used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He had been able to count on this because the Whitneys had a certain pride in preserving some of the customs of the generation before them; at least Martin had, and Frederica's good-natured, rueful acquiescence gave her at once something to laugh at him a little about and a handy leverage for the extraction of miscellaneous concessions.
(usually followed by “to”) having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something
From this reading He had been able to count on this because the Whitneys had a certain pride in preserving some of the customs of the generation before them; at least Martin had, and Frederica's good-natured, rueful acquiescence gave her at once something to laugh at him a little about and a handy leverage for the extraction of miscellaneous concessions.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading He had been able to count on this because the Whitneys had a certain pride in preserving some of the customs of the generation before them; at least Martin had, and Frederica's good-natured, rueful acquiescence gave her at once something to laugh at him a little about and a handy leverage for the extraction of miscellaneous concessions.
acquiescencenounUS /ˌækwiˈesəns/
acceptance without protest
From this reading He had been able to count on this because the Whitneys had a certain pride in preserving some of the customs of the generation before them; at least Martin had, and Frederica's good-natured, rueful acquiescence gave her at once something to laugh at him a little about and a handy leverage for the extraction of miscellaneous concessions.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading Martin never was and he always left the house for his office at exactly eight-twenty.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He had been able to count on this because the Whitneys had a certain pride in preserving some of the customs of the generation before them; at least Martin had, and Frederica's good-natured, rueful acquiescence gave her at once something to laugh at him a little about and a handy leverage for the extraction of miscellaneous concessions.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading His chauffeur was trained to take just ten minutes trundling the big car down-town, and eight-thirty found him at his desk as invariably as it had found his father before him.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading FREDERICA'S PARADOX Two days later, at half past eight in the morning, he walked in on Frederica at breakfast with her two eldest children.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading It wasn't exactly a misdemeanor to be late to breakfast--it began promptly at eight o'clock--but it was distinctly meritorious not to be.
for the reason that
From this reading He had been able to count on this because the Whitneys had a certain pride in preserving some of the customs of the generation before them; at least Martin had, and Frederica's good-natured, rueful acquiescence gave her at once something to laugh at him a little about and a handy leverage for the extraction of miscellaneous concessions.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading He had been able to count on this because the Whitneys had a certain pride in preserving some of the customs of the generation before them; at least Martin had, and Frederica's good-natured, rueful acquiescence gave her at once something to laugh at him a little about and a handy leverage for the extraction of miscellaneous concessions.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading He had been able to count on this because the Whitneys had a certain pride in preserving some of the customs of the generation before them; at least Martin had, and Frederica's good-natured, rueful acquiescence gave her at once something to laugh at him a little about and a handy leverage for the extraction of miscellaneous concessions.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading It wasn't exactly a misdemeanor to be late to breakfast--it began promptly at eight o'clock--but it was distinctly meritorious not to be.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading His chauffeur was trained to take just ten minutes trundling the big car down-town, and eight-thirty found him at his desk as invariably as it had found his father before him.
eat an early morning meal
From this reading FREDERICA'S PARADOX Two days later, at half past eight in the morning, he walked in on Frederica at breakfast with her two eldest children.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading It wasn't exactly a misdemeanor to be late to breakfast--it began promptly at eight o'clock--but it was distinctly meritorious not to be.
a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine
From this reading His chauffeur was trained to take just ten minutes trundling the big car down-town, and eight-thirty found him at his desk as invariably as it had found his father before him.
definite but not specified or identified
From this reading He had been able to count on this because the Whitneys had a certain pride in preserving some of the customs of the generation before them; at least Martin had, and Frederica's good-natured, rueful acquiescence gave her at once something to laugh at him a little about and a handy leverage for the extraction of miscellaneous concessions.
chauffeurnounUS /ʃoʊˈfɜːr/
a man paid to drive a privately owned car
From this reading His chauffeur was trained to take just ten minutes trundling the big car down-town, and eight-thirty found him at his desk as invariably as it had found his father before him.
