used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading But William liked an audience--even a hostile one consisting of his own family.
activitiesnounUS /ækˈtɪvətiz/
plural of “activity” — any specific behavior
From this reading With his father shut off from the world by his paper, and his mother by her letters, one would have thought that he would have enjoyed the clear field thus left for his activities.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading But William liked an audience--even a hostile one consisting of his own family.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading With his father shut off from the world by his paper, and his mother by her letters, one would have thought that he would have enjoyed the clear field thus left for his activities.
a gathering of spectators or listeners at a (usually public) performance
From this reading But William liked an audience--even a hostile one consisting of his own family.
eat an early morning meal
From this reading THE CURE BREAKFAST was not William's favourite meal.
a male with the same parents as someone else
From this reading True, Robert and Ethel, his elder brother and sister, were there; but Robert's great rule in life was to ignore William's existence.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But William liked an audience--even a hostile one consisting of his own family.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading With his father shut off from the world by his paper, and his mother by her letters, one would have thought that he would have enjoyed the clear field thus left for his activities.
rid of obstructions
From this reading With his father shut off from the world by his paper, and his mother by her letters, one would have thought that he would have enjoyed the clear field thus left for his activities.
consistingverbUS /kənˈsɪstɪŋ/
-ing form of “consist” — originate
From this reading But William liked an audience--even a hostile one consisting of his own family.
CUREverbUS /kjʊr/
provide a cure for, make healthy again
From this reading THE CURE BREAKFAST was not William's favourite meal.
a person who is older than you are
From this reading True, Robert and Ethel, his elder brother and sister, were there; but Robert's great rule in life was to ignore William's existence.
past form of “enjoy” — derive or receive pleasure from; get enjoyment from; take pleasure in
From this reading With his father shut off from the world by his paper, and his mother by her letters, one would have thought that he would have enjoyed the clear field thus left for his activities.
Ethel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading True, Robert and Ethel, his elder brother and sister, were there; but Robert's great rule in life was to ignore William's existence.
divisible by two
From this reading But William liked an audience--even a hostile one consisting of his own family.
the state or fact of existing
From this reading True, Robert and Ethel, his elder brother and sister, were there; but Robert's great rule in life was to ignore William's existence.
a social unit living together
From this reading But William liked an audience--even a hostile one consisting of his own family.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading With his father shut off from the world by his paper, and his mother by her letters, one would have thought that he would have enjoyed the clear field thus left for his activities.
a competitor thought likely to win
From this reading THE CURE BREAKFAST was not William's favourite meal.
a piece of land cleared of trees and usually enclosed
From this reading With his father shut off from the world by his paper, and his mother by her letters, one would have thought that he would have enjoyed the clear field thus left for his activities.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading With his father shut off from the world by his paper, and his mother by her letters, one would have thought that he would have enjoyed the clear field thus left for his activities.
freckledadjectiveUS /ˈfrekəld/
relating to or covered with or resembling freckles
From this reading Robert would have preferred not to have had a small freckled, snub-nosed brother.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading With his father shut off from the world by his paper, and his mother by her letters, one would have thought that he would have enjoyed the clear field thus left for his activities.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading True, Robert and Ethel, his elder brother and sister, were there; but Robert's great rule in life was to ignore William's existence.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Robert would have preferred not to have had a small freckled, snub-nosed brother.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading With his father shut off from the world by his paper, and his mother by her letters, one would have thought that he would have enjoyed the clear field thus left for his activities.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading With his father shut off from the world by his paper, and his mother by her letters, one would have thought that he would have enjoyed the clear field thus left for his activities.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading With his father shut off from the world by his paper, and his mother by her letters, one would have thought that he would have enjoyed the clear field thus left for his activities.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading With his father shut off from the world by his paper, and his mother by her letters, one would have thought that he would have enjoyed the clear field thus left for his activities.
hostileadjectiveUS /ˈhɑːstəl/
characterized by enmity or ill will
From this reading But William liked an audience--even a hostile one consisting of his own family.
ignoreverbUS /ˌɪɡˈnɔːr/
refuse to acknowledge
From this reading True, Robert and Ethel, his elder brother and sister, were there; but Robert's great rule in life was to ignore William's existence.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading True, Robert and Ethel, his elder brother and sister, were there; but Robert's great rule in life was to ignore William's existence.
