not being in a specified place
From this reading The usual custom appeared somewhat reversed on this evening: while roving John would be just as likely to absent himself from dinner as not, his brother and Lionel Verner nearly always appeared at it.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading The usual custom appeared somewhat reversed on this evening: while roving John would be just as likely to absent himself from dinner as not, his brother and Lionel Verner nearly always appeared at it.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Mr. and Mrs. Verner, and John Massingbird: neither Lionel Verner nor Frederick Massingbird was present.
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading The usual custom appeared somewhat reversed on this evening: while roving John would be just as likely to absent himself from dinner as not, his brother and Lionel Verner nearly always appeared at it.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The usual custom appeared somewhat reversed on this evening: while roving John would be just as likely to absent himself from dinner as not, his brother and Lionel Verner nearly always appeared at it.
assemblingnounUS /əˈsembəlɪŋ/
the act of gathering something together
From this reading Before the sun had well set, the family at Verner's Pride were assembling for dinner.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Before the sun had well set, the family at Verner's Pride were assembling for dinner.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The usual custom appeared somewhat reversed on this evening: while roving John would be just as likely to absent himself from dinner as not, his brother and Lionel Verner nearly always appeared at it.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Before the sun had well set, the family at Verner's Pride were assembling for dinner.
a male with the same parents as someone else
From this reading The usual custom appeared somewhat reversed on this evening: while roving John would be just as likely to absent himself from dinner as not, his brother and Lionel Verner nearly always appeared at it.
accepted or habitual practice
From this reading The usual custom appeared somewhat reversed on this evening: while roving John would be just as likely to absent himself from dinner as not, his brother and Lionel Verner nearly always appeared at it.
the main meal of the day served in the evening or at midday
From this reading Before the sun had well set, the family at Verner's Pride were assembling for dinner.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading The usual custom appeared somewhat reversed on this evening: while roving John would be just as likely to absent himself from dinner as not, his brother and Lionel Verner nearly always appeared at it.
a social unit living together
From this reading Before the sun had well set, the family at Verner's Pride were assembling for dinner.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Before the sun had well set, the family at Verner's Pride were assembling for dinner.
FredericknounUS /ˈfredrɪk/
a town in northern Maryland to the west of Baltimore
From this reading Mr. and Mrs. Verner, and John Massingbird: neither Lionel Verner nor Frederick Massingbird was present.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The usual custom appeared somewhat reversed on this evening: while roving John would be just as likely to absent himself from dinner as not, his brother and Lionel Verner nearly always appeared at it.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Before the sun had well set, the family at Verner's Pride were assembling for dinner.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading The usual custom appeared somewhat reversed on this evening: while roving John would be just as likely to absent himself from dinner as not, his brother and Lionel Verner nearly always appeared at it.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The usual custom appeared somewhat reversed on this evening: while roving John would be just as likely to absent himself from dinner as not, his brother and Lionel Verner nearly always appeared at it.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The usual custom appeared somewhat reversed on this evening: while roving John would be just as likely to absent himself from dinner as not, his brother and Lionel Verner nearly always appeared at it.
a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading Mr. and Mrs. Verner, and John Massingbird: neither Lionel Verner nor Frederick Massingbird was present.
and nothing more
From this reading The usual custom appeared somewhat reversed on this evening: while roving John would be just as likely to absent himself from dinner as not, his brother and Lionel Verner nearly always appeared at it.
has a good chance of being the case or of coming about
From this reading The usual custom appeared somewhat reversed on this evening: while roving John would be just as likely to absent himself from dinner as not, his brother and Lionel Verner nearly always appeared at it.
Lionel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mr. and Mrs. Verner, and John Massingbird: neither Lionel Verner nor Frederick Massingbird was present.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading Mr. Verner looked surprised.
