used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was a soft voice, gentle and musical, exactly the right voice for such a figure and face.
(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 At the sound of it, he was aware suddenly that he must appear ridiculous--coatless, with his hair all rumpled.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading It was the first time he had ever spoken to such a woman, and something in her manner--the complete calm and assurance, the quiet, almost insolent lack of any apology, made him feel a gawky little boy.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was a soft voice, gentle and musical, exactly the right voice for such a figure and face.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading It was the first time he had ever spoken to such a woman, and something in her manner--the complete calm and assurance, the quiet, almost insolent lack of any apology, made him feel a gawky little boy.
apologynounUS /əˈpɑːlədʒiː/
an expression of regret at having caused trouble for someone
From this reading It was the first time he had ever spoken to such a woman, and something in her manner--the complete calm and assurance, the quiet, almost insolent lack of any apology, made him feel a gawky little boy.
give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading At the sound of it, he was aware suddenly that he must appear ridiculous--coatless, with his hair all rumpled.
in a state of sleep
From this reading I was asleep,” he said, desperately patting down his hair.
assurancenounUS /əˈʃʊrəns/
freedom from doubt; belief in yourself and your abilities
From this reading It was the first time he had ever spoken to such a woman, and something in her manner--the complete calm and assurance, the quiet, almost insolent lack of any apology, made him feel a gawky little boy.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At the sound of it, he was aware suddenly that he must appear ridiculous--coatless, with his hair all rumpled.
(sometimes followed by “of”) having or showing knowledge or understanding or realization or perception
From this reading At the sound of it, he was aware suddenly that he must appear ridiculous--coatless, with his hair all rumpled.
a youthful male person
From this reading It was the first time he had ever spoken to such a woman, and something in her manner--the complete calm and assurance, the quiet, almost insolent lack of any apology, made him feel a gawky little boy.
make calm or still
From this reading It was the first time he had ever spoken to such a woman, and something in her manner--the complete calm and assurance, the quiet, almost insolent lack of any apology, made him feel a gawky little boy.
coatless
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At the sound of it, he was aware suddenly that he must appear ridiculous--coatless, with his hair all rumpled.
come or bring to a finish or an end
From this reading It was the first time he had ever spoken to such a woman, and something in her manner--the complete calm and assurance, the quiet, almost insolent lack of any apology, made him feel a gawky little boy.
desperatelyadverbUS /ˈdespərətli/
with great urgency
From this reading I was asleep,” he said, desperately patting down his hair.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading I was asleep,” he said, desperately patting down his hair.
at any time
From this reading It was the first time he had ever spoken to such a woman, and something in her manner--the complete calm and assurance, the quiet, almost insolent lack of any apology, made him feel a gawky little boy.
indicating exactness or preciseness
From this reading It was a soft voice, gentle and musical, exactly the right voice for such a figure and face.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading It was a soft voice, gentle and musical, exactly the right voice for such a figure and face.
undergo an emotional sensation or be in a particular state of mind
From this reading It was the first time he had ever spoken to such a woman, and something in her manner--the complete calm and assurance, the quiet, almost insolent lack of any apology, made him feel a gawky little boy.
a diagram or picture illustrating textual material
From this reading It was a soft voice, gentle and musical, exactly the right voice for such a figure and face.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading It was the first time he had ever spoken to such a woman, and something in her manner--the complete calm and assurance, the quiet, almost insolent lack of any apology, made him feel a gawky little boy.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It was a soft voice, gentle and musical, exactly the right voice for such a figure and face.
gawkyadjectiveUS /ˈɡɔːki/
lacking grace in movement or posture
From this reading It was the first time he had ever spoken to such a woman, and something in her manner--the complete calm and assurance, the quiet, almost insolent lack of any apology, made him feel a gawky little boy.
soft and mild; not harsh or stern or severe
From this reading It was a soft voice, gentle and musical, exactly the right voice for such a figure and face.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It was the first time he had ever spoken to such a woman, and something in her manner--the complete calm and assurance, the quiet, almost insolent lack of any apology, made him feel a gawky little boy.
a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss
From this reading At the sound of it, he was aware suddenly that he must appear ridiculous--coatless, with his hair all rumpled.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading At the sound of it, he was aware suddenly that he must appear ridiculous--coatless, with his hair all rumpled.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading It was the first time he had ever spoken to such a woman, and something in her manner--the complete calm and assurance, the quiet, almost insolent lack of any apology, made him feel a gawky little boy.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading It was the first time he had ever spoken to such a woman, and something in her manner--the complete calm and assurance, the quiet, almost insolent lack of any apology, made him feel a gawky little boy.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading At the sound of it, he was aware suddenly that he must appear ridiculous--coatless, with his hair all rumpled.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “I ...
