used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading NECESSARY CREDENTIALS The moment he appeared Rodney knew that he had been expecting him; that somewhere at the back of his mind there had been a feeling that it was he who was coming.
(usually followed by “to”) having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something
From this reading So far as Rodney was able to judge the little man was clad just as he had been on Sunday evening--in the same shabby tweed suit, the old unbrushed boots, with the same suggestion about him that he might easily have been improved by a more intimate acquaintance with soap and water.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading So far as Rodney was able to judge the little man was clad just as he had been on Sunday evening--in the same shabby tweed suit, the old unbrushed boots, with the same suggestion about him that he might easily have been improved by a more intimate acquaintance with soap and water.
personal knowledge or information about someone or something
From this reading So far as Rodney was able to judge the little man was clad just as he had been on Sunday evening--in the same shabby tweed suit, the old unbrushed boots, with the same suggestion about him that he might easily have been improved by a more intimate acquaintance with soap and water.
anew
From this reading But he seldom lost his presence of mind for long; and, on that occasion, he had it again almost as soon as it had gone; indeed, within the same second he was smiling at himself for having allowed himself to be disposed towards such crass folly.
past form of “allow” — make it possible through a specific action or lack of action for something to happen
From this reading But he seldom lost his presence of mind for long; and, on that occasion, he had it again almost as soon as it had gone; indeed, within the same second he was smiling at himself for having allowed himself to be disposed towards such crass folly.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading But he seldom lost his presence of mind for long; and, on that occasion, he had it again almost as soon as it had gone; indeed, within the same second he was smiling at himself for having allowed himself to be disposed towards such crass folly.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading His impulse was to take him by the throat and crush the life out of him before he had a chance of saying a word; which was the impulse of a badly frightened man.
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading NECESSARY CREDENTIALS The moment he appeared Rodney knew that he had been expecting him; that somewhere at the back of his mind there had been a feeling that it was he who was coming.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading But he seldom lost his presence of mind for long; and, on that occasion, he had it again almost as soon as it had gone; indeed, within the same second he was smiling at himself for having allowed himself to be disposed towards such crass folly.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading NECESSARY CREDENTIALS The moment he appeared Rodney knew that he had been expecting him; that somewhere at the back of his mind there had been a feeling that it was he who was coming.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading NECESSARY CREDENTIALS The moment he appeared Rodney knew that he had been expecting him; that somewhere at the back of his mind there had been a feeling that it was he who was coming.
to a severe or serious degree
From this reading His impulse was to take him by the throat and crush the life out of him before he had a chance of saying a word; which was the impulse of a badly frightened man.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading But he seldom lost his presence of mind for long; and, on that occasion, he had it again almost as soon as it had gone; indeed, within the same second he was smiling at himself for having allowed himself to be disposed towards such crass folly.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading NECESSARY CREDENTIALS The moment he appeared Rodney knew that he had been expecting him; that somewhere at the back of his mind there had been a feeling that it was he who was coming.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading His impulse was to take him by the throat and crush the life out of him before he had a chance of saying a word; which was the impulse of a badly frightened man.
plural of “boot” — footwear that covers the whole foot and lower leg
From this reading So far as Rodney was able to judge the little man was clad just as he had been on Sunday evening--in the same shabby tweed suit, the old unbrushed boots, with the same suggestion about him that he might easily have been improved by a more intimate acquaintance with soap and water.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But he seldom lost his presence of mind for long; and, on that occasion, he had it again almost as soon as it had gone; indeed, within the same second he was smiling at himself for having allowed himself to be disposed towards such crass folly.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading His impulse was to take him by the throat and crush the life out of him before he had a chance of saying a word; which was the impulse of a badly frightened man.
a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances
From this reading His impulse was to take him by the throat and crush the life out of him before he had a chance of saying a word; which was the impulse of a badly frightened man.
the protruding part of the lower jaw
From this reading He had his hat in one hand, and with the other he rubbed his scrubby chin.
cladadjectiveUS /klæd/
wearing or provided with clothing; sometimes used in combination
From this reading So far as Rodney was able to judge the little man was clad just as he had been on Sunday evening--in the same shabby tweed suit, the old unbrushed boots, with the same suggestion about him that he might easily have been improved by a more intimate acquaintance with soap and water.
