used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading And being a fairly clever and up-to-date young man, Chester Humphreys did not experience any difficulties, or, if he did, he overcame them; for promptly at the appointed hour he stood before Ladybird, and bowed politely, saying, "Miss Ladybird Lovell?"
acquiringnounUS /əˈkwaɪrɪŋ/
the act of acquiring something
From this reading "Yes," said Ladybird, rising from her seat on the grass, and suddenly acquiring a new dignity as she heard her name pronounced in such a formal tone.
speak to
From this reading It had never occurred to her to doubt the arrival of Chester Humphreys, or that he could experience any difficulty in finding her at her somewhat indefinite address.
the part of the day between noon and evening
From this reading At half-past three Thursday afternoon Ladybird was in the plum-orchard.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading Then she looked at him steadily, without a touch of impertinence, but with an air of gravest criticism.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Then she looked at him steadily, without a touch of impertinence, but with an air of gravest criticism.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading And being a fairly clever and up-to-date young man, Chester Humphreys did not experience any difficulties, or, if he did, he overcame them; for promptly at the appointed hour he stood before Ladybird, and bowed politely, saying, "Miss Ladybird Lovell?"
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading It had never occurred to her to doubt the arrival of Chester Humphreys, or that he could experience any difficulty in finding her at her somewhat indefinite address.
subject to appointment
From this reading And being a fairly clever and up-to-date young man, Chester Humphreys did not experience any difficulties, or, if he did, he overcame them; for promptly at the appointed hour he stood before Ladybird, and bowed politely, saying, "Miss Ladybird Lovell?"
accomplishment of an objective
From this reading It had never occurred to her to doubt the arrival of Chester Humphreys, or that he could experience any difficulty in finding her at her somewhat indefinite address.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading "Yes," said Ladybird, rising from her seat on the grass, and suddenly acquiring a new dignity as she heard her name pronounced in such a formal tone.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At half-past three Thursday afternoon Ladybird was in the plum-orchard.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading And being a fairly clever and up-to-date young man, Chester Humphreys did not experience any difficulties, or, if he did, he overcame them; for promptly at the appointed hour he stood before Ladybird, and bowed politely, saying, "Miss Ladybird Lovell?"
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading And being a fairly clever and up-to-date young man, Chester Humphreys did not experience any difficulties, or, if he did, he overcame them; for promptly at the appointed hour he stood before Ladybird, and bowed politely, saying, "Miss Ladybird Lovell?"
of a stringed instrument; sounded by stroking with a bow
From this reading And being a fairly clever and up-to-date young man, Chester Humphreys did not experience any difficulties, or, if he did, he overcame them; for promptly at the appointed hour he stood before Ladybird, and bowed politely, saying, "Miss Ladybird Lovell?"
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Then she looked at him steadily, without a touch of impertinence, but with an air of gravest criticism.
ChesternounUS /ˈtʃestər/
a city of southeastern Pennsylvania on the Delaware river (an industrial suburb of Philadelphia)
From this reading It had never occurred to her to doubt the arrival of Chester Humphreys, or that he could experience any difficulty in finding her at her somewhat indefinite address.
showing self-interest and shrewdness in dealing with others
From this reading And being a fairly clever and up-to-date young man, Chester Humphreys did not experience any difficulties, or, if he did, he overcame them; for promptly at the appointed hour he stood before Ladybird, and bowed politely, saying, "Miss Ladybird Lovell?"
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading It had never occurred to her to doubt the arrival of Chester Humphreys, or that he could experience any difficulty in finding her at her somewhat indefinite address.
criticismnounUS /ˈkrɪtɪsɪzəm/
disapproval expressed by pointing out faults or shortcomings
From this reading Then she looked at him steadily, without a touch of impertinence, but with an air of gravest criticism.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading And being a fairly clever and up-to-date young man, Chester Humphreys did not experience any difficulties, or, if he did, he overcame them; for promptly at the appointed hour he stood before Ladybird, and bowed politely, saying, "Miss Ladybird Lovell?"
