used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The next day was a busy one for Mrs. Eames.
completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers
From this reading Her plea was that it was absolutely necessary for her to consult with her "auntie" on matters of grave family importance.
(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 She had spent a whole day the week before and two half-days in the course of a fortnight in the same way; and the "auntie" had been in the vicarage kitchen for several hours on all the other days.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading As an excuse for asking for another holiday the family consultation would not have impressed the simplest and most inexperienced mistress, and Mrs. Eames was no fool.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She had spent a whole day the week before and two half-days in the course of a fortnight in the same way; and the "auntie" had been in the vicarage kitchen for several hours on all the other days.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading As an excuse for asking for another holiday the family consultation would not have impressed the simplest and most inexperienced mistress, and Mrs. Eames was no fool.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As an excuse for asking for another holiday the family consultation would not have impressed the simplest and most inexperienced mistress, and Mrs. Eames was no fool.
the verbal act of requesting
From this reading As an excuse for asking for another holiday the family consultation would not have impressed the simplest and most inexperienced mistress, and Mrs. Eames was no fool.
auntienounUS /ˈænti/
the sister of your father or mother; the wife of your uncle
From this reading Her plea was that it was absolutely necessary for her to consult with her "auntie" on matters of grave family importance.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading She had spent a whole day the week before and two half-days in the course of a fortnight in the same way; and the "auntie" had been in the vicarage kitchen for several hours on all the other days.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading She had spent a whole day the week before and two half-days in the course of a fortnight in the same way; and the "auntie" had been in the vicarage kitchen for several hours on all the other days.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading It began with a demand from Gladys for a whole holiday.
actively or fully engaged or occupied
From this reading The next day was a busy one for Mrs. Eames.
consultverbUS /kənˈsʌlt/
get or ask advice from
From this reading Her plea was that it was absolutely necessary for her to consult with her "auntie" on matters of grave family importance.
consultationnounUS /ˌkɑːnsəlˈteɪʃən/
a conference (usually with someone important)
From this reading As an excuse for asking for another holiday the family consultation would not have impressed the simplest and most inexperienced mistress, and Mrs. Eames was no fool.
education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading She had spent a whole day the week before and two half-days in the course of a fortnight in the same way; and the "auntie" had been in the vicarage kitchen for several hours on all the other days.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading The next day was a busy one for Mrs. Eames.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading She had spent a whole day the week before and two half-days in the course of a fortnight in the same way; and the "auntie" had been in the vicarage kitchen for several hours on all the other days.
an urgent or peremptory request
From this reading It began with a demand from Gladys for a whole holiday.
EamesnounUS /iːmz/
United States designer noted for an innovative series of chairs (1907-1978)
From this reading The next day was a busy one for Mrs. Eames.
accept an excuse for
From this reading As an excuse for asking for another holiday the family consultation would not have impressed the simplest and most inexperienced mistress, and Mrs. Eames was no fool.
a social unit living together
From this reading Her plea was that it was absolutely necessary for her to consult with her "auntie" on matters of grave family importance.
a person who lacks good judgment
From this reading As an excuse for asking for another holiday the family consultation would not have impressed the simplest and most inexperienced mistress, and Mrs. Eames was no fool.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The next day was a busy one for Mrs. Eames.
fortnightnounUS /ˈfɔːrtnaɪt/
a period of fourteen consecutive days
From this reading She had spent a whole day the week before and two half-days in the course of a fortnight in the same way; and the "auntie" had been in the vicarage kitchen for several hours on all the other days.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading It began with a demand from Gladys for a whole holiday.
Gladys
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It began with a demand from Gladys for a whole holiday.
death of a person
From this reading Her plea was that it was absolutely necessary for her to consult with her "auntie" on matters of grave family importance.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading She had spent a whole day the week before and two half-days in the course of a fortnight in the same way; and the "auntie" had been in the vicarage kitchen for several hours on all the other days.
half-days
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had spent a whole day the week before and two half-days in the course of a fortnight in the same way; and the "auntie" had been in the vicarage kitchen for several hours on all the other days.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading As an excuse for asking for another holiday the family consultation would not have impressed the simplest and most inexperienced mistress, and Mrs. Eames was no fool.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Her plea was that it was absolutely necessary for her to consult with her "auntie" on matters of grave family importance.
holidaynounUS /ˈhɑːlədeɪ/
leisure time away from work devoted to rest or pleasure
From this reading It began with a demand from Gladys for a whole holiday.
a period of time assigned for work
From this reading She had spent a whole day the week before and two half-days in the course of a fortnight in the same way; and the "auntie" had been in the vicarage kitchen for several hours on all the other days.
the quality of being important and worthy of note
From this reading Her plea was that it was absolutely necessary for her to consult with her "auntie" on matters of grave family importance.
