used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It would be much wiser to spend it all in having a good time somewhere--champagne dinners with Flossie, or betting on the races--he did not know exactly what.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading It would be much wiser to spend it all in having a good time somewhere--champagne dinners with Flossie, or betting on the races--he did not know exactly what.
alternativesnounUS /ɔːlˈtɜːrnətɪvz/
plural of “alternative” — one of a number of things from which only one can be chosen
From this reading It was true that even these alternatives would not amuse him very much--he would fall back upon them as things of habit.
amuseverbUS /əˈmjuːz/
occupy in an agreeable, entertaining or pleasant fashion
From this reading Why should he spend his five hundred dollars on something that could no longer amuse him?
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading For that matter everything was an _ennui_, and Vandover began to long for some new pleasure, some violent untried excitement.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading For that matter everything was an _ennui_, and Vandover began to long for some new pleasure, some violent untried excitement.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading It was true that even these alternatives would not amuse him very much--he would fall back upon them as things of habit.
associateverbUS /əˈsoʊsiət/
make a logical or causal connection
From this reading Since the sale of the block in the Mission he had seen but little of Geary; young Haight had not been his companion since the time when Turner Ravis had broken with him, but little by little he had begun to associate with Ellis and his friend the Dummy.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading It was true that even these alternatives would not amuse him very much--he would fall back upon them as things of habit.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading It would be much wiser to spend it all in having a good time somewhere--champagne dinners with Flossie, or betting on the races--he did not know exactly what.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Since the sale of the block in the Mission he had seen but little of Geary; young Haight had not been his companion since the time when Turner Ravis had broken with him, but little by little he had begun to associate with Ellis and his friend the Dummy.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading For that matter everything was an _ennui_, and Vandover began to long for some new pleasure, some violent untried excitement.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading Since the sale of the block in the Mission he had seen but little of Geary; young Haight had not been his companion since the time when Turner Ravis had broken with him, but little by little he had begun to associate with Ellis and his friend the Dummy.
bettingadjectiveUS /ˈbetɪŋ/
preoccupied with the pursuit of pleasure and especially games of chance
From this reading It would be much wiser to spend it all in having a good time somewhere--champagne dinners with Flossie, or betting on the races--he did not know exactly what.
blocknounUS /blɑːk/
a solid piece of something (usually having flat rectangular sides)
From this reading Since the sale of the block in the Mission he had seen but little of Geary; young Haight had not been his companion since the time when Turner Ravis had broken with him, but little by little he had begun to associate with Ellis and his friend the Dummy.
physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split
From this reading Since the sale of the block in the Mission he had seen but little of Geary; young Haight had not been his companion since the time when Turner Ravis had broken with him, but little by little he had begun to associate with Ellis and his friend the Dummy.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Since the sale of the block in the Mission he had seen but little of Geary; young Haight had not been his companion since the time when Turner Ravis had broken with him, but little by little he had begun to associate with Ellis and his friend the Dummy.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Since the sale of the block in the Mission he had seen but little of Geary; young Haight had not been his companion since the time when Turner Ravis had broken with him, but little by little he had begun to associate with Ellis and his friend the Dummy.
champagnenounUS /ʃæmˈpeɪn/
a white sparkling wine either produced in Champagne or resembling that produced there
From this reading It would be much wiser to spend it all in having a good time somewhere--champagne dinners with Flossie, or betting on the races--he did not know exactly what.
a friend who is frequently in the company of another
From this reading Since the sale of the block in the Mission he had seen but little of Geary; young Haight had not been his companion since the time when Turner Ravis had broken with him, but little by little he had begun to associate with Ellis and his friend the Dummy.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Why should he spend his five hundred dollars on something that could no longer amuse him?
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading It would be much wiser to spend it all in having a good time somewhere--champagne dinners with Flossie, or betting on the races--he did not know exactly what.
dinnersnounUS /ˈdɪnərz/
plural of “dinner” — the main meal of the day served in the evening or at midday
From this reading It would be much wiser to spend it all in having a good time somewhere--champagne dinners with Flossie, or betting on the races--he did not know exactly what.
plural of “dollar” — the basic monetary unit in many countries; equal to 100 cents
From this reading Why should he spend his five hundred dollars on something that could no longer amuse him?
DummynounUS /ˈdʌmi/
a person who does not talk
From this reading Since the sale of the block in the Mission he had seen but little of Geary; young Haight had not been his companion since the time when Turner Ravis had broken with him, but little by little he had begun to associate with Ellis and his friend the Dummy.