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading NECESSARY CREDENTIALS The moment he appeared Rodney knew that he had been expecting him; that somewhere at the back of his mind there had been a feeling that it was he who was coming.
crassadjectiveUS /kræs/
(of persons) so unrefined as to be lacking in discrimination and sensibility
From this reading But he seldom lost his presence of mind for long; and, on that occasion, he had it again almost as soon as it had gone; indeed, within the same second he was smiling at himself for having allowed himself to be disposed towards such crass folly.
CREDENTIALSnounUS /krəˈdenʃəlz/
a document attesting to the truth of certain stated facts
From this reading NECESSARY CREDENTIALS The moment he appeared Rodney knew that he had been expecting him; that somewhere at the back of his mind there had been a feeling that it was he who was coming.
crushverbUS /krʌʃ/
come down on or keep down by unjust use of one's authority
From this reading His impulse was to take him by the throat and crush the life out of him before he had a chance of saying a word; which was the impulse of a badly frightened man.
having made preparations
From this reading But he seldom lost his presence of mind for long; and, on that occasion, he had it again almost as soon as it had gone; indeed, within the same second he was smiling at himself for having allowed himself to be disposed towards such crass folly.
with ease (“easy” is sometimes used informally for “easily”)
From this reading So far as Rodney was able to judge the little man was clad just as he had been on Sunday evening--in the same shabby tweed suit, the old unbrushed boots, with the same suggestion about him that he might easily have been improved by a more intimate acquaintance with soap and water.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading So far as Rodney was able to judge the little man was clad just as he had been on Sunday evening--in the same shabby tweed suit, the old unbrushed boots, with the same suggestion about him that he might easily have been improved by a more intimate acquaintance with soap and water.
-ing form of “expect” — regard something as probable or likely
From this reading NECESSARY CREDENTIALS The moment he appeared Rodney knew that he had been expecting him; that somewhere at the back of his mind there had been a feeling that it was he who was coming.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading So far as Rodney was able to judge the little man was clad just as he had been on Sunday evening--in the same shabby tweed suit, the old unbrushed boots, with the same suggestion about him that he might easily have been improved by a more intimate acquaintance with soap and water.
the experiencing of affective and emotional states
From this reading NECESSARY CREDENTIALS The moment he appeared Rodney knew that he had been expecting him; that somewhere at the back of his mind there had been a feeling that it was he who was coming.
the trait of acting stupidly or rashly
From this reading But he seldom lost his presence of mind for long; and, on that occasion, he had it again almost as soon as it had gone; indeed, within the same second he was smiling at himself for having allowed himself to be disposed towards such crass folly.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading But he seldom lost his presence of mind for long; and, on that occasion, he had it again almost as soon as it had gone; indeed, within the same second he was smiling at himself for having allowed himself to be disposed towards such crass folly.
made afraid
From this reading His impulse was to take him by the throat and crush the life out of him before he had a chance of saying a word; which was the impulse of a badly frightened man.
destroyed or killed
From this reading But he seldom lost his presence of mind for long; and, on that occasion, he had it again almost as soon as it had gone; indeed, within the same second he was smiling at himself for having allowed himself to be disposed towards such crass folly.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading NECESSARY CREDENTIALS The moment he appeared Rodney knew that he had been expecting him; that somewhere at the back of his mind there had been a feeling that it was he who was coming.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading He had his hat in one hand, and with the other he rubbed his scrubby chin.
headdress that protects the head from bad weather; has shaped crown and usually a brim
From this reading He had his hat in one hand, and with the other he rubbed his scrubby chin.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading So far as Rodney was able to judge the little man was clad just as he had been on Sunday evening--in the same shabby tweed suit, the old unbrushed boots, with the same suggestion about him that he might easily have been improved by a more intimate acquaintance with soap and water.
