used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE CHAIRMAN MAKES A SPEECH The wild uproar of the gymnasium entertainment did not compare in intensity with the suppressed excitement of the day following examinations.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading The girls wandered about from room to room, the Seniors, who were to have a vacation of a week before Commencement, packing their trunks half-heartedly, the others doing nothing.
(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 There were no school-exercises except a chapel-service in the morning, which the students wished might be longer, since it was all they had to occupy them during the long and tedious day.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading There were no school-exercises except a chapel-service in the morning, which the students wished might be longer, since it was all they had to occupy them during the long and tedious day.
any thing at all
From this reading It did not seem worth while to begin anything until one knew whether one was to return.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading There were no school-exercises except a chapel-service in the morning, which the students wished might be longer, since it was all they had to occupy them during the long and tedious day.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading The girls wandered about from room to room, the Seniors, who were to have a vacation of a week before Commencement, packing their trunks half-heartedly, the others doing nothing.
take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading It did not seem worth while to begin anything until one knew whether one was to return.
a committee having supervisory powers
From this reading The Board was closeted down in the principal's office, where they worked from breakfast till dark.
eat an early morning meal
From this reading The Board was closeted down in the principal's office, where they worked from breakfast till dark.
CHAIRMANnounUS /ˈtʃermən/
the officer who presides at the meetings of an organization
From this reading THE CHAIRMAN MAKES A SPEECH The wild uproar of the gymnasium entertainment did not compare in intensity with the suppressed excitement of the day following examinations.
chapel-service
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were no school-exercises except a chapel-service in the morning, which the students wished might be longer, since it was all they had to occupy them during the long and tedious day.
closetedverbUS /ˈklɑːzətɪd/
past form of “closet” — confine to a small space, as for intensive work
From this reading The Board was closeted down in the principal's office, where they worked from breakfast till dark.
CommencementnounUS /kəˈmensmənt/
the time at which something is supposed to begin
From this reading The girls wandered about from room to room, the Seniors, who were to have a vacation of a week before Commencement, packing their trunks half-heartedly, the others doing nothing.
compareverbUS /kəmˈper/
examine and note the similarities or differences of
From this reading THE CHAIRMAN MAKES A SPEECH The wild uproar of the gymnasium entertainment did not compare in intensity with the suppressed excitement of the day following examinations.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading The Board was closeted down in the principal's office, where they worked from breakfast till dark.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading THE CHAIRMAN MAKES A SPEECH The wild uproar of the gymnasium entertainment did not compare in intensity with the suppressed excitement of the day following examinations.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading THE CHAIRMAN MAKES A SPEECH The wild uproar of the gymnasium entertainment did not compare in intensity with the suppressed excitement of the day following examinations.
-ing form of “do” — engage in
From this reading The girls wandered about from room to room, the Seniors, who were to have a vacation of a week before Commencement, packing their trunks half-heartedly, the others doing nothing.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading The Board was closeted down in the principal's office, where they worked from breakfast till dark.
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading There were no school-exercises except a chapel-service in the morning, which the students wished might be longer, since it was all they had to occupy them during the long and tedious day.
entertainmentnounUS /ˌentərˈteɪnmənt/
an activity that is diverting and that holds the attention
From this reading THE CHAIRMAN MAKES A SPEECH The wild uproar of the gymnasium entertainment did not compare in intensity with the suppressed excitement of the day following examinations.
examinationsnounUS /ɪɡˌzæməˈneɪʃənz/
plural of “examination” — the act of examining something closely (as for mistakes)
From this reading THE CHAIRMAN MAKES A SPEECH The wild uproar of the gymnasium entertainment did not compare in intensity with the suppressed excitement of the day following examinations.
apart from; not including
From this reading There were no school-exercises except a chapel-service in the morning, which the students wished might be longer, since it was all they had to occupy them during the long and tedious day.
the feeling of lively and cheerful joy
From this reading THE CHAIRMAN MAKES A SPEECH The wild uproar of the gymnasium entertainment did not compare in intensity with the suppressed excitement of the day following examinations.
about to be mentioned or specified
From this reading THE CHAIRMAN MAKES A SPEECH The wild uproar of the gymnasium entertainment did not compare in intensity with the suppressed excitement of the day following examinations.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The girls wandered about from room to room, the Seniors, who were to have a vacation of a week before Commencement, packing their trunks half-heartedly, the others doing nothing.
plural of “girl” — a young female
From this reading The girls wandered about from room to room, the Seniors, who were to have a vacation of a week before Commencement, packing their trunks half-heartedly, the others doing nothing.
