AdeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A VAIN PURSUIT Youth was strong in Harry, and, while he danced and the music played, he forgot all about the incident in the smoking-room.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading A VAIN PURSUIT Youth was strong in Harry, and, while he danced and the music played, he forgot all about the incident in the smoking-room.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading With him it was just one pretty girl after another.
alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading A VAIN PURSUIT Youth was strong in Harry, and, while he danced and the music played, he forgot all about the incident in the smoking-room.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A VAIN PURSUIT Youth was strong in Harry, and, while he danced and the music played, he forgot all about the incident in the smoking-room.
anotherdeterminerUS /əˈnʌðər/
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading With him it was just one pretty girl after another.
ballnounUS /bɔːl/
round object that is hit or thrown or kicked in games
From this reading Those were the days when a ball lasted long.
battlefieldsnounUS /ˈbætəlfiːldz/
plural of “battlefield” — a region where a battle is being (or has been) fought
From this reading He had heart enough for them all, and only one who was so young and who had been so long on battlefields could well understand what a keen, even poignant, pleasure it was to be with them.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading He had heart enough for them all, and only one who was so young and who had been so long on battlefields could well understand what a keen, even poignant, pleasure it was to be with them.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading He had heart enough for them all, and only one who was so young and who had been so long on battlefields could well understand what a keen, even poignant, pleasure it was to be with them.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Pleasures did not come often, but when they came they were to be enjoyed to the full.
cameverbUS /keɪm/
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Pleasures did not come often, but when they came they were to be enjoyed to the full.
comeverbUS /kʌm/
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Pleasures did not come often, but when they came they were to be enjoyed to the full.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading He had heart enough for them all, and only one who was so young and who had been so long on battlefields could well understand what a keen, even poignant, pleasure it was to be with them.
dancedverbUS /dænst/
past form of “dance” — move in a graceful and rhythmical way
From this reading A VAIN PURSUIT Youth was strong in Harry, and, while he danced and the music played, he forgot all about the incident in the smoking-room.
daysnounUS /deɪz/
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading Those were the days when a ball lasted long.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Pleasures did not come often, but when they came they were to be enjoyed to the full.
enjoyedverbUS /ˌenˈdʒɔɪd/
past form of “enjoy” — derive or receive pleasure from; get enjoyment from; take pleasure in
From this reading Pleasures did not come often, but when they came they were to be enjoyed to the full.
enoughnounUS /ɪˈnʌf/
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading He had heart enough for them all, and only one who was so young and who had been so long on battlefields could well understand what a keen, even poignant, pleasure it was to be with them.
evenadjectiveUS /ˈiːvɪn/
divisible by two
From this reading He had heart enough for them all, and only one who was so young and who had been so long on battlefields could well understand what a keen, even poignant, pleasure it was to be with them.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He had heart enough for them all, and only one who was so young and who had been so long on battlefields could well understand what a keen, even poignant, pleasure it was to be with them.
forgotverbUS /fərˈɡɑːt/
inflected form of “forget” — dismiss from the mind; stop remembering
From this reading A VAIN PURSUIT Youth was strong in Harry, and, while he danced and the music played, he forgot all about the incident in the smoking-room.
fulladjectiveUS /fʊl/
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading Pleasures did not come often, but when they came they were to be enjoyed to the full.
girlnounUS /ɡɜːrl/
a young female
From this reading With him it was just one pretty girl after another.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had heart enough for them all, and only one who was so young and who had been so long on battlefields could well understand what a keen, even poignant, pleasure it was to be with them.
HarryverbUS /ˈheri/
annoy continually or chronically
From this reading A VAIN PURSUIT Youth was strong in Harry, and, while he danced and the music played, he forgot all about the incident in the smoking-room.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading A VAIN PURSUIT Youth was strong in Harry, and, while he danced and the music played, he forgot all about the incident in the smoking-room.
heartnounUS /hɑːrt/
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading He had heart enough for them all, and only one who was so young and who had been so long on battlefields could well understand what a keen, even poignant, pleasure it was to be with them.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading With him it was just one pretty girl after another.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A VAIN PURSUIT Youth was strong in Harry, and, while he danced and the music played, he forgot all about the incident in the smoking-room.
incidentnounUS /ˈɪnsədənt/
a single distinct event
From this reading A VAIN PURSUIT Youth was strong in Harry, and, while he danced and the music played, he forgot all about the incident in the smoking-room.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading With him it was just one pretty girl after another.
justadverbUS /dʒʌst/
and nothing more
From this reading With him it was just one pretty girl after another.
keenadjectiveUS /kiːn/
having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions
From this reading He had heart enough for them all, and only one who was so young and who had been so long on battlefields could well understand what a keen, even poignant, pleasure it was to be with them.
lastedverbUS /ˈlæstəd/
past form of “last” — persist for a specified period of time
From this reading Those were the days when a ball lasted long.
longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/
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 He had heart enough for them all, and only one who was so young and who had been so long on battlefields could well understand what a keen, even poignant, pleasure it was to be with them.
musicnounUS /ˈmjuːzɪk/
an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner
From this reading A VAIN PURSUIT Youth was strong in Harry, and, while he danced and the music played, he forgot all about the incident in the smoking-room.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Pleasures did not come often, but when they came they were to be enjoyed to the full.
oftenadverbUS /ˈɔːfən/
many times at short intervals
From this reading Pleasures did not come often, but when they came they were to be enjoyed to the full.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He had heart enough for them all, and only one who was so young and who had been so long on battlefields could well understand what a keen, even poignant, pleasure it was to be with them.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading With him it was just one pretty girl after another.
onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/
and nothing more
From this reading He had heart enough for them all, and only one who was so young and who had been so long on battlefields could well understand what a keen, even poignant, pleasure it was to be with them.
playedadjectiveUS /pleɪd/
(of games) engaged in
From this reading A VAIN PURSUIT Youth was strong in Harry, and, while he danced and the music played, he forgot all about the incident in the smoking-room.
pleasurenounUS /ˈpleʒər/
a fundamental feeling that is hard to define but that people desire to experience
From this reading He had heart enough for them all, and only one who was so young and who had been so long on battlefields could well understand what a keen, even poignant, pleasure it was to be with them.
PleasuresnounUS /ˈpleʒərz/
plural of “pleasure” — a fundamental feeling that is hard to define but that people desire to experience
From this reading Pleasures did not come often, but when they came they were to be enjoyed to the full.
poignantadjectiveUS /ˈpɔɪnjənt/
arousing affect
From this reading He had heart enough for them all, and only one who was so young and who had been so long on battlefields could well understand what a keen, even poignant, pleasure it was to be with them.
prettyadjectiveUS /ˈprɪti/
pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing
From this reading With him it was just one pretty girl after another.
PURSUITnounUS /pərˈsuːt/
the act of pursuing in an effort to overtake or capture
From this reading A VAIN PURSUIT Youth was strong in Harry, and, while he danced and the music played, he forgot all about the incident in the smoking-room.
smoking-room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A VAIN PURSUIT Youth was strong in Harry, and, while he danced and the music played, he forgot all about the incident in the smoking-room.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading He had heart enough for them all, and only one who was so young and who had been so long on battlefields could well understand what a keen, even poignant, pleasure it was to be with them.
strongadjectiveUS /strɔːŋ/
having strength or power greater than average or expected
From this reading A VAIN PURSUIT Youth was strong in Harry, and, while he danced and the music played, he forgot all about the incident in the smoking-room.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A VAIN PURSUIT Youth was strong in Harry, and, while he danced and the music played, he forgot all about the incident in the smoking-room.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading He had heart enough for them all, and only one who was so young and who had been so long on battlefields could well understand what a keen, even poignant, pleasure it was to be with them.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Pleasures did not come often, but when they came they were to be enjoyed to the full.
ThosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading Those were the days when a ball lasted long.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He had heart enough for them all, and only one who was so young and who had been so long on battlefields could well understand what a keen, even poignant, pleasure it was to be with them.
understandverbUS /ˌʌndərˈstænd/
know and comprehend the nature or meaning of
From this reading He had heart enough for them all, and only one who was so young and who had been so long on battlefields could well understand what a keen, even poignant, pleasure it was to be with them.
VAINadjectiveUS /veɪn/
characteristic of false pride; having an exaggerated sense of self-importance
From this reading A VAIN PURSUIT Youth was strong in Harry, and, while he danced and the music played, he forgot all about the incident in the smoking-room.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A VAIN PURSUIT Youth was strong in Harry, and, while he danced and the music played, he forgot all about the incident in the smoking-room.
welladverbUS /wel/
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading He had heart enough for them all, and only one who was so young and who had been so long on battlefields could well understand what a keen, even poignant, pleasure it was to be with them.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Those were the days when a ball lasted long.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading He had heart enough for them all, and only one who was so young and who had been so long on battlefields could well understand what a keen, even poignant, pleasure it was to be with them.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading Those were the days when a ball lasted long.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading A VAIN PURSUIT Youth was strong in Harry, and, while he danced and the music played, he forgot all about the incident in the smoking-room.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading He had heart enough for them all, and only one who was so young and who had been so long on battlefields could well understand what a keen, even poignant, pleasure it was to be with them.
WithprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading With him it was just one pretty girl after another.
youngadjectiveUS /jʌŋ/
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading He had heart enough for them all, and only one who was so young and who had been so long on battlefields could well understand what a keen, even poignant, pleasure it was to be with them.
YouthnounUS /juːθ/
a young person (especially a young man or boy)
From this reading A VAIN PURSUIT Youth was strong in Harry, and, while he danced and the music played, he forgot all about the incident in the smoking-room.
