used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The luncheon was a terrible ordeal for Bee.
acknowledgedadjectiveUS /ækˈnɑːlɪdʒd/
recognized or made known or admitted
From this reading She attempted to eat, with an eye on the window, to watch for the arrival of the visitors, and an ear upon the subdued sounds of the house, through which she seemed to hear the distant step, the distant voice of someone whose presence was not acknowledged.
anew
From this reading But the nurse went out for her walk and came in again and nothing happened, and Charlie had his invalid dinner, which in his excitement he could not eat, and Bee was called downstairs to luncheon, and yet nobody came.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading She attempted to eat, with an eye on the window, to watch for the arrival of the visitors, and an ear upon the subdued sounds of the house, through which she seemed to hear the distant step, the distant voice of someone whose presence was not acknowledged.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading But the nurse went out for her walk and came in again and nothing happened, and Charlie had his invalid dinner, which in his excitement he could not eat, and Bee was called downstairs to luncheon, and yet nobody came.
accomplishment of an objective
From this reading She attempted to eat, with an eye on the window, to watch for the arrival of the visitors, and an ear upon the subdued sounds of the house, through which she seemed to hear the distant step, the distant voice of someone whose presence was not acknowledged.
tried unsuccessfully
From this reading She attempted to eat, with an eye on the window, to watch for the arrival of the visitors, and an ear upon the subdued sounds of the house, through which she seemed to hear the distant step, the distant voice of someone whose presence was not acknowledged.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading “Something must have detained papa,” she said, “I cannot understand it, but he is sure to come, and he will take me away.”
BeenounUS /biː/
any of numerous hairy-bodied insects including social and solitary species
From this reading But the nurse went out for her walk and came in again and nothing happened, and Charlie had his invalid dinner, which in his excitement he could not eat, and Bee was called downstairs to luncheon, and yet nobody came.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading She repeated with eagerness her little speech of the night before.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But the nurse went out for her walk and came in again and nothing happened, and Charlie had his invalid dinner, which in his excitement he could not eat, and Bee was called downstairs to luncheon, and yet nobody came.
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading But the nurse went out for her walk and came in again and nothing happened, and Charlie had his invalid dinner, which in his excitement he could not eat, and Bee was called downstairs to luncheon, and yet nobody came.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading But the nurse went out for her walk and came in again and nothing happened, and Charlie had his invalid dinner, which in his excitement he could not eat, and Bee was called downstairs to luncheon, and yet nobody came.
cannot
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Something must have detained papa,” she said, “I cannot understand it, but he is sure to come, and he will take me away.”
Charlie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But the nurse went out for her walk and came in again and nothing happened, and Charlie had his invalid dinner, which in his excitement he could not eat, and Bee was called downstairs to luncheon, and yet nobody came.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading “Something must have detained papa,” she said, “I cannot understand it, but he is sure to come, and he will take me away.”
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading But the nurse went out for her walk and came in again and nothing happened, and Charlie had his invalid dinner, which in his excitement he could not eat, and Bee was called downstairs to luncheon, and yet nobody came.
detainedverbUS /dɪˈteɪnd/
past form of “detain” — deprive of freedom; take into confinement
From this reading “Something must have detained papa,” she said, “I cannot understand it, but he is sure to come, and he will take me away.”
the main meal of the day served in the evening or at midday
From this reading But the nurse went out for her walk and came in again and nothing happened, and Charlie had his invalid dinner, which in his excitement he could not eat, and Bee was called downstairs to luncheon, and yet nobody came.
separated in space or coming from or going to a distance
From this reading She attempted to eat, with an eye on the window, to watch for the arrival of the visitors, and an ear upon the subdued sounds of the house, through which she seemed to hear the distant step, the distant voice of someone whose presence was not acknowledged.
downstairsadverbUS /ˈdaʊnˈsterz/
on a floor below
From this reading But the nurse went out for her walk and came in again and nothing happened, and Charlie had his invalid dinner, which in his excitement he could not eat, and Bee was called downstairs to luncheon, and yet nobody came.