plural of “difficulty” — an effort that is inconvenient
From this reading And being a fairly clever and up-to-date young man, Chester Humphreys did not experience any difficulties, or, if he did, he overcame them; for promptly at the appointed hour he stood before Ladybird, and bowed politely, saying, "Miss Ladybird Lovell?"
an effort that is inconvenient
From this reading It had never occurred to her to doubt the arrival of Chester Humphreys, or that he could experience any difficulty in finding her at her somewhat indefinite address.
the quality of being worthy of esteem or respect
From this reading "Yes," said Ladybird, rising from her seat on the grass, and suddenly acquiring a new dignity as she heard her name pronounced in such a formal tone.
the state of being unsure of something
From this reading It had never occurred to her to doubt the arrival of Chester Humphreys, or that he could experience any difficulty in finding her at her somewhat indefinite address.
undergo or live through a difficult experience
From this reading It had never occurred to her to doubt the arrival of Chester Humphreys, or that he could experience any difficulty in finding her at her somewhat indefinite address.
to certain extent or degree
From this reading And being a fairly clever and up-to-date young man, Chester Humphreys did not experience any difficulties, or, if he did, he overcame them; for promptly at the appointed hour he stood before Ladybird, and bowed politely, saying, "Miss Ladybird Lovell?"
the act of determining the properties of something, usually by research or calculation
From this reading It had never occurred to her to doubt the arrival of Chester Humphreys, or that he could experience any difficulty in finding her at her somewhat indefinite address.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading And being a fairly clever and up-to-date young man, Chester Humphreys did not experience any difficulties, or, if he did, he overcame them; for promptly at the appointed hour he stood before Ladybird, and bowed politely, saying, "Miss Ladybird Lovell?"
formaladjectiveUS /ˈfɔːrməl/
being in accord with established forms and conventions and requirements (as e.g. of formal dress)
From this reading "Yes," said Ladybird, rising from her seat on the grass, and suddenly acquiring a new dignity as she heard her name pronounced in such a formal tone.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading "Yes," said Ladybird, rising from her seat on the grass, and suddenly acquiring a new dignity as she heard her name pronounced in such a formal tone.
shoot down, of birds
From this reading "Yes," said Ladybird, rising from her seat on the grass, and suddenly acquiring a new dignity as she heard her name pronounced in such a formal tone.
gravestadjectiveUS /ˈɡrævəst/
superlative of “grave” — dignified and somber in manner or character and committed to keeping promises
From this reading Then she looked at him steadily, without a touch of impertinence, but with an air of gravest criticism.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It had never occurred to her to doubt the arrival of Chester Humphreys, or that he could experience any difficulty in finding her at her somewhat indefinite address.
half-past
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At half-past three Thursday afternoon Ladybird was in the plum-orchard.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It had never occurred to her to doubt the arrival of Chester Humphreys, or that he could experience any difficulty in finding her at her somewhat indefinite address.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading "Yes," said Ladybird, rising from her seat on the grass, and suddenly acquiring a new dignity as she heard her name pronounced in such a formal tone.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading It had never occurred to her to doubt the arrival of Chester Humphreys, or that he could experience any difficulty in finding her at her somewhat indefinite address.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Then she looked at him steadily, without a touch of impertinence, but with an air of gravest criticism.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading And being a fairly clever and up-to-date young man, Chester Humphreys did not experience any difficulties, or, if he did, he overcame them; for promptly at the appointed hour he stood before Ladybird, and bowed politely, saying, "Miss Ladybird Lovell?"
Humphreys
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It had never occurred to her to doubt the arrival of Chester Humphreys, or that he could experience any difficulty in finding her at her somewhat indefinite address.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading And being a fairly clever and up-to-date young man, Chester Humphreys did not experience any difficulties, or, if he did, he overcame them; for promptly at the appointed hour he stood before Ladybird, and bowed politely, saying, "Miss Ladybird Lovell?"
impertinencenoun
an impudent statement
From this reading Then she looked at him steadily, without a touch of impertinence, but with an air of gravest criticism.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading At half-past three Thursday afternoon Ladybird was in the plum-orchard.
indefiniteadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈdefənət/
vague or not clearly defined or stated
From this reading It had never occurred to her to doubt the arrival of Chester Humphreys, or that he could experience any difficulty in finding her at her somewhat indefinite address.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It had never occurred to her to doubt the arrival of Chester Humphreys, or that he could experience any difficulty in finding her at her somewhat indefinite address.