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 With his father shut off from the world by his paper, and his mother by her letters, one would have thought that he would have enjoyed the clear field thus left for his activities.
the literary culture
From this reading With his father shut off from the world by his paper, and his mother by her letters, one would have thought that he would have enjoyed the clear field thus left for his activities.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading True, Robert and Ethel, his elder brother and sister, were there; but Robert's great rule in life was to ignore William's existence.
found pleasant or attractive; often used as a combining form
From this reading But William liked an audience--even a hostile one consisting of his own family.
the food served and eaten at one time
From this reading THE CURE BREAKFAST was not William's favourite meal.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading With his father shut off from the world by his paper, and his mother by her letters, one would have thought that he would have enjoyed the clear field thus left for his activities.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading THE CURE BREAKFAST was not William's favourite meal.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading But William liked an audience--even a hostile one consisting of his own family.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading With his father shut off from the world by his paper, and his mother by her letters, one would have thought that he would have enjoyed the clear field thus left for his activities.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading With his father shut off from the world by his paper, and his mother by her letters, one would have thought that he would have enjoyed the clear field thus left for his activities.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading But William liked an audience--even a hostile one consisting of his own family.
a material made of cellulose pulp derived mainly from wood or rags or certain grasses
From this reading With his father shut off from the world by his paper, and his mother by her letters, one would have thought that he would have enjoyed the clear field thus left for his activities.
preferredadjectiveUS /prəˈfɜːrd/
more desirable than another
From this reading Robert would have preferred not to have had a small freckled, snub-nosed brother.
United States parliamentary authority and author (in 1876) of Robert's Rules of Order (1837-1923)
From this reading True, Robert and Ethel, his elder brother and sister, were there; but Robert's great rule in life was to ignore William's existence.
Robert'snounUS /ˈrɑːbərts/
possessive form of “robert” — United States parliamentary authority and author (in 1876) of Robert's Rules of Order (1837-1923)
From this reading True, Robert and Ethel, his elder brother and sister, were there; but Robert's great rule in life was to ignore William's existence.
a principle or condition that customarily governs behavior
From this reading True, Robert and Ethel, his elder brother and sister, were there; but Robert's great rule in life was to ignore William's existence.
move so that an opening or passage is obstructed; make shut
From this reading With his father shut off from the world by his paper, and his mother by her letters, one would have thought that he would have enjoyed the clear field thus left for his activities.
a female person who has the same parents as another person
From this reading True, Robert and Ethel, his elder brother and sister, were there; but Robert's great rule in life was to ignore William's existence.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Robert would have preferred not to have had a small freckled, snub-nosed brother.
snub-nosedadjective
having a blunt nose
From this reading Robert would have preferred not to have had a small freckled, snub-nosed brother.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading With his father shut off from the world by his paper, and his mother by her letters, one would have thought that he would have enjoyed the clear field thus left for his activities.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE CURE BREAKFAST was not William's favourite meal.
in or at that place or location
From this reading True, Robert and Ethel, his elder brother and sister, were there; but Robert's great rule in life was to ignore William's existence.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading With his father shut off from the world by his paper, and his mother by her letters, one would have thought that he would have enjoyed the clear field thus left for his activities.
(used to introduce a logical conclusion) from that fact or reason or as a result
From this reading With his father shut off from the world by his paper, and his mother by her letters, one would have thought that he would have enjoyed the clear field thus left for his activities.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading True, Robert and Ethel, his elder brother and sister, were there; but Robert's great rule in life was to ignore William's existence.
consistent with fact or reality; not false
From this reading True, Robert and Ethel, his elder brother and sister, were there; but Robert's great rule in life was to ignore William's existence.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading THE CURE BREAKFAST was not William's favourite meal.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading True, Robert and Ethel, his elder brother and sister, were there; but Robert's great rule in life was to ignore William's existence.
William
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But William liked an audience--even a hostile one consisting of his own family.
William'snounUS /ˈwɪljəmz/
possessive form of “williams” — United States country singer and songwriter (1923-1953)
From this reading THE CURE BREAKFAST was not William's favourite meal.
in the company of; together with
From this reading With his father shut off from the world by his paper, and his mother by her letters, one would have thought that he would have enjoyed the clear field thus left for his activities.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading With his father shut off from the world by his paper, and his mother by her letters, one would have thought that he would have enjoyed the clear field thus left for his activities.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading With his father shut off from the world by his paper, and his mother by her letters, one would have thought that he would have enjoyed the clear field thus left for his activities.
