used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Claude had just left Oxford, and was staying for a few weeks with some friends in Scotland, before settling down at home.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading ONE day, about six weeks before the time at which my little story commences, I had been spending the day at the Parsonage.
AfterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading After dinner Miss Richards and I took our work into the little summer-house, and sat there until the evening.
the part of the day between noon and evening
From this reading I did not often go there now, but Claude was away, and his aunt, Miss Richards, who had lived there since Claude's mother died, invited me to spend the afternoon with her.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading I did not often go there now, but Claude was away, and his aunt, Miss Richards, who had lived there since Claude's mother died, invited me to spend the afternoon with her.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading ONE day, about six weeks before the time at which my little story commences, I had been spending the day at the Parsonage.
the sister of your father or mother; the wife of your uncle
From this reading I did not often go there now, but Claude was away, and his aunt, Miss Richards, who had lived there since Claude's mother died, invited me to spend the afternoon with her.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading I did not often go there now, but Claude was away, and his aunt, Miss Richards, who had lived there since Claude's mother died, invited me to spend the afternoon with her.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading ONE day, about six weeks before the time at which my little story commences, I had been spending the day at the Parsonage.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading ONE day, about six weeks before the time at which my little story commences, I had been spending the day at the Parsonage.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading I did not often go there now, but Claude was away, and his aunt, Miss Richards, who had lived there since Claude's mother died, invited me to spend the afternoon with her.
the person or thing chosen or selected
From this reading MY CHOICE.
Claude
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I did not often go there now, but Claude was away, and his aunt, Miss Richards, who had lived there since Claude's mother died, invited me to spend the afternoon with her.
Claude's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I did not often go there now, but Claude was away, and his aunt, Miss Richards, who had lived there since Claude's mother died, invited me to spend the afternoon with her.
commencesverbUS /kəˈmensəz/
third-person singular of “commence” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading ONE day, about six weeks before the time at which my little story commences, I had been spending the day at the Parsonage.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading ONE day, about six weeks before the time at which my little story commences, I had been spending the day at the Parsonage.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading I did not often go there now, but Claude was away, and his aunt, Miss Richards, who had lived there since Claude's mother died, invited me to spend the afternoon with her.
past form of “die” — pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life
From this reading I did not often go there now, but Claude was away, and his aunt, Miss Richards, who had lived there since Claude's mother died, invited me to spend the afternoon with her.
the main meal of the day served in the evening or at midday
From this reading After dinner Miss Richards and I took our work into the little summer-house, and sat there until the evening.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Claude had just left Oxford, and was staying for a few weeks with some friends in Scotland, before settling down at home.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading After dinner Miss Richards and I took our work into the little summer-house, and sat there until the evening.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading Claude had just left Oxford, and was staying for a few weeks with some friends in Scotland, before settling down at home.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Claude had just left Oxford, and was staying for a few weeks with some friends in Scotland, before settling down at home.
plural of “friend” — a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading Claude had just left Oxford, and was staying for a few weeks with some friends in Scotland, before settling down at home.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading I did not often go there now, but Claude was away, and his aunt, Miss Richards, who had lived there since Claude's mother died, invited me to spend the afternoon with her.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading ONE day, about six weeks before the time at which my little story commences, I had been spending the day at the Parsonage.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading I did not often go there now, but Claude was away, and his aunt, Miss Richards, who had lived there since Claude's mother died, invited me to spend the afternoon with her.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading I did not often go there now, but Claude was away, and his aunt, Miss Richards, who had lived there since Claude's mother died, invited me to spend the afternoon with her.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading Claude had just left Oxford, and was staying for a few weeks with some friends in Scotland, before settling down at home.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading ONE day, about six weeks before the time at which my little story commences, I had been spending the day at the Parsonage.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Claude had just left Oxford, and was staying for a few weeks with some friends in Scotland, before settling down at home.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading After dinner Miss Richards and I took our work into the little summer-house, and sat there until the evening.
past form of “invite” — increase the likelihood of
From this reading I did not often go there now, but Claude was away, and his aunt, Miss Richards, who had lived there since Claude's mother died, invited me to spend the afternoon with her.
and nothing more
From this reading Claude had just left Oxford, and was staying for a few weeks with some friends in Scotland, before settling down at home.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading Claude had just left Oxford, and was staying for a few weeks with some friends in Scotland, before settling down at home.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading ONE day, about six weeks before the time at which my little story commences, I had been spending the day at the Parsonage.
past form of “live” — be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading I did not often go there now, but Claude was away, and his aunt, Miss Richards, who had lived there since Claude's mother died, invited me to spend the afternoon with her.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading I did not often go there now, but Claude was away, and his aunt, Miss Richards, who had lived there since Claude's mother died, invited me to spend the afternoon with her.