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading But he seldom lost his presence of mind for long; and, on that occasion, he had it again almost as soon as it had gone; indeed, within the same second he was smiling at himself for having allowed himself to be disposed towards such crass folly.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading NECESSARY CREDENTIALS The moment he appeared Rodney knew that he had been expecting him; that somewhere at the back of his mind there had been a feeling that it was he who was coming.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading NECESSARY CREDENTIALS The moment he appeared Rodney knew that he had been expecting him; that somewhere at the back of his mind there had been a feeling that it was he who was coming.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading But he seldom lost his presence of mind for long; and, on that occasion, he had it again almost as soon as it had gone; indeed, within the same second he was smiling at himself for having allowed himself to be disposed towards such crass folly.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading NECESSARY CREDENTIALS The moment he appeared Rodney knew that he had been expecting him; that somewhere at the back of his mind there had been a feeling that it was he who was coming.
improvedadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpruːvd/
made more desirable or valuable or profitable; especially made ready for use or marketing
From this reading So far as Rodney was able to judge the little man was clad just as he had been on Sunday evening--in the same shabby tweed suit, the old unbrushed boots, with the same suggestion about him that he might easily have been improved by a more intimate acquaintance with soap and water.
an instinctive motive
From this reading His impulse was to take him by the throat and crush the life out of him before he had a chance of saying a word; which was the impulse of a badly frightened man.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading So far as Rodney was able to judge the little man was clad just as he had been on Sunday evening--in the same shabby tweed suit, the old unbrushed boots, with the same suggestion about him that he might easily have been improved by a more intimate acquaintance with soap and water.
in truth (often tends to intensify)
From this reading But he seldom lost his presence of mind for long; and, on that occasion, he had it again almost as soon as it had gone; indeed, within the same second he was smiling at himself for having allowed himself to be disposed towards such crass folly.
intimateadjectiveUS /ˈɪntəmət/
marked by close acquaintance, association, or familiarity
From this reading So far as Rodney was able to judge the little man was clad just as he had been on Sunday evening--in the same shabby tweed suit, the old unbrushed boots, with the same suggestion about him that he might easily have been improved by a more intimate acquaintance with soap and water.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading NECESSARY CREDENTIALS The moment he appeared Rodney knew that he had been expecting him; that somewhere at the back of his mind there had been a feeling that it was he who was coming.
determine the result of (a competition)
From this reading So far as Rodney was able to judge the little man was clad just as he had been on Sunday evening--in the same shabby tweed suit, the old unbrushed boots, with the same suggestion about him that he might easily have been improved by a more intimate acquaintance with soap and water.
and nothing more
From this reading So far as Rodney was able to judge the little man was clad just as he had been on Sunday evening--in the same shabby tweed suit, the old unbrushed boots, with the same suggestion about him that he might easily have been improved by a more intimate acquaintance with soap and water.
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 NECESSARY CREDENTIALS The moment he appeared Rodney knew that he had been expecting him; that somewhere at the back of his mind there had been a feeling that it was he who was coming.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading His impulse was to take him by the throat and crush the life out of him before he had a chance of saying a word; which was the impulse of a badly frightened man.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading So far as Rodney was able to judge the little man was clad just as he had been on Sunday evening--in the same shabby tweed suit, the old unbrushed boots, with the same suggestion about him that he might easily have been improved by a more intimate acquaintance with soap and water.
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 But he seldom lost his presence of mind for long; and, on that occasion, he had it again almost as soon as it had gone; indeed, within the same second he was smiling at himself for having allowed himself to be disposed towards such crass folly.
no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered
From this reading But he seldom lost his presence of mind for long; and, on that occasion, he had it again almost as soon as it had gone; indeed, within the same second he was smiling at himself for having allowed himself to be disposed towards such crass folly.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading His impulse was to take him by the throat and crush the life out of him before he had a chance of saying a word; which was the impulse of a badly frightened man.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading So far as Rodney was able to judge the little man was clad just as he had been on Sunday evening--in the same shabby tweed suit, the old unbrushed boots, with the same suggestion about him that he might easily have been improved by a more intimate acquaintance with soap and water.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading NECESSARY CREDENTIALS The moment he appeared Rodney knew that he had been expecting him; that somewhere at the back of his mind there had been a feeling that it was he who was coming.
a particular point in time
From this reading NECESSARY CREDENTIALS The moment he appeared Rodney knew that he had been expecting him; that somewhere at the back of his mind there had been a feeling that it was he who was coming.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading So far as Rodney was able to judge the little man was clad just as he had been on Sunday evening--in the same shabby tweed suit, the old unbrushed boots, with the same suggestion about him that he might easily have been improved by a more intimate acquaintance with soap and water.