eagernessnounUS /ˈiːɡərnəs/
a positive feeling of wanting to push ahead with something
From this reading She repeated with eagerness her little speech of the night before.
the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium
From this reading She attempted to eat, with an eye on the window, to watch for the arrival of the visitors, and an ear upon the subdued sounds of the house, through which she seemed to hear the distant step, the distant voice of someone whose presence was not acknowledged.
take in solid food
From this reading But the nurse went out for her walk and came in again and nothing happened, and Charlie had his invalid dinner, which in his excitement he could not eat, and Bee was called downstairs to luncheon, and yet nobody came.
the feeling of lively and cheerful joy
From this reading But the nurse went out for her walk and came in again and nothing happened, and Charlie had his invalid dinner, which in his excitement he could not eat, and Bee was called downstairs to luncheon, and yet nobody came.
the organ of sight
From this reading She attempted to eat, with an eye on the window, to watch for the arrival of the visitors, and an ear upon the subdued sounds of the house, through which she seemed to hear the distant step, the distant voice of someone whose presence was not acknowledged.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading But the nurse went out for her walk and came in again and nothing happened, and Charlie had his invalid dinner, which in his excitement he could not eat, and Bee was called downstairs to luncheon, and yet nobody came.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading But the nurse went out for her walk and came in again and nothing happened, and Charlie had his invalid dinner, which in his excitement he could not eat, and Bee was called downstairs to luncheon, and yet nobody came.
past form of “happen” — come to pass
From this reading But the nurse went out for her walk and came in again and nothing happened, and Charlie had his invalid dinner, which in his excitement he could not eat, and Bee was called downstairs to luncheon, and yet nobody came.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “Something must have detained papa,” she said, “I cannot understand it, but he is sure to come, and he will take me away.”
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading But the nurse went out for her walk and came in again and nothing happened, and Charlie had his invalid dinner, which in his excitement he could not eat, and Bee was called downstairs to luncheon, and yet nobody came.
perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
From this reading She attempted to eat, with an eye on the window, to watch for the arrival of the visitors, and an ear upon the subdued sounds of the house, through which she seemed to hear the distant step, the distant voice of someone whose presence was not acknowledged.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading But the nurse went out for her walk and came in again and nothing happened, and Charlie had his invalid dinner, which in his excitement he could not eat, and Bee was called downstairs to luncheon, and yet nobody came.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading But the nurse went out for her walk and came in again and nothing happened, and Charlie had his invalid dinner, which in his excitement he could not eat, and Bee was called downstairs to luncheon, and yet nobody came.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading She attempted to eat, with an eye on the window, to watch for the arrival of the visitors, and an ear upon the subdued sounds of the house, through which she seemed to hear the distant step, the distant voice of someone whose presence was not acknowledged.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “Something must have detained papa,” she said, “I cannot understand it, but he is sure to come, and he will take me away.”
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading But the nurse went out for her walk and came in again and nothing happened, and Charlie had his invalid dinner, which in his excitement he could not eat, and Bee was called downstairs to luncheon, and yet nobody came.
invalidnounUS /ˈɪnvələd/
someone who is incapacitated by a chronic illness or injury
From this reading But the nurse went out for her walk and came in again and nothing happened, and Charlie had his invalid dinner, which in his excitement he could not eat, and Bee was called downstairs to luncheon, and yet nobody came.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “Something must have detained papa,” she said, “I cannot understand it, but he is sure to come, and he will take me away.”
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “Something must have detained papa,” she said, “I cannot understand it, but he is sure to come, and he will take me away.”
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading She repeated with eagerness her little speech of the night before.
luncheonnounUS /ˈlʌntʃən/
a midday meal
From this reading But the nurse went out for her walk and came in again and nothing happened, and Charlie had his invalid dinner, which in his excitement he could not eat, and Bee was called downstairs to luncheon, and yet nobody came.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “Something must have detained papa,” she said, “I cannot understand it, but he is sure to come, and he will take me away.”