gymnasiumnounUS /dʒɪmˈneɪziəm/
a school for students intermediate between elementary school and college; usually grades 9 to 12
From this reading THE CHAIRMAN MAKES A SPEECH The wild uproar of the gymnasium entertainment did not compare in intensity with the suppressed excitement of the day following examinations.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading There were no school-exercises except a chapel-service in the morning, which the students wished might be longer, since it was all they had to occupy them during the long and tedious day.
half-heartedlyadverb
without enthusiasm; in a half-hearted manner
From this reading The girls wandered about from room to room, the Seniors, who were to have a vacation of a week before Commencement, packing their trunks half-heartedly, the others doing nothing.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading The girls wandered about from room to room, the Seniors, who were to have a vacation of a week before Commencement, packing their trunks half-heartedly, the others doing nothing.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THE CHAIRMAN MAKES A SPEECH The wild uproar of the gymnasium entertainment did not compare in intensity with the suppressed excitement of the day following examinations.
intensitynounUS /ɪnˈtensəti/
the amount of energy transmitted (as by acoustic or electromagnetic radiation)
From this reading THE CHAIRMAN MAKES A SPEECH The wild uproar of the gymnasium entertainment did not compare in intensity with the suppressed excitement of the day following examinations.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading There were no school-exercises except a chapel-service in the morning, which the students wished might be longer, since it was all they had to occupy them during the long and tedious day.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading It did not seem worth while to begin anything until one knew whether one was to return.
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 There were no school-exercises except a chapel-service in the morning, which the students wished might be longer, since it was all they had to occupy them during the long and tedious day.
for more time
From this reading There were no school-exercises except a chapel-service in the morning, which the students wished might be longer, since it was all they had to occupy them during the long and tedious day.
plural of “make” — a recognizable kind
From this reading THE CHAIRMAN MAKES A SPEECH The wild uproar of the gymnasium entertainment did not compare in intensity with the suppressed excitement of the day following examinations.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading There were no school-exercises except a chapel-service in the morning, which the students wished might be longer, since it was all they had to occupy them during the long and tedious day.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading There were no school-exercises except a chapel-service in the morning, which the students wished might be longer, since it was all they had to occupy them during the long and tedious day.
not any; not one
From this reading There were no school-exercises except a chapel-service in the morning, which the students wished might be longer, since it was all they had to occupy them during the long and tedious day.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading THE CHAIRMAN MAKES A SPEECH The wild uproar of the gymnasium entertainment did not compare in intensity with the suppressed excitement of the day following examinations.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading The girls wandered about from room to room, the Seniors, who were to have a vacation of a week before Commencement, packing their trunks half-heartedly, the others doing nothing.
occupyverbUS /ˈɑːkjəpaɪ/
keep busy with
From this reading There were no school-exercises except a chapel-service in the morning, which the students wished might be longer, since it was all they had to occupy them during the long and tedious day.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE CHAIRMAN MAKES A SPEECH The wild uproar of the gymnasium entertainment did not compare in intensity with the suppressed excitement of the day following examinations.
place of business where professional or clerical duties are performed
From this reading The Board was closeted down in the principal's office, where they worked from breakfast till dark.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading It did not seem worth while to begin anything until one knew whether one was to return.
others
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The girls wandered about from room to room, the Seniors, who were to have a vacation of a week before Commencement, packing their trunks half-heartedly, the others doing nothing.
packingnounUS /ˈpækɪŋ/
any material used especially to protect something
From this reading The girls wandered about from room to room, the Seniors, who were to have a vacation of a week before Commencement, packing their trunks half-heartedly, the others doing nothing.
principal'snounUS /ˈprɪnsəpəlz/
possessive form of “principal” — the original amount of a debt on which interest is calculated
From this reading The Board was closeted down in the principal's office, where they worked from breakfast till dark.
go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading It did not seem worth while to begin anything until one knew whether one was to return.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading The girls wandered about from room to room, the Seniors, who were to have a vacation of a week before Commencement, packing their trunks half-heartedly, the others doing nothing.
school-exercises
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were no school-exercises except a chapel-service in the morning, which the students wished might be longer, since it was all they had to occupy them during the long and tedious day.
give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading It did not seem worth while to begin anything until one knew whether one was to return.
