adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading If it had not been for her father's old friend, a dentist, she would never have succeeded in entering the system.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading A woman, she explained, must be a Roman Catholic, or have some influence with the Board, to get an appointment.
appointmentnounUS /əˈpɔɪntmənt/
the act of putting a person into a non-elective position
From this reading She described the struggle for appointment.
AsconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As they proceeded, more briskly now, she talked of her life in the Chicago schools.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading A woman, she explained, must be a Roman Catholic, or have some influence with the Board, to get an appointment.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading If it had not been for her father's old friend, a dentist, she would never have succeeded in entering the system.
BoardnounUS /bɔːrd/
a committee having supervisory powers
From this reading A woman, she explained, must be a Roman Catholic, or have some influence with the Board, to get an appointment.
brisklyadverbUS /ˈbrɪskli/
in a brisk manner
From this reading As they proceeded, more briskly now, she talked of her life in the Chicago schools.
calamitynounUS /kəˈlæməti/
an event resulting in great loss and misfortune
From this reading She had taken the work when nothing else offered in the day of her calamity.
CatholicadjectiveUS /ˈkæθlɪk/
of or relating to or supporting Catholicism
From this reading A woman, she explained, must be a Roman Catholic, or have some influence with the Board, to get an appointment.
ChicagonounUS /ʃəˈkɑːɡoʊ/
largest city in Illinois; a bustling Great Lakes port that extends 26 miles along the southwestern shoreline of Lake Michigan
From this reading As they proceeded, more briskly now, she talked of her life in the Chicago schools.
daynounUS /deɪ/
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading She had taken the work when nothing else offered in the day of her calamity.
dentistnounUS /ˈdentəst/
a person qualified to practice dentistry
From this reading If it had not been for her father's old friend, a dentist, she would never have succeeded in entering the system.
describedadjectiveUS /dɪˈskraɪbd/
represented in words especially with sharpness and detail
From this reading She described the struggle for appointment.
else
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had taken the work when nothing else offered in the day of her calamity.
enteringnounUS /ˈentərɪŋ/
a movement into or inward
From this reading If it had not been for her father's old friend, a dentist, she would never have succeeded in entering the system.
explainedverbUS /ɪkˈspleɪnd/
past form of “explain” — make plain and comprehensible
From this reading A woman, she explained, must be a Roman Catholic, or have some influence with the Board, to get an appointment.
father'snounUS /ˈfɑːðərz/
possessive form of “father” — a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading If it had not been for her father's old friend, a dentist, she would never have succeeded in entering the system.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading She described the struggle for appointment.
friendnounUS /frend/
a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading If it had not been for her father's old friend, a dentist, she would never have succeeded in entering the system.
getverbUS /ɡet/
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading A woman, she explained, must be a Roman Catholic, or have some influence with the Board, to get an appointment.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading She had taken the work when nothing else offered in the day of her calamity.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading If it had not been for her father's old friend, a dentist, she would never have succeeded in entering the system.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading As they proceeded, more briskly now, she talked of her life in the Chicago schools.
IfconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If it had not been for her father's old friend, a dentist, she would never have succeeded in entering the system.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading As they proceeded, more briskly now, she talked of her life in the Chicago schools.
influencenounUS /ˈɪnfluːəns/
a power to affect persons or events especially power based on prestige etc
From this reading A woman, she explained, must be a Roman Catholic, or have some influence with the Board, to get an appointment.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading If it had not been for her father's old friend, a dentist, she would never have succeeded in entering the system.
lifenounUS /laɪf/
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading As they proceeded, more briskly now, she talked of her life in the Chicago schools.
moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading As they proceeded, more briskly now, she talked of her life in the Chicago schools.
mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading A woman, she explained, must be a Roman Catholic, or have some influence with the Board, to get an appointment.
neveradverbUS /ˈnevər/
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading If it had not been for her father's old friend, a dentist, she would never have succeeded in entering the system.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading If it had not been for her father's old friend, a dentist, she would never have succeeded in entering the system.
nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/
not one thing; not anything
From this reading She had taken the work when nothing else offered in the day of her calamity.
nowadverbUS /naʊ/
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading As they proceeded, more briskly now, she talked of her life in the Chicago schools.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading As they proceeded, more briskly now, she talked of her life in the Chicago schools.
offeredverbUS /ˈɔːfərd/
past form of “offer” — make available or accessible, provide or furnish
From this reading She had taken the work when nothing else offered in the day of her calamity.
oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading If it had not been for her father's old friend, a dentist, she would never have succeeded in entering the system.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading A woman, she explained, must be a Roman Catholic, or have some influence with the Board, to get an appointment.
proceededverbUS /prəˈsiːdɪd/
past form of “proceed” — continue talking
From this reading As they proceeded, more briskly now, she talked of her life in the Chicago schools.
RomanadjectiveUS /ˈroʊmən/
relating to or characteristic of people of Rome
From this reading A woman, she explained, must be a Roman Catholic, or have some influence with the Board, to get an appointment.
schoolsnounUS /skuːlz/
plural of “school” — an educational institution
From this reading As they proceeded, more briskly now, she talked of her life in the Chicago schools.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading As they proceeded, more briskly now, she talked of her life in the Chicago schools.
someadjectiveUS /sʌm/
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading A woman, she explained, must be a Roman Catholic, or have some influence with the Board, to get an appointment.
struggleverbUS /ˈstrʌɡəl/
make a strenuous or labored effort
From this reading She described the struggle for appointment.
succeededverbUS /səkˈsiːdɪd/
past form of “succeed” — attain success or reach a desired goal
From this reading If it had not been for her father's old friend, a dentist, she would never have succeeded in entering the system.
systemnounUS /ˈsɪstəm/
instrumentality that combines interrelated interacting artifacts designed to work as a coherent entity
From this reading If it had not been for her father's old friend, a dentist, she would never have succeeded in entering the system.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading She had taken the work when nothing else offered in the day of her calamity.
talkedverbUS /tɔːkt/
past form of “talk” — exchange thoughts; talk with
From this reading As they proceeded, more briskly now, she talked of her life in the Chicago schools.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading As they proceeded, more briskly now, she talked of her life in the Chicago schools.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading As they proceeded, more briskly now, she talked of her life in the Chicago schools.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A woman, she explained, must be a Roman Catholic, or have some influence with the Board, to get an appointment.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading She had taken the work when nothing else offered in the day of her calamity.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading A woman, she explained, must be a Roman Catholic, or have some influence with the Board, to get an appointment.
womannounUS /ˈwʊmən/
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading A woman, she explained, must be a Roman Catholic, or have some influence with the Board, to get an appointment.
workverbUS /wɜːrk/
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading She had taken the work when nothing else offered in the day of her calamity.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading If it had not been for her father's old friend, a dentist, she would never have succeeded in entering the system.
