used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The Patterson dinner had been a very long and, to her, a very tedious affair of many courses and numerous pauses.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading When no social engagements took her from home, Mrs. Macallister, who required very little sleep, always retired to her own sitting room about ten o’clock.
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading The Patterson dinner had been a very long and, to her, a very tedious affair of many courses and numerous pauses.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading No matter how late Peggy stayed out, she always found her grandmother awake and waiting for her when she returned.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading MAN PROPOSES PEGGY went to her room that night very cross and very sleepy.
awakeadjectiveUS /əˈweɪk/
not in a state of sleep; completely conscious
From this reading No matter how late Peggy stayed out, she always found her grandmother awake and waiting for her when she returned.
a room used primarily for sleeping
From this reading “I never before worked so hard to make conversation,” she confided to her grandmother in the privacy of her pretty bedroom.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The Patterson dinner had been a very long and, to her, a very tedious affair of many courses and numerous pauses.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading “I never before worked so hard to make conversation,” she confided to her grandmother in the privacy of her pretty bedroom.
confidedverbUS /kənˈfaɪdɪd/
past form of “confide” — reveal in private; tell confidentially
From this reading “I never before worked so hard to make conversation,” she confided to her grandmother in the privacy of her pretty bedroom.
the use of speech for informal exchange of views or ideas or information etc.
From this reading “I never before worked so hard to make conversation,” she confided to her grandmother in the privacy of her pretty bedroom.
coursesnounUS /ˈkɔːrsəz/
plural of “course” — education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading The Patterson dinner had been a very long and, to her, a very tedious affair of many courses and numerous pauses.
travel across or pass over
From this reading MAN PROPOSES PEGGY went to her room that night very cross and very sleepy.
the main meal of the day served in the evening or at midday
From this reading The Patterson dinner had been a very long and, to her, a very tedious affair of many courses and numerous pauses.
engagementsnounUS /enˈɡeɪdʒmənts/
plural of “engagement” — a hostile meeting of opposing military forces in the course of a war
From this reading When no social engagements took her from home, Mrs. Macallister, who required very little sleep, always retired to her own sitting room about ten o’clock.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading No matter how late Peggy stayed out, she always found her grandmother awake and waiting for her when she returned.
set up or found
From this reading No matter how late Peggy stayed out, she always found her grandmother awake and waiting for her when she returned.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading When no social engagements took her from home, Mrs. Macallister, who required very little sleep, always retired to her own sitting room about ten o’clock.
the mother of your father or mother
From this reading “I never before worked so hard to make conversation,” she confided to her grandmother in the privacy of her pretty bedroom.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The Patterson dinner had been a very long and, to her, a very tedious affair of many courses and numerous pauses.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading “I never before worked so hard to make conversation,” she confided to her grandmother in the privacy of her pretty bedroom.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading MAN PROPOSES PEGGY went to her room that night very cross and very sleepy.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading When no social engagements took her from home, Mrs. Macallister, who required very little sleep, always retired to her own sitting room about ten o’clock.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No matter how late Peggy stayed out, she always found her grandmother awake and waiting for her when she returned.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “I never before worked so hard to make conversation,” she confided to her grandmother in the privacy of her pretty bedroom.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading “I never before worked so hard to make conversation,” she confided to her grandmother in the privacy of her pretty bedroom.
being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time
From this reading No matter how late Peggy stayed out, she always found her grandmother awake and waiting for her when she returned.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading When no social engagements took her from home, Mrs. Macallister, who required very little sleep, always retired to her own sitting room about ten o’clock.
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 The Patterson dinner had been a very long and, to her, a very tedious affair of many courses and numerous pauses.
Macallister
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When no social engagements took her from home, Mrs. Macallister, who required very little sleep, always retired to her own sitting room about ten o’clock.
engage in
From this reading “I never before worked so hard to make conversation,” she confided to her grandmother in the privacy of her pretty bedroom.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading MAN PROPOSES PEGGY went to her room that night very cross and very sleepy.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading The Patterson dinner had been a very long and, to her, a very tedious affair of many courses and numerous pauses.