plural of “child” — a young person of either sex
From this reading FREDERICA'S PARADOX Two days later, at half past eight in the morning, he walked in on Frederica at breakfast with her two eldest children.
concessionsnounUS /kənˈseʃənz/
plural of “concession” — a contract granting the right to operate a subsidiary business
From this reading He had been able to count on this because the Whitneys had a certain pride in preserving some of the customs of the generation before them; at least Martin had, and Frederica's good-natured, rueful acquiescence gave her at once something to laugh at him a little about and a handy leverage for the extraction of miscellaneous concessions.
determine the number or amount of
From this reading He had been able to count on this because the Whitneys had a certain pride in preserving some of the customs of the generation before them; at least Martin had, and Frederica's good-natured, rueful acquiescence gave her at once something to laugh at him a little about and a handy leverage for the extraction of miscellaneous concessions.
customsnounUS /ˈkʌstəmz/
money collected under a tariff
From this reading He had been able to count on this because the Whitneys had a certain pride in preserving some of the customs of the generation before them; at least Martin had, and Frederica's good-natured, rueful acquiescence gave her at once something to laugh at him a little about and a handy leverage for the extraction of miscellaneous concessions.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading FREDERICA'S PARADOX Two days later, at half past eight in the morning, he walked in on Frederica at breakfast with her two eldest children.
a piece of furniture with a writing surface and usually drawers or other compartments
From this reading His chauffeur was trained to take just ten minutes trundling the big car down-town, and eight-thirty found him at his desk as invariably as it had found his father before him.
clear to the mind; with distinct mental discernment
From this reading It wasn't exactly a misdemeanor to be late to breakfast--it began promptly at eight o'clock--but it was distinctly meritorious not to be.
down-town
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His chauffeur was trained to take just ten minutes trundling the big car down-town, and eight-thirty found him at his desk as invariably as it had found his father before him.
being one more than seven
From this reading FREDERICA'S PARADOX Two days later, at half past eight in the morning, he walked in on Frederica at breakfast with her two eldest children.
eight-thirty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His chauffeur was trained to take just ten minutes trundling the big car down-town, and eight-thirty found him at his desk as invariably as it had found his father before him.
eight-twenty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Martin never was and he always left the house for his office at exactly eight-twenty.
eldestadjectiveUS /ˈeldəst/
first in order of birth
From this reading FREDERICA'S PARADOX Two days later, at half past eight in the morning, he walked in on Frederica at breakfast with her two eldest children.
indicating exactness or preciseness
From this reading It wasn't exactly a misdemeanor to be late to breakfast--it began promptly at eight o'clock--but it was distinctly meritorious not to be.
extractionnounUS /ekˈstrækʃən/
the process of obtaining something from a mixture or compound by chemical or physical or mechanical means
From this reading He had been able to count on this because the Whitneys had a certain pride in preserving some of the customs of the generation before them; at least Martin had, and Frederica's good-natured, rueful acquiescence gave her at once something to laugh at him a little about and a handy leverage for the extraction of miscellaneous concessions.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading His chauffeur was trained to take just ten minutes trundling the big car down-town, and eight-thirty found him at his desk as invariably as it had found his father before him.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He had been able to count on this because the Whitneys had a certain pride in preserving some of the customs of the generation before them; at least Martin had, and Frederica's good-natured, rueful acquiescence gave her at once something to laugh at him a little about and a handy leverage for the extraction of miscellaneous concessions.
set up or found
From this reading His chauffeur was trained to take just ten minutes trundling the big car down-town, and eight-thirty found him at his desk as invariably as it had found his father before him.
Frederica
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading FREDERICA'S PARADOX Two days later, at half past eight in the morning, he walked in on Frederica at breakfast with her two eldest children.