deeply or markedly affected or influenced
From this reading As an excuse for asking for another holiday the family consultation would not have impressed the simplest and most inexperienced mistress, and Mrs. Eames was no fool.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading She had spent a whole day the week before and two half-days in the course of a fortnight in the same way; and the "auntie" had been in the vicarage kitchen for several hours on all the other days.
inexperiencedadjectiveUS /ɪnɪkˈspɪriənst/
lacking practical experience or training
From this reading As an excuse for asking for another holiday the family consultation would not have impressed the simplest and most inexperienced mistress, and Mrs. Eames was no fool.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It began with a demand from Gladys for a whole holiday.
a room equipped for preparing meals
From this reading She had spent a whole day the week before and two half-days in the course of a fortnight in the same way; and the "auntie" had been in the vicarage kitchen for several hours on all the other days.
plural of “matter” — a vaguely specified concern
From this reading Her plea was that it was absolutely necessary for her to consult with her "auntie" on matters of grave family importance.
an adulterous woman; a woman who has an ongoing extramarital sexual relationship with a man
From this reading As an excuse for asking for another holiday the family consultation would not have impressed the simplest and most inexperienced mistress, and Mrs. Eames was no fool.
used to form the superlative
From this reading As an excuse for asking for another holiday the family consultation would not have impressed the simplest and most inexperienced mistress, and Mrs. Eames was no fool.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading The next day was a busy one for Mrs. Eames.
absolutely essential
From this reading Her plea was that it was absolutely necessary for her to consult with her "auntie" on matters of grave family importance.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading The next day was a busy one for Mrs. Eames.
not any; not one
From this reading As an excuse for asking for another holiday the family consultation would not have impressed the simplest and most inexperienced mistress, and Mrs. Eames was no fool.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading As an excuse for asking for another holiday the family consultation would not have impressed the simplest and most inexperienced mistress, and Mrs. Eames was no fool.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Her plea was that it was absolutely necessary for her to consult with her "auntie" on matters of grave family importance.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Her plea was that it was absolutely necessary for her to consult with her "auntie" on matters of grave family importance.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The next day was a busy one for Mrs. Eames.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading She had spent a whole day the week before and two half-days in the course of a fortnight in the same way; and the "auntie" had been in the vicarage kitchen for several hours on all the other days.
pleanounUS /pliː/
a humble request for help from someone in authority
From this reading Her plea was that it was absolutely necessary for her to consult with her "auntie" on matters of grave family importance.
Identical; not different.
From this reading She had spent a whole day the week before and two half-days in the course of a fortnight in the same way; and the "auntie" had been in the vicarage kitchen for several hours on all the other days.
(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many
From this reading She had spent a whole day the week before and two half-days in the course of a fortnight in the same way; and the "auntie" had been in the vicarage kitchen for several hours on all the other days.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She had spent a whole day the week before and two half-days in the course of a fortnight in the same way; and the "auntie" had been in the vicarage kitchen for several hours on all the other days.
simplestadjectiveUS /ˈsɪmpləst/
superlative of “simple” — having few parts; not complex or complicated or involved
From this reading As an excuse for asking for another holiday the family consultation would not have impressed the simplest and most inexperienced mistress, and Mrs. Eames was no fool.
depleted of energy, force, or strength
From this reading She had spent a whole day the week before and two half-days in the course of a fortnight in the same way; and the "auntie" had been in the vicarage kitchen for several hours on all the other days.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Her plea was that it was absolutely necessary for her to consult with her "auntie" on matters of grave family importance.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The next day was a busy one for Mrs. Eames.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Her plea was that it was absolutely necessary for her to consult with her "auntie" on matters of grave family importance.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading She had spent a whole day the week before and two half-days in the course of a fortnight in the same way; and the "auntie" had been in the vicarage kitchen for several hours on all the other days.
vicaragenoun
an official residence provided by a church for its parson or vicar or rector
From this reading She had spent a whole day the week before and two half-days in the course of a fortnight in the same way; and the "auntie" had been in the vicarage kitchen for several hours on all the other days.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The next day was a busy one for Mrs. Eames.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading She had spent a whole day the week before and two half-days in the course of a fortnight in the same way; and the "auntie" had been in the vicarage kitchen for several hours on all the other days.
any period of seven consecutive days
From this reading She had spent a whole day the week before and two half-days in the course of a fortnight in the same way; and the "auntie" had been in the vicarage kitchen for several hours on all the other days.
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading It began with a demand from Gladys for a whole holiday.
in the company of; together with
From this reading It began with a demand from Gladys for a whole holiday.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading As an excuse for asking for another holiday the family consultation would not have impressed the simplest and most inexperienced mistress, and Mrs. Eames was no fool.
