immediately past
From this reading Ellen Berstoun was to have paid them another visit, but for some reason she put it off; and at this decision he was plunged for forty-eight consecutive hours into a frenzy, alternately of relief and despair, which left him at last more lackadaisical than ever.
the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree
From this reading In the meantime, the two least satisfactory members of the family were sadly enduring the consequences of their foolishness.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading Ellen Berstoun was to have paid them another visit, but for some reason she put it off; and at this decision he was plunged for forty-eight consecutive hours into a frenzy, alternately of relief and despair, which left him at last more lackadaisical than ever.
the time between one event, process, or period and another
From this reading In the meantime, the two least satisfactory members of the family were sadly enduring the consequences of their foolishness.
plural of “member” — one of the persons who compose a social group (especially individuals who have joined and participate in a group organization)
From this reading In the meantime, the two least satisfactory members of the family were sadly enduring the consequences of their foolishness.
and nothing more
From this reading They were too engrossed in their own unhappiness to take much notice of it; and what they saw merely distressed them, for so far his beneficent projects had not included them.
mopednounUS /moʊpt/
a motorbike that can be pedaled or driven by a low-powered gasoline engine
From this reading Frank moped about the house, consorted occasionally with an acquaintance, now and then went away for a day's golf, and at frequent intervals confided to Jean his disgust with the arrangements of the universe.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Ellen Berstoun was to have paid them another visit, but for some reason she put it off; and at this decision he was plunged for forty-eight consecutive hours into a frenzy, alternately of relief and despair, which left him at last more lackadaisical than ever.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading They were too engrossed in their own unhappiness to take much notice of it; and what they saw merely distressed them, for so far his beneficent projects had not included them.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading They were too engrossed in their own unhappiness to take much notice of it; and what they saw merely distressed them, for so far his beneficent projects had not included them.
an announcement containing information about an event
From this reading They were too engrossed in their own unhappiness to take much notice of it; and what they saw merely distressed them, for so far his beneficent projects had not included them.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Frank moped about the house, consorted occasionally with an acquaintance, now and then went away for a day's golf, and at frequent intervals confided to Jean his disgust with the arrangements of the universe.
sporadically and infrequently
From this reading Frank moped about the house, consorted occasionally with an acquaintance, now and then went away for a day's golf, and at frequent intervals confided to Jean his disgust with the arrangements of the universe.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading In the meantime, the two least satisfactory members of the family were sadly enduring the consequences of their foolishness.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Ellen Berstoun was to have paid them another visit, but for some reason she put it off; and at this decision he was plunged for forty-eight consecutive hours into a frenzy, alternately of relief and despair, which left him at last more lackadaisical than ever.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading They were too engrossed in their own unhappiness to take much notice of it; and what they saw merely distressed them, for so far his beneficent projects had not included them.
marked by the reception of pay
From this reading Ellen Berstoun was to have paid them another visit, but for some reason she put it off; and at this decision he was plunged for forty-eight consecutive hours into a frenzy, alternately of relief and despair, which left him at last more lackadaisical than ever.
parentnounUS /ˈperənt/
a father or mother; one who begets or one who gives birth to or nurtures and raises a child; a relative who plays the role of guardian
From this reading To Frank and Jean the world seemed a very gray place at present; and even the daily increasing juvenility of their parent failed to enliven them.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading To Frank and Jean the world seemed a very gray place at present; and even the daily increasing juvenility of their parent failed to enliven them.
past form of “plunge” — thrust or throw into
From this reading Ellen Berstoun was to have paid them another visit, but for some reason she put it off; and at this decision he was plunged for forty-eight consecutive hours into a frenzy, alternately of relief and despair, which left him at last more lackadaisical than ever.
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading To Frank and Jean the world seemed a very gray place at present; and even the daily increasing juvenility of their parent failed to enliven them.
projectsnounUS /ˈprɑːdʒekts/
plural of “project” — any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted
From this reading They were too engrossed in their own unhappiness to take much notice of it; and what they saw merely distressed them, for so far his beneficent projects had not included them.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Ellen Berstoun was to have paid them another visit, but for some reason she put it off; and at this decision he was plunged for forty-eight consecutive hours into a frenzy, alternately of relief and despair, which left him at last more lackadaisical than ever.
a rational motive for a belief or action
From this reading Ellen Berstoun was to have paid them another visit, but for some reason she put it off; and at this decision he was plunged for forty-eight consecutive hours into a frenzy, alternately of relief and despair, which left him at last more lackadaisical than ever.
the feeling that comes when something burdensome is removed or reduced
From this reading Ellen Berstoun was to have paid them another visit, but for some reason she put it off; and at this decision he was plunged for forty-eight consecutive hours into a frenzy, alternately of relief and despair, which left him at last more lackadaisical than ever.