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading “Something must have detained papa,” she said, “I cannot understand it, but he is sure to come, and he will take me away.”
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading She repeated with eagerness her little speech of the night before.
no person; not anyone
From this reading But the nurse went out for her walk and came in again and nothing happened, and Charlie had his invalid dinner, which in his excitement he could not eat, and Bee was called downstairs to luncheon, and yet nobody came.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading But the nurse went out for her walk and came in again and nothing happened, and Charlie had his invalid dinner, which in his excitement he could not eat, and Bee was called downstairs to luncheon, and yet nobody came.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading But the nurse went out for her walk and came in again and nothing happened, and Charlie had his invalid dinner, which in his excitement he could not eat, and Bee was called downstairs to luncheon, and yet nobody came.
try to cure by special care of treatment, of an illness or injury
From this reading But the nurse went out for her walk and came in again and nothing happened, and Charlie had his invalid dinner, which in his excitement he could not eat, and Bee was called downstairs to luncheon, and yet nobody came.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading She attempted to eat, with an eye on the window, to watch for the arrival of the visitors, and an ear upon the subdued sounds of the house, through which she seemed to hear the distant step, the distant voice of someone whose presence was not acknowledged.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading She attempted to eat, with an eye on the window, to watch for the arrival of the visitors, and an ear upon the subdued sounds of the house, through which she seemed to hear the distant step, the distant voice of someone whose presence was not acknowledged.
ordealnounUS /ɔːrˈdiːl/
a severe or trying experience
From this reading The luncheon was a terrible ordeal for Bee.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading But the nurse went out for her walk and came in again and nothing happened, and Charlie had his invalid dinner, which in his excitement he could not eat, and Bee was called downstairs to luncheon, and yet nobody came.
an informal term for a father; probably derived from baby talk
From this reading “Something must have detained papa,” she said, “I cannot understand it, but he is sure to come, and he will take me away.”
the state of being present; current existence
From this reading She attempted to eat, with an eye on the window, to watch for the arrival of the visitors, and an ear upon the subdued sounds of the house, through which she seemed to hear the distant step, the distant voice of someone whose presence was not acknowledged.
recurring again and again
From this reading She repeated with eagerness her little speech of the night before.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “Something must have detained papa,” she said, “I cannot understand it, but he is sure to come, and he will take me away.”
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading She attempted to eat, with an eye on the window, to watch for the arrival of the visitors, and an ear upon the subdued sounds of the house, through which she seemed to hear the distant step, the distant voice of someone whose presence was not acknowledged.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She attempted to eat, with an eye on the window, to watch for the arrival of the visitors, and an ear upon the subdued sounds of the house, through which she seemed to hear the distant step, the distant voice of someone whose presence was not acknowledged.
a person, without saying who
From this reading She attempted to eat, with an eye on the window, to watch for the arrival of the visitors, and an ear upon the subdued sounds of the house, through which she seemed to hear the distant step, the distant voice of someone whose presence was not acknowledged.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading “Something must have detained papa,” she said, “I cannot understand it, but he is sure to come, and he will take me away.”
plural of “sound” — the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading She attempted to eat, with an eye on the window, to watch for the arrival of the visitors, and an ear upon the subdued sounds of the house, through which she seemed to hear the distant step, the distant voice of someone whose presence was not acknowledged.
the act of delivering a formal spoken communication to an audience
From this reading She repeated with eagerness her little speech of the night before.
any maneuver made as part of progress toward a goal
From this reading She attempted to eat, with an eye on the window, to watch for the arrival of the visitors, and an ear upon the subdued sounds of the house, through which she seemed to hear the distant step, the distant voice of someone whose presence was not acknowledged.