absolutely essential
From this reading NECESSARY CREDENTIALS The moment he appeared Rodney knew that he had been expecting him; that somewhere at the back of his mind there had been a feeling that it was he who was coming.
an event that occurs at a critical time
From this reading But he seldom lost his presence of mind for long; and, on that occasion, he had it again almost as soon as it had gone; indeed, within the same second he was smiling at himself for having allowed himself to be disposed towards such crass folly.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading NECESSARY CREDENTIALS The moment he appeared Rodney knew that he had been expecting him; that somewhere at the back of his mind there had been a feeling that it was he who was coming.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading So far as Rodney was able to judge the little man was clad just as he had been on Sunday evening--in the same shabby tweed suit, the old unbrushed boots, with the same suggestion about him that he might easily have been improved by a more intimate acquaintance with soap and water.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading But he seldom lost his presence of mind for long; and, on that occasion, he had it again almost as soon as it had gone; indeed, within the same second he was smiling at himself for having allowed himself to be disposed towards such crass folly.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading He had his hat in one hand, and with the other he rubbed his scrubby chin.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading He had his hat in one hand, and with the other he rubbed his scrubby chin.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading His impulse was to take him by the throat and crush the life out of him before he had a chance of saying a word; which was the impulse of a badly frightened man.
the state of being present; current existence
From this reading But he seldom lost his presence of mind for long; and, on that occasion, he had it again almost as soon as it had gone; indeed, within the same second he was smiling at himself for having allowed himself to be disposed towards such crass folly.
Rodney
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading NECESSARY CREDENTIALS The moment he appeared Rodney knew that he had been expecting him; that somewhere at the back of his mind there had been a feeling that it was he who was coming.
rubbedverbUS /rʌbd/
inflected form of “rub” — move over something with pressure
From this reading He had his hat in one hand, and with the other he rubbed his scrubby chin.
Identical; not different.
From this reading But he seldom lost his presence of mind for long; and, on that occasion, he had it again almost as soon as it had gone; indeed, within the same second he was smiling at himself for having allowed himself to be disposed towards such crass folly.
a word or phrase that particular people use in particular situations
From this reading His impulse was to take him by the throat and crush the life out of him before he had a chance of saying a word; which was the impulse of a badly frightened man.
scrubbyadjectiveUS /ˈskrʌbi/
sparsely covered with stunted trees or vegetation and underbrush
From this reading He had his hat in one hand, and with the other he rubbed his scrubby chin.
1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading But he seldom lost his presence of mind for long; and, on that occasion, he had it again almost as soon as it had gone; indeed, within the same second he was smiling at himself for having allowed himself to be disposed towards such crass folly.
not often
From this reading But he seldom lost his presence of mind for long; and, on that occasion, he had it again almost as soon as it had gone; indeed, within the same second he was smiling at himself for having allowed himself to be disposed towards such crass folly.
shabbyadjectiveUS /ˈʃæbi/
showing signs of wear and tear
From this reading So far as Rodney was able to judge the little man was clad just as he had been on Sunday evening--in the same shabby tweed suit, the old unbrushed boots, with the same suggestion about him that he might easily have been improved by a more intimate acquaintance with soap and water.
a facial expression characterized by turning up the corners of the mouth; usually shows pleasure or amusement
From this reading But he seldom lost his presence of mind for long; and, on that occasion, he had it again almost as soon as it had gone; indeed, within the same second he was smiling at himself for having allowed himself to be disposed towards such crass folly.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading So far as Rodney was able to judge the little man was clad just as he had been on Sunday evening--in the same shabby tweed suit, the old unbrushed boots, with the same suggestion about him that he might easily have been improved by a more intimate acquaintance with soap and water.
soapnounUS /soʊp/
a cleansing agent made from the salts of vegetable or animal fats
From this reading So far as Rodney was able to judge the little man was clad just as he had been on Sunday evening--in the same shabby tweed suit, the old unbrushed boots, with the same suggestion about him that he might easily have been improved by a more intimate acquaintance with soap and water.
in or at or to some place
From this reading NECESSARY CREDENTIALS The moment he appeared Rodney knew that he had been expecting him; that somewhere at the back of his mind there had been a feeling that it was he who was coming.