in an unfortunate way
From this reading In the meantime, the two least satisfactory members of the family were sadly enduring the consequences of their foolishness.
satisfactoryadjectiveUS /ˌsætəˈsfæktri/
giving satisfaction
From this reading In the meantime, the two least satisfactory members of the family were sadly enduring the consequences of their foolishness.
cut with a saw
From this reading They were too engrossed in their own unhappiness to take much notice of it; and what they saw merely distressed them, for so far his beneficent projects had not included them.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading To Frank and Jean the world seemed a very gray place at present; and even the daily increasing juvenility of their parent failed to enliven them.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Ellen Berstoun was to have paid them another visit, but for some reason she put it off; and at this decision he was plunged for forty-eight consecutive hours into a frenzy, alternately of relief and despair, which left him at last more lackadaisical than ever.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading They were too engrossed in their own unhappiness to take much notice of it; and what they saw merely distressed them, for so far his beneficent projects had not included them.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Ellen Berstoun was to have paid them another visit, but for some reason she put it off; and at this decision he was plunged for forty-eight consecutive hours into a frenzy, alternately of relief and despair, which left him at last more lackadaisical than ever.
carry out
From this reading They were too engrossed in their own unhappiness to take much notice of it; and what they saw merely distressed them, for so far his beneficent projects had not included them.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Ellen Berstoun was to have paid them another visit, but for some reason she put it off; and at this decision he was plunged for forty-eight consecutive hours into a frenzy, alternately of relief and despair, which left him at last more lackadaisical than ever.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading In the meantime, the two least satisfactory members of the family were sadly enduring the consequences of their foolishness.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading In the meantime, the two least satisfactory members of the family were sadly enduring the consequences of their foolishness.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading To Frank and Jean the world seemed a very gray place at present; and even the daily increasing juvenility of their parent failed to enliven them.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Frank moped about the house, consorted occasionally with an acquaintance, now and then went away for a day's golf, and at frequent intervals confided to Jean his disgust with the arrangements of the universe.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They were too engrossed in their own unhappiness to take much notice of it; and what they saw merely distressed them, for so far his beneficent projects had not included them.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Ellen Berstoun was to have paid them another visit, but for some reason she put it off; and at this decision he was plunged for forty-eight consecutive hours into a frenzy, alternately of relief and despair, which left him at last more lackadaisical than ever.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading To Frank and Jean the world seemed a very gray place at present; and even the daily increasing juvenility of their parent failed to enliven them.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading They were too engrossed in their own unhappiness to take much notice of it; and what they saw merely distressed them, for so far his beneficent projects had not included them.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading In the meantime, the two least satisfactory members of the family were sadly enduring the consequences of their foolishness.
unhappinessnounUS /ənˈhæpinɪs/
emotions experienced when not in a state of well-being
From this reading They were too engrossed in their own unhappiness to take much notice of it; and what they saw merely distressed them, for so far his beneficent projects had not included them.
universenounUS /ˈjuːnəvɜːrs/
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading Frank moped about the house, consorted occasionally with an acquaintance, now and then went away for a day's golf, and at frequent intervals confided to Jean his disgust with the arrangements of the universe.
precisely as stated
From this reading To Frank and Jean the world seemed a very gray place at present; and even the daily increasing juvenility of their parent failed to enliven them.
go to see a place, as for entertainment
From this reading Ellen Berstoun was to have paid them another visit, but for some reason she put it off; and at this decision he was plunged for forty-eight consecutive hours into a frenzy, alternately of relief and despair, which left him at last more lackadaisical than ever.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Ellen Berstoun was to have paid them another visit, but for some reason she put it off; and at this decision he was plunged for forty-eight consecutive hours into a frenzy, alternately of relief and despair, which left him at last more lackadaisical than ever.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Frank moped about the house, consorted occasionally with an acquaintance, now and then went away for a day's golf, and at frequent intervals confided to Jean his disgust with the arrangements of the universe.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading In the meantime, the two least satisfactory members of the family were sadly enduring the consequences of their foolishness.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading They were too engrossed in their own unhappiness to take much notice of it; and what they saw merely distressed them, for so far his beneficent projects had not included them.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Ellen Berstoun was to have paid them another visit, but for some reason she put it off; and at this decision he was plunged for forty-eight consecutive hours into a frenzy, alternately of relief and despair, which left him at last more lackadaisical than ever.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Frank moped about the house, consorted occasionally with an acquaintance, now and then went away for a day's golf, and at frequent intervals confided to Jean his disgust with the arrangements of the universe.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading To Frank and Jean the world seemed a very gray place at present; and even the daily increasing juvenility of their parent failed to enliven them.