FREDERICA'S
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading FREDERICA'S PARADOX Two days later, at half past eight in the morning, he walked in on Frederica at breakfast with her two eldest children.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading He had been able to count on this because the Whitneys had a certain pride in preserving some of the customs of the generation before them; at least Martin had, and Frederica's good-natured, rueful acquiescence gave her at once something to laugh at him a little about and a handy leverage for the extraction of miscellaneous concessions.
generationnounUS /ˌdʒenərˈeɪʃən/
all the people living at the same time or of approximately the same age
From this reading He had been able to count on this because the Whitneys had a certain pride in preserving some of the customs of the generation before them; at least Martin had, and Frederica's good-natured, rueful acquiescence gave her at once something to laugh at him a little about and a handy leverage for the extraction of miscellaneous concessions.
good-naturedadjective
having an easygoing and cheerful disposition
From this reading He had been able to count on this because the Whitneys had a certain pride in preserving some of the customs of the generation before them; at least Martin had, and Frederica's good-natured, rueful acquiescence gave her at once something to laugh at him a little about and a handy leverage for the extraction of miscellaneous concessions.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had been able to count on this because the Whitneys had a certain pride in preserving some of the customs of the generation before them; at least Martin had, and Frederica's good-natured, rueful acquiescence gave her at once something to laugh at him a little about and a handy leverage for the extraction of miscellaneous concessions.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading FREDERICA'S PARADOX Two days later, at half past eight in the morning, he walked in on Frederica at breakfast with her two eldest children.
handyadjectiveUS /ˈhændi/
easy to reach
From this reading He had been able to count on this because the Whitneys had a certain pride in preserving some of the customs of the generation before them; at least Martin had, and Frederica's good-natured, rueful acquiescence gave her at once something to laugh at him a little about and a handy leverage for the extraction of miscellaneous concessions.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading FREDERICA'S PARADOX Two days later, at half past eight in the morning, he walked in on Frederica at breakfast with her two eldest children.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading FREDERICA'S PARADOX Two days later, at half past eight in the morning, he walked in on Frederica at breakfast with her two eldest children.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He had been able to count on this because the Whitneys had a certain pride in preserving some of the customs of the generation before them; at least Martin had, and Frederica's good-natured, rueful acquiescence gave her at once something to laugh at him a little about and a handy leverage for the extraction of miscellaneous concessions.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Martin never was and he always left the house for his office at exactly eight-twenty.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading Martin never was and he always left the house for his office at exactly eight-twenty.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading FREDERICA'S PARADOX Two days later, at half past eight in the morning, he walked in on Frederica at breakfast with her two eldest children.
invariablyadverbUS /ˌɪnˈveriəbli/
without variation or change, in every case
From this reading His chauffeur was trained to take just ten minutes trundling the big car down-town, and eight-thirty found him at his desk as invariably as it had found his father before him.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It wasn't exactly a misdemeanor to be late to breakfast--it began promptly at eight o'clock--but it was distinctly meritorious not to be.
and nothing more
From this reading His chauffeur was trained to take just ten minutes trundling the big car down-town, and eight-thirty found him at his desk as invariably as it had found his father before him.
being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time
From this reading It wasn't exactly a misdemeanor to be late to breakfast--it began promptly at eight o'clock--but it was distinctly meritorious not to be.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading FREDERICA'S PARADOX Two days later, at half past eight in the morning, he walked in on Frederica at breakfast with her two eldest children.
the sound of laughing
From this reading He had been able to count on this because the Whitneys had a certain pride in preserving some of the customs of the generation before them; at least Martin had, and Frederica's good-natured, rueful acquiescence gave her at once something to laugh at him a little about and a handy leverage for the extraction of miscellaneous concessions.
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 He had been able to count on this because the Whitneys had a certain pride in preserving some of the customs of the generation before them; at least Martin had, and Frederica's good-natured, rueful acquiescence gave her at once something to laugh at him a little about and a handy leverage for the extraction of miscellaneous concessions.