EllisnounUS /ˈelɪs/
plural of “elli” — (Norse mythology) goddess of old age who defeated Thor in a wrestling match
From this reading Since the sale of the block in the Mission he had seen but little of Geary; young Haight had not been his companion since the time when Turner Ravis had broken with him, but little by little he had begun to associate with Ellis and his friend the Dummy.
ennuinounUS /eˈnuːi/
the feeling of being bored by something tedious
From this reading For that matter everything was an _ennui_, and Vandover began to long for some new pleasure, some violent untried excitement.
divisible by two
From this reading It was true that even these alternatives would not amuse him very much--he would fall back upon them as things of habit.
all things; all of a situation
From this reading For that matter everything was an _ennui_, and Vandover began to long for some new pleasure, some violent untried excitement.
indicating exactness or preciseness
From this reading It would be much wiser to spend it all in having a good time somewhere--champagne dinners with Flossie, or betting on the races--he did not know exactly what.
the feeling of lively and cheerful joy
From this reading For that matter everything was an _ennui_, and Vandover began to long for some new pleasure, some violent untried excitement.
descend in free fall under the influence of gravity
From this reading It was true that even these alternatives would not amuse him very much--he would fall back upon them as things of habit.
the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one
From this reading Why should he spend his five hundred dollars on something that could no longer amuse him?
Flossie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It would be much wiser to spend it all in having a good time somewhere--champagne dinners with Flossie, or betting on the races--he did not know exactly what.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For that matter everything was an _ennui_, and Vandover began to long for some new pleasure, some violent untried excitement.
a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading Since the sale of the block in the Mission he had seen but little of Geary; young Haight had not been his companion since the time when Turner Ravis had broken with him, but little by little he had begun to associate with Ellis and his friend the Dummy.
Geary
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Since the sale of the block in the Mission he had seen but little of Geary; young Haight had not been his companion since the time when Turner Ravis had broken with him, but little by little he had begun to associate with Ellis and his friend the Dummy.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading It would be much wiser to spend it all in having a good time somewhere--champagne dinners with Flossie, or betting on the races--he did not know exactly what.
an established custom
From this reading It was true that even these alternatives would not amuse him very much--he would fall back upon them as things of habit.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Since the sale of the block in the Mission he had seen but little of Geary; young Haight had not been his companion since the time when Turner Ravis had broken with him, but little by little he had begun to associate with Ellis and his friend the Dummy.
Haight
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Since the sale of the block in the Mission he had seen but little of Geary; young Haight had not been his companion since the time when Turner Ravis had broken with him, but little by little he had begun to associate with Ellis and his friend the Dummy.
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading It would be much wiser to spend it all in having a good time somewhere--champagne dinners with Flossie, or betting on the races--he did not know exactly what.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Why should he spend his five hundred dollars on something that could no longer amuse him?
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Why should he spend his five hundred dollars on something that could no longer amuse him?
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Why should he spend his five hundred dollars on something that could no longer amuse him?
ten 10s
From this reading Why should he spend his five hundred dollars on something that could no longer amuse him?
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It would be much wiser to spend it all in having a good time somewhere--champagne dinners with Flossie, or betting on the races--he did not know exactly what.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It would be much wiser to spend it all in having a good time somewhere--champagne dinners with Flossie, or betting on the races--he did not know exactly what.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading It would be much wiser to spend it all in having a good time somewhere--champagne dinners with Flossie, or betting on the races--he did not know exactly what.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Since the sale of the block in the Mission he had seen but little of Geary; young Haight had not been his companion since the time when Turner Ravis had broken with him, but little by little he had begun to associate with Ellis and his friend the Dummy.
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 For that matter everything was an _ennui_, and Vandover began to long for some new pleasure, some violent untried excitement.
for more time
From this reading Why should he spend his five hundred dollars on something that could no longer amuse him?
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading For that matter everything was an _ennui_, and Vandover began to long for some new pleasure, some violent untried excitement.
an organization of missionaries in a foreign land sent to carry on religious work
From this reading Since the sale of the block in the Mission he had seen but little of Geary; young Haight had not been his companion since the time when Turner Ravis had broken with him, but little by little he had begun to associate with Ellis and his friend the Dummy.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading It would be much wiser to spend it all in having a good time somewhere--champagne dinners with Flossie, or betting on the races--he did not know exactly what.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading For that matter everything was an _ennui_, and Vandover began to long for some new pleasure, some violent untried excitement.
not any; not one
From this reading Why should he spend his five hundred dollars on something that could no longer amuse him?
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading It would be much wiser to spend it all in having a good time somewhere--champagne dinners with Flossie, or betting on the races--he did not know exactly what.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It was true that even these alternatives would not amuse him very much--he would fall back upon them as things of habit.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Why should he spend his five hundred dollars on something that could no longer amuse him?
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading It would be much wiser to spend it all in having a good time somewhere--champagne dinners with Flossie, or betting on the races--he did not know exactly what.
a fundamental feeling that is hard to define but that people desire to experience
From this reading For that matter everything was an _ennui_, and Vandover began to long for some new pleasure, some violent untried excitement.
racesnounUS /ˈreɪsəz/
plural of “race” — any competition
From this reading It would be much wiser to spend it all in having a good time somewhere--champagne dinners with Flossie, or betting on the races--he did not know exactly what.
