used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The drawing-rooms of John Smith’s mansion were teeming with light, with noise, and with company; a dinner party had taken place that day, a gentleman’s party.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The drawing-rooms of John Smith’s mansion were teeming with light, with noise, and with company; a dinner party had taken place that day, a gentleman’s party.
attendancenounUS /əˈtendəns/
the act of being present (at a meeting or event etc.)
From this reading The only promised guest who had failed in his attendance was Charles Taylor.
(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another
From this reading George Taylor did not give better dinners than Mr. Smith.
King of France from 1560 to 1574 whose reign was dominated by his mother Catherine de Medicis (1550-1574)
From this reading The only promised guest who had failed in his attendance was Charles Taylor.
an institution created to conduct business
From this reading The drawing-rooms of John Smith’s mansion were teeming with light, with noise, and with company; a dinner party had taken place that day, a gentleman’s party.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading The drawing-rooms of John Smith’s mansion were teeming with light, with noise, and with company; a dinner party had taken place that day, a gentleman’s party.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading It was not often that he gave one, and when he did it was thoroughly well done.
the main meal of the day served in the evening or at midday
From this reading JOHN SMITH’S DINNER PARTY.
dinnersnounUS /ˈdɪnərz/
plural of “dinner” — the main meal of the day served in the evening or at midday
From this reading George Taylor did not give better dinners than Mr. Smith.
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading It was not often that he gave one, and when he did it was thoroughly well done.
drawing-rooms
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The drawing-rooms of John Smith’s mansion were teeming with light, with noise, and with company; a dinner party had taken place that day, a gentleman’s party.
past form of “fail” — fail to do something; leave something undone
From this reading The only promised guest who had failed in his attendance was Charles Taylor.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading It was not often that he gave one, and when he did it was thoroughly well done.
gentleman'snounUS /ˈdʒentəlmʌnz/
possessive form of “gentleman” — a man of refinement
From this reading The drawing-rooms of John Smith’s mansion were teeming with light, with noise, and with company; a dinner party had taken place that day, a gentleman’s party.
Christian martyr; patron saint of England; hero of the legend of Saint George and the Dragon in which he slew a dragon and saved a princess (?-303)
From this reading George Taylor did not give better dinners than Mr. Smith.
cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading George Taylor did not give better dinners than Mr. Smith.
a visitor to whom hospitality is extended
From this reading The only promised guest who had failed in his attendance was Charles Taylor.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The drawing-rooms of John Smith’s mansion were teeming with light, with noise, and with company; a dinner party had taken place that day, a gentleman’s party.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It was not often that he gave one, and when he did it was thoroughly well done.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The only promised guest who had failed in his attendance was Charles Taylor.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The only promised guest who had failed in his attendance was Charles Taylor.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was not often that he gave one, and when he did it was thoroughly well done.
a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading JOHN SMITH’S DINNER PARTY.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading The drawing-rooms of John Smith’s mansion were teeming with light, with noise, and with company; a dinner party had taken place that day, a gentleman’s party.
mansionnounUS /ˈmænʃən/
(astrology) one of 12 equal areas into which the zodiac is divided
From this reading The drawing-rooms of John Smith’s mansion were teeming with light, with noise, and with company; a dinner party had taken place that day, a gentleman’s party.
a form of address for a man
From this reading George Taylor did not give better dinners than Mr. Smith.
sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound)
From this reading The drawing-rooms of John Smith’s mansion were teeming with light, with noise, and with company; a dinner party had taken place that day, a gentleman’s party.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading It was not often that he gave one, and when he did it was thoroughly well done.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The drawing-rooms of John Smith’s mansion were teeming with light, with noise, and with company; a dinner party had taken place that day, a gentleman’s party.
many times at short intervals
From this reading It was not often that he gave one, and when he did it was thoroughly well done.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading It was not often that he gave one, and when he did it was thoroughly well done.
and nothing more
From this reading The only promised guest who had failed in his attendance was Charles Taylor.
an organization to gain political power
From this reading JOHN SMITH’S DINNER PARTY.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading The drawing-rooms of John Smith’s mansion were teeming with light, with noise, and with company; a dinner party had taken place that day, a gentleman’s party.
past form of “promise” — make a promise or commitment
From this reading The only promised guest who had failed in his attendance was Charles Taylor.
Rhodesian statesman who declared independence of Zimbabwe from Great Britain (born in 1919)
From this reading George Taylor did not give better dinners than Mr. Smith.
SMITH'SnounUS /smɪθs/
possessive form of “smith” — Rhodesian statesman who declared independence of Zimbabwe from Great Britain (born in 1919)
From this reading JOHN SMITH’S DINNER PARTY.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading The drawing-rooms of John Smith’s mansion were teeming with light, with noise, and with company; a dinner party had taken place that day, a gentleman’s party.
TaylornounUS /ˈteɪlər/
United States composer and music critic (1885-1966)
From this reading George Taylor did not give better dinners than Mr. Smith.
teemingadjectiveUS /ˈtiːmɪŋ/
abundantly filled with especially living things
From this reading The drawing-rooms of John Smith’s mansion were teeming with light, with noise, and with company; a dinner party had taken place that day, a gentleman’s party.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading George Taylor did not give better dinners than Mr. Smith.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The drawing-rooms of John Smith’s mansion were teeming with light, with noise, and with company; a dinner party had taken place that day, a gentleman’s party.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The drawing-rooms of John Smith’s mansion were teeming with light, with noise, and with company; a dinner party had taken place that day, a gentleman’s party.
in an exhaustive manner
From this reading It was not often that he gave one, and when he did it was thoroughly well done.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was not often that he gave one, and when he did it was thoroughly well done.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading It was not often that he gave one, and when he did it was thoroughly well done.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The drawing-rooms of John Smith’s mansion were teeming with light, with noise, and with company; a dinner party had taken place that day, a gentleman’s party.
at the time that
From this reading It was not often that he gave one, and when he did it was thoroughly well done.
which person or people
From this reading The only promised guest who had failed in his attendance was Charles Taylor.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The drawing-rooms of John Smith’s mansion were teeming with light, with noise, and with company; a dinner party had taken place that day, a gentleman’s party.