LadybirdnounUS /ˈleɪdibɜːrd/
small round bright-colored and spotted beetle that usually feeds on aphids and other insect pests
From this reading At half-past three Thursday afternoon Ladybird was in the plum-orchard.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading Then she looked at him steadily, without a touch of impertinence, but with an air of gravest criticism.
LovellnounUS /ˈlʌvəl/
English astronomer who pioneered radio astronomy (born in 1913)
From this reading And being a fairly clever and up-to-date young man, Chester Humphreys did not experience any difficulties, or, if he did, he overcame them; for promptly at the appointed hour he stood before Ladybird, and bowed politely, saying, "Miss Ladybird Lovell?"
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading And being a fairly clever and up-to-date young man, Chester Humphreys did not experience any difficulties, or, if he did, he overcame them; for promptly at the appointed hour he stood before Ladybird, and bowed politely, saying, "Miss Ladybird Lovell?"
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading And being a fairly clever and up-to-date young man, Chester Humphreys did not experience any difficulties, or, if he did, he overcame them; for promptly at the appointed hour he stood before Ladybird, and bowed politely, saying, "Miss Ladybird Lovell?"
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading "Yes," said Ladybird, rising from her seat on the grass, and suddenly acquiring a new dignity as she heard her name pronounced in such a formal tone.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading It had never occurred to her to doubt the arrival of Chester Humphreys, or that he could experience any difficulty in finding her at her somewhat indefinite address.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading "Yes," said Ladybird, rising from her seat on the grass, and suddenly acquiring a new dignity as she heard her name pronounced in such a formal tone.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading And being a fairly clever and up-to-date young man, Chester Humphreys did not experience any difficulties, or, if he did, he overcame them; for promptly at the appointed hour he stood before Ladybird, and bowed politely, saying, "Miss Ladybird Lovell?"
inflected form of “occur” — come to pass
From this reading It had never occurred to her to doubt the arrival of Chester Humphreys, or that he could experience any difficulty in finding her at her somewhat indefinite address.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It had never occurred to her to doubt the arrival of Chester Humphreys, or that he could experience any difficulty in finding her at her somewhat indefinite address.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading "Yes," said Ladybird, rising from her seat on the grass, and suddenly acquiring a new dignity as she heard her name pronounced in such a formal tone.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading It had never occurred to her to doubt the arrival of Chester Humphreys, or that he could experience any difficulty in finding her at her somewhat indefinite address.
overcameverbUS /ˈoʊvərˈkeɪm/
inflected form of “overcome” — win a victory over
From this reading And being a fairly clever and up-to-date young man, Chester Humphreys did not experience any difficulties, or, if he did, he overcame them; for promptly at the appointed hour he stood before Ladybird, and bowed politely, saying, "Miss Ladybird Lovell?"
plum-orchard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At half-past three Thursday afternoon Ladybird was in the plum-orchard.
politelyadverbUS /pəˈlaɪtli/
in a polite manner
From this reading And being a fairly clever and up-to-date young man, Chester Humphreys did not experience any difficulties, or, if he did, he overcame them; for promptly at the appointed hour he stood before Ladybird, and bowed politely, saying, "Miss Ladybird Lovell?"
with little or no delay
From this reading And being a fairly clever and up-to-date young man, Chester Humphreys did not experience any difficulties, or, if he did, he overcame them; for promptly at the appointed hour he stood before Ladybird, and bowed politely, saying, "Miss Ladybird Lovell?"
pronouncedadjectiveUS /prəˈnaʊnst/
strongly marked; easily noticeable
From this reading "Yes," said Ladybird, rising from her seat on the grass, and suddenly acquiring a new dignity as she heard her name pronounced in such a formal tone.
