used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading At the sound of his voice the footman fell back as white as a sheet.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading Then he turned, and backing step by step almost as far as the window, raised his hands, and looked at his forbidden visitor with a frozen expression of horror.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Mr. Paget rose, walked over to him, took him by the shoulders, and pushed him out of the room.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading At the sound of his voice the footman fell back as white as a sheet.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At the sound of his voice the footman fell back as white as a sheet.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading At the sound of his voice the footman fell back as white as a sheet.
backingnounUS /ˈbækɪŋ/
the act of providing approval and support
From this reading Then he turned, and backing step by step almost as far as the window, raised his hands, and looked at his forbidden visitor with a frozen expression of horror.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading He locked the door behind him.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Mr. Paget rose, walked over to him, took him by the shoulders, and pushed him out of the room.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading He locked the door behind him.
the feelings expressed on a person's face
From this reading Then he turned, and backing step by step almost as far as the window, raised his hands, and looked at his forbidden visitor with a frozen expression of horror.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading Then he turned, and backing step by step almost as far as the window, raised his hands, and looked at his forbidden visitor with a frozen expression of horror.
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading At the sound of his voice the footman fell back as white as a sheet.
footmannounUS /ˈfʊtmən/
a man employed as a servant in a large establishment (as a palace) to run errands and do chores
From this reading At the sound of his voice the footman fell back as white as a sheet.
forbiddenadjectiveUS /fərˈbɪd.ən/
Not allowed; banned or prohibited by rule or law.
From this reading Then he turned, and backing step by step almost as far as the window, raised his hands, and looked at his forbidden visitor with a frozen expression of horror.
frozenadjectiveUS /ˈfroʊzən/
turned into ice; affected by freezing or by long and severe cold
From this reading Then he turned, and backing step by step almost as far as the window, raised his hands, and looked at his forbidden visitor with a frozen expression of horror.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading Then he turned, and backing step by step almost as far as the window, raised his hands, and looked at his forbidden visitor with a frozen expression of horror.
headdress that protects the head from bad weather; has shaped crown and usually a brim
From this reading Wyndham took his hat off and laid it on the table.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He locked the door behind him.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Mr. Paget rose, walked over to him, took him by the shoulders, and pushed him out of the room.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading At the sound of his voice the footman fell back as white as a sheet.
intense and profound fear
From this reading Then he turned, and backing step by step almost as far as the window, raised his hands, and looked at his forbidden visitor with a frozen expression of horror.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Wyndham took his hat off and laid it on the table.
set down according to a plan
From this reading Wyndham took his hat off and laid it on the table.
past form of “lock” — fasten with a lock
From this reading He locked the door behind him.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading Then he turned, and backing step by step almost as far as the window, raised his hands, and looked at his forbidden visitor with a frozen expression of horror.
a form of address for a man
From this reading Mr. Paget rose, walked over to him, took him by the shoulders, and pushed him out of the room.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading At the sound of his voice the footman fell back as white as a sheet.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Wyndham took his hat off and laid it on the table.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Wyndham took his hat off and laid it on the table.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Mr. Paget rose, walked over to him, took him by the shoulders, and pushed him out of the room.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Mr. Paget rose, walked over to him, took him by the shoulders, and pushed him out of the room.
PagetnounUS /ˈpædʒət/
English pathologist who discovered the cause of trichinosis (1814-1899)
From this reading Mr. Paget rose, walked over to him, took him by the shoulders, and pushed him out of the room.
past form of “push” — move with force
From this reading Mr. Paget rose, walked over to him, took him by the shoulders, and pushed him out of the room.
located or moved above the surround or above the normal position
From this reading Then he turned, and backing step by step almost as far as the window, raised his hands, and looked at his forbidden visitor with a frozen expression of horror.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading Mr. Paget rose, walked over to him, took him by the shoulders, and pushed him out of the room.
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading Mr. Paget rose, walked over to him, took him by the shoulders, and pushed him out of the room.
any broad thin expanse or surface
From this reading At the sound of his voice the footman fell back as white as a sheet.
plural of “shoulder” — the part of the body between the neck and the upper arm
From this reading Mr. Paget rose, walked over to him, took him by the shoulders, and pushed him out of the room.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading At the sound of his voice the footman fell back as white as a sheet.
any maneuver made as part of progress toward a goal
From this reading Then he turned, and backing step by step almost as far as the window, raised his hands, and looked at his forbidden visitor with a frozen expression of horror.
a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading Wyndham took his hat off and laid it on the table.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading At the sound of his voice the footman fell back as white as a sheet.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then he turned, and backing step by step almost as far as the window, raised his hands, and looked at his forbidden visitor with a frozen expression of horror.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Mr. Paget rose, walked over to him, took him by the shoulders, and pushed him out of the room.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading Mr. Paget rose, walked over to him, took him by the shoulders, and pushed him out of the room.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading Then he turned, and backing step by step almost as far as the window, raised his hands, and looked at his forbidden visitor with a frozen expression of horror.
someone who visits
From this reading Then he turned, and backing step by step almost as far as the window, raised his hands, and looked at his forbidden visitor with a frozen expression of horror.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading At the sound of his voice the footman fell back as white as a sheet.
past form of “walk” — use one's feet to advance; advance by steps
From this reading Mr. Paget rose, walked over to him, took him by the shoulders, and pushed him out of the room.
a Caucasian
From this reading At the sound of his voice the footman fell back as white as a sheet.
a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air
From this reading Then he turned, and backing step by step almost as far as the window, raised his hands, and looked at his forbidden visitor with a frozen expression of horror.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Then he turned, and backing step by step almost as far as the window, raised his hands, and looked at his forbidden visitor with a frozen expression of horror.
Wyndham
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Wyndham took his hat off and laid it on the table.