Massingbird
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mr. and Mrs. Verner, and John Massingbird: neither Lionel Verner nor Frederick Massingbird was present.
a form of address for a man
From this reading Mr. and Mrs. Verner, and John Massingbird: neither Lionel Verner nor Frederick Massingbird was present.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading Mr. and Mrs. Verner, and John Massingbird: neither Lionel Verner nor Frederick Massingbird was present.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading The usual custom appeared somewhat reversed on this evening: while roving John would be just as likely to absent himself from dinner as not, his brother and Lionel Verner nearly always appeared at it.
not one and not the other of two
From this reading Mr. and Mrs. Verner, and John Massingbird: neither Lionel Verner nor Frederick Massingbird was present.
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading Mr. and Mrs. Verner, and John Massingbird: neither Lionel Verner nor Frederick Massingbird was present.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The usual custom appeared somewhat reversed on this evening: while roving John would be just as likely to absent himself from dinner as not, his brother and Lionel Verner nearly always appeared at it.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The usual custom appeared somewhat reversed on this evening: while roving John would be just as likely to absent himself from dinner as not, his brother and Lionel Verner nearly always appeared at it.
PONDnounUS /pɑːnd/
a small lake
From this reading THE WILLOW POND.
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading Mr. and Mrs. Verner, and John Massingbird: neither Lionel Verner nor Frederick Massingbird was present.
a feeling of self-respect and personal worth
From this reading Before the sun had well set, the family at Verner's Pride were assembling for dinner.
reversedadjectiveUS /rɪˈvɜːrst/
turned inside out and resewn
From this reading The usual custom appeared somewhat reversed on this evening: while roving John would be just as likely to absent himself from dinner as not, his brother and Lionel Verner nearly always appeared at it.
rovingnounUS /ˈroʊvɪŋ/
travelling about without any clear destination
From this reading The usual custom appeared somewhat reversed on this evening: while roving John would be just as likely to absent himself from dinner as not, his brother and Lionel Verner nearly always appeared at it.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Before the sun had well set, the family at Verner's Pride were assembling for dinner.
to a small degree or extent
From this reading The usual custom appeared somewhat reversed on this evening: while roving John would be just as likely to absent himself from dinner as not, his brother and Lionel Verner nearly always appeared at it.
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading Before the sun had well set, the family at Verner's Pride were assembling for dinner.
taken unawares or suddenly and feeling wonder or astonishment
From this reading Mr. Verner looked surprised.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE WILLOW POND.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading The usual custom appeared somewhat reversed on this evening: while roving John would be just as likely to absent himself from dinner as not, his brother and Lionel Verner nearly always appeared at it.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The usual custom appeared somewhat reversed on this evening: while roving John would be just as likely to absent himself from dinner as not, his brother and Lionel Verner nearly always appeared at it.
usualadjectiveUS /ˈjuːʒəwəl/
occurring or encountered or experienced or observed frequently or in accordance with regular practice or procedure
From this reading The usual custom appeared somewhat reversed on this evening: while roving John would be just as likely to absent himself from dinner as not, his brother and Lionel Verner nearly always appeared at it.
VernernounUS /ˈvɜːrnər/
Danish philologist (1846-1896)
From this reading Mr. and Mrs. Verner, and John Massingbird: neither Lionel Verner nor Frederick Massingbird was present.
Verner's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before the sun had well set, the family at Verner's Pride were assembling for dinner.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Mr. and Mrs. Verner, and John Massingbird: neither Lionel Verner nor Frederick Massingbird was present.
(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 Before the sun had well set, the family at Verner's Pride were assembling for dinner.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Before the sun had well set, the family at Verner's Pride were assembling for dinner.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading The usual custom appeared somewhat reversed on this evening: while roving John would be just as likely to absent himself from dinner as not, his brother and Lionel Verner nearly always appeared at it.
WILLOWnounUS /ˈwɪloʊ/
any of numerous deciduous trees and shrubs of the genus Salix
From this reading THE WILLOW POND.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading The usual custom appeared somewhat reversed on this evening: while roving John would be just as likely to absent himself from dinner as not, his brother and Lionel Verner nearly always appeared at it.