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 Martin never was and he always left the house for his office at exactly eight-twenty.
leveragenounUS /ˈlevərɪdʒ/
the mechanical advantage gained by being in a position to use a lever
From this reading He had been able to count on this because the Whitneys had a certain pride in preserving some of the customs of the generation before them; at least Martin had, and Frederica's good-natured, rueful acquiescence gave her at once something to laugh at him a little about and a handy leverage for the extraction of miscellaneous concessions.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading He had been able to count on this because the Whitneys had a certain pride in preserving some of the customs of the generation before them; at least Martin had, and Frederica's good-natured, rueful acquiescence gave her at once something to laugh at him a little about and a handy leverage for the extraction of miscellaneous concessions.
French bishop who is a patron saint of France (died in 397)
From this reading He had been able to count on this because the Whitneys had a certain pride in preserving some of the customs of the generation before them; at least Martin had, and Frederica's good-natured, rueful acquiescence gave her at once something to laugh at him a little about and a handy leverage for the extraction of miscellaneous concessions.
meritoriousadjectiveUS /ˌmerəˈtɔːriəs/
deserving reward or praise
From this reading It wasn't exactly a misdemeanor to be late to breakfast--it began promptly at eight o'clock--but it was distinctly meritorious not to be.
a written account of what transpired at a meeting
From this reading His chauffeur was trained to take just ten minutes trundling the big car down-town, and eight-thirty found him at his desk as invariably as it had found his father before him.
miscellaneousadjectiveUS /ˌmɪsəˈleɪniəs/
consisting of a haphazard assortment of different kinds
From this reading He had been able to count on this because the Whitneys had a certain pride in preserving some of the customs of the generation before them; at least Martin had, and Frederica's good-natured, rueful acquiescence gave her at once something to laugh at him a little about and a handy leverage for the extraction of miscellaneous concessions.
misdemeanornounUS /ˌmɪsdəˈmiːnər/
a crime less serious than a felony
From this reading It wasn't exactly a misdemeanor to be late to breakfast--it began promptly at eight o'clock--but it was distinctly meritorious not to be.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading FREDERICA'S PARADOX Two days later, at half past eight in the morning, he walked in on Frederica at breakfast with her two eldest children.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading Martin never was and he always left the house for his office at exactly eight-twenty.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading It wasn't exactly a misdemeanor to be late to breakfast--it began promptly at eight o'clock--but it was distinctly meritorious not to be.
o'clockadverbUS /əˈklɑːk/
according to the clock
From this reading It wasn't exactly a misdemeanor to be late to breakfast--it began promptly at eight o'clock--but it was distinctly meritorious not to be.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He had been able to count on this because the Whitneys had a certain pride in preserving some of the customs of the generation before them; at least Martin had, and Frederica's good-natured, rueful acquiescence gave her at once something to laugh at him a little about and a handy leverage for the extraction of miscellaneous concessions.
place of business where professional or clerical duties are performed
From this reading Martin never was and he always left the house for his office at exactly eight-twenty.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading FREDERICA'S PARADOX Two days later, at half past eight in the morning, he walked in on Frederica at breakfast with her two eldest children.
on one occasion
From this reading He had been able to count on this because the Whitneys had a certain pride in preserving some of the customs of the generation before them; at least Martin had, and Frederica's good-natured, rueful acquiescence gave her at once something to laugh at him a little about and a handy leverage for the extraction of miscellaneous concessions.
PARADOXnounUS /ˈperədɑːks/
(logic) a statement that contradicts itself
From this reading FREDERICA'S PARADOX Two days later, at half past eight in the morning, he walked in on Frederica at breakfast with her two eldest children.
the time that has elapsed
From this reading FREDERICA'S PARADOX Two days later, at half past eight in the morning, he walked in on Frederica at breakfast with her two eldest children.
preservingverbUS /prəˈzɜːrvɪŋ/
-ing form of “preserve” — keep or maintain in unaltered condition; cause to remain or last
From this reading He had been able to count on this because the Whitneys had a certain pride in preserving some of the customs of the generation before them; at least Martin had, and Frederica's good-natured, rueful acquiescence gave her at once something to laugh at him a little about and a handy leverage for the extraction of miscellaneous concessions.