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading I did not often go there now, but Claude was away, and his aunt, Miss Richards, who had lived there since Claude's mother died, invited me to spend the afternoon with her.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading I did not often go there now, but Claude was away, and his aunt, Miss Richards, who had lived there since Claude's mother died, invited me to spend the afternoon with her.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading MY CHOICE.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading I did not often go there now, but Claude was away, and his aunt, Miss Richards, who had lived there since Claude's mother died, invited me to spend the afternoon with her.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading I did not often go there now, but Claude was away, and his aunt, Miss Richards, who had lived there since Claude's mother died, invited me to spend the afternoon with her.
many times at short intervals
From this reading I did not often go there now, but Claude was away, and his aunt, Miss Richards, who had lived there since Claude's mother died, invited me to spend the afternoon with her.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading ONE day, about six weeks before the time at which my little story commences, I had been spending the day at the Parsonage.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading After dinner Miss Richards and I took our work into the little summer-house, and sat there until the evening.
OxfordnounUS /ˈɑːksfərd/
a city in southern England to the northwest of London; site of Oxford University
From this reading Claude had just left Oxford, and was staying for a few weeks with some friends in Scotland, before settling down at home.
ParsonagenounUS /ˈpɑːrsənɪdʒ/
an official residence provided by a church for its parson or vicar or rector
From this reading ONE day, about six weeks before the time at which my little story commences, I had been spending the day at the Parsonage.
RichardsnounUS /ˈrɪtʃərdz/
English literary critic who collaborated with C. K. Ogden and contributed to the development of Basic English (1893-1979)
From this reading I did not often go there now, but Claude was away, and his aunt, Miss Richards, who had lived there since Claude's mother died, invited me to spend the afternoon with her.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading After dinner Miss Richards and I took our work into the little summer-house, and sat there until the evening.
one of the four countries that make up the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; located on the northern part of the island of Great Britain; famous for bagpipes and plaids and kilts
From this reading Claude had just left Oxford, and was staying for a few weeks with some friends in Scotland, before settling down at home.
settlingnounUS /ˈsetəlɪŋ/
a gradual sinking to a lower level
From this reading Claude had just left Oxford, and was staying for a few weeks with some friends in Scotland, before settling down at home.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading I did not often go there now, but Claude was away, and his aunt, Miss Richards, who had lived there since Claude's mother died, invited me to spend the afternoon with her.
the cardinal number that is the sum of five and one
From this reading ONE day, about six weeks before the time at which my little story commences, I had been spending the day at the Parsonage.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Claude had just left Oxford, and was staying for a few weeks with some friends in Scotland, before settling down at home.
use up a period of time in a specific way
From this reading I did not often go there now, but Claude was away, and his aunt, Miss Richards, who had lived there since Claude's mother died, invited me to spend the afternoon with her.
spendingnounUS /ˈspendɪŋ/
the act of spending or disbursing money
From this reading ONE day, about six weeks before the time at which my little story commences, I had been spending the day at the Parsonage.
stayingverbUS /ˈsteɪɪŋ/
-ing form of “stay” — stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading Claude had just left Oxford, and was staying for a few weeks with some friends in Scotland, before settling down at home.
a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading ONE day, about six weeks before the time at which my little story commences, I had been spending the day at the Parsonage.
summer-house
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading After dinner Miss Richards and I took our work into the little summer-house, and sat there until the evening.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading ONE day, about six weeks before the time at which my little story commences, I had been spending the day at the Parsonage.
in or at that place or location
From this reading I did not often go there now, but Claude was away, and his aunt, Miss Richards, who had lived there since Claude's mother died, invited me to spend the afternoon with her.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading ONE day, about six weeks before the time at which my little story commences, I had been spending the day at the Parsonage.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I did not often go there now, but Claude was away, and his aunt, Miss Richards, who had lived there since Claude's mother died, invited me to spend the afternoon with her.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading After dinner Miss Richards and I took our work into the little summer-house, and sat there until the evening.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading After dinner Miss Richards and I took our work into the little summer-house, and sat there until the evening.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading I did not often go there now, but Claude was away, and his aunt, Miss Richards, who had lived there since Claude's mother died, invited me to spend the afternoon with her.
plural of “week” — any period of seven consecutive days
From this reading ONE day, about six weeks before the time at which my little story commences, I had been spending the day at the Parsonage.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading ONE day, about six weeks before the time at which my little story commences, I had been spending the day at the Parsonage.
which person or people
From this reading I did not often go there now, but Claude was away, and his aunt, Miss Richards, who had lived there since Claude's mother died, invited me to spend the afternoon with her.
in the company of; together with
From this reading I did not often go there now, but Claude was away, and his aunt, Miss Richards, who had lived there since Claude's mother died, invited me to spend the afternoon with her.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading After dinner Miss Richards and I took our work into the little summer-house, and sat there until the evening.