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was the first time he had ever spoken to such a woman, and something in her manner--the complete calm and assurance, the quiet, almost insolent lack of any apology, made him feel a gawky little boy.
insolentadjectiveUS /ˈɪnsələnt/
marked by casual disrespect
From this reading It was the first time he had ever spoken to such a woman, and something in her manner--the complete calm and assurance, the quiet, almost insolent lack of any apology, made him feel a gawky little boy.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was a soft voice, gentle and musical, exactly the right voice for such a figure and face.
the state of needing something that is absent or unavailable
From this reading It was the first time he had ever spoken to such a woman, and something in her manner--the complete calm and assurance, the quiet, almost insolent lack of any apology, made him feel a gawky little boy.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading It was the first time he had ever spoken to such a woman, and something in her manner--the complete calm and assurance, the quiet, almost insolent lack of any apology, made him feel a gawky little boy.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading It was the first time he had ever spoken to such a woman, and something in her manner--the complete calm and assurance, the quiet, almost insolent lack of any apology, made him feel a gawky little boy.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading It was the first time he had ever spoken to such a woman, and something in her manner--the complete calm and assurance, the quiet, almost insolent lack of any apology, made him feel a gawky little boy.
musicaladjectiveUS /ˈmjuːzɪkəl/
characterized by or capable of producing music
From this reading It was a soft voice, gentle and musical, exactly the right voice for such a figure and face.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading At the sound of it, he was aware suddenly that he must appear ridiculous--coatless, with his hair all rumpled.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading At the sound of it, he was aware suddenly that he must appear ridiculous--coatless, with his hair all rumpled.
pattingverbUS /ˈpætɪŋ/
inflected form of “pat” — pat or squeeze fondly or playfully, especially under the chin
From this reading I was asleep,” he said, desperately patting down his hair.
quietadjectiveUS /ˈkwaɪət/
characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity
From this reading It was the first time he had ever spoken to such a woman, and something in her manner--the complete calm and assurance, the quiet, almost insolent lack of any apology, made him feel a gawky little boy.
inspiring scornful pity
From this reading At the sound of it, he was aware suddenly that he must appear ridiculous--coatless, with his hair all rumpled.
precisely, exactly
From this reading It was a soft voice, gentle and musical, exactly the right voice for such a figure and face.
rumpledadjectiveUS /ˈrʌmpəld/
in disarray; extremely disorderly
From this reading At the sound of it, he was aware suddenly that he must appear ridiculous--coatless, with his hair all rumpled.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading I was asleep,” he said, desperately patting down his hair.
yielding readily to pressure or weight
From this reading It was a soft voice, gentle and musical, exactly the right voice for such a figure and face.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading It was the first time he had ever spoken to such a woman, and something in her manner--the complete calm and assurance, the quiet, almost insolent lack of any apology, made him feel a gawky little boy.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading At the sound of it, he was aware suddenly that he must appear ridiculous--coatless, with his hair all rumpled.
uttered through the medium of speech or characterized by speech; sometimes used in combination
From this reading It was the first time he had ever spoken to such a woman, and something in her manner--the complete calm and assurance, the quiet, almost insolent lack of any apology, made him feel a gawky little boy.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading It was a soft voice, gentle and musical, exactly the right voice for such a figure and face.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading At the sound of it, he was aware suddenly that he must appear ridiculous--coatless, with his hair all rumpled.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading At the sound of it, he was aware suddenly that he must appear ridiculous--coatless, with his hair all rumpled.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It was a soft voice, gentle and musical, exactly the right voice for such a figure and face.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading It was the first time he had ever spoken to such a woman, and something in her manner--the complete calm and assurance, the quiet, almost insolent lack of any apology, made him feel a gawky little boy.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It was the first time he had ever spoken to such a woman, and something in her manner--the complete calm and assurance, the quiet, almost insolent lack of any apology, made him feel a gawky little boy.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading It was a soft voice, gentle and musical, exactly the right voice for such a figure and face.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was a soft voice, gentle and musical, exactly the right voice for such a figure and face.
in the company of; together with
From this reading At the sound of it, he was aware suddenly that he must appear ridiculous--coatless, with his hair all rumpled.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading It was the first time he had ever spoken to such a woman, and something in her manner--the complete calm and assurance, the quiet, almost insolent lack of any apology, made him feel a gawky little boy.