SeniorsnounUS /ˈsiːnjərz/
plural of “senior” — an undergraduate student during the year preceding graduation
From this reading The girls wandered about from room to room, the Seniors, who were to have a vacation of a week before Commencement, packing their trunks half-heartedly, the others doing nothing.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading There were no school-exercises except a chapel-service in the morning, which the students wished might be longer, since it was all they had to occupy them during the long and tedious day.
the act of delivering a formal spoken communication to an audience
From this reading THE CHAIRMAN MAKES A SPEECH The wild uproar of the gymnasium entertainment did not compare in intensity with the suppressed excitement of the day following examinations.
studentsnounUS /ˈstuːdənts/
plural of “student” — a learner who is enrolled in an educational institution
From this reading There were no school-exercises except a chapel-service in the morning, which the students wished might be longer, since it was all they had to occupy them during the long and tedious day.
suppressedadjectiveUS /səˈprest/
kept from public knowledge by various means
From this reading THE CHAIRMAN MAKES A SPEECH The wild uproar of the gymnasium entertainment did not compare in intensity with the suppressed excitement of the day following examinations.
tediousadjectiveUS /ˈtiːdiəs/
so lacking in interest as to cause mental weariness
From this reading There were no school-exercises except a chapel-service in the morning, which the students wished might be longer, since it was all they had to occupy them during the long and tedious day.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE CHAIRMAN MAKES A SPEECH The wild uproar of the gymnasium entertainment did not compare in intensity with the suppressed excitement of the day following examinations.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The girls wandered about from room to room, the Seniors, who were to have a vacation of a week before Commencement, packing their trunks half-heartedly, the others doing nothing.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading There were no school-exercises except a chapel-service in the morning, which the students wished might be longer, since it was all they had to occupy them during the long and tedious day.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There were no school-exercises except a chapel-service in the morning, which the students wished might be longer, since it was all they had to occupy them during the long and tedious day.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading There were no school-exercises except a chapel-service in the morning, which the students wished might be longer, since it was all they had to occupy them during the long and tedious day.
up to a particular time
From this reading The Board was closeted down in the principal's office, where they worked from breakfast till dark.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading There were no school-exercises except a chapel-service in the morning, which the students wished might be longer, since it was all they had to occupy them during the long and tedious day.
trunksnounUS /trʌŋks/
(used in the plural) trousers that end at or above the knee
From this reading The girls wandered about from room to room, the Seniors, who were to have a vacation of a week before Commencement, packing their trunks half-heartedly, the others doing nothing.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading It did not seem worth while to begin anything until one knew whether one was to return.
uproarnounUS /ˈʌprɔːr/
a state of commotion and noise and confusion
From this reading THE CHAIRMAN MAKES A SPEECH The wild uproar of the gymnasium entertainment did not compare in intensity with the suppressed excitement of the day following examinations.
vacationnounUS /veɪˈkeɪʃən/
leisure time away from work devoted to rest or pleasure
From this reading The girls wandered about from room to room, the Seniors, who were to have a vacation of a week before Commencement, packing their trunks half-heartedly, the others doing nothing.
past form of “wander” — move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment
From this reading The girls wandered about from room to room, the Seniors, who were to have a vacation of a week before Commencement, packing their trunks half-heartedly, the others doing nothing.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There were no school-exercises except a chapel-service in the morning, which the students wished might be longer, since it was all they had to occupy them during the long and tedious day.
any period of seven consecutive days
From this reading The girls wandered about from room to room, the Seniors, who were to have a vacation of a week before Commencement, packing their trunks half-heartedly, the others doing nothing.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading There were no school-exercises except a chapel-service in the morning, which the students wished might be longer, since it was all they had to occupy them during the long and tedious day.
in or at the place that
From this reading The Board was closeted down in the principal's office, where they worked from breakfast till dark.
used to introduce two or more possibilities
From this reading It did not seem worth while to begin anything until one knew whether one was to return.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading There were no school-exercises except a chapel-service in the morning, which the students wished might be longer, since it was all they had to occupy them during the long and tedious day.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading It did not seem worth while to begin anything until one knew whether one was to return.
which person or people
From this reading The girls wandered about from room to room, the Seniors, who were to have a vacation of a week before Commencement, packing their trunks half-heartedly, the others doing nothing.
marked by extreme lack of restraint or control
From this reading THE CHAIRMAN MAKES A SPEECH The wild uproar of the gymnasium entertainment did not compare in intensity with the suppressed excitement of the day following examinations.
past form of “wish” — hope for; have a wish
From this reading There were no school-exercises except a chapel-service in the morning, which the students wished might be longer, since it was all they had to occupy them during the long and tedious day.
in the company of; together with
From this reading THE CHAIRMAN MAKES A SPEECH The wild uproar of the gymnasium entertainment did not compare in intensity with the suppressed excitement of the day following examinations.
past form of “work” — exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading The Board was closeted down in the principal's office, where they worked from breakfast till dark.
an indefinite quantity of something having a specified value
From this reading It did not seem worth while to begin anything until one knew whether one was to return.