in the near future
From this reading But he seldom lost his presence of mind for long; and, on that occasion, he had it again almost as soon as it had gone; indeed, within the same second he was smiling at himself for having allowed himself to be disposed towards such crass folly.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading But he seldom lost his presence of mind for long; and, on that occasion, he had it again almost as soon as it had gone; indeed, within the same second he was smiling at himself for having allowed himself to be disposed towards such crass folly.
an idea that is suggested
From this reading So far as Rodney was able to judge the little man was clad just as he had been on Sunday evening--in the same shabby tweed suit, the old unbrushed boots, with the same suggestion about him that he might easily have been improved by a more intimate acquaintance with soap and water.
be agreeable or acceptable to
From this reading So far as Rodney was able to judge the little man was clad just as he had been on Sunday evening--in the same shabby tweed suit, the old unbrushed boots, with the same suggestion about him that he might easily have been improved by a more intimate acquaintance with soap and water.
first day of the week; observed as a day of rest and worship by most Christians
From this reading So far as Rodney was able to judge the little man was clad just as he had been on Sunday evening--in the same shabby tweed suit, the old unbrushed boots, with the same suggestion about him that he might easily have been improved by a more intimate acquaintance with soap and water.
carry out
From this reading His impulse was to take him by the throat and crush the life out of him before he had a chance of saying a word; which was the impulse of a badly frightened man.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading NECESSARY CREDENTIALS The moment he appeared Rodney knew that he had been expecting him; that somewhere at the back of his mind there had been a feeling that it was he who was coming.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading NECESSARY CREDENTIALS The moment he appeared Rodney knew that he had been expecting him; that somewhere at the back of his mind there had been a feeling that it was he who was coming.
in or at that place or location
From this reading NECESSARY CREDENTIALS The moment he appeared Rodney knew that he had been expecting him; that somewhere at the back of his mind there had been a feeling that it was he who was coming.
The passage at the back of the mouth.
From this reading His impulse was to take him by the throat and crush the life out of him before he had a chance of saying a word; which was the impulse of a badly frightened man.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading His impulse was to take him by the throat and crush the life out of him before he had a chance of saying a word; which was the impulse of a badly frightened man.
in the direction of
From this reading But he seldom lost his presence of mind for long; and, on that occasion, he had it again almost as soon as it had gone; indeed, within the same second he was smiling at himself for having allowed himself to be disposed towards such crass folly.
tweednounUS /twiːd/
thick woolen fabric used for clothing; originated in Scotland
From this reading So far as Rodney was able to judge the little man was clad just as he had been on Sunday evening--in the same shabby tweed suit, the old unbrushed boots, with the same suggestion about him that he might easily have been improved by a more intimate acquaintance with soap and water.
unbrushedadjective
(of hair or clothing) not brushed
From this reading So far as Rodney was able to judge the little man was clad just as he had been on Sunday evening--in the same shabby tweed suit, the old unbrushed boots, with the same suggestion about him that he might easily have been improved by a more intimate acquaintance with soap and water.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading NECESSARY CREDENTIALS The moment he appeared Rodney knew that he had been expecting him; that somewhere at the back of his mind there had been a feeling that it was he who was coming.
binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent
From this reading So far as Rodney was able to judge the little man was clad just as he had been on Sunday evening--in the same shabby tweed suit, the old unbrushed boots, with the same suggestion about him that he might easily have been improved by a more intimate acquaintance with soap and water.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading His impulse was to take him by the throat and crush the life out of him before he had a chance of saying a word; which was the impulse of a badly frightened man.
which person or people
From this reading NECESSARY CREDENTIALS The moment he appeared Rodney knew that he had been expecting him; that somewhere at the back of his mind there had been a feeling that it was he who was coming.
in the company of; together with
From this reading So far as Rodney was able to judge the little man was clad just as he had been on Sunday evening--in the same shabby tweed suit, the old unbrushed boots, with the same suggestion about him that he might easily have been improved by a more intimate acquaintance with soap and water.
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading But he seldom lost his presence of mind for long; and, on that occasion, he had it again almost as soon as it had gone; indeed, within the same second he was smiling at himself for having allowed himself to be disposed towards such crass folly.
a unit of language that native speakers can identify
From this reading His impulse was to take him by the throat and crush the life out of him before he had a chance of saying a word; which was the impulse of a badly frightened man.