subduedadjectiveUS /səbˈduːd/
in a softened tone
From this reading She attempted to eat, with an eye on the window, to watch for the arrival of the visitors, and an ear upon the subdued sounds of the house, through which she seemed to hear the distant step, the distant voice of someone whose presence was not acknowledged.
having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured
From this reading “Something must have detained papa,” she said, “I cannot understand it, but he is sure to come, and he will take me away.”
carry out
From this reading “Something must have detained papa,” she said, “I cannot understand it, but he is sure to come, and he will take me away.”
causing fear or dread or terror
From this reading The luncheon was a terrible ordeal for Bee.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading But the nurse went out for her walk and came in again and nothing happened, and Charlie had his invalid dinner, which in his excitement he could not eat, and Bee was called downstairs to luncheon, and yet nobody came.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading She attempted to eat, with an eye on the window, to watch for the arrival of the visitors, and an ear upon the subdued sounds of the house, through which she seemed to hear the distant step, the distant voice of someone whose presence was not acknowledged.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading But the nurse went out for her walk and came in again and nothing happened, and Charlie had his invalid dinner, which in his excitement he could not eat, and Bee was called downstairs to luncheon, and yet nobody came.
know and comprehend the nature or meaning of
From this reading “Something must have detained papa,” she said, “I cannot understand it, but he is sure to come, and he will take me away.”
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading She attempted to eat, with an eye on the window, to watch for the arrival of the visitors, and an ear upon the subdued sounds of the house, through which she seemed to hear the distant step, the distant voice of someone whose presence was not acknowledged.
plural of “visitor” — someone who visits
From this reading She attempted to eat, with an eye on the window, to watch for the arrival of the visitors, and an ear upon the subdued sounds of the house, through which she seemed to hear the distant step, the distant voice of someone whose presence was not acknowledged.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading She attempted to eat, with an eye on the window, to watch for the arrival of the visitors, and an ear upon the subdued sounds of the house, through which she seemed to hear the distant step, the distant voice of someone whose presence was not acknowledged.
the act of traveling by foot
From this reading But the nurse went out for her walk and came in again and nothing happened, and Charlie had his invalid dinner, which in his excitement he could not eat, and Bee was called downstairs to luncheon, and yet nobody came.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading But the nurse went out for her walk and came in again and nothing happened, and Charlie had his invalid dinner, which in his excitement he could not eat, and Bee was called downstairs to luncheon, and yet nobody came.
look attentively
From this reading She attempted to eat, with an eye on the window, to watch for the arrival of the visitors, and an ear upon the subdued sounds of the house, through which she seemed to hear the distant step, the distant voice of someone whose presence was not acknowledged.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading But the nurse went out for her walk and came in again and nothing happened, and Charlie had his invalid dinner, which in his excitement he could not eat, and Bee was called downstairs to luncheon, and yet nobody came.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading But the nurse went out for her walk and came in again and nothing happened, and Charlie had his invalid dinner, which in his excitement he could not eat, and Bee was called downstairs to luncheon, and yet nobody came.
belonging to which person
From this reading She attempted to eat, with an eye on the window, to watch for the arrival of the visitors, and an ear upon the subdued sounds of the house, through which she seemed to hear the distant step, the distant voice of someone whose presence was not acknowledged.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading “Something must have detained papa,” she said, “I cannot understand it, but he is sure to come, and he will take me away.”
a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air
From this reading She attempted to eat, with an eye on the window, to watch for the arrival of the visitors, and an ear upon the subdued sounds of the house, through which she seemed to hear the distant step, the distant voice of someone whose presence was not acknowledged.
in the company of; together with
From this reading She attempted to eat, with an eye on the window, to watch for the arrival of the visitors, and an ear upon the subdued sounds of the house, through which she seemed to hear the distant step, the distant voice of someone whose presence was not acknowledged.
but in spite of that
From this reading But the nurse went out for her walk and came in again and nothing happened, and Charlie had his invalid dinner, which in his excitement he could not eat, and Bee was called downstairs to luncheon, and yet nobody came.