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading No matter how late Peggy stayed out, she always found her grandmother awake and waiting for her when she returned.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading When no social engagements took her from home, Mrs. Macallister, who required very little sleep, always retired to her own sitting room about ten o’clock.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading “I never before worked so hard to make conversation,” she confided to her grandmother in the privacy of her pretty bedroom.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading MAN PROPOSES PEGGY went to her room that night very cross and very sleepy.
not any; not one
From this reading No matter how late Peggy stayed out, she always found her grandmother awake and waiting for her when she returned.
amounting to a large indefinite number
From this reading The Patterson dinner had been a very long and, to her, a very tedious affair of many courses and numerous pauses.
o'clockadverbUS /əˈklɑːk/
according to the clock
From this reading When no social engagements took her from home, Mrs. Macallister, who required very little sleep, always retired to her own sitting room about ten o’clock.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The Patterson dinner had been a very long and, to her, a very tedious affair of many courses and numerous pauses.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading No matter how late Peggy stayed out, she always found her grandmother awake and waiting for her when she returned.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading When no social engagements took her from home, Mrs. Macallister, who required very little sleep, always retired to her own sitting room about ten o’clock.
Patterson
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Patterson dinner had been a very long and, to her, a very tedious affair of many courses and numerous pauses.
pausesnounUS /ˈpɔːzəz/
plural of “pause” — a time interval during which there is a temporary cessation of something
From this reading The Patterson dinner had been a very long and, to her, a very tedious affair of many courses and numerous pauses.
PEGGY
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading MAN PROPOSES PEGGY went to her room that night very cross and very sleepy.
pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing
From this reading “I never before worked so hard to make conversation,” she confided to her grandmother in the privacy of her pretty bedroom.
privacynounUS /ˈpraɪvəsi/
the quality of being secluded from the presence or view of others
From this reading “I never before worked so hard to make conversation,” she confided to her grandmother in the privacy of her pretty bedroom.
PROPOSESverbUS /prəˈpoʊzɪz/
third-person singular of “propose” — make a proposal, declare a plan for something
From this reading MAN PROPOSES PEGGY went to her room that night very cross and very sleepy.
necessary for relief or supply
From this reading When no social engagements took her from home, Mrs. Macallister, who required very little sleep, always retired to her own sitting room about ten o’clock.
no longer active in your work or profession
From this reading When no social engagements took her from home, Mrs. Macallister, who required very little sleep, always retired to her own sitting room about ten o’clock.
past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading No matter how late Peggy stayed out, she always found her grandmother awake and waiting for her when she returned.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading MAN PROPOSES PEGGY went to her room that night very cross and very sleepy.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “I never before worked so hard to make conversation,” she confided to her grandmother in the privacy of her pretty bedroom.
(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)
From this reading When no social engagements took her from home, Mrs. Macallister, who required very little sleep, always retired to her own sitting room about ten o’clock.
a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended
From this reading When no social engagements took her from home, Mrs. Macallister, who required very little sleep, always retired to her own sitting room about ten o’clock.
sleepyadjectiveUS /ˈsliːpi/
ready to fall asleep
From this reading MAN PROPOSES PEGGY went to her room that night very cross and very sleepy.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading “I never before worked so hard to make conversation,” she confided to her grandmother in the privacy of her pretty bedroom.
relating to human society and its members
From this reading When no social engagements took her from home, Mrs. Macallister, who required very little sleep, always retired to her own sitting room about ten o’clock.
past form of “stay” — stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading No matter how late Peggy stayed out, she always found her grandmother awake and waiting for her when she returned.
tediousadjectiveUS /ˈtiːdiəs/
so lacking in interest as to cause mental weariness
From this reading The Patterson dinner had been a very long and, to her, a very tedious affair of many courses and numerous pauses.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading When no social engagements took her from home, Mrs. Macallister, who required very little sleep, always retired to her own sitting room about ten o’clock.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading MAN PROPOSES PEGGY went to her room that night very cross and very sleepy.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The Patterson dinner had been a very long and, to her, a very tedious affair of many courses and numerous pauses.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading MAN PROPOSES PEGGY went to her room that night very cross and very sleepy.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading When no social engagements took her from home, Mrs. Macallister, who required very little sleep, always retired to her own sitting room about ten o’clock.
precisely as stated
From this reading MAN PROPOSES PEGGY went to her room that night very cross and very sleepy.
the act of waiting (remaining inactive in one place while expecting something)
From this reading No matter how late Peggy stayed out, she always found her grandmother awake and waiting for her when she returned.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading MAN PROPOSES PEGGY went to her room that night very cross and very sleepy.
at the time that
From this reading No matter how late Peggy stayed out, she always found her grandmother awake and waiting for her when she returned.
which person or people
From this reading When no social engagements took her from home, Mrs. Macallister, who required very little sleep, always retired to her own sitting room about ten o’clock.
past form of “work” — exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading “I never before worked so hard to make conversation,” she confided to her grandmother in the privacy of her pretty bedroom.