Ravis
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Since the sale of the block in the Mission he had seen but little of Geary; young Haight had not been his companion since the time when Turner Ravis had broken with him, but little by little he had begun to associate with Ellis and his friend the Dummy.
salenounUS /seɪl/
a particular instance of selling
From this reading Since the sale of the block in the Mission he had seen but little of Geary; young Haight had not been his companion since the time when Turner Ravis had broken with him, but little by little he had begun to associate with Ellis and his friend the Dummy.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading Since the sale of the block in the Mission he had seen but little of Geary; young Haight had not been his companion since the time when Turner Ravis had broken with him, but little by little he had begun to associate with Ellis and his friend the Dummy.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading Why should he spend his five hundred dollars on something that could no longer amuse him?
SinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading Since the sale of the block in the Mission he had seen but little of Geary; young Haight had not been his companion since the time when Turner Ravis had broken with him, but little by little he had begun to associate with Ellis and his friend the Dummy.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading For that matter everything was an _ennui_, and Vandover began to long for some new pleasure, some violent untried excitement.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading Why should he spend his five hundred dollars on something that could no longer amuse him?
in or at or to some place
From this reading It would be much wiser to spend it all in having a good time somewhere--champagne dinners with Flossie, or betting on the races--he did not know exactly what.
use up a period of time in a specific way
From this reading Why should he spend his five hundred dollars on something that could no longer amuse him?
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Why should he spend his five hundred dollars on something that could no longer amuse him?
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It would be much wiser to spend it all in having a good time somewhere--champagne dinners with Flossie, or betting on the races--he did not know exactly what.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading It was true that even these alternatives would not amuse him very much--he would fall back upon them as things of habit.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading It was true that even these alternatives would not amuse him very much--he would fall back upon them as things of habit.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading It was true that even these alternatives would not amuse him very much--he would fall back upon them as things of habit.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading It would be much wiser to spend it all in having a good time somewhere--champagne dinners with Flossie, or betting on the races--he did not know exactly what.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It would be much wiser to spend it all in having a good time somewhere--champagne dinners with Flossie, or betting on the races--he did not know exactly what.
consistent with fact or reality; not false
From this reading It was true that even these alternatives would not amuse him very much--he would fall back upon them as things of habit.
TurnernounUS /ˈtɜːrnər/
United States slave and insurrectionist who in 1831 led a rebellion of slaves in Virginia; he was captured and executed (1800-1831)
From this reading Since the sale of the block in the Mission he had seen but little of Geary; young Haight had not been his companion since the time when Turner Ravis had broken with him, but little by little he had begun to associate with Ellis and his friend the Dummy.
untriedadjectiveUS /ənˈtraɪd/
not tried or tested by experience
From this reading For that matter everything was an _ennui_, and Vandover began to long for some new pleasure, some violent untried excitement.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading It was true that even these alternatives would not amuse him very much--he would fall back upon them as things of habit.
Vandover
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For that matter everything was an _ennui_, and Vandover began to long for some new pleasure, some violent untried excitement.
precisely as stated
From this reading It was true that even these alternatives would not amuse him very much--he would fall back upon them as things of habit.
acting with or marked by or resulting from great force or energy or emotional intensity
From this reading For that matter everything was an _ennui_, and Vandover began to long for some new pleasure, some violent untried excitement.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was true that even these alternatives would not amuse him very much--he would fall back upon them as things of habit.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading It would be much wiser to spend it all in having a good time somewhere--champagne dinners with Flossie, or betting on the races--he did not know exactly what.
at the time that
From this reading Since the sale of the block in the Mission he had seen but little of Geary; young Haight had not been his companion since the time when Turner Ravis had broken with him, but little by little he had begun to associate with Ellis and his friend the Dummy.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading Why should he spend his five hundred dollars on something that could no longer amuse him?
wiseradjectiveUS /ˈwaɪzər/
comparative of “wise” — having or prompted by wisdom or discernment
From this reading It would be much wiser to spend it all in having a good time somewhere--champagne dinners with Flossie, or betting on the races--he did not know exactly what.
in the company of; together with
From this reading It would be much wiser to spend it all in having a good time somewhere--champagne dinners with Flossie, or betting on the races--he did not know exactly what.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading It would be much wiser to spend it all in having a good time somewhere--champagne dinners with Flossie, or betting on the races--he did not know exactly what.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading Since the sale of the block in the Mission he had seen but little of Geary; young Haight had not been his companion since the time when Turner Ravis had broken with him, but little by little he had begun to associate with Ellis and his friend the Dummy.