a feeling of self-respect and personal worth
From this reading He had been able to count on this because the Whitneys had a certain pride in preserving some of the customs of the generation before them; at least Martin had, and Frederica's good-natured, rueful acquiescence gave her at once something to laugh at him a little about and a handy leverage for the extraction of miscellaneous concessions.
promptlyadverbUS /ˈprɑːmptli/
with little or no delay
From this reading It wasn't exactly a misdemeanor to be late to breakfast--it began promptly at eight o'clock--but it was distinctly meritorious not to be.
ruefuladjectiveUS /ˈruːfəl/
feeling or expressing pain or sorrow for sins or offenses
From this reading He had been able to count on this because the Whitneys had a certain pride in preserving some of the customs of the generation before them; at least Martin had, and Frederica's good-natured, rueful acquiescence gave her at once something to laugh at him a little about and a handy leverage for the extraction of miscellaneous concessions.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading He had been able to count on this because the Whitneys had a certain pride in preserving some of the customs of the generation before them; at least Martin had, and Frederica's good-natured, rueful acquiescence gave her at once something to laugh at him a little about and a handy leverage for the extraction of miscellaneous concessions.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading He had been able to count on this because the Whitneys had a certain pride in preserving some of the customs of the generation before them; at least Martin had, and Frederica's good-natured, rueful acquiescence gave her at once something to laugh at him a little about and a handy leverage for the extraction of miscellaneous concessions.
carry out
From this reading His chauffeur was trained to take just ten minutes trundling the big car down-town, and eight-thirty found him at his desk as invariably as it had found his father before him.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading His chauffeur was trained to take just ten minutes trundling the big car down-town, and eight-thirty found him at his desk as invariably as it had found his father before him.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading FREDERICA'S PARADOX Two days later, at half past eight in the morning, he walked in on Frederica at breakfast with her two eldest children.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading He had been able to count on this because the Whitneys had a certain pride in preserving some of the customs of the generation before them; at least Martin had, and Frederica's good-natured, rueful acquiescence gave her at once something to laugh at him a little about and a handy leverage for the extraction of miscellaneous concessions.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading He had been able to count on this because the Whitneys had a certain pride in preserving some of the customs of the generation before them; at least Martin had, and Frederica's good-natured, rueful acquiescence gave her at once something to laugh at him a little about and a handy leverage for the extraction of miscellaneous concessions.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He had been able to count on this because the Whitneys had a certain pride in preserving some of the customs of the generation before them; at least Martin had, and Frederica's good-natured, rueful acquiescence gave her at once something to laugh at him a little about and a handy leverage for the extraction of miscellaneous concessions.
trainedadjectiveUS /treɪnd/
shaped or conditioned or disciplined by training; often used as a combining form
From this reading His chauffeur was trained to take just ten minutes trundling the big car down-town, and eight-thirty found him at his desk as invariably as it had found his father before him.
trundling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His chauffeur was trained to take just ten minutes trundling the big car down-town, and eight-thirty found him at his desk as invariably as it had found his father before him.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading FREDERICA'S PARADOX Two days later, at half past eight in the morning, he walked in on Frederica at breakfast with her two eldest children.
past form of “walk” — use one's feet to advance; advance by steps
From this reading FREDERICA'S PARADOX Two days later, at half past eight in the morning, he walked in on Frederica at breakfast with her two eldest children.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It wasn't exactly a misdemeanor to be late to breakfast--it began promptly at eight o'clock--but it was distinctly meritorious not to be.
wasn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It wasn't exactly a misdemeanor to be late to breakfast--it began promptly at eight o'clock--but it was distinctly meritorious not to be.
Whitneys
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had been able to count on this because the Whitneys had a certain pride in preserving some of the customs of the generation before them; at least Martin had, and Frederica's good-natured, rueful acquiescence gave her at once something to laugh at him a little about and a handy leverage for the extraction of miscellaneous concessions.
in the company of; together with
From this reading FREDERICA'S PARADOX Two days later, at half past eight in the morning, he walked in on Frederica at breakfast with her two eldest children.