advancing or becoming higher or greater in degree or value or status
From this reading "Yes," said Ladybird, rising from her seat on the grass, and suddenly acquiring a new dignity as she heard her name pronounced in such a formal tone.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "Yes," said Ladybird, rising from her seat on the grass, and suddenly acquiring a new dignity as she heard her name pronounced in such a formal tone.
a word or phrase that particular people use in particular situations
From this reading And being a fairly clever and up-to-date young man, Chester Humphreys did not experience any difficulties, or, if he did, he overcame them; for promptly at the appointed hour he stood before Ladybird, and bowed politely, saying, "Miss Ladybird Lovell?"
a space reserved for sitting (as in a theater or on a train or airplane)
From this reading "Yes," said Ladybird, rising from her seat on the grass, and suddenly acquiring a new dignity as she heard her name pronounced in such a formal tone.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Yes," said Ladybird, rising from her seat on the grass, and suddenly acquiring a new dignity as she heard her name pronounced in such a formal tone.
to a small degree or extent
From this reading It had never occurred to her to doubt the arrival of Chester Humphreys, or that he could experience any difficulty in finding her at her somewhat indefinite address.
at a steady rate or pace
From this reading Then she looked at him steadily, without a touch of impertinence, but with an air of gravest criticism.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading And being a fairly clever and up-to-date young man, Chester Humphreys did not experience any difficulties, or, if he did, he overcame them; for promptly at the appointed hour he stood before Ladybird, and bowed politely, saying, "Miss Ladybird Lovell?"
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading "Yes," said Ladybird, rising from her seat on the grass, and suddenly acquiring a new dignity as she heard her name pronounced in such a formal tone.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading "Yes," said Ladybird, rising from her seat on the grass, and suddenly acquiring a new dignity as she heard her name pronounced in such a formal tone.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It had never occurred to her to doubt the arrival of Chester Humphreys, or that he could experience any difficulty in finding her at her somewhat indefinite address.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading At half-past three Thursday afternoon Ladybird was in the plum-orchard.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading And being a fairly clever and up-to-date young man, Chester Humphreys did not experience any difficulties, or, if he did, he overcame them; for promptly at the appointed hour he stood before Ladybird, and bowed politely, saying, "Miss Ladybird Lovell?"
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then she looked at him steadily, without a touch of impertinence, but with an air of gravest criticism.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading At half-past three Thursday afternoon Ladybird was in the plum-orchard.
ThursdaynounUS /ˈθɜːrzdeɪ/
the fifth day of the week; the fourth working day
From this reading At half-past three Thursday afternoon Ladybird was in the plum-orchard.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It had never occurred to her to doubt the arrival of Chester Humphreys, or that he could experience any difficulty in finding her at her somewhat indefinite address.
the quality of a person's voice
From this reading "Yes," said Ladybird, rising from her seat on the grass, and suddenly acquiring a new dignity as she heard her name pronounced in such a formal tone.
make physical contact with, come in contact with
From this reading Then she looked at him steadily, without a touch of impertinence, but with an air of gravest criticism.
up-to-dateadjective
reflecting the latest information or changes
From this reading And being a fairly clever and up-to-date young man, Chester Humphreys did not experience any difficulties, or, if he did, he overcame them; for promptly at the appointed hour he stood before Ladybird, and bowed politely, saying, "Miss Ladybird Lovell?"
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading At half-past three Thursday afternoon Ladybird was in the plum-orchard.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Then she looked at him steadily, without a touch of impertinence, but with an air of gravest criticism.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading Then she looked at him steadily, without a touch of impertinence, but with an air of gravest criticism.
an affirmative
From this reading "Yes," said Ladybird, rising from her seat on the grass, and suddenly acquiring a new dignity as she heard her name pronounced in such a formal tone.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading And being a fairly clever and up-to-date young man, Chester Humphreys did not experience any difficulties, or, if he did, he overcame them; for promptly at the appointed hour he stood before Ladybird, and bowed politely, saying, "Miss Ladybird Lovell?"
